Local Agents Research Articles

Hazard exposure heterophily in socio-spatial networks contributes to post-disaster recovery in low-income populations

Despite recognition of the influence of socio-spatial networks on disaster recovery, limited data-driven evidence exists regarding the nature of this relationship. To address this knowledge gap, this study investigated the duration of the human mobility recovery process and its relationship with hazard-exposure heterophily (as a measure for the resourcefulness of social ties) and various other socio-demographic characteristics. We applied the concept of hazard-exposure heterophily to the possibility of resource sharing, through social-spatial networks, between communities with different hazard exposures. We used human movement patterns to measure recovery duration. To understand the disparities during recovery, we examined the correlations between recovery duration and the social demographic characteristics of race and income caused by Hurricane Harvey which made landfall in Harris County, Texas, on August 25, 2017. We discerned high/low hazard-exposure heterophily through the use of a threshold-classification method, and we got four clusters according to the flood-inundation percentage and social connectedness values. Then we applied correlation analysis to analyze the relations between hazard-exposure heterophily/income and recovery weeks among different income groups. The results revealed that hazard-exposure heterophily considerably accelerates human mobility recovery in low-income areas, as the hazard-exposure heterophily allows for the increased exchange of knowledge and resources between members of diverse groups, ultimately accelerating the recovery process. The results of this study could benefit local agents to better allocate recovery resources.

Comparative Analysis of the Medical Equipment Management Process in Colombo Gampaha and Kaluthara Districts

Comparative Analysis of the Medical Equipment Management Process in Colombo Gampaha and Kaluthara Districts

Effectiveness of Intraperitoneal Bupivacaine in General Anesthesia for Laparoscopic Appendectomy

<p><strong>Introduction:</strong> Appendicitis is an inflammation of vermiform appendix organ. It is a medical emergency case and one of the most common acute abdominal cases. The removal of acute appendix with minimally invasive surgery, laparoscopic procedure, is associated with shortened recovery time and length of stay in hospital, reduced risk of postoperative wound infections, also improved cosmetic outcomes. Anesthesia procedure for laparoscopic in Indonesia is usually performed under general anesthesia (GA) which has effective and safe form of sedation. One local anesthesia agent that often used in laparoscopic procedure is bupivacaine. Studies have shown that intraperitoneal bupivacaine as analgesia after laparoscopy can reduce postoperative pain, such as visceral pain associated with tissue injury and the stretching of nerve endings in the peritoneal cavity, parietal pain related to the incisional trauma at the port sites, and shoulder pain referred by stretching of the diaphragm.</p><p><strong>Case report: </strong>Mr. TA, 27 years old, his lower right abdomen hurt and he was diagnosed with acute appendicitis ASA II. Patients performed with laparoscopic procedure under general anesthesia. Fentanyl 2 mcg/kg, propofol 2 mg/kg, rocuronium 0.6 mg/kg, and sevoflurane 1 MAC, 50% FiO<sub>2</sub> : 50% water, 4 lpm flow were administered. After 90 minutes of surgery, 40 cc of 0.5% intraperitoneal bupivacaine was administered. Patient was assessed for the NRS score within 30 minutes after laparoscopic procedure. The NRS score was 0.</p><p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> It has been reported a patient underwent laparoscopic appendicitis procedure received intraperitoneal bupivacaine as a postoperative analgesia which provided quicker recovery and good improvement of pain control without any significant negative consequences.</p>

Examining the emergence of a learning collaborative: a framework to support complex program implementation

