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Legal preparedness in implementing digital contact tracing apps in managing public health threats: the Singapore experience
Full text linkThe introduction and use of digital contact tracing apps as part of pandemic management have notably raised many legal and ethical challenges, ranging from determinations of public interest in using gathered data to privacy protections for app users and broader considerations of national socio-economic priorities. As the use of these digital contact tracing apps is supported by laws, legal preparedness is essential in determining appropriate legal authority that considers necessary trade-offs such as temporary privacy infringements, proportional data gathering and collective public health benefits. This paper examines the extent of legal preparedness in addressing competing interests between public health and individuals in the use of digital contact tracing apps. It does so through two main lenses: (1) an analysis of Singapore’s legal framework pertaining to data protection, privacy and contact tracing apps and (2) an analysis of the domestic social and political influences that explain why Singapore’s approach to digital contact tracing was viable, and assess its potential or limits for broader applicability
Reassessing Lowbury Hill, Oxfordshire: 1st -7th Centuries AD
No full textLowbury Hill, Oxfordshire, is an enigmatic site; from the first explorations of the site in the
19th century, through to today, the site has remained an archaeological unicum. The rectilinear
enclosure, long thought to be a temple temenos, has rounded, playing card corners of the type
most frequently associated with military structures, but appears to lack any temple or shrine
structure. The numerous artefacts recovered from the site point towards visitation, but the site’s
relatively remote location and the absence of reliable water sources or other amenities make
visitation difficult to envision. The site’s reuse as an Early Medieval cemetery, hosting only
two apparently unrelated burials, has likewise frustrated archaeologists, with the barrow of an
older man receiving the bulk of the scientific study to date. This has left his female counterpart
buried in the line of the Roman wall to become a victim of myth-making and speculation,
ultimately resulting in her story being one of mutilation and murder.
This thesis redresses the balance, analysing Lowbury Hill’s archaeology as holistically as
possible, to argue that the site was more likely to be a multi-functional gathering point,
potentially a rural periodic market. Viewed through this lens, Lowbury’s placement in the
landscape, built environment or lack thereof, and finds begin to make sense. Similarly, a
reanalysis of the female burial in context reveals that far from being a victim of mutilation and
murder, she was an immigrant who received a respectful burial in line with local customs.
Finally, this thesis demonstrates the value in reanalysing archival sites holistically, breaking
away from traditional typological identifications, and studying rural Roman and Early
Medieval lifeways on their own terms. This work need not mark the end of Lowbury Hill’s
story; future research will likely yield important insights into Roman and Early Medieval
Britain
Northern hemisphere midlatitude cyclone intensity biases in machine learning weather prediction models
No full textForecasting the location and intensity of strong winds associated with midlatitude
cyclones is important as they can have significant safety, economic, and environmental impacts. In
this study, we use a feature-based evaluation method to assess the performance of both numerical weather prediction and machine learning weather prediction (MLWP) models in forecasting
midlatitude cyclone winds. By tracking over 1000 cyclones across the Northern Hemisphere from
1 October 2023 to 31 March 2024 in seven MLWP models, we systematically compare model performance. Our results show that MLWP models predict midlatitude cyclone tracks with accuracy
comparable to the ECMWF Integrated Forecasting System (IFS) forecast out to 10 days. However,
MLWP models exhibit a persistent intensity bias, underestimating cyclone minimum sea level
pressure by more than 5 hPa at 10-day forecast lead times, whereas the ECMWF IFS forecast has
no bias. Additionally, all MLWP models produce weaker than observed peak 10-m winds, even at
short lead times. In contrast, the ECMWF IFS forecast exhibits no bias in 10-m wind speed. These
differences highlight the limitations of current MLWP models in capturing important high-impact
weather features like peak wind speeds
Sedimentation fields as a method of saltmarsh restoration: continuity of human influence on natural processes
