8251 research outputs found
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Enhancing processability and multifunctional properties of polylactic acid–graphene/carbon nanotube composites with cellulose nanocrystals
Full text link© 2025 The Authors, published by MDPI. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence.The growing accumulation of plastic and electronic waste highlights the urgent need for sustainable and biodegradable polymers. However, developing intrinsically conductive biodegradable polymers remains challenging, particularly for packaging and sensing applications. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) is intrinsically non-conductive, and enhancing its functionality without compromising structural integrity is a key research goal. In this study, PLA-based filaments were developed using melt extrusion, incorporating cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), individually and in hybrid combinations with total filler contents between 1 and 5 wt%. The inclusion of CNC enhanced the dispersion of GNP and CNT, promoting the formation of interconnected conductive networks within the PLA matrix, allowing the percolation threshold to be reached at a lower fillers concentration. Hybrid formulations showed a balance melt strength and processability suitable for fused deposition modelling (FDM) 3D printing and prototypes successfully made. This study also provides the first systematic evaluation of temperature-dependent thermal conductivity of PLA-based composites at multiple temperatures (25, 5, and −20 °C), relevant to typical food and medical supply chains conditions.This research was funded by the faculty of Science and Engineering of the University of Wolverhampton and the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research and Innovation Staff Exchange Pro-gramme of the European Union under Grant Agreement No. 871163.Published onlin
Robust local governance responses in the context of turbulence: the case of collaborative and co-created COVID-19 pandemic responses in two local authority areas in England
Full text link© 2025 The Authors. Published by Wiley. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link: https://doi.org/10.1111/spol.13126The COVID‐19 pandemic required local and national governments to respond urgently and rapidly to new and unprecedented challenges. According to an influential strand of literature within public administration, public agencies must exhibit robust governance strategies to tackle the unpredictability, instability and complexity of a turbulent event such as the COVID‐19. In the face of turbulence, robust governance is characterised by adaptability, agility and innovation and co‐creating with partners and communities, while governance systems must evolve so that they perform more effectively in the future. This paper examines how two local authorities in England responded to the pandemic. We draw upon a novel qualitative dataset obtained through privileged access to senior council staff, elected members and council partners. Both ‘Metaltown’ (North West) and ‘Milltown’ (West Midlands) were poised, at the outset of the pandemic, to be badly hit by COVID‐19 due to their population characteristics, relative deprivation and occupational structures, and the areas did experience some of the highest numbers of infection rates and coronavirus‐related deaths. The two local responses both entailed multi‐agency action with the local authority working alongside partners in the police, emergency services, health, education, transport and housing sectors, with private enterprise and with community groups to manage the challenges. Although we observed robust governance strategies, this occurred in the absence of any deliberate policy design at the national level. Instead, the responses were locally determined, fit for purpose and adaptive in response to challenges that emerged on the ground. The findings suggest a need to modify the robust governance framework to better account for contextually specific circumstances. This has implications for how local and national governments respond to current and future challenges, such as the ongoing cost‐of‐living and climate crises.Published onlin
Adverse childhood experiences, their co-occurrence profiles, and mental disorders in adults in China
No full textThis is an author's accepted manuscript of an article published by Elsevier in The Lancet Regional Health – Western Pacific on 24/01/2025, available online: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanwpc.2025.101478 The accepted manuscript may differ from the final published version.Published versio
Advances in additive manufacturing of fuel cells: A review of technologies, materials, and challenges
Full text link© 2025 The Author. Published by Elsevier. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.susmat.2025.e01317Fuel cells offer high-efficiency power production compared to internal combustion (IC) engines and gas/steam turbines. They are also very clean and come in several types, including PEM fuel cells, solid oxide fuel cells, direct methanol fuel cells, alkaline fuel cells, molten carbonate fuel cells, and phosphoric acid fuel cells. This diversity enables a broad market for decentralized power supply—both stationary and vehicular. In recent years, significant progress has been made in using additive manufacturing (AM) to fabricate fuel cell components such as electrolytes, electrodes, and casings. AM has revolutionised fuel cell fabrication by providing a sustainable process for producing parts with complex geometries, high material flexibility, and enhanced efficiency. This review aims to summarize the importance and current status of AM in fuel cell production. Various AM techniques (such as vat photopolymerization, material jetting, and powder bed fusion (PBF)) used in manufacturing different fuel cell components are discussed, along with recent advancements in materials and their corresponding properties. The review critically analyses the state of the art, highlighting the advantages and limitations of different techniques. Furthermore, this analysis extends to identifying suitable solutions to address challenges in fuel cell fabrication, providing valuable insights for researchers and engineers focused on clean energy production. This review article will benefit researchers interested in exploring the scope of AM in fuel cells.Published versio
