Emergency Housing Programme in South Africa: The Symphony Way Temporary Relocation Area in Delft

The City of Cape Town has used and, continues to use, the Temporary Relocation Areas as a tool to tackle homelessness and poor housing. Relocation is nothing new in South Africa, but the use of Temporary Relocation Areas represents a shift in how the state attempts to fulfil their constitutional obligations to realize the right to adequate housing for all, with unclear long-term implications. Temporary Relocation Areas are not planned or built to house individuals for an extensive period of time. This has however proven to be inconsistent with the existing on the ground experience, which has caused poor social conditions for the people living there. Therefore, the aim of the study is to explore and clarify how power and planning rationality form tensions between planning intentions and reality, between vision and real life by studying the social effects of living in the Symphony Way Temporary Relocation Area in Delft. This is based on a qualitative field research conducted in the Symphony Way Temporary Relocation Area. The analysis has displayed that relocations are very complex as it has a wide range of adverse, unintended consequences, such as disruption of livelihoods and social networks

Ocean mover’s distance: using optimal transport for analysing oceanographic data

Remote sensing observations from satellites and global biogeochemical models have combined to revolutionize the study of ocean biogeochemical cycling, but comparing the two data streams to each other and across time remains challenging due to the strong spatial-temporal structuring of the ocean. Here, we show that the Wasserstein distance provides a powerful metric for harnessing these structured datasets for better marine ecosystem and climate predictions. The Wasserstein distance complements commonly used point-wise difference methods such as the root-mean-squared error, by quantifying differences in terms of spatial displacement in addition to magnitude. As a test case, we consider chlorophyll (a key indicator of phytoplankton biomass) in the northeast Pacific Ocean, obtained from model simulations, in situ measurements, and satellite observations. We focus on two main applications: (i) comparing model predictions with satellite observations, and (ii) temporal evolution of chlorophyll both seasonally and over longer time frames. The Wasserstein distance successfully isolates temporal and depth variability and quantifies shifts in biogeochemical province boundaries. It also exposes relevant temporal trends in satellite chlorophyll consistent with climate change predictions. Our study shows that optimal transport vectors underlying the Wasserstein distance provide a novel visualization tool for testing models and better understanding temporal dynamics in the ocean

Ocean mover’s distance: using optimal transport for analysing oceanographic data

Remote sensing observations from satellites and global biogeochemical models have combined to revolutionize the study of ocean biogeochemical cycling, but comparing the two data streams to each other and across time remains challenging due to the strong spatial-temporal structuring of the ocean. Here, we show that the Wasserstein distance provides a powerful metric for harnessing these structured datasets for better marine ecosystem and climate predictions. The Wasserstein distance complements commonly used point-wise difference methods such as the root-mean-squared error, by quantifying differences in terms of spatial displacement in addition to magnitude. As a test case, we consider chlorophyll (a key indicator of phytoplankton biomass) in the northeast Pacific Ocean, obtained from model simulations, in situ measurements, and satellite observations. We focus on two main applications: (i) comparing model predictions with satellite observations, and (ii) temporal evolution of chlorophyll both seasonally and over longer time frames. The Wasserstein distance successfully isolates temporal and depth variability and quantifies shifts in biogeochemical province boundaries. It also exposes relevant temporal trends in satellite chlorophyll consistent with climate change predictions. Our study shows that optimal transport vectors underlying the Wasserstein distance provide a novel visualization tool for testing models and better understanding temporal dynamics in the ocean

The prelude to industrial whaling:Identifying the targets of ancient European whaling using zooarchaeology and collagen mass-peptide fingerprinting

Taxonomic identification of whale bones found during archaeological excavations is problematic due to their typically fragmented state. This difficulty limits understanding of both the past spatio-temporal distributions of whale populations and of possible early whaling activities. To overcome this challenge, we performed zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry on an unprecedented 719 archaeological and palaeontological specimens of probable whale bone from Atlantic European contexts, predominantly dating from ca 3500 BCE to the eighteenth century CE. The results show high numbers of Balaenidae (many probably North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis)) and grey whale (Eschrichtius robustus) specimens, two taxa no longer present in the eastern North Atlantic. This discovery matches expectations regarding the past utilization of North Atlantic right whales, but was unanticipated for grey whales, which have hitherto rarely been identified in the European zooarchaeological record. Many of these specimens derive from contexts associated with mediaeval cultures frequently linked to whaling: the Basques, northern Spaniards, Normans, Flemish, Frisians, Anglo-Saxons and Scandinavians. This association raises the likelihood that early whaling impacted these taxa, contributing to their extirpation and extinction. Much lower numbers of other large cetacean taxa were identified, suggesting that what are now the most depleted whales were once those most frequently used.</p