AbstractTo address unmet behavioral health needs of children and youth, the system of care (SOC) philosophy was developed and evolved into a framework to support community-based coordinated networks that provide an array of effective services and supports. There is limited elaboration of the actual implementation processes and intricacies of SOC development, particularly, in terms of the roles of local SOC coordinators (local coordinators). Limited published research has addressed the necessary knowledge and roles of local coordinators, and the theoretical underpinnings and structure of their learning, skill development, and capacity building. Utilizing an archival approach and reflexive thematic analysis, this qualitative study examined records of three forums involving 50 local SOC coordinators (11% male, 89% female, 93% white, ages between 27 and 66 years) between 2017 and 2018. The analysis revealed varying levels of experience, knowledge, and skills, and uncovered several SOC development strategies utilized by coordinators. The study illustrates the inception of a learning collaborative that served as a bridge and implementation driver for SOC development and socio-professional support for local coordinators. The findings provide an empirical base and emerging framework for SOC coordinators’ training and professional development. The value of learning collaboratives in facilitating exposure to a diverse knowledge base and the importance of fostering supportive spaces for coordinators as they strive to develop SOCs are evident. Incorporating supportive learning collaboratives for local change agents could be a dynamic strategy to support the effective implementation of system-wide changes or enhancements in behavioral health services.

Optimal adaptive decentralized under-frequency load shedding for islanded smart distribution network considering wind power uncertainty

The increasing share of renewable distributed generations has raised a challenge about the frequency stability. Under-frequency load shedding (UFLS) can deal with this challenge, but it usually considers a prorated load-shedding strategy and neglects the impact of uncertainty from renewable generation. This may result in unnecessary additional economic losses from the system blackout. In this paper, a risk-decision-based optimal adaptive decentralized UFLS method is proposed to coordinate the distribution of shedding load in the smart distribution network to avoid unnecessary additional economic losses, while considering the wind power uncertainty. Firstly, the uncertainty from wind power generation is modeled by confidence intervals and evaluated by the calculation of the conditional value at risk (CVaR). Then, to economically distribute the power deficit among load agents, a decentralized consensus on the incremental cost among decentralized agents is reached, where the interruption cost of the local agent varies with its load as a nonlinear relationship. Finally, a two-layer adaptive risk-decision decentralized UFLS control framework is proposed to enable the frequency stability and economic operation of the smart distribution network. With the proposed strategy, local information sharing and important global information discovery are achieved in a distributed way. Simulations on an improved IEEE 33-bus system show that the proposed strategy can effectively avoid rigid shedding and implement the optimal allocation of the system power deficit.

Cinema Exhibition on a Cultural Basis in Europe: Reflecting on the Contributions of the Nordic Model for Portuguese Local Cinema Policies

This paper addresses the need for local cultural policies targeting cinema exhibition. Portugal evidences extreme dependency upon the central government, including for local movie screening, thus expressing the Portuguese high territorial asymmetry. Our research discusses the importance of noncommercial exhibition for countering this situation, as it is implemented by local agents (not only film societies) with a wider cultural intervention. When reflecting on the European countries policies for cinema and acknowledging the big socioeconomic and historical differences between Portugal and the Nordic countries, the regional-local initiatives of the latter emerged as an important issue for decentralization, especially the Norwegian scheme.

Gold Nano-colloids impregnated in Langmuir-Blodgett Film of MoS2 flakes as SERS active platform: Fabrication and its application in Malathion detection

The current work focuses on fabrication of Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of MoS2 flakes with impregnated gold nano particles (AuNPs) as a noble Surface enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) active hetero structure. The hot spots created over the heterostructures work as a potent agent for localization of electromagnetic field resulting in high enhancement of Raman Signals. The LB film of MoS2 flakes with and without the AuNPs were thoroughly characterized in our present work. The efficacy of Au–MoS2 substrate as a SERS sensing platform was investigated up to ultrasensitive concentrations using Raman probe molecules. Moreover, the reproducibility and homogeneity of the substrate was also tested with Raman mapping. The as prepared SERS sensing platform was engaged further for detection of Malathion at trace concentrations. The tests to check on service time was also performed. In the contemporary exploration the fabricated substrate reveals its accuracy and effectivity as a SERS sensor. Thus, in future this substrate can be a novel “Nano-Lab on Chip” device for ultrasensitive detections of chemical and bio-chemical composites.

