Developing social innovators and social entrepreneurs through a creative and innovative programme

In today's increasingly interdependent and rapidly changing world, understanding the transformations of the 21st century that are characterized by uneven development, accelerated globalization, economic uncertainty, entrenched and complex social problems requires an academic approach that is interdisciplinary and focused on both innovation and commercialisation. This paper will focus on the development of a Social Venture Builder (SVB) programme at the University of Northampton; an example of a course that aims to develop the skills of the innovators and entrepreneurs whilst at the same time developing sustainable social ventures. We will place this in a wider context of the University of Northampton’s institution wide strategy around social enterprise and how this is developing from one that concentrates on developing social enterprises to a more embedded strategy that develops creative and socially entrepreneurial students. Ultimately, as a University we believe we have to develop a creative learning environment that nurtures talent as well as engages with communities and neighbourhoods whilst connecting us with other local, regional, national and international networks

Effects of LL-37 on Gingival Fibroblasts: A Role in Periodontal Tissue Remodeling?

Mounting evidence suggests that the host defence peptide, LL-37, plays a role in both inflammation and in wound healing; however, the role of this peptide in the remodeling and maintenance of oral tissues is not yet fully understood. Fibroblasts are the most abundant cell type within the periodontal tissues, and gingival fibroblasts play an important role in maintaining and repairing the gingival tissues which are constantly exposed to external insults. In this study we examined the direct effects of LL-37 treatment on gingival fibroblasts and found that LL-37 significantly increased secretion of both interleukin 8 (IL-8) and IL-6 from these cells. LL-37 tended to decrease matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity in gingival fibroblasts, but this decrease did not reach statistical significance. LL-37 significantly increased tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) production by gingival fibroblasts, but had no significant effect on TIMP-2 levels. LL-37 was also shown to significantly increase production of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) in gingival fibroblasts. Taken together, these results suggest an important role for the host defence peptide, LL-37, in modulating the fibroblast response to remodeling in periodontal tissues

Photon-noise limited sensitivity in titanium nitride kinetic inductance detectors

We demonstrate photon-noise limited performance at sub-millimeter wavelengths in feedhorn-coupled, microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKIDs) made of a TiN/Ti/TiN trilayer superconducting film, tuned to have a transition temperature of 1.4~K. Micro-machining of the silicon-on-insulator wafer backside creates a quarter-wavelength backshort optimized for efficient coupling at 250~\micron. Using frequency read out and when viewing a variable temperature blackbody source, we measure device noise consistent with photon noise when the incident optical power is $>$~0.5~pW, corresponding to noise equivalent powers $>$~3$\times 10^{-17}$ W/$\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}$. This sensitivity makes these devices suitable for broadband photometric applications at these wavelengths

Muscle fiber typology is associated with the incidence of overreaching in response to overload training

The aim of this study was to identify markers of training stress and characteristics of middle-distance runners related to the incidence of overreaching following overload training. Twenty-four highly-trained runners (n=16 male; VO2peak=73.3(4.3) mL·kg·min-1; n=8 female, VO2peak=63.2(3.4) mL·kg·min-1) completed 3 weeks of normal training (NormTr), 3 weeks of high-volume training (HVTr; a 10, 20 and 30% increase in training volume each successive week from NormTr), and a 1-week taper (TapTr; 55% exponential reduction in training volume from HVTr week 3). Before, and immediately after each training period, an incremental treadmill-running test was performed, while resting metabolic rate (RMR), subjective fatigue responses and various resting blood biomarkers were assessed. Muscle fiber typology of the gastrocnemius was estimated by quantification of muscle carnosine using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy and expressed as a z-score relative to a non-athlete control group. Twelve runners were classified as functionally overreached (FOR) following HVTr (decreased running TTE), whereas the other twelve were classified as acutely fatigued (AF; no decrease in running TTE). The FOR group did not demonstrate systematic alterations in RMR, resting blood biomarkers or submaximal exercise responses compared to the AF group. Gastrocnemius carnosine z-score was significantly higher in FOR (-0.44 ± 0.57) compared to AF (-1.25 ± 0.49, p = 0.004, d = 1.53) and was also associated with changes in running TTE from pre- to post-HVTr (r=-0.55, p=0.005) and pre-HVTr to post-TapTr (r=-0.64, p=0.008). Muscle fiber typology is related to the incidence of overreaching and performance super-compensation following increased training volume and a taper

The politics of regionalism and federation in East Africa, 1958-1964

Recent scholarship discussing the ‘federal moment’ in world history after 1945 has re-examined alternatives to the nation-state in the years of decolonisation, arguing against any inevitable transition from empire to nation. This article focuses on the case of East Africa, where federation seemed an attractive and likely prospect by 1963, yet never came to pass. Here the politics of federation should be understood as a constitutive part of the contested nation-state making process, rather than a viable alternative to it. For the leaders who initiated the politics of federation in the 1960s, regional unity promised the further centralisation of power, and a means of defeating tribalist opposition. For their opponents, federation was seized on as a means of promoting the autonomy of provinces or kingdoms within a larger federal unit. Yet ultimately, regionalist aspiration was inseparable from national politics: and negotiations among the leaders of East African states demanded the definition of national interests, which divided states rather than united them. Such conclusions suggest that historians of the federal moment might more productively focus on the functions of federalist discourse in the making of nation-states, rather than debating the viability of federalist projects