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Political parties’ ideological bias and convergence in economic outcome
No full textIn democracies, policies are jointly shaped by voters' preferences and politicians' (or parties’) ideological biases. We explore the relative importance of the latter on some key economic outcomes – growth rate, inflation and inequality – in a broad sample of 71 democracies from 1995 to 2019. We find evidence that both left-wing and right-wing governments deliver convergent outcomes as regards growth, inflation and inequality. The same applies to the policy outcome of economic freedom. This indicates that consolidated democracies maintain continuity in economic policies, and a change in government from one political ideology to another with a different ideology does not significantly alter economic policy outcomes. However, we find divergence in hybrid regimes; inequality and economic freedom are reduced under leftist governments, and economic freedom is enhanced by rightist governments
Development of an AI-enhanced conceptual aircraft design synergy for the rapid prediction of future drone concepts
Get PDFThe use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles(UAVs) has expanded rapidly over the last decade. These systems have an almost limitless scope of application with resupply, surveillance, monitoring, and logistics representing but a few. Having such a wide scope, a means to rapidly, efficiently and accurately develop new designs fit-forpurpose would offer a significant advantage to developers given their inherent need to maximize potential within a competitive marketplace. This work attempts to leverage the capabilities of Artificial Intelligence(AI) for this purpose through the development of a functional AI model aimed primarily at enhancing initial conceptual design metric prediction using limited inputs and/or datasets. Overall, this synergy shows the potential to improve this process significantly through facilitating faster, more cost-effective design cycle iterations allowing ultimately more effective and efficient decision making.The work was financially supported under project “DATA3: Drone Design using AI for Transport Applications 3(Grant No 10126519)” as part of the UKRI Innovate UK Feasibility studies for AI solutions: Series 2 competition
Views and practices on gifted education in primary schools: A comparative study of England and Türki̇ye
Get PDFThis thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University LondonGifted education encompasses the pedagogy, procedures, and theories for educating gifted and
talented (G&T) children. Globally, the recognition of G&T children's needs has underscored
the significance of this field. Governments typically adopt one of two policy approaches: one
explicitly identifies and supports G&T children, as seen in Türkiye, while the other promotes
equity by providing equal opportunities for all students, as in England.
This research explores how primary school teachers in non-selective schools in England and
Türkiye approach the education of G&T children. It examines national policy contexts,
teachers' interpretations of 'giftedness and talent,' and the pedagogies and methods they employ.
In England, data collection focused on London schools selected based on socio-economic
levels and free school meal eligibility. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and
thematic analysis applied. In Türkiye, a purposive literature review was undertaken, with the
emerging themes from England's thematic analysis applied to analyse the data through
deductive content analysis.
Findings reveal that teachers in both countries primarily conceptualised giftedness and talent
as academic success, emphasising cognitive traits like quick learning and strong memory.
However, challenges differed significantly. In England, general education policies, such as
rigid curricula and league tables, emerged as primary barriers to effectively addressing the
needs of G&T children. Conversely, in Türkiye, teachers grappled with issues arising from both
general and gifted education policies, including inadequate implementation and the lack of
integration of gifted education into the primary school system. Common challenges included
limited resources, insufficient teacher education, and time constraints.
