183 research outputs found
Herreshoff Marine Museum: Historical Analysis
These methods that Herreshoff utilized can be classified as early stages of the LEAN manufacturing concept which is used today in a majority of Americaâs leading manufacturers. Herreshoff made sure that his entire inventory was used and nothing was wasted. By reducing/eliminating waste, Nat preserved the value of his products and increased the efficiency of operation
Doctrine and decision: navigating Labourâs new constitutional position in the Lords
The 2015â17 Parliament was the first time in history that the Conservatives were in government with no easily assembled majority in the House of Lords. This has fundamentally altered the role that Labour is able to play in the Lords and, conversely, that peers are able to play in the Labour party. Yet the political significance of this situation has not yet been fully appreciated by a party which remains culturally antagonistic and constitutionally wary of the Lords. In this paper, we draw on interviews with Labour peers, particularly the late Baroness Hollis of Heigham, who have been able to use the essentially conservative powers of the Lords for social democratic ends. We suggest that the Labour party needs to incorporate the second chamber into both its practical and symbolic politics, and to find ways to use this new source of constitutional power without accommodating to it
Optimising Early Childhood Educational Settings for Health Using Nature-Based Solutions:The Microbiome Aspect
Alexia Barrable - ORCID: 0000-0002-5352-8330 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5352-8330Early childhood is a time of rapid physiological, cognitive, and social development, affected by various environmental factors. The physical environment, including the environmental microbiome (the entire consortium of microorganisms and their theatre of activity in a given environment), plays an essential role in childhood development and can be shaped in ways to support health and wellbeing. In this Perspective article, we present considerations for early childhood education settings that wish to shape their outdoor and indoor environments to optimise human and ecosystem health. This is done in line with the latest evidence base on optimising health-supporting interactions between humans and environmental microbiota, but also in pedagogically and developmentally appropriate ways. Based on the Microbiome-Inspired Green Infrastructure (MIGI) principles, the considerations presented here not only support health through humanânature interactions and a healthier natural environment, but also promote a closer, reciprocal relationship between children and their natural environments.This research received no external funding.https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci1302021113pubpub
Nature-based Interventions and the Environment-Microbiome-Health Axis
This interdisciplinary PhD is an innovative socioecological investigation into two key
phenomena: 1. nature-based interventions, which are structured nature-based
activities that aim to facilitate behavioural changes for the benefit of health and
wellbeing; and 2. the relationship between the environment, the microbiome and
human health. The aims of the PhD study include:
o Determining the distribution of, and socioecological constraints and opportunities
associated with nature-based interventions.
o Ascertaining how engagement with nature may have supported population
health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether the pandemic affected
nature engagement.
o Investigating the environment-microbiome-health axis, including a review of
potential anthropogenic disruptions to this relationship, and determining the
spatio-compositional and ecological factors that affect exposure to the
aerobiome (microbiome of the air) in urban green spaces.
o Determining whether relationships with and knowledge of biodiversity affect
attitudes towards microbes.
o The development of novel conceptualisations that transcend the boundaries of
current knowledge, including Microbiome-Inspired Green Infrastructure (MIG) â
multifunctional green infrastructure that aims to enhance ecosystem functionality
and human health through considerations for the microbiome; the Lovebug
Effect â microbially-mediated nature affinity; and, the Holobiont Blindspot â a
newly proposed cognitive bias that may result from the failure to recognise the
microbiomeâs role in behaviour and health.
This is a PhD by publication comprising 9 chapters and 12 publications. Chapter 2
presents publications on nature-based interventions (Robinson and Breed, 2019;
Robinson et al. 2020a), and the potential health benefits of engaging with nature are
presented in Chapter 3 (Robinson et al. 2020b). This is followed by an overview of
the environment-microbiome-health axis (Robinson and Jorgensen, 2020) and how
nature engagement may affect our attitudes towards microbes in Chapter 4
(Robinson et al. 2021e). This is followed by the aerobiome studies in Chapter 5
(Robinson et al. 2020c; Robinson et al. 2021b) and potential disruptions to the
environmental microbiome and human health in Chapter 6 (Robinson et al. 2021c).
Chapter 7 presents Microbiome-Inspired Green Infrastructure (Robinson et al. 2018;
Watkins and Robinson et al. 2020), and finally in Chapter 8, novel conceptualisations
are presented, including the Lovebug Effect (Robinson and Breed, 2020) and the
Holobiont Blindspot (Robinson and Cameron, 2020).
