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Strabismus and amblyopia disrupt spatial perception but not the fidelity of cortical maps in human primary visual cortex
Get PDFAmblyopia is a common disorder of spatial vision and is frequently associated with the presence of anisometropia, strabismus, or both, during visual development. For highly visible stimuli, subjects with strabismic amblyopia often report marked spatial distortions, but the neural basis of this supra-threshold deficit is not well understood. Here, we used a combination of behavioural measurements and visual field mapping with high spatial-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at 7 T to assess perceptual distortions in 12 participants with strabismic amblyopia and 9 control subjects. We measured both behavioural and cortical visual field maps monocularly through each eye. Although amblyopic subjects showed increased perceptual distortions, the layout of V1 maps, as measured through the eccentricity and size of population receptive fields, was largely unaltered compared to controls, with no discernible difference in cortical magnification between groups. This suggests that disruptions to V1 retinotopy do not explain the perceptual distortions experienced by amblyopes
Effects of listening demand on turn-taking processes: Investigating turn-end prediction and verbal response planning
No full textDuring conversation, speakers often take turns with little gap or overlap. But older adults with hearing loss are often slower to take turns and show more variability in turn timing than older adults with normal hearing, potentially due to increased cognitive demands of processing speech with hearing loss. In this study, we investigated how hearing loss and listening demand affect turn-end prediction and verbal response planning – two processes thought to support timely turn-taking. We developed a single task that captured these two processes, instructing participants to listen to semantically predictable and unpredictable turns and press a button when they thought the turn would end before producing a verbal response. Experiment 1 validated this task, demonstrating that younger adults with normal hearing responded faster when turns were predictable rather than unpredictable. Experiment 2 investigated how listening demand and hearing loss affected these processes by comparing older adults with normal hearing (PwNH) listening at low demand (a highly intelligible level of 70 dB) to older adults with hearing loss (PwHL) listening at either low demand (i.e., 70 dB), or high demand (the lowest level above 60 dB at which the participant could report >70 % of words). Participants again responded faster for predictable than unpredictable turns. Additionally, PwHL in the low demand group showed larger predictability effects than PwNH. In contrast, PwHL in the high demand group showed no difference to PwNH in turn-end prediction but a delay in verbal response production. Together, these findings suggest that content predictability facilitates both turn-end prediction and response planning in such a ‘listen-to-respond’ task, and that adults with hearing loss show particular reliance on prediction when listening demand is low, which may buffer against turn-taking delays
Workplace Wellbeing and the Internet: Final Project Report, October 2025
Get PDFThe Workplace Wellbeing and the Internet (W-WATI) project ran from September 2024 to October 2025 as part of the Horizon Digital Economy’s Welfare Campaign. The project was founded on the recognition that the Internet can have both positive and negative impacts on wellbeing in the workplace. We brought together a team with expertise spanning computer science, robotics, engineering, social science, philosophy, psychology and linguistics in order to conduct a suite of activities to address different dimensions of wellbeing in the workplace as they relate to the Internet.Following a review of existing literature we established a working definition of wellbeing to use across the project: an overall subjective feeling of satisfaction, optimism or happiness about life; functioning well and with a sense of purpose and feeling content about the activities we engage in. We drew on this definition run an online survey. Of 248 respondents 63.7% rated their workplace wellbeing as somewhat or extremely good. Thirty-six per cent (36%) said that Internet technologies affected their wellbeing positively and 15.3% negatively. A set of in-depth qualitative studies similarly found that participants viewed the Internet as having a largely positive influence on their working lives, but with some areas of detrimental impact. For instance, our participants told us that the Internet offers valuable flexibility in the workplace however too much time online can cause burnout and stress. Support from employers is vital in helping employees to manage an appropriate offline-online balance and technological tools can also assist with workload management and boundary setting. Some job roles inevitably require employees to come into contact with harmful online content or hostile online interactions. Employees differ in their preferences for how best to support wellbeing during these experiences but benefit from strategies that involve social support, mood improvement, burden reduction and exercising control to reduce risks.In addition to investigating how the Internet impacts wellbeing in the workplace we also explored the potential for Internet-connected technologies to foster workplace wellbeing. We prototyped and tested two novel and promising interventions. The “Cheerbot” socially assistive robot is designed to boost feelings of wellbeing through fun, collaborative activities. The empathy training tool uses conversational AI to help managers and HR professionals practise empathetic communication.These various research activities produced a range of insights which have informed a set of guidance for employers and employees on wellbeing in the workplace. Our guidance emphasises that there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to wellbeing and that different preferences for wellbeing support should be respected. In addition, employers should engage meaningfully with wellbeing initiatives rather than viewing them as a tick box exercise, plus be mindful that employees may distrust technological solutions through fear they are being used for workplace surveillance. Looking to the future, the wellbeing impact of Internet-connected technologies depends less on the nature of the tools at our disposal, and more on the ways in which those tools are used. It is unhelpful to make sweeping generalisations about the relationships between the Internet, the workplace and wellbeing; instead, it is essential to understand the nuances involved
