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Research protocol for BootStRaP assessment phase: A nine-nation study on boosting societal adaptation and mental health in a rapidly digitalising, post-pandemic Europe
Full text linkBackground: There is increasing global concern about the harms associated with problematic usage of the internet (PUI) affecting young people. Various risk factors have been proposed, but there is a scarcity of reliable evidence on the extent of the problem, who is most at risk of developing PUI and why, and how best to tackle it. Objectives: BootStRaP (ISRCTN59576080) is a five-year multinational research programme designed to boost young people's health and resilience by determining, through prospective longitudinal assessment, the risk factors associated with PUI and its health economic impact and designing and testing preventative self-management interventions tailored to individual risk factors. Methods: This paper describes the first phase of the project (i.e., Cohort 1). A sample of over 2500 schoolchildren aged 12–16 years was recruited across nine European countries. They were prospectively monitored over a 6-month period using a dedicated smartphone application (BootstrApp), through which their internet use habits, health and wellbeing were measured. Young people were involved in the co-design of aspects of the protocol including the recruitment plan and elements of the app design. The components of the assessment battery were chosen to investigate specific individual, clinical, cognitive and environmental risk determinants as defined a priori in an evidence-based logic-model. Participants were assessed using a combination of standardised demographic and clinical questionnaires, ambulatory assessment techniques, cognitive testing and passive digital monitoring. Multimodal data is analysed according to machine learning and structured equation modelling. Expected outcomes: Our findings will contribute toward A) developing algorithms for predicting individuals at risk for PUI, B) identifying actionable variables for application to subjects as interventions for testing in the second phase of the project, C) validating risk hypotheses stated in the logic model of PUI including the interplay between predisposing risk factors (e.g., impulsivity, compulsivity), affective and cognitive processes (e.g., reward-related attentional biases), and executive functions (e.g., inhibitory control), D) calculating the health economic cost and impact of PUI in young people across Europe
Sustainable Water Treatment Membranes Made with Mussel-Sourced Polydopamine Reinforced Polymers: Thermo-Mechanical Characterisation
Full text linkDopamine, sourced from mussels, was utilised as a sustainable modifier to enhance the thermo-mechanical and filtration performance of polysulfone (PSf)-based ultrafiltration membranes for water treatment. Membranes, fabricated by phase inversion with dopamine/Tris doping (with or without polyvinylpyrrolidone, (PVP)) and polydopamine (PDA) surface coating, were characterised using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). Contact angle, water retention capacity (WRC), and porosity were also measured. Micromechanical modelling (Voigt, Reuss, Hill, Self-Consistent) was used to determine the stiffness of the polymers using membrane data. WRC reached 67.6% for PSf/PVP, decreased to 39.2% for PSf/Dopamine, and was 63–66.6% for PDA-coated membranes. Porosity was 15.9–20.2% for neat PSf and PSf/PVP, reduced to 7.3–8.1% with dopamine/Tris doping, and increased by PDA coating (17.7–20.9%). Contact angles of 54–67° indicated increased hydrophilicity with PDA. DSC revealed glass transition temperatures between 201–223 °C, with PVP reducing Tg in a PS-Dopamine system from ~215 °C to ~203 °C. DMA up to 100 °C showed stable storage modulus and rising loss modulus, with higher stiffness in solution-treated membranes than in coated ones. Modelling predicted elastic moduli of polymers in the 180–260 MPa range. Flux performance was highest for PSf/PVP/Tris/Dopamine (487.6 L·m⁻²·h⁻¹ pure water, 452.5 L·m⁻²·h⁻¹ lake water, 462.4 L·m⁻²·h⁻¹ fouled), while Mn(II) removal reached 62% for PDA-coated PSf/Dopamine. This study presents the first systematic comparison of dopamine/Tris doping and PDA coating, integrating characterisation with modelling and establishes a framework for sustainable membrane design
What factors shape the radio luminosity of star-forming galaxies? : A new calibration from LoTSS-DR2
