Accessible Form Research Articles

“Burn through the parochial states of mind”: Dorothy Molloy’s Illness Poetry as a Catalyst for Change

This article examines how Dorothy Molloy’s poetry inscribes the subjective experience of illness, pain, and female sexuality within ostensibly traditional lyric forms to challenge conventional representations of illness and shed light on the inequities of Celtic Tiger Ireland. The poetic medium is ideally suited to express the painful caesura of infirmity, but Molloy’s poetry also fulfils perlocutive functions that position her cancer poetry as an agent for social change. The aesthetic of the poems collected in the posthumous The Poems of Dorothy Molloy is driven by a socio-political imperative, for the multitude of images depicting debilitated bodies in these verses serves to denounce the problematic perception of terminal diseases and critique the repercussions of entrenched conservative perspectives on the treatment meted out to Molloy and other women in the oncology wards of Irish hospitals during the late 1990s and early 2000s. By adopting an eclectic approach that combines historically-informed close reading with insights from Narrative Medicine, the article shows that Molloy actively seeks an accessible literary form that turns the private experience of illness into public comment and finds it in poetry, which, despite its inherent suitability, demands recalibration. Her verses indicate that prevailing discourses on care in Ireland and much canonical poetic representation of illness necessitate an equivalent degree of adjustment as the medical treatments themselves.

A call for clarity in contractual accessions to shareholder and partnership agreements

Abstract This paper explores understudied issues surrounding accessions to shareholder and partnership agreements: the process by which such accessions take effect; the survival of equities following an accession; and the enforcement of a condition for incoming shareholders to have to execute and deliver a deed of accession. Accessions happen extremely often in modern commercial life, which renders surprising the dearth of academic and judicial discussion, but more disconcerting is the unsettledness of some of the complex issues implicated. The repurposing of unilateral contracts to explain how deeds of accession operate is not fully tested in English law; the conception of partial novation as adumbrated in Unitech Global Ltd v Deutsche Bank AG, which is not even law – much less bad law – has already generated academic controversy; and the enforcement of a condition precedent, in the form of prior accession to a shareholder agreement, for registration of membership in a company interacts in an uncertain way with the Companies Act 2006, lending impetus to the adoption of new methods for attaining relief.

The lasting effect of childhood circus memories: nostalgia and guilt

ABSTRACT Traditional Big Top Circus has experienced a decline in popularity due to changing attitudes to its former elements and to the competition from other accessible forms of entertainment. Our study explores how childhood memories of circus experiences are retold and how these are revisited in the light of changing social values and life experiences. Data was generated through sixteen discussion groups with a total of eighty people over the age of 65 who had experienced circus in their childhood. Thematic analysis found that the circus experience still creates vivid memories decades later. These memories are based around emotions engendered by the sights, sounds and smells of the circus but also the fear of danger and the unknown. Our participants fondly remembered who they were with, highlighting the importance of the relational and social aspects in such leisure experiences. These factors induced a strong sense of nostalgia, but this was tainted by the recognition that what was enjoyed then may no longer be socially acceptable. We conclude that for traditional circus to remain relevant, it needs to harness the strength of nostalgia but separate this from guilt at what circus once included. In a highly competitive live experience, environment circus needs to create heightened sensory experiences (including fear), alongside family togetherness appealing to multiple generations with potentially different values.

Making exploratory search engines using qualitative case studies: a mixed method implementation using interviews with Detroit Artisans

Abstract Search engine algorithms are increasingly subjects of critique, with evidence indicating their role in driving polarization, exclusion, and algorithmic social harms. Many proposed solutions take a top-down approach, with experts proposing bias-corrections. A more participatory approach may be possible, with those made vulnerable by algorithmic unfairness having a voice in how they want to be “found.” By using a mixed methods approach, we sought to develop search engine criteria from the bottom-up. In this project we worked with a group of 16 African American artisanal entrepreneurs in Detroit Michigan, with a majority female and all from low-income communities. Through regular in-depth interviews with select participants, they highlighted their important services, identities and practices. We then used causal set relations with natural language processing to match queries with their qualitative narratives. We refer to this two-step process-- deliberately focusing on social groups with unaddressed needs, and carefully translating narratives to computationally accessible forms--as a “content aware” approach. The resulting content aware search outcomes place themes that participants value, in particular greater relationality, much earlier in the list of results when compared with a standard Web search. More broadly, our use of participatory design with “content awareness” adds evidence to the importance of addressing algorithmic bias by considering who gets to address it; and, that participatory search engine criteria can be modeled as robust linkages between interviews and semantic similarity using causal set relations.

