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Computational simulation of cranial soft tissue expansion on the cranium during early postnatal growth in humans
No full textThe importance of interactions between neighbouring rapidly growing tissues of the head during development is recognised, yet this competition for space remains incompletely understood. The developing structures likely interact through a variety of mechanisms, including directly genetically programmed growth, and are mediated via physiological signalling that can be triggered by structural interactions. In this study, we aimed to investigate a different but related potential mechanism, that of simple mechanical plastic deformation of neighbouring structures of the head in response to soft tissue expansion during human postnatal ontogeny. We use computational modelling and normative real-world data to evaluate the potential for mechanical deformation to predict early postnatal cranial shape changes in humans. We test some aspects of the spatial packing hypothesis applied to the growing brain and masticatory muscles, and their effects on the cranium, with a particular focus on the basicranium and face. A simple finite element model of an early postnatal human cranium, brain and masticatory muscles was created from CT and MRI. Growth of the brain and muscles was simulated using a tissue expansion material. The effect of the expanding soft tissues on the cranium was assessed using geometric morphometrics, comparing the baseline model to simulation results, and also to normative cranial shape data collected from neonatal MRI (0–4 months of age). Findings revealed that cranial shape changes present in the normative sample were consistent with cranial base flexion and were largely allometric (size-linked). Simulation of brain expansion produced broadly similar shape changes of the basicranium with most growth occurring in the cranial vault, while masticatory muscle expansion produced smaller and more widespread changes throughout the cranium. When simulated together, expansion of the masticatory muscles exerted a constraining effect on the results of brain expansion. Our findings that the simple growth simulations were able to mimic biological growth suggest that the relationship between regions of the developing head may be partly structural within the first few months of postnatal ontogeny in humans
A stakeholder-led sustainability framework for analysing last-mile transport and delivery
Get PDFInterest in the last mile, considered the most critical factor in e-commerce, has grown as the recognition of its challenges and its negative effects on sustainability have increased. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of the literature on the last mile based on the systematic analysis of 169 articles classified according to their research method and contribution from which eight research gaps emerge. We also propose a novel last-mile framework for the design of sustainable last-mile strategies that focuses on the interplay amongst sustainability, logistics and relevant stakeholders
Cripping desire lines: Disabled people, creative walking and the right to walk the city
No full textThis article discusses the impact of Covid-19 on disabled people’s experiences of walking in the UK, using survey and interview data from the project Walking Publics/Walking Arts: Walking, Wellbeing and Community During Covid-19. Built environments are often encountered by disabled people as hostile and exclusionary. Our research identifies ways that this inequality was significantly magnified during the pandemic, including through overcrowded public spaces, increased street furniture and lack of facilities. Alongside attending to everyday walking experiences, we draw upon creative walking tactics and the work of walking artists, which enable imaginative encounters at multiple scales. These demonstrate how creativity can iterate alternative trajectories which embed accessible infrastructures and facilitate different ways of encountering, moving through and being in the city
Global electricity-carbon market nexus: A systematic review of synergistic efforts towards a net-zero power sector
Get PDFClimate change remains a critical global challenge, with power generation as the leading contributor to carbon dioxide emissions. Achieving the net-zero target demands not only a profound transformation of the power sector but also the effective synergy of electricity and carbon markets. Electricity‑carbon synergy contributes to optimizing resource allocation and promoting green economic transformation with advancements in renewable energy and smart grid technologies. This study follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol to conduct a systematic review. It analyzes the nexus between electricity and carbon markets from a global perspective, examining their synergistic efforts to promote decarbonization in the power sector. A structured analytical framework is applied to assess the development and characteristics of electricity and carbon markets worldwide. Studies on electricity‑carbon synergy are categorized by geographic region and evaluated using eleven key indicators, including covered sectors, models, methodologies, policy relevance, emission targets, identified strengths, and limitations. Internal and external factors influencing electricity‑carbon synergy are assessed within a broader techno-socio-economic-political framework, identifying challenges and providing practical suggestions. This review combines a global comparative perspective with a multi-dimensional indicator framework, a synergy stage classification, and a comparative review of representative modeling approaches. The findings provide strategic insights and practical policy guidance for enhancing the design and implementation of integrated electricity‑carbon market mechanisms, thereby supporting the development of net-zero power systems
