ABSTRACT
Liverpool is an endlessly fascinating, challenging city. It has a grip on people's imaginations in a way few other cities do – nationally or internationally. During the past century the city went from the second city of the greatest empire the world had ever seen into a post imperial period of economic decline and political despair. But it has emerged Phoenix-like as one of the most signifi cant examples of urban renaissance in the UK. Its story has many lessons for the external world. This paper examines this continuing if incomplete renaissance of Liverpool. It assesses the economic decline that caused its physical, social, and political fragmentation during the 1970s and the many plans since then seeking to revive and reconnect it. It charts the city's fall in the 1980s, its gradual normalization in the 1990s, its extraordinary success as a European city in the fi rst part of this century and its eff orts to remain ambitious in an age of austerity. It identifi es the key drivers of change, in particular local, national, and European regeneration initiatives and plans. It asks what needs to be done to continue the renaissance in terms of productivity, place, and people. It examines the current risks to the city in the light of the impact of Brexit, COVID, the loss of UNESCO World Heritage Status as well as its recent political crises and the imposition of Government Commissioners. A key message from the Liverpool story for governments and other cities is that renaissance is possible even in the most diffi cult circumstances, and that public resources, commitment, and planning have a large part to play © 2022, Built Environment.All Rights Reserved.
ABSTRACT
There has long been evidence of the benefit of a modal shift toward cycling can bring to meeting several pressing urban challenges including ill-health, climate change, and poor air quality. In the wake of COVID-19, policy-makers have identified a modal shift toward cycling as part of the solution to mobility challenges introduced by social distancing measures. However, beyond exemplar areas, cycling has been largely characterized by a stubbornly-low modal share. In this paper, we use the ‘ordinary city'–in cycling terms–of Liverpool as a case study to understand this. We apply practice theory in doing so, finding the provision of materials for cycling is the key factor in supporting a modal shift. Not only do they provide the means to support the practice of cycling in the city, but they also have a key role in shaping individuals perceptions of, and the skills required to cycle. We then reflect upon the utility of practice theory in understanding the patterns of everyday life, finding it was particularly well suited in understanding the interactions between different factors which influence modal choice. We go on to identify practical challenges in its application within our analysis raising questions around an inconsistent analysis of influential factors including ‘driver behavior' and ‘political commitment'. We suggest how this might be overcome, through the isolation of such factors within a category of ‘action of others', this we argue means the findings in this paper have broad relevance to researchers and policy-makers alike. © 2021 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.
ABSTRACT
Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection can have a variable impact on patients. Various host factors have been identified that play a significant role in the risk of COVID-19 infection and its severity. Patients with severe asthma have been clinically vulnerable since the first wave of the pandemic and the resurgence of COVID-19 in the United Kingdom in January 2020. In addition, those on treatment with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been identified as being vulnerable to COVID-19 infection and severity by the World Health Organization and the Department of Health. However, the evidence to support this notion is limited, and there has been contrary evidence to suggest severe asthma is protective against COVID-19. In this study, a retrospective review of severe asthma patients in the Liverpool population between 1st January 2020 and 31st January 2021 was conducted. This study aimed to determine the association between asthma severity and the risk of COVID-19 infection and/or its severity for patients on mAb treatment. Methodology We conducted a review of all patients from the Liverpool severe asthma database/spreadsheet who tested positive in the community and at the hospital. Admission records, primary records, emails, and microbiological data for Anglia ICE were reviewed at the Royal Liverpool and Aintree University Hospital. A COVID-19 diagnosis was predefined as a positive lateral flow test and a positive polymerase chain reaction test. The proportion of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia and severe COVID-19 disease requiring hospital admission and escalation to intensive care (observation, intubation, continuous positive airway pressure) was noted. Other patient characteristics were recorded including age, weight, body mass index (BMI), gender, smoking status (never, former, current smoker), bronchiectasis, and the forced expiratory volume. Results In total, 760 patients were identified to have severe asthma, of whom 59 (7.8%) tested positive for COVID-19 and 701 (92.2%) tested negative. A total of 244 (32%) patients were taking mAbs, and 516 (68%) were not on mAb treatment. Patients were more susceptible to COVID-19 on an mAb (13.5%) versus non-mAb (5%) (odds ratio (OR) = 2.95; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.72 to 5.05) . A larger proportion of severe asthma patients on mAb treatment testing positive for COVID-19 were current smokers and had a higher BMI. Furthermore, severe asthmatics taking mAbs did not have a higher risk of severe COVID-19 disease, hospitalisation, and intensive care admission. Conclusions In the Liverpool severe asthma population, patients undergoing mAb therapy had a higher incidence of COVID-19 compared to non-mAb groups; however, they were not at a higher risk of severe disease progression. These findings suggest that continuing biologic therapy in severe asthmatics with COVID-19 appears to be safe to prevent exacerbations.
