192815 research outputs found
Sort by
Typologies of transitions: Understanding international scholars’ non-normative transition during the early phase of the COVID-19 lockdown and post-lockdown
No full textMulti-technique analysis and digital reconstruction of polychromy on a Mithraic altar from Carrawburgh Roman Fort near Hadrian’s Wall
No full textHeritage materials science techniques, including pXRF, FTIR-ATR, XRD, microphotography, and microsampling, have peeled back concealed layers of polychromy on a Roman Mithraic altar near Hadrian’s Wall. The results break new ground by exposing the interplay between light and dark and the transformative impact of colour cast onto cultic carved stone. A powerful pigment palette is revealed, including vibrant cinnabar/vermilion letters overlying an unprecedented purple inscription panel created from a compound of Egyptian blue, ultramarine, cinnabar/vermilion, red ochre, red lead, and realgar framed with purple, Egyptian blue, ultramarine, and orpiment. The panel was covered in a golden surface crafted from a previously unknown recipe of pyrite (fool’s gold) mixed with beeswax. Tantalising traces are also detected on some iconographic features, but conservator intervention and degradation processes combined to leach colour from the sculpted relief. These are paradigm-shifting results. They force a reinterpretation of the symbolism and performance of altars as personifications of dedicators, and we identify, for the first time, high-ranking Mithraic initiates by name and grade. Critically, we present a digital reconstruction of the altar with original polychromy that revolutionises our understanding of relief-sculpted Romaninscriptions—a category that has, until now, remained underexplored by the burgeoning polychromy research community
Crowdsourcing as a methodology for global movements: building counter-hegemonic knowledge of de-privatisation
No full textThe repertoire of contemporary social movements increasingly includes utilising data in strategic pursuit of their goals. In this paper, we explore the potential for co-produced crowdsourced data in the context of a global, networked movement advocating for the de-privatisation of public services. We argue that crowdsourcing can produce data to inform and strengthen alternative progressive narratives to counteract dominant elite discourses still wedded to increasingly contradictory global neoliberal political and economic governance rhetorics. The building of counter-hegemonic knowledge is particularly critical in the current moment where elite and dominant narratives are being called into question. The paper also contributes to social movement studies by developing the theoretical and conceptual framework of crowdsourcing, to improve its ‘fit’ for co-produced social science. In this way, the paper contributes to social movement scholarship on the role of data; the conceptual development of the methodology itself; and ongoing debates around social movements as knowledge producers
Downhill skiing after total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review
No full textBackground:
Downhill skiing is a popular sport globally and increasing number of patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) seek to return to the sport. While skiing provides physical and psychological benefits, it also poses potential biomechanical risks such as torsional stress, high impact loading and possible implant compromise. Despite advances in implant design and rehabilitation, there is no consensus on the safety or functional outcomes of skiing following TKA. This systematic review aims to evaluate the current literature to assess postoperative outcomes, risks, and expert opinion on skiing after TKA.
Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines and registered prospectively with the PROSPERO database. Literature was searched in Medline, Embase, Cochrane, PubMed, and Scopus databases up to October 2025 using combinations of terms including “total knee arthroplasty,” “TKA,” “skiing,” and “winter sports.” Studies were included if they reported outcomes specific to skiing following TKA. Data was extracted on study type, sample size, follow-up duration, outcome measures, and key findings.
Results: From 572 identified studies, 21 were included. Most studies came from a single research group which conducted prospective cohort studies on post TKA skiing biomechanics, tendon morphology, and functional outcomes. Return to skiing rates following TKA was 47–51%. These studies found no increase in radiographic loosening or pain, and reported improvements in tendon stiffness, gait symmetry, and muscle strength after skiing. Patient-reported outcomes were favourable, with average Oxford Knee Scores >45 and Tegner activity levels indicating moderate to high activity. Survey studies showed mixed surgeon opinions, though most favoured a return to skiing for experienced patients with adequate strength and range of motion.
Conclusion: Current evidence supports that skiing after TKA can be safe and functionally beneficial for selected patients. Experienced skiers with good rehabilitation outcomes may return to the sport without increased risk of implant-related complications. Larger, long term and multicentre prospective studies are needed to provide definitive guidelines for patients and surgeons post operatively
Lateral flow biosensors for low abundance detection of brain natriuretic peptide with enzyme-free amplification
Get PDFThe diagnosis of heart failure in emergency settings requires rapid and sensitive detection of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), a low-abundance biomarker of heart failure with a clinical rule-out threshold of 100 pg mL−1 (0.03 nM). The current gold standards for BNP testing in clinical practice all rely on immunoassays that necessitate cold-chain storage for antibodies, limiting their utility at the point-of-care. We now propose an enzyme-free, isothermal amplification strategy employing a dual-aptamer system to measure BNP at clinically relevant levels. Upon simultaneous binding to the target BNP, both of the aptamers release their complementary DNAs, consequently triggering a cyclic amplification reaction. The resulting secondary DNA structures can be detected via a lateral flow test (LFT) format, providing visual readouts close to the patient in 30 min at room temperature. This work advances the field by combining the specificity of aptamers with the simplicity of LFTs, offering the sensitivity of conventional immunoassays while eliminating any enzymatic steps. This work bridges the gap between lab-based immunoassays and POC needs, offering a reliable, equipment-free alternative for heart failure diagnosis in resource-limited settings. Future studies will validate its performance with blood samples for clinical deployment
Impacts of conservation easements on perceived land tenure security
