Related Changes Research Articles

Evolution of heritage and development in Liverpool's waterfront over 40 years

The recent delisting of Liverpool’s World Heritage Site has highlighted the adverse impacts of ongoing urban developments on the city’s heritage. This study aims to address the critical question of how Liverpool can safeguard its heritage following the loss of its World Heritage status. As this status withdrawal implies a lack of international policy consideration, it raises important questions: What additional measures should be implemented? How could we reassess Liverpool's heritage in this new context? To tackle these issues, we investigate the changing relationship between safeguarding heritage and urban development on Liverpool Waterfront’s Historic Urban Landscape over the past 40 years. This study analyses the impact of developments on Liverpool’s heritage values, specifically focusing on Integrity, Authenticity, and Outstanding Universal Value. By employing a novel, top-down heritage impact assessment methodology, we evaluate the influence of urban and architectural developments on these values. This methodology is distinguished by its comprehensive comparative analysis of diverse elements drawn from heritage policy documents, spanning both tangible and intangible domains. In addition, we conducted interviews with experts familiar with Liverpool's heritage context to deepen our understanding of developmental impacts. The analysis framework comprises three case study areas and their associated developments: the adaptive reuse of the Albert Dock Complex (1981–1988), the Pier Head Developments (2007–2013), and the Stanley Dock Conservation Area (2021 onwards). The findings indicate that adaptive reuse schemes have been reasonably successful in preserving heritage values, whereas certain urban interventions have had detrimental effects. This study underscores the need for stricter regulations and broader stakeholder involvement to protect Liverpool's heritage. Further research is recommended, incorporating more development case studies and examining successful urban interventions in other heritage cities, to strengthen Liverpool’s heritage safeguarding strategies amidst evolving urban development pressures.

Data Discretion: Screen-Level Bureaucrats and Municipal Decision-Making

Public servants tasked with implementing rules or policies on the street level often make discretionary decisions based on local context. Lipsky has labeled them street-level bureaucrats. During the COVID-19 pandemic, as most face-to-face interactions facilitated by local government moved online, many street-level decisions were moved to screens, representing the actions of whom Bouvins and Zouridis refer to as screen-level bureaucrats. Discretionary decision making among public servants continued, but much of it centered on the collection, analysis, and use of data. This article reports on research conducted in 2021 with municipal employees in a large northeastern city in the United States, and examines their changing relationship with data in determining how and to whom they deliver services. In the context of a public health crisis, public servants exercised “data discretion” to rapidly alter services and to internally advocate for underserved populations. The specific practices of discretionary decision making are explored through candid interviews with public servants. The discussion explores how these emergent practices might persist post crisis, how discretion is counterintuitively used to build trust in government, and how data discretion is not limited only to the progressive values manifested in the example of a northeastern city.

Reconceptualising the EU-member states relationship in the age of permanent emergency

AbstractSince 2008, the European Union (EU) has been engulfed in several crises. While distinct, these crises are feeding into each other and are testing the capacity and resilience of EU and member states, bringing forward common policy questions and new forms of cooperation. The permanent character of this state of crisis has made analysts talk about our times as the age of permacrisis. As a result, a trend towards a new mode of ‘coordinative Europeanization’ in EU decision-making has been observed since the Covid-19 crisis. In this paper we first define the new mode of coordinative Europeanization and outline its key features. We argue that the recent crises have altered the EU member states’ relationship in pursuit of fast policy responses. We analyse the reasons behind this changing relationship as well as the possible avenues it may take. We then discuss the challenges caused by coordinative Europeanization and how it relates to pre-existing de-Europeanization tendencies. We close the paper with an analysis of the significance of our findings and we propose new avenues for research.

North and South in Medieval Iberia: A historical and environmental estimate through isotopic analyses.

