Funding Field Catalysts from Origins to Revolutionizing the World

At Bridgespan, we call the organizations that are often key to unlocking equitable systems change "field catalysts." While equitable systems change requires a diverse set of actors playing distinct and complementary roles across a field or ecosystem, field catalysts harmonize and drive that multifaceted work, serving as a kind of nerve center for the matrix of activity needed to transform our inequitably designed systems. Think of the critical role Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, played in the eradication of polio, or the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids' contribution to the dramatic plunge in teen smoking rates. In another example, the goal of marriage equality in the United States was reached thanks, in part, to the Freedom to Marry organization, which orchestrated its campaign for 12 years.Behind the scenes, philanthropy often plays a role in these achievements. Surely there must be other opportunities for funders to support equitable systems change. So we set out to learn more about the origin stories of field catalysts, the challenges they face, and—importantly—the ways in which they believe funders can help them

Correlation between the structure and the anticorrosion barrier properties of hybrid sol–gel coatings: application to the protection of AA2024-T3 alloys

Hybrid sol–gel materials have been extensively studied as viable alternatives to toxic chromate (VI)-based coatings for the corrosion protection of AA2024-T3 in the aerospace industry, due to the wide range of available chemistries they offer and the tremendous development potential of innovative functional coatings. However, so far, little work has been performed in identifying the effect of the employed chemistries on the structure and anticorrosion properties of the coatings. This work proposes to contribute to a better understanding of the relationship existing between the structure, morphology and anticorrosion properties of hybrid sol–gel coatings deposited on AA2024- T3 aluminium surfaces, the most widely used alloy in the aerospace industry. The sol–gels are prepared employing two hybrid precursors; an organosilane, 3-trimethoxysilylpropylmethacrylate, and a zirconium complex prepared from the chelation of zirconium n-propoxide, and methacrylic acid. The structure of the hybrid sol–gel formulation is modified by altering the concentration of the transition metal complex. The structure and morphology of the coatings are characterised by dynamic light scattering, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, silicon nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, atomic-force microscopy and the anticorrosion barrier properties characterised by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and neutral salt-spray. It is found that the transition metal concentration affected the morphology and structure, as well as the anticorrosion performances of the hybrid sol–gel coatings. A direct correlation between the morphology of the coatings and their final anticorrosion barrier properties is demonstrated, and the optimum material amongst this series is determined to be comprised of a concentration of between 20 and 30% of transition metal

Visibility of wearable sensors as measured using eye tracking glasses

Sensor technologies can enable independent living for people with dementia by monitoring their behaviour and identifying points where support may be required. Wearable sensors can provide such support but may constitute a source of stigma for the user if they are perceived as visible and therefore obtrusive. This paper presents an empirical investigation exploring the extent to which wearable sensors are perceived as visible. 23 Participants wore eye tracking glasses, which superimposed the location of their gaze onto video data of their panorama. Participants were led to believe that the research entailed a subjective evaluation of the eye tracking glasses. A researcher wore one of two wearable sensors during the evaluation enabling us to measure the extent to which participants fixated on the sensor during a one-on-one meeting. Results are presented on the general visibility and potential fixations on two wearable sensors, a wrist-worn actigraph and a lifelogging camera, during normal conversation between two people

Development and Characterisation of a Whole Hybrid Sol-Gel Optofluidic Platform for Biosensing Applications

This work outlines, for the first time, the fabrication of a whole hybrid sol-gel optofluidic platform by integrating a microfluidic biosensor platform with optical waveguides employing a standard photolithography process. To demonstrate the suitability of this new hybrid sol-gel optofluidic platform, optical and bio-sensing proof-of-concepts are proposed. A photoreactive hybrid sol-gel material composed of a photopolymerisable organically modified silicon alkoxide and a transition metal complex was prepared and used as the fabrication material for the entire optofluidic platform, including the optical waveguides, the sensing areas, and the microfluidic device. The most suitable sol-gel materials chosen for the fabrication of the cladding and core of the waveguides showed a RIC of 3.5 × 10-3 and gave thicknesses between 5.5 and 7 μm. The material was optimised to simultaneously meet the photoreactive properties required for the photolithography fabrication process and the optical properties needed for the effective optical operability of the microstructured waveguides at 532 and 633 nm with an integrated microfluidic device. The optical proof-of-concept was performed using a fluorescent dye (Atto 633) and recording its optical responses while irradiated with a suitable optical excitation. The biosensing capability of the platform was assessed using a polyclonal primary IgG mouse antibody and a fluorescent labelled secondary IgG anti-mouse antibody. A limit of detection (LOD) of 50 ug/mL was achieved. A correlation between the concentration of the dye and the emission fluorescence was evidenced, thus clearly demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed hybrid sol-gel optofluidic platform concept. The successful integration and operability of optical and microfluidic components in the same optofluidic platform is a novel concept, particularly where the sol-gel fabrication material is concerned

Non-canonical metabolic pathways in the malaria parasite detected by isotope-tracing metabolomics

The malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, proliferates rapidly in human erythrocytes by actively scavenging multiple carbon sources and essential nutrients from its host cell. However, a global overview of the metabolic capacity of intraerythrocytic stages is missing. Using multiple