No full textSecure land tenure is crucial for sustainable land use, influencing landowners' willingness to engage in conservation. This paper estimates the effects of conservation easements (CE) on rural households' perceived tenure security which would in turn impact the conservation efficacy of CEs. A conceptual framework linking changes in forestland tenure arrangements to perceived tenure security is proposed in the analysis. Based on data from a face-to-face survey with 305 households in 16 administrative villages, the analysis uses difference-in-differences with propensity score matching estimation techniques to test the effects in the context of China. The empirical results suggest that CEs have no significant impacts on perceived tenure security, measured by reported forestland conflicts and perceived likelihood of expropriation and reallocation. However, a subgroup regression shows that households with more privately managed forest plots perceive a rise in the likelihood of expropriation, highlighting the need for consideration of land tenure contexts in incentive-based conservation programs
Two-photon excitation enables single-molecule detection of a fluorescent base analogue in DNA with high photostability
No full textFluorescent modification of nucleic acids using nucleobase analogues provides unique capabilities for imaging nucleic acids in cells and monitoring their conformational changes upon interaction with other biomolecules. The fluorescent nucleobase analogue ABN was shown recently to be the first base analogue to enable single-molecule detection of dsDNA, but its sensitivity to photobleaching under one-photon excitation required the use of oxygen scavenging reagents, and may limit future applications in live-cell imaging. Here, we show that two-photon excitation of ABN allows the stable detection of single DNA molecules in aqueous solution without antifade additives. The two-photon brightness of ABN in dsDNA exceeds by an order of magnitude that reported previously for any base analogue, and is comparable to that of the fluorescent protein EGFP, making it a promising candidate for the ultrasensitive imaging of nucleic acids in living cells and tissues
Women petrified: how and when women turn to stone from Shakespeare to Byatt
Get PDFDr Alice Langley explores a range of texts in which women petrify – turning to stone – and explores their petrification as a result of the shaming male gaze. Langley uses Mikhail Bakhtin’s theory of the grotesque body to frame her textual analysis; it is the anxious pressure from the male characters analysed, including Leontes from Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale, and Pygmalion, both in Ovid and Madeline Miller’s retelling, that seals and therefore silences the most problematic of female orifices – the mouth
Adjusting iron markers for inflammation reduces misclassification of iron deficiency after total hip arthroplasty
No full textBackground: Preoperative anemia is common among patients undergoing arthroplasty and is associated with increased transfusion requirements and worse outcomes. Current perioperative pathways rely on iron studies to guide intravenous iron supplementation, but systemic inflammation triggered by surgery profoundly alters iron markers, risking misclassification of iron deficiency. This study evaluated whether adjusting iron indices for inflammatory markers improves diagnostic accuracy after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 20 patients undergoing elective primary THA at a single center were enrolled. Patients with preoperative inflammation were excluded. Serum iron, transferrin, transferrin saturation (TSAT), CRP, and albumin were measured preoperatively and on postoperative days (PODs) 1, 2, 3, and 90. Serum iron was adjusted for systemic inflammation using a validated regression equation incorporating CRP and albumin, and adjusted TSAT was calculated accordingly. Absolute iron deficiency was defined as serum iron < 10 µmol/L, and functional iron deficiency was defined as TSAT < 20%. Comparisons were made using Wilcoxon’s signed-rank test and ANOVA. Results: In the 20 included patients, a pronounced systemic inflammatory response was observed, with CRP peaking on POD 2 (median, 162 mg/L) and albumin falling to 32 g/L on POD 1 (both p < 0.001). Unadjusted serum iron and TSAT fell sharply, with nearly all patients classified as iron-deficient in the first three postoperative days. Adjustment for CRP and albumin significantly attenuated these declines: on POD 2, median iron was 8.2 µmol/L adjusted versus 2.0 µmol/L unadjusted (p < 0.001), and TSAT was 19% versus 4% (p < 0.001). Misclassification of iron deficiency fell by 40–50% with adjustment, and by POD 90, adjusted indices approximated baseline values. Conclusions: Systemic inflammation after THA markedly suppresses iron indices, leading to widespread misclassification of iron deficiency. Adjustment for CRP and albumin reduces this misclassification and provides a more accurate assessment of perioperative iron status. These findings complement existing evidence supporting intravenous iron supplementation by highlighting a diagnostic refinement that could improve patient selection for therapy
Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing Continuous Variable Terahertz QKD for Large-Scale Wireless Quantum Communication
No full textWe introduce a continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CVQKD) protocol that combines orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) with terahertz (THz) carriers to deliver high-throughput and hardware-compatible quantum communication. By distributing quantum states across multiple subcarriers, our approach achieves a noticeable increase in spectral efficiency while mitigating dispersion and atmospheric losses that limit the performance of existing optical and microwave CVQKD systems. A full security analysis under collective Gaussian attacks is presented, incorporating realistic noise models for both terrestrial and inter-satellite channels. In terrestrial free-space links, our simulations show secret key rates approaching 72 bits per channel use, with secure distances up to 4.5 m under strong humidity-induced absorption. For inter satellite links, where propagation losses are minimal, secure transmission is sustained over >100 km. A distinctive feature of our work is its direct link to practical hardware. We evaluate implementation using emerging on-chip coherent THz sources based on superconducting Josephson junctions. These compact, voltage-tunable emitters provide wideband coherent radiation ideally matched to our protocol, enabling scalable, chip integrated quantum networks. By incorporating their measured characteristics into our models, we demonstrate secure communication up to 3 m in ambient conditions and ∼26 km under cryogenic or vacuum conditions. By uniting advanced protocol design, rigorous security modelling, and hardware driven performance analysis, this work establishes THz CVQKD as a viable and scalable route to next-generation terrestrial and space-based quantum communication
Data sources:
Access Repository Dashboard
Do you manage Open Research Online? Become a CORE Member to access insider analytics, issue reports and manage access to outputs from your repository in the CORE Repository Dashboard! 👇