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Water, sanitation, and hygiene inequities in high-income countries: An introduction and agenda
Get PDFIn recent years, several research communities have turned their focus onto the matter of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services in high-income countries. Growing attention has shown that WASH problems in these settings are far more common than we often assume. The timing of this Special Issue reflects this renewed interest in ‘WASH in high-income countries’. Our agenda establishes the importance of this field in its own right and acknowledges how it is catalysing discourse on the inherited practices and ideological roots of global WASH. As a recent field of study, WASH in high-income countries sits at the confluence of several strands of transdisciplinary inquiry and praxis. In this introductory essay, we explore key terminology and trace the intellectual origins of this field. We then go on to present the 11 papers collected in this Special Issue. They demonstrate an array of approaches to uncovering and tackling WASH inequities, coming together to spark novel insights and provocations. Four common threads tie the papers together: issues of (1) (in)visibility, (2) (mis)trust, (3) power and control, and (4) the re-imagination of WASH practice. To conclude, we offer a series of provocations for researchers, with a view to implementing the changes called for in this collection. The mid-2020s are a time of critical juncture, as we hurtle towards Sustainable Development Goal 6, and normative concepts of ‘universal’ or ‘safely managed’ services are interrogated for underdelivering. Leaving no one behind requires confronting the power and politics at the heart of all global and local inequities, and WASH is no exception
Pain management training for people with persistent pain and their informal carers (JOINT SUPPORT): Multicentre randomised controlled feasibility trial with embedded qualitative study in English musculoskeletal services
No full textObjectives: To assess the feasibility of conducting a pragmatic, multicentre randomised controlled trial (RCT) to test the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a pain management training intervention to support people with persistent musculoskeletal pain and their informal carers. Design: Two-arm, multicentre, pragmatic, open, feasibility RCT with embedded qualitative study. Setting: National Health Service (NHS) providers in four English hospitals. Participants: Adults receiving NHS care for persistent musculoskeletal pain and their informal carers. Intervention: Control: usual NHS care. Experimental: usual NHS care plus a carer-patient pain management training intervention (JOINT SUPPORT), comprising five, 1-hour, group-based sessions for patients and carers, delivered by trained physiotherapists or occupational therapists. Content included understanding pain, pacing, graded activity, fear avoidance, goal-setting, understanding the benefits of physical activity and medication management. This was re-enforced with a workbook. After the group-based sessions, patients and carers were supported through three telephone sessions. Randomisation: Central randomisation was computer-generated (2:1 Experimental:Control), stratified by hospital and patient-participant age (≤65 years). There was no blinding. Main outcome measures: Data collected at baseline and 3 months post-randomisation included screening logs, intervention logs, fidelity checklists and clinical outcomes on quality of life, physical and emotional outcomes, adverse events and resource use. Interviews with 14 patient-carer participants and six health professionals who delivered the intervention. Results: A total of 76 participants (38 patients; 38 carers) were enrolled. Sixty per cent (312/480) of patients screened were eligible with 12% consenting to be randomised (38/312). Fifty-four per cent (13/24) of the experimental group reached minimal compliance with the JOINT SUPPORT intervention. There was no evidence of treatment contamination. For patient-participant outcomes, within-group differences from baseline to 3 months favoured the control group when assessed by EQ-5D and Generalised Self-Efficacy total score, but favoured the intervention group when assessed by numerical rating scale pain, fatigue and Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scaletotal score. Qualitative data demonstrated the acceptability of the trial design and JOINT SUPPORT intervention with modifications to improve trial processes. Conclusions: The JOINT SUPPORT intervention was acceptable to patient-carer dyads and health professionals. Modifications to trial design, particularly enhanced recruitment strategies, are required. Trial registration number: ISRCTN78169443. Data availability statement: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author (TS) on reasonable request. This includes access to the full protocol, anonymised participant-level dataset and statistical code
Deaf legal theory: Challenging the law’s hearing bias
Get PDFBryan and Emery introduced a new concept in legal jurisprudence through which a critical examination of how the law deals with deaf people can be undertaken: deaf legal theory (DLT). They define it as “how the law seeks to frame Deaf people” and argue that legal systems should be reoriented to recognise and accommodate the unique perspectives and experiences of deaf people. Current legal systems are biased in favour of hearing people and these bias disadvantage deaf people in a variety of ways, including in their access to justice, employment, and education. The aim of this article is to advance Bryan and Emery’s DLT by expounding its main arguments, situating it within its jurisprudential home of critical legal studies, considering the justification for its existence and providing a framework to apply it. The concept was introduced not within legal discourse but within Deaf Studies discourse and is therefore not yet widely known in legal scholarship. This article aims to bridge the gap between the two disciplines and firmly establish DLT as a legal theory in jurisprudence following which it can be applied to various legal subjects of intellectual enquiry
Institutional environment and the use of blockchain technology: Exploring the context and conditions of using blockchain in higher education institutions
