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The Persistent Shock of the Old: Making the case for the responsive development of artwork deploying historical museological display techniques.
No full textMy sculpture work and thesis investigate the potential of historical museological practices—particularly Victorian and Edwardian display technologies—in contemporary art-making and sculptural practice. I ask three central questions: how can the collection and display of natural history materials be ethically defended in the present day; how might traditional exhibition orthodoxies be reconfigured to privilege the prosaic, domestic, and handmade over the novel and precious; and what role does the idiosyncratic and beautiful play in narrating material stories within an ethical, Anthropocene-aware framework?The study employs a practice-led methodology combining iterative art-making, critical reflection, and active fieldwork. Working from a studio in Somerset, UK, I develop sculptural assemblages primarily from ethically sourced and found materials, using journalling, drawing, and audience engagement to test emerging ideas. Each of the three thesis chapters addresses a distinct focus—the collection of nature, the collection of small things, and the habitat diorama—examining how these museological forms, though historically outmoded, retain communicative potential. Through close dialogue with scholarship on museum theory, memory, and material culture, the research reappraises these models as productive frameworks for contemporary artistic inquiry. The findings demonstrate that the auratic qualities of the museum display model can be critically reappropriated to engage with the ethical and ecological tensions they once obscured. Moreover, the material and conceptual constraints imposed by an ethically and low-carbon mode of art production are shown to enhance, rather than diminish, the communicative power of sculptural practice. The thesis thus contributes to ongoing debates surrounding the ethics of display, sustainability in art-making, and the continuing resonanceof museological forms in shaping cultural memory and contemporary visual discourse
Temporal linkages of explosive activity of Kolumbo and Santorini Volcanoes (Greece)
No full textThe histories of submarine explosive volcanoes are commonly poorly known due to inaccessibility of their eruptive archives. This raises uncertainties in the eruption frequencies of these highly hazardous systems, and in their interactions with neighboring volcanoes. The submarine Kolumbo Volcanic Chain (KVC) northeast of Santorini is made up of the polygenetic Kolumbo Volcano and a linear zone of more than 20 smaller volcanic cones and is one of the most active eruptive centers on the South Aegean Volcanic Arc. However, despite the destructive eruption of Kolumbo in 1650 CE, and unrest in 2024–2025, the eruptive history of the KVC is poorly known. International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 398 deep-drilled the seafloor at two sites on the western flank of Kolumbo. Here, we use tephrostratigraphy to identify 19 explosive eruptions of the KVC (probably mostly Kolumbo itself) ranging from basaltic andesite to rhyolite in composition and beginning at ca. 265 ka. The lifespan-averaged recurrence time of explosive activity along the KVC is ~6 k.y. (but as low as ~1 k.y. between 178 ka and 164 ka), although many of these eruptions were smaller than that of 1650 CE. The birth of Kolumbo coincided with the transition of Santorini to highly explosive activity, possibly due to joint interactions with regional lithospheric stresses. Moreover, the three main phases of edifice construction at Kolumbo (ca. 265–193 ka, 24 ka, and 0.4 ka) broadly correspond to periods of caldera-forming eruptions at Santorini, reflecting additional couplings between the two volcanic systems on shorter time scales
Direct and indirect metal contamination of estuarine sediments by boat paint particles
Full text linkSurface and subsurface estuarine sediments close to a cluster of abandoned boats have been fractionated (between \u3c250 and 5000 μm) and analysed microscopically for paint particles. Paints were encountered in all samples, with concentrations calculated for whole sediment samples up to 1450 per kg (dry weight). X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis of paint particles retained by the coarsest (\u3e5000 μm) size fraction revealed heterogeneous concentrations of Ba, Cu, Pb, Sn and Zn that reflect pigments and antifoulants used in various recent and historical antifouling and above waterline boat paints. Analysis of sediments by XRF revelated heterogeneous distributions of these metals between locations, size fractions and depths, and among replicate measurements at different positions of the same sample. Consequently, no relationship with grain size (evaluated using Rb as a proxy) was evident and concentrations often greatly exceeded predicted effect levels for sediments. Re-analysis of sediments after paint particles had been manually removed revealed no statistical difference in median concentrations for Cu, Pb and Zn but significantly lower concentrations for Ba and Sn. This suggests that paint particles contribute directly to the contamination of sediment by Ba and Sn, but indirectly, through leaching and adsorption, to contamination by Cu, Pb and Zn. These two types of association have implications for metal persistence and bioavailability in sediment, and raise questions about how sediment quality should be assessed in the presence of particulate contaminants
Contingent value of coopetition in business clusters from a resource-based view: A moderated-mediation model
