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Sustainable chemistry and chemical engineering for education, outreach, and recruitment: a viewpoint from the Emerald Isle
No full textEmbedding sustainability across teaching, outreach, and access can inspire students from diverse backgrounds, strengthen recruitment, and future-proof chemistry and engineering education
Assessing the success of a horizon scanning approach in predicting invasive non‐native species arrival
No full textDespite increasing awareness of invasive non‐native species (INNS) and enhanced biosecurity controls in many countries, INNS are still arriving and establishing in new destinations, remaining a globally acknowledged threat to native biodiversity. Preventing the introduction of INNS, as opposed to controlling them once they have arrived, is recognised as the most effective approach to their management. Horizon scanning represents one of the key tools to identify high‐risk INNS that have yet to arrive within a region and has been applied in many contexts around the world, but to date there have been no studies that systematically assess the effectiveness of this approach. Here, we revisit the horizon scan for Great Britain conducted in 2013 that assessed the likelihood of high‐risk INNS arriving within the next 10 years, establishing and having an impact on biodiversity and ecosystems. We evaluated the success of this exercise in predicting arrival of these species within the subsequent 10 years. Ninety‐two species were shortlisted in the 2013 horizon scan. In total, 31 of the 92 species identified in the 2013 horizon scan had arrived by 2023. We found that 12 of the top 20 species had arrived within 10 years. In predicting arrival, there was a significant effect of species having arrived previously to Great Britain, and the number of countries in Western Europe and Baltic countries in which an INNS was found prior to 2013. Policy implications : We conclude that horizon scanning provides a rapid, affordable and successful mechanism to predict the arrival of high‐risk INNS. We highlight the importance of citizen science, including biological recording, and of local expertise for detecting and documenting arrival of INNS. We discuss knowledge gaps that could help inform and improve future horizon scanning. In addition, we recommend regularly repeating horizon scanning exercises to support biosecurity and awareness raising for INNS
A scoping review of interventions to target anxiety in autistic adolescents
No full textAutistic adolescents experience anxiety at a higher rate than their non-autistic peers. A scoping review was conducted to explore what interventions have been examined in addressing anxiety in autistic adolescents. The present study utilised methodological guidelines for scoping reviews outlined by PRISMA. PsychINFO, Web of Science and ERIC were subject to a systematic search in February 2024. From an initial identification of 2,795 reports, 18 were included in the study based on the presence of: both pre- and post-quantitative measures of anxiety; the implementation of a specified intervention; and a sample of autistic adolescents. Categories of interventions, intervention efficacy and measures used to establish efficacy were explored. Findings suggest that the currently available studies are inadequate in terms of methodology: including sample size; lack of appropriate standardised measures; and follow-up. Implications for professionals are discussed.<br/
Corrigendum to "Dissolvable microarray patches of levodopa and carbidopa for Parkinson's disease management" [Eur. J. Pharm. Biopharm. 199 (2024) 114304]
No full textHydrodynamic and power performance of a V-shaped floating wind-wave integrated system based on multi-field coupling
No full textWith the continuous growth of the global economy, energy security and climate change issues are increasingly receiving widespread attention from the international community, further highlighting the importance of renewable energy. Currently, various marine renewable energy systems, represented by Floating Offshore Wind Turbines (FOWTs) and Wave Energy Converters (WECs), have progressed from concept validation and prototype sea trials to demonstration projects and pilot deployments. To further enhance the power generation, optimize the system's dynamic performance, and reduce the construction and operation costs of floating offshore wind turbine systems, this study proposes and analyzes a wind-wave integrated system. This system integrates a 5 MW V-shaped FOWT with an array of Salter's Duck Wave Energy Converters (SD WECs). The integrated system effectively captures wave energy generated by the relative motion between the wind turbine and wave energy devices through a Power Take-Off (PTO) system. Under various typical sea conditions, the study first established a numerical simulation model of this integrated system using ANSYS-AQWA software. Subsequently, a multi-field coupled dynamic analysis, encompassing aerodynamic, hydrodynamic, servo-control, and elastic structural aspects, was conducted based on the open-source code F2A, to deeply investigate the integrated system's dynamic characteristics and energy output performance. The research findings provide important theoretical basis and technical support for the efficient development and utilization of marine renewable energy