Efficacy of Topical Metal Polyacrylates for the Prevention and Treatment of Bleeding After Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography

Relevance In recent years, local hemostatic agents have become widespread, as their application at the incision area of the major duodenal papilla can stop or prevent bleeding. Aim of study To study the efficacy of topical application of incomplete silver salt of polyacrylic acid (PAAg) (Haemoblock) for the prevention and treatment of bleeding from the papillosphincterotomy area.Material and methods The prospective study included 211 patients who were hospitalized at the Regional Clinical Hospital in Ryazan from 2020 to 2023. In the main group of patients, for the purpose of hemostasis and prevention of bleeding, the area of the dissected major duodenal papilla was irrigated with 20 ml of an aqueous solution of PAAg. In the control group, irrigation was carried out with 20 ml of 0.9% sodium chloride. The main group included 111 patients (44 men, 67 women, mean age 55.09±20.97), the control group included 100 patients (43 men, 57 women, average age 53.85±20.34).Results In the main group of patients, bleeding from the MDP incision was observed in 83 cases after papillosphincterotomy, and in 82 cases in the control group. After irrigation with an aqueous solution of PAAg, bleeding from the MDP incision was arrested within 120 seconds in the main group in 70 patients, and in 51 patients in the control group, after irrigation with 0.9% sodium chloride solution. Within 300 seconds from the initiation of irrigation, hemostasis occurred in 12 of the 13 remaining patients in the main group with ongoing bleeding and in 27 of 31 patients in the control group. In two patients in the control group, bleeding was managed in 300 seconds without additional methods of endoscopic hemostasis. The use of additional methods of endoscopic hemostasis due to ongoing bleeding in the main group was required in one patient; the incision area was injected with an adrenaline solution. In the control group, additional endoscopic hemostasis was performed on two patients: in one case, injection with an adrenaline solution, in the other, diathermocoagulation of the incision area of MDP. In the early postoperative period, delayed bleeding was detected in 3 patients of the main group, which was significantly lower than the same indicator in the control group (7 observations).Conclusions Local application of PAAg for the treatment of early bleeding in papillosphicterotomy showed a significantly faster onset of hemostasis.

The Safety of Glycopeptide-Impregnated Calcium Sulphate Following Debridement, Antibiotics and Implant Retention (DAIR) for Infected Total Knee Replacement.

Background and objective The impact of prosthetic joint infection (PJI) stretches far beyond the physical nature of the disease. It can result in psychological and social consequences, with significant morbidity and mortality for patients. Calcium sulphate-based delivery agents are effective in the management of PJI, yet with associated risks of systemic adverse events. This study aims to evaluate the risk of systemic adverse events when using calcium-sulphate-based local antibiotic delivery agents in the management of PJIs. Methodology We identified 43 patients who underwent debridement, antibiotics and implant retention (DAIR) for infected total knee arthroplasty (TKA) between 2008 and 2014. Patients in the control groupunderwent conventional intravenous and then oral antibiotic administration, while those in the intervention groupunderwent additional local antibiotic therapy via a calcium sulphate alpha hemihydrate matrix. Case notes and laboratory results data were compiled to establish the safety and efficacy of local glycopeptide delivery. Results Serum vancomycin levels were within the safe therapeutic range for all patients in the intervention group with no difference in serum assays between treatment groups (intervention 7.7 mg/L; control 8.0 mg/L; P = 0.85). Renal function for the study cohort improved at every time point post-operatively when referenced against pre-operative renal function (P < 0.05). There was no difference in renal function between intervention and control groups on day 1, one week, six weeks or 12 weeks post-operatively (P = 0.78, 0.89, 0.20 and 0.50). Conclusions Local glycopeptide delivery via a calcium sulphate alpha hemihydrate matrix did not result in systemic adverse consequences specifically not raising the systemic level of glycopeptide, nor reducing renal function. Implications for future research Although demonstrates a safety profile and potential therapeutic benefit, the long-term efficacy of this approach needs to be established. Importantly, selection bias may contribute to masking clinically significant differences in post-operative outcomes.