Predicting NOx emissions from ammonia engines – Fuel and thermal effects
Get PDFAmmonia, a promising zero-carbon fuel, faces engine application challenges from high NOx and ammonia slip. A key knowledge gap remains in predicting NOx and ammonia slip with chemical kinetic mechanisms within complex engine environments, beyond simple metrics. This research evaluates 14 ammonia combustion mechanisms in a spark-ignition (SI) engine model, using a two-zone thermodynamic approach. Experimental data from stoichiometric pure ammonia combustion in a research engine validate NOx predictions. The analysis details NOx formation, NH3 slip, NO production rates, and differentiates thermal-NOx from fuel-NOx. While most mechanisms predict NOx within 20 % error, those by Otomo, Stagni, and Nakamura show superior accuracy. Furthermore, a significant divergence in N2O predictions was found; only the Konnov mechanism yielded plausible concentrations (14–24 ppm), exposing a common limitation in other models. This study identifies thermal-NOx as ∼75 % of total NOx, offering vital insights for targeted emission control and guiding mechanism selection for engine development
A pipeline crisis or a sustainability crisis? Local and national succession planning for headteachers in England
No full textRecruiting and retaining school leaders is a challenge in many systems worldwide. Previous research has identified three distinct ways in which succession planning can be conceptualised and approached: a ‘pipeline’ approach seeks to match supply and demand for the posts that need filling; a ‘pool’ strategy involves proactively identifying and developing a wider group of potential leaders who can step up when needed; while a ‘reservoir’ mentality seeks to unlock the leadership potential of all staff. This article explores succession planning for headship in England informed by findings from a larger mixed methods study. We include perspectives from policy makers, employers, headteachers and senior leaders in schools and focus on succession approaches and outcomes in two localities: a coastal area in which most schools are part of Multi-Academy Trusts, and a rural area in which the Local Authority continues to play an important role in recruiting headteachers. This illustrates the variable and inequitable nature of succession planning in England’s fragmented system and the lack of capacity to address complex systemic issues, such as increasing the diversity of the leadership pool and addressing headteacher workload and retention challenges. Our findings may not indicate that schools across England face an immediate headteacher recruitment crisis, but they raise important questions about the sustainability of the current model. On this basis we argue the need for a significant shift in terms of the focus on and approach to succession, characterised by national policy action in concert with a local solutions mindset and approach
Greening Healthcare Spaces: Carbon cost of tree loss in public healthcare facilities
Get PDFThis study examines the environmental implications of landscape design decisions in Malaysian healthcare settings, with a focus on carbon storage loss resulting from the removal of mature trees. A quantitative analysis involving tree inventories, carbon estimations, and site documentation identified a carbon loss of approximately 1.8 tonnes of CO₂ due to the replacement of green walls and ornamental shrubs. The findings reveal inconsistent, aesthetics-driven practices that neglect long-term ecological functions. This study highlights the urgent need for standardised landscape guidelines that integrate carbon accounting and mature tree preservation, thereby contributing to sustainable hospital development and national environmental resilience goals
Impact of vascular aging on stroke prognosis: the novel severity and arterial stiffness (SASt) score
No full textIntroductionAssessing vascular aging to identify and categorize the residual risk of adverse outcomes in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is important for improving AIS prognoses. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic value and correlation among three indirect measures of vascular aging derived from 24-hour blood pressure monitoring (24h-BPM) following AIS. Furthermore, it aimed to develop a new score that includes vascular aging metrics to enhance the prognostic accuracy for stroke outcomes.MethodsA total of 2,730 AIS patients with a mean age of 72.0±14.4 years who underwent 24h-BPM were included. Three vascular aging indexes derived from 24h-BPM: estimated pulse wave velocity (ePWV), early vascular aging ambulatory score (EVAAs), and 24-hour pulse pressure (24h-PP) were evaluated. Primary outcome was the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score >2 at 3 months post-stroke.ResultsePWV showed superior predictive value for poor functional outcome (AUC: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.74-0.79) at 3 months post-stroke. Optimal cutoff points for predicting poor functional outcome at 3 months were 12.2m/s for ePWV (sensitivity: 79.4%, specificity: 61.7%), 65% for EVAAs (sensitivity: 66.4%, specificity: 51.5%), and 51.1mmHg for 24h-PP (sensitivity: 66.7%, specificity: 46.6%). A new “Severity and Arterial Stiffness” (SASt) score was formulated: SASt= NIHSS + 2*ePWV, which demonstrated excellent discriminatory power for predicting poor functional outcome (AUC: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.85-0.88) at 3 months post-stroke. ConclusionsThe ePWV and the new SASt score show promising potential as tools for identifying patients at higher risk for poor outcomes at 3 months post-stroke. While these findings are encouraging, further prospective studies are needed to validate their utility before they can be adopted in clinical practice
The prosocial phenotype and co-operative health protective behaviors: Insights from COVID-19.
