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Evidence: Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee. Examine options for a legal mechanism for triggering any independence referendum based on principles of certainty and democratic consent within the UK constitutional context
No full textCoping during the COVID-19 pandemic: insights from a qualitative study of organizational resilience in an English substance use support service
No full textIntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic posed unprecedented challenges to health and care services, including substance use support, necessitating adaptations to maintain operational continuity. A lack of research exists into the factors that helped substance use services cope and maintain provision. This study aimed to elucidate the organizational resilience factors that assisted a substance use support service in sustaining operations and adapting during the COVID-19 pandemic.TheoryThe study draws on recent conceptual and theoretical developments in the study of organizational resilience, examining findings primarily through the lens of bounce-back and bounce-forward resilience, and Duchek’s three-stage framework.MethodParticipants were 36 staff members working for (n=28) or in partnership with (n=8) an organization delivering substance use support services across an area of Northern England. A multi-method qualitative approach, including digital timelines (n=16), in-depth interviews (n=17), and five focus groups (n=12), was employed. Timeline text was treated as qualitative text-based data. Interviews and focus groups were recorded and transcribed prior to coding. Data underwent Framework Analysis.ResultsSeven themes were identified: 1) pre-existing relationships and effective multiagency working; 2) prioritization of service delivery; 3) development and implementation of guidance and protocols; 4) autonomy, devolution, and deference to expertise; 5) effective communication, regular meetings, and coordinated decision-making; 6) allowing flexibility and creativity; and 7) development of new and innovative approaches to facilitate the pandemic response.DiscussionThis study identifies resilience factors that substance use and other support organizations should focus on in preparation for potential future crises, to minimise adverse impacts on vulnerable populations.<br/
Cytotoxicity and cell cycle changes in prostate cancer cells with differing PSMA expression and p53 status after treatment with PSMA-targeting radioligand [<sub>212</sub>Pb]Pb-AB001
No full textTargeted alpha therapy holds promise for treating advanced prostate cancer, but the interplay between prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) expression, p53 status, and downstream cell fate remains poorly defined. This study evaluates the cytotoxic and cell cycle effects of the alpha-emitting radioligand [ Pb]Pb-AB001 in prostate cancer cell lines with differing PSMA expression and p53 status: C4-2 (PSMA /TP53-wild-type) and PC-3 PIP (PSMA / TP53-null). [ Pb]Pb-AB001 significantly inhibited proliferation and clonogenic survival in both cell lines in an activity-dependent manner. At 95% clonogenic inhibition, both cell lines exhibited G2-phase arrest, S-phase suppression and reduced mitotic entry on day 1. At higher activities, PC-3 PIP cells showed polyploidy, and features consistent with mitotic catastrophe and senescence. Cytotoxicity was more pronounced in C4-2 3D spheroid models than in 2D monolayers, suggesting contribution of crossfire and bystander effects. Total cell-bound activity, rather than added activity, better predicted radiotoxicity in both TP53-wild-type and TP53-null cell lines, indicating that its therapeutic effect is primarily governed by PSMA-mediated uptake rather than p53 status. These results support the therapeutic potential of [ Pb]Pb-AB001 across cells with varying TP53 status and suggest that combining [ Pb]Pb-AB001 with DNA repair or checkpoint inhibitors may enhance treatment efficacy
The definition of sex: For Women Scotland (FWS) Ltd v The Scottish Ministers (2025)
No full textThis case concerns a legal challenge by For Women Scotland against the Scottish Government’s revised statutory guidance on its Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act 2018, which For Women Scotland argued misinterpreted the definition of ‘sex’ under the Equality Act 2010. The case centred on statutory interpretation and whether the term ‘sex’ in the Equality Act should be interpreted in light of the Gender Recognition Act 2004 which allows individuals with a Gender Recognition Certificate to be legally recognised in their acquired gender
The legal life of Lord MacDermott
