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Rural mobility fund phase 1 evaluation: Final report
Get PDFThe Rural Mobility Fund (RMF) provides funding to local transport authorities (LTAs) to trial demand responsive transport (DRT) in rural and suburban areas of England. DRT is a flexible service that provides shared transport to users who can specify their desired location and time of pick-up and drop-off. The RMF pilot schemes all offer passengers a mobile booking app and use technology to schedule and route vehicles to optimise service efficiency. The report documents findings from phase 1 of the RMF programme evaluation. It presents lessons learnt from process evaluation and uses monitoring data to describe operation and performance of the pilot schemes to date. The evaluation was conducted by the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol)
Virus taxonomy proposal summaries: A searchable and citable resource to disseminate virus taxonomy advances
Get PDFTaxonomic classification of cellular organisms requires the publication of descriptions and proposed names of species and the deposition of specimens. Virus taxonomy is developed through a different system of annual submission of formal taxonomy proposals (TPs) that can be submitted by anyone but are typically prepared by a study group appointed by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) and consisting of experts on a particular group of viruses. These are initially evaluated by an expert subcommittee and by the executive committee (EC) of the ICTV. EC-approved TPs are then submitted for evaluation and a ratification vote by the wider ICTV membership. Following ratification, the new taxonomy is annually updated in the Master Species List, associated databases and bioinformatic resources. The process is consistent, creates traceability in assignments and supports a fully evaluated, hierarchical classification and nomenclature of all taxonomic ranks from species to realms. The structure also facilitates large-scale and coordinated changes to virus taxonomy, such as the recent introduction of a binomial species nomenclature.TPs are available on the ICTV website after ratification, but they are not indexed in bibliographic databases and are not easily cited. Authors of TPs do not receive citation credit for adopted proposals, and their voluntary contributions are largely invisible in the published literature. For greater visibility of TPs and their authors, the ICTV will commence the annual publication of summaries of all TPs from each ICTV subcommittee. These summaries will provide a searchable compendium of all annual taxonomy changes and additions as well as direct links to the Master Species List and other ICTV bioinformatic resources. Their publication will provide due credit and citations for their authors, form the basis for disseminating taxonomy decisions and promote greater visibility and accessibility to taxonomy changes for the virology community
Evaluating a decision-making architecture in human-robot collaboration experiments
Get PDFA novel decision-making architecture inspired by the role of mirror neurons is evaluated in two user studies. First, the role and efficacy of the negotiation layer of the architecture is assessed. Then, in a “Wizard of Oz” experiment, the performance of the complete architecture is compared with the one of a human decision-maker. The same task of using wooden blocks to create characters in a kind of mechanical model of a 7-segment display is used in both experiments (task details in Sect. 2.4). The same task is used to capture data and train policy modules, an integration module, and a negotiation layer to be combined into decision-making models of involved agents, which build upon our previous work. The evaluation results show a significant improvement in terms of the chosen objective and subjective measures when the robot uses the complete architecture with the negotiation layer. No significant difference was found for any of the measures when comparing the human decision-maker and the complete model. Although the robot with a human decision-maker scored descriptively slightly better in all measures, a further Bayesian comparison of the data suggests a high probability of similarity between the model and the human decision-maker. This was further illustrated by a qualitative analysis of the post-experiment interview questions; in answering the third question, where 17 participants identified that the robot using the complete model was like working with a human, and an equal number opted for identifying the robot controlled by a human decision-maker. In addition, answering the first question, 6 participants found no difference between the robot being controlled by a human decision-maker and being controlled using the complete model
Electrochemical behaviour of the antioxidant gallic acid using a low-cost screen-printed carbon sensor and its exploitation for banana wine analysis
Get PDFA low-cost screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) was used to determine gallic acid (GA) in banana wine (BW). Cyclic voltammetry (CV) showed GA oxidation in Phosphate-Buffered Saline (PBS, pH 7.0) with 10% ethanol was diffusion-controlled, forming a quinone species. This supporting electrolyte was applied for calibration using the identified CV and differential-pulsed voltammetry (DPV) peaks, whose low potentials ensured good selectivity and stability. Linearity was obtained between 0.25–5.00 μM GA, suitable for BW analysis. BW was filtered, diluted (1:20) in electrolyte, and analysed via the standard addition method. GA concentrations were 7.369 μM (CV) and 7.570 μM (DPV), with no significant differences. Further validation of the voltammetric procedure using fortified BW confirmed its reliability, with excellent recoveries of 94.41% (CV) and 99.33% (DPV). The SPCE-based voltammetric approach offers a simple, accurate, and low-cost method for GA determination in BW, combining good sensitivity, selectivity, and reproducibility
Fragility and seismic performance assessment of RC frames under Chinese and Pakistani building codes
Get PDFThe increasing integration of Chinese-engineered infrastructure in Pakistan under the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) necessitates a comparative evaluation of seismic resilience between the Chinese and Pakistani building codes. This study focused on the seismic performance of reinforced concrete (RC) frames designed according to these two codes. Fragility curves were generated for 4-story, 8-story, and 12-story buildings subjected to varying seismic intensities using Incremental Dynamic Analysis (IDA). The results indicate that structures designed under the Chinese code exhibit up to 12% lower fragility values, suggesting enhanced seismic resilience, particularly at higher seismic intensities. Additionally, the study investigates the effectiveness of Lead Rubber Bearings (LRBs) for seismic isolation, demonstrating that their integration improves the seismic performance of RC frames by enhancing energy dissipation and reducing the likelihood of exceeding various damage states by up to 25%. These findings underscore the importance of adopting stringent seismic design provisions, such as those found in the Chinese code, to enhance the resilience and safety of infrastructure, especially in seismic-prone regions