The Middle Ages in the Iberian Peninsula is a period of special interest for studying the relationship of climate change with historical and socioeconomic processes. Between the 8th and 15th centuries AD, the Peninsula was characterized not only by complex political, cultural, and social transitions but also by major variations in the climate. The objective of this study was to examine differences in diet and mobility between distinct populations of the Peninsula and explore the possible relationship of diet, mobility, and culture with environmental variables and geographical settings. For this purpose, we obtained stable isotopic ratios of carbon and oxygen (δ13C and δ18O) from the enamel apatite of first upper incisors from 145 individuals at eight archeological sites that represent both Christian and Islamic communities and both rural and urban social settings. Results revealed a dietary difference between Christian and Islamic populations, observing a greater contribution of C4 plants, possibly sorghum, in the diet of the latter, especially in a rural setting. The disparity in oxygen isotopic ratios between populations from the North and South of the Peninsula is consistent with modern climatic differences between these regions. In this line, intraregional variability in oxygen isotopic ratios may hint at diachronic occupation phases under varying climatic conditions. The few isotopic outliers in our sample suggest overall low mobility levels.

Postextrasystolic repolarization changes of ventricular premature beats correlate with structural heart disease and suggest prognostic implications

Ventricular premature beats (VPBs) can potentially lead to life-threatening arrhythmias, especially in patients with structural heart disease (SHD). However, identifying dangerous VPBs has always been a topic and challenge in clinical research. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship of postextrasystolic repolarization changes of VPBs with SHD and its possible additional prognostic value. 125 cases of frequent VPBs with SHD and 156 cases without SHD were included. VPBs were stratified selected from 24 h Holter recording according to the scale of heart rate. Average QTDV (difference value of QT interval between the first beat follow VPB with beats preceding VPB) and max QTDV were significantly longer in SHD group than that in the non-SHD group. For identifying patients with SHD, the best cutoff value were 19 ms for average QTDV (AUC = 0.931) and 29 ms for max QTDV (AUC = 0.910) respectively. For Tu morphology analysis, PT2 (postextrasystolic T wave amplitude change ≥2 mV), reversed T wave, and Pu (postextrasystolic u wave) change were all highly specific, but low sensitive as identification of SHD. Compared with average QTDV < 19 ms patients, average QTDV ≥ 19 ms patients had significantly larger left heart size and wores left cardiac function. The presence of non-persistent ventricular tachycardia runs was higher in average QTDV ≥ 19 ms group and positive Pu change group than that in control groups. The findings indicated that postextrasystolic repolarization changes of VPBs correlated with SHD and suggested potential value in prognosis asssessment.

Behavioral and Psychosocial Mediators of the Effects of Increased Self-Regulation on Short- and Long-Term Weight Loss in Women Within Community-Based Obesity Treatments.

The aim of this study was to evaluate behavioral mediators of relationships between increased self-regulation of eating and weight loss so that findings on psychosocial correlates of treatment-associated weight change could be extended. Participants were women enrolled in 6-month community-based obesity treatments using primarily self-regulatory (SR-treatment, n = 52) or education-focused (Didactic training, n = 54) methods. Changes from baseline in self-regulation of eating, self-efficacy for controlled eating, emotional eating propensity, exercise, and the diet were first calculated. There were significant overall improvements in each psychosocial and behavioral measure, and weight. Except for emotional eating change from baseline-Month 12, improvements were each significantly greater in the SR-treatment group. Mediation of the relationships of change in self-regulation with 6-, 12-, and 24-month weight changes, by changes in self-efficacy and emotional eating, were significant, R2s = .19-.26, ps < .001. Only changes in emotional eating over 6 and 12months were significant mediators. Mediations of the same self-regulation-weight change relationships by changes in exercise and the diet were also significant, R2s = .19-.28, ps < .001, and only changes in exercise over 12 and 24months were significant mediators. Although group membership did not moderate effects on weight, substitution of sweets for the (composite) diet demonstrated it to be a significant mediator over 6 and 12months. In women with obesity, self-regulation improvement was associated with short- and longer-term weight loss through changes in emotional eating, exercise, and sweets consumption. Thus, behavioral treatments will benefit from targeting those variables.

