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Review of 'Whitney K. Taylor, The Social Constitution: Embedding Social Rights Through Legal Mobilization (Cambridge University Press 2023)'
No full textKirigami energy harvesters: on exploiting multi-modal and multidirectional vibration in aerospace structures
No full textKirigami piezoelectric metastructures for broadband and multidirectional vibration energy harvesting
No full textAdvancing V estimation from CPTu for engineering practice: a data-driven approach
No full textShear wave velocity, V s, is a critical parameter for offshore site characterisation to estimate the small strain shear modulus, which is essential for subsequent geotechnical designs. Direct measurements of V s are often sparse due to time and resource constraints, while indirect estimations of V s based on empirical correlations can exhibit significant errors. This study presents the performance of 125 models with various combinations of standard piezocone tests (CPTu) input features (e.g., depth, z; sleeve friction resistance, f s; corrected cone tip resistance, q t; and pore pressure at the shoulder of the cone, u 2), CPTu and V s data pairing methods, and prediction techniques (support vector regression (SVR), random forest regression (RFR), extreme gradient boosting regression (XGBR), deep neural network (DNN) and multiple linear regression (MLR)). To do this, we compile a seismic piezocone test (SCPTu) database from onshore and offshore sites across the globe (Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Nepal, and Taipei) and consider five different methods for pairing CPTu data (resolution of 0.02 m) and V s data (resolution of 0.5 m and 1 m depending on the dataset). Two cases consider the more conventional downsampling of CPTu data to V s data. The remaining three methods consider augmented V s data to the resolution of CPTu measurements, to fully utilise all the CPTu data. Results indicate that data augmentation enhances predictive performance. Incorporating pore pressure as an input feature also improves model performance, particularly in cemented materials such as chalk. In contrast, the derived features have a negligible influence. The recommended model combines a DNN with four directly measured CPTu parameters (z,f s,q t,and u 2), and uses an augmentation method that assumes constant V s values within each V s interval. This model achieves a mean absolute error (MAE) of 37.3 m/s and a coefficient of determination (R 2) of 0.59.</p
Controlled fabrication of highly ordered platinum nanostructures using pulsed electrodeposition
No full textPulsed potential (PP) electrodeposition was utilized for the first time to fabricate three-dimensional (3D) platinum (Pt) nanostructures within phytantriol-based double diamond cubic templates, both with or without 20 % w/w Brij-56 as a pore swelling agent. Unlike conventional direct potential (DP) deposition, the PP approach yielded Pt nanostructures with markedly enhanced uniformity and superior lattice ordering. Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) revealed that PP-grown structures exhibited sharp, well-defined Bragg peaks corresponding to lattice parameters of 134.2 ± 2.1 Å without Brij-56 and 236.7 ± 2.5 Å with 20 % w/w Brij-56, whereas DP-grown structures showed broader, less distinct peaks with smaller lattice parameter (130.7 ± 1.9 Å and 197.1 ± 2.8 Å, respectively). Notably, In-situ SAXS measurements provided real-time insights into the evolution of 3D Pt nanostructures, enabling direct monitoring of orientational and lateral ordering within the templated phases. High resolution SEM further confirmed the superior quality of PP-grown structures, revealing highly ordered 3D nanowire network with uniform pore sizes of 89.5 ± 1.3 (without Brij-56) and 102.0 ± 0.7 Å (with 20 % w/w Brij-56). Overall, these findings highlight the effectiveness of PP electrodeposition in mitigating structural inhomogeneities, establishing it as a powerful strategy for fabricating well-ordered 3D Pt nanostructures.</p
Supporting parent treatment decision-making in relapsed and refractory neuroblastoma: co-design of a web-based intervention
No full textBackground: parents of children diagnosed with relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma become involved in making treatment decisions for their child due to an absence of no standard treatment protocol with no clear treatment endpoints. Relapsed and refractory neuroblastoma is a poor-prognosis childhood cancer with varying treatment options available depending on their child’s response to treatment. As a result, parents in partnership with their child’s medical team make repeated treatment decisions over time. Research has shown how this decision-making is influenced by uncertainty of their child’s response to treatments and overall outcome, and parents’ emotional and cognitive adjustments. Having time to research and gather information has also shown to enable and inform parent involvement and responsibility within decision-making. An intervention to support parents can help them navigate these complex decisions aiding their cognitive, emotional, and practical needs to enable and inform their decision-making.Methods: intervention