Full text linkRadio observations offer a dust-unobscured view of galaxy star formation via the radio continuum–star formation rate (RC–SFR) relation. Emerging evidence of a stellar mass dependence in the RC–SFR relation raises the broader question of how other galaxy properties may influence this relation. In this work, we study the dependence of the global RC–SFR relation on galaxy properties in local ( 0.3) star-forming galaxies (SFGs) using the second data release of the LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) Two-Metre Sky Survey (LoTSS-DR2). Employing a non-parametric decision-tree regression algorithm, we identify the most important galaxy properties for estimating the radio luminosity using a sample of 18 828 emission-line-classified SFGs based on spectroscopic data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)-DR8. Along with the spectroscopically obtained SFRs and stellar mass values, we also use SFRs and stellar masses derived using photometric spectral energy distribution-fitting from the GALEX–SDSS–WISE Legacy Catalogue for the same sample. We find that a galaxy’s SFR is most important for predicting the radio luminosity, followed by the stellar mass, at significance. Complementing the LoTSS catalogue 150 MHz flux densities with aperture photometry for the rest of the emission-line classified sample (35 099 galaxies in total), we obtain a new calibration of the RC–SFR relation, which does not change significantly whether we use spectroscopic or photometrically derived SFRs and stellar masses, despite the fact that the methods probe star formation on different characteristic time-scales. Our results highlight the utility of decision-tree algorithms for handling censored radio-selected galaxy samples, which will be useful for future spectroscopic surveys of radio sources
Effects of Perceived Robot Autonomy and Personal Differences on Trust in Human-Robot Interactions
No full textTrust is essential in human-robot interaction (HRI), yet the role of various factors shaping trust remains complex. This study investigated how perceived robot autonomy and individual user traits influence trust. Participants interacted with a Pepper robot in one of two conditions differing in the manipulation of perceived autonomy. Results showed that perceived autonomy affected ratings of the robot’s sincerity, but did not significantly affect other trust dimensions. Participants’ pre-existing attitudes toward robots were associated with trust perceptions, while personality traits showed no significant influence. These findings suggest that user attitudes may play a more critical role than perceived autonomy in shaping trust during short-term HRI, underscoring the need to personalise robot design based on attitudinal differences
Timing Matters: Inverted U-Shaped Efficacy of Dose Distribution in Translational Neuromodulation for Treatment-Resistant Depression
Full text linkFlooding and the Risk of PTSD, Depression, and Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
No full textBackground Flooding, intensified by climate change, poses serious risks to lives, infrastructure, and mental health. Conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety are among the most prevalent consequences for affected populations. This study systematically reviews and meta-analyses the evidence on the prevalence of flood-related mental health outcomes and associated risk factors. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020. We searched PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase for studies published 1 January 2004 – 3 June 2024 reporting flood-related PTSD, depression, or anxiety. On 24 September 2025, we performed a citation search of all studies included after the primary search (and key relevant reviews) to identify additional eligible articles published since June 2024. Eligible quantitative studies reporting (or permitting derivation of) odds ratios were synthesised using random-effects meta-analysis to estimate pooled ORs with 95% CIs; where multiple models were available, fully adjusted estimates were prioritised. Subgroup/meta-regression analyses examined sociodemographic and contextual moderators (e.g., time since flood, instrument, region), and sensitivity analyses included leave-one-out and influence diagnostics. Prediction intervals and I2 were reported; publication bias was assessed where k ≥ 10. Results Of the 107 studies included in the review, 18 provided data suitable for meta-analysis. Flood exposure was associated with significantly elevated odds of PTSD (OR = 3.01), depression (OR = 2.38), and anxiety (OR = 2.84). Key vulnerability factors included female gender, unemployment, pre-existing mental illness, repeated flood exposure, and severe housing damage. Longitudinal evidence suggested that mental health impacts often persist for years beyond the acute disaster period. Conclusions Flood exposure was associated with substantially higher odds of adverse mental health outcomes, with disproportionate effects on vulnerable groups. These findings highlight the importance of integrating mental health support into disaster preparedness, response, and long-term recovery planning
Synthesis and evaluation of 14b-acyl substituted 17-cyclopropylmethyl-7,8-dihydromorphinone derivatives: mixed partial agonists at mu opioid and nociception/orphanin FQ peptide receptors.
