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The hidden work of everyday decisions in the home - Domestic energy managers and their implications for future smart grids
Get PDFThe role of residents in future smart energy systems and grids has been mainly seen as one of reactive users, responding to incentives or information often generated via automated processes. As new smart grids and smart energy systems begin to take shape, the active social role residents may play, especially in the context of international flexibility programmes and electrification transitions, becomes increasingly critical. The paper draws on semi-structured interviews with 34 residents in the UK, that followed an analysis of 639 survey responses. Our insights show that two types of home energy managers are important to include in planning for energy transitions and electrification, not only in the UK, but also internationally, where electri-fication transitions are underway. Based on the results, we recommend that local and national governments address the following issues to strengthen the role of home energy managers in energy transitions: 1) creating a social energy culture as a service within neighbourhoods; 2) promoting policy development innovation through neighbourhood social energy learning; 3) including residents as active drivers of energy transitions and not only as passive receptors; 4) developing tailored visions for home energy management that move beyond generalist technological innovation and technocratic fixes
The organisation of mortgage frauds: an empirical insight into the social networks of organised crime groups involved in mortgage and property fraud in the UK
Get PDFThis article examines the role of organised crime groups (OCGs) in the organisation and commission of mortgage and property related frauds. Whilst conventionally in criminological and policing studies, serious and organised crime has been associated with the commission of violent, gang and drug-related crimes, there is an increasing focus on the collective and facilitative role that motivated offenders and ‘professional enablers’ like lawyers and accountants have in the commission of financial crimes for gain. This article utilises case studies and social network analysis (SNA) of police-defined OCGs to identify the ties criminal actors have with other ‘members’ and broader connections. It considers causal agency and the social relations that exist within the OCG that support highly organised and sophisticated operational dynamics necessary to the commission and reproduction of organised fraud. In addition to a review of the current literature, empirical data was collected from regulatory enforcement proceedings, criminal prosecution files, trial transcripts, witness statements and interviews with law enforcement, regulators, victim-lender participants and lead members of mortgage and property fraud OCGs. SNA is used to show how members collectively share motivations to plan and co-ordinate criminal behaviour for financial gain, communicate and collaborate on both an ongoing enterprise and individual project basis, and how recruitment strategies, based on kinship, support resilience and the ability to reproduce organised fraud. Examining the social network of mortgage fraud OCGs, including biographies, roles, responsibilities of members, including professional enablers and straw persons and the ties and interactions between them, will assist in understanding mortgage fraud. In particular, they will show how these individual, proximal and causal factors fit within the broader, macro- crime facilitative environment in which mortgage and property related frauds are organised and are capable of being reproduced
The Trinity Technique: A novel 3-step approach for debriefing interprofessional major incident simulation
Get PDFDebriefing is conducted following serious or unexpected incidents to support well-being, uphold professional standards and help organisations pledge a duty-of-care. Debriefing skills can be honed through simulation-based-learning activities and a range of studies have shown this approach effective at transforming experiences into meaningful reflection. Immediately congregating learners after the conclusion of a simulation to identify areas of strength, and opportunities to enhance future practice has been shown to help cement key learning objectives. Despite this, the wider literature lacks a validated tool for interprofessional major incident simulation, highlighting an important research-knowledge gap. As part of a quality improvement initiative to advance teaching and learning practices within this domain, a novel 3-step, interprofessional major incident simulation debriefing strategy, titled The Trinity Technique was fashioned and pilot-tested amongst a sample of 521 students studying Paramedic Science, Adult Nursing, Physician Associate Studies and Forensic Science, across twelve cohorts of students at The University of the West of England. Utilising a case study-design, a proof-of-principle study was conducted to debrief a variety of interprofessional, major incident simulations. The Trinity Technique received positive feedback from students and staff, valuable insight into learner experience was gained; and the novel approach had a unique ability to debrief an institution, as well as learners. Further research is now required to formally validate this pioneering approach
