34028 research outputs found
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Advanced Microwave Imaging Techniques for Early Detection of Breast Cancer: A Review and Future Perspectives
No full textBreast cancer remains the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women worldwide, with outcomes strongly dependent on stage at detection. Conventional imaging modalities such as mammography, ultrasound and MRI are limited by reduced sensitivity in dense breasts, radiation exposure, high cost and restricted availability in low-resource settings. This review critically examines microwave imaging (MWI) as a non-invasive, radiation-free and an emerging resource-efficient breast imaging modality that exploits dielectric contrast between healthy and malignant breast tissues. We first summarise experimental and clinical evidence on breast dielectric properties and their implications for numerical phantoms and device design. We then review passive, active (tomographic and radar-based) and hybrid MWI systems, including key clinical prototypes such as SAFE, MammoWave, MARIA and Wavelia, and analyse associated image-reconstruction algorithms from classical inverse scattering to advanced beamforming, Huygens-based methods and AI based reconstruction. Finally, we discuss outstanding challenges—tissue heterogeneity, calibration, hardware constraints and computational complexity—and identify future directions including AI-assisted reconstruction, multimodal hybrid imaging and large-scale clinical validation needed to translate MWI into routine breast cancer screening and diagnosis.</p
MAP Transversal Competencies: Creative Arts Approaches to Education Across the Curriculum
No full textThis resource was developed to inform the Transversal Competencies framework through the creation of teacher-led lesson plans to integrate local culture into the curriculum. From October 2023 to July 2024, a research team from Kathmandu University partnered with Mobile Arts for Peace (MAP) from the University of Lincoln in the United Kingdom to develop a pilot Nepal Arts Education Framework. The goal was to adapt and integrate MAPs arts-based exercises into existing secondary school curricula for Culture and Arts Education. This was a need articulated at the UNESCO-MAP Roundtable in September 2023. The pilot framework provides a case study and resource to inform the implementation of the UNESCO Framework on Culture and Arts Education (February 2024) and support the UNESCO Creative Cities designation of Kathmandu (January 2024), as well as the Transversal Competencies Framework</p
Psychological correlates of motivation and burnout in adult exercisers: Gender differences in the role of body appreciation, appearance-contingent self-esteem, and social perfectionism
No full textWhilst exercise is a healthy endeavour, struggles with body image appear increasingly common amongst exercisers, being potentially intensified by perfectionistic body ideals portrayed online. Exercisers who negatively evaluate their body may be at greater risk of experiencing burnout, yet few studies have directly explored exercise burnout. The present study investigated whether body appreciation, appearance-contingent self-esteem (APP-CSE), and social perfectionism may be differentially related with exercise-related motivations and burnout. A total of 791 adult exercisers from the United Kingdom (women, n =538; men, n = 253) completed self-report measures. Separating women and men, a multi-group structural equation model revealed that, for both genders, body appreciation was associated with autonomous exercise motivations and negatively associated with burnout. APP-CSE was positively related to both autonomous and controlled motivations for both genders, however, only related to higher burnout in men. Conversely, social perfectionism was associated with controlled exercise motivations for both genders but only corresponded with higher burnout in women. The findings highlight the value of body appreciation as a protective factor against exercise burnout. For women, exercise burnout may be uniquely related to external perfectionistic expectations, whereas self-esteem being tied to appearance seemed linked with men’s exercise burnout. Such evidence may hold practical value by informing targeted interventions to promote sustainable exercise engagement and reduce exercise burnout. </p
Affirmative action in recruitment decisions: do penalties mitigate recruitment bias?
No full textThis paper presents a laboratory experiment modelled on recruitment decisions of firms, incorporating gender and productivity as variables. The primary objective of this study is to investigate whether affirmative action policies contribute to an increase in the representation of women in higher-level positions and to analyse the impact of these policies on team productivity. Furthermore, we have designed the experiment to compare binding and non-binding affirmative action policies to ascertain their relative effectiveness in addressing recruitment bias. The findings indicate that, although both male and female team leaders demonstrate bias against female candidates, the implementation of a monetary penalty is the most effective strategy for mitigating gender bias among team leaders. Additionally, the results suggest that affirmative action policies do not have a detrimental effect on team productivity.</p
Origins of violence: evolutionary decoupling between mild and lethal conspecific aggression in primates
No full textTheories on the evolutionary origins of human aggression have often implicitly assumed that conspecific aggression is a single behavioural trait. However, different types of aggression can be described, based upon their intensity, frequency, as well as the age and sex of the opponents. The phylogenetic relationships between different types of aggression remain poorly understood. We tested the strength of correlated evolution between five distinct types of aggression in primates, namely, between- and within-group mild (i.e., not life-threatening) aggression, between- and within-group adulticide, and infanticide. We collected data on 100 free-ranging, non-provisioned and group-living species, including humans. Phylogeny had a weaker effect on mild than on lethal aggression; the effect of phylogeny was greater for adulticide, especially when we partitioned our analyses by the sex of the attacker. Furthermore, we found a positive correlation between within- and between-group adulticide, and with infanticide; these results were mostly confirmed when we considered the sex of the attacker. Conversely, the two types of mild aggression were weakly related with lethal aggression. Our study highlights the importance of treating aggression as a complex set of interrelated traits in comparative analyses. Our findings indicate that mild aggression is not closely linked to killing; thus, the escalation of aggression may follow more complex patterns that what predicted by current socio-ecological models.</p
Tourism mobility (in)justice: Exploring lived experiences of cross-border tourists