Machine learning enabled design features of antimicrobial peptides selectively targeting peri-implant disease progression

Peri-implantitis is a complex infectious disease that manifests as progressive loss of alveolar bone around the dental implants and hyper-inflammation associated with microbial dysbiosis. Using antibiotics in treating peri-implantitis is controversial because of antibiotic resistance threats, the non-selective suppression of pathogens and commensals within the microbial community, and potentially serious systemic sequelae. Therefore, conventional treatment for peri-implantitis comprises mechanical debridement by nonsurgical or surgical approaches with adjunct local microbicidal agents. Consequently, current treatment options may not prevent relapses, as the pathogens either remain unaffected or quickly re-emerge after treatment. Successful mitigation of disease progression in peri-implantitis requires a specific mode of treatment capable of targeting keystone pathogens and restoring bacterial community balance toward commensal species. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) hold promise as alternative therapeutics through their bacterial specificity and targeted inhibitory activity. However, peptide sequence space exhibits complex relationships such as sparse vector encoding of sequences, including combinatorial and discrete functions describing peptide antimicrobial activity. In this paper, we generated a transparent Machine Learning (ML) model that identifies sequence-function relationships based on rough set theory using simple summaries of the hydropathic features of AMPs. Comparing the hydropathic features of peptides according to their differential activity for different classes of bacteria empowered predictability of antimicrobial targeting. Enriching the sequence diversity by a genetic algorithm, we generated numerous candidate AMPs designed for selectively targeting pathogens and predicted their activity using classifying rough sets. Empirical growth inhibition data is iteratively fed back into our ML training to generate new peptides, resulting in increasingly more rigorous rules for which peptides match targeted inhibition levels for specific bacterial strains. The subsequent top scoring candidates were empirically tested for their inhibition against keystone and accessory peri-implantitis pathogens as well as an oral commensal bacterium. A novel peptide, VL-13, was confirmed to be selectively active against a keystone pathogen. Considering the continually increasing number of oral implants placed each year and the complexity of the disease progression, prevalence of peri-implant diseases continues to rise. Our approach offers transparent ML-enabled paths towards developing antimicrobial peptide-based therapies targeting the changes in the microbial communities that can beneficially impact disease progression.

A local hemostatic agent in the form of a chitosan-based gel is a promising technique for stopping ongoing intra-abdominal bleeding: an experimental study

Bleeding is one of the most common causes of death in armed conflicts. Moreover, many medical devices have been developed to stop ongoing external bleeding, including local hemostatic agents, turnstiles, and compressors. Stopping ongoing internal bleeding remains an urgent problem in military medicine. Before the current era wherein qualified medical care is provided, internal bleeding is impossible to stop. Thus, new methods and techniques are being developed to stop (control) intracavitary bleeding at the prehospital stage. In this study, a chitosan-based agent was developed in the form of a gel to stop internal bleeding. In an experiment of large laboratory animals as models of ongoing intra-abdominal bleeding, the effectiveness of the developed drug was evaluated, and it demonstrated high hemostatic efficiency. The developed local hemostatic agent, administered by laparocentesis, could stop grade 3 bleeding according to the validated intraoperative bleeding scale from the liver wound without causing inflammatory changes in the surrounding organs and tissues. The local hemostatic agent helped avoid fatal outcomes in the experimental group compared with the control group (one fatal outcome in three animals). Changes in the hemoglobin level and erythrocyte count indicated that hemostasis occurred almost immediately after the administration of the local hemostatic agent in the experimental group, whereas in the control group, hemostasis remained unstable throughout the observation period. The histological examination of liver preparations confirmed stable hemostasis without the development of a local inflammatory reaction or necrosis when a local biocompatible hemostatic agent was used. The developed technology can be used starting from the stage of first aid, helping stop intracavitary bleeding at the prehospital stage and improving the treatment outcomes of wounded individuals and those with abdominal injuries.

Revolutionizing Wound Healing: Unleashing Nanostructured Lipid Carriers Embodied with Herbal Medicinal Plant.

