Business or third sector? What are the dimensions and implications of researching and conceptualising the overlap between business and third sector?

This paper is designed to ‘problematise’ the business/third sector boundary in order to inform future research into third sector theorising or policy development. It sets out some of the reasons behind the development of the concepts of the ‘third sector’ and ‘social enterprise’ in the UK, and briefly shows the scope and limits of the different theories underpinning European and US-influenced research and practice. It also illustrates some of the many dimensions, motivations and values of the kinds of organisations to be found in this cross-over space, as well as the challenges and opportunities which this diversity creates for any future research or policy creation

Widespread democratic change could trigger meaningful action on climate change

Meaningful multilateral action on climate change has been hard to come by, with objections from several countries – most notably the United States – often derailing attempts to bring carbon emissions down and thus global temperatures at a more manageable level. Here, Andrea Westall argues that democratic innovation and change could create a political context in which action on climate change becomes more likely

Innovation Inside

When it comes to successful product and service innovation, the marketing team might have done a good job in developing a winning proposition, but unless they pay as much attention to organizational innovation to enable delivery, they may not get it off the ground

Growing green?: co-creating an evidence-based model of SME engagement

Topic: This paper reports on our experiences in running a pilot ESRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) project that addresses the issue of ‘sustainable growth’ by engaging SME owners and managers in facilitated workshop discussions on this important, yet highly contested topic. If the UK and other countries are to meet their carbon reduction obligations, it is clear that SMEs will need to make significant, and in some cases radical changes, not only in terms of their day-to-day operational practices but also in their longer-term trajectories. However, policymakers face substantial obstacles in communicating with this audience, including: the scale and diversity of the SME population, competing priorities, competitive pressures and resource constraints. This project combines published research on SMEs, their growth processes and environmental behaviours, with specialist expertise in SME engagement and climate change communication. Aim: The multi-partner collaboration is designed to co-create new knowledge on environmentally sustainable growth in SMEs. Its primary aim is to help SMEs and intermediaries gain a better understanding of sustainable growth and its implications for their businesses. The team designed and trialled an innovative approach engagement, based on facilitated workshop discussions, creating an initial evidence base that will be coupled with a set of practical recommendations. The project builds on the academic and external partners’ complementary research insights into SMEs, organisational growth, climate change communication, energy use and associated policy-making. By incorporating the expertise of the practical insights of practitioners and intermediary organisations, the project seeks to initiate a vigorous knowledge exchange about the conceptualisation and practical application of sustainable growth. Methodology: Prior to engaging with SMEs, the team conducted a review of the literature on sustainable growth, which informed the engagement phase of the project. We also conducted a small survey of SME owners and managers and engaged in an informal consultation with stakeholders that informed the design and contents of the pilot workshops. Two half-day workshops were organised with SME owner and manager participants, facilitated by the communications specialists, Climate Outreach, and drawing on previous engagement projects with hard to reach groups. The workshops provided a forum for participants to engage in grounded, ‘peer to peer’ discussion about sustainable growth, expressed in their own terms and drawing on their own values and narratives. Audio recording of the workshops provided the basis for a thematic analysis, which has been combined with the other sources to construct this working paper. Contribution: The project is generating new insights into SME perspectives on sustainable growth that are grounded in relevant theory and evidence, coupled with practical tools that will be of value to practitioners and policymakers. The project team has also developed audio-visual resources, which will be used to raise awareness and help to provide the foundations for future engagement activity. The aim of the next phase of the project is to further refine this approach to engagement in the form of a more fully developed ‘toolkit’ and associated resources

Evidence of microbial activity from a shallow water whale fall (Voghera, northern Italy)

The fossil bones, associated carbonate cements and enclosing concretion of a Miocene mysticete from inner shelf deposits (Monte Vallassa Formation, northern Italy) were analyzed for evidence of microbial activity. Optical and scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and stable C and O isotope geochemistry were used for high spatial resolution microfacies and biosedimentological analyses. Whale cancellous bones were filled by different carbonate cements including microcrystalline dolomite, rhombohedral dolomite and sparry calcite. Biofabric and biominerals such as microbial peloids, clotted textures and pyrite framboids were associated with the dolomite cements. Dolomite inside cancellous bones and in the enclosing concretion showed similar isotopic values (avg δ 13C: -7.12‰; avg δ 18O: +3.81‰), depleted with respect to the (late) sparry calcite cement (avg δ 13C: -0.55‰; avg δ 18O: -0.98‰). Microcrystalline barite (BaSO 4) was observed on the external surface of the bones. In addition, two different types of microborings were recognized, distinguished by their size and morphology and were ascribed respectively to prokaryote and fungal trace makers. Our results testify for the development of a diverse microbial ecosystem during the decay of a shallow water whale carcass, which could be detected in the fossil record. However, none of the observed biosignatures (e.g., microbial peloids, clotted textures) can be used alone as a positive fossil evidence of the general development of a sulfophilic stage of whale fall ecological succession. The occurrence of the hard parts of chemosynthetic invertebrates associated with fossil whale bones is still the more convincing proof of the development of a sulfide-base chemoautotrophic ecosystem. © 2011 Elsevier B.V