Regional intermediary actors and professionalism in community-led housing: implications of the enabler hub network in England
No full textCommunity-led housing initiatives address housing challenges through citizen participation and collective action. Despite increasing interest, their impact remains limited in scale. In England, community-led housing enabler hubs were established with government and charitable funding to support sector growth through professional support for volunteer groups. This study examines the implementation of these regional intermediary organisations using qualitative data from three case study regions and the national context. Findings suggest that whilst the intervention was welcomed as a route to increased access and scale within the sector, tensions were apparent between the development of a professionalised intermediary service and the grassroots nature of community-led housing development. The findings show enabler hubs declined after the discontinuation of core funding. This reflects the challenges of short-termism and projectification found throughout the third sector
Engineering an LTLf Synthesis Tool
Get PDFThe problem of LTLf reactive synthesis is to build a transducer, whose output is based on a history of inputs, such that, for every infinite sequence of inputs, the conjoint evolution of the inputs and outputs has a prefix that satisfies a given LTLf specification. We describe the implementation of an LTLf synthesizer that outperforms existing tools on our benchmark suite. This is based on a new, direct translation from LTLf to a DFA represented as an array of Binary Decision Diagrams (MTBDDs) sharing their nodes. This MTBDD-based representation can be interpreted directly as a reachability game that is solved on-the-fly during its construction
A Coordinated Day-Ahead and Real-Time Networked Multi-Microgrid Scheduling Framework Considering System Robustness Enhancement: An ADMM-Assisted State Adversarial Deep Reinforcement Learning Approach
Get PDFThis study introduces a coordinated two-level scheduling framework for networked multi-microgrid systems, integrating day-ahead planning and real-time control under a “day-ahead guided real-time optimization” paradigm. The core innovation lies in harmonizing long-term planning with real-time adaptability to enhance both cost efficiency and system robustness. At the day-ahead level, this work proposes a hybrid algorithm that combines State-Adversarial Deep Reinforcement Learning (SA-DRL) with the Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers (ADMM). SA-DRL enables each microgrid to learn robust scheduling strategies in the presence of potential state disturbances, while ADMM ensures distributed coordination among microgrids for optimal energy exchange. At the real-time level, control policies derived from the trained SA-DRL models are refined using a dynamic penalty mechanism, aligning real-time actions with day-ahead plans to reduce forecast-induced uncertainty. Furthermore, an extended Long Short-Term Memory (xLSTM) network is employed for multi-feature rolling prediction of renewable generation and load demand, supporting both scheduling levels with more accurate temporal forecasting. By integrating prediction, learning, and optimization within a two-level architecture, the framework enhances resilience against data noise, cyber-physical threats, and temporal coupling. Experimental evaluations confirm that the proposed method reduces operating costs and improves both control stability and system robustness
Is the posterior malleolus reliably reduced by fibula fixation alone? A prospective CT-based study
