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Understanding the psychological impact of medical care experiences on adults with craniofacial conditions: A pilot survey of traumatic stress symptoms and resilience
No full textCraniofacial conditions often require extensive medical care and surgeries throughout childhood and adolescence. However, there is limited research investigating the psychological effects of craniofacial care including risks for medical traumatic stress. This cross-sectional study investigated the medical care experiences of adults with craniofacial conditions, including the frequency of potentially traumatic medical events, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, and resilience. Participants (N = 34; mean age 35.2 ± 12.2 years; 71% female) were recruited at three U.S. pediatric hospitals and craniofacial support organizations. Participants completed the PTSD Checklist (PCL-5), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, the Craniofacial Experiences Questionnaire, and open-ended questions about their medical care experiences. Most participants reported experiencing potentially traumatic medical experiences such as prolonged and/or painful dental (79%) and medical treatments (73%) and hospitalization in the intensive care unit (70%). On the PCL-5, 21% met criteria for PTSD, which is similar to other medical populations and higher than the 6% rate of PTSD in the general U.S. population. Participants reported both stressors and positive aspects related to living with a craniofacial condition, however resilience scores were lower relative to a U.S. community sample. Qualitative analysis of open-ended responses identified themes including interactions with providers, medical treatment experiences, and psychosocial impacts. Adults with craniofacial conditions appear to be vulnerable to post-traumatic stress symptoms related to their medical care experiences and report reduced resilience relative to community samples. Implications for clinical care and research include integration of trauma-informed care approaches and strategies to support coping and resilience across the lifespan
Time series forecasting for air quality with structured and unstructured data using artificial neural networks
Get PDFVarious machine learning algorithms exist to predict air quality, but they can only analyse structured data gathered from monitoring stations. However, the concentration of certain pollutants, such as PM2.5 and PM10, can be visually significant when there is a marked difference in their levels. Consequently, air quality from meteorological cameras can be estimated and integrated with data from monitoring stations to generate an air quality forecast. This research delves into the prospect of creating a methodology capable of rapidly processing this information and producing precise air quality predictions using time series analytics. This paper presents a study of developing a new model, the “Convolutional Neural Network, Recurrent Neural Network Dual Input Model” (CORD). This model combines the convolutional neural network (CNN) and recurrent neural network (RNN) models that are applied to prediction to create an air pollution-related forecasting function to overcome the monitoring stations’ physical limitations. CORD is a model that allows for dual input types: structured data from air quality data collected with meteorological cameras and images (unstructured data) from monitoring stations. This prototype could be applied to all air quality indices worldwide, and CORD is tested based on the Air Quality Health Index provided by the Hong Kong Observatory, a unique data-analytic framework based on air quality measurement. CORD has a similar result to GRU and slightly smaller mean absolute and root mean square errors than LSTM. Compared with an ANN algorithm, CORD has better accuracy
RESUMEN EJECUTIVO: Intervenciones de las fuerzas del orden para prevenir la explotación y abuso sexual de niñas, niños y adolescentes
Get PDFThe current scoping review examines law enforcement’s understanding of perspectives on and practices regarding the prevention of child sexual exploitation and abuse (in this report, child sexual exploitation and abuse is referred to as “CSEA”). The prevention of CSEA is a growing national and transnational issue, with the European Commission,1,2 the United Nations, UNICEF and the World Health Organization identifying it as an area for sustainable development. In particular, the World Health Organization identifies CSEA as one of its Sustainable Development goals
Biomimetic adaptive solar building envelopes: Trends, challenges, and opportunities for sustainable applications
Get PDFAs global energy demand continues to rise, the importance of effective solar management in building design becomes increasingly critical. Solar management encompasses strategies for harvesting, regulating, and utilizing solar energy, contributing significantly to sustainable and renewable energy solutions. Biomimetics presents a promising approach to adaptive design by drawing inspiration from nature's solar management strategies. This research conducts a systematic review of biomimetic adaptive solar building envelopes (Bio-ASBEs), classifying them into three key solar management strategies: solar regulation, solar harvesting, and thermoregulation. A comparative analysis of existing studies highlights trends, gaps, and opportunities in the field. Findings indicate growing interest in biomimetic solutions for solar management, with a predominant focus on energy efficiency. However, the study identifies limited research on energy harvesting and indoor environmental quality, as well as a reliance on shading techniques, potentially overlooking alternative thermoregulation and solar harvesting strategies. Furthermore, the study highlights the scarcity of mixed-method research, emphasizing the need for multifaceted approaches that integrate, qualitative and quantitative data into actionable solutions. Finally, this study reveals the untapped potential of biomimetic solar management strategies, demonstrating how integrating solar harvesting, regulation, and thermoregulation can drive the development of adaptive, energy-efficient building envelopes. By bridging research gaps and exploring nature-inspired multifunctional solutions, it paves the way for scalable, climate-responsive technologies that support net-zero goals and a more sustainable built environment
The ink that glows