The methods used in the nature-based intervention studies included geospatial
analysis using geographic information systems (GIS) and online questionnaires. The
methods used in the microbiome studies included the creation of novel sampling
methods to collect bacterial DNA in urban green spaces, DNA sequencing, and the
application of bioinformatic tools. Although systematic reviews were not included, the
reviews in this thesis did follow the preferred reporting system for systematic reviews
(PRISMA) method to ensure robust data collection.
This PhD makes several important contributions to knowledge. For example,
constraints to nature-based interventions were identified, and these show that
enhanced transdisciplinary collaborative pathways and efficient infrastructure are
needed. The research also identified that people significantly changed their patterns
of nature engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic and many visited nature for
important wellbeing and coping benefits. This highlights the immense value of nature
to health and wellbeing during unprecedented times. The research also revealed for
the first time that attitudes towards microbes might be influenced by nature
engagement and biodiversity literacy, and that anthropogenic pollution (light and
sound) could affect the microbiome with important ecological and health implications.
In the aerobiome studies, the cutting-edge discovery of ecological factors that drive
aerobiome assembly and potentially affect exposure types and routes could have
important implications for public health and landscape management.
Nature-based interventions have the potential to enhance human and environmental
health, and the environmental microbiome will likely play an important role. The
novel conceptualisations developed during this PhD add new knowledge to the fields
of landscape design, microbiome science, and environmental psychology and have
stimulated new research agendas across the world. The work in this thesis is
influenced by the emerging planetary health paradigm, the âinterconnectednessâ and
intrinsic value narrative associated with Indigenous cultures, and âsystems thinkingâ
(a holistic analytical approach that focuses on the way a systemâs constituent parts â
â and how systems themselves ââ interrelate). Fostering deep reciprocity with the
natural world to enhance personal and planetary health has never been more
important. We have a key opportunity to redefine our relationship with the wider
biotic community by establishing a new appreciation of our âmicrobial friendsâ and the
profound interconnectedness between the environment, the microbiome and human
health.
List of publications in this PhD thesis:
1. Robinson, J.M., and Breed, M.F. (2019). Green Prescriptions and Their Co-
Benefits: Integrative Strategies for Public and Planetary Health. Challenges. 10,
pp. 1-14.
Part of the Special Issue - The Emerging Concept of Planetary Health:
Connecting People, Place, Purpose, and Planet.
2. Robinson, J.M., Jorgensen, A., Cameron, R., and Brindley, P. (2020). Let
Nature Be Thy Medicine: A Socioecological Exploration of Green Prescribing in
the UK. Int J Environ Public Health. 17, pp. 1-24.
Part of the Special Issue "Planetary Health: From Challenges to Opportunities
for People, Place, Purpose and Planetâ
3. Robinson, J.M., Brindley, P, Cameron, R., MacCarthy, D., and, Jorgensen, A.
(2021). Natureâs Role in Supporting Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A
Geospatial and Socioecological Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 18, pp.
1-21.
4. Robinson, J.M., and Jorgensen, A. (2019). Rekindling Old Friendships in New
Landscapes: The Environment-Microbiome-Health Axis in the Realms of
Landscape Research. People Nat. 2, pp.339-349.
5. Robinson, J.M., Cameron, R., and Jorgensen, A. (2021). Germaphobia! Does
our Relationship with, and Knowledge of Biodiversity, Affect our Attitudes
Towards Microbes? Front Psychol, 12, pp. 1-10.
6. Robinson, J.M., Cando-Dumancela, C., Liddicoat, C., Weinstein, P., Cameron,
R. and Breed, M.F. (2020). Vertical Stratification in Urban Green Space
Aerobiomes. Environ Health Persp, 128, p.117008.
7. Robinson, J.M., Cando-Dumancela, C., Antwis, R.E., Cameron, R., Liddicoat,
C., Poudel, R., Weinstein, P., and Breed, M.F. (2021). Urban Green Space
Aerobiomes: Exposure to Airborne Bacteria Depends Upon Vertical Stratification
and Vegetation Complexity. Sci Rep, 11, pp. 1-17.
8. Robinson, J.M., and Parker, B. (2021). The Effects of Anthropogenic Sound and
Artificial Light Exposure on Microbiomes: Ecological and Public Health
Implications. Front Ecol Evol. 9, pp. 1-7.
9. Robinson, J.M., Mills, J.G., and Breed, M.F. (2018). Walking Ecosystems in
Microbiome-Inspired Green Infrastructure: An Ecological Perspective on
Enhancing Personal and Planetary Health. Challenges. 9, pp.1-15.
