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Designing an academic development programme to support the embedding of Education for Sustainable Development in the curriculum
Full text linkCost-effective data fusion in information retrieval
Full text linkData fusion has demonstrated its effectiveness in enhancing information retrieval across various studies. However, advanced fusion methods typically require a dataset with extensive relevance judgments to train optimal model weights, necessitating labor-intensive and costly manual efforts. This study explores efficient methods for generating training data to facilitate affordable relevance judgments and improve fusion model quality. Experiments conducted on six datasets from TREC’s Precision Medicine and Deep Learning tracks reveal that with careful sampling design, near-optimal fusion weights can be achieved using only 5% of the documents compared to the full TREC judgments. This translates to a dataset comprising 20 queries and 500 relevance-judged documents in total. The findings highlight the potential for sophisticated fusion techniques to become more accessible to researchers and practitioners, delivering substantial performance improvements with minimal judgment effort and cost
Preparation, characterisation, and testing of reservoir-based implantable devices loaded with tizanidine and lidocaine
Full text linkMultiple sclerosis is a chronic neuroimmunological disorder that causes progressive disability, primarily in young adults. It places a significant burden on healthcare systems due to high medication costs and long-term care needs. Implantable devices offer a promising alternative for delivering sustained drug doses in the treatment of chronic conditions. This study introduces a novel long-acting subcutaneous implant for dual-drug delivery: tizanidine (TZ) for spasticity management and lidocaine (LD) for post-insertion pain relief. Reservoir-type implants were developed with TZ in the core and LD in the shell. Two fabrication methods—direct compression and vacuum compression moulding (VCM)—were evaluated for TZ-loaded pellets (3 mm diameter, ~ 10 mm length) using TZ base and TZ hydrochloride. Pellets were encapsulated inside a biodegradable polycaprolactone (PCL) tubular membrane to control drug release. Direct compression pellets, made with poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) and hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin, disintegrated quickly, releasing TZ over 20 days. VCM pellets, formulated with PCL or PCL/poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), offered prolonged release: up to 200 days for TZ base and 80 days for TZ hydrochloride. Adding PEG accelerated TZ release, reducing duration to 20 days (TZ base) and 125 days (TZ hydrochloride). LD was incorporated into the PCL membrane, providing up to three days of sustained release. Physicochemical analysis confirmed formulation homogeneity and no covalent interactions. These findings highlight the potential of this implant system for MS-related spasticity management, supporting further research into long-acting implants to improve treatment adherence and patient outcomes.</p
Domain-specificity and the development of syntactic dependencies: the role of working memory in the acquisition of adjunct control
Full text linkThis study tests the predictions of domain-general and language-specific accounts for children’s interpretations of adjunct control, as in “John called Bill before running to the store.” While adults only allow a subject interpretation for these sentences – that John ran to the store – children have allowed non-subject interpretations at various rates across studies. In particular, we consider how these interpretations may arise due to incomplete working memory development. This contrasts with language-specific accounts (e.g. grammatical and pragmatic accounts), which predict that children’s adjunct control will resemble other structures which allow non-subject interpretations – for example, the referentially ambiguous subject pronoun in “John called Bill before he ran to the store.” Our results support a domain general account: adjunct control is predicted by working memory, and does not pattern with ambiguous pronouns. We consider the implications for a more fine-grained account of children’s interpretations, and for interactions between working memory development and language acquisition
Patterns and correlates of sedentary behavior and physical activity in individuals with Crohn’s disease: A cross-sectional study
Full text linkBackground Evidence suggests that being physically active could offer a range of benefits for people living with Crohn's disease. However, the extent to which physical activity may provide benefits in terms of quality of life, mental health, and well-being requires further elucidation. This study aimed to highlight patterns and explore the correlates of sedentary behavior and physical activity in individuals living with Crohn's disease. Methods Adults living with Crohn's disease from Ireland and the United Kingdom completed an online survey. Participants completed questions on: demographic characteristics; physical activity; sedentary behavior; Crohn's disease severity; quality of life; anxiety and depressive symptoms; and mental well-being. Multiple linear regression analysis explored the correlates of sedentary behavior and physical activity. Results One-hundred and eleven individuals (median age = 40.0 [31.0-48.0] years; 77% female) completed the survey. For sedentary behavior, median time was 9.14 (7.43-11.25) hours/day and the only significant correlate was age (β = -0.07, t(107) = -2.65, P = .01). For total physical activity, the quality of life physical health domain was the only significant correlate (β = 29.14, t(107)=2.53, P = .01). Conclusions Higher levels of sedentary behavior were associated with lower age, potentially due to the type of occupations of younger participants (ie, office-based jobs). Higher total physical activity levels were associated with higher quality of life physical health domain scores, which demonstrates the potential role physical activity might have in improving quality of life in individuals living with Crohn's disease. Both sedentary behavior and physical activity might be beneficial lifestyle variables to target for health improvement in this population.</p
Energy decarbonisation of wastewater treatment plants in Murcia- case study
Full text linkEnergy is a critical input for wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and a major source of greenhouse gasemissions. In the Region of Murcia, Spain, where precipitation is low and water resources are limited, a significant portion of treated wastewater is reused for agricultural irrigation. This necessitates advanced levels oftreatment, which are highly energy intensive. According to ISO 50001 guidelines on Energy Management Systems, it is essential for organisations to identify energy-intensive processes, reduce energy wastage, andimplement energy-efficient technologies to improve overall energy performance. In line with this, the currentstudy conducts an energy assessment of two WWTPs, Molina de Segura and Alcantarilla. This assessment,referred to as a Low-Carbon Polygeneration System (LCPS) analysis, includes (i) Evaluation of energy consumption and associated emissions, (ii) Identification of energy-intensive treatment stages and equipment, (iii)Assessment of renewable energy generation from sector-specific sources (e.g., hydropower from wastewater flowand biogas from sludge via anaerobic digestion), and (iv) Evaluation of non-sector-specific renewable energysources such as solar PV.The study further evaluates the techno-economic and environmental feasibility of these decarbonisationstrategies through multiple scenarios that reflect both current and projected future conditions. Solar PV is aviable option for energy generation, whereas hydropower technology remains limited due to the low hydraulichead (less than 1 m). The high investment cost of battery storage also restricts its use for energy storage. Thesechallenges could be mitigated by offering incentives, such as renewable energy subsidies to WWTPs
