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Thermal response and char formation of intumescent coatings: an experimental study
No full textIntumescent coatings offer protection to structural elements by forming a low conductivity char layer, delaying heat transfer and maintaining structural integrity. Due to their critical role and their variation in performance under different conditions it is crucial that a robust experimental assessment is conducted. Existing studies have used a number of experimental methods to characterise intumescent coatings under fire-like conditions. However, the effect of heating rate on the behaviour of the intumescent coating is still less understood. Therefore, this study utilised two experimental techniques, thermogravimetric analysis and furnace testing to assess different characteristics of the coating during and after heating. A cross comparison of results between mass loss percentage and visual inspection was then completed. A commercially available intumescent coating was exposed to two heating rates, 20 °C/min and 100 °C/min - across a temperature range of 30 °C to 1000 °C. Early results indicated expansion, char and loss of the char layer at higher temperatures, prompting a further investigation in which temperature checkpoints were included at 200 °C intervals. The temperature checkpoint results highlighted the rapid appearance and gradual disappearance of the char layer for both heating rates. The checkpoints also indicated, through observation of colour and char coverage, that the progression through stages of char appearance, and char disappearance occur marginally earlier in the higher heating rate at 100 °C/min compared to the lower heating rate of 20 °C/min. The findings herein indicate the heating rate influences the behaviour of the coating and requires further investigation using additional characterisation techniques. <br/
Incidence and risk factors for glaucoma and its clinical, mental health and economic impact in an elderly population: a longitudinal study
No full textObjectives To investigate the incidence and determinants of glaucoma in an elderly Chinese population, and clinical, mental health and economic impacts.Design This nationally representative, longitudinal study assessed self-reported 6-year (from 2011 to 2018) incident glaucoma diagnosis by a physician and measured biological, clinical and socioeconomical participant characteristics at baseline and endline.Setting In the first stage, 150 county-level units from across China were randomly selected with a probability-proportional-to-size sampling technique from a frame containing all county-level units nationwide. The sample was stratified by region and within region by urban district or rural county and per capita gross domestic product. The final sample of 150 counties included 30 out of 31 provinces and autonomous regions in China.Participants Consenting, community-dwelling Chinese persons aged 50 years and older.Primary and secondary outcome measures Incident glaucoma incidence (primary), factors associated with incident glaucoma (secondary), impact of glaucoma (secondary).Results Among 9973 individuals, 3.4% reported a glaucoma diagnosis between 2011 and 2018; Central China had the highest incidence (3.95%) and Eastern China the lowest (2.64%) between 2011 and 2018. Those diagnosed with glaucoma during 2011 and 2018 were of older age (beta coefficient: 0.050, 95% CI: 0.001, 0.001, p<0.001), had higher prevalence of diabetes (beta coefficient: 0.049, 95% CI: 0.028, 0.032, p<0.001), hypertension (beta coefficient: 0.019, 95% CI: 0.006, 0.008, p<0.001), smoking (beta coefficient: 0.029, 95% CI: 0.004, 0.020, p=0.004), alcohol consumption (beta coefficient: 0.026, 95% CI: 0.002, 0.017, p<0.009) and illiteracy (beta coefficient: −0.057, 95% CI: −0.030, –0.015, p<0.001). Logistic regression models showed significant association between incidence of the following characteristics and baseline glaucoma: poor self-reported distance vision (beta coefficient: 1.106, 95% CI: 0.701, 1.511, p<0.001), having hypertension (beta coefficient: 0.545, 95% CI: 0.496, 0.593, p<0.001), having diabetes (beta coefficient: 0.388, 95% CI: 0.326, 0.449, p<0.001), not having obesity (beta coefficient: −0.184, 95% CI: −0.239, –0.129, p<0.001) and lower mean value of health utility score of residents’ quality of life (beta coefficient: −0.040, 95% CI: −0.006, 0.776, p<0.001).Conclusions Glaucoma incidence rate varies among geographical regions in China. Several risk factors for incident glaucoma were identified. In addition, glaucoma was found to be associated with multiple physical and psychosocial outcomes. Targeted public health strategies are needed, emphasising early detection and better vision care, to alleviate the burden of glaucoma and improve well-being.<br/
Policy brief: Self-harm & suicide in Northern Ireland: New evidence from linked administrative data
No full textThe information presented in this policy brief summarises findings from five published research papers by researchers based within the Administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland (ADRC NI, part of ADR Northern Ireland). These used whole population-wide linked administrative data to better understand who in Northern Ireland is most at risk of self-harm, self-harm/suicidal ideation, and death by suicide, in order to help inform policy and practice