Full text linkSaltmarsh habitat provides important ecosystem services such as water quality regulation, carbon sequestration and flood defence, but is experiencing losses globally. Historically, this has been caused by land claim, and more recently by rising sea levels. Several methods have been implemented to compensate for saltmarsh habitat loss, including realigning defences, transplanting vegetation and building structures such as sedimentation fields to enclose areas of mudflat and encourage sediment deposition. It has been suggested that sedimentation fields may offer saltmarsh restoration without the limitations identified in other restoration approaches, such as poor drainage and anoxia caused by changes to the sediment structure due to prior human activity. In this article, we argue that restoration through sedimentation fields should be viewed as a continuation of human activity influencing natural processes, rather than as a method that overcomes the influence of prior human activity on saltmarsh ecosystem functioning. This opinion is evidenced by a critical review of the (pre-)historic human activity and saltmarsh restoration attempts at Rumney Great Wharf, Severn Estuary, Wales, where sedimentation fields were constructed between 1989 and 2005 and extended in 2024. We then evaluate the research requirements that need to be addressed to ensure the successful implementation of future schemes, including further understanding of the interactions between physical and biological processes, to enhance ecosystem functioning in sites restored using sedimentation fields
Enhanced control of Listeria monocytogenes by combining High Hydrostatic Pressure (HHP) and nisin: impact of strain tolerance, pressure level, nisin concentration and medium
No full textListeria monocytogenes is a major foodborne pathogen capable of surviving under adverse conditions, and combining high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) with nisin offers a promising strategy for its effective control. However, knowledge remains limited regarding their combined efficacy across strains with different pressure tolerances and in varied model systems. This study systematically assessed the antimicrobial efficacy and synergistic effect of HHP (200-350 MPa, 10 min) combined with nisin (100–500 IU/mL) against five L. monocytogenes strains with varying pressure tolerance in BHI broth and ACES buffer. Nisin MICs ranged from 300 to 500 IU/mL, with 10430S being the most susceptible. Combined HHP-nisin treatments resulted in a significant synergistic effect across most tested conditions. At 300 MPa + 500 IU/mL nisin, combined inactivation reached 5.2-5.3 log10 reduction in BHI and 2.7-4.0 log10 in ACES for the most sensitive strains (LO28, FBR13, 10403S). The synergistic effect was mostly observed at higher pressures (300-350 MPa) and nisin concentrations (500 IU/mL), reaching up to 2.9 log10 reduction in ACES buffer and 1.5 log10 reduction in BHI. The antimicrobial efficacy and synergistic effect were strongly influenced by strain, pressure intensity, and medium. The highest synergistic effect was observed in FBR13 under most conditions (p < 0.05) despite not being the most pressure-sensitive strain. In BHI, synergism was generally lower than in ACES buffer across most treatment conditions, except at 500 IU/mL. At 300 MPa + 200 IU/mL nisin, the synergistic effect ranged from 0.6 to 1.2 log10 reduction in ACES and 0.1 to 0.6 log10 in BHI. Nisin alone resulted in significantly greater reduction in ACES (1.1 to 1.9 log10 reduction) than in BHI (0.3 to 1.1 log10 reduction) across all concentrations. This study highlights the strong potential of the HHP-nisin combination as a multi-hurdle approach for L. monocytogenes control, offering valuable insights to optimize treatment parameters
Bring power to the garden
No full textBring Power to the Garden is a three-part installation that invites you to step into history, walk through innovation, and imagine our shared sustainable future. This project brings together storytelling, exploration, and hands-on discovery to highlight how energy, community, and the natural world are deeply connected.
In Part One, you’ll enter an immersive experience and meet Mildred Cookson , a millwright with over 40 years of expertise at Mapledurham. Through her words, you’ll uncover the human story behind the craft, and why her work matters not just to heritage, but to our lives today.
In Part Two, we invite you outdoors for a guided trail around our award-winning campus. Here, you’ll see sustainability in action — from green technologies to ecological design — and learn how our university community is working together to create positive change.
In Part Three, we gather at the Harris Garden, where you can explore the mechanics of an old windmill and the sleek power of a modern turbine. This side-by-side encounter reveals how the past and present speak to each other, and how traditional knowledge can inform the future of renewable energy.
By combining three very different experiences — storytelling, exploration, and direct observation — Bring Power to the Garden shows that sustainability is not just a technical challenge, but a shared journey. It is a celebration of community, a call to stewardship, and a reminder that innovation thrives when we connect the wisdom of the past with the needs of the present.