Investigating WNT signalling in the lung
Full text linkA thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement of the University of Wolverhampton for the degree of Master of Philosophy.Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD) is a rare hereditary condition that has been reported to affect approximately one in every 20,000 newborns worldwide. It is caused by a mutation in PKHD1, the gene encoding the protein Fibrocystin (FPC). The primary pathophysiology of ARPKD has been characterized by cystic kidney disease, liver fibrosis, and lung failure. The most severe cases of ARPKD have been observed in neonatal life, with a mortality rate of 30–40%, where the cause of death has been attributed to respiratory distress resulting from lung hypoplasia. If this stage is survived, the chances of long-term survival have been noted to increase to 80%. The specific etiology of this hypoplasia has remained unknown; however, it has been linked to kidney enlargement and oligohydramnios. As a branch of non-canonical WNT signalling, the planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway has emerged as a key ciliary signalling mechanism. Recent studies have highlighted the involvement of core PCP proteins in both ARPKD pathology and lung development and homeostasis. The aim of the study was to determine whether there was a link between non-canonical Wnt signalling and the PKHD1 mutation that was responsible for lung hypoplasia seen in ARPKD patients.
Both lung tissue samples from 9-month-old Pkhd1T36M/T36M mice and A549 cells were used in this study. Key proteins from both canonical and non-canonical Wnt pathways were quantified by Western blotting to determine the primary intercellular Wnt signalling pathway associated with lung hypoplasia in ARPKD mutant mouse lungs. Following this, WNT4 and ATMIN single and double knockdowns, as well as WNT11 and PKD2 single and double knockdowns, were performed in A549 cells to assess the interrelationship between these genes and to determine their functional effects in lung epithelial cells. Several cellular functions, including apoptosis, proliferation, adhesion, migration, cell morphology, and actin cytoskeleton expression and localization, were examined.
Studies on mouse lungs indicated that the PCP pathway was the primary pathway affected in Pkhd1-mutated mouse lungs, with observed changes in the protein expression of Vangl2 and Scribble. Meanwhile, studies on human lung cell lines suggested that WNT4, ATMIN, WNT11, and PKD2 could be potential regulators of lung development, particularly in branching morphogenesis, alveolar development, and angiogenesis. These findings suggested a contribution to the development of pulmonary hypoplasia in ARPKD patients, in contrast to the initial theory that pulmonary hypoplasia was a secondary effect of cystic and enlarged kidneys. Further investigations will be required to determine the direct involvement of Pkhd1 in lung development. If confirmed, these findings could aid in the development of effective diagnostic tools and therapeutic targets for pulmonary hypoplasia in ARPKD patients
Gut microbiota and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD): emerging pathogenic mechanisms and therapeutic implications
Full text link© 2025 The Authors. Published by MDPI. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link: https://doi.org/10.3390/livers5010011Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), recently redefined as metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), is the most common cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Characterized by excessive hepatic fat accumulation, this disease encompasses a spectrum from simple steatosis to more severe forms, including steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Emerging evidence highlights the pivotal role of gut dysbiosis in the pathogenesis of MASLD. Dysbiosis disrupts the gut–liver axis, an intricate communication network that regulates metabolic, immune, and barrier functions. Alterations in gut microbiota composition, increased gut permeability, and translocation of pro-inflammatory metabolites/factors have been shown to trigger liver inflammatory and fibrotic cascades, exacerbating hepatic inflammation and injury. Recent studies have identified microbiome signatures associated with MASLD, offering promise as non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers and paving the way for new potential therapeutic strategies targeting gut dysbiosis. This review explores the crucial role of the gut microbiota in MASLD pathogenesis and highlights the need for further targeted research in this field to validate microbial biomarkers and optimize therapeutic strategies. Comprehensive understanding of the gut–liver axis may enable innovative diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, transforming the clinical management of MASLD.Published onlin
A framework to minimise the impacts of climate change on UK residential buildings and occupants
No full text© 2025 The Authors, published by MDPI. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence.