Get PDFBackground: Posterior malleolus fractures have the potential to be automatically reduced after fibula fixation, thus not requiring fixation. Nevertheless, there are no data in the literature supporting this theory. We have performed a prospective CT study to evaluate the quality of indirect posterior malleolus fragment reduction via ligamentotaxis in ankle fractures. Purpose: To examine the role of ligamentotaxis in posterior malleolus reduction. Study design: Prospective, Computed Tomography study. Methods: We included seventy-one patients with ankle fractures who did not undergo direct fixation of the posterior malleolus. Postoperative CT scans compared the injured and normal ankles, assessing reduction quality based on fragment translation. Results: The fractures were classified as Mason type 1, 2A, 2B, and 3. The results showed that indirect reduction was anatomical in 91.3 % of Mason type 1 fractures, 54.5 % of Mason type 2A fractures, 31.25 % of Mason type 2B fractures, and 76.2 % of Mason type 3 fractures. Mason type 2 fractures exhibited the most variability in reduction quality. The incisura anatomy was additionally affected, with a significant decrease in the normal notch retroversion. Conclusion: Indirect reduction of the posterior malleolus via ligamentotaxis yields unpredictable results related to the fragment morphology, making preoperative CT evaluation highly suggested for ankle fracture treatment. Our study indicates that the posterior malleolus cannot be always reduced through fibula fixation in patients with Mason 2 and Mason 3 fracture types, with those fractures requiring direct fixation. Further research is needed to evaluate the clinical importance of malreduced posterior malleolar fragments on ankle joint function
A Bilayer Hydrogel Sensor for Elderly Oriented Human–Machine Interaction
No full textAs the population ages, the need for accessible and effortless human–machine interaction (HMI) systems tailored to elderly users has grown rapidly. However, the existing gesture sensors, mainly designed for normal motion monitoring, rarely address the challenges of reduced motion amplitude and slower reaction times in elderly individuals. Here, we introduce a bilayer hydrogel strain sensor comprising conductive tempo-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TOCNF), poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), and MXene nanosheets hydrogel with a neutral-wettability thermoplastic polyether ester elastomer (TPEE) coating. Notably, the sensor demonstrates good strain sensitivity with a gauge factor exceeding 7.54 at 5% strain, ensuring reliable performance in detecting subtle gestures of the elderly. Furthermore, the sensor can be applied to the arm for monitoring muscle activity, which provides an alternative approach for the detection of subtle movements and gesture classification. Machine learning based arm-mounted muscle activity monitoring achieves 100% accuracy in gesture recognition, underscoring the suitability for elderly oriented HMI applications. Overall, this platform demonstrates potential for robust, user-friendly gesture recognition for elderly users with subtle gestures
Approaches, barriers, and facilitators to and strategies for normalizing the provision of ultrasound scanning by midwives in the antenatal clinic.
No full textThe World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that a pregnant woman get an ultrasound scan (USS) as part of routine antenatal care. The Scale-up and normalization of ultrasound scanning still lag in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), including Malawi. This study assessed barriers, facilitators, and strategies for scaling up and enhancing the normalization of ultrasound scanning during pregnancy in Malawi.MethodWe conducted one qualitative participatory workshop in each of Malawi’s administrative regional cities, including one workshop in the southern region on 17–18 May 2022, one in the Central region on 20–21 May 2022, and one in the Northen region on 23–24 May 2022. Forty USS trained and untrained midwives, one maternal and neonatal Zonal manager from the Ministry of Health (MoH), two District Nursing Officers (DNO), three district safe motherhood coordinators, and two Tutors from Nursing and Midwifery training institutions participated in the workshops to explore barriers, facilitators, and strategies and develop a training manual for scaling up ultrasound scanning in routine antenatal care (ANC) in Malawi. In addition, a validation workshop was conducted centrally in the central region, on September 22–23, 2022, with four representatives from the Ministry of Health, one from regulatory bodies, three from training institutions, one sonographer, and 10 district and Principal Nursing Officers (PNO) and midwives to validate the manual, which was developed with input from workshop participants. Data was audio recorded throughout the discussion, coded, and thematically analysed using NVivo 12 software.ResultsThe barriers to normalization of USS in routine care include limited capacity and resources, such as a lack of USS-trained staff, infrastructure, including electricity interruptions, and misconceptions. The facilitators to normalization include political will to offer USS, availability of resources including trained midwives, restructuring of service provision, task sharing, revisions of staff allocations, and service integration. The strategies include preservice and on-the-job training, support and supervision, increased availability of resources, improved facility infrastructure, and community sensitization.ConclusionScaling up of ultrasound is possible in Malawi. Staff training, community sensitization, and adequate human and material resources, including a standardised training manual, should be considered when planning USS scale-up and normalization into routine ANC
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