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Placing knowledge equity at the heart of the UN Ocean Decade: an Early Career Researcher perspective
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Mechanochemically engineered CaO-CeO<sub>2</sub> dual-function catalysts for sustainable glycerol carbonate production without solvents
No full textUpgrading biorefinery-derived waste such as glycerol to fuel-additives and high-value products is essential to further enhance the productivity, profitability, and circularity of the biorefinery concept to achieve a green and sustainable net-zero world. This study explores the catalytic conversion of glycerol into glycerol carbonate using calcium oxide–cerium oxide (CaO–CeO2) dual-function catalytic materials. Herein, a clean and efficient approach was developed to synthesize CaO–CeO2 materials using a green mechanochemical method and then utilize these as catalyst in sustainable and solvent-free synthesis of glycerol carbonate to enhance the circular economy of biorefineries while reducing their carbon footprint. The catalysts were comprehensively characterized using XRD, FTIR, ICP, N2 sorption, CO2-TPD, and SEM/EDS analyses and evaluated for their catalytic activity. Among the catalysts studied, 40 wt % CaO–CeO2 exhibited the highest catalytic activity, achieving 95% glycerol conversion and 99% selectivity to glycerol carbonate under optimized conditions (10 wt % catalyst loading relative to glycerol, 90 °C, 60 min, and a glycerol/ DMC molar ratio of 1:3). This catalyst showed excellent reusability, maintaining high conversion over four cycles. The transesterification reaction followed irreversible second-order reaction kinetics with an activation energy of 46.9 kJ mol–1. The synergistic interplay between the basic sites of the Ca2+–O2– pair and the oxygen vacancies in the CeO2 matrix at the CaO–CeO2 interface work in tandem to enhance the catalytic activity for glycerol carbonate production. We have developed a highly efficient, cost-effective, and environment-friendly approach for the sustainable production of glycerol carbonate from glycerol.<br/
Validating candidate endpoints for intermediate age-related macular degeneration trials in a multi-centre setting—lessons from the MACUSTAR study
No full textFor the conduct of future interventional age-related macular degeneration (AMD) trials, the availability of clinical study endpoints is key. However, no endpoints have been accepted by regulators for evaluation of treatment for intermediate (i) AMD, i.e. the AMD stage at highest risk of developing irreversible geographic atrophy or macular neovascularization. The European MACUSTAR consortium has recruited more than 700 individuals to develop and validate structural, functional and patient-reported endpoints, enabling future iAMD trials based on a prospective observational, multi-centre cohort study. Reliably assessing candidate endpoints in a setting that involves multiple clinical sites across countries comes with a plurality of challenges in the study set-up, quality of data, recruitment of participants and study conduct. Therefore, the MACUSTAR consortium has established a framework that successfully addresses these topics, provides relevant insights into the natural history of iAMD and its sub-phenotypes, and will open new regulatory pathways. The MACUSTAR study is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov under NCT03349801.</p
Understanding the public knowledge and awareness of Parkinson’s disease in Ireland: a cross-sectional survey
No full textBackgroundParkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder characterised by motor and non-motor symptoms that significantly impact quality of life (QoL). Despite its growing prevalence, public awareness and understanding of PD remain limited, contributing to stigma and social isolation. This study evaluates public knowledge and perceptions of PD across Ireland to identify educational gaps and inform public health initiatives.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted from January to April 2024, using a modified version of existing questionnaires on PD knowledge. The survey was distributed online via social media platforms and charity networks, targeting adults residing in Ireland. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were employed to analyse the data. Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast (MHLS23_132).ResultsA total of 796 respondents completed the survey, predominantly female (83.4%) and aged 18–24 (31.7%). While 92.9% recognised PD as a neurological disorder, misconceptions about its classification persisted. Awareness of motor symptoms like tremor and bradykinesia was high, but non-motor symptoms such as chronic fatigue were less recognised. Only 42% were aware of available treatments, and 33.7% had encountered PD-related stigma. Social media emerged as the preferred platform for raising awareness, cited by 46.2% of participants.ConclusionThe findings reveal critical knowledge gaps and stigma regarding PD, emphasising the need for targeted educational initiatives. Public health campaigns, particularly leveraging social media, are essential to enhance understanding, reduce misconceptions, and improve QoL for individuals with PD. By addressing awareness and encouraging a supportive environment, these initiatives can contribute to better public perception and management of PD.<br/
Introducing the laddering technique to the study of democratic innovations: insights from deliberative and participatory forums
