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Metal–Organic Frameworks Derived CuxO/TiO2/C Nanocomposites with Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance
No full textEfficient photocatalysts for hydrogen production and pollutant degradation are crucial to address energy and environmental challenges. metal–organic framework (MOF)‐derived Cu
x
O/TiO
2
/C (TCC) composites are synthesized from Cu‐doped NH
2
‐MIL‐125(Ti) and their performance in photodegradation of pollutants and photocatalytic hydrogen generation are evaluated. These porous TCC composites demonstrate rapid adsorption capacities and greatly enhance photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants under visible light, with TCC‐1 achieving complete pollutants removal in 90 min due to adsorption and photocatalysis. Moreover, these Cu
x
O/TiO
2
/C composites exhibit superior photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance, and TCC‐2 achieves the highest hydrogen production rate of 2339 μmol g
−1
h
−1
, 13 times greater than TiO
2
/C. The enhanced activity is attributed to the formation of type‐II band alignment between the coexisted anatase and rutile TiO
2
phases, the presence of Cu
2
O/CuO heterojunctions that facilitate p–n charge separation, and Cu
0
clusters as electron sinks to accelerate proton reduction. Porous carbon boosts adsorption and also provides rapid electron transport pathways. Additionally, the coexistence of multiple Cu species (Cu
2+
/Cu
+
) facilitates reversible redox shuttling, suppressing electron–hole recombination. The synergistic effects of these structural and electronic features lead to superior hydrogen generation and pollutant degradation activity of TCC composites, demonstrating the promise of MOF‐derived photocatalysts for sustainable energy and environmental applications.</p
Assessing optimisation of 3T MRI protocol across multi-site, multi-vendor settings for studying mild Traumatic Brain Injury: mTBI Predict Consortium study
No full textLarge multi-site, multi-vendor MRI studies offer opportunities to advance clinical practice and neuroscience research by increasing sample sizes, especially in clinical populations. However, variability between scanners or sites can affect the reproducibility of quantitative MRI metrics, which is vital for using MRI beyond visual inspection of structural images. This study aimed to assess the reproducibility of MRI metrics for the mild traumatic brain injuryPredict (mTBI-Predict) consortium, spanning Philips and Siemens scanners across three sites. We conducted a travelling head study (n=1), acquiring repeated measurements from a healthy participant across three sites. Evaluated metrics included cortical thickness and subcortical volume from T1-weighted images, fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) from diffusion-weighted imaging, temporal signal-to-noise ratio (tSNR) from echo planar imaging, and cerebral blood flow (CBF) from arterial spin labelling. Image quality metrics (point spread function and motion) were also assessed across all DWI, fMRI, and pCASL data. Standardised pipelines were used for preprocessing and analysis. Within-subject coefficients of variation (wCV%) and linear regressions assessed repeatability and consistency. Structural measures, including cortical thickness, subcortical volume, FA, and MD, demonstrated excellent reproducibility (wCV ≤5%, R² ≥0.85) within and between sites. Minimal differences in participant motion were observed across sessions. However, as expected, tSNR and CBF showed greater variability than structural measures, due to their functional nature. Despite this, wCV% remained below 10% for all metrics, a threshold indicating very good agreement for biological measures. These findings align with previous work, demonstrating the feasibility of obtaining comparable MRI measurements across sites for studying brain structure and function. This study lays the groundwork for further evaluation of clinically relevant MRI biomarkers for mTBI.</p
Computer vision-based wireless sensors with precise frame timestamps for civil structural health monitoring