Supporting behaviour and emotions in school: an exploration into school staff perspectives on the journey from punitive approaches to relational-based approaches

ABSTRACT There are conflicting theories about the best ways to support behaviour in schools. This paper captures the perspectives of UK primary school staff regarding the advantages and disadvantages of different behaviour support approaches, in addition to exploring the facilitators and barriers to adopting relational-based approaches. Virtual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 school staff across three mainstream primary schools. A reflexive thematic analysis identified nine themes. Participants commented on the approaches’ flexibility, familiarity, positive long-term behaviour change and emotional wellbeing and relationships. Key facilitators to adopting relational-based approaches included: whole-school training and understanding; quality and type of training; and working together and feeling supported. Key barriers included: changing perspectives; ease of implementation and familiarity; scarcity of resources; and persevering in the face of difficulties. Themes are discussed in light of psychological research and implications for educational practitioners and future research are considered.

Just Fun and Games? A Sociological Consideration of Fun in Video Games

The concept of “fun” is widely used within the game design and game studies literature, and is frequently highlighted as a key component of good game design, as well as a key factor in why people play games. However, it is a term rarely unpacked, and fun in video games remains relatively underresearched, certainly in comparison to other associated terms such as “play.” This article therefore provides a much-needed sociological exploration of a term at the center of games design and studies, and moreover, argues, that doing so allows us to explore a range of important and related topics, such as the changing relationship between work and leisure and the blurring of fun and no-fun boundaries, as well as enabling us to delineate between often interchangeably used terms, such as happiness, enjoyment, and pleasure.

Comment on 'Changing relationships between HIV prevalence and circumcision in Lesotho', and 'Age-incidence and prevalence of HIV among intact and circumcised men: an analysis of PHIA surveys in Southern Africa'.

Two articles by Garenne (2023a,b) argue that voluntary medical male circumcision does not reduce human immunodeficiency virus transmission in Africa. Here we point out key evidence and analytical flaws that call into question this conclusion.

Navigating Narrative Frontiers: Influence of Generative AI on Creative Literature

Navigating Narrative Frontiers: Influence of Generative AI on Creative Literature

Temporal Aspects of Psychosocial Mediators of the Exercise-Weight Loss Maintenance Relationship Within Scalable Behavior-Change Treatments.

Limited knowledge of psychological correlates of weight loss is associated with continuing failures of behavioral obesity treatments beyond the short term. This study aimed to inform health professionals' obesity interventions via an increased knowledge of mediators of the exercise-weight loss maintenance relationship. Women participated in 6-month obesity treatments within community settings emphasizing moderate exercise and self-regulation skills development via primarily in-person (n = 54) or primarily written (n = 54) means. Changes in mood, self-regulating eating, and weight over 6, 12, and 24 months were assessed. A moderated mediation model was tested using the PROCESS macro instruction. Improvements in mood, self-regulating eating, and weight were significantly greater in the in-person group. The relationship between a dichotomous measure of completing at least 3 sessions of exercise per week (or not) and change in weight over 6 months was no longer significant when the mediators of changes in negative mood and self-regulation of eating were sequentially entered. Paths of exercise→negative mood reduction→eating self-regulation increase→weight loss over 6, 12 and 24 months were significant. Exercise self-regulation at Month 3 significantly moderated the mood change→eating self-regulation change relationship. Based on the identified paths, scalable obesity-treatment content and emphases were informed. This could help guide health professionals' actions concerning the management of obesity.

Polyparadigmatic uncertainty of international economic relations in the global security system

Polyparadigmatic uncertainty of international economic relations in the global security system

The early change in pH values after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is not associated with neurological outcome at hospital discharge