No full textFew figures have left a deeper imprint on the legal history of Northern Ireland than John Clarke MacDermott (1896–1979) and yet his career has never been the subject of a legally comprehensive study. This article offers that study, drawing on reported judgments, publicly archived papers, academic commentaries, and a small set of privately archived materials belonging to the MacDermott family. The analysis is largely chronological and selectively contextual, aiming to present a clear and accessible account of MacDermott’s legal life without attempting an exhaustive social history. It traces his formation at the Bar and in wartime office, illuminates his early judicial craft in the High Court, and then assesses his distinctive independence as a post-war appellate court judge in the House of Lords. The study also covers his Privy Council work on constitutional law, which foreshadowed later encounters with emergency powers at home.As Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland, MacDermott was involved in a very high number of reported cases. His court docket’s emphasis on customs, charities, taxation and wills, and the then-limited scope of judicial review, contrasts sharply with the dockets of more recent times. Alongside an analysis of this work in the superior courts of Northern Ireland there is a quantitative and qualitative account of MacDermott’s continuing contributions to the House of Lords on an ad hoc basis. The article further examines his extra-judicial voice, including through his Hamlyn Lectures on ‘protection from power’; his inaugural ‘MacDermott lecture’, and several previously unpublished speeches. It also examines his institutional reform work (ranging from a report that shaped the Judicature (NI) Act 1978 to constitutional advice on the governance of the Isle of Man) and his publicly recorded interventions during the Troubles, including nuanced reservations about detention and rights proposals. The conclusion argues that ‘unpredictability’ best captures Lord MacDermott’s career path and jurisprudence. His legal life was far from programmatic, but marked by clarity, candour and a readiness to stand apart when important principles were at stake
Measurement of turbulent velocity and bounds for thermal diffusivity in laser shock compressed foams by x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy
No full textExperimental benchmarking of transport coefficients under extreme conditions is required for validation of differing theoretical models. To date, measurement of transport properties of dynamically compressed samples remains a challenge with only a limited number of studies able to quantify transport in high pressure and temperature matter. x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy utilizes coherent x-ray sources to measure time correlations of density fluctuations, thus providing measurements of length and timescale-dependent transport properties. Here, we present a first-of-a-kind experiment to conduct x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy in laser shock compression experiments. We report measurement of the turbulent velocity in the wake of a laser driven supersonic shock and place an upper bound on thermal diffusivity in a solid density plasma on nanosecond timescales
Voriconazole nanosuspension-loaded ocular bilayer dissolving microneedle patch for the management of fungal keratitis
No full textFungal keratitis (FK), caused by fungi like Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Candida, accounts for 20–60% of microbial keratitis cases and over 1 million visual impairments annually. Voriconazole (VOR) is effective against FK, but its eye drop formulations suffer from poor bioavailability, while intrastromal injections are invasive and carry risks. This study aimed to address these challenges by formulating a VOR nanosuspension (NS) and fabricating an ocular bilayer dissolving microneedle array patch (dMAP) incorporating the VOR NS for localized drug delivery to the cornea. The VOR NS was prepared using an aqueous media milling method with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as stabilizer and cryoprotectant, resulting in stable nanosized particles with a mean size of 270.11 ± 5.82 nm and a PDI of 0.217 ± 0.019. The formulation demonstrated a 1.71-fold increase in saturation solubility and a high drug content (72.5%). Both VOR NS and free VOR were incorporated into the MAP tips using a two-layer casting method. The VOR NS-loaded bilayer dMAP exhibited higher drug content (118.84 ± 20.67 µg) compared to the free VOR-loaded bilayer dMAP (83.08 ± 2.69 µg). Additionally, they demonstrated superior mechanical strength, greater insertion depth (~ 390 μm), and faster tip dissolution in excised porcine corneal tissue (~ 5 min) compared to the free VOR-loaded bilayer dMAP. Ex vivo studies showed that the VOR NS-loaded bilayer dMAP deposited 47.38 ± 8.08 µg of drug into the porcine cornea, 2.31 times more than the free VOR-loaded bilayer dMAP (20.43 ± 6.11 µg), closely approximating the clinical dose used in VOR intrastromal injections (50 µg/0.1 mL). Furthermore, the disc diffusion assay revealed that VOR NS and VOR NS-loaded bilayer dMAP had greater antifungal activity against Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus compared to free VOR and free VOR-loaded bilayer dMAP. Biocompatibility was confirmed through a human corneal epithelial cell viability assay, and ocular irritation potential was evaluated using the HET-CAM assay, revealing a safe and non-irritant profile. Thus, this innovative NS-MAP hybrid system offers efficient drug delivery with minimal invasiveness and could potentially improve therapeutic outcomes in the management of FK.<br/