Educational practices also varied. England employed diverse identification systems, with
academic performance playing a key role, while Türkiye used a consistent nationwide
identification process. English teachers favoured differentiation and enrichment activities,
whereas Turkish teachers relied heavily on supplementary programmes like Science and Art
Centres (SACs). Concerns about acceleration and grouping practices emerged in both
countries. Despite differing approaches, significant barriers remain in addressing the needs of
G&T children effectively.Turkish National Education Ministr
Limitations and resistance to gender equality policy and plans in higher education institutions awarded an Athena Swan Charter’
No full textData Availability Statement:
The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to privacy or ethical restrictions.This paper explores the work experience and career trajectories of people working across 12 UK-based universities awarded an Athena Swan Charter, an international scheme that recognizes commitment to gender equality. Despite, or perhaps due to institutional reward leading to gender-washed “peacocking”, everyday sexisms and gender regimes are sustained through acts of gendered microinsults that often go unnoticed and are individualized. Women in “awarded” institutions report being spoken over, disproportionately allocated academic housework, experience re/enforced gendered boundaries, and inadequate equality policy provision. They also identify microinvalidations through exclusion from meetings, mis/appropriation of their ideas, gender inequality denial, and overt or covert resistance to gender equity initiatives. An analysis of these microaggressions determines their interconnected, mutually constitutive, and reproductive nature; it suggests that institutional gender-washing propagates a misconception of current levels of gender inequality which kindles “equity-backlash”. The findings reveal unintended outcomes of gender award schemes that might be mitigated through visibilising and addressing inequality regimes and their impacts.Open access publishing facilitated by University of the Sunshine Coast, as part of the Wiley - University of the Sunshine Coast agreement via the Council of Australian University Librarians
Voice, silence and privilege in the neoliberal university: The ‘irresponsibility’ of Gender and Women's Studies pedagogies in higher education in India
Get PDFIn this paper we focus on the Indian higher education context, where expansion of Gender and Women's Studies (GWS), as well as institutional and national gender equality policies have not resulted in unsettling intersectional injustices in educational participation and practice. We draw on qualitative data (interviews with staff and focus groups with students) from a mixed-methods study aiming to advance gender equality. Gender and Women's Studies pedagogies were imbued with professionalizing gender, depoliticising criticality and individualising gender equality. Gender sensitising rather than engaging with the affective dimensions of hegemonic power and knowledge, and silencing mechanisms against marginalized groups, implicated in classroom and institutional politics, affirmed privileged subjectivities and diverted from a pedagogical ethic of speaking, listening and participating responsibly in education and society. A shift to pedagogies of discomfort and for democratic citizenship might facilitate intellectual and political activism and alleviate some of the ‘irresponsibility’ of neo-liberalised Gender and Women's Studies in India.The research team is grateful for the funding provided by the British Council India IND/CONT/G/20-21/20
Integrating Microstructures and Dual Constitutive Models in Instrumented Indentation Technique for Mechanical Properties Evaluation of Metallic Materials
Get PDFData Availability Statement:
The original contributions presented in this study are included in the article. Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding authors.Local variations in mechanical properties are commonly observed in engineering structures, driven by complex manufacturing histories and harsh service environments. The evaluation of mechanical properties accurately constitutes a fundamental requirement for structural integrity assessment. The Instrumented Indentation Technique (IIT) can play a critical role in the in-site testing of local properties. However, it could be often a challenge to correlate indentation characteristics with uniaxial stress–strain relationships. In this study, we investigated quantitatively the connection between the indentation responses of commonly used metals and their plastic properties using the finite element inversion method. Materials typically exhibit plastic deformation mechanisms characterized by either linear or power-law hardening behaviors. Consequently, conventional prediction methods based on a single constitutive model may no longer be universally applicable. Hence, this study developed methods for acquiring mechanical properties suitable for either the power-law and linear hardening model, or combined, respectively, based on analyses of microstructures of materials exhibiting different hardening behaviors. We proposed a novel integrated IIT incorporating microstructures and material-specific constitutive models. Moreover, the inter-dependency between microstructural evolution and hardening behaviors was systematically investigated. The proposed method was validated on representative engineering steels, including austenitic stainless steel, structural steel, and low-alloy steel. The predicted deviations in yield strength and strain hardening exponent are broadly within 10%, with the maximum error at 12%. This study is expected to provide a fundamental framework for the advancement of IIT and structural integrity assessment.This work was supported by the International Exchanges Programme Scheme project by the Royal Society, UK (IEC\NSFC\233524), Xi’an Jiaotong University State Key Lab for Strength and Vibration for Mechanical Structures Open Lab Project, China (SV2023-KF-10), and the Natural Science Basic Research Plan in Shaanxi Province, China (2023-JC-QN-0474, 2023-JC-YB-451, 2024JC-YBMS-380)