Suicidal ideation and suicide risk in Northern Ireland
No full textThis project utilised Northern Ireland's unique National Registry of Self-Harm and Suicidal Ideation to address a critical gap in our understanding about emergency department presentations with suicidal or self-harm ideation and subsequent risk of death. The findings have informed clinical guidance documents and are feeding into policy discussions about suicide prevention strategies, including the All-Party Group on Suicide Prevention.The research revealed that individuals presenting to emergency departments with suicidal ideation face a tenfold increased risk of subsequent suicide death, with 12% of all suicide deaths having previously presented with ideation. The study is currently informing the development of standardised guidelines for managing suicidal ideation presentations in emergency departments.This project was conducted by Administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland (ADRC NI, part of ADR Northern Ireland) and explored the following research questions:Who is most likely to present to emergency departments with suicidal ideation?What is the risk of suicide and other causes of death following presentation?What factors within people who present with ideation increase mortality risk?The project involved collaboration with the Public Health Agency and was supported by the Self-Harm Registry Steering Group, creating a strong evidence base for improving the identification of and support for individuals at risk of suicide
Placing knowledge equity at the heart of the UN Ocean Decade: an Early Career Researcher perspective
No full textOn the brink: mapping the last strongholds of the critically endangered flapper skate (Dipturus intermedius)
No full textThe flapper skate (Dipturus intermedius) is a Critically Endangered skate distributed throughout the NE Atlantic and requiring urgent conservation measures. Existing models of the flapper skate's distribution are not detailed enough to inform management. The aim of this study was to develop more highly resolved predictions of the skate's distribution across its range, building on existing studies to provide a comprehensive baseline for flapper skate presence. Location The NE Atlantic shelf region. A Bayesian spatial binomial GAMM was used to model the distribution of flapper skate across the NE Atlantic shelf. Following an exhaustive search of fisheries-independent DATRAS catch records, skate presence was modelled as a function of environmental covariates and AIS fishing pressure data. Skate presence was highest in coastal areas approximately 40–50 km from shore, where fishing pressure and benthic productivity were low. A smoother for the bathymetry variable indicated presence was highest at depths of 100–200 m. Regions with the highest predicted probability of occurrence included the north and west coasts of Scotland, and the west coast of Ireland near Counties Clare and Galway. In contrast, very low support was given for presence in the southern and central North Sea, likely reflecting historical population collapse, as well as in deeper offshore waters beyond the shelf. This study presents the first large-scale model of flapper skate presence across the NE Atlantic shelf that integrates both environmental and fishing pressure data, providing new baseline insights into habitat use in the North Sea and around Ireland. Three core regions of presence were identified, likely reflecting natural refugia from fishing and critical habitats (EFHs). Future research should prioritise these strongholds, focusing on identifying critical habitats to support focused management strategies.<br/
A SHapley Additive exPlanations-based data-driven approach for lithium-ion battery state of health estimation using ultrasound technology
No full textAccurate estimation of battery state of health (SoH) is essential for ensuring battery safety and stability. This article presents an interpretable data-driven framework that leverages ultrasonic technology for rapid SoH estimation. Specifically, an ultrasonic testing platform is developed, with a probe externally placed on the battery surface to transmit and receive signals. From the collected data, three key ultrasonic features (time of flight [ToF], signal maximum [Max], and signal minimum[Min]) are extracted to characterize the battery SoH. Four machine learning models are then employed to estimate the battery's SoH. Finally, the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method is applied to these models to identify the most important ultrasonic features for SoH estimation. Experimental results demonstrate that the random forest model achieves the highest accuracy in battery SoH estimation, with an R2 value of 0.97. The most important ultrasonic feature is time of flight, followed by Min and Max features. This indicates that the proposed method is highly effective and can be practically applied for battery SoH estimation. Furthermore, integrating the interpretable technique SHAP enhances the model's prediction interpretability and offers valuable insights into the relative importance of ultrasonic features, providing a reliable tool for battery health monitoring and diagnostics.<br/
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/