Large-Scale Parameter Estimation for Crystal Structure Prediction. Part 1: Dataset, Methodology, and Implementation.

Crystal structure prediction (CSP) seeks to identify all thermodynamically accessible solid forms of a given compound and, crucially, to establish the relative thermodynamic stability between different polymorphs. The conventional hierarchical CSP workflow suggests that no single energy model can fulfill the needs of all stages in the workflow, and energy models across a spectrum of fidelities and computational costs are required. Hybrid ab initio/empirical force-field (HAIEFF) models have demonstrated a good balance of these two factors, but the force-field component presents a major bottleneck for model accuracy. Existing parameter estimation tools for fitting this empirical component are inefficient and have severe limitations on the manageable problem size. This, combined with a lack of reliable reference data for parameter fitting, has resulted in development in the force-field component of HAIEFF models having mostly stagnated. In this work, we address these barriers to progress. First, we introduce a curated database of 755 organic crystal structures, obtained using high quality, solid-state DFT-D calculations, which provide a complete set of geometry and energy data. Comparisons to various theoretical and experimental data sources indicate that this database provides suitable diversity for parameter fitting. In tandem, we also put forward a new parameter estimation algorithm implemented as the CrystalEstimator program. Our tests demonstrate that CrystalEstimator is capable of efficiently handling large-scale parameter estimation problems, simultaneously fitting as many as 62 model parameters based on data from 445 structures. This problem size far exceeds any previously reported works related to CSP force-field parametrization. These developments form a strong foundation for all future work involving parameter estimation of transferable or tailor-made force-fields for HAIEFF models. This ultimately opens the way for significant improvements in the accuracy achieved by the HAIEFF models.

Enriching Educational Landscapes

As an arts educator, I spent a month in Bhutan engaging Bachelor of Education students in project-based learning activities aimed at enhancing creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. These activities served as a dynamic capstone to their theoretical literacy unit. I documented students' collaborative efforts and creativity through photos and videos, which have been transformed into eBooks. These resources are now integrated into courses at my Australian university, enriching learning experiences for our culturally diverse student body with authentic examples of cross-cultural project-based learning. The eBooks showcase student outcomes and offer reflective analyses to inform future teaching practices, inspiring innovative and collaborative learning strategies globally. Moreover, these resources contribute to the university's commitment to global education and cultural diversity, demonstrating how experiential learning can transcend geographical boundaries and enrich the educational journey of students promoting global citizenship. To address a broader audience within Bhutan, and globally, the lesson plans and resources I developed to deliver the project-based learning activities, are now available on the Artist in Residence Education Program website. This provides an opportunity for any educator to access and adapt these materials to their own contexts. Teaching in Bhutan highlighted how factors like collectivist culture, religious beliefs, and the Gross National Happiness Index support traditional teaching practices and how complex it is to break down traditional teaching practises and encourage valid creative ways learning. The students greatly enjoyed the new activities and even requested additional lessons. It was rewarding to see them realise their potential for creativity and innovation in teaching, enhancing their approach to learning and self-perception as future educators. In conclusion, understanding sociocultural norms in Bhutan offers a wealth of insights that can inspire and inform academic approaches to teaching in countries with traditional forms of education and limited access to resources.

StepFit-18K: Improving Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Symptoms with a Simple, Structured Walking Intervention.