Get PDFBlockchain (BC) technology is widely believed to be the next disruptive technology that can address challenges in higher education institutions (HEIs) and support resilient strategies. This study aims to contribute to the literature and inform policymakers about BC's capability and potential in HE by examining enablers, barriers and contextual factors influencing BC adoption in HEIs. Through qualitative research, including interviews with 20 BC experts, we identified 12 factors affecting BC adoption. Key enablers include immutability, scalability, usability, management commitment, collaboration and standardisation, while barriers encompass government regulations, bureaucracy, governance and language. Additionally, privacy and cost emerged as factors that could act as both enablers and barriers. Our findings highlight the critical role of the institutional environment, revealing five new enablers and barriers to BC adoption in HE. We offer several strategies for facilitating BC technology adoption, taking into account the environmental, institutional and technological in‐depth insights gained from this research
An explainable ensemble-based intrusion detection system for software-defined vehicle ad-hoc networks
Get PDFIntrusion Detection Systems (IDS) are widely employed to detect and mitigate external network security events. Vehicle ad-hoc Networks (VANETs) continue to evolve, especially with developments related to Connected Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs). In this study, we explore the detection of cyber threats in vehicle networks through ensemble-based machine learning, to strengthen the performance of the learnt model compared to relying on a single model. We propose a model that uses Random Forest and CatBoost as our main ’investigators’, with Logistic Regression used to then reason on their outputs to make a final decision. To further aid analysis, we use SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) analysis to examine feature importance towards the final decision stage. We use the Vehicular Reference Misbehavior (VeReMi) dataset for our experimentation and observe that our approach improves classification accuracy, and results in fewer misclassifications compared to previous works. Overall, this layered approach to decision-making - combining teamwork among models with an explainable view of why they act as they do - can help to achieve a more reliable and easy-to-understand cyber security solution for smart transportation networks
Spiking neurons derived from proteinoid and Bacteriorhodopsin
Get PDFWe investigate proteinoid-bacteriorhodopsin complexes as biomolecular spiking neurons for neuromorphic computing applications. Our system shows strong photoresponsive behavior through the integration of bacteriorhodopsin with self-assembled proteinoid structures. Measurements show that proteinoid-bacteriorhodopsin complexes have greater electrical activity (10.77 ± 2.21 mV) than proteinoids alone (4.34 ± 4.47 mV). The complexes have wavelength-dependent responses to 5 Hz optical stimulation. Green light (λ ≈ 520 nm) produced the strongest amplitude (7.31 ± 1.49 mV). Temporal analysis shows a consistent periodicity (τ ≈ 645 s) across wavelengths. This indicates stable oscillatory mechanisms. Random walk computations show distinct spatiotemporal patterns, suggesting potential applications in light-controlled molecular computing. These findings demonstrate that proteinoid-bacteriorhodopsin complexes are promising candidates for bioinspired computing and offer possibilities for developing biomolecular information systems
Investigation of two-phase flow characteristics of an S-shaped inlet in rain
Get PDFRain, a common weather hazard for aircraft, is one of major causes of several catastrophic flight accidents. Stealth aircraft commonly employ S-shaped inlets, frequently being subjected to extreme external environmental effects like rain, during mission execution. The present work employs an Eulerian-Lagrangian two-phase flow approach to systematically investigate the effect of rain on the aerodynamic performance of an S-shaped inlet. The Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method is validated by experiments. The results indicate that rainfall intensity, raindrop size distribution, and angle of attack have affected on the aerodynamic performance of the S-shaped inlet. It is found that the stall angle of attack for the inlet aerodynamic performance is 17◦. Smaller-sized raindrops are more likely to form water film on the inner wall surface. Furthermore, the larger the angle of attack, the greater the maximum height of the water film. Larger-sized raindrops are more likely to splash into several secondary droplets, forming ejecta frog near the wall surface. These results are valuable for understanding the influence of rain on the aerodynamic performance of an S-shaped inlet
Referendums in small states and territories: A policy brief
Get PDFThis policy brief examines the use of referendums in small states and territories, highlighting their democratic potential and political complexities. Drawing on global case studies and insights from a 2025 conference, it explores how referendums shape debates on sovereignty, identity, and reform. While they can mobilise civic engagement and affirm legitimacy, poor design and elite manipulation risk undermining outcomes. Key lessons include the need for clear questions, inclusive voter eligibility, and robust public education. Ultimately, referendums must be embedded in transparent, deliberative processes to serve as effective tools for democratic renewal and constitutional change
The rapid synthesis of integral stimuli
No full textIntegral stimuli (e.g., colors varying in saturation and brightness) are classically considered to be processed holistically (i.e., as undifferentiated stimulus wholes); people analyze such stimuli into their consistent dimensions only with substantial time, effort, training, or instruction (Foard & Kemler, 1984). In contrast, Combination Theory (Wills et al., 2015) argues that the dimensions of integral stimuli are quickly combined. Through an investigation of the effects of stimulus presentation time, we support Combination Theory over the classical holistic-to-analytic account. Specifically, using colored squares varying in saturation and brightness, we demonstrate that the prevalence of single-dimension classification increases as stimulus presentation time is reduced. We conclude that integral stimuli are not slowly analyzed, they are quickly synthesized
Exchanges, exhibitions and experiments in colour
Get PDFThis past year, I have been working on a subject that I most enjoy – colour – and it seems that many others share the same passion. In April 2024, I hosted a celebration and exploration of colour featuring an exhibition and a colour seminar.The Colour Exhibition (8-12 April 2024) included a fascinating range of artworks, including screen-based works, prints, bookworks, paintings, textiles, dye pieces, glassworks, installations, and sculptures, each artist exploring what colour means to them. In collaboration with The Colour Group GB, the Colour in Art Seminar was held at Bower Ashton Campus on Wednesday, 10th April. Colour experts were asked to present their insights and practices