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Isotopic composition of individual hydrobiidae gastropods from neotropical lakes Esmeralda and Chichancanab in the Maya Cochuah region, Mexico: implications for palaeolimnological research
Get PDFMost lake-carbonate-isotope records from the Maya Lowlands are based on picking fossil carbonate ostracods and gastropods, often using the species Pyrgophorus coronatus, and then combining individual specimens from a single core layer to provide a composite sample. What has been left relatively unexplored is the variability between individual shells and the impact this might have on the values obtained from such composite samples. Here, the stable carbon and oxygen isotope signatures of modern P. coronatus, a littoral and detritivore species, and other Hydrobiidae taxa (Aroapyrgus sp. and Tryonia sp.) found in Lake Esmeralda and its much larger sister lake Chichancanab, in the Northern Maya Lowlands (also called Mayab or Yucatan Peninsula), were analysed to explore some of the environmental variables that might affect isotope composition. In addition, the carbon and oxygen isotope values derived from individual downcore gastropod shells were compared with those from bulk fine-fraction carbonate sediment from a core from Lake Esmeralda covering the last c. 6600 years. The results show that the median oxygen isotope value of a set of shells collected for a single stratigraphic layer tends to be about the same as the bulk sediment, even though their individual values can present a bimodal distribution, which might represent changes between dry and rainy seasons across the sample’s period. In addition, no significant difference in the oxygen isotope values was found in using a particular Hydrobiidae taxon over another, indicating a lack of significant vital effects. The carbon isotopic signature of modern shells varies with location within the lake, and shows relatively little variability down core, suggesting non-climatic factors may be more dominant in controlling shell carbonate δ13C values in these systems
The Risks and Harms Associated with Modern Slavery during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United Kingdom: A Multi-Method Study
Get PDFThe COVID-19 pandemic has considerably affected global economies and societies, exacerbating existing social inequalities. This “syndemic” pandemic has placed people and communities affected by modern slavery and human trafficking at elevated risk of multiple harms. This paper uses a mix of methods – an evidence synthesis, a survivor survey, web-monitoring, and dialogue events – to explore how COVID-19 has affected the risks and pathways to harm associated with modern slavery/human trafficking in the UK. We use concepts of hazard, risk, exposure, and harm and the tools of public health risk and resilience assessment to examine how COVID-19 has amplified existing risks of harm and generated new pathways to further harm. We also use a novel complex systems approach to represent risk relationships and demonstrate how the economic shock of COVID-19 and mandated social isolation have led to negative outcomes for affected people. The paper provides policy and practice insight into interventions can be implemented across systems to minimize exploitation and how locally led intervention can offset the damaging effects of the pandemic (SDGs 5 & 16)
Time to prioritise the use of participatory research methods for people with intellectual disabilities
No full textPeople with intellectual disability experience significant health inequality, and consequently poor health outcomes. Although research can facilitate change, there is a risk of researchers propagating inequity by selecting methods that exclude people with some forms of intellectual disability. We argue for participatory research methods that enable inclusion
Conditions for change in pre-service teachers’ beliefs about proof and proof teaching
No full textMany educators suggest that proof is essential for the learning of mathematics and should be placed at the centre of school mathematics. However, research has indicated that many teachers have counterproductive beliefs about proof which limit students’ learning opportunities of proof. A design-based research study was carried out to develop an intervention aiming to promote pre-service teachers’ beliefs about proof and proof teaching. The study involved four research cycles; each cycle consisted of design, implementation, evaluation and revision of the intervention. The intervention evolved over cycles. This paper focuses on the analysis of the fourth research cycle, regarding the conditions for change in pre-service teachers’ beliefs about proof and proof teaching. Twenty-seven Hong Kong pre-service primary and secondary school mathematics teachers participated in the intervention and experienced cognitive conflict, leading to the development of more productive beliefs about proof and proof teaching. Drawing on the analysis of the data from a subset of the participants (n=12), this paper argues that pre-service teachers must have positive emotions about proof and a sense of practicality as necessary conditions of adopting ideas of implementing proof in their classrooms, suggesting the importance of affective aspects of cognitive conflict in belief change. Implications for initial teacher education are discussed in this article