development followed the Medical Research Council Framework for developing complex intervention co-designed with a parent stakeholder group. A review of the literature and analysis of parent interviews informed the intervention. A one-off clinical advisory group was formed to review draft content. Intervention user testing was completed using cognitive think-aloud interviews.Results: a web-based intervention was developed to support and facilitate parent treatment decision-making in relapsed and refractory neuroblastoma. Co-design was iterative with a combination of ten face-to-face and virtual workshops to discuss and develop the website content, design, and layout. User testing was completed with seven parents and findings informed changes which included reformatting web pages, reducing text paragraphs for easier reading, creating additional webpages for ease of navigation of information and providing parent quotes for authenticity. Recommendations for intervention development using co-design are provided based on our experiences of using this approach.Conclusions: this is a disease specific intervention developed to support and facilitate parent treatment decision-making in a specific poor-prognosis childhood cancer. Co-design was essential to ensure the intervention met the needs of this parent population. Further work following the MRC framework will test and evaluate its impact and effectiveness in clinical practice
An exploration of mental health in LGBTQ+ veterans
No full textResearch indicates that LGBTQ+ veterans suffer from mental health difficulties at higher rates compared to non-LGBTQ+ veterans. Minority Stress Theory explains this disparity by postulating that, as a marginalised group, LGBTQ+ individuals are exposed to experiences of discrimination, leading to a higher prevalence of mental health difficulties. However, there has thus far been little research that has sought to understand mental health in LGBTQ+ veterans. The current thesis aims to explore mental health in LGBTQ+ veterans, comprising of an introductory chapter, an empirical paper and a systematic review.The empirical paper used Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to explore mental wellbeing and help seeking in UK LGBTQ+ veterans. Six veterans were recruited and took part in semi-structured interviews. The main themes that arose from the analysis were: (1) The journey to accepting my LGBTQ+ identity, (2) Systemic failures, discrimination, and marginalisation, (3) Camaraderie: forming bonds and finding kinship, and (4) The importance of person-centred care. The results of this paper highlighted the unique struggles that UK LGBTQ+ veterans have faced, whilst also recognising important protective factors. Clinical implications include the use of person-centred care, peer support, and staff training. The systematic review investigated the association between mental health outcomes and discrimination in LGBTQ+ veterans. Thirteen studies were included in the review. A weighted mean (proportionate to the sample size) found that 47.2% of study participants reported experiencing discrimination, and 62% of the studies found a significant relationship between discrimination and mental health outcomes. Post-traumatic stress disorder was found to have the strongest evidence base in the association with discrimination. However, all studies were correlational and therefore causation cannot be concluded. Clinical implications highlighted the importance of staff training and trauma-informed approaches for LGBTQ+ veterans
Shaping Cities: How micro-organisations contribute to the ongoing development of creative districts across space
No full textThe overarching aim of this thesis is to understand how micro-organisations (less than 10 staff, Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy 2023), contribute to the ongoing development of bottom-up creative districts across space, using the lens of trans local scenes. Creative districts are spatial agglomerations of similar organisations which offer production and consumption opportunities related to the creative industries (i.e. record stores, music venues, art galleries, maker studios) (Santagata 2002; Mizzau and Montanari 2018). Current literature on the development of these districts focuses on the factors which lead to the initial development of these areas. There is a gap, however, for understanding how over time, creative districts across much of the western world have converged into the uniform model that we associate with them today; populated by micro-organisations with industrial ‘DIY’ aesthetics and practices which focus on supporting independent, emerging and localactivity. This research aim has been investigated with a qualitative methodology of 44 in-depth, semi- structured interviews with individuals running micro-organisations. These interviews were supplemented with participant observation undertaken in 27 micro-organisations, and qualitative content analysis of a select sample of the Instagram posts from 17 micro-organisations. Research was undertaken in four case study creative districts: the Baltic Triangle in Liverpool; the Northern Quarter in Manchester; Digbeth in Birmingham; and Shoreditch in London. The three empirical chapters of this thesis address three research questions. The first empirical chapter answers the question “what rolesdo micro-organisations enact in creative district scenes?”