How can we recruit more men of African or African-Caribbean ancestry into our research? Co-creating a video to raise awareness of prostate cancer risk and the PROFILE study

Background Men of African ancestry are at increased risk of developing prostate cancer (PrCa) compared to men from other backgrounds. The PROFILE study aims to understand whether genetic information can better target who needs PrCa screening. PROFILE has so far had difficulty reaching men of African or African -Caribbean ancestry to take part. In this involvement project we worked in partnership with a group of such men to co-create a video to raise awareness of PrCa risk amongst this community and promote participation in the study. Methods We recruited seven men of African or African-Caribbean ancestry who completed an initial survey on the Cancer Patients’ Voice platform. We then held an online discussion panel and maintained contact to encourage dialogue and planning of the video. Utilising a participatory approach, the ideas for the video were decided in collaboration with the panel who held expert knowledge of various communities and understood the messages that would best resonate and engage with other men of the same origins. Once the video had been edited and finalised, two members of the group expressed interest in writing up the project and are listed as co-authors. Results The video in its entirety was driven by the panel’s ideas. The choice of a barber shop setting; leading with a positive case study and highlighting the importance of men’s family members rather than a focus on scientific language, statistics or researchers were all features that were discussed and agreed upon by the panel. The men shared the video within their networks. It was placed on websites and promoted as part of a social media campaign during Black History Month. Conclusions Groups with the greater healthcare needs and the most to gain from advances in care and treatment can often be the most excluded from research participation. This is pertinent in PrCa research where men of African or African-Caribbean ancestry are at greater risk. The project gave equal power and decision making to the men and provides an example of successful inclusive involvement. The result was a unique approach to making a study video

Individual-Based vs. Group-Based Psychoeducation Sessions for Breast Cancer Survivors Following Radiotherapy (RT): Impact on Health-Related Quality of Life and Self-Efficacy

Lesbian, gay and bisexual (LBG) people frequently experience inequality within healthcare, and are an underserved population in cancer research

Prevalence of sports-related injuries in Paralympic judo: an exploratory study

Objectives The aim was to assess the 1-year retrospective prevalence of athletes reporting a sports-related injury among Paralympic judokas with visual impairment (VI), and to identify any associations between injury, vision class, gender and weight category. Design Cross-sectional retrospective study. Methods The data were collected through an adapted questionnaire given to athletes with VI during an international training camp. Forty-five Paralympic judokas answered the questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and chi-square statistics (p < 0.05) were used to analyse the data. Spearman’s correlation was used to analyse multiple injuries. Results Thirty-eight of the athletes reported an injury, giving a 1-year prevalence of 84% (95% CI 71-93). Male athletes reported significantly more injuries compared to female athletes (p = 0.023). Over two thirds of the injuries (71%; 95% CI 55-83) had a traumatic onset. The majority of injuries (74%; 95% CI 58-85) occurred during judo training, and in the standing technique tachi waza (82%; 95% CI 66-91). The shoulder was the most single affected body location (29%). Forty-five percent of the injuries led to a time loss from sport for more than three weeks, and 40% of judokas reported multiple injuries. Conclusions The results from this study demonstrate a high prevalence of mainly traumatic and severe sports-related injuries amongst athletes with VI participating in Paralympic judo. A first step towards prevention could be to minimize the time in tachi waza. However, to improve sports safety and to develop effective strategies for injury prevention, more comprehensive epidemiological studies, and also technical studies assessing injury mechanisms are warranted

Cases before International Courts and Tribunals concerning Questions of Public International Law Involving Australia 2020

In the year 2020, Australia’s engagement with international law was oriented around several key areas. In relation to the International Criminal Court (‘ICC’), Australia submitted amicus curiae observations relating to the Court’s jurisdiction over Palestine. In addition, the ICC Office of the Prosecutor published its decision not to further investigate alleged crimes against humanity committed by Australian officials against asylum seekers and refugees in offshore detention centres. Australia also closely watched the proceedings in the International Court of Justice (‘ICJ’) regarding Myanmar’s alleged breaches of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (‘Genocide Convention’). Australia also had an active year in the sphere of international trade disputes, with several matters in the World Trade Organization

Orbit size and estimated eye size in dinosaurs and other archosaurs and their implications for the evolution of visual capabilities

Vision is one of the most important senses for animals, allowing them to interact with their environment and with further implications for evolutionary histories. However, relevant soft tissues, such as the eye and associated structures, are not preserved in fossil vertebrates, limiting our knowledge of their visual capabilities. Here, we quantified absolute and relative orbit size for 400 species of dinosaurs and other extinct archosaurs using linear measurements of the preserved skeletal elements as a proxy for visual capabilities. Our results demonstrate that the orbit makes up on average 20% of skull size with a strong and consistent correlation across all sampled groups. This trend is largely independent of temporal distribution, species richness, and phylogeny. In fact, relative orbit size is narrowly constrained and did not surpass 45% of skull size, suggesting physiological and functional controls. Estimated eye size was found to be absolutely larger in herbivores, whereas carnivores tended to have smaller eyes absolutely and compared with skull size. Relatively large eyes only occurred in small-bodied species and vice versa. However, eye size alone was not sufficient to discriminate between different activity patterns or to characterize visual capabilities in detail.</p