Get PDFThis article for the journal of the Society of Wood Engravers, documents the initial findings of my research into oil-based glazes and the potential for them to be combined with traditional wood engraving. The article is a slightly more in-depth and extended version of my Printmaking Today article and is aimed specifically at the ‘engraving community’.In this project, funded by a UWE Bristol ‘RIS research grant’, I reworked traditional glazing mediums and pigments to create a printing medium suitable for wood engraving. The article outlines the main technical challenges and achievements, such as suitable ingredients, pigment selection and a brief explanation of the science underpinning the technique. The research culminated in the creation of Hera, a large, multi-layered wood engraving that utilizes these glazing inks to replicate the glowing, flesh-like qualities of skin. The work demonstrates the potential of adapting oil painting techniques to the medium of print. This paper not only advances the technical integration of glazing into printmaking but also explores the historical context and artistic implications of using light and opacity to mimic natural materials in art
Film genre prediction and analysis using multimodal embeddings from large models: The case of noir
No full textWe used embeddings (numerical representations) from open-sourced language and image models to compare and contrast films in the “noir” and “neo-noir” genres with each other and with those in other genres, using as proxy sources the available plot summaries for text, and posters as images. Noir as a genre was found to be more distinctive, and therefore predictable through machine learning, than neo-noir, which was more easily confused with other genres. The process of attempted classification itself reveals interesting similarities across genres (e.g. screwball comedy murder-mystery and classic noir) as well as the shortcomings of the sources used, which fail to capture less tangible aspects of noir. Overall, we demonstrate the value of these approaches for genre analytics and potential incorporation into discovery tools
Violation of land use regulations for allotment gardens: The case of Warsaw, Poland
No full textAllotment gardens are widespread across European cities and serve as much-needed green spaces generating positive environmental externalities. Changing user preferences result in excessive built-up constructions and changing land use, that contradict the environmental aspects of allotment gardens. These create a breeding ground for flourishing, yet highly opaque, markets for allotment gardens, which naturally increase risks of illegal rent-seeking and other behaviours breaching prescribed land use. This is the first paper that looks into the nature of the market for allotment gardens in three critical dimensions: (a) explore the transaction framework and market operations, (b) given the absence of observable prices, find sound proxies for prices that enable market research, (c) given rising demand, assess if the market operates in line with the regulations or if there is evidence of rent-seeking. This is done based on allotment gardens in Warsaw, Poland, where this market is most prominent. This study uses a mixed-method approach. The transaction framework is established based on thematic archival analysis of regulations and legal literature. To explore price formation and test for rent-seeking, hedonic regression modelling is used and applied on posted offers. It is found that there is a poor transaction framework, that pricing is sensitive to legal (and illegal) private investments, and that illegal rent-seeking on land is prevalent. The research also finds increasing investment in allotment gardens reducing biodiversity. These findings demand scrutiny mechanisms to improve adherence to current regulations and more efficient land use planning to support allotment gardens as rich natural urban habitats
Bermuda’s independence referendum – 30 years on
Get PDFA unique event took place on 16 August 1995—an independence referendum in one of Britain’s Overseas Territories (BOTs). Since the last significant round of decolonisation that concluded with St Kitts and Nevis in 1983, several territories that constitute the vestiges of the British Empire have toyed with the idea of independence, but only Bermuda has got close. The ‘no’ vote that resulted underlined the complications of using a referendum to bring about significant change and overall, despite frustrations with their relationship, no BOT (including Bermuda) has seriously revisited the issue
A randomized controlled trial of a body image intervention for girl athletes
No full textA two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial evaluated the impact of Body Confident Athletes (BCA) on girls' ( = 568, 11-17 years) body image, sports enjoyment, and affect. Sports organizations were randomly allocated (1:1) into either an intervention (BCA; = 29) or waitlist control condition ( = 33). Girls and coaches in the intervention condition completed three 60-min sessions over three consecutive weeks. Primary outcomes were the immediate and short-term changes in girls' body esteem, with secondary outcomes assessing changes in girls' body appreciation, self-objectification, attuned self-care, sports enjoyment, and affect. Girls in the BCA condition reported significant small improvements in body esteem, body appreciation, attuned self-care, self-objectification, and negative affect at postintervention, with several effects either maintained (attuned self-care at 1-month follow-up [T3], but not at 3-month follow-up [T4]) or reemerging at later follow-up points (body esteem and self-objectification at T4, but not at T3). Effects were not maintained for body appreciation or negative affect, nor did effects emerge for sports enjoyment or positive affect. Coaches were effective interventionists (i.e., 80% accuracy), with most girls comprehending key intervention messages (85.1%). BCA is the first coach-led positive body image intervention designed for girls in sport. The findings of the current trial show that BCA is a scalable body image intervention accurately delivered by sport community members, resulting in immediate and short-term improvements in girls' body image. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)
Asymmetric relationship between competition and innovation: Evidence from banks in the Eurozone
No full textThis study examines the asymmetric relationship between competition and innovation in Eurozone banking, using data from the original 11 Economic and Monetary Union member states. Employing the technology gap ratio for innovation and the Lerner index and Boone indicator for competition, we find an inverted-U pattern: innovation initially rises with competition but declines beyond a threshold. Granger causality tests confirm bidirectional causality on the upward slope but none on the downward, highlighting nonlinearity. These findings suggest that moderate competition fosters innovation, while excessive rivalry stifles it. Policymakers should balance competition to maximize innovation without undermining long-term technological progress