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Robot-assisted high-dynamic-range optical measurement
No full textThis paper presents a robot-assisted optical metrology system for measuring three-dimensional (3D) objects. The metrology system performs high-dynamic-range stitching measurements and incorporates self-calibration capabilities to correct systematic errors in the optical sensor. It uses an optical sensor (based on fringe projection) to measure the target surface (partially, limited to the field of view and measurable areas) of a 3D object. The sensor is mounted on a robotic arm to significantly expand the measurement range while maintaining the highest possible resolution, thus enabling high dynamic range measurements (large measurement range and high resolution at the same time, which are often contradictory). Systematic measurement errors, such as distortions inherent to the fringe projection sensor, are calibrated through a self-calibration process. The performance of the developed metrology system is validated through measurement experiments on various objects.</p
Anderson (2025) A comparison of methods to predict ovulation day, menstrual cycle characteristics and variability in professional female soccer players
No full textThis study aimed to compare three methods of predicting ovulation day: (1) positive urinary luteinising hormone test (LH), (2) sustained rise in salivary progesterone above critical difference (SP), and (3) countback regression equation (CB), to determine variability in the menstrual cycle (MC) lengths and reproductive hormone concentrations of professional female soccer players. Eight players provided daily morning saliva samples for three consecutive cycles. Samples were analysed for oestradiol and progesterone concentrations. Each MC was separated into the follicular (FP) and luteal (LP) phase relative to the day of ovulation, using the three different methods. MC length ranged from 24-32 days (28.3 ± 2.4 days); intra-CV (7.5%) exceeded inter-CV (4.6%). Ovulation estimated using SP (15.4 ± 3.0 days) occurred later than LH (13.3 ± 2.0 days) (p = 0.017). The CB method (14.1 ± 1.8 days) did not differ from SP (p = 0.102) or LH (p = 0.262). Oestradiol and progesterone levels varied significantly between sub-phases (p < 0.001). Inter-variability surpassed intra-variability for both hormones. Differences in methods for predicting ovulation indicate the need for standardised protocols. Individual variation in MC length and hormone concentrations challenge the narrative for group-level MC recommendations, emphasising the need for individualised hormone monitoring across multiple cycles.</p
Figure 3 - Analysis Methods
No full text Many animals transmit information in the form of chemical signals to modify behaviour or induce physiological change in receivers. For some taxa, such as species in the order Carnivora, chemical signals are known to provide a critical mode of communication, although they are still poorly understood compared to other signal modalities. Here, we review the literature to identify and categorise potential chemical signals within the Carnivora with a view to determining commonalities based on sex, taxon, and function. Data were drawn from 112 publications, dating from 1896-2021. Of the 1,532 discrete chemicals identified, 169 were detected in >5 species, with 58 found in ≥10 species. However, multiple different names were often used to report the same compound, reducing the transparency of the literature. 252 chemicals were identified as biomarkers, i.e., associated with specific behavioural contexts (dominance hierarchy, appeasement, agonistic, etc.) or specific demographic traits (age, sex, etc.). Few studies established a causal link between these biomarkers and behavioural or physiological changes, so only a few could be definitively described as behaviourally functional bioactive signals. We found high variability concerning which species, chemicals, and sources were represented in the literature, which could potentially lead to a perceptual bias in the relative importance of certain chemicals. Finally, we propose a method for standardised reporting of chemical signals and suggest that future work should focus on more consistent expansion of the range of species, products, and chemical types analysed, so that the phylogenetic relationship of chemical signals across taxa can be determined. </p
Use of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists among exercisers and recreational athletes and associated mental health symptoms
No full text Objectives: The present study assessed the self-reported use of Glucagon-like Peptide 1 (GLP-1) agonists and associated health risk awareness and mental health symptoms among UK-based exercisers and recreational athletes. Methods: Participants (n = 681) completed an online survey which assessed: (1) participation in exercise and sport; (2) past and intended future off-label use of GLP-1 agonists; and (3) awareness of associated health risks, body image disturbances, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Results: Over half of participants (57.9 %, n = 372) were familiar with GLP-1 agonists. Of these, 78.2 %, (n = 291) reported that they were unaware of any associated health risks. A quarter (25.5 %, n = 93) of participants had thought about using GLP-1 agonists off-label for physical appearance purposes, and 2.9 % (n = 11) reported having already used GLP-1 agonists. GLP-1 agonists were mainly sourced through online outlets (45.5 %, n = 5) or private sellers (18.2 %, n = 2), and 50.0 % (n = 5) of the users continued taking GLP-1 drugs even after perceiving they experienced adverse symptoms. The majority of users (63.6 %, n = 7) had followed more than one course of GLP-1 agonists, Semaglutide being the most commonly used GLP-1 agonist (54.5 %, n = 6), and 90.9 % (n = 10) of users believed they had bought the genuine product. Compared to non-users, participants who had used or thought about using GLP-1 agonists, reported significantly higher scores in symptoms of anxiety and depression, and in body image disturbances. Conclusion: A sizeable proportion of exercisers and recreational athletes contemplated GLP-1 agonist use for body image enhancement purposes, despite being unaware of associated health risks and experiencing elevated mental health symptoms in comparison to non-contemplators. </p