BackgroundThe association between pH values and outcome for patients after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) was not fully elucidated; besides, the relationship of change in pH values and neurological outcome was unknown. The aim was to explore the association of pH values as well as change in pH values and neurological outcome for OHCA cardiac patients. MethodsThe adult patients with non-traumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, shock-refractory ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia, and at least two arterial blood gases analysis recorded after admission were included. The change in pH values is calculated as the difference between the second and first pH value, and divided by time interval got the rate of change in pH values. The primary outcome was modified Rankin Score (mRS), dichotomized to good (mRS 0–3) and poor (mRS 4–6) outcomes at hospital discharge. The independent relationship of the first pH value, second pH value, and changes in pH values with neurological outcome was investigated with multivariable logistic regression models, respectively. ResultsA total of 1388 adult patients were included for analysis, of which 514 (37%) had good neurological outcome. The median first pH value and second pH value after admission were 7.21 (interquartile range [IQR] 7.09–7.29) and 7.28 (IQR 7.20–7.36), respectively. The median absolute, relative change, and rate of changes in pH values were 0.08 (IQR 0.01–0.16), 1.10% (IQR 0.11–2.22%), and 0.02 (IQR 0–0.06) per hour, respectively. After adjusting for confounders, the higher first pH value (odds ratio [OR] 3.81, confidence interval [CI] 1.60–9.24, P = 0.003) and higher second pH value (OR 9.54, CI 3.45–26.87, P < 0.001) after admission were associated with good neurological outcome, respectively. The absolute (OR 1.58, CI 0.58–4.30, P = 0.368) and relative (OR 1.03, CI 0.96–1.11, P = 0.399) change as well as the rate of change (OR 0.98, CI 0.33–2.71, P = 974) in pH values were not associated with neurological outcome. ConclusionsFor OHCA patients, abnormality in pH values was very common, with a more acidic pH value indicating poor neurological outcome. However, the change in pH values was not associated with outcomes.

Crafting arts-based stories of exile, resistance and trauma among Chileans in the UK

ABSTRACT In 2017 an exhibition of over 100 craft pieces created by Chilean political prisoners held in concentration camps during the military dictatorship, was launched in the UK along with an accompanying short film, ‘Crafting Resistance: the Art of Chilean Political Prisoners’. Drawing on these arts-based interventions, the paper reflects on the use of craft objects both as a symbol of political resistance and a means of initiating difficult conversations around forced political exile, trauma and mental health while creating space for people to ‘tell their stories’. Indeed, the paper contends that projects such as Crafting Resistance can ‘care for knowledge’ through the curation of craftwork while simultaneously creating space for counter memories. The analysis also highlights the changing relationship between the craft makers and the craftwork, argueing that placing the craft objects within the exhibition assigns a new role to the objects as they became part of a display of collective memories and potentially contribute towards collective healing. Finally, the paper advocates for greater recognition of the historical use of craft as a political expression, which to date has been relatively neglected in debates around the use of arts-based research and methods.

Do athletic ECG changes predict athletic performance in Gurkha recruits?

IntroductionECG changes are associated with regular long-term intensive exercise due to electrical manifestations of increased vagal tone, increased ventricular wall thickness and enlarged chamber size. The aim of this study...

Gender, climate and landowning: Sources of variability in the weather pattern change and ideal fertility relationship in Sahelian West Africa

This paper advances our understanding of the relationship between climate change and ideal fertility in Sahelian West Africa by exploring sources of variation in that relationship. Using an integrated dataset of Demographic and Health Surveys with monthly rainfall and temperature data, the analyses model dimensions of prospective ideal fertility for young, childless men and women in Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and Nigeria. Temperature, particularly in the arid climate zone, is shown to have a positive effect on ideal fertility. Landowning insulates individuals from adjusting their fertility ideals in response to change. Gender-stratified models reveal that under hotter conditions, women have a higher ideal number of children but their ideal gender composition remains relatively balanced, while men do not change their ideal number of children but show a preference for more sons. The increase in ideal fertility in response to weather change may be understood as an increasing need to generate human capital to meet the increased labour demands that climate change brings over both the short and the long term.