10. Watkins, H., Robinson, J.M., Breed, M.F., Parker, B. and Weinstein, P. (2020).
Microbiome-Inspired Green Infrastructure: A Toolkit for Multidisciplinary
Landscape Design. Trends in Biotech. 38, pp.1305-1308.
11. Robinson, J.M., and Breed, M.F. (2020). The Lovebug Effect: Is the Human
Biophilic Drive Influenced by Interactions Between the Host, The Environment,
and the Microbiome? Sci Tot Environ. 720, p.137626.
12. Robinson, J.M., and Cameron, R. (2020). The Holobiont Blindspot: Relating
Host-Microbiome Interactions to Cognitive Biases and the Concept of the
âUmweltâ. Front Psychol. 11, p.591071
Urban Design of Bristol Waterfront, Lower Thames Street
The marketplace is going to be one of the highlights on Thames Street, serving as a destination for leisure, shopping and dining. The concept of the project is to have indoor space continue out to the water, providing an outdoor space for dining and leisure, but also giving the boardwalk a resting point. The building is planned as two floors, with the fish market and multipurpose area on the first and an eatery, sitting area, balcony and facilities on the second. The building will be made of a light metal frame with panels to enclose the space and is designed with a folded glass panel that can be opened up to the outside, yet decrease wind pressure in a storm
Central Falls Welcome Sign Project Phase 2
For this design, the intent was to create a completely different identity for the City of Central Falls, as well as create a stronger connection with the state of Rhode Island. The curved shape that is created by the top portion of the design suggests a relationship with the Ocean State and the symbol of the wave that is seen throughout the State and even its license plate. It also creates a more modern approach with its abstract shape as well as creates a new and recognizable destination for tourists and locals. The use of brick for the base suggests that although new and different and for the future, it still holds true to the principles that make Central Falls the City it is today
2007 Texas Panhandle Forage Sorghum Silage Trial
The summer of 2007 we completed our ninth year of consecutive sorghum silage variety trials conducted at the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station Bush Farm, located approximately 8 miles west of Amarillo
Multi-Modal Exercise Training and Protein-Pacing Enhances Physical Performance Adaptations Independent of Growth Hormone and BDNF but May Be Dependent on IGF-1 in Exercise-Trained Men
OBJECTIVE: Protein-pacing (P; 5-6meals/day @ 2.0g/kgBW/day) and multi-mode exercise (RISE; resistance, interval, stretching, endurance) training (PRISE) improves muscular endurance, strength, power and arterial health in exercise-trained women. The current study extends these findings by examining PRISE on fitness, growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) response, cardiometabolic health, and body composition in exercise-trained men.
DESIGN: Twenty active males (\u3e4daysexercise/week) completed either: PRISE (n=11) or RISE (5-6meals/day @ 1.0g/kgBW/day; n=9) for 12weeks. Muscular strength (1-repetition maximum bench and leg press, 1-RM BP, and 1-RM LP), endurance (sit-ups, SU; push-ups, PU), power (squat jump, SJ, and bench throw, BT), flexibility (sit-and-reach, SR), aerobic performance (5km cycling time-trial, TT), GH, IGF-1, BDNF, augmentation index, (AIx), and body composition, were assessed at weeks 0 (pre) and 13 (post).
RESULTS:At baseline, no differences existed between groups except for GH (RISE, 230±13 vs. PRISE, 382±59pg/ml, p
CONCLUSIONS: Exercise-trained men consuming a P diet combined with multi-component exercise training (PRISE) enhance muscular power, strength, aerobic performance, and flexibility which are not likely related to GH or BDNF but possibly to IGF-1 response
Adams Memorial Library Children\u27s Room
The library spaces that were deemed most successful by the education students were those completed by the Robin Hood Foundation, which frequently rehabilitates underutilized spaces in inner-city schools to insert interactive, colorful and children-friendly library and learning spaces. Some shared suggestions to ensure such children- friendly accessibility were low bookshelves with book covers facing outwards, engaging and lively color schemes and comfortable furnishings
YouthBuild Providence Sustainability Learning Center Design
Renee integrated coarse stucco and horizontal
corrugated metal in white and black as a pattern
signifying the major spaces. Over the entry and
in the main construction space, she played with
pattern in the curtain walls by replacing some
glass panels with metal panels that are orange, the
YouthBuild school color. The orange color is very
prominent in the main entry and the construction
facility, emphasizing the importance of construction
to the YouthBuild philosophy
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