Background: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a chronic functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorder characterized by abdominal pain, altered bowel habits, and bloating, affecting approximately 10.1% of the global population. While current treatments emphasize dietary modifications and symptom management, emerging evidence suggests that physical activity (PA) may help alleviate IBS symptoms. This study evaluated the effects of a structured walking program, "StepFit-18K", on IBS symptom relief. Methods: A total of 106 participants (68 females and 38 males) completed the 12-week intervention, which consisted of 18,000 additional steps per week (6000 extra steps on three days per week) tracked via fitness devices. The program emphasized step count, ease of adoption, and social support through walking groups. Results: As assessed by validated questionnaires, significant reductions in GI symptoms were observed. The IBS Symptom Severity Score (IBS-SSS) decreased from 118.30 ± 98.73 to 74.46 ± 74.93, with a delta score of -43.84%, highlighting bloating as the most improved symptom. No clinically significant changes were observed in anthropometric or biochemical markers. Conclusions: StepFit-18K is a simple, accessible, and effective form of physical activity that has demonstrated therapeutic benefits for IBS symptoms. This offers an additional application beyond its well-established role in preventing cardiovascular diseases.

Unpacking the Impact of External Support on Rebel Groups: Does it Fuel or Quell Violence Against Civilians?

ABSTRACT In civil conflicts, the relations of rebel groups with civilians are largely influenced by the rebels’ capabilities. Seeking external resources to enhance their military efforts and resilience, rebel groups’ access to those resources shapes their war strategies, including violence against civilians. Unlike the extant research drawing on highly aggregated designs, we argue that not every form of support affects rebels’ violent behaviour in the same direction. In this study, we test whether different forms of external support are associated with the level of rebel violence against civilians by using comprehensive data on foreign support to rebel groups in intrastate conflicts between 1989 and 2017. The findings support the need for disaggregation of foreign support to understand better the dynamics in this relationship. The results show that external support in the forms of access to infrastructure, from both state and non-state actors, and troops from non-state actors are associated with a decrease in civilian victimisation.

Effect of Salinity on Inorganic Phosphorus Fixation in Sara and Bajoa Soil Series of Ganges Tidal Floodplains

Soil salinity significantly impacts nutrient availability, especially phosphorus (P), in the southwestern regions of Bangladesh, where salinity is prevalent during the dry season. This study investigates the effect of varying salinity levels (2, 4, 8, and 12 dS m⁻¹) on phosphorus transformation and availability in two soil series, Bajoa and Sara, from the Ganges Floodplain. A laboratory incubation experiment was conducted with samples exposed to the salinity treatments over 0, 15, 30, and 60 days, followed by sequential extraction to quantify the phosphorus fractions. Results indicated that increased salinity led to a shift in phosphorus forms, with calcium-bound phosphorus (Ca-P) dominating over iron and aluminum-bound (Fe, Al-P) and reductant-soluble phosphorus (Rs-P) in both soil series. The Bajoa and Sara soils showed distinct responses, with a consistent reduction in bioavailable P as salinity levels increased. This fixation of phosphorus into less accessible forms has critical implications for nutrient management, as reduced P availability could limit crop productivity in saline soils. The study highlights the need for targeted phosphorus management strategies for saline-affected soils, emphasizing the importance of tailored fertilization practices to enhance sustainable agricultural productivity. Further research should explore adaptive management practices for phosphorus fertilization to mitigate the adverse effects of salinity on nutrient dynamics in affected regions.

What about the negatives? An integrated framework for revealing diverse values of nature and its conservation