Critical Reflections on Universities, Publishing, and the Early Career Experience

This paper is a critical reflection on the changing relationship between university institutions, academic publishing, and young researchers. It emerges from a current project in assessing the role and development of Warwick University’s research journals (and their editors), but also takes into account two recent Warwick Institute of Advanced Study seminars discussing the practical and strategic challenge of publishing for early career scholars and PhD students. While these seminars concerned publishing in general, and the question of career trajectories, this reflection paper takes into account the current shifts in publishing and our understanding of research as knowledge production more broadly. This reflection maintains that, in part provoked by digital media, the status of research knowledge vis-à-vis its traditional presentation in the discrete products of the ‘article’, and the book, has become unstable, and this instability has opened up a range of economic and systemic conditions of knowledge production that have long since been concealed. Current shifts thus offer younger scholars and early career researchers significant opportunities: this short paper sets out the initial framework for a current research project focussing on university publishing, then it refers to the two above seminars in order to conclude with some critical issues for academic practice, research and for early career scholars.

The relationship of changes in molecular subtypes with metastases and progression-free survival in breast cancer.

Molecular subtyping of breast cancer cells is increasingly being developed as an initial step in selecting therapy and predicting the prognosis of breast cancer patients. During breast cancer, the molecular subtype of cancer cells can change. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between changes in the intrinsic subtype of breast cancer with metastasis and progression-free survival in breast cancer patients. This was a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with breast cancer from 2016 to 2021. The molecular subtypes from the immunohistochemical examination results were recorded twice, and metastasis and progression-free survival (PFS) were recorded. The data were analyzed using the chi-square test and SPSS 26. Of the 44 patients, 19 (43.2%) experienced a change in molecular subtype, and 25 (56.8%) did not. No significant relationship existed between changes in molecular subtype and metastasis (p =0.405). No significant relationship existed between changes in molecular subtype and PFS (p =0.900). A significant relationship was found between changes in the molecular subtype and PFS in the patients with changes in the molecular subtype (p =0.022). Changes in the intrinsic subtype were associated with PFS in breast cancer patients. Patients with an intrinsic subtype that changed to triple-negative showed worse PFS.

Differences in platelet indices between type-2 diabetes mellitus patients with and without microvascular complications at Teaching Hospital, Karapitiya

Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is associated with a greater amount of morbidity and mortality due to microvascular and macrovascular complications. Involvement of platelets in vascular complications of diabetes is well known and changes in platelet indices have been identified as predictors of these vascular complications. This study was carried out to determine the changes in platelet indices in patients with T2DM. This was a comparative cross sectional study conducted at Teaching Hospital, Karapitiya. Study subjects included T2DM patients with microvascular complications as study group and T2DM patients without any vascular compli-cations as comparison group. For each group age and sex matched 52 subjects were recruited. Subjects with microvascular complications had mean platelet volume (MPV) of 10.62±0.49fL, platelet distribution width (PDW) of 12.23±1.12fL, plateletcrit (PCT) of 0.28±0.05% and platelet large cell ratio (PLCR) of 29.44±4. Subjects without any vascular complications had MPV of 9.38±0.40fL, PDW of 9.9±1.14fL, PCT of 0.26±0.05% and PLCR of 19.67±3.1. Values of MPV, PDW and PLCR were significantly higher in patients with diabetic microvascular complications (p&lt;.001). There was no significant difference in PCT between the two groups. In comparison of platelet indices according to glycemic control, a significantly higher MPV, PDW and PLCR values were observed in patients with HbA1c of &gt;7% (p&lt;.001). A significant association was present among the MPV, PDW and PLCR values when fasting plasma glucose (FPG) was &gt; 130mg/dL (p&lt;.001). There was a direct relation-ship with abnormal platelet indices and microvas-cular complications of T2DM. Further studies are recommended to ascertain causative relationship of changes in platelet indices and diabetic microvascular complications.

The changing relationship between bodyweight and longevity in high- and low-income countries

Standard measures of bodyweight (overweight and obese, for example) fail to reflect differences across populations and technological progress over time. This paper builds on the pioneering work of Hans Waaler (1984) and Robert Fogel (1994) to empirically estimate how the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and longevity varies across high-, middle-, and low-income countries. Importantly, we show that these differences are so profound that the share of national populations above mortality-minimizing bodyweight is not clearly greater in countries with higher overweight and obesity rates (as traditionally defined)–and in fact, relative to current standards, a larger share of low-income countries’ populations can be unhealthily heavy.