No full textTourism is often seen as driver for equality and sustainable development, yet the differential scrutiny tourists face at the border directly challenge this narrative. Using a narrative inquiry, we examine how marginalised tourists with low-ranking passports navigate border-crossing predicaments, despite meeting pre-entry requirements. Findings reveal that marginalised tourists experience border-crossing as a continuous feedback loop between the felt border and the performed border. We demonstrate how borders become imprinted on and internalised within tourists' bodies, producing automatic confessions and obedience. We critique the blurred lines between compulsion and obedience at borders, exposing the contingent nature of travel mobility frameworks. This study advances critical border thinking, highlights ongoing uneven tourism mobilities and calls for humane and equitable travel experiences.</p
Evidence of Vocal Gradation in the Vocal Repertoire of Wild Moor Macaques (Macaca maura)
No full textNon-human primates constitute an ideal model to study the evolutionary origins of human language, because of their close phylogenetic distance to humans and their reliance on complex communication systems that include different signal types. In this study, we investigated the vocal repertoire of Macaca maura (moor macaques), a highly tolerant primate species endemic to Sulawesi, Indonesia. We conducted detailed acoustic analyses on 1,116 high-quality vocalizations recorded from a well-habituated wild group of 42 individuals. Using discriminant function and random forest analyses, we found that moor macaques show a graded vocal repertoire, with considerable acoustic overlap between several call types and a high number of acoustic parameters needed for accurate classification. This was supported by the failure of unsupervised clustering too detect robust categorical structures beyond a two-cluster solution. Our findings provide novel insights into the vocal behaviour of a yet understudied species, and provide preliminary evidence that moor macaques show graded communication systems.</p
Frequency response of full-power converter wind turbines: impacts on grid frequency stability
No full textIntroduction: Power generation based on fossil fuels has increasingly presented significant challenges due to its detrimental impact on the environment. Consequently, the transition toward more environmentally sustainable power generation methods has become essential. Moreover, the growing penetration of renewable energy sources and the continuous expansion of power systems introduce additional stability challenges. In this context, system inertia emerges as a critical factor in maintaining and ensuring overall power system stability. The ability to predict and respond to the variations of grid frequency is vital for maintaining a reliable power supply. This paper attempts to address this issue by establishing a combined model that couples the wind turbine system to the power grid to assess how renewable energy generation influences power system frequency stability.Materials and methods: A conventional power generation of 10 GW incorporated with load frequency and automatic generation control, coupled with a 2 MW full-power converter wind turbine system, is presented. Simulations of the model’s response to 1 GW loss of power generation on a 10 GW power system, are conducted to validate the results.Results and discussion: The variable-speed wind turbines with full-power conversion (FPC) demonstrate a positive impact on frequency stability by reducing the initial frequency nadir by up to 66% compared to the case without wind support. However, the fast-acting supplementary frequency control introduces low-frequency oscillations and increases the transient settling time by up to 158% before the system reaches steady state.Conclusions: It has been concluded that utilising load frequency control alone is insufficient to restore a nominal 50 Hz system frequency, necessitating the need for automatic generation control to fully restore the system to 50 Hz. The variable-speed wind turbines with full-power conversion (FPC) have a positive impact on power grid stability, and their ability to release power promptly in critical moments helps to reduce the initial dip in frequency. Despite the relatively limited capacity of the wind turbines with respect to the total grid capacity, its contribution is not intended to stabilise the entire system, but rather to demonstrate the capability of full-power converter wind turbines to provide fast frequency response and virtual inertia, thereby mitigating the rate of change of frequency following a disturbance</p
Tail chasing in a dog: False dichotomy between behavioural and medical problems
No full textA 6-year-old, male neutered, Border Terrier‒Pug crossbreed was referred with a 10- month history of ‘constant chasing and traumatising of tail’. At the time of behaviour referral, there was a complex history of the problem, with initial investigations focusing on dermatological and neurological factors, leading to a presumptive diagnosis of a ‘behavioural problem’. Behavioural assessment revealed that the context appeared related to touch of the tail, suggesting that discomfort might be a contributing factor. Analgesia (meloxicam) resulted in significant improvements to the behaviour, with a partial amputation of the tail resolving the problem. This case highlights how the psychological impact of medical issues and discomfort need to be kept in mind throughout a behavioural evaluation. At a practical level, we recommend that general practitioners (and referral centres) create a habit of continuously reflecting on how discomfort may be involved in problem behaviour.</p
Investigating robot acceptance in UK agriculture
No full textThe adoption of robotic technology by the United Kingdom's (UK) agricultural industry offers a potential solution to the persistent labour shortages within the sector. This study investigates robot acceptance in UK agriculture, examining the individual, organisational, and contextual factors impacting levels of acceptance. A comprehensive mixed-methods survey, adapted from previous studies on robot acceptance at work (RAW), was administered to measure RAW across a diverse sample of UK agricultural workers. Key findings reveal significant variation in RAW between farming sectors and job roles, as well as between different contextual scenarios. In particular, the sample expressed a preference for robots designed to assist in tasks, while being particularly averse to robots designed to make operational decisions. Building familiarity emerged as a crucial facilitator of acceptance, whereas significant barriers included cost and fears of job displacement. In contrast to trends in other industries, older individuals showed higher acceptance levels, possibly viewing robots as valuable aids for increasingly demanding physical tasks. In summary, this study provides key insights into robot acceptance in UK agriculture, the drivers and barriers to adoption, and has implications for theory, academia, and industry. Additionally, it offers guidance for policy interventions aimed at promoting technological integration and supporting workforce adaptation. The study also contributes to open science by sharing the data and materials that support its findings.</p