126 research outputs found
The Scottish economy [July 1981]
The current economic situation is extremely depressed and recent events suggest that, without significant increases in economic activity, the political and social fabric of this country may be several strained. However, as argued in the UK section, the prospects for recovery are bleak and reliance on a purely financial strategy to restore growth is in itself inadequate. The source of real economic growth lies in the ability of labour, capital and enterprise to come together in a manner conducive to increased productivity over time. It is therefore worthwhile examining these factors of production to determine the effect of current policies upon them
Review of the quarter's economic trends [October 1981]
In the second quarter of 1981 the index of industrial production for the United Kingdom was 8% below its level for the corresponding period in 1980. This notwithstanding, there do appear to be signs that the bottom of the output trough may now have been reached. This brief section will seek to understand the latest UK and world economic data to determine current economic conditions and forecasts future trends
The world economy [April 1979]
In the January issue of the Commentary is was pointed out that the mildly favourable prospects for world economic growth in 1979 were overshadowed by some political uncertainties, notably the prospect of disruptions to the supply of oil and the growth of protectionism. While the volume of world trade, as measured by the utilisation rates of dry cargo shipping, has continued to improve since the trough of June, 1978, there have been further less favourable political developments. This brief considers the impact of these developments and analyses the latest economic data
Spheres of Practice for the Co-design of Wearables
As expectations within the area of smart textiles increasingly become informed and driven by technological developments, the disciplinary boundaries and relationship between user and technological innovation will unavoidably transform. The authors venture that new paradigms of collaborative practice will inevitably develop between design and science, to more fully realize both the opportunities and contexts that wearable textiles offer. Drawing on previous work by the authors namely Molecular Imprinted Textiles (MIT - 2009/10), Future Textile Visions (FTV - 2010/11), Design Specks: Connecting People with Speckled Computing (2012/13), Second Skin (2013/14), and The S*** Word: Designing the Empathic Underwardrobe (2014), a model is proposed to more clearly understand and navigate between design, technology and application, and more importantly, between our cultural understanding of the user and the wearer. This paper reflects on a series of projects that inform a methodological approach: a process of asking questions; developing scenarios; exploring materials and making; generating concepts and building prototypes. Each project involved collaborations between design, academics, users and industry, and a form of co-design, where knowledge exchange was central, design was the intermediary, and the goal was to understand the drivers and the stakeholders. Simultaneously, this research sought to better understand and communicate the development of more empathic textile and fashion artifacts, and solutions. Co-design in this context is seen as a core approach to shifting the balance from technology as merely adjunct, or as a hook for marketers and users, to a more informed and harmonised position, where technology sits proximally and comfortably. The notion of interdisciplinary understanding, which tracks across domains of product, fashion and textiles, presents an approach where the application is still emerging. Through analysis of this progressive series of projects, the authors suggest that there is an opportunity to explore the inherent connectedness that textiles might offer for the integration and embedding of technology within material as a means to embrace these affordance opportunities. Central to this notion is the realisation of opportunities arising from dialogue and collaborative making (i.e. co-design), and for exploring the transformative notions of the user and the wearer. This paper led the authors to pose a set of questions that align to a four stage design process: Research, Define, Develop, Reflect, to frame findings and insights, and to outline the potential for future opportunities of working with technology to achieve the making and wearing of desirable materializations on the body
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Pointing errors in non-metric virtual environments
There have been suggestions that human navigation may depend on representations that have no metric, Euclidean interpretation but that hypothesis remains contentious. An alternative is that observers build a consistent 3D representation of space. Using immersive virtual reality, we measured the ability of observers to point to targets in mazes that had zero, one or three ‘wormholes’ – regions where the maze changed in configuration (invisibly). In one model, we allowed the configuration of the maze to vary to best explain the pointing data; in a second model we also allowed the local reference frame to be rotated through 90, 180 or 270 degrees. The latter model outperformed the former in the wormhole conditions, inconsistent with a Euclidean cognitive map
Using trained dogs and organic semi-conducting sensors to identify asymptomatic and mild SARS-CoV-2 infections: an observational study
BACKGROUND:
A rapid, accurate, non-invasive diagnostic screen is needed to identify people with SARS-CoV-2 infection. We investigated whether organic semi-conducting (OSC) sensors and trained dogs could distinguish between people infected with asymptomatic or mild symptoms, and uninfected individuals, and the impact of screening at ports-of-entry.