The Effect of Color Overlays on Oral Reading Performance

A study was performed on adults taken from the Need to Read and General Education Degree programs administered by Midland College. This study utilized color overlays to ascertain the effect of the overlays on oral reading performance of subjects ascertained to have symptoms indicative of scotopic sensitivity syndrome, SSS. Adults were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups and pre-tested and post-tested with the Slosson Oral Reading Test. The experimental group received the treatment of color overlays in the post-test. Results of the study showed the null hypothesis was rejected and color overlays do affect oral reading performance of probable scotopic sensitivity syndrome subjects

Characterisation of actin probe microenvironments using spectral phasor analysis

Actin plays a crucial role in cellular processes ranging from the maintenance of cell structure, motility, signal transduction, and intracellular transport. The advances in structural biology, molecular genetics, and fluorescence microscopy techniques over the last eight decades have enabled scientists to investigate actin extensively. Although a great deal of understanding has been acquired regarding the structure, function, and regulation of actin, further characterisation of actin microenvironments is required, particularly for the elucidation of actin isoforms, their localisation, and differential functions. The use of fluorescent probes in conjunction with advanced microscopy techniques has been instrumental in expanding the knowledge of actin within cellular landscapes. Spectral Phasor analysis is a technique that is capable of the hyperspectral characterisation of the spectral properties of individual fluorescent probes. Shifts in the spectral properties of probes can be linked to changes in the probes local microenvironment. Therefore, the further development of Spectral Phasor analysis for spectral characterisation is expected to lead to greater understanding of actin in cellular processes. This study investigates the use of Spectral Phasor analysis as a hyperspectral tool and its applicability to characterise the microenvironments of actin probes in actin filaments. This approach was applied to fluorescent actin probes, ActinGreen and ACTA1-488, in a fixed cell model where the spectral properties of the probes were characterised and compared in their discrete binding domains on actin in various cellular regions and when influenced by the actin disruptor, Latrunculin A. The application of Spectral Phasor analysis for the characterisation of actin probe microenvironments revealed that ActinGreen and ACTA1-488 exhibit characteristic spectral properties when bound in their respective domains in filament and nuclei regions. Further, distinct spectral properties were revealed for ActinGreen and ACTA1-488 when compared across the plasma membrane, cytoplasm, and nuclear membrane regions of fixed cells. Finally, shifts in spectral properties were observed in ActinGreen and ACTA1-488 microenvironments post treatment with Latrunculin A in both region of interest sets described above. The work conducted here demonstrates that Spectral Phasor analysis can be applied to characterise distinct spectral properties of fluorescent actin probe microenvironments in a fixed cell model based on differences in their binding domains, cellular environment, and in response to an actin disrupting compound. With ongoing development and optimisation, Spectral Phasor analysis can be applied to further hyperspectral characterisation of actin isoform microenvironments in fixed cell models, with the possibility of advancing to live cell characterisation in the future

Childhood Obesity in the Spanish Press

La investigación se centra en el fenómeno de sobrepeso y obesidad infantil y su representación en 120 noticias recogidas de las ediciones digitales de tres periódicos españoles (ABC, El Mundo, El País) y publicadas entre el 1 de enero y el 30 de junio del año 2008. El análisis del contenido proporcionó datos relevantes sobre 1) la distribución de las noticias por fuente y fecha, y 2) el contenido presentado durante este tiempo. Predominaron las noticias sobre la alimentación y hábitos alimenticios (n=22; 18,3%) y los estudios de prevalencia (n=18; 15%). Los temas comunes a los tres diarios fueron los relacionados con la salud mental de los españoles en marzo, la muerte de un niño obeso de cinco años en Murcia en abril, y las dietas “milagro” en mayo.This study aims to examine how the Spanish press reports on the topic of childhood overweight and obesity in a 120-item sample complied from the online editions of three major Spanish newspapers (ABC, El Mundo, El País) between 1 January and 30 June 2008. A content analysis provided valuable data related to 1) the frequency and distribution of news regarding childhood overweight and obesity, and 2) the contents presented during the six-month period. The topics of foods and eating habits (n=22; 18.3%) and the incidence of childhood overweight and obesity (n=18; 15%) were prevalent throughout the study period. All three daily papers published articles related to Spaniards’ mental health, the death of an obese 5-year old in Murcia and “miracle” diets in the months of March, April and May, respectively