Written Evidence House of Lords, parliamentary scrutiny of non-legally binding agreements
No full textWritten evidence submitted to the International Agreements Committee of the House of Lords on the topic of review to treaty scrutiny. The following questions were answered:
What would be the advantages and disadvantages of establishing criteria for the use of non-legally binding instruments in place of treaties?
How can transparency of non-binding instruments be assured so that Parliament is able to scrutinise those which are politically significant?
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Truth is in the eye of the beholder: Perception of the Müller-Lyer illusion in dogs
No full text Visual illusions are objects that are made up of elements that are arranged in such a way as to result in erroneous perception of the objects’ physical properties. Visual illusions are used to study visual perception in humans and nonhuman animals, since they provide insight into the psychological and cognitive processes underlying the perceptual system. In a set of three experiments, we examined whether dogs were able to learn a relational discrimination and to perceive the Müller-Lyer illusion. In Experiment 1, dogs were trained to discriminate line lengths using a two-alternative forced choice procedure on a touchscreen. Upon learning the discrimination, dogs’ generalization to novel exemplars and the threshold of their abilities were tested. In the second experiment, dogs were presented with the Müller-Lyer illusion as test trials, alongside additional test trials that controlled for overall stimulus size. Dogs appeared to perceive the illusion; however, control trials revealed that they were using global size to solve the task. Experiment 3 presented modified stimuli that have been known to enhance perception of the illusion in other species. However, the dogs’ performance remained the same. These findings reveal evidence of relational learning in dogs. However, their failure to perceive the illusion emphasizes the importance of using a full array of control trials when examining these paradigms, and it suggests that visual acuity may play a crucial role in this perceptual phenomenon. </p
Gill - John Milton in Nineteenth-Century Literature and Visual Culture
No full textThis book examines the intermedial legacy of John Milton in nineteenth-century literature and visual culture. It reveals how writers and artists of the period not only engaged with Milton’s works, but also responded to one another’s interpretations in image and text. The book proposes a method of intermedial reading that challenges linear models of literary tradition by staging triangular conversations across media: case studies put Milton in dialogue with Mary Shelley and John Martin, Herman Melville and J. M. W. Turner, A. C. Swinburne and William Blake, and Thomas Hardy and Biblical illustrators. While Milton’s work is mediated for the Victorians by earlier writers and illustrators, Milton’s words continued to be read in the context of the rich literary and visual culture it helped shape. The book offers new ways of seeing how Milton’s texts—including, but certainly not limited to Paradise Lost—were read and reimagined by writers and artists in the nineteenth century.</p
Chemoselective Synthesis of 1,3,4-Thiadiazoles from Acyl Hydrazines and Nitroalkanes using Elemental Sulfur
No full textSubstituted 1,3,4-thiadiazoles find extensive use in pharmaceutical, agricultural, and materials chemistry. The incorporation of adaptable heterocyclic pharmacophores results in tunable hybrid molecules with diverse medicinal properties. In this study, the direct coupling of primary nitroalkanes and acyl hydrazines (hydrazides) was achieved simply by the mild action of S8 and Na2S. This method now delivers wide varieties of multi-functionalized 1,3,4-thiadiazoles in excellent yields. The reaction is scalable, shows a broad substrate scope, and tolerates a wide range of functional groups. The power of this method is exemplified with over twenty acyl hydrazines, spanning a diverse range of nitroalkane substrate classes, as well as the concise and scalable synthesis of 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives of over ten distinct types of drugs and peptides.</p
Infections and cognitive function, depression, and frailty: a cross-sectional study in the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI)
No full text
Introduction
Infections may be associated with an increased risk of poor brain health and frailty among older people, but evidence from low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) is limited. We aimed to investigate associations between nine infections and cognition, depression, and frailty in India.