Multi-Camera Machine Learning for Salt Marsh Species Classification and Mapping
Full text linkAccurate classification of salt marsh vegetation is vital for conservation efforts and environmental monitoring, particularly given the critical role these ecosystems play as carbon sinks. Understanding and quantifying the extent and types of habitats present in Ireland is essential to support national biodiversity goals and climate action plans. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) equipped with optical sensors offer a powerful means of mapping vegetation in these areas. However, many current studies rely on single-sensor approaches, which can constrain the accuracy of classification and limit our understanding of complex habitat dynamics. This study evaluates the integration of Red-Green-Blue (RGB), Multispectral Imaging (MSI), and Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI) to improve species classification compared to using individual sensors. UAV surveys were conducted with RGB, MSI, and HSI sensors, and the collected data were classified using Random Forest (RF), Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM), and Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithms. The classification performance was assessed using Overall Accuracy (OA), Kappa Coefficient (k), Producer’s Accuracy (PA), and User’s Accuracy (UA), for both individual sensor datasets and the fused dataset generated via band stacking. The multi-camera approach achieved a 97% classification accuracy, surpassing the highest accuracy obtained by a single sensor (HSI, 92%). This demonstrates that data fusion and band reduction techniques improve species differentiation, particularly for vegetation with overlapping spectral signatures. The results suggest that multi-sensor UAV systems offer a cost-effective and efficient approach to ecosystem monitoring, biodiversity assessment, and conservation planning
From Rhetoric to Reality: Social Work Leading Change Through Learning and Implementing Community Development Approaches
Full text linkDespite a strong evidence base demonstrating the potential for community development approaches to promote positive social change in individuals, families and communities, the expansion of individualised casework in the UK in recent years, has led to the marginalisation of community development in social work practice and training. Drawing on an evaluation of a specialist community development training programme, the findings contribute to this evidence base, highlighting the key benefits of adopting a community development approach, as well as identifying challenges faced by social workers. Data from a synchronous survey of 39 social workers who successfully completed the programme indicates how their learning produced a mind-set shift, which enabled them to introduce new approaches, such as co-production and asset-based community development into their practice. This resulted in perceived community benefits such as grassroots leadership and empowerment. This paper makes recommendations to shift policy changes from rhetoric to reality
Safety Evaluation of Repeated Application of Polymeric Microarray Patches in Miniature Pigs
Full text linkThe safety of repeated microarray patch (MAP) application is crucial for its development as an innovative drug delivery platform. This study is the first to assess the safety of repeated applications of hydrogel-forming, dissolving, and implantable MAPs over four weeks using miniature pigs, an industry-standard dermatological model with human-like skin structure and physiological responses. Uniform MAPs are successfully manufactured, with application forces of 32 N/array resulting in less than 15% needle height reduction. ≈80% of the needle length penetrated Parafilm layers, while 40–60% penetrated excised porcine skin. Repeated MAP applications do not compromise skin barrier function, as confirmed by transepidermal water loss measurements, and caused no adverse skin reactions per modified Draize test results. Systemic safety assessments revealed no significant immune responses, allergic reactions, infections, or inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IgE, IgG, CRP, and IL-1β) between day 0 and day 28. No weight loss, infection signs, kidney toxicity, or clinically relevant hematological or biochemical changes are observed. Histopathological evaluations confirmed the absence of lesions or adverse effects. These findings establish the safety of repeated hydrogel-forming, dissolving, and implantable MAP applications, supporting their potential for safe, effective drug delivery and facilitating their translation from preclinical models to human clinical trials
Comorbidity and temporal associations between mental disorders among college students in the World Mental Health International College Student Initiative
Full text linkMental disorders are highly prevalent among students worldwide. This study aims to examine comorbidity and temporal associations between mental disorders among students. The study included 72,288 students from 18 countries as part of the World Mental Health International College Student (WMH-ICS) Initiative, with cross-sectional data collected between 2017 and 2023. Screening for common DSM-5 disorders was conducted using validated screening measures. Latent variables were examined using exploratory principal axis factor analysis on a correlation matrix among the lifetime mental disorders. Based on age-of-onset information, multivariable poisson regression models were used to examine associations of prior disorders with the first onset of other disorders. 27.0 % of students screened positive for only one lifetime disorder, 17.1 % for two, 10.9 % for three, and 10.6 % for 4+ disorders. In the factor analysis, three latent variables were found, comprising: internalizing disorders (generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive episode, post-traumatic stress disorder, and panic disorder), substance use disorders (drug use disorder and alcohol use disorder), and externalizing disorders (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and mania/hypomania). Prior internalizing and externalizing disorders were associated with the subsequent first onset of all other disorders with risk ratios ranging from 1.5-7.5. Substance use disorders were less consistently associated with the subsequent first onset of other disorders, but alcohol use disorder was associated with the first onset of drug use disorder and vice versa. Mental disorder comorbidity is common among students, and students with disorders across the internalizing and externalizing spectrum have an increased risk of future mental disorder comorbidities. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier B.V.