Self‐Healing and Ultra‐Stretchable Hydrogel Strain Sensor Based on Poly (AAm‐co‐AMPS) for Multifunctional Biomedical Applications
No full textThe next generation of wearable biomedical devices demands materials that behave like soft skin, stretchable, self-healable, and capable of continuous, high-fidelity sensing. Conductive hydrogels embody this vision, merging electronic function with biological compatibility. However, low cost, high elasticity with prompt self-healing capabilities and real-time sensing withing single hydrogel systems remain challenging. Here, we report a soft highly stretchable, UV-curable hydrogel system engineered from polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane sulfonic acid (AMPS), acrylamide (AM), N,N′-methylenebisacrylamide (MBA), and photo-initiator, 2-hydroxy-4-(2-hydroxyethoxy)-2-methylpropiophenone. The synthesized hydrogel exhibits exceptional mechanical and functional performance, including ultra-high stretchability up to 1000%, autonomous self-healing within 3 seconds, and mechanical stability over 1000 cycles at 20% strain. It also delivers a rapid electromechanical response, with a response time of 414ms and recovery time of 460ms, enabling real-time monitoring of joint and muscle motion. Furthermore, the sensor delivered reliable and repeatable signal outputs when integrated onto divers' anatomical sites, including the finger and wrist, effectively capturing complex motion dynamics. Overall, this study presents a scalable, low-cost, and environmentally friendly fabrication route for hydrogel-based sensors, advancing the way for next generation wearable healthcare technologies
Rethinking the message on alcohol and breast cancer with UK women: A Delphi study
Get PDFAlcohol consumption is a well-established, yet, under-recognized risk factor for breast cancer (BCa) in women. Low public awareness of this link limits informed decision-making and undermines support for evidence-based alcohol policy. Existing communication strategies often neglect the socioemotional context in which such messages are received. This study offers a novel, participant-informed approach to message development, grounded in rigorous qualitative methods and public involvement. A Delphi study engaged 260 women aged 40–65—drinkers, ex-drinkers, and those with BCa—via an open-ended survey. Responses were explored in greater depth through seven online focus groups (n = 33) and a workshop (n = 7), to review themes and findings. Reflexive thematic analysis identified two overarching themes: (i) barriers to effective communication, including social norms, mistrust of public health messaging, psychological defence mechanisms, and fear of stigma and (ii) messaging strategies for overcoming these barriers, with narrative-based approaches (e.g. personal stories) identified as a promising alternative to hard-hitting or fear-based messaging. These findings extend existing literature by offering a framework for constructing public health messages that resonate with diverse audiences while avoiding unintended harms. By foregrounding the emotional and cultural dynamics of risk perception, this research contributes significant and timely evidence to inform cancer prevention campaigns and alcohol policy advocacy
Moving beyond the individual: The impact and importance of sociocultural influences on visible difference
No full textThis paper examines sociocultural factors that shape the experiences of people living with visible differences, highlighting the impact of stigma, societal judgment and appearance-based discrimination, traditional and social media, and the importance of considering intersectionality and cultural context. Taking a sociocultural perspective, we examine how portrayals of visible difference in traditional and social media perpetuate stereotypes, promote unrealistic narrow beauty ideals and stigma. We show the value of considering how intersectional identities, such as gender, race, and sexuality, reveal the unique experiences of marginalized groups, and explore visible differences within low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where stigma and human rights violations persist, advocating for culturally sensitive interventions at family, community, healthcare, and governmental levels. We demonstrate the importance of integrating visible difference and disability research, promoting pride in identity, and involving people with lived experience in research, healthcare and advocacy. Recommendations include incorporating social models of disability into visible difference research and practice and increasing the presence of visible difference in disability work, fostering inclusive representation in the media, leveraging social media to normalize differences, and expanding research to capture the diversity of experiences of visible difference, particularly in underrepresented groups and regions. This would advance understanding and inform policies and practices that enhance acceptance, reduce stigma, and support the well-being of individuals living with visible differences and their families. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