Methods
We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from Wave 1 (2017-2019) of the Longitudinal Aging Study in India (LASI) survey of adults (≥45years) from 35 of India’s 36 states and union territories. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews and direct health measurements. We investigated the association between nine infections, either self-reported ever (periodontal disease) or in the two years before interview (jaundice/hepatitis, malaria, tuberculosis, typhoid, chikungunya, diarrhoea/gastroenteritis, dengue, urinary tract infection [UTI]), and measured global cognitive function, depression, and frailty. We used survey-weighted multivariable logistic regression to compare odds of impaired cognition, depression, and frailty in people with and without infections, overall and for individual infections.
Results
We included 64,682 respondents; median age 59 years (IQR:50-67), 53.5% female, 35% reported at least one infection. After controlling for demographic, social/environmental and lifestyle factors, and chronic health conditions, we saw evidence of associations between infection and both depression (OR: 1.28 [95%CI: 1.22-1.35]) and frailty (OR: 1.74 [95%CI: 1.65-1.84]). UTIs were associated with the highest odds of both depression (OR: 1.33 [95%CI: 1.14, 1.55) and frailty (OR: 2.94 [95% CI: 2.51, 3.44]). Reporting at least one infection was associated with reduced odds of impaired cognition (OR: 0.80 [95%CI: 0.74-0.86]).
Conclusions
Our results suggest infections are associated with increased depression and frailty in adults over 45 in India. Our finding of association between reported infections and better cognition, is potentially explained by preferential infection recall in those with better cognition. Longitudinal studies are needed to investigate potential causal links between infections and adverse brain health and frailty and guide interventions to improve the health of older people in India and other LMICs. </p
A systematic evaluation of sorption-based thermochemical energy storage for building applications: Material development, reactor design, and system integration
No full text Sorption-based thermochemical energy storage (TCES) has attracted substantial attention due to its remarkable potential for long-term and high-capacity heat storage. The efficacy of a TCES system hinges on the seamless integration and coordinated operation of its components. For instance, the choice of thermochemical materials can exert a profound influence on the system's heat storage capacity and stability. Meanwhile, the design of the reactor, along with other critical system components, such as condensers and evaporators, can significantly affect the reaction kinetics of the sorption material, as well as the system's achievable temperature lift and thermal power output. This review paper conducts a comprehensive evaluation of TCES technologies for building applications. It delves deep into three pivotal aspects: material development, reactor design, and system integration, with the aim of elucidating the synergistic relationships among these components. In the aspect of material development, it meticulously reviews the characteristics and system-scale performance of diverse sorption materials. These include physical adsorbents, mono-salt composites, mixed-salt composites, and encapsulated salts. Regarding reactor design, it explores the heat storage potential of various reactor configurations, such as packed bed, moving bed, fluidized bed, modular design, and those integrated with air channels or grain-coated heat exchangers. In terms of system integration, it investigates the effective ways in which TCES systems can be incorporated into building energy systems, such as solar heating systems, air conditioning units, and building envelopes. Through this systematic evaluation, the study endeavors to provide a detailed understanding of the current state-of-the-art and challenges in TCES for building applications, and moreover, to offer insights and directions for future research and development in this field to enhance the energy efficiency and sustainability of buildings. </p