Wound healing is crucial for maintaining skin integrity and preventing complications from external threats. Various plants, such as Achillea millefolium, Aloe vera, Curcuma longa, Calendula officinalis, Camellia sinensis, Azadirachta indica, and Plantago, have demonstrated wound healing capabilities and have been used in herbal medicine for wound care. NLCs are second-generation lipid nanoparticles, blending solid and liquid lipids to improve medication loading and limit leakage. NLCs have been used in various applications, including cosmeceuticals, chemotherapy, gene therapy, and brain targeting. Wound healing is divided into four stages: hemostasis, inflammatory response, proliferation, and remodeling. Factors such as age, gender, chronic disorders, and local agents like infections can affect recovery. These plants' antiinflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial activities have demonstrated potential in wound healing. Combining herbal medicinal plants and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) can revolutionise wound treatment and improve overall healthcare outcomes.

Skull-Derived Myeloid Cells Augment T Cell Responses and Suppress Glioblastoma Growth

INTRODUCTION: Recent studies have implicated skull marrow as a functional myeloid reservoir in CNS pathology. However, its contribution to malignancy remains unexplored. METHODS: Fluorescently labeled calvarial flaps were transplanted onto syngeneic glioblastoma-bearing mice, followed by flow cytometric profiling of tumor-infiltrative leukocytes. To assay the functional relevance of SDMCs, tumor-bearing C57BL/6 mice were treated with preemptive calvarial ablation (13 Gy irradiation), or conversely intracalvarial AMD3100 to augment myeloid egress from marrow niches. Tumor burden was monitored via survival and bioluminescent imaging. RESULTS: 72 h following CMFDA-stained calvarial transplantation into tumor-bearing Balb/C mice, 40.3% of tumor-infiltrative myeloid cells were fluorescent and thus skull-derived; transplantation in an alternative longitudinal model (GFP+ flaps, C57BL/6) validated that SDMCs were robust and viable at 3 weeks post-operatively. As MHCII+ cells were disproportionately enriched among SDMCs (87.9% vs 67.3%, p = 0.012), we interrogated the immunogenicity of these cells through targeted ablation. Skull-ablated mice had reduced infiltration by antigen-presenting cells than controls (cDCs: 1.1% vs 4.5%, p = 0.002; macrophages: 14.4% vs 36.6%, p &lt; 0.001) and 6-fold greater necrosis (67.7% vs 13.5% apoptotic, p &lt; 0.001), suggesting an impaired ability to mount a controlled, adaptive immune response. The stimulatory role of SDMCs was further demonstrated via intracalvarial AMD3100 administration, which through its promotion of myeloid precursor egress (0.26% vs 0.02%, p &lt; 0.001) and cDC2 infiltration (10.4% vs 3.0%, p = 0.003) yielded robust CD4+ T cell activation and effector memory differentiation. These differences were clinically meaningful, as skull irradiation accelerated tumor growth and attenuated survival compared to controls, while AMD3100 treatment accomplished the opposite (median OS: 17d vs 22d, p &lt; 0.001; 26.5d vs 22d, p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: The preferential polarization of SDMCs into immunostimulatory APCs warrants the continued exploration of local marrow-targeting agents (e.g., AMD3100) as therapeutic modalities.