Optimization and Experimental Analysis of Electroless Nickel Plating on the Diamond Surface
Get PDFData Availability Statement:
The original contributions presented in this study are included in the article. Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.Coating diamond particle surfaces with a layer of high-temperature resistant nickel, which possesses weldability, effectively enhances the bonding strength between diamond particles and substrates in pre-grinding tools. This improves their stability and strength at high temperatures, thereby enhancing the performance, lifespan, and efficiency of grinding tools. This paper explores the electroless nickel plating process on diamond surfaces, analyzes the working principle of electroless nickel plating on diamond surfaces, and proposes the use of 2 g/L AgNO3 solution and 2 g/L AgNO3 + 10 mL/L NH3·H2O solution as Pd-free activating solutions. Experimental studies have demonstrated the feasibility of using silver nitrate as an activator, and it has been found that the 2 g/L AgNO3 + 10 mL/L NH3·H2O solution achieves a higher surface plating ratio when used as an activator for electroless nickel plating on diamond surfaces. Based on this, through orthogonal and single-factor experimental methods, the effects of ammonia solution concentration, sodium hypophosphite concentration, plating temperature, and diamond particle size on electroless nickel plating on diamond surfaces were investigated. The optimal process for electroless nickel plating on diamond surfaces was obtained: ammonia solution concentration of 17.5 mL/L, sodium hypophosphite concentration of 33 g/L, and plating temperature of 80 °C. Under this process, using diamond particles with a size of 120/140 for electroless nickel plating, a surface plating ratio of 10.75% electroless nickel-plated diamond can be achieved.This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NO. 52405510), Xianyang Science and Technology Plan—Major Science and Technology Innovation Special Project (NO. L2023-ZDKJ-QCY-SXGG-GY-001), Research Program of Shaanxi Provincial Department of Education—Natural Science Special Project (NO. 24JK0483), Shaanxi Province Key Research and Development Program—International Cooperation Field (NO. 2025GH-YBXM-010), and Shaanxi Province Natural Science Basic Research Program—Youth Project (NO. 2025JC-YBQN-786)
Rising compound hot-dry extremes engendering more inequality in human exposure risks
Get PDFData availability:
Data analyzed during the current study is the NASA Earth Exchange Global Daily Downscaled Projections (NEX-GDDP-CMIP6) gridded dataset distributed data archive [https://ds.nccs.nasa.gov/].Supplementary information is available online at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s44304-025-00119-x#Sec16 .Compound hot-dry events, with their amplified negative impacts on ecosystems and societies, are attracting growing attention. This study investigates the global-scale inequality and risks of hot-dry compound events under various shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP) scenarios, considering hazards, exposure, and vulnerability. Results show a worldwide increase in hot-dry extreme events and population exposure by mid-century (2041–2070), with variations among scenarios and regions. Climate factors are identified as the primary contributors to future changes in population exposure. SSP1-2.6 shows lower risks than SSP5-8.5 notably. Spatially, ASIA and the Middle East and Africa (MAF) will likely face higher exposure risks due to large populations, lower income levels and aging demographics, which amplify climate impacts. Under SSP3-7.0, rapid population growth introduces greater uncertainty in exposure estimates, particularly in ASIA, MAF, Latin America and the Caribbean (LAM). Aging populations, especially under SSP3-7.0 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios, exacerbate exposure risks through climate-demographic interactions.This paper is supported by the Academy of Medical Sciences, British Academy, Royal Academy of Engineering, Royal Society and the International Science Partnerships Fund (NGR2\1867)
Are the goals of the virtual exercise classes for musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions being met? A service evaluation
Get PDFAcknowledgment: The work presented concerned a service evaluation that was part of a combined clinical research placement organised by the Department of Health Sciences of Brunel University London and the physiotherapy team at St Mary’s Hospital (Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust). We would like to thank all the clinicians that have helped with the project.Background: The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a shift to virtual physiotherapy services in the UK, aiming for cost-effective and safe rehabilitation. This evaluation focused on the efficiency of virtual classes for managing non-urgent lower limb conditions amidst the gradual return of face-to-face (F2F) classes. As pandemic guidelines evolved, F2F exercise classes were re-integrated along with virtual exercise classes. At this time, virtual classes were thought to be essential to maintain patient treatment, but the service has not been evaluated concerning efficiency and (potential barriers affecting) patient uptake, also in light of the diverse community St. Mary’s Hospital - Imperial College serves.
Methods: Forty-nine patient records were reviewed, assessing attendance, discharge rates, and outcomes. Virtual classes demonstrated good patient adherence (77%) and facilitated patient discharge (61%), reducing clinician time. However, missing data limited the assessment's comprehensiveness, notably regarding safety, barriers affecting class uptake, adverse events, and primary outcome measures like the Musculoskeletal Health Questionnaire (MSK-HQ; 98% missing).