The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos16101216Residential buildings, the bastions of shelter and protection, are facing an escalating threat from climate change. The need to bolster the resilience of UK residential buildings is becoming more urgent, given the nature and frequency of the impact of climate change. This study employed a sequential explanatory mixed-method approach. The first phase involved surveying 313 households, revealing that Climate Change on Buildings (CCB) and Climate Change Measures (CCM) significantly influenced Climate Change on Occupants (CCO). Moreover, climate-positive measures were found to have a significant impact on building occupants. The second phase involved semi-structured interviews with ten UK construction experts to gather insights into the effects of climate change on residential buildings and strategies for mitigation. The findings from both phases underscore the need for government incentives, green loans, and increased stakeholder awareness to mitigate the impacts of climate change. To fully address climate change and improve the quality of life for residents, all stakeholders, including policy makers, construction professionals, and the community, must participate actively in these efforts. Consequently, a framework was developed to minimise the impacts of climate change on UK residential buildings.Published onlin
Engineering across borders: barriers to transnational teaching and research collaboration
No full textPaper presented at the Fifteenth International Conference on Construction in the 21st Century (CITC-15), Rabat, Morocco, 10th-14th November 2025. Available online: https://www.citcglobal.com/_files/ugd/0d72f4_0c18a1f1fde24d17a3af137b844e5aa3.pdfTransnational academic collaboration in teaching and research is a cornerstone of knowledge exchange and transfer in higher education. The widespread adoption of digital technologies globally (accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic), along with financial constraints faced by universities, a growing need for transnational academic collaborations, and shifts in government policies, have brought transnational academic collaborations to the forefront of both governmental and university agendas in the United Kingdom. While the barriers and drivers are broadly covered in the literature and reasonably understood, variations in national, disciplinary, regulatory, and institutional contexts mean that a one-size-fits-all approach is not feasible. Consequently, the barriers to transnational academic collaboration between institutions and across disciplines (such as occupational safety, health, and wellbeing (OSHW) in engineering) between the UK and Egypt remain poorly understood. Using document analysis and group panel discussions with Egyptian industry practitioners, academics and students in Egypt, the reported study explores the barriers to transnational research and teaching collaboration in OSHW in Engineering. The major barriers include cultural and policy differences, curriculum design, lack of resources and differences in interest and attitude between individual and institutions. A significant finding is the attraction to universities in fellow Arab countries due to cultural affinity, which has a causal inference with attitudes and interests. Co-creation of culture curriculum to ensure contextual content is recommended. Also, focusing on shared areas of interest and national country priorities of the international partner are recommended
Urban intelligence: governance in smart cities within the UK
No full textThis is an accepted manuscript of a paper presented at BAM 2025, 3rd-5th September, 2025, Kent Business School, University of Kent. The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published version.The application of Artificial Intelligence to smart governance is transforming public administration by offering innovative approaches to increase effectiveness, transparency, and citizen participation. Particularly in major cities within the UK, urban administrators are looking into the use of cutting-edge IT, including AI, to deliver governance services. This paper aims to explore the utilisation of AI’s capabilities for urban governance and to provide residents with rapid access to relevant information without necessitating a high level of technological expertise is the primary objective. AI is comparable to humans in its speech, text, and image processing capabilities. It is associated with improving democratic processes and altering the way public services are delivered. The neural networking side, in essence, processes data by simulating the human brain and subsequently produce accurate results. In order to experimentally investigate the factors influencing the adoption of AI-enabled service delivery in the context of Smart Governance, researchers commonly employ frameworks such as the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology
Resilient framework for managing a pandemic in a smart city
Full text link© 2025 The Authors. Published by Taylor and Francis. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence.
The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.1080/10429247.2025.2538369Smart cities represent a substantial opportunity for city leaders and decision-makers to effectively manage the unprecedented challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has presented, with the lessons learnt helping to prepare for any future outbreaks. This study is based on transition theory. It explores the three stages of transition, “before”, “during”, and “after” as a continuous loop as people move into the transition, through the transition, and out of the transition. This study explores how strategies and technologies have facilitated and enabled knowledge management during the COVID-19 pandemic, enhancing city resilience during the three periods (“before,” “during,” and “after”) of transition in smart city. The methodological approach for this study was a qualitative design. First, a systematic literature review was undertaken, followed by two focus groups with smart city leaders and key stakeholders. The findings were then validated via focused semi-structured interviews. The study proposed a “resilience framework for managing COVID-19 pandemic in smart cities.” The findings indicate that smart technologies have enabled the creation of a knowledge base of best and worst practices, lessons learned documents, patient case stories, smart technology use cases, policy documents, and performance reports