No full textWe introduce laddering interviewing as a qualitative method for comparative research in the study of citizens’ demand for participatory and deliberative governance. Originating in psychology and marketing research, laddering interviewing can be adapted to generate unique insight about citizens’ preferences about democratic innovations and the values that inform these preferences. By applying this method to two illustrative case studies of deliberative and participatory forums in Northern Ireland and The Netherlands, we demonstrate its efectiveness in revealing common values such as mutual understanding, diversity, equality of voice, collective action, and impact. Further, we identify the context-specifc values like budget-related attributes and local social cohesion. The values we found tend to difer from those that theorists and practitioners often envisage as key to democratic innovations. This methodological approach ofers critical insights that highlight the nuanced and context-dependent nature of citizens’ preferences
Strontium I, III, IV, and V: electron impact excitation data for Kilonovae and white dwarf diagnostic applications
No full textStrontium (Sr) emissions have been observed across a wide range of astrophysical phenomena, from kilonovae (KNe) events to white dwarf (WD) stars. Precise and extensive atomic data for low ionization stages of Sr is required for accurate theoretical modelling and to improve our understanding of evolutionary pathways. We calculated energy levels, Einstein A coefficients and electron-impact excitation collision strengths for Sr I, Sr III, Sr IV, and Sr V at the temperature and density ranges of interest in KNe and WD research. We developed new target structures using the GRASP0 and AUTOSTRUCTURE packages. The energies and A-values arising from the new structures were found to be in good agreement with experimental and theoretical equivalents reported in the literature. Maxwellian averaged electron impact collision strengths were calculated using the R-matrix approach, as applied through the darc and rmbp coding packages. These are presented in adf04 file format. The new data sets allowed us to construct synthetic spectra for the first five ionization stages of Sr and probe possible density and temperature diagnostic lines. The synthetic spectra within the KNe regime revealed possible Sr iv and Sr v candidate lines at 1027.69 and 1203.35 nm, respectively. These may provide useful benchmarks for determining the extent of Sr ionization that can be reached in an evolving KNe event. Additional diagnostic lines were found to be poor across the Sr ion stages for both KNe and WD regimes due to most levels being in either coronal or local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) conditions.<br/
Engineering carbon-encapsulated iron selenide with tunable inner voids for highly reversible conversion-reaction anodes
No full textTransition-metal selenides are promising anode materials for high-energy lithium-ion batteries due to their high theoretical capacity. However, enabling a highly reversible conversion reaction in these materials remains a significant challenge due to large volume fluctuations and poor electrical conductivity, which leads to structural degradation and sluggish reaction kinetics. To address these issues, we design a hollow-structured carbon-encapsulated iron selenide (FSC) via a simple, template-free solvothermal strategy. The internal void space within the hollow FeSe effectively accommodates volumetric expansion, preserving structural integrity during cycling, while the N-doped carbon shell enhances electrical conductivity and mitigates particle agglomeration. As a result, the FSC anode exhibits excellent lithium storage properties, including a high reversible capacity of 1054 mAh g−1 after 300 cycles at 0.1 A g−1, an impressive rate capability up to 10 A g−1 (~10 mA cm−2), and outstanding long-term cycling stability over 1000 cycles at 1 A g−1. Experimental characterization combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveals a phase transition from hexagonal-FeSe to tetragonal-FeSe after the first activation cycle, favoring a highly reversible conversion reaction mechanism. This work provides a scalable strategy for designing structurally robust metal selenide anodes and offers fundamental insights into improving their electrochemical performance for next-generation lithium-ion batteries.</p
The influence of light on phlorotannin content of brown macroalgae
No full textPhlorotannins are phenolic compounds unique to brown macroalgae, known for their wide spectrum of bioactive properties, which have sparked increasing industrial interest. Understanding how environmental factors influence phlorotannin production is crucial for evaluating the commercial potential of brown seaweeds. However, their plasticity makes it difficult to elucidate a clear link, if any, between phlorotannin content and any single environmental variable.Phlorotannins have been reported to act in inducible defence responses, with secondary roles in photoprotection. However, with production pathways not yet fully understood, there is still no definitive evidence as to whether phlorotannin production is induced by intensity or wavelength of light. Photosynthetically active radiation, also known as visible light (PAR, 400–700 nm), drives photosynthesis, whereas ultraviolet radiation (UVR, 100–400 nm) triggers stress responses, such as oxidative damage. This distinction is important because studies on phlorotannins often examine whether their production is influenced by the amount of light (intensity) or the type of light (UVR vs. PAR). Given UVR’s higher stress potential, it may play a stronger role in phlorotannin induction. This review therefore provides an overview of the published literature that shows variation in natural light characteristics, both temporal and spatial, to be a factor influencing phlorotannin content for a range of brown macroalgal species, with a comparison to studies using artificial sources of light in an effort to induce phlorotannin production.Overall, this review finds that a general consensus appears to have been reached in the literature that characteristics of light do influence phlorotannin content in both intertidal and subtidal brown macroalgae, supporting the proposal that phlorotannins act in a photoprotective mechanism and tolerance-raising role.<br/