RetroSketch: A retrospective method for measuring emotions and presence in virtual reality
Get PDFVirtual Reality (VR) designers and researchers often need to measure emotions and presence as they evolve over time. The experience sampling method (ESM) is a common way to achieve this, however, ESM disrupts the experience and lacks granularity. We propose \tool{}, a new method for measuring subjective emotions and presence in VR, where users watch back their VR experience and retrospectively sketch a plot of their feelings. RetroSketch leaves the VR experience undisturbed and yields highly granular data, including information about salient events and qualitative descriptions of their feelings. We compared RetroSketch and ESM in a large study (n=140) using five different VR experiences over one-hour sessions. Our results show that RetroSketch and ESM measures are highly correlated with each other, as well as physiological measures indicative of emotion. The correlations are robust across different VR experiences and user demographics. They also highlight the impact of ESM on users' experience
The impact of fashion clothing involvement and self-objectification on women’s mental health: A cross-sectional study among Brazilian women
No full textBrazilian women experience a high level of appearance pressures, which are associated with risky health behaviours and adverse outcomes. Yet, the involvement with fashion clothing, a central aspect of appearance-related practices, has not undergone exploration among Brazilian women. This evokes concern, due to the popularity of image consulting interventions (providing advice on clothing, style, and colour coordination), which could be potentially harmful, given the current lack of understanding regarding the impact of fashion clothing involvement on body image and mental health. Therefore, the present study aimed to explore these associations, whereby 710 Brazilian women (M age = 34.20, SD= 8.70) completed measures of fashion clothing involvement, self-objectification, body shame, disordered eating attitudes, self-esteem and acceptance of cosmetic surgery. Bivariate correlations revealed associations between higher fashion clothing involvement and higher self-objectification, higher acceptance of cosmetic surgery and higher self-esteem. Partial correlations, controlling for self-objectification, revealed higher fashion clothing involvement to be associated with higher self-esteem, lower body shame and lower disordered eating attitudes. Confounding testing suggested that the fashion clothing involvement negative associations may be partially explained by self-objectification. Overall, findings suggest that fashion clothing involvement may be positively or negatively associated with Brazilian women’s mental health, highlighting the need for future research to further elucidate this complex relationship
Occupational postural hazards in digital construction management: An integrated ergonomic assessment with human factors engineering and digital human modelling
Get PDFThe increasing adoption of Digital Construction Management (DCM) has introduced new ergonomic risks for construction professionals who now spend extended hours on computers in dynamic and often suboptimal work environments. While existing ergonomic research in construction has documented musculoskeletal disorders among both manual workers and office-based personnel, these studies have significant limitations: they primarily rely on subjective assessment methods (questionnaires and surveys) without validated ergonomic tools, and lack biomechanical validation of observational findings. This study addresses this critical gap by integrating Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA), Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA), and Digital Human Modeling (DHM) within a Six Sigma Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control (DMAIC) framework to evaluate and mitigate musculoskeletal risks among construction professionals. A sample of 160 participants across 5 construction firms was observed and assessed through ergonomic scoring, biomechanical stress modeling using HumanCAD®, and follow-up interventions. The results revealed that 87.5% of participants reported musculoskeletal symptoms, with neck and back being the most affected regions. Post-intervention evaluations showed significant reductions in ergonomic risk scores (RULA: 34%, REBA: 33.3%) and symptom prevalence (up to 46% reduction in neck discomfort). This study provides a validated, scalable framework for ergonomic risk management in digital construction roles and offers actionable design and policy recommendations to enhance occupational health and productivity
Endless war, Clifton Meador uses the artist’s book form to examine the nightmares of history from our present world
Get PDFThe American artist Clifton Meador was the recipient of the Herzog August Bibliothek (HAB) Künstlerbuchpreis 24/25. The award gives artists time to study works held in the HAB collection in Wolfenbüttel, Germany and make an artist’s book in response to their findings. Meador’s Endloser Krieg / Endless War examines the development of war from printed works in the HAB collection spanning the Middle Ages to early modern Europe and brings it into our contemporary sphere