No full textObjectives: Identifying factors associated with cooperative health-protective behaviors (e.g., vaccination, social distancing) is critical during crises requiring collective action. This research examines two hypotheses in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic: (i) the situational-strength hypothesis, which predicts that the impact of prosocial preferences on repeated low-cost cooperative actions (e.g., adherence to government guidelines) is moderated by situational ambiguity (e.g., clarity of guidelines); and (ii) the vaccination-altruism hypothesis, predicting prosocial individuals are more likely to undertake high-cost cooperative actions (e.g., initial COVID-19 vaccination) due to other-regarding motives.Methods: Study 1 (N=2,861) assessed four prosocial behaviors (blood donation, organ donor registration, monetary donation, volunteering) and three classic cooperative games (dictator, trust, public goods) to validate a prosocial-phenotype (PP) measure. Study 2 (N=3,077) utilized an eight-wave UK panel survey (March 2020–July 2021) to test the situational strength and vaccine altruism hypotheses. Results: Study 1 found that past prosocial behavior was significantly correlated with behavior in cooperative games, supporting construction of the PP measure. In Study 2, higher PP, in line with the situational-strength hypothesis, was associated with greater adherence to guidelines, but only when rules were ambiguous. Higher PP was also associated with greater stated willingness and uptake of vaccination. Although self-protection was the most common motive to vaccinate, high-PP individuals were more likely to cite protecting others and achieving herd immunity.Conclusions: Prosociality plays a dynamic role in influencing both low- and high-cost cooperative health protective behaviors, offering insights for public health strategies in future crises
Research on an Efficient Single‐Phase Full Bridge SiC‐Based Soft‐Switching Inverter Without Auxiliary Switches
No full textTo enhance the operation efficiency of single-phase full bridge inverter, a novel single-phase full bridge passive SiC-based soft-switching inverter topology is proposed. The passive auxiliary network (PAN) with low energy consumption is used to make the main switch achieve wide range pseudo zero-current switching (ZCS) switch-on and pseudo zero-voltage switching (ZVS) turn-off to implement economic power saving. The absence of auxiliary switches in the PAN can render the control of the system simpler. The distinguishing feature of this soft-switching inverter is that each bridge arm's switches share a resonant cell (comprising an absorption inductor and an absorption capacitor), significantly reducing the additional components attached to the main switches. It utilizes a large-capacity electrolytic capacitor to act as a constant voltage source, constructing a passive and lossless energy feedback loop. This enables the reset of the absorption components, thereby improving the efficiency of the inverter. During the dead-zone mode, the load current can continue to flow through the PAN, which can reduce the negative impact of the dead-time state on the output current waveform of the proposed inverter. The experimental results on a 3-kW prototype with rated output power show that the switching device can realize soft-switching, and the distortion rate of the output current waveform of the inverter is improved
The effect of Mn on the structural stability of Y0.88Ni3-xMnx hydrogen storage materials: A combined experimental and computational study
No full textIn the ever-evolving field of hydrogen storage technologies, metal hydrides, especially those derived from intermetallic compounds, stand out as promising solutions for safe, efficient, and reliable hydrogen storage. Among these, AB3 compounds are noteworthy for exhibiting interesting characteristics such as high storage capacity. In this study, we investigate the Y0.88Ni3-xMnx system (x = 0.1; 0.2; 0.3; 0.4; 0.8 and 1) due to its low density and fundamental interest. The compounds were synthesised by arc-melting followed by annealing at 1173 K for 3 days. X-ray diffraction revealed that the lattice parameters of the AB3 phase do not vary linearly with Mn content, suggesting a non-random distribution of Mn atoms. Given the limited scattering contrast between Mn and Ni in X-ray diffraction, neutron diffraction was employed to determine Mn occupancy. Joint refinement of synchrotron X-ray and neutron diffraction patterns showed that for Mn contents up to x = 0.3, Mn occupies both Y-sites within the [A2B4] subunits and Ni-sites within the [AB5] subunits. At higher Mn concentrations, Mn also occupies Ni-sites at the boundary between [A2B4] and [AB5] subunits. The evolution of lattice parameters strongly correlates with these variations in Mn occupancy. Notably, Y0.88Ni2.7Mn0.3 and Y0.88Ni2.6Mn0.4 exhibit nearly equal [AB5] and [A2B4] subunit volumes, making them strong candidates for reversible hydrogen. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to complement experimental results and reveal thermodynamic mechanism behind the dual-site substitution of Mn and Mn site occupancy behaviour with respect to Mn content across different sites
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