1236 Skull-Derived Myeloid Cells Augment T Cell Responses and Suppress Glioblastoma Growth

INTRODUCTION: Recent studies have implicated skull marrow as a functional myeloid reservoir in CNS pathology. However, its contribution to malignancy remains unexplored. METHODS: Fluorescently labeled calvarial flaps were transplanted onto syngeneic glioblastoma-bearing mice, followed by flow cytometric profiling of tumor-infiltrative leukocytes. To assay SDMC function, tumor-bearing C57BL/6 mice were treated with preemptive calvarial ablation (13 Gy irradiation), or conversely intracalvarial AMD3100 to augment myeloid egress from marrow niches. Tumor burden was monitored via survival and bioluminescent imaging. RESULTS: 72 h following CMFDA-stained calvarial transplantation into tumor-bearing Balb/C mice, 40.3% of tumor-infiltrative myeloid cells were fluorescent and thus skull-derived; transplantation in an alternative longitudinal model (GFP+ flaps, C57BL/6) validated that SDMCs were robust and viable at 3 weeks post-operatively. As MHCII+ cells were disproportionately enriched among SDMCs (87.9% vs 67.3%, p = 0.012), we interrogated the immunogenicity of these cells through targeted ablation. Indeed, skull-ablated mice had reduced aggregate infiltration by antigen-presenting cells than controls (cDCs: 1.1% vs 4.5%, p = 0.002; macrophages: 14.4% vs 36.6%, p &lt; 0.001) and 6-fold greater necrosis (67.7% vs 13.5% apoptotic, p &lt; 0.001), suggesting an impaired ability to mount a controlled, adaptive immune response. The stimulatory role of SDMCs was further demonstrated via intracalvarial AMD3100 administration, which through its promotion of myeloid precursor egress (0.26% vs 0.02%, p &lt; 0.001) and cDC2 infiltration (10.4% vs 3.0%, p = 0.003) yielded robust CD4+ T cell activation and effector memory differentiation. These differences were clinically meaningful, as skull irradiation accelerated tumor growth and attenuated survival compared to controls, while the opposite was observed with AMD3100 treatment (median OS: 17d vs 22d, p &lt; 0.001; 26.5 d vs 22 d, p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: The preferential polarization of SDMCs into immunostimulatory APCs warrants the continued exploration of local marrow-targeting agents (e.g., AMD3100) as therapeutic modalities.

Promotion of market-based sanitation in Ethiopia: a case study from Wolaita zone.

Ethiopia increased the availability of latrines notably, but the sanitation facilities rarely meet hygienic standards. Therefore, the market-based sanitation (MBS) programme has been implemented across the country for nearly a decade to expand the market and boost the demand for hygienic sanitation products and services. While it does not seem that the MBS would bring any notable change in sanitation conditions so far, its implementation challenges are not adequately understood. To address this gap, this article delves into the grassroots-level implementation of MBS in the Wolaita zone. The study relies on qualitative data gathered through interviews with various stakeholders, examining both demand- and supply-side challenges. Some issues identified were external to MBS implementation, such as high inflation and an unstable political and security situation in Ethiopia. Additionally, the study reveals that more general deficiencies of the Ethiopian health extension program, including the stress and discouragement of local change agents (health extension workers, health development army members) due to workloads and low remuneration, have adversely impacted MBS delivery. The implementation of MBS has also not effectively addressed the affordability of hygienic sanitation products. On the supply side, economic constraints and organizational inefficiencies have hindered the development of the sanitation market, preventing it from reaching a critical mass. Our research suggests that MBS alone will not suffice to improve sanitation in Ethiopia.

Religious Leaders and Resistance to Repression: The Bishops Opposed to Argentina’s Dirty War

Can religious leaders who oppose state violence reduce its use? Communal elites, such as religious leaders, may oppose human rights violations. This article argues that these leaders, part of institutions embedded in local communities and with influence based on traditional power, reduce repression when they oppose dictatorships. The argument’s main implication is tested in Argentina during the Dirty War of its 1976???1983 military dictatorship, using original archival data on the country’s Catholic bishops. Opposed bishops are associated with reduced disappearances and killings. A variety of evidence is consistent with opposed bishops taking two types of actions to resist repression: assisting likeminded local agents and participating in human rights advocacy campaigns. The findings point to the importance of influential civil society actors in reducing state violence.