No full textThis study examines how perceived cluster resource attractiveness (PCRA) shapes coopetition among co-located firms and how coopetition translates those resource perceptions into knowledge sharing and innovation. Building on the resource-based view, we model coopetition as the mechanism through which managers leverage valuable, unique, and complementary cluster resources into firm outcomes, and we theorize that engagement mode in cluster activities conditions this translation. Using survey data from 221 firms in a business cluster, we estimate a moderated-mediation model with regression and corroborate the results with a latent-variable SEM robustness check. Findings show that PCRA increases coopetition, and coopetition in turn enhances both knowledge sharingand innovation. However, the indirect effects depend on participation type: formal participation attenuates the coopetition to outcome link, especially for innovation, informal participation is directionally positive but statistically non-significant, and an aggregate participation robustness test confirms attenuation when firms engage in formalized participation. The study introduces PCRA as an operationalization of cluster-level resource heterogeneity, positions coopetition as an RBV-consistent mechanism, and identifies governance-based boundaryconditions limiting the returns to coopetition. Practically, managers should leverage informal ties and selective formal involvement to convert cluster resources into knowledge and innovation while avoiding overformalization that can dampen coopetitive gains
Agglomeration dynamics and firm typologies in African port-industrial clusters: Evidence from the port of Tema, Ghana
No full textFirm-level behaviour within port-industrial clusters shapes regional competitiveness, yet empirical evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa remains scarce. This study analyses how firms within the Port of Tema industrial cluster in Ghana engage with collaboration, resource access, and innovation dynamics, applying evolutionary, institutional, and network-relational perspectives. A cross-sectional survey of 278 firms within a 10-km radius of the port was analysed using K-means clustering and validated through ANOVA and Chi-square tests. Four firm typologies were identified: Collaborative Integrators, who leverage cooperation to achieve superior market and financial access; Dynamic Coopetitors, balancing competitive and cooperative ties; Competitive Innovators, maintaining selective engagement; and Isolated Peripherals, largely excluded from cluster networks. Findings reveal that relational and institutional proximity, rather than physical infrastructure, are the primary differentiators of firm performance within the cluster. The results challenge infrastructure-centric development paradigms, suggesting that once a baseline capacity is reached, competitiveness depends on trust-based collaboration and inclusive governance. The study extends port-cluster theory into an African context and highlights the need for policy frameworks that strengthen inter-firm coordination, social capital, and financial inclusion to unlock cluster potential
Real-World Testing of an Artificial Intelligence Conversational Agent as an Early Intervention and Support Tool in the Mental Health Referral Care Pathway: A Mixed-Methods Study
No full textBackground: The incidence of mental health concerns is growing, and demand for support is exceeding service capacity.Digital tools can provide additional support but risk causing harm if not delivered safely.Aims: We aimed to establish real-world evidence of the impact of an artificial intelligence-based mental healthconversational agent (Wysa) on depression and anxiety in patients waiting for Talking Therapies treatment.Methods: A mixed-methods randomized controlled trial was conducted with patients referred to Talking Therapies inthe Central and Northwest London NHS Foundation Trust. The primary outcome was change in depression severityover 12weeks between groups; secondary outcomes included anxiety severity, quality of life, safety, engagement, andapp usage. Comparative analyses used linear regression; thematic analysis was conducted on qualitative data.Results: 2,161 patients were screened, 625 were invited, 99 consented, and 76 were randomized (2:1). Thirty patientswere lost to follow-up. Descriptive analysis found that mean differences in depression were similar between arms, butwith large standard deviations (M=2.62, SD=5.07 and 6.56 for Wysa; M=2.59, SD=4.38 and 3.82 for control). Resultswere similar for secondary outcomes. Wysa was potentially helpful, easy to use, and appreciated as an accessible sourceof support, but limitations with the conversational agent negatively affected engagement.Conclusions: Although sample size limited the analysis, participant feedback highlighted its potential to supplementclinical services. Our study findings suggest that the change of depression score is similar in both arms thus indicatingthat there is no evidence that Wysa treats depression in this study. However, limited sample size could have influencedthis. Key lessons to improve the quality of effectiveness studies of digital health technologies were identified
Growth in the margins: Field measured protein metabolism rates in the common limpet, Patella vulgata
No full textIntertidal shores are characterised by a high variability in abiotic conditions, resulting in marked daily, tidal, seasonal and vertical differences in stress conditions, yet our ability to understand the consequences for key physiological processes at corresponding scales are limited. In particular, no previous studies have directly measured protein metabolism, the key process underpinning animal growth, in the field, in any organism. We measured whole-animal (SGR) and tissue (TSGR) mass growth, protein metabolism (synthesis (ks), degradation (kd) and growth (kg)), RNA to protein ratios and oxidative stress in Patella vulgata in the field every season during a year, at three different shore heights. There were significant seasonal variations in TSGR, protein metabolism, RNA to protein ratios, and oxidative stress. ks was highest in spring, whereas kg peaked in summer and was lower in spring due to increased kd. TSGR were higher in spring/summer compared to winter/autumn, whereas no seasonal differences were found in SGR. Oxidative stress peaked in spring and was at its lowest in winter, in line with other metabolic processes. Gamete production in P. vulgata has been associated with shell growth rate decreases. Current differences observed between juveniles and adults suggest that reproductive cycle could also drive seasonal variations in protein metabolism and TSGR in P. vulgata. Shore height had a significant effect on oxidative stress, with higher lipid peroxidation levels in high shore animals. This study demonstrates how spatial and temporal variations in different aspects of protein metabolism underpin organismal growth in the field
The Development of Collaborative Relationships between Disaster Relief NGOs: Barriers and Solutions