Results: The findings support the efficacy of virtual classes but highlight the need for more rigorous data collection and documentation standards to ensure a comprehensive evaluation. Key recommendations include improving clinician documentation, tracking patient-specific benefits, and conducting audits for clinical oversight. These actions are crucial for maintaining physiotherapy standards and enhancing the effectiveness of virtual exercise classes.
Conclusion: Virtual classes demonstrate potential for managing lower limb conditions, showing good adherence and facilitating patient discharge. However, missing data underscores the importance of robust data collection and documentation. Future evaluations should focus on improving documentation standards and conducting audits for clinical oversight, essential for maintaining physiotherapy standards and optimising virtual exercise class outcomes
Artificial Intelligence enabled sustainable banking sector ecosystem in Kingdom of Bahrain
No full textThis thesis was submitted for the award of Doctor of Philosophy and was awarded by Brunel University LondonThe research explores the transformational potential by Artificial Intelligence (AI) within the ecosystem of the kingdom of Bahrain’s banking sector, focusing on how AI reshapes strategic decision-making and drives ecosystem-wide innovation. The research synthesizes insights from various data analysis and conceptual modelling to highlight the AI's role in advancing efficiency, customer, and client satisfaction experiences, and reaching competitive advantages.
The research aligns research questions with key outcomes, providing actionable policy recommendations for the relevant stakeholders such as policymakers, financial advisors, AI experts, cybersecurity expert, Fintech expert, and banking management. By conceptualizing the banking sector as an interconnected system of institutions, technologies, and regulatory bodies, the research examines AI’s role in enhancing dynamic capabilities, improving operational efficiency, and achieving sustained competitive advantage.
Theoretical contributions are evaluated using (Whitten (1989) criteria, emphasizing “AI’s impact on organizational change and dynamic capabilities”. The research underscores AI's significance in decision-making and organizational change to achieve competitive advantages through deploying dynamic capabilities. As the dynamic capability stated by Teece (2018), sensing new customer and client needs and reshaping new business direction, identifying, and seizing new resources and partnership network, and transforming channels and customers’ relationship to be developed for a business model to reach competitive advantage. Moreover, it addresses limited existing literature by conceptualizing AI implementation in the banking sector and expanding AI impact into organizational change and efficiency.
A mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating qualitative interviews with industry experts and quantitative data analysis. Conceptual modelling and thematic coding guided the development of a framework aligned with Dynamic Capability Theory by Teece (2018), emphasizing the "sense–seize–transform" paradigm. This addresses how AI supports ecosystem actors in identifying market shifts, seizing new partnership opportunities, and transforming business models to remain competitive. The research contributes to theory by bridging firm-level change with ecosystem-level transformation, highlighting AI’s role in shaping collaborative capabilities, strategic realignment, and technological integration across the banking sector’s ecosystem.
The updated framework for AI-enabled sustainable banking offers a practical roadmap towards the relevant stakeholders for AI implementation, emphasizes empirical validation, ethical considerations, and technological specificity. The theoretical framework contains three components sense, seize, and transform that provide approach for AI integration, addressing challenges, and leveraging significant opportunities.
As the impact of AI in banking sector drives from perspective of achieving competitive advantages, which leads to organizational change and business model, through considering the theoretical propositions, which AI technology will support sensing, seizing and reconfiguring capabilities and resources. The practical implications offer actionable insights for stakeholders, policymakers, financial regulators, AI developers, and banking leadership on ethical AI governance, workforce upskilling, and the advancement of public–private partnerships to support systemic AI adoption. Future research should explore cross-sectoral comparisons, longitudinal impacts of AI integration, and the evolving nature of ecosystem-wide collaboration in digital transformation, particularly focusing on sustainable and ethical AI deployment at scale. The thesis demonstrates AI's transformative role in Bahrain’s banking sector, highlights the necessity for strategic adoption plan, robust governance roadmap, and continuous advanced innovation. Future efforts shall focus on holistic integration, customer-centric strategies, and fostering partnerships to achieve AI's benefits through addressing ethical considerations and stakeholder collaboration.
The AI advancement has brought substantial transformational effects across varied sectors, particularly in financial sector. The banking sector has reached intellectual adjustments driven through AI integration and foundation for regulatory frameworks. Taking into consideration its central role in financial operations and services, AI has become a key technological management system
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