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Methanol Emission Tracing Ice Chemistry and Dust Evolution in the TW Hya Protoplanetary Disk
No full textMitigating future glacial lake outburst floods in the Himalaya
No full textGlacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) are among the most severe cryospheric hazards in the Himalaya. While previous studies have primarily focused on the characteristics and causes of GLOFs, strategies for mitigating their disaster impacts remain underexplored. This study introduces China’s Glacial Lake Management System (GLMS) and evaluates its potential for regional replication in reducing damage caused by GLOFs. We find that while GLOF frequency shows a statistically insignificant decrease from 1990 to 2023, downstream damage has intensified, yet appears relatively mitigated within China across the Himalaya following the implementation of the GLMS. Further hydrodynamic modelling suggests that glacial lakes will continue to expand in the future, with total growth expected to triple relative to the 2000–2020 period. These expansions could increase GLOF exposure by over 27% for high-risk lakes and by more than 40% in regions outside China without targeted interventions. However, implementing GLMS engineering measures could reduce the intensity of future floods by 24%, with even greater reductions outside China—29% compared to 21% within China. Building on China’s lake management experience and recognizing the transboundary nature of GLOFs, the comprehensive framework we propose for region-wide glacial lake risk reduction across the Himalaya integrates engineering measures, early warning systems, and community responses. This framework addresses the urgent need for proactive and coordinated mitigation strategies in densely populated high-mountain regions
Update to Trial Forge Guidance 2:Addition of the Value of Information Criterion
No full textTrial Forge Guidance 2 helps trial teams decide if another Study within A Trial (SWAT) is needed to answer an existing research question. Five criteria are listed to assist decision making. We are adding a sixth criterion, the Value of Information, to additionally consider the potential time and financial constraints of improving trial process evidence. The Value of Information criterion assesses each trial process based on its value of additional research and value of implementation. We consider evaluations of recruitment and retention strategies as exemplars of how such an approach could be applied to randomised evaluations of trial processes via SWATs. We applied the Value of Information Analysis to all recruitment strategies and categorised them according to their expected benefits in terms of improved recruitment, as well as the level of statistical uncertainty compared to other recruitment strategies. The same approach was followed for retention strategies. To support its use, we have developed an electronic tool that calculates and presents the criterion results for each available evaluation of recruitment and retention strategies. This will enable trial teams apply the Value of Information criterion, along with the five existing criteria of Trial Forge Guidance 2, when deciding if further SWATs should be prioritised for a particular trial process strategy to provide evidence for the strategy’s use, or not during a trial
An exploration of patient and family carers’ views of dietary intervention for psychosis care and management
No full textPsychosis greatly impacts affected individuals and their families. Current pharmacological treatments are not fully efficacious and are associated with a range of metabolic side-effects. As a result, patients and their families seek alternative interventions, including managing their diet. Psychosis treatment guidelines recommend dietetic support as part of psychosis treatment, however this has not become embedded within routine practice. The aim of this study was to determine the views of patients and their families on the value of dietary intervention in their psychosis care and management. Study participants (n = 14) were either accessing psychosis treatment services (n = 8) or were familial carers (n = 6). Data were collected via individual semi-structured interviews and were thematically analysed resulting in four themes: 1) ‘What constitutes a healthy diet?’, 2) ‘The connection between diet, the brain and symptoms’, 3) ‘Empowerment gained from finding my own self-management strategies’ and 4) ‘How we envision dietary management for psychosis’. Findings suggest participants would value having access to a diet intervention to aid their management of psychosis, delivered by knowledgeable health care practitioners within mental health services. Participants wanted the dietary intervention to be evidence-based, accessible and have outcomes which including improved dietary knowledge and skills. The principal recommendation following this research is to further develop a dietary intervention for psychosis care and management that is co-designed with health staff, people with psychosis and their familial carers, mental health service commissioners and academics responsible for educating health care practitioners' curricula
Effects of solid viscoelasticity and loading rates on the squeeze film lubrication towards polymer-based materials: A numerical study
No full textThis study employs numerical simulations to investigate the effects of solid viscoelasticity and loading rates on the squeeze film lubrication performance. A novel generalized numerical lubrication model of point contact including a rigid sphere interacting with a viscoelastic semi-infinite plane is established. The Maxwell and Standard Linear Solid (SLS) models are adopted to describe the solid viscoelastic characteristics. By integrating the multigrid method (MG) with Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm, the viscoelastic squeeze film lubrication simulation was conducted. The proposed squeeze film lubrication model with SLS viscoelastic solid was applied to quantitatively analyze the time-dependent film thickness and pressure distributions in ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) hip joints. Results indicate that the initial squeeze-film stage requires a higher number of time step divisions, while the influence of time step partitioning weakens as squeeze time increases. A distinct secondary pressure equilibrium of the SLS model was exhibited after the initial squeeze stage, with minimum film thickness becoming significantly larger (up to 52 % at 6τ) and central film thickness markedly greater (up to 51 % at 6τ) than those predicted by a purely elastic model. Under high loading rates, instantaneous elasticity dominates, yielding higher pressures and film thicknesses, while low rates promote residual deformation, leading to wider contact areas and flatter pressure distributions. The unloading phase demonstrated lower peak pressures and a broader contact area compared to loading at the same load. The numerical framework provides an effective tool for analyzing transient squeeze-film lubrication performance in viscoelastic materials, offering insights for designing polymer-based lubricated systems