APT attribution using heterogeneous graph neural networks with contextual threat intelligence
Get PDFThis research proposes a heterogeneous graph neural network (GNN) framework to attribute advanced persistent threat (APT) activity using enriched cyber threat intelligence (CTI). We construct a tripartite graph linking APT groups, contextualised Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs), and their Cyber Kill Chain (CKC) stages. TTP nodes are embedded with Sentence-BERT (SBERT) vectors for semantic similarity, while CKC stages provide procedural context. This design captures both behavioural semantics and attack-stage relationships, enabling robust and interpretable attribution. Empirical evaluation on the APTNotes corpus achieves a Macro-F1 score of 0.84 and 85% accuracy, addressing limitations in baselines such as DeepOP (technique prediction without CKC integration) and APT-MMF (no procedural or temporal TTP modelling). The framework is suitable for Security Operations Centres (SOCs), enabling faster and more accurate decision-making during incident response. Overall, the study advances automated and explainable APT attribution for practical SOC deployment
Unlocking the public estate: Local realities, national choices - Evidence, insights and practical steps for councils in 2026
No full textLocal authorities are operating in one of the toughest environments in decades – but there remains cause for optimism. Despite financial constraint, staff shortages and a growing maintenance burden, there are practical, deliverable actions that councils can take now to progress. This report highlights those actions and shows how local and central government can each play their part in unlocking the full value of the public estate.Revenue budgets are under strain, capital funding is tightly controlled, and demand for social care, temporary accommodation and other statutory services continues to rise. Councils are simultaneously asked to deliver national ambitions for housing, regeneration and decarbonisation, often with fewer people, ageing assets and fragmented responsibilities. The property portfolio sits at the centre of this tension – both a cost burden and a potential enabler of change.The research, based on surveys and interviews with local authority property and finance leaders across England, identifies five cross-cutting themes and two critical enablers: (1) National policies out of step with local realities; (2) Housing and growth – locked-up potential; (3) Place-based collaboration still failing to deliver at scale; (4) Firefighting on maintenance; and (5) Asset rationalisation and hybrid working opportunities. Two enablers underpin every theme: (1) Staff capacity and capability; and (2) Data and digital foundations.The opportunity is clear: a leaner, greener, smarter public estate that underpins stronger services, accelerates housing and regeneration, and delivers lasting value for communities nationwide.Contributions to this report:- Discussions on scoping- Review draft survey – recommending changes- Detailed review of the whole last draft repor
Ink For Printmakers
No full textInks have remained a fundamental aspect of the printing process for thousands of years. In this comprehensive and accessible guide, Stephen Hoskins and Michael Craine trace the development of inks from ancient China, through the Middle Ages and the industrial revolution, to the digital age. This books offers detailed guidance to the inks used for various processes from etching and relief-printing to lithography and screenprinting, and also includes a list of suppliers and full biography.By exploring the technical make-up and manufacturing process of many different types of ink, this book offers practical information to all levels of printmaking from specialist to amateur
Kombucha-chlorella-proteinoid biosynthetic classifiers of audio signals
Get PDFThis paper describes the development of a bioinspired composite material capable of audio classification applications. Hydrogel matrices produced by microorganisms combined with synthetic biology elements, allow for the development of adaptable bioelectronics that connect biology and technology in a customized way. In this study, a composite population of kombucha, chlorella, and proteinoids (thermal proteins) is utilized to respond to acoustic signals converted to electrical waveforms. The kombucha zoogleal mats, which are made and populated by over 60 species of yeasts and bacteria, offer a matrix at the micro level that is connected to the photosynthetic microalgae chlorella. Proteinoids formed through thermal condensation exhibit unique patterns of signaling kinetics. This living material has the ability to be electrically stimulated and can process signals in a way feasible for sensory applications. Using English alphabet audio inputs, a systematic analysis demonstrates the capability to differentiate audio waveforms based solely on biological composite responses. The use of spectral analysis allows for the identification of specific spike timing patterns that encode unique characteristics of individual letters. Moreover, network disturbances result in specific changes in output, so validating the ability to adjust waveform classification. The study demonstrates that kombucha-chlorella-proteinoid composites provide a durable and versatile bioelectronic platform for immediate auditory processing. The work represents progress toward the development of bioelectronic systems that can be customized based on the principles of biological sensory processing, cognition, and adaptation
Influence of process parameters in powder bed fusion of 316L steel: A residual stress study
No full textTo maintain the structural integrity in additively manufactured samples, it is important to study the induced residual stresses which are widely ignored. Powder bed fusion (PBF) is a type of additive manufacturing process in which the metal powder is added to a substrate, step by step. Scanning parameters including layer thickness, overlap percentage, the angle between layers and scanning strategy that can be controlled in this process lead to different mechanical properties, microstructures, and residual stresses. This study compares the effects of layer thickness, overlap percentage, and the angle between layers on residual stresses. For this purpose, several specimens with different process parameters were made from 316L steel powder, using PBF, and the residual stresses were measured by incremental centre hole drilling method. Furthermore, residual stresses induced in powder bed fusion technique were also assessed numerically. It was observed that the overlap percentage showed more impact among other parameters. It was also addressed that manufacturing parameters should be carefully selected to minimize the magnitude of residual stresses as they can affect the residual stresses field simultaneously. Experimental and finite element results showed a good agreement