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Corrigendum to "Epithelial head and neck cancer survival in Europe: Geographical variation, time trends and long term survival" Eur J Cancer 229 (October) (2025) 115692
No full textPhoton FLASH spares radiation-induced changes in cardiac function, remodelling and arrythmia in a preclinical model
No full textIntroductionPreclinical studies have demonstrated the ability of FLASH irradiation to expand the therapeutic window by sparing normal tissues. The heart is a critical organ at risk in patients receiving radiotherapy for thoracic cancers. This study aimed to quantify the cardiac sparing effects of photon FLASH delivered as single (FLASH) or FLASH split dose (FSD) exposures.MethodsFemale C57BL/6 mice were irradiated with 18.5 ± 0.6 Gy delivered to the whole heart using a FLASH-SARRP (Xstrahl Life Sciences, UK) at a dose rate of 85.6 ± 1.6 Gy/s (isocentre dose rate 75.9 ± 1.5 Gy/s). Comparative studies were undertaken using 18.6 ± 0.4 Gy delivered using two consecutive pulses (FSD) at an average dose rate of 2.8 ± 0.9 Gy/s, and with 20.1 ± 0.5 Gy using a conventional SARRP at a dose rate of 3.4 ± 0.2 Gy/min (CONV). Transthoracic echocardiography was performed at 10 and 30 weeks with supporting histology and analysis of serum biomarkers 30 weeks post irradiation.ResultsIn comparison to CONV and FSD exposures, FLASH significantly reduced radiation-induced loss of cardiac function, cardiac remodelling and arrythmia 30 weeks after irradiation. These observations were supported by reduced myocardial fibrosis, cardiac injury biomarkers and inflammatory cytokines.ConclusionsThis study highlights the ability of photon FLASH to preserve cardiac function and structure from radiation damage with the level of sparing dependent on average dose rate and beam structure.<br/
Bronchial epithelial cell-derived extracellular vesicles drive inflammasome activation and NTHi infection in COPD
No full textExtracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid-membrane bound vesicles that can be beneficial or detrimental depending on the content they carry. As epithelial cells are the first line of defense against harmful particles, this work explored the role of bronchial epithelial cell-derived EVs (CepEVs) in the pathogenesis and progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). RNA sequencing of macrophages stimulated with CepEVs revealed the upregulation of various inflammasome-related genes, alongside significant IL-1b and IL-18 release, which could be attenuated with caspase-1 or NLRP3 inhibition. The proteome of CepEVs was also assessed, which highlighted a significant reduction in antibacterial proteins compared to healthy EVs (HepEVs). When functionally assessed in NTHi infection of THP-1 cells, pre-incubation with HepEVs stimulated NTHi clearance and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine release by macrophages, which was reduced in CepEV-stimulated cells. This study shows for the first time that CepEVs are able to both prime and activate the inflammasome in healthy macrophages, and highlights EV-induced inflammasome inhibition as a potential therapeutic target for the dysregulated inflammation seen in COPD. Alongside the inflammasome, we were also able to show that CepEVs are deficient for multiple antibacterial proteins, and that one or more of these proteins are essential in mounting an immune response against NTHi in macrophages. This finding contributes to a potential therapeutic pipeline through the supplementation of the depleted antibacterial proteins in CepEVs, allowing for efficient bacterial clearance and reduced consequential inflammatory burden. CepEV co-incubation resulted in a persistent state of inflammation and infection. Both sets of findings contribute to the overall knowledge of COPD pathogenesis, and highlight epithelial EVs as key players in the propagation of inflammation and susceptibility to infection
Participatory research with children and young people: a systematic umbrella review
No full textThis umbrella review synthesizes findings from 16 systematic reviews focused on participatory research with children and young people (CYP), specifically examining outcomes, methodological approaches and ethical considerations. The evidence demonstrates that youth participatory action research (YPAR) offers considerable benefits, including the enhancement of CYP's agency, leadership and skill development. It also contributes to building social connectedness and, in some instances, influences service provision and policy change. YPAR empowers CYP by positioning them as co-creators of knowledge rather than passive research subjects. However, the review also identifies enduring challenges that limit the full potential of YPAR. These include power imbalances between adults and CYP, ethical complexities related to participation and vulnerability and difficulties in sustaining engagement over time. A variety of participatory methods were reported across the included reviews, such as photovoice, digital storytelling, peer-led surveys and co-design workshops. These approaches support diverse forms of expression and allow CYP to participate in ways that reflect their strengths and interests. However, ethical concerns are prominent throughout the literature, particularly regarding informed consent, emotional risks and the tokenistic nature of involvement. The review stresses the importance of embedding ethical reflexivity into every stage of the research process, using tools like child-friendly information sheets and flexible, dialogic consent procedures. Furthermore, the review reveals the lack of long-term evaluations of participatory research practice with CYP, which limits understanding of its sustainability and broader impact on both individual participants and their communities. It also notes the fragmented nature of the field, with inconsistent definitions, variable methodological quality and limited cross-disciplinary collaboration. To maximise the transformative potential of YPAR, this review recommends the development of standardised frameworks, greater institutional support and a stronger focus on long-term impact. This synthesis offers important guidance for researchers, practitioners and policymakers aiming to advance ethical, inclusive and impactful research with CYP.<br/
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
Strategic narrative: its origins and evolution, its connection to public diplomacy, and some future paths
No full textNew developments and future challenges of non-destructive near-infrared spectroscopy sensors in the cheese industry
No full textNear-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy has emerged as a pivotal non-destructive analytical technique within the cheese industry, offering rapid and precise insights into the chemical composition and quality attributes of various cheese types. This review explores the evolution of NIR spectral sensors, highlighting key technological advancements and their integration into cheese production processes as well as final products already in markets. In addition, the review discusses challenges such as calibration complexities, the influence of sample heterogeneity and the need for robust data and interpretation models through spectroscopy coupled with AI methods. The future potential of NIR spectral sensors, including real-time in-line monitoring and the development of portable devices for on-site analysis, is also examined. This review aims to provide a critical assessment of current NIR spectral sensors and their impact on the cheese industry, offering insights for researchers and industry professionals aiming to enhance quality control and innovation in cheese production, as well as authenticity and fraud studies. The review concludes that the integration of advanced NIR spectroscopy with AI represents a transformative approach for the cheese industry, enabling more accurate, efficient and sustainable quality assessment practices that can strengthen both production consistency and consumer trust
Demand-driven server deployment for green computing power networks: a multi-objective hierarchical optimization approach
No full textComputing Power Networks (CPNs) have become an essential network architecture for supporting emerging applications, where an efficient server deployment scheme is critical to meeting growing demands. However, existing studies on server deployment schemes overlook the significant spatiotemporal variations in renewable energy availability and electricity prices, and inadequately consider network paths and task characteristics, ultimately leading to suboptimal decisions. To bridge this gap, this paper proposes a demand-driven server deployment scheme enabled by a spatiotemporal task scheduling strategy. Firstly, for the task scheduling scheme, we leverage a demand response program to perform triple selection of computing resources, routing paths, and forwarding time. Then, for the server deployment scheme, we obtain the computing resource demand of each CPN node based on the optimized scheduling decisions and further select energy-efficient servers with low procurement costs. Due to the interdependence between the scheduling and deployment schemes, a Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm (MOEA)-based hierarchical solution is developed to iteratively find the optimal deployment solution. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme significantly reduces carbon emissions and annual costs while increasing the proportion of green energy usage, outperforming benchmark methods. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of integrating scheduling and deployment for building efficient and sustainable CPN infrastructures
