25507 research outputs found
Sort by
Mental health, coping and related risk factors during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic in children: nationally representative, multi-wave, cross-sectional results from 12 countries from the global COH-FIT study
Full text linkFew multinational studies have assessed risk factors and coping strategies associated with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s mental health over time. The Collaborative Outcomes study on Health and Functioning during Infection Times (COH-FIT) is the largest transcontinental, multi-wave, cross-sectional survey collecting multi-nation data on well-being and psychopathology during the pandemic. We analyzed country-specific, general-population-based, representative COH-FIT data of 6067 children aged 6–13 years from 12 countries across repeated cross-sectional waves over a period of >2 years (Apr/2020–May/2022), addressing through current and retrospective assessment pre- to intra-pandemic changes in well-being (WHO-5) and general psychopathology scores (Pc) (0–100) in relation to COVID-related deaths, stringency index, eight a priori risk factors, and 16 coping strategies in different responders at each wave. From pre- to intra-pandemic, WHO-5 scores decreased (−4.59, 95 %CI=−6.18 to −2.99, p < 0.001), while PC-scores increased (+6.68, 95 %CI=4.48–8.88, p < 0.001) significantly, following distinct time patterns but both returning to near pre-pandemic levels. Changes in both scores varied by country. WHO-5 scores correlated strongly with PC and subdomain scores. Both score changes were significantly but minimally associated to COVID-19 deaths/stringency index. The proportion of children screening positive for depression increased from 3.9 % to 8.3 % (χ²=145.70, p < 0.001) and for major depression from 0.6 % to 2.2 % (χ²=68.64, p < 0.001) intrapandemic. WHO-5 and PC-score changes were significantly associated with female gender, school closure, and pre-existing physical and mental conditions, with cumulative effects. The five most frequently endorsed coping strategies were family contact (85.2 %), friends (67.3 %), outdoor play (54.0 %), pet interaction (51.5 %), and internet use (50.9 %). Identified risk groups and coping strategies can inform targeted interventions and global public health policy
Introduction to Food System Transformation for Sustainable Development
No full textOur food systems are broken. They not only fail to end the ‘triple burden’ of malnutrition, i.e., micronutrient deficiencies, undernutrition and overweight or obesity, but also exhibit substantial environmental impacts. One-third of the global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions come from food systems. Most importantly, food systems are a major driver of the Earth system exceeding planetary boundaries, e.g., biosphere integrity and biogeochemical flows. Therefore, they are an obstacle to achieving numerous Sustainable Development Goals. However, response options are available for the sustainable transformation of food systems at various stages, from pre-production to post-consumption. Transforming food systems towards more sustainable forms is crucial to converting the negative linkages of food systems with SDGs into positive ones. In this context, this companion explores, examines, and demonstrates how the transformation of food systems will contribute to sustainable development
Improved centile estimation by transformation and/or adaptive smoothing of the explanatory variable
Full text linkA popular approach to growth reference centile estimation is the LMS (Lambda‐Mu‐Sigma) method, which assumes a parametric distribution for response variable and fits the location, scale and shape parameters of the distribution of as smooth functions of explanatory variable . This article provides two methods, transformation and adaptive smoothing, for improving the centile estimation when there is high curvature (i.e., rapid change in slope) with respect to in one or more of the distribution parameters. In general, high curvature is reduced (i.e., attenuated or dampened) by smoothing. In the first method, is transformed to variable to reduce this high curvature, and the distribution parameters are fitted as smooth functions of . Three different transformations of are described. In the second method, the distribution parameters are adaptively smoothed against by allowing the smoothing parameter itself to vary continuously with . Simulations are used to compare the performance of the two methods. Three examples show how the process can lead to substantially smoother and better fitting centiles
Talk 6: "Have your say in healthcare: ways you can make your voice heard"
Full text linkIn this talk Dr Marianne Markowski will present an overview of where and how to make your voice heard in the NHS health care system as a service user. She will be joined by a panel of service user representatives, who will share their direct experience of influencing some of the ways the NHS works
Moving beyond the colonial single-track education for food system transformation toward sustainability
No full textThis chapter examines how higher education and vocational training can come together as a dual-track education embracing humanist pedagogy to train a new generation capable of leading food system transformation using a country case study of Nepal. The case study unveils the influence of colonialism on education, which is evident in the establishment dates of major universities, although the narrative is that the country has never been colonised. Analysis of five technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programs in food, agriculture and forestry revealed a notable lack of food system sustainability concepts in the curricula. The curricula did not adequately cover the sustainable food system transformation and the Sustainable Development Goals. This chapter concludes that a dual-track postsecondary education where TVET offerings can incorporate sustainability concepts and provide a seamless transition to higher education, removing the widely held stigma that vocational training is only for low-achieving students