Beyond the Broadcast: Enhancing VR Tennis Broadcasting through Embedded Visualizations and Camera Techniques
No full textVirtual Reality (VR) broadcasting has emerged as a promising medium for providing immersive viewing experiences of major sports events such as tennis. However, current VR broadcast systems often lack an effective camera language and do not adequately incorporate dynamic, in-game visualizations, limiting viewer engagement and narrative clarity. To address these limitations, we analyze 400 out-of-play segments from eight major tennis broadcasts to develop a tennis-specific design framework that effectively combines cinematic camera movements with embedded visualizations. We further refine our framework by examining 25 cinematic VR animations, comparing their camera techniques with traditional tennis broadcasts to identify key differences and inform adaptations for VR. Based on data extracted from the broadcast videos, we reconstruct a simulated game that captures the players’ and ball’s motion and trajectories. Leveraging this design framework and processing pipeline, we develop Beyond the Broadcast, a VR tennis viewing system that integrates embedded visualizations with adaptive camera motions to construct a comprehensive and engaging narrative. Our system dynamically overlays tactical information and key match events onto the simulated environment, enhancing viewer comprehension and narrative engagement while ensuring perceptual immersion and viewing comfort. A user study involving tennis viewers demonstrate that our approach outperforms traditional VR broadcasting methods in delivering an immersive, informative viewing experience
Through-thickness compaction response of reinforcement fabrics: Development of a test standard
No full textCharacterisation of the compaction response of reinforcement fabrics is an important component in the design of composite manufacturing processes. To standardise a best practice method, 22 international organisations participated in an exercise to assess the viability and reproducibility of the method discussed in this work. All participants were supplied with the same multiaxial E-glass fibre non-crimp fabric and instructed to measure the compaction stress as a function of the specimen thickness following a set of guidelines. The scatter in results between participants was quantified in terms of the coefficient of variation (CV). The CV of the maximum compaction stress determined at a target specimen thickness of 3 mm (for 10 fabric layers) was 42 % for dry specimens and 46 % for wet specimens, however this was influenced by scatter in the thickness values, which deviated from the target. The CV of the specimen thickness at a compaction stress of 10 5 Pa was 4 %. In addition, a power law model and a model based on bending of beams were fitted to the compaction curves. Both generally 2 produced fits with high values of the coefficient of determination. The observed level of scatter is thought to be caused by issues with the implementation of the procedures and by variability in the specimen properties, as well as the very steep variation of the force/thickness curve at the required target. The guidelines used here aim to minimise inaccuracies in the test method and will be proposed as a test protocol for standardisation
Immunomodulators and Advanced Therapies for Induction of Remission in Crohn’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis
No full textBackground: Previous reviews for CD treatment have rarely considered advanced and immunomodulator medical therapies together. Our aim was to compare all therapies for efficacy and safety in induction of remission.Methods: We searched databases up to June 2025. Our outcomes were clinical remission and response, endoscopic remission, and safety outcomes. We performed network meta-analyses and estimated RR and 95% CI. We used GRADE to assess certainty of results, and SUCRA for ranking treatments.Results: A total of 79 RCTs with 20724 participants were included. Interventions ranged from two to 30 weeks. There was moderate GRADE certainty of effectiveness over placebo for clinical remission for combination of adalimumab with thiopurines (RR 2.87, 95%CI 1.99-4.14, RD=35.3%, NNT=3, large magnitude), guselkumab (RR 2.5, 95%CI 1.95-3.21, RD=28.4%, NNT=4, moderate magnitude, adalimumab (RR 2.46, 95%CI 1.84-3.29, RD=27.6% NNT=4, moderate magnitude), combination of infliximab with thiopurines (RR 2.43, 95%CI 1.71-3.44, RD=27%, NNT=4, moderate magnitude), and ustekinumab (RR 2.04, 95%CI 1.69-2.46, RD=19.6% NNT=5, small magnitude). For endoscopic remission there was moderate GRADE certainty of effectiveness for risankizumab (RR 3.48, 95%CI 2.18-5.58, RD=17.4%, moderate magnitude). The certainty on safety varied, but treatments appear generally safe short-term.Conclusion: Combination of anti-TNFs and immunomodulators followed by anti-TNF monotherapy had large effect size with moderate certainty for the induction of clinical remission. More novel therapies appear to have similar effect sizes, but with increased imprecision of the estimates