Selecting measures of visual function to classify diabetic retinopathy status: a cross-sectional study
No full textAim: To identify combinations of up to three visual function tests with the best performance for classifying diabetic retinopathy (DR) severity stage. To describe in detail the measurements from a comprehensive set of visual function tests. Methods: 1901 eyes (1032 participants) underwent nine visual function tests. Fundus, ultra-widefield and optical coherence tomography images were graded for DR and diabetic macular oedema (DMO). Three classification tasks were set: (1) distinguishing diabetes mellitus (DM) no DR from healthy with no DM, (2) DR no DMO from DM no DR and (3) DR with DMO from DR no DMO. Ensemble machine learning models for all one-way, two-way and three-way combinations of visual function variables were compared using area under the curve (AUC). Results: The top 30 models for each task achieved high accuracy, with AUC ≥0.94. For task 1, 17/30 top models contained distance visual acuity. Pelli-Robson contrast sensitivity and low luminance visual acuity also featured highly. For task 2, 19/30 models contained mesopic microperimetry. Near visual acuity, matrix microperimetry and reading index featured highly. For task 3, 17/30 models contained distance visual acuity. Smith-Kettlewell low luminance near visual acuity and near visual acuity featured highly. In a subset of eyes where perimetry was not performed, reading index featured in 22, 21 and 22 of the top models for tasks 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Conclusions: These findings will enable researchers and those planning clinical trials to select the best combination of visual function tests for distinguishing stages of diabetic eye disease
The social ecology of adolescent mental health in humanitarian settings
No full textThe social-ecological context of adolescent mental health, particularly adolescents living through humanitarian crises, is understudied. There is a pressing need for such research to inform the development of contextualised systemic interventions for this population. This study investigated the social ecological stressors and risk- and protective-factors experienced by adolescents and their families in crisis-hit Lebanonto inform a contextually grounded systemic psychosocial support intervention. A whole-family systems approach grounded in the Social-Ecological Model was usedwith a qualitative design to capture the lived experiences of dolescents. Interviews were conducted with 46 Lebanese and Syrian adolescents (48% female, mean age = 13.8 years, SD = 1.65), their families (N = 42 caregivers, 60% mothers), andexperienced providers (N = 5) in Lebanon. Transcripts were analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis which highlighted six interconnected themes (25 sub-themes) that characterised the life experience of adolescents at each identified systems level.Themes ranged from adolescent mental health and interpersonal relationships to living conditions and access to basic human rights and services. Gender and nationality exerted cross-cutting influences across themes. Findings are discussed drawing on social ecology, systems theory, and liberation psychology. Results highlight a clear need for interventions to involve families and caregivers, and consider adolescents in their social ecological contexts. This approach could better address the needs ofadolescents, by supporting adolescent development, enhancing mental health andwell-being, reducing community and social isolation, and, more broadly, advocating for social equity, justice, and human rights
Responses of rumen bacterial microflora to aflatoxin B1 challenge: potential roles of AHLs/AI-2 mediated quorum sensing
No full textBackgroundAs a universal cell-to-cell communication mode in the diverse microbial communities, quorum sensing (QS) has been discovered in the ruminal microbiome and supposed to play a significant role in feed digestion and microorganism adaptation during rumen fermentation. Besides, the mycotoxin aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) has been reported to cause rumen dysbacteriosis and alter the abundance of some specific ruminal bacteria that possess the QS-related genes. Threfore, we hypothesized that QS is involved in the responses of rumen bacterial microbiota to AFB1 exposure, and employed the rumen simulation technique (RUSITEC) to investigate the potential roles of QS in the AFB1-induced shifts in ruminal microbiota and relevant metabolisms.ResultsAFB1 raised ruminal pH and NH3-N concentration, but decreased total volatile fatty acid (TVFA) production, the molar proportions