No full textComputer vision-based wireless sensors usually assign frame timestamps at the starts of exposure or at the frame arrivals. Measurement data extracted from these frames are then resampled against those timestamps for synchronisation. However, the effective measurement instant lies within the exposure window, because an image is formed during the exposure period rather than at its start or end. This discrepancy becomes more significant when cameras undergo different exposure durations or when vision sensors are integrated with other sensor types, such as accelerometers. In this study, an experimental investigation was carried out to determine a physically representative timestamp for each frame. The result showed that the mid-exposure time provides an appropriate measurement instant. A GNSS-based method was then used to timestamp this mid-exposure time in coordinated universal time (UTC) for synchronisation. Based on this principle, a Computer Vision based Wireless Sensor Network (CV-WSN), named PiVision, was developed to provide precise frame timestamps. Laboratory validation using two identical nodes measuring vibrations on a vertical cantilever beam showed synchronisation errors of 39.8 μs with standard deviation of 35.5 μs in the manual exposure mode and 31.4 μs with standard deviation of 20 μs in the automatic exposure mode. Compared with other CV-WSNs, which reported average errors of 125 μs and 204 μs, respectively, PiVision improved the synchronisation accuracy significantly. Operational modal testing on a cantilever further demonstrated that PiVision identified two modes consistent with wired accelerometer results. In contrast, using the exposure start time as the frame timestamp introduced a 2.0 ms synchronisation error, producing a 14.5° phase lag at 20.15 Hz. A field application on an operational cable-stayed footbridge confirmed that PiVision can simultaneously capture live loads and structural responses in a fully contactless manner.</p
The Nottingham consensus on dementia risk reduction policy: recommendations from a modified Delphi process
No full textTranslation of evidence about dementia risk and its reduction into effective, equitable public health policy is a major challenge. To address this challenge, the National Institute for Health and Care Research Policy Research Unit in Dementia and Neurodegeneration at Queen Mary University of London (DeNPRU-QM) convened a multidisciplinary panel of 40 experts from across England, with diverse lived, academic, clinical, policy and advocacy experience, at various career stages, and of diverse gender and ethnicity, to develop actionable policy recommendations for dementia risk reduction. Through a 2-day in-person workshop and a subsequent three-round modified Delphi survey, the panel evaluated and refined statements on dementia prevention. The panel achieved consensus on 56 recommendations in four domains: public health messaging, individual-level interventions, population-level interventions and research commissioning. A key priority across all domains was the need to consider and address health inequalities so that prevention efforts do not exacerbate existing disparities. Our recommendations provide policymakers with a robust foundation for designing and implementing an evidence-based dementia prevention strategy in England and provide guidance that can inform approaches in other countries and contexts. By prioritizing clear communication, targeted intervention and sustained research investment, the recommendations can help to address structural inequities and advance dementia risk reduction. Ongoing cross-sector advocacy will be crucial in driving policy adoption and implementation.</p
Parental psychological distress and their attitudes toward and tolerance of risky child play: Findings from 2 nationally representative, cross-sectional surveys in Britain
No full textBackground
:
Stress shapes parents’ decision making around risk-taking, yet little is understood about how this relates to the risksthey allow their children to take. This study investigates the association between parental psychological distress and attitudes toward and tolerance of risky play in British parents of 2- to 11-year-olds.
Methods
:
Data from 2 cross-sectional, nationally representative samples, the British Preschool Children’s Play Survey and the British Children’s Play Survey, were used. Survey respondents were parents and caregivers of preschoolers aged 2–4 years and school-aged children aged 5–11 years in Britain, respectively. Surveys used comparable methods and validated scales. Parental psychological distress was assessed using the Kessler Psychological Distress (K6) scale. Parental attitudes toward and tolerance of risky play were assessed by the Risk Engagement and Protection Survey (REPS) and the Tolerance of Risk in Play Scale (TRiPS). Linear regression investigated the association between K6 (exposure) and REPS and TRiPS (outcomes). Gender differences were tested with interactions and stratified analyses.
Results
:
Among 1009 preschool parents, mothers experiencing greater distress were more protective (
B
= 0.10,
P
= .038). Among 1272 parents of school-aged children, higher distress was associated with more protective attitudes (
B
= 0.08,
P
= .006) and less supportive attitudes for risk engagement (
B
= −0.07,
P
= .019).