Conclusion: Directionality and diversity of food system governance partnerships toward sustainable futures
No full textThe chapter presents a nuanced understanding of equitable partnerships for global goals (SDG17) and concludes the companion. We begin with a theoretical understanding of why current governance approaches to equitable partnerships fail to deliver anything meaningful, with a particular focus on the inertia of incumbent actors for transformative change. Then, we discussed the seven domains of partnership identified in SDG 17 to discuss what governance approaches may work and what disruptions are needed to unlock the incumbency and power relationships that prevent food system transformations. In conclusion, we summarize how this companion provides specific and evidence-based insights to develop more performative post-2030 agenda for just and sustainable food system transformations
A CFD fire simulation model for external living walls
Full text linkA CFD fire model for Living Walls (LW) is presented in this paper. The combustion of the LW support structure (plastic material) is modelled as an external cladding system within SMARTFIRE. The plants and growing medium of the LW system are represented as two groups of combustible porous materials, which consist of solid particles. The combined model provides a unique capability to simulate fires in external LW systems and is validated using data from a variety of LW fire experiments. The model produced good agreement for the measured HRR in an SBI fire test; comparable burning states and temperature profiles of two large-scale tests; and similar time to fail for a LW structure, without plants or growth media, in a BS 8414 test. It is found that although the simulated HRRs from the burning plants are sensitive to the moisture content, the plant mass, the surface area to volume ratio etc., the total HRR of the investigated LW system is dominated by the burning of the plastic structure. It is suggested that the fire risk posed by the investigated LW system is at least as high as that for a Grenfell type cladding system
Direct measurement of spreadability and surface quality of powder beds using advanced image analysis for additive manufacturing
Full text linkPowder bed quality plays a decisive role in the performance and reliability of components produced by powder based additive manufacturing (AM). Conventional surface assessment methods, however, often lack the sensitivity to detect subtle local defects and textural variations that influence layer uniformity. This study present a direct and quantitative approach to evaluating powder bed spreadability and surface quality using a custom-built recoating tester operating under conditions representative of industrial AM systems. High-resolution images of powder beds generated from a range of polymeric and metallic powders were analysed using advanced texture metrics, including Haralick features, Gabor filters, and local binary patterns (LBP). These image-derived metrics proved highly sensitive to micro-defects, surface roughness and variations associated with particle size distribution, morphology and flow behaviour. Multivariate analysis further demonstrated that surface quality is governed by the combined influence of powder properties and spreading dynamics. The proposed methodology provides a robust, surface-sensitive framework for quantitative powder characterisation and reliable detection of powder bed defects, offering strong potential for future integration into real-time monitoring and process optimisation strategies in AM
Caste and credit: discrimination in India’s credit sector
Full text linkThis paper examines how caste shapes access to credit in India’s formal and informal lending markets. Using nationally representative data from the India Human Development Survey (2011–12), we analyse loan application rates and loan amounts and compare outcomes between General Castes (GC) and three lower caste groups: Other Backward Castes (OBC), Scheduled Castes (SC), and Scheduled Tribes (ST). We find that GC households are more likely to apply for and receive larger loans from formal banks, while lower-caste households rely more heavily on informal moneylenders. A substantial share of these credit gaps - particularly in bank lending - remains unexplained by observable characteristics, pointing to potential caste-based discrimination. In contrast, moneylenders do not appear to penalise lower-caste borrowers to the same extent and, in some cases, lend more than expected to OBC households. These findings suggest that entrenched caste hierarchies continue to influence credit access in India, with formal institutions reinforcing rather than correcting social inequalities
Enhancing racial representation in the curriculum: the case of performing arts programmes at a UK higher education institution
Full text linkIt is well known that the performing arts industry lacks diversity and that training provision needs to reflect an increasingly racially diverse student body. How to enhance racial representation in performing arts curricula remains an area of conversation. Our university’s Inclusive Curriculum Framework, created and piloted in 2022/23, became the required tool to identify necessary changes to curriculum design, delivery and assessment in the School of Acting. Narrative inquiry was utilised to interview fifteen racially minoritised final year undergraduate and postgraduate students to understand curricula omissions through their training experiences. Findings illuminated learning experiences that lacked racial authenticity, perceived disadvantage in casting decisions and experiences of stereotyping and essentialising. However, their experiences could improve with more external diverse creatives contributing to their learning and developing staff’s racial awareness. Implementing the framework enabled the School of Acting’s staff to identify meaningful actions towards delivering inclusive and anti-racist pedagogies, practices and programmes
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! 👇