Abstract Taking into account the perspectives of local stakeholders is essential for just and effective biodiversity conservation. Plural valuation, making visible the diverse values people hold in relation to nature, has emerged as a key approach towards better inclusion of stakeholders' perspectives. So far, plural valuation has mainly focused on positive values, leaving equally important negative values underexposed. To address this, a concrete proposal has been presented to also consider ‘disvalues’. However, accessible frameworks to help practitioners apply this concept are arguably still lacking. To address this gap, we here propose the ‘Integrated Nature Futures Framework’ (I‐NFF), where ‘integrated’ indicates joint consideration of positive and negative values. The I‐NFF draws on the popular Nature Futures Framework (NFF) to develop disvalue thinking in a more accessible form. The I‐NFF considers three perspectives (‘nature’, ‘society’ and ‘culture’), based on which something can be placed on a spectrum from positive (‘for nature’, ‘for society’ and ‘as culture’) to negative (‘against nature’, ‘against society’ and ‘in conflict with culture’), and can be represented as two mirrored triangles. Using empirical data, we illustrate various purposes for which the I‐NFF can be used: to inventory nature‐related topics ‘at play’ in a given context, to depict how people frame their overall relationship with nature or to depict how people frame specific issues. This demonstrates how the I‐NFF helps reveal value pluralism and trade‐offs, capture the reciprocity of human–nature relationships and identify where perspectives differ and share common ground. We close by discussing how the I‐NFF can enhance the inclusion of stakeholder voices in biodiversity conservation, which is indispensable for a more nature‐ and people‐positive future. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

ADOPTION OF MEDIA INNOVATIONS FOR MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS FOR UMKM FOR THE LATEST COLD DRINK IN THE DIGITALIZATION ERA

The implementation of innovation in digital communication media by MSMEs in the cold beverage sector faces several significant challenges, including lack of technical knowledge, limited resources, and limited access to digital training. This study aims to investigate the effect of digital technology adoption on MSME business performance, especially in terms of increasing customer engagement, sales, and expanding market reach. The methodology applied is a qualitative approach through in-depth interviews with MSME owners in the cold beverage industry. The research results revealed that despite the challenges faced, the use of social media can increase interaction with customers, expand market reach beyond local areas, and increase sales by up to 40%. The findings of this study indicate that support in the form of digital training and access to resources is essential to optimize the use of digital media by MSMEs. Implementing the right digital strategy has the potential to strengthen the competitiveness of MSMEs amidst increasingly tight global market competition.

Ensuring Accuracy and Equity in Vaccination Information From ChatGPT and CDC: Mixed-Methods Cross-Language Evaluation.

In the digital age, large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT have emerged as important sources of health care information. Their interactive capabilities offer promise for enhancing health access, particularly for groups facing traditional barriers such as insurance and language constraints. Despite their growing public health use, with millions of medical queries processed weekly, the quality of LLM-provided information remains inconsistent. Previous studies have predominantly assessed ChatGPT's English responses, overlooking the needs of non-English speakers in the United States. This study addresses this gap by evaluating the quality and linguistic parity of vaccination information from ChatGPT and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), emphasizing health equity. This study aims to assess the quality and language equity of vaccination information provided by ChatGPT and the CDC in English and Spanish. It highlights the critical need for cross-language evaluation to ensure equitable health information access for all linguistic groups. We conducted a comparative analysis of ChatGPT's and CDC's responses to frequently asked vaccination-related questions in both languages. The evaluation encompassed quantitative and qualitative assessments of accuracy, readability, and understandability. Accuracy was gauged by the perceived level of misinformation; readability, by the Flesch-Kincaid grade level and readability score; and understandability, by items from the National Institutes of Health's PatientEducationMaterials Assessment Tool (PEMAT) instrument. The study found that both ChatGPT and CDC provided mostly accurate and understandable (eg, scores over 95 out of 100) responses. However, Flesch-Kincaid grade levels often exceeded the American Medical Association's recommended levels, particularly in English (eg, average grade level in English for ChatGPT=12.84, Spanish=7.93, recommended=6). CDC responses outperformed ChatGPT in readability across both languages. Notably, some Spanish responses appeared to be direct translations from English, leading to unnatural phrasing. The findings underscore the potential and challenges of using ChatGPT for health care access. ChatGPT holds potential as a health information resource but requires improvements in readability and linguistic equity to be truly effective for diverse populations. Crucially, the default user experience with ChatGPT, typically encountered by those without advanced language and prompting skills, can significantly shape health perceptions. This is vital from a public health standpoint, as the majority of users will interact with LLMs in their most accessible form. Ensuring that default responses are accurate, understandable, and equitable is imperative for fostering informed health decisions across diverse communities.