of acetate, propionate, butyrate, isobutyrate, valerate, isovalerate, and the disappearance of acid detergent fiber (ADF). The concentrations of QS signaling molecules including AI-2, C4-HSL, C6-HSL, and 3-oxo-C6-HSL were reduced by AFB1, whereas the microbial protein and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were unchanged. The copy numbers of Ruminococcus flavefaciens, methanogens, and fungi dropped, while the density of Selenomonas ruminantium rose in response to AFB1. LEfSe analysis showed that the species of unclassified_Prevotella, UCG_004_bacterium_YGB2007, Cenchrus americanus, uncultured_rumen_bacterium affiliated to the class Kiritimatiella, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, and Anaerovibrio_sp_JC8 were differentially enriched in the rumen liquid of different treatments, whilst another uncultured_rumen_bacterium was the only distinctively enriched species in the rumen solid. Further, the metabolomics analysis indicated that ascorbate and aldarate metabolism, histidine metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, pyruvate metabolism, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, and arginine and proline metabolism were the commonly differential metabolic pathways. As illustrated by the Spearman analysis, the AI-2 and C6-HSL were positively correlated with the volatile fatty acids (VFAs), and C6-HSL was positively correlated with the copy numbers of Selenomonas ruminantium and Ruminococcus flavefaciens. Moreover, the positive or negative interconnections between the QS signal molecules and the relative abundances of differential bacterial taxa were also exhibited.ConclusionsThe present RUSITEC fermentation study revealed the potential involvements of AHLs/AI-2 mediated QS in the fluctuations of ruminal microbes and relevant rumen metabolisms under the AFB1 challenge, which could lead to the overall impairment of ruminal microbial fermentation. Future studies are necessitated to elucidate and testify the mechanisms of those correlations discovered in the current trial
Co-designed unguided internet cognitive behaviour therapy for grief in adolescence: a pilot randomised controlled trial
No full textThis pilot trial aimed to evaluate feasibility and acceptability of co-designed unguided internet CBT for grief. Efficacy was assessed for anxiety (primary outcome), well-being, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and prolonged grief (secondary outcomes), relative to four-week wait-list control. There were 88 participants, M age = 16.95 years, SD = 1.45, who had experienced the death of a person (n = 72; 81.82%) or other loss (e.g. parental divorce; n = 16; 18.81%). Participants were randomised to intervention (n = 49; 55.68%), or waitlist control (n = 39; 44.31%). Outcome measures included the Revised Children’s Anxiety and Depression Scale, Prolonged Grief Disorder Scale Revised, Children’s Revised Impact of Events Scale, and the WHO-5 Well-Being Index. Findings suggest good feasibility, with acceptable recruitment and attrition (n = 9; 18.37% of 49 intervention participants at post-intervention). While no differences in anxiety, depression, PTSD, or prolonged grief were observed between intervention and waitlist control post-intervention, there was a significant small between groups effect on well-being in favour of intervention. There was a significant within group reduction for intervention participants in anxiety, depression and PTSD at follow-up. Acceptability was high, 97% (n = 33 of 34 completers) liked the program, however uptake was moderate.<br/
Parental attitudes and digital parenting in the early years: development and validation of the PADTS Scale
No full textBackgroundThis paper reports on the development and validation of the 15-item Parental Attitudes to Digital Technology Scale (PADTS), a brief, psychometrically validated measure assessing parents' beliefs confidence, and concerns about their very young children's use of digital technologies.MethodDeveloped as part of the UK-wide Toddlers, Tech and Talk (TTT) study, PADTS addresses a gap in existing research by focusing on children from birth to 3 years, a stage often overlooked in digital parenting literature. Co-developed with parents and early years experts, the scale was tested with a nationally balanced UK sample (N = 934).ResultsExploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a four-factor structure: perceived risks, perceived learning benefits, parental confidence and technology-related anxiety. The PADTS showed strong model fit and measurement invariance across parent gender, ethnicity and region, with some variation by child age. Correlational analyses indicated that benefits, perceptions and confidence were associated with supportive digital parenting, while anxiety was more weakly linked.ConclusionPADTS shows potential as a practical tool for researchers, practitioners and policy-makers and may support a more nuanced understanding of how parental attitudes shape early digital experiences.<br/