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Geometrically constrained position estimation through low-level tracking
No full textDriven by the aerospace need to better monitor landing gear structures, we propose a vision-based position estimation framework to determine the configuration of a series of articulated rigid links in a harsh environment through leveraging knowledge of the subject geometry. The framework is capable of running on compute-limited hardware by exploiting the inherent efficiency of low-level point trackers. The framework is designed to simultaneously overcome localised image occlusions and scene vibration by combining a Kalman filter with a geometry-aware mixture model to realign tracking points. We demonstrate the effectiveness of compensating for low-cost tracker drift by presenting the position estimation performance under nominal and disturbance conditions and compare this approach to dedicated object-specific methods showcasing superior resilience to typical disturbances and high estimation speed
Tsunami versus storms: Diagnostic sedimentary criteria in coastal lakes, lagoons and sinkhole deposits
No full textSedimentary deposits of coastal flooding by tsunamis and storms extend archives of these events across millennia. However, the utility of these records remains clouded by an inability to unequivocally differentiate between a deposit of storm or tsunami origin. This review takes a novel approach by compiling a large integrated dataset of modern and palaeo tsunami and storm deposits in coastal lakes and lagoons to infer the processes that occur during these events. We find that storm and tsunami deposits each comprise three differing groups. Using these groups, we infer the processes involved in tsunamis, including the formation of a sediment gravity flow as the tsunami flows into the lake; the progression of a dense, cohesionless flow head, or the displacement of the shallow lake water by the tsunami wave. In contrast, storm deposits are inferred to be formed by bedload under an overwash regime or in a dilute flow under full inundation of the coastal lake or lagoon. From these processes, we show that the composition of tsunami deposits is dependent on the environmental setting of the lake or lagoon whereas, for storms, the event size is a greater factor. Our findings show that in most cases, storm events are inherently unable to generate the tsunami deposits found in coastal lakes and lagoons. This insight enables the establishment of recognition criteria and a framework that can be applied to candidate deposits to differentiate unequivocally between the two event types. Nonetheless, for some deposits, a differentiation on sedimentology alone is impossible
The relationship between circulating and tissue biomarkers and OA-related pain: A systematic literature review
Get PDFObjective
This study aimed to provide an overview of the relationship between osteoarthritis (OA) pain and various fluid biomarkers by conducting a systematic literature review (SLR), to help the development of OA-related pain endotyping.
Method
An SLR was conducted, using the PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library databases, up to December 2024. Pain measures (VAS, WOMAC, HOOS/KOOS, AUSCAN, PainDETECT and Pain Pressure Threshold) were analysed for their association with circulating biomarkers in blood, urine, synovial and cerebrospinal fluids or tissue and genetic biomarkers. Biomarkers were categorised as “associated” depending on statistical significance and further subcategorised as “consistently associated”, “uncertainly associated” or “not associated” based on the quality of evidence determined by the number of studies, sample size and the strength of correlation.
Results
The five databases yielded 30,088 citations, of which 263 relevant papers were selected. Total cholesterol in the blood was the only biomarker consistently associated with pain. Among blood biomarkers, CRP, hsCRP and IL-17 showed suggestive but inconsistent associations with OA-related pain. In synovial fluid, IL-17, C2C and VEGF were consistently associated with increasing pain intensity, based on multiple concordant studies. In cerebrospinal fluid, CX3CL1 and Flt-1 were consistently associated with pain, displaying a negative correlation.