Characterisation of age and polarity at onset in bipolar disorder

Background Studying phenotypic and genetic characteristics of age at onset (AAO) and polarity at onset (PAO) in bipolar disorder can provide new insights into disease pathology and facilitate the development of screening tools. Aims To examine the genetic architecture of AAO and PAO and their association with bipolar disorder disease characteristics. Method Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) and polygenic score (PGS) analyses of AAO (n = 12 977) and PAO (n = 6773) were conducted in patients with bipolar disorder from 34 cohorts and a replication sample (n = 2237). The association of onset with disease characteristics was investigated in two of these cohorts. Results Earlier AAO was associated with a higher probability of psychotic symptoms, suicidality, lower educational attainment, not living together and fewer episodes. Depressive onset correlated with suicidality and manic onset correlated with delusions and manic episodes. Systematic differences in AAO between cohorts and continents of origin were observed. This was also reflected in single-nucleotide variant-based heritability estimates, with higher heritabilities for stricter onset definitions. Increased PGS for autism spectrum disorder (β = −0.34 years, s.e. = 0.08), major depression (β = −0.34 years, s.e. = 0.08), schizophrenia (β = −0.39 years, s.e. = 0.08), and educational attainment (β = −0.31 years, s.e. = 0.08) were associated with an earlier AAO. The AAO GWAS identified one significant locus, but this finding did not replicate. Neither GWAS nor PGS analyses yielded significant associations with PAO. Conclusions AAO and PAO are associated with indicators of bipolar disorder severity. Individuals with an earlier onset show an increased polygenic liability for a broad spectrum of psychiatric traits. Systematic differences in AAO across cohorts, continents and phenotype definitions introduce significant heterogeneity, affecting analyses

Dissecting the Shared Genetic Architecture of Suicide Attempt, Psychiatric Disorders, and Known Risk Factors

Background Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide, and nonfatal suicide attempts, which occur far more frequently, are a major source of disability and social and economic burden. Both have substantial genetic etiology, which is partially shared and partially distinct from that of related psychiatric disorders. Methods We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 29,782 suicide attempt (SA) cases and 519,961 controls in the International Suicide Genetics Consortium (ISGC). The GWAS of SA was conditioned on psychiatric disorders using GWAS summary statistics via multitrait-based conditional and joint analysis, to remove genetic effects on SA mediated by psychiatric disorders. We investigated the shared and divergent genetic architectures of SA, psychiatric disorders, and other known risk factors. Results Two loci reached genome-wide significance for SA: the major histocompatibility complex and an intergenic locus on chromosome 7, the latter of which remained associated with SA after conditioning on psychiatric disorders and replicated in an independent cohort from the Million Veteran Program. This locus has been implicated in risk-taking behavior, smoking, and insomnia. SA showed strong genetic correlation with psychiatric disorders, particularly major depression, and also with smoking, pain, risk-taking behavior, sleep disturbances, lower educational attainment, reproductive traits, lower socioeconomic status, and poorer general health. After conditioning on psychiatric disorders, the genetic correlations between SA and psychiatric disorders decreased, whereas those with nonpsychiatric traits remained largely unchanged. Conclusions Our results identify a risk locus that contributes more strongly to SA than other phenotypes and suggest a shared underlying biology between SA and known risk factors that is not mediated by psychiatric disorders.Peer reviewe

Democratic competencies in Swedish and French curriculum : A study of upper secondary school and it’s curriculum in the courses of social science and civic and moral education.

Utbildning i medborgarfostran utformas på många olika sätt runt om i världen beroende på länders politiska, sociala och kulturella kontext. Denna uppsats syftar till att jämföra hur Frankrikes och Sveriges ämnesplaner inom medborgarfostran skildras utifrån Europarådets (2016) beskrivning av demokratiska kompetenser. De två ämnena som undersöks är medborgerlig och moralisk utbildning i Frankrike och samhällskunskap i Sverige och studien jämför hur ländernas ämnesplaner framställer aspekterna: värderingar, attityder, färdigheter samt kunskaper och kritisk förståelse. Genom en kvalitativ innehållsanalys och via tillämpningen av Europarådets (2016) ramverk analyseras och jämförs ämnesplanerna med varandra. Studiens resultat visar fler skillnader än likheter i ländernas ämnesplaner. Den främsta likheten gäller ändock den stora omfattningen av textinnehåll som går att relatera till aspekten kunskaper och kritisk förståelse. Därtill har båda länderna framställt innehåll angående kommunikativa förmågor, kritiskt synsätt, demokratiska begrepp och processer, mänskliga rättigheter, medias påverkansroll och gruppmekanismer. Den tydligaste skillnaden länderna emellan upptäcks dock vara att de franska ämnesplanerna i mycket större utsträckning betonar värderingar och attityder som ska förmedlas. Dessutom fokuserar man mer i medborgerlig och moralisk utbildning på nya deltagarformer, medborgarplikt, hot mot demokratin och miljöansvar. Å andra sidan observeras det att man i samhällskunskap i större omfattning beskriver innehåll som behandlar globalisering, samhällsfrågor och historiska förutsättningar för nutidens problem. Ländernas ämnesplaner och deras skildring av demokratiska kompetenser verkar således skilja sig åt mer än vad de överensstämmer.

