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Automation and the risk of labor market exclusion across Europe
Full text linkLabor market exclusion represents a major concern in several European economies, particularly affecting highly exposed demographic groups. This paper examines the potential effect of automation technologies on the risk of being locked into protracted unemployment or inactivity, using Labour Force Survey data for the European Union 27 countries and the United Kingdom, between 2009 and 2019. Our study employs repeated cross-sections of individual-level data to compute probabilities of exclusion outcomes due to automation adoption, controlling for several individual, macroeconomic,
and region-specific characteristics, and for potential selection mechanisms. Findings highlight that, on average, the adoption of new automation technologies is associated with a higher probability of being inactive. This is consistent with the view that automation may exacerbate job insecurity,
psychological discouragement and detachment from job-seeking. This relationship is heterogeneous across demographic groups, with younger individuals being relatively more affected
Measuring individual differences in the speed of attention using the distractor intrusion task
Full text linkHow quickly we attend to objects plays an important role in navigating the world, especially in dynamic and rapidly changing environments. Measuring individual differences in attention speed is therefore an important, yet challenging, task. Although reaction times in visual search tasks have often been used as an intuitive proxy of such individual differences, these measures are limited by inconsistent levels of reliability and contamination by non-attentional factors. This study introduces the rate of post-target distractor intrusions (DI) in the rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) paradigm as an alternative method of studying individual differences in the speed of attention. In RSVP, a target is presented for a brief duration and embedded among multiple distractors. DIs are reports of a subsequent distractor rather than the target and have previously been shown to be associated with the speed of attention. The present study explored the reliability and validity of DI rates as a measure of individual differences. In three studies, DI rates showed high internal consistency and test–retest reliability over a year (>.90), even with a short task administration of only about 5 minutes. Moreover, DI rates were associated with measures related to attention speed, but not with unrelated measures of attentional control, reading speed, and attentional blink effects. Taken together, DI rates can serve as a useful tool for research into individual differences in the speed of attention. Links to a downloadable and easily executable DI experiment, as well as a brief discussion of methodological considerations, are provided to facilitate such future research
Variability in sodium content of takeaway foods: implications for public health and nutrition policy
Full text linkBackground: Excessive sodium intake is a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, yet accurately assessing dietary sodium remains challenging due to food composition variability and inaccurate menu labeling. While menu labels are intended to guide consumers, discrepancies between reported and actual sodium content could undermine their effectiveness.
Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of menu-declared sodium content in takeaway foods by comparing reported values with laboratory measurements.
Design: A cross-sectional analysis of 39 takeaway food items from 23 outlets in Reading, UK. Sodium content was measured using Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) and compared to menu-declared values.
Results: Sodium content varied widely across food categories. Median sodium levels ranged from 0.1 g/100g (chips from fish & chips shop) to 1.6 g/100g (pizza), with some meals exceeding the 6 g/day recommended intake in a single serving. Curry dishes exhibited the greatest variability (2.3–9.4 g per dish). Significant discrepancies were found between menu-reported and measured sodium levels, with almost 50% of foods exceeding declared values.
Conclusion: Take-away foods exhibit substantial sodium variability, and menu labels often fail to accurately reflect actual sodium content. These findings have implications for nutritional epidemiology, where inaccurate sodium estimates may misclassify intake, and for public health, as misleading labels could hinder sodium reduction efforts. It is therefore important that menu labels are not considered definitive but rather general indicators of sodium content and potentially other nutrients
Signals without action: a value chain analysis of Luxembourg's 2021 flood disaster
Full text linkEffective Early Warning Systems are essential for reducing disaster risk, particularly as climate change increases the frequency of extreme events. The July 2021 floods were Luxembourg's most financially costly disaster to date. Although strong early signals were available and forecast products were accessible, these were not consistently translated into timely warnings or coordinated protective measures. While response actions were taken during the event, they occurred too late or at insufficient scale to prevent major impacts. We use a value chain approach to examine how forecast information, institutional responsibilities, and communication processes interacted during the event. Using a structured database questionnaire alongside hydrometeorological data, official documentation, and public communications, the analysis identifies points where early signals did not lead to anticipatory action. The findings show that warning performance was shaped less by technical limitations than by procedural thresholds, institutional fragmentation and timing mismatches across the chain. A new conceptual model, the Waterdrop Model, is introduced to show how forecast signals can be filtered or delayed within systems not designed to process uncertainty collectively. The results demonstrate that forecasting capacity alone is insufficient. Effective early warning depends on integrated procedures, shared interpretation, and governance arrangements that support timely response under uncertainty
Political discourse
No full textThis chapter provides a concise overview of parameters determining some of the well-studied features of political discourse. While the study of individual features of political discourse remains an important endeavour to better understand political discourse, it is important to adequately contextualise these. This contribution will therefore use the classical rhetorical paradigm as a point of contrast to current conditions under which political discourse takes place after processes of democratisation, mediatisation and broader social developments which erode the strength of voters’ affiliation with political parties. These conditions help to explain characteristics such as vagueness of political messaging or evasive interview answers