Effect of a Nonlinear Energy Sink on the Post-flutter Behaviour of High Aspect Ratio Wings
No full textIn this paper, the efficacy of using a Nonlinear Energy Sink (NES) to achieve a reduction in the post-flutter response of high aspect ratio wings has been investigated. The wing has two degrees of freedom in bending and torsion and is modelled as a 3 rd order beam with cubic stiffness nonlinearities, accounting for the bending curvature and inertia effects of high aspect ratio wings. The unsteady incompressible aerodynamic loading is simulated using Wagner's indicial lift model and a NES is attached to the wing spar via a linear viscous damper and a nonlinear spring with cubic stiffness. The coupled equations of motion are discretised using Galerkin's method and converted into a state space model that is integrated numerically. Following this, the structural equations are validated against experimental results, whilst the aerodynamic model is verified against similar computational models. The effect of the NES mass, stiffness and placement in both chordwise and spanwise directions on the wing post-flutter is investigated. The efficiency of the device is improved for higher mass ratios, however, the stiffness coefficient is sensitive to the flow speed and therefore the capability for an active NES device to have tuneable stiffness is one that shows promise. The findings also demonstrate that the optimum placement for the NES in the spanwise coordinate is a function of the flow speed and the stiffness ratio of the wing model. From the initial findings a device is tuned with the target to reduce the limit cycle oscillation (LCO) amplitude in the immediate post-flutter region. The tuned NES achieved a 3.5% delay in the bifurcation and a reduction in the bending and torsion tip deflections of 84.9% and 89.5% respectively
Firm prominence and price framing
Get PDFThis paper explores the strategic use of price framing in a duopoly where firms differ in their prominence and where both frame differentiation and frame complexity are sources of consumer confusion. It analyzes the interaction between the relative effectiveness of the two sources of consumer confusion and firms’ prominence levels, and its impact on equilibrium outcomes. A parametric condition on firms’ prominence delineates different equilibrium outcomes and synthesizes the interaction between firm prominence and consumer confusion. In equilibrium, firms do not always coordinate on the most effective source of confusion. The impact of consumer protection policy on market outcomes, especially consumer surplus, depends crucially on underlying market conditions, and can be ineffective or even detrimental to consumers
UniVRse: protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial of virtual reality cognitive-behaviour therapy for students with social anxiety
Get PDFBackground: Social anxiety is prevalent amongst university students. Cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT), and graded exposure techniques in particular, is an effective intervention for social anxiety. However, there are a number of barriers preventing the delivery of CBT to students who are socially anxious. Delivering this intervention using virtual reality (VR) can address these implementation issues. We have co-developed with a group of students a VR-CBT intervention (UniVRse) specifically for members of this student group with social anxiety. Methods/design: The present study is a pilot randomised controlled trial conducted in the United Kingdom of the UniVRse intervention compared to a wait-list control group. The aim of the trial is to determine whether a definitive trial is justified by assessing study recruitment, retention, and acceptability, as well as establishing the effect size on the co-primary outcomes for the definitive trial sample size calculation. We aim to recruit 90 socially anxious students—45 in each trial arm. The trial will adopt a mixed-methods approach. We will collect quantitative data at baseline (T0) and post-intervention 6weeks later (T1). We will invite participants randomised to the intervention arm to complete a qualitative exit interview. Discussion: The results of this pilot trial will be used to determine whether a definitive trial is justified, and to inform the refinement of the UniVRse programme and trial procedures. In the longer term, the UniVRse intervention has the potential to be an effective and accessible psychological intervention for students with social anxiety. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT05704868. Registered 30th January 202
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