The Effects of Dexmedetomidine As an Adjuvant with Levobupivacaine To Epidural Analgesia on The Outcomes of Patients Undergoing Total Abdominal Hysterectomy Surgery

Background: Total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) characterizes as major surgery with increased risk of morbidity. It depends on adequate pain management intra- and postoperatively. Anesthesia management of TAH widely uses a regional approach with the epidural technique which administers a local anesthesia agent into the epidural space.Objective: This study aims to determine the effectiveness of epidural levobupivacaine with fentanyl versus levobupivacaine with dexmedetomidine for epidural anesthesia in patients undergoing TAH.Methods: This is a prospective, single-blinded trial conducted among 20 patients aged 18 to 40 years who underwent elective TAH with American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) class I and II status. The control group received epidural levobupivacaine 0.5% with fentanyl as an adjuvant, while the dexmedetomidine group received levobupivacaine 0.5% with dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant. We then compared the degree of pain using a numeric rating scale (NRS) 24 hours after surgery, duration of analgesia, and incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) in both groups.Result: Duration of analgesia was 89.60 + 7.6332 min in group dexmedetomidine, while it was 78.0 + 10.4562 min in group fentanyl, respectively (P &lt; 0.05). The means of NRS was 3.00 + 1.88562 in group dexmedetomidine and 4.80 + 1.1352 in group fentanyl (p=0.019). The incidence of PONV in group dexmedetomidine was three, while in group fentanyl was eight (p=0.025).Conclusion: Dexmedetomidine is preferred over fentanyl when added to levobupivacaine for epidural analgesia in TAH procedures. Dexmedetomidine offers superior quality with a prolonged duration of analgesia, lower NRS values, and a lower incidence of PONV rather than fentanyl.

Systematic Review on the Current Situation and Development of Local Antimicrobial Agents in Revision Arthroplasty for Periprosthetic Joint Infection (PJI)

Systematic Review on the Current Situation and Development of Local Antimicrobial Agents in Revision Arthroplasty for Periprosthetic Joint Infection (PJI)

Museums’ contribution to the notion of food heritagisation

In this paper the authors explore how various agents – such as museums, destination companies or small businesses – have actively contributed to food heritagisation on the Lofoten Islands in Northern Norway. By examining the thematic elements and storylines that these agents convey to a broad audience, and by considering their role in the tourism sector, we assert that their collaboration serves as the driving force for preserving and promoting culinary traditions. We specifically focus on the significance of museums as pivotal institutions in shaping identity. We employ the concept of food heritagisation and test it on the Lofoten Islands as our primary example.Our findings offer an analysis of the challenges and opportunities faced by agents who contribute to food heritagisation on the Lofoten Islands. Moreover, we argue that museums, in conjunction with other local agents, are playing an increasingly influential role in the process of food heritagisation particularly in regions with high tourism. Ultimately, we conclude that the heritagisation of food on the Lofoten Islands represents an overall positive step towards fostering more sustainable and innovative forms of tourism. In this paper we explore how museums have contributed to food heritagisation in the region by looking at the themes and storylines that museums communicate to a wide public, and by considering the role they play in the tourism sector. The findings provide an analysis of challenges and opportunities for cultural organisations who contribute to food heritagisation. We look at the risks for producers and consumers and pay attention to opportunities, arguing that the heritagisation of food on the Lofoten Islands provides an overall positive move towards more sustainable and innovative tourism.

Inclusion or Exclusion? The Spatial Habitus of Rural Gentrifiers

Several rural areas all over the world have experienced the inflow of the urban better‐off. This rural gentrification takes various temporary and permanent forms, i.e., lifestyle migration, second‐home ownership, or short‐term visitors. Scholarly interest in rural gentrification is evidenced by the growing body of literature. Based on 105 semi‐structured in‐depth interviews conducted in two rural areas in Hungary, this article aims to explore the perceptions, motivations, preferences, and lived experiences of rural newcomers, their position within the community, as well as processes of inclusion and exclusion. We rely on Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of habitus and argue that it includes distinct spatial dispositions forming a “spatial habitus.” The interviews show that the middle‐class rural gentrifiers’ (spatial) habitus is entangled with their cultural capital and represents a mixture of urban and “ruralising” dispositions. Their spatial practices are interpreted as the result of middle‐class (spatial) habitus and middle‐class symbolic distinction. At the same time, middle‐class rural gentrifiers are active local agents who defy common notions of newcomers having to integrate into their communities of choice.