Conclusions
:
Parents who experience greater psychological distress have more risk-averse attitudes toward risky play in 2- to 11-year-olds than less distressed parents. Parental mental health is an important factor to consider when designing interventions to promote opportunities for child movement and risky play.</p
Are play and screen time associated with British preschoolers’ mental health? Cross-sectional findings from the British Preschool Children’s Play Survey
No full textObjectives
To investigate associations between adventurous play, outdoor play and screen time and mental health (MH) in British preschool-aged children.
Design
Cross-sectional.
Setting
A nationally representative sample of caregivers of 2–4 years old (n=1066) in England, Scotland and Wales (Britain), recruited through an online research data and analytics group (YouGov UK).
Participants
Caregivers of 1018 children provided valid complete-case data (age 2: n=298 (29%), age 3: n=365 (36%), age 4: n=355 (35%); female n=481 (47%); white: n=878 (81%)).
Outcome measures
Four outcomes, derived from parent-report questionnaires: internalising and externalising scores (using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire) and positive and negative affect scores (using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule for Children-P). Linear regression was used to explore associations between the three exposures (time (in hours per week) a child spent: (1) playing adventurously; and engaging in (2) educational screen time and (3) recreational screen time) and the four outcomes; interactions between play and screen time variables were also tested. Models were adjusted for child and parental demographic variables.
Results
For each additional hour per week a child engaged in adventurous play, they had lower internalising scores (−0.02 (−0.03 to –0.01)) and higher positive affect scores (0.04 (0.02 to 0.05)). More hours per day (vs <1 hour/day) of educational screen time and recreational screen time were associated with higher internalising and negative affect scores. Greater educational screen time was associated with lower positive affect and higher externalising scores, with adventurous play moderating the association between higher educational screen time, internalising and negative affect.
Conclusion
In British preschoolers, adventurous play is associated with better MH outcomes, whereas higher educational screen time was associated with poorer MH, indicating that adventurous play may benefit preschoolers’ MH or that preschoolers with better mental health are more likely to engage in adventurous play. Adventurous play may also offset possible negative associations with screen time.</p
Far-flung influences on midlatitude weather and climate: The stratospheric pathway
No full textThe variability of the Northern Hemisphere stratospheric polar vortex can significantly
influence, and enhance the predictability of, midlatitude winter weather on timescales
of weeks to months – including the likelihood of weather extremes and associated
impacts. This thesis first explores the response of the polar vortex to projected Arctic
climate change, in terms of both the mean state and variability, before focusing on
the impact of sudden stratospheric warmings (SSWs) on European energy demand.
The “stratospheric pathway” proposed to link Arctic sea-ice loss to changes in
midlatitude weather and climate is not well understood; studies do not so far find a
robust stratospheric response to sea-ice loss in either strength or sign. A series of
idealised model simulations is first used to show that the stratospheric response is
sensitive to characteristics of the near-surface Arctic warming and mean state of the
vortex. Then, a novel analysis of the stratospheric response with thirteen complex
atmospheric models is conducted, looking beyond the typical time- and zonal-mean
diagnostics. Though this analysis confirms the lack of robust response, the possible
role of ensemble size, resolution, and stratospheric basic state to explain the range
of simulated responses is explored. In both, the stratospheric response is also found
to play a role in the magnitude of the tropospheric jet response.