Maritime security technologies and coastal neo-fortification
No full textData technologies promise new ways of tackling maritime security challenges - from trafficking and smuggling, to environmental crime and terrorism. This is particularly the case at coastlines, where global security threats manifest as local maritime issues, and where general maritime traffic conceals small vessel landings, drug drops and clandestine movements. Coastlines are increasingly sites of technological neo-fortification, the prime aim of which is the detection and tracking of seaborne movement. This article draws on qualitative fieldwork with volunteers monitoring the British coast and research on global maritime security technologies. It gains critical traction on new technologies by placing them within a history of littoral fortification, which I show has always been concerned with discerning movement at sea. I make two contributions. First, I show that the machine learning technologies govern maritime movement through movement, weaponising the ocean’s materiality in the pursuit of so-called dark targets. Second, I argue that the techno neo-fortification of coastlines is underpinned by algorithmic spatialities and differentiations that seek to render wider ocean movement controllable. Bordering and security practice - from launching life-saving search and rescue missions, to targeting “small boats”, countering illegal fishing and disrupting smuggling - is re-ordered via these spatialities and differentiations. Contemporary maritime security technologies do not enhance existing practice: rather, they are reorganising sea borders, reconfiguring the relationship between territorial and global waters, and altering how life is governed at sea
Blame Games in Reflexive Discrimination Law
No full textThis paper examines the upcoming commencement of the 'socio-economic duty' in Section 1 of the Equality Act 2010 in England. The duty, which requires certain public bodies to have 'due regard' to reducing inequalities from socio-economic disadvantage when making strategic decisions, is part of a longer-standing 'reflexive turn' in discrimination law. Drawing on qualitative data from 267 civil servants and a survey experiment with a further 432, this paper explores what English civil servants think about reflexive discrimination law. The paper argues that engagement with the 'blame avoidance' literature can help to understand their attitudes. Drawing blame avoidance research, the paper argues that without adequate resources and enforcement, the socio-economic duty will be less likely to reduce socio-economic inequality and more likely to trigger blame games between central government and the public authorities subject to the duty
Quantitative sensory testing reveals evidence of altered pain processing in Paget’s disease of bone
No full textPain is the most common symptom of Paget’s disease of bone (PDB), but its underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Notably, bone pain does not correlate well with metabolic activity or treatment response. This study aimed to assess whether sensory processing is altered in skin overlying Pagetic bone using quantitative sensory testing (QST). We conducted a cross-sectional study of 156 people with PDB attending secondary care referral centres in the UK. We conducted quantitative sensory testing of the skin overlying affected sites and compared the data with unaffected sites as a control. The modalities used were hot and cold rollers, pinprick, vibration and von-Frey filaments to test both spinothalamic and lemniscal pathways. There was a consistent trend for sensory perception to be increased over affected sites versus control sites in the study population. The differences were significant for vibration detection threshold (p = 0.009), pain threshold (p = 0.010) and both single and multiple pinprick testing methods (both p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed similar trends when analysis was restricted to those with pain thought to be due to bone deformity or increased metabolic activity and those with and without musculoskeletal pain. Sensory processing is altered in skin overlying Pagetic bone, independent of current pain symptoms. We speculate that this may be due to abnormalities of bone shape, bone structure or metabolic abnormalities in the affected bone. The mechanisms are unclear but deserve further study
Environmental and socio-ecological performance of greening at household and street level
No full textHousehold- and street-level greening is a key strategy for enhancing urban resilience to climate change, yet gaps persist in understanding their environmental and socio-ecological performance. To address this gap, this study aims to identify the most common household and street-scale green infrastructure (GI) types in the UK, develop a structured scoring framework for evaluating their environmental and socio-ecological performance, and determine which configurations deliver the greatest multifunctional benefits. We surveyed 112 cities and towns in England and Wales, documenting a total of over 900 sites across front gardens, back gardens, and streets. Common types of greenery included grass, hedges, container plants, street trees, and low shrubs. A five-level scoring framework was developed to assess these configurations' environmental and socio-ecological performance across five impact dimensions: air quality, cooling, flood mitigation, biodiversity, and health and wellbeing. The framework was informed by 991 peer-reviewed studies (2015–2025), expert judgement, and remote visual assessments. The results reveal a clear performance gap between single-element and multi-element configurations. At the household level, combinations of hedges, grass, and trees scored highest in pollutant reduction, cooling, and surface water management. Adding container plants or vertical green screens further improved biodiversity and wellbeing, especially in front gardens. At the street level, the highest scores were associated with configurations that included street trees, roadside grass, hedges, and shrubs. Pocket gardens further enhanced socio-ecological performance through vegetation diversity and vertical layering. These findings underscore the role of plant diversity and spatial composition in maximising the multifunctional benefits of household and street-scale greenery and emphasise that collectively these provide the most benefit when planned as a multifunctional network of GI. The study offers a replicable, evidence-based reference to support DIY and community greening and supports equity and resilience in UK residential areas