The project is a collaboration between the University of Reading and the Mills Archive Trust , generously funded by the University’s Centenary Fund and the Environmental Humanities Group
Habitat and predator heterogeneity influence density of a declining mammal
Full text linkAccurate density estimates are crucial for effective conservation management. However, in highly dynamic landscapes where variation in habitat composition and predator–prey interactions in both space and time is likely, integrating spatiotemporal covariate effects in density estimation is challenging and often large datasets are needed. Here, we used an 11‐year spatial capture–recapture (SCR) dataset from a typical mixed agroecosystem in England to estimate landscape‐scale densities of western European hedgehogs Erinaceus europaeus . We simultaneously integrated spatially varied habitat covariates, and the spatiotemporal variation in predator (Eurasian badger Meles meles ) den site into one SCR framework. Density was spatially structured (range 0.39–13.54 on a 1 km 2 grid), and was lower in arable fields and highest in amenity grasslands next to buildings. Density was also positively associated with soil permeability, density of edge habitats, proximity to the nearest building, and distance from the nearest badger sett. A new badger sett appeared halfway through the study period, resulting in a hedgehog density‐weighted population centre over the study area shift away from the badger sett and a decrease in annual hedgehog density estimates, supporting the landscape of fear for hedgehogs in response to their main predator the badger. Density estimates were also 43% lower after incorporating spatiotemporal covariate heterogeneity into the modelling process, highlighting the need to integrate dynamic habitat and predator influences into density modelling to provide more accurate estimations. Finally, our findings demonstrate the importance of long‐term monitoring for understanding population responses to changes in predator presence and provide clear empirical evidence for a prey species altering space use in relation to the increased predator, supporting the landscape of fear hypothesis
Resistance modification vacillation: revealing intersectional responses to identity imposition in professional work settings
Full text linkIntroduction: This paper examines the complex processes involved in responding to identity imposition, the misinterpretation of one's identity, by others, thereby leading to difficulty reconciling self-identity. We employ an intersectional analysis focused on British professional women of African, Asian, and Caribbean (AAC) ethnic backgrounds to address the gap in understanding, concerning responses to identity imposition at the nexus of racio-ethnicity and gender. Drawing on an intersectionality perspective, the study goal is twofold: (1) to contribute to theoretical research on identity and identity formation and (2), to broaden understanding of how intersectionality shapes women's experiences and responses to externally imposed identity narratives in professional work settings.
Methods: The study engages an interpretivist approach to inquiry, through a qualitative methodological approach utilizing in-depth semi-structured interviews. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 30 British professional women with AAC ethnicity.
Results: Our results reveal that AAC women encounter distinct forms of identity imposition rooted in prevailing discriminatory identity narratives at the intersection of gender and racio-ethnicity. We identify three dominant behavioral responses: modification of self-aspects, resistance against incongruent imposed meanings, and vacillation between modification and resistance, pushing them into a state of liminality.
Discussion: The study illuminates the various responses that AAC women recruit as they navigate identity imposition within their professional working environment, underpinning the importance for UK organizations to prioritize training and development initiatives that empower managers and employees to move beyond behaviors that adversely affect minoritized employees
Speech motor deficits in developmental stuttering and Parkinson's Disease: from cellular and circuit to network-level disruptions
No full textSpeech dysfluency occurs across multiple motor disorders to varying degrees, yet the underlying mechanisms remain incom-pletely understood. Like locomotion, speech production is relies on basal ganglia circuits, and disruptions in these pathwayscan lead to varied symptomatic presentations. In this perspective, we discuss evidence from cellular, circuit and network-levelstudies to highlight shared and disorder-specific mechanisms of speech dysfluency in Parkinson's disease and developmentalstuttering. Basal ganglia function and dopaminergic modulation are central to both disorders, while cortical and brainstemmicrocircuits remain crucial; emerging evidence also implicates astrocytes and inflammatory processes in these conditions. Byintegrating these multiscale insights, we aim to provide a conceptual framework that explains the mechanistic basis of speechdysfluency in Parkinson's disease and developmental stuttering and identifies avenues for future research and possible therapeu-tic interventions