Transformation of dolomite powder into value added fertilizer and its effect on growth and yield of tomato plant

In Dolomite industry, various purposes have led to the generation of large amount of dolomite powder during mechanical processing. Dolomite is a rich source of Ca and Mg and XRF analysis showed the presence of certain micro and ultra micro plant nutrients in it. In the raw form these nutrients are not in easily plant accessible form. In the present research, dolomite powder was converted into easily plant accessible form and its value-added fertilizer is formed by mixing vermicompost with chemically converted dolomite powder. Three types of experiments- control (simple soil), control with compost (soil + vermicompost), and different percentages [X, 2X, 3X, 4X & 5X (X= 3%)] of value-added fertilizer with soil were performed on growth and yield of tomato plant. It was found that among all treatments, 5X showed maximum plant growth, crop yield with increased biomass.

The Role of Business Incubators in Encouraging Maritime Technology Start-up Innovation

This study examines the critical role of business incubators in driving innovation in maritime technology start-ups. With the growing need for innovative technology solutions in the maritime industry, business incubators have emerged as a key catalyst in developing and introducing new ideas to the market. The study used a qualitative approach, involving in-depth interviews with 30 stakeholders, including start-up founders, incubator managers, and maritime industry experts. The results showed that business incubators provide critical support in the form of access to funding, expert mentoring, research and development facilities, and extensive industry networks. The findings also revealed that incubators that focus on the maritime sector are more effective in helping start-ups overcome industry-specific challenges. The study highlights the importance of collaboration between incubators, the maritime industry, and educational institutions to create an ecosystem that supports innovation. Implications of this study include recommendations for policymakers and industry players in designing more effective incubation programs to drive maritime technology innovation.

‘We want bread and work’: patterns of labour protest and union involvement in Bulgaria

ABSTRACT The end of communism in Central and Eastern Europe resulted in wide-ranging social change, with established practices and relations being overturned in a relatively short period. Labour relations were an area that saw considerable upheaval as unions were released from state control and clandestine worker bodies were able to emerge. This article considers the medium-term effects of these changes by examining the characteristics of labour focused contention in Bulgaria from 2000 to 2019. This was a period during which the uncertainty that characterised the post-transition decade was settling, with new challenges and opportunities in the form of accession to the European Union, the global financial crisis, and the anti-government protests of 2013–2014 shaping the context for labour relations. This article draws on a unique dataset of labour protests to examine the claims, actors, and actions adopted to identify how the labour movement responded to these changes and the degree of trade union involvement in contentious events. The findings suggest there has been a shift from economic claims to encompass broader rights-based issues. They also suggest that unions have been visible in contentious actions but have been joined by a more diverse group of actors in advancing workers’ claims.

Dissolving boundaries: work, activity, and voluntariness in digitized capitalism

ABSTRACT The article focuses on voluntariness as a mode of restructuring work in 21st century digitalized capitalism. What can be observed is a blurring of the boundaries between work, reproduction, leisure and engagement. We pursue the thesis that this transformation in the ‘nature’ of work corresponds to a (newly emerging) ‘mixed-activity economy’ in which people, on the one hand, create economic value in the sphere of consumption or leisure. On the other hand, reproductive requirements and economic necessities in everyday work and life can be flexibly linked through time-flexible platform work. In any case, the forms of corporate value creation and access to human productivity are changing radically insofar as they are no longer limited to classic wage labor alone. The invocation of voluntarism plays a key legitimizing role in this transformation. Based on a theoretical reconstruction of the concept of voluntariness, we bring together new forms of value creation through appropriation of resources outside of wage labor and the systematic analysis of voluntariness as a currently significant mode of action and governance in the digital economy.