Health risk behaviours, obesity, and gambling severity: findings from a nationwide population study
No full textPrior research on the relationship between health risk behaviours (HRBs), obesity, and gambling has primarily focused on problem gambling, while studies focusing on lower severity levels are scarce. Moreover, this relationship has rarely been analysed separately for women and men. This study aimed to investigate the association between HRBs, obesity, and the full spectrum of gambling severity in women and men. Cross-sectional population-based data from Healthy Finland Survey 2022-23 was exploited, including adults aged 20+ years (n = 28 154, response rate 46%, mean age 52 years). The Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) was used as the dependent variable, both in continuous (score 0-27) and categorical (non-problem, low-risk, moderate-risk, and problem gambling) form. Independent variables included HRBs (daily smoking, excessive drinking, low fruit and vegetable (F & V) consumption, low physical activity, and insufficient sleep) and obesity. Sociodemographic factors, suboptimal self-rated health, and psychological distress were adjusted for. Daily smoking, excessive drinking, low F & V consumption, and insufficient sleep were less prevalent in the non-problem gambling category (PGSI score = 0) compared to the low-risk (score 1-2), moderate-risk (score 3-7), and problem gambling (score ≥8) categories. After adjusting for potential confounding variables, all HRBs and obesity, except for physical inactivity, were significantly associated with higher PGSI scores. These findings highlight the need for public health strategies that address gambling across the entire risk spectrum. Moreover, a holistic approach that considers the individual's broader life context could strengthen both research and prevention efforts.
Reflections and experiences of early career cancer nurses on cancer survivorship in Europe: a qualitative study
No full textIntroductionThis study explores how early-career cancer nurses across Europe conceptualise and deliver survivorship care, a growing priority in oncology nursing.MethodsAn exploratory qualitative design was used, involving a written reflection and focus group with seven early-career nurses from the European Oncology Nursing Society. Reflexive thematic analysis was applied to identify patterns in perceptions and practice.FindingsThree themes were identified: (1) Reframing Survivorship, where nurses challenged traditional definitions and advocated for a continuum-based approach; (2) Managing the Emotional Dimensions, highlighting the emotional needs of patients, caregivers, and nurses themselves; and (3) Empowering the Workforce, revealing gaps in education, autonomy, and access to resources. Participants called for tiered competencies, interprofessional learning, and better integration of survivorship care across settings.ConclusionThe findings point to the need for clearer definitions, emotional support structures, and investment in nursing education and leadership. Early-career perspectives offer valuable insights for shaping future survivorship care models and workforce development
Joint sensing and covert communications in RIS-NOMA systems
No full textA reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS)-assisted non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) system is investigated, where the transmitter (Alice) is a dual-functional radar-communication (DFRC) base station (BS) that aims to sense the location of a potential warden (Willie), while simultaneously transmitting public and covert signals to the legitimate users, Carol and Bob, respectively. Both cases of known and unknown Willie locations are considered. For the known-location case, assuming perfect channel state information (CSI) at Willie, a covert rate maximization is formulated with the joint optimization of active and passive beamforming, which is solved using successive convex approximation (SCA), penalty method, and semidefinite relaxation (SDR). For the unknown-location case, we propose to estimate Willie’s location via radar sensing and develop a sensing-based imperfect CSI model. In particular, the CSI error uncertainty is bounded by the sensing accuracy, which is characterized by the Cramér-Rao bound (CRB). Subsequently, a robust communication rate maximization problem is formulated under the constraints on quality-of-service (QoS) of Carol, sensing accuracy, and covertness level. The Schur complement and S-procedure are employed to handle the non-convex constraints. Numerical results compare the system performance under the two cases, and demonstrate the significant covert performance superiority of the sensing-based imperfect CSI model and NOMA over the general norm-bounded imperfect CSI model and the orthogonal multiple access scheme. Furthermore, the dual yet contradictory effects of sensing on covert communications are revealed. It is also found that Alice primarily utilizes Carol’s signal for sensing, while allocating almost all of Bob’s signal for communication