Conclusion
This SLR identified no relevant biomarkers in different body fluids that were associated with OA-related pain. Further investigation of CRP and IL-17 is required to achieve greater consistency across studies
Now What? The Conundrum of Successful Recovery of Wolves and Other Species for European Conservation
Get PDFThe recent decision to downlist the wolf from a “strictly protected” to “protected” status in the Bern Convention and Habitats Directive marks a turning point for European conservation. While reflecting wolves' recovery, the shift has illuminated a conundrum within existing conservation frameworks: No species has ever been downlisted before, despite a remarkable wildlife comeback over recent decades. Moreover, the downlisting has been fiercely resisted and framed as a reversal of conservation progress. Yet evidence suggests that wolves can thrive under more flexible management regimes, and that pragmatism from all sides is needed to foster ecologically sound and socially sustainable coexistence. We argue that the rigidity of current frameworks is undermining social legitimacy and the development of adaptive management strategies suitable for recovering wildlife in anthropogenic landscapes. European conservation policy and debates needs to evolve beyond the emergency modality toward addressing the distributive and procedural challenges of coexistence, including effective cost redistribution, transboundary management approaches, and inclusive articulation of visions for coexistence in different places. The policy shift for wolves should not be treated as a crisis, but as a call to reconfigure European conservation to accommodate success and recovery, and its sociopolitical complexities
Hidden barriers to leadership: a cross-sectional survey of prevalence and predictors of Imposter Phenomenon in Trauma and Orthopaedic surgery in the UK
Get PDFObjectives: Imposter Phenomenon is characterised by persistent self-doubt despite objective success. It has been associated with anxiety, burnout and reduced job satisfaction. Little is known about imposter phenomenon’s presence and impact in Trauma and Orthopaedic surgery. This study aims to determine the prevalence and predictors of Imposter Phenomenon among UK orthopaedic surgeons, further mapping domains that affect leadership and professional development.
Design: Cross-sectional survey using the validated Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale (CIPS).
Setting: The survey was distributed to UK orthopaedic surgeons between 20 October 2023 and 28 February 2024 via Training Programme Directors and the British Orthopaedic Association.
Participants: Orthopaedic trainees and consultant surgeons (n=441)
Primary and secondary outcome measures: Imposter Phenomenon severity measured using CIPS (mild: 41–60, moderate: 61–80 and severe: 81–100). Univariate and multivariate analyses identified predictors of this severity. Self-reported impact of Imposter Phenomenon assessed across personal and leadership domains.
Results: 92% of respondents reported moderate to intense Imposter Phenomenon symptoms (mean CIPS=65.17). Trainees had significantly higher mean scores (70.64±13.85) compared with consultants (59.82±15.71). Female surgeons reported significantly higher mean scores (72.57±13.35) than male surgeons (61.19±15.74). Female gender, non-consultant training grade and time out of training were predictors of severity (p<0.01). 90% reported negative impacts, with 49% discouraged from applying for leadership roles and 45% experiencing hindered career progression.
Conclusion: The Imposter Phenomenon is highly prevalent among UK orthopaedic surgeons; disproportionately affecting women, trainees and those taking career breaks. Imposter Phenomenon significantly impacts leadership aspirations and career development, potentially contributing to reduced diversity in surgical leadership. Targeted interventions addressing Imposter Phenomenon are needed to support equitable leadership development in Trauma and Orthopaedic surgery
Prevalence and psychiatric correlates of loneliness in UK university students
Get PDFUniversity students remain vulnerable to the experience of loneliness and comorbid psychiatric difficulties, as evidenced in countries worldwide. In the present study, we examined the prevalence of loneliness among UK university students whilst assessing the association between multiple psychiatric risk factors. Here, N = 1408 students completed eight validated measures: Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale; Patient Health Questionnaire; The Mood Disorder Questionnaire; The Sleep Condition Indicator; The Perceived Stress Scale; Suicidal Behaviours Questionnaire-Revised; The Prodromal Questionnaire 16; and the University of California Loneliness Scale. Moderate to severe levels of loneliness was reported by approximately two thirds of students (78.98%). Loneliness was significantly associated with each psychiatric symptom. After accounting for shared variance between symptoms, linear regression analyses determined loneliness to be significantly related to perceived stress, depression, psychotic like experiences and suicidal ideation. We demonstrate the exceedingly high prevalence of loneliness amongst large sample of UK university students, whilst highlighting the prominent role of depression, psychotic experiences, perceived stress, and suicidal ideation. Whilst highlighting the primacy of tailored interventions for lonely students, future work should explore contextual factors faced by UK university students
Ferroelectric Fluids for Nonlinear Photonics: Evaluation of Temperature Dependence of Second-Order Susceptibilities
No full textFerroelectric nematic fluids are promising materials for tunable nonlinear photonics, with applications ranging from
second harmonic generation to sources of entangled photons. However, the few reported values of second-order susceptibilities
vary widely depending on the molecular architecture. Here, we systematically measure second-order NLO susceptibilities of five
different materials that exhibit the ferroelectric nematic phase, as well as the more recently discovered layered smectic A
ferroelectric phase. The materials investigated include archetypal molecular architectures as well as mixtures showing roomtemperature ferroelectric phases. The measured values, which range from 0.3 to 20 pm/V, are here reasonably predicted by
combining calculations of molecular-level hyperpolarizabilities and a simple nematic potential, highlighting the opportunities of
modelling-assisted design for enhanced NLO ferroelectric fluids
Identifying the impacts, obstacles and information barriers for parents of children living with genetic neurodevelopmental disorders: a qualitative study
Get PDFBackground
A genetic neurodevelopmental disorder (GND) impacts all aspects of a child's and family's life. GNDs are rare; most have limited natural history data. We aimed to understand the impacts, obstacles, information barriers and coping strategies developed through parents' experience of receiving and living with a child's diagnosis.