Democratic competencies in Swedish and French curriculum : A study of upper secondary school and it’s curriculum in the courses of social science and civic and moral education.

Utbildning i medborgarfostran utformas på många olika sätt runt om i världen beroende på länders politiska, sociala och kulturella kontext. Denna uppsats syftar till att jämföra hur Frankrikes och Sveriges ämnesplaner inom medborgarfostran skildras utifrån Europarådets (2016) beskrivning av demokratiska kompetenser. De två ämnena som undersöks är medborgerlig och moralisk utbildning i Frankrike och samhällskunskap i Sverige och studien jämför hur ländernas ämnesplaner framställer aspekterna: värderingar, attityder, färdigheter samt kunskaper och kritisk förståelse. Genom en kvalitativ innehållsanalys och via tillämpningen av Europarådets (2016) ramverk analyseras och jämförs ämnesplanerna med varandra. Studiens resultat visar fler skillnader än likheter i ländernas ämnesplaner. Den främsta likheten gäller ändock den stora omfattningen av textinnehåll som går att relatera till aspekten kunskaper och kritisk förståelse. Därtill har båda länderna framställt innehåll angående kommunikativa förmågor, kritiskt synsätt, demokratiska begrepp och processer, mänskliga rättigheter, medias påverkansroll och gruppmekanismer. Den tydligaste skillnaden länderna emellan upptäcks dock vara att de franska ämnesplanerna i mycket större utsträckning betonar värderingar och attityder som ska förmedlas. Dessutom fokuserar man mer i medborgerlig och moralisk utbildning på nya deltagarformer, medborgarplikt, hot mot demokratin och miljöansvar. Å andra sidan observeras det att man i samhällskunskap i större omfattning beskriver innehåll som behandlar globalisering, samhällsfrågor och historiska förutsättningar för nutidens problem. Ländernas ämnesplaner och deras skildring av demokratiska kompetenser verkar således skilja sig åt mer än vad de överensstämmer.

LES METHODES D’ENSEIGNEMENT DU VOCABULAIRE EN CLASSE DE FLE. Une étude sur les méthodes utilisées au lycée

In this study we seek to examine the methods used in high school to teach vocabulary in French language classes. We want to compare our results with those obtained in a secondary school by Vinet (2011), therefore we are going to answer the following research questions: Are there any differences between the methods used in high school and the ones used in secondary school? If so, what do these differences consist of? According to research by Nation (2001), different aspects of what is involved in knowing a word have to be covered to be sure that the word is known by the learner. The methods that we have used to find an answer to these questions are: observations of five teachers during three lessons each, interviews with the observed teachers as well as surveys sent out to twelve other teachers. By using Nation’s (2001) research as support, we have been able to find that the methods used in high school covered one more aspect than the ones used in secondary school. However, this study has shown that the activities that we have observed did not treat enough aspects of what is involved in knowing a word

Caregivers' attitudes towards individuals with addiction in somatic care : a literature study

Bakgrund Beroendesjukdomar är inom den somatiska vården ett främmande område, trots att beroende är en stor folkhälsoutmaning i Sverige. Beroendesjukdom kräver en komplex behandling och omvårdnad och kunskap är grundläggande för att kunna erbjuda adekvat vård. Kunskap om sjukdomen är också viktig för att kunna ge ett gott bemötande präglat av empati och acceptans. Denna uppsats har fokus på alkohol- och drogberoende. Syfte Syftet var att beskriva vårdgivares attityder mot personer med beroendesjukdom i den somatiska vården, samt identifiera faktorer som påverkar attityderna. Metod Metoden som användes var en litteraturöversikt där totalt 17 vetenskapliga artiklar granskades, analyserades och slutligen sammanställdes i ett resultat. Resultat Vårdgivares attityder mot personer med beroendesjukdom är i många fall negativa och avvisande. Möten med dessa patienter är ofta korta och uppgiftsorienterade där personcentrerad vård och kommunikation uteblir. Påverkande faktorer är många, främst bristen på kunskap i kombination med personliga värderingar. Sjuksköterskeutbildningen innehåller ofta för lite utbildning om beroende och för få möjligheter till praktisk erfarenhet. Slutsats Osanningar som omger beroende och personer med beroendesjukdom är många och medför ett socialt stigma. Negativa attityder och fördomar förekommer i en hög grad både i samhället och inom den somatiska vården. Spridning av kunskap och förståelse för denna sjukdom har stor betydelse för att möjliggöra en minskning av detta stigma. Det i sin tur kommer kunna föra med sig bättre attityder mot dessa patienter och fler behandlingsframgångar