Analysis of investment behavior among Filipinos: Integration of Social exchange theory (SET) and the Theory of planned behavior (TPB)

Despite the emergence of more accessible and modern forms of investment, the ever competitive and volatile market remains subject to anomalous irrationalities caused by investors. To this day, predicting their behavior remains difficult with lacking information, and poses a problem for investment platforms to effectively adjust to their predispositions. Therefore, this study aimed to comprehensively analyze the factors that have influenced investors’ behaviors using the integrated construct of the Social Exchange Theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior. With consideration of convenience sampling, a total number of 10,725 data points were collected and analyzed through machine learning algorithms of decision tree and neural network. Specifically, the comparison between long short-term memory (LSTM) and neural network, and random forest classifier and LightGBM were considered. It was found that the investor’s attitude, accessibility to financial services, and perceived economic benefits were the most influential predictors to their behavior, while six other factors also showed varying levels of significance. This study aimed to provide a unique framework which could be utilized by investment platforms to cater to the different behavioral factors expressed by investors. In line with these findings, it is recommended that platforms create flexible solutions that are based on their intentions and preferences, and more user-friendly through the implementation of new technologies. In addition, they are suggested to appeal to novice investors by reducing the burden of costs, promising future benefits, and promoting financial education. The results of this study proved the reliability of the integrated model as a social and behavioral framework, and consequently, LSTM overpowering other tools on accurate forecast made, followed by neural network, and random forest.

Running is acceptable and efficacious in adults with non-specific chronic low back pain: the ASTEROID randomised controlled trial

ObjectivesRunning is one of the most accessible forms of exercise, yet its suitability for adults with chronic low back pain (LBP) is unknown. This study assessed the efficacy and acceptability...

Effectiveness of autologous interposition saphenous graft in the creation of proximal arteriovenous fistula: Our initial experience

Abstract: For the individuals with end-stage renal disease, maintenance hemodialysis is a common treatment. When we compare to dialysis catheters or prosthetic grafts, arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is associated with a greater maturation period but a smaller incidence of infections, central venous stenosis, hospitalizations, and mortality. Fistulas mature by a dynamic process which is known as venous arterialization, where the breakdown of elastin and release of nitric oxide promote the functional and structural remodeling of the venous wall, permitting the expansion of venous outflow. Veins made them exposed to the arterial environment at the time of venous grafts and AVFs creation. Successful adaptation of the vein to the arterial flow is the most demanding part for long-term success, identified by venous dilation followed by wall thickening. Arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) and grafts (AV graft) are the commonest form of vascular access used for maintenance of hemodialysis. In general AVF is superior than AV graft in terms of its durability, patency, complication rate and overall survival of patients. But when the calibre of the vein is not satisfactory or length is not adequate to make tension free anastomosis, interposition graft is used. Most commonly used bridging material is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) polymer. In this case, we used an interposition graft of the saphenous vein for making dialysis access on a 38 year old male patient having renal insufficiency and evaluated its efficacy in maintaining flow.

Identification of lncRNAs regulating seed traits in Brassica juncea and development of a comprehensive seed omics database.

Brassica juncea is a crucial oilseed crop, and its seeds possess high economic value as they are a source of edible oil. In order to understand the role of long non coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the regulation of seed development, we carried out computational analysis using transcriptome data of developing seeds of two contrasting genotypes of B. juncea, Pusajaikisan (PJK) and Early Heera 2 (EH2). The seeds were sampled at three stages, 15, 30, and 45 days after pollination. We identified 1,539 lncRNAs, of which 809 were differentially expressed. We also carried out extensive characterization and functional analysis of seed lncRNAome. The expression patterns were analysed using k-means clustering, and the targets were analysed using pathway, transcription factor, and GO enrichment, as well as ortholog information. We shortlisted a total of 25 robust lncRNA candidates for seed size, oil content, and seed coat color. We also identified 4 lncRNAs as putative precursors of miRNAs regulating seed development. Moreover, a total of 28 miRNA-lncRNA-mRNA regulatory networks regulating seed traits were identified. We also developed a comprehensive database, (BrassIca juncea database or "BIJ" ( https://bij.cuh.ac.in/ ), which provides seed omics as well as other functional genomics and genetics data in an easily accessible form. These candidate lncRNAs are suitable for including in crop improvement programs through molecular breeding, as well as for future validations through genome editing. Together, the knowledge of these candidate lncRNAs and availability of BIJ database shall leverage the crop improvement efforts in B. juncea.