Design and Participants
This analysis is part of the UK multicentre observational study of children with rare GNDs (GenROC). We conducted 17 semi-structured online interviews with parents of children with GNDs (aged 0–15 years) from November 2023 to March 2024. Data were analysed following the principles of thematic analysis.
Results
We identified five themes. (1) Impact on the family around a genetic diagnosis: Distress begins well before a diagnosis is received; there is an impact upon the receipt itself and the ongoing impact on the family thereafter. (2) Impact of uncertainty, lack of data and ‘rareness’. The experience of parenting when so little is known about your child's condition. (3) Relationships with health professionals. Positive where parents are empowered and feel part of the team; negative where parents feel not heard/believed due to a professional lack of expertise/understanding. (4) Parent mental health: GNDs can be a significant burden to family life. The need to advocate for services has a negative impact. Feelings of isolation through rareness. (5) Coping strategies and factors that help: Support/Facebook groups are considered highly beneficial. Parents develop new positive identities, including that of advocate, professional and educator.
Conclusions
GNDs represent a major challenge for families, clinicians and service providers. Distressed parents are struggling to cope with challenges and suffer from poor mental health. Psychosocial support, better signposting and health professional education may help.
Patient Contribution
Patient Participant Involvement group (comprising five mothers and one father of children with varying GNDs, one young person with a GND, and one genetics family charity representative) contributed to topic guide development and methodology and provided feedback on results
An experimental investigation into the lightning strike response of Z-pinned composite laminates
Get PDFDespite their outstanding mechanical performance and lightweight characteristics, carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites also have some limitations, notably: poor delamination resistance and vulnerability to lightning strikes. Z-pinning through-thickness reinforcement (TTR) technology addresses the first of these and this research represents the first investigation on the lightning strike damage response of Z-pinned CFRP composites. Two types of specimens were tested: unpinned and 0.1% carbon-fibre Z-pinned. Experimental results reveal that while Z-pinning enhances through-thickness electrical conductivity, it introduces new complexities. During lightning events, the intense current surge causes the carbon-fibre pins and adjacent resin pockets to decompose, resulting in localised damage, larger delamination areas, and reduced residual strength compared to unpinned laminates. Carbon-fibre Z-pinned laminates, however, dissipate heat more rapidly due to the efficient heat transfer facilitated by the pins. This study offers a novel perspective on the potential advantages and challenges associated with the application of Z-pinning in aircraft structures
Routine Dynamics at a Cardiac First-Aid Unit: How Context, Emotions, and Identities Drive the Adaptation of Action Patterns
Get PDFEmotions are a catalyst for actions. They are therefore important for developing an understanding of organizational routines as generative patterns of interdependent actions. To investigate how the performances and action patterns of routines are impacted by emotion changes brought about by alterations in the context of routine enactment, we conducted an ethnographic inquiry centring on a diagnostic routine at a hospital's cardiac first-aid unit. Our findings show that context changes from off-peak to peak times and vice versa engendered differences in the emotions of doctors and nurses because of, respectively, conformity and non-conformity between their salient identities and their situated experiences. This triggered actions that produced variation in routine performances and action patterns. Drawing on our findings, we present a grounded model that theorizes two complementary emotions and identity-linked mechanisms that explain variety and stability in action patterns. We discuss the theoretical contributions and implications of our model and findings for research on routine dynamics
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