ABSTRACT
Aim: This study aimed at qualitatively assessing post-COVID-19 mucormycosis prosthetically rehabilitated patients using Liverpool Oral Rehabilitation Questionnaire (LORQ) in Central India. Materials and methods: Forty-eight subjects were included in the study who were prosthetically treated post-COVID-19 mucormycosis and who were willing to participate in the study. The LORQ with certain modifications was given to the targeted population 1 week after the delivery of the prosthesis. Wilcoxon paired test was used to analyze the results and p-value ≤0.05 will be considered to be significant. Results: For all the individual questions, LORQ showed a significant decrease following the treatment (p < 0.05) except for Q3 (did you have mouth dryness?) where there was no significant difference between pre and postscores. Conclusion: On comparing the databases, it could be concluded that prosthetic rehabilitation of post-COVID-19 mucormycosis patients significantly improved the quality of life (QOL). Clinical significance: Since there is a lack of data regarding the impact of prosthodontic intervention on the life of people suffering from post-COVID-19 mucormycosis, this study was planned out. The result of this article will help clinicians to plan out future treatment strategies and modalities and have a better communication with the patient regarding the prosthetic outcome beforehand and endeavor the need of the patient. © The Author(s). 2022.
ABSTRACT
Drawing on the findings of practitioner group consultations (n=49) and an online survey of music makers (n=37), this article illustrates the devastating impact of 18 months without full-capacity live events on the financial, musical and social wellbeing of the Liverpool City Region’s (LCR) music sector. The analysis shows how uncertainties concerning a return to normal operations, access to funding support, working within socially distanced limitations, and dealing with changing regulations have underlined the live music workers’ experience of the pandemic as well as how a sense of uncertainty persists despite a return to full-capacity events in July 2021. The findings show that digital alternatives partially helped alleviate lockdown’s detrimental effects but, overall, the sector viewed live-streaming as a “stop-gap” incomparable to the conventional concert experience. The research concludes by observing that, despite the numerous practical and economic adaptations and online advances that ensured the sector’s survival, the return to “business as usual” also means a return to pre-pandemic industry economics, which often function to the detriment of the musicians on whom the regional live sector’s operational and financial recovery depend. © Equinox Publishing Ltd 2022, Office 415, The Workstation, 15 Paternoster Row, Sheffield S1 2BX
ABSTRACT
PurposeThe paper aims to present key insights for achieving a sustainable competitive advantage from implementing data analytics solutions and artificial intelligence (AI).Design/methodology/approachThis conceptual paper builds on prior empirical and conceptual research, and it offers anecdotal evidence from a best-practice case study of Liverpool Football Club.FindingsBeyond the well-known companies in profiting from AI, such as Amazon, this paper presents a surprising best-practice example for achieving a competitive advantage from combining data analytics and AI with human expertise. Liverpool Football Club is a leading soccer club from England, and it has experienced a major revival in terms of sporting success and financial performance in recent years. The club’s emphasis on data analytics and AI only contributed to this impressive evolution when it was complemented with the emotional intelligence and people skills of its present manager Juergen Klopp. Along with new conceptual arguments, this example of integrated intelligence offers important insights for managers and executives in companies from many industries – far beyond sports management.Originality/valueThe conceptual arguments and case example illustrate that the competitive benefits of implementing standardized AI solutions in an isolated way will often be relatively limited. Many AI solutions will be standardized in the near future, and they may easily be applied by many firms. Thus, even those companies that are considered as AI pioneers may not be able to sustain their competitive advantage unless they develop an integrated intelligence architecture, which combines human and AI. This integration of data analytics and AI with the human intelligence and expertise of a firm’s employees offers the basis for a sustainable advantage because it is difficult to match for competitors. Thus, the paper offers new theoretical insights and direct managerial implications with regard to profiting from AI and data analytics.