Finally, the contribution of SSWs to extreme European energy events is inves-
tigated. Reanalysis-derived variables indicate that extreme high energy demand
across northern and central Europe is historically more likely and severe following
such events. Stratospheric nudging experiments in seven seasonal forecast models
then enable specific attribution of energy extremes to the occurrence of the 2018
SSW. The results indicate a notable dependence on the lead time and nudging
methodology in the relative risk of extremes.</p
Experimental evidence that prenatal and postnatal developmental stress affects the adult seminal fluid proteome in a precocial bird
No full textSeminal fluid proteins are important modulators of male fertility and reproductive success, yet little is known about how their abundance responds to early‐life developmental stress. Japanese quail Coturnix japonica ) males produce a unique seminal foam that enhances fertilisation success. We characterised the proteome of the seminal foam for the first time and assessed how its composition is influenced by prenatal and postnatal developmental stress. Proteomic identification using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and subsequent gene ontology (GO) analysis of chicken ( Gallus gallus domesticus ) orthologs suggested roles for the foam proteome in sperm maturation and DNA protection, semen liquefaction, sperm plasma membrane homeostasis and energy production for sperm motility. Males that experienced prenatal stress exhibited increased abundance of proteins involved in lipid metabolic processes, inflammation and oxidative stress, including proteolytic enzymes, interleukin receptors and avidin‐like proteins. Similarly, males that exhibited postnatal stress exhibited increased abundance of proteins involved in chromatin organisation, carbon metabolism and oxidative stress. Nine proteins involved in metabolic processes and antioxidant processes were consistently more abundant across developmentally stressed males from both experiments, suggesting convergent responses to early‐life stress. These results demonstrate that early development environments can alter the seminal foam proteome of adult males, with potential implications for ejaculate quality and fertilisation ability.</p
<i>Moving Shame</i>: using embodied practices to facilitate constructive shame engagement among interprofessional healthcare students
No full textShame is a pervasive yet often unspoken feature of health professions education, associated with burnout, emotional withdrawal, diminished empathy and threats to professional well-being. Experienced as a deeply affective and somatic phenomenon, shame can be difficult to access or address through conventional, cognitively oriented pedagogies. This study examines Moving Shame, an interprofessional workshop series that uses trauma-informed, embodied practices to support learners in recognising and engaging with shame in more constructive ways.13 students from five health professions programmes participated in a three-part series integrating trauma-sensitive yoga, body mapping, movement-based reflection, creative resources such as graphic medicine and podcasts, and facilitated group dialogue. Workshops were led by an educator with specialist training in trauma-informed embodied facilitation. Participants completed anonymous surveys before the series, immediately after completion and 6 months later. Quantitative measures assessed shame frequency, anxiety and depressive symptoms, with changes over time analysed using non-parametric tests. Qualitative free-text responses were analysed thematically to explore participants’ experiences and perceived impacts.Participants demonstrated statistically significant and sustained reductions in reported shame frequency, anxiety and depressive symptoms at follow-up. Qualitative findings suggested shifts in how shame was recognised, shared and navigated, including increased bodily awareness, relational openness and a sense of collective permission to acknowledge vulnerability within educational spaces. These findings suggest that trauma-informed, embodied pedagogies may offer a meaningful approach to engaging shame in health professions education. Rather than functioning as a discrete intervention, impacts appeared to emerge through the relational and ethical conditions created by embodied practices and skilled facilitation. The study highlights implications for professional well-being, cultures of care and workforce sustainability, while raising questions about transferability, facilitation expertise and the ethics of working with vulnerability in educational contexts.</p
The Parish Landscape in Cornwall, 1600-1800: Space, Sense, and Everyday Life
No full textCornwall is commonly grouped with the South-West or paired with Devon in
historical scholarship. This study employs a holistic approach to the exploration of
everyday parish life in Cornwall, from c.1600 to c.1800. This approach culminates in
a comprehensive understanding of the lived experience within parishes, particularly
how parishioners moved within the landscape and experienced space. Utilising the
Cornish glebe terriers, alongside maps, plans, court cases, and other archival
sources, there will be a focus on the spatial and sensory landscapes. The sources
are drawn from multiple parishes. The evidence from this period for Cornwall is
fragmentary and scattered across various parishes. Therefore, this discussion will
build upon those featured in the Cornish glebe terriers. The main spaces of
discussion include the parsonage house, the church, gardens and glebe lands. Each
of these spaces is connected to the other, allowing for an integrated understanding
of Cornish parishes. Parishioners' lives were impacted by the landscape they lived
in, as well as their neighbours. This dissertation seeks to explore the relationships
between parishioners and the landscape. Parish landscapes are not ‘backdrops’ to
historical movement but play an active role within it.
Copyright material redacted.</p