No full textCollaborative responses amongst disaster relief NGOs can be more effective in delivering aid when compared with responses conducted individually. Collaboration enables the sharing of resources, expertise, personnel, and funding, resulting in more efficient aid distribution in the wake of natural disasters. However, current research highlights that it is often challenging for NGOs to establish and sustain collaborative relationships due to different barriers. The challenges these barriers cause have been explored in previous research, but limited attention has been given with respect to how these can be addressed. Additionally, there is a lack of understanding of the relationships between these barriers, and whether barriers can influence, or be influenced by, one another. Consequently, this research identifies the most important and influential barriers to collaboration amongst disaster relief NGOs, and how these can be approached and overcome. Following a traditional literature review, a systematic literature review of 71 articles is conducted to summarise the existing knowledge surrounding the barriers to NGO collaboration, and to identify those most frequently explored. Indeed, due to the number of such barriers, it is not feasible to address all of them directly in one study, and so this study focuses on the ten barriers most frequently discussed in the literature. Using the opinions of NGO leaders, a DEMATEL-based questionnaire is then used to explore the relationships amongst these ten barriers and classify them into cause and effect groups, and to unveil those with the highest level of importance and influence. Communication and Trust are revealed as the two most important barriers, and Different Goals and Cultural Differences as the two most influential. Alongside this, the NGO leaders’ opinions regarding the most significant barrier for their own organisation are also gathered. Of these, communication was the most frequently stated barrier. In the final phase, semi-structured interviews explore how the most important and influential barriers can be approached. The interview transcripts produced were analysed thematically, unveiling 17 strategies and supportive facilitators to address the barriers. These are classified into four strategic dimensions, of which three pertain to organisational-level actions, and one pertaining to sector-level actions. This culminates in the development of a new and important strategy-based framework to illustrate how these strategies and facilitators build NGOs’ collaborative capacities. The practical implications of this study are significant; chiefly, it provides important strategies for NGOs and humanitarian practitioners to overcome prominent collaboration barriers and improve their capacity to develop sustainable collaborative relationships, enabling them to respond more successfully to disasters. The study also offers significant contributions to theory, being the first to explore the cause and effect relationships between collaboration barriers and how they can influence one another, rather than treating them as standalone challenges. It also contributes to theory through the development of the new strategy-based framework for classifying the identified strategies and supportive facilitators
Next-Generation Virtual Environment Training for Cybersecurity in the Maritime Logistics Industry: A Position Paper
No full textThe maritime logistics industry is the most dependent on it in the modern world, yet it is not well protected against cyber risks. Recently, the maritime industry has been transitioning into industry-specific tech, and threats of cyberattacks are increasing as the adoption of technology and automation continues. One of the most effective methods to protect industries and ships from such security incidents, is to train seafarers to mitigate and handle such incidents. However, to the best of our knowledge, we did not find anything that addresses this gap. This article will present the idea and benefits of using virtual environments for next-generation maritime skill development and its ideal method of executing it. We will be discussing the use of virtual reality, the factors behind security incidents, its syllabus design philosophy, target users, and experiments. The purpose of this article is to serve as a preliminary research and outline while positioning our project titled: Next generation of maritime skill development: future problems and technologies. This positioning paper could produce a work that can be the test bed and platform to guide other projects and for future similar projects to be built upon, with the hope of seeing future works dive deeper into the specifics of virtual training program research, regardless of discipline
The Effectiveness of Digital Therapeutics Intervention in Oral Anticoagulation Management: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
No full textObjective: To summarize the key intervention characteristics and evaluate the effectivenessand safety of digital therapeutics (DTx) in patients receiving oral anticoagulation, witheffectiveness evaluated using time in therapeutic range (TTR), thromboembolic events (TEE),and mortality, and safety evaluated based on bleeding events.Patients and Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the CochraneLibrary from inception to June 20, 2025, and identified ten randomized controlled trialsinvolving 7,237 patients. The criteria required studies to assess software-based DTxsupporting anticoagulation management and report effectiveness or safety outcomes. Studyquality was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development,and Evaluation (GRADE) framework, and random-effects models were applied.Results: DTx interventions were associated with a lower incidence of major bleeding thanusual care; no clear differences in TTR, TEE, or mortality. Evidence quality ranged from verylow to high. Secondary analyses showed more INR testing with DTx; rehospitalization ratesdid not differ significantly between groups. Sensitivity analysis changed TTR effect afterexcluding a study with enhanced control, but other outcomes remained unchanged.Conclusion: DTx interventions for anticoagulation management improve safety outcomes,particularly reducing major bleeding, and with greater monitoring intensity. Larger, long-termtrials are needed to confirm the clinical benefits and evaluate cost-effectiveness.Trial Registration: PROSPERO (CRD420251107441