Full text linkOpioids remain the standard of care for management of severe pain, but adverse effects limit their use, particularly for the treatment of chronic pain. Compounds that have dual partial agonist activity at mu opioid (MOP) and nociceptin opioid peptide (NOP) receptors have been shown, in non-human primates, to display excellent analgesic activity with greatly reduced adverse effect profile. In this study we looked to increase the range of MOP/NOP dual acting compounds and, in particular, provide ligands with a greater diversity of MOP:NOP profiles. Reduction of the C6 carbonyl in the naltrexone scaffold to methylene resulted in a balanced MOP:NOP receptor profile in this series, in particular increasing potency at the NOP receptor. Ultimately, this will allow us to determine the optimal profiles for a range of therapeutic indications including pain and drug use disorders
A LOFAR search for coherent radio emission accompanying prompt engine activity in gamma-ray bursts
Full text linkRelativistic jets generated in gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) produce luminous transient events, yet the fundamentals of jet composition and radiation mechanisms remain unclear. One means of identifying a magnetically dominated outflow would be detection of prompt, coherent radio emission at low frequencies, and we are able to search for this using the LOw Frequency ARray (LOFAR) coupled with modelling of high-energy pulses detected by the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory (Swift). We present the rapid response mode follow-up LOFAR observations of four long GRBs, each beginning within a few hundred seconds of the initial Swift-Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) trigger. We interpreted our findings under the framework of a magnetic wind model, predicting coherent radio emission analogous to prompt emission pulses. Using 60 and 180 s time-sliced imaging at 120–168 MHz, we obtain upper limits on radio pulse emission, finding no significant signals. In the case of GRB 200925B, we observed a small increase of radio flux seen at 60–360 s post-burst. In this model, this could represent the radio emission related to the Swift-BAT pulses, for a redshift of , however, with a low signal-to-noise ratio of , it is not deemed significant enough to confirm coincident prompt radio and gamma-ray emission. Instead, we can constrain the parameter, deriving upper limits of for GRB 200925B. In GRB 240414A, with a reported redshift of , we constrain . We discuss these results in the context of our whole LOFAR rapid response sample of six long GRBs, finding our values are generally consistent with previous GRB studies
Current and Emerging Approaches in the Management of Severe Ocular Surface Disease
Full text linkOcular surface disorders such as dry eye disease are an increasingly encountered ophthalmic disorder, in which signs and symptoms can vary significantly from one patient to the next. Severe dry eye can be a challenge for the ophthalmic practitioner to manage. Contemporary management options are wide-ranging and include topical treatments, contact lenses, and surgical options. More recently, newer stem cell-based therapies have emerged, and early reports have shown promising outcomes. Meanwhile, other novel approaches, such as the eggshell membrane, are currently in development, and while no studies have yet reported on its use in ophthalmic applications, further developments in this area are expected. However, longer-term studies are needed in order to fully assess the safety and efficacy of these newer treatments. There are an increasing number of treatment options available for ocular surface disorders. This article provides an overview of some of the current treatment options that are available for severe ocular surface disorders, including dry eye disease, as well as insight into applications that are currently in development, which may show potential in the future
Correction: Filippou et al. Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals Molecular Mechanisms Underpinning Mycovirus-Mediated Hypervirulence in Beauveria bassiana Infecting Tenebrio molitor. J. Fungi 2025, 11, 63
Full text linkA correction has been made to Section 2 Materials and Methods, 2.1. Maintenance of Fungal Isolates, Paragraph 1 [Original article published accessible via DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/jof11010063