Influence of global climate modes on wildfire occurrence in the contiguous United States under recent and future climates
No full textPredictable modes of climate variability, such as the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), have a major influence on regional weather patterns, an important control on wildfire occurrence. Although these global climate modes have been associated with historical variability in wildfire occurrence in the United States and are used to forecast seasonal wildfire risk, precise information about the spatial pattern and magnitude of their influence is lacking and the satellite record of wildfires is too short to address these issues. Here we use wildfire occurrence model with a large ensemble of 1600 simulated years from EC-Earth3 in a recent climate (2000–2009) and a future climate corresponding to + 2 °C global warming, to characterise the impact of specific climate modes on wildfire occurrence in the contiguous US. We show that ENSO, the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), and the 1-year lagged Tropical North Atlantic (TNA+1) have the greatest effect on annual fire occurrence—strongly contributed by the effect of these modes on hot, dry conditions in the Great Plains and precipitation in the southwestern US. El Niño is not significantly associated with wildfire occurrence in the northwestern US, contrary to expectation, but is associated with a later (earlier) wildfire season peak in the southwestern (southeastern) US. Under future warming, the AMO and PNA become a significant influence over most of the US, and the magnitude of impact of ENSO and TNA+1 increase strongly
The Jewish response
No full textThe response of Jewish communities in medieval Europe and the Near East to the crusades during the High Middle Ages
The theory and practice of the proportionality test in legislative decision-making
No full textThe doctrine of proportionality is central to human rights adjudication, yet its role in legislative
decision-making is underexplored. This thesis examines the desirability of employing
proportionality in legislative processes, combining theoretical analysis with case studies from the
United Kingdom’s weak-form model of rights protection. It first considers proportionality in
judicial review, assessing its advantages and drawbacks for the judiciary, before developing a
theory of why legislatures in certain jurisdictions adopt proportionality reasoning, linked to
interbranch power dynamics. It then considers the normative case for proportionality and argues it
is most compelling under a deliberative model of democracy. As an expression of the ‘culture of
justification’, it promotes transparency and accountability. Its structured subtests provide a
systematic way to articulate and evaluate justifications for laws, ensuring reasoning is explicit and
accessible. These features are particularly valuable in law-making, where legitimacy depends on
transparency, deliberation, and accountability.
Empirically, the thesis analyses the Nationality and Borders Bill and the Police, Crime, Sentencing
and Courts Bill. It distinguishes between lawmakers’ uses of implicit proportionality (reasoning
resembling proportionality without explicit reference) and explicit proportionality (direct
invocation of the doctrine). The latter, intuitively, seems preferable, but in practice it was found
often to operate rhetorically, at times undermining rights protection. The case studies confirm that
proportionality’s value depends on structured application: when detailed, it strengthens
transparency and deliberation; when superficial, it obscures real motivations. To realize its
potential, legislatures must adopt mechanisms supporting structured proportionality review and
move beyond superficial engagement. The thesis considers reforms including enhanced judicial
power and institutional change within UK Parliament, ultimately arguing that reforms to the House
of Commons through electoral adjustments, pre-legislative scrutiny, and committee reform offer
the most promising path. Such changes would amplify human rights considerations, empower
Parliament, and embed structured proportionality within legislative practice, advancing
deliberative democracy
Computational design, synthesis and evaluation of stapled peptide-based antagonists of the CGRP receptor
No full textHydrocarbon-stapled peptide antagonists targeting the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) receptor represent a promising strategy for migraine therapy. This study uses computational design tools and molecular dynamics simulations to develop novel stapled peptide antagonists conferring improved potency and stability compared to CGRP(8-37)-NH2. Peptides with varied staple geometries and unnatural amino acids were assessed using circular dichroism and antagonism and serum stability assays. A stapled peptide (peptide 4), containing an S5/S5 i,i+4 hydrocarbon staple at positions 12 and 16 exhibited enhanced serum stability (compared to CGRP(8-37)-NH2) and retained antagonist activity. Notably, Aib36-containing peptides (16-19) remained intact following prolonged serum stability assays, but lost receptor antagonism. While the computational predictions of helicity and receptor binding largely corresponded to experimental outcomes, this trend was inconsistent highlighting current in silico limitations. Moreover, this work advances understanding of peptide structure-stability-activity relationships and informs future peptide therapeutic development, with implications for overcoming metabolic instability in peptide-based drugs
Dehydration-Induced Changes in physical and volatile characteristics of house cricket (Acheta domesticus) powder
Full text linkThis study evaluated changes in the physical properties of cricket powder during dehydration, under parameters consistent with EFSA scientific opinions and wider international practices. Freeze-drying for 24 h resulted in cricket powder with 3.96 g/100 g moisture content and aw of 0.237. In oven-dried crickets, greatest moisture loss occurred within the first 3 h across all temperatures evaluated. Significant colour changes were noted in dried cricket powders, lightening was attributed to metalloprotein deoxygenation, while increased darkening indicated the occurrence of non-enzymatic browning, supported by the appearance of Maillard reaction products. ATR FT-IR showed significant peak shifts indicating dipole-active vibrational changes, while Amide I deconvolution revealed an unchanged protein secondary structure. Concentration of volatile compounds increased as function of dehydration time, attributable to Strecker degradation, Maillard and lipid oxidation reactions. In conclusion, dehydration alters cricket powder attributes that may require adjustments for optimised processing or subsequent macromolecule extraction