. This chapter develops and unpacks a typology of the cultural, financial and social support roles through which micro-organisations integrate themselves into their respective scenes. The second empirical chapter addresses the research question: “how do micro-organisations interact with each other across space?”. This chapter providesempirical examples of the physical and virtual mechanisms used by micro-organisations to enable trans-local flows; as well as the implications these have for the continued development of creative districts. The third empirical chapter examines the question “how can micro-organisations in creative districts be supported through the challenges they currently face?”. Informed by findings on theimpacts of the pandemic, gaps in government support and the use of informal support mechanisms, this chapter outlines three policy recommendations surrounding tax reform, local government relationships and improving grant guidance. These empirical findings contribute to the literature on scenes, trans-local scenes, economic geography, creative district development, micro-businesses andthe creative industries
Human mobility in epidemic modeling
No full textHuman mobility forms the backbone of contact patterns through which infectious diseases propagate, fundamentally shaping the spatio-temporal dynamics of epidemics and pandemics. While traditional models are often based on the assumption that all individuals have the same probability of infecting every other individual in the population, a so-called random homogeneous mixing, they struggle to catch the complex and heterogeneous nature of real-world human interactions. Recent advancements in data-driven methodologies and computational capabilities have unlocked the potential of integrating high-resolution human mobility data into epidemic modeling, significantly improving the accuracy, timeliness, and applicability of epidemic risk assessment, contact tracing, and intervention strategies. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of the current landscape in human mobility-informed epidemic modeling. We explore several data sources and representations of human mobility, and examine the behavioral and structural roles of mobility and contact in shaping disease transmission dynamics. Furthermore, the review spans a wide range of epidemic modeling approaches, ranging from classical compartmental models to network-based, agent-based, and machine learning models. It also discusses how mobility integration enhances risk management and response strategies during epidemics. By synthesizing these insights, the review can serve as a foundational resource for researchers and practitioners, bridging the gap between epidemiological theory and the dynamic complexities of human interaction while charting clear directions for future research
Inviting nature into the room: a conversation with clinical psychology
No full textThe evidence-base documents the wide array of benefits that being in nature has for human health and wellbeing. This thesis aimed to explore the role that nature could play in the field of clinical psychology. Firstly, through furthering an academic understanding of how and why nature is beneficial for psychological wellbeing, and secondly through exploring clinical psychologists’ current practice of working with nature. This thesis firstly presents a chapter outlining the creation of this project and its importance and relevance for the field of clinical psychology, in the context of current NHS and health narratives in the UK. The thesis continued with a systematic review of 10 articles aiming to understand if nature connectedness influenced the relationship between nature exposure and psychological wellbeing. The results offer a complex and nuanced picture, whereby nature connectedness does appear to play a role in this relationship, however various factors limit the ability to draw robust conclusions. This has implications for how clinical psychologists can incorporate elements of nature into their work and whether to prioritise patient’s emotional and cognitive relationship with nature. To further understand clinical psychologist’s current experiences, the empirical study interviewed 16 clinical psychologists, focusing on participants perceived benefits and barriers of working with nature, and why this is important to their overall practice. A thematic analysis was conducted which generated four themes. The themes summarised the ways that psychologists defined nature and how they have creatively and curiously incorporated this into their work. Moreover, nature was defined as enabling connection both intra and interpersonally. Psychologists explored the construct of risk and safety, and how nature fits into this continuum. The final theme explored issues of power and permission. This thesis has offered an exploratory yet persuasive argument for why and how clinical psychologists can innovate and improve practices within the profession through exploring ways of working with or in nature
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