METHODS:
Odour samples were collected from adults, and SARS-CoV-2 infection status confirmed using RT-PCR. OSC sensors captured the volatile organic compound (VOC) profile of odour samples. Trained dogs were tested in a double-blind trial to determine their ability to detect differences in VOCs between infected and uninfected individuals, with sensitivity and specificity as the primary outcome. Mathematical modelling was used to investigate the impact of bio-detection dogs for screening.
RESULTS:
About, 3921 adults were enrolled in the study and odour samples collected from 1097 SARS-CoV-2 infected and 2031 uninfected individuals. OSC sensors were able to distinguish between SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals and uninfected, with sensitivity from 98% (95% CI 95–100) to 100% and specificity from 99% (95% CI 97–100) to 100%. Six dogs were able to distinguish between samples with sensitivity ranging from 82% (95% CI 76–87) to 94% (95% CI 89–98) and specificity ranging from 76% (95% CI 70–82) to 92% (95% CI 88–96). Mathematical modelling suggests that dog screening plus a confirmatory PCR test could detect up to 89% of SARS-CoV-2 infections, averting up to 2.2 times as much transmission compared to isolation of symptomatic individuals only.
CONCLUSIONS:
People infected with SARS-CoV-2, with asymptomatic or mild symptoms, have a distinct odour that can be identified by sensors and trained dogs with a high degree of accuracy. Odour-based diagnostics using sensors and/or dogs may prove a rapid and effective tool for screening large numbers of people.
Trial Registration NCT04509713 (clinicaltrials.gov)
Induction of Epstein-Barr Virus Early Antigen, Virus Capsid Antigen and Virus DNA Synthesis by Mitomycin C
Review of the quarter's economic trends [July 1981]
It would seem the outlook for the UK economy remains depressed. Whilst there may be an ephemeral boost to activity which follows from the rebuilding of stocks and the (less certain) restoration of normal savings behaviour, there is little reason to believe that other demand aggregates will recover sufficiently to avoid unemployment passing the three million mark by the end of this year. The latest UK and world economic data will be examined in order to provide an appraisal of the UK's current economic predicament and future prospects
The Scottish economy [April 1979]
As the latest economic data reveal, there is little doubt that the Scottish economy is weaker now than it was in 1974, How much this is due to the inadequacies of policy is difficult to ascertain. However, as this paper demonstrates, one can point to some factors, such as the removal of regional employment premium, which undoubtedly have had a detrimental effect on the economy, at least in the short-term. Further, it now seems likely, whichever party wins the next election, that regional policy, given the prevailing economic orthodoxy, will enter a 'passive' phase where assistance to the development areas will be tied to specific industries or projects. Whether the Scottish economy is now sufficiently robust to accommodate such a change remains to be seen
The UK economy [April 1979]
Gross Domestic Product in the United Kingdom increased by close on 3% in 1978. This growth, however, was largely concentrated in the first half of the year, the level of activity showing little change in the third and fourth quarters. Consumer expenditure was the most buoyant component of aggregate demand, increasing by 5.5% in volume terms over its 1977 level. This buoyancy reflected the rapid growth in real personal disposable income which took place last year following three successive years of decline. Purchases of consumer durables, deferred during these preceding years, recovered strongly, leading in turn to a rapid rise in imports. Exports by contrast performed poorly, rising at a considerably slower rate than in the preceding two years. The current account of the balance of payments remained marginally in surplus for the year as a whole, but at a level considerably below official predictions. Additional observations about the UK's economic prospects are also provided in this brief paper
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