179566 research outputs found
Sort by
What role for local knowledge in ocean governance?
Full text linkRecent years have seen a significant reappraisal of ‘local knowledge’ and its value in science policy and global science governance. This type of knowledge, often interchangeably used with the term ‘traditional knowledge’, was already discussed and embedded in the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, with the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the ensuing Nagoya Protocol adopted in 2010 on Access to Genetic Resources and Equitable Sharing of Benefits arising from their utilization. The Nagoya Protocol refers to “traditional knowledge” of “Indigenous and local communities”. In 2022, the Conference of the Parties of the CBD made a Decision adopting the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) which importantly promotes coherence and cooperation across biodiversity and other relevant multilateral agreements4 engaging with what it terms as “best available data” and “traditional knowledge
Impact of particle-size polydispersity on the quality of thin-film colloidal crystals
No full textSize polydispersity in colloidal particles can disrupt order in their self-assembly, ultimately leading to a complete suppression of crystallization. In contrast to various computational studies, few experimental studies systematically address the effects of size polydispersity on the quality of colloidal crystals. We present an experimental study of structural order in thin films of crystals vertically dried from colloidal dispersions with a systematically varying polydispersity. As expected, an increase in polydispersity leads to a deterioration in order with significant drops in the local bond-orientational order at 8% and 12% polydispersity. Our results align with previously suggested models of epitaxial-like growth of 2D layers during convective assembly. Our results can offer critical insights into the permissible limits for achieving colloidal crystals from more polydisperse systems such as those synthesized through more sustainable methods
Understanding changing patterns of placement type stability in the first two years of placement for looked after children in Scotland: A sequence analysis
No full textPlacement stability is an important concern for children looked after. Sequence analysis has been proposed as a promising method by which to quantitatively assess care placement stability for looked after children. Previous uses of sequence analysis to understand care placement stability have focused on a cohort perspective – following children from birth to age 18 and then analysing their whole care histories. This cohort approach is less well suited to understanding care placement stability for the population of children in care at a given time, which is a limitation given interest in understanding how aggregate levels of care placement stability is changing. In this paper we demonstrate a complimentary use of sequence analysis to understand placement type stability in shorter periods. We combined sequence analysis with regression modelling applied to Scottish administrative data for children looked after between 2008–2017 to describe change over time in the average number of transitions between placement types – a placement stability measure derived from sequence analysis – for children in their first two years in care. Our results show that there was a slight overall decrease in placement stability by this measure between 2008–2017, but that this decrease appears attributable to changes in the composition of placement types over the same period
Change in cardiac troponin T to differentiate acute from chronic myocardial injury in the Emergency Department
Full text linkIntroductionPersistently elevated cardiac troponin (cTn) values are observed in many patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the absence of myocardial infarction and may reflect underlying cardiac disease. Chronic myocardial injury is defined where cTn values are elevated and vary by ≤ 20 % on sequential measurements. We aimed to evaluate whether these criteria are reliable over short intervals applied in accelerated diagnostic pathways.MethodsIn a secondary analysis of a prospective, multi-centre cohort study of patients with suspected ACS, cTnT was measured at presentation, 1, 2 and 6–36 h, and the final diagnosis adjudicated according to the Fourth Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction. Two criteria for chronic myocardial injury were compared: a relative change in cTn of ≤ 20 % and an absolute change < 3 ng/L, and the findings externally validated.ResultsAt presentation cTnT was elevated in 242 of 1,000 (24 %) patients (73 years, 42 % female), of whom 94/242 (39 %), 13/242 (5 %) and 137/242 (56 %) had myocardial infarction, acute or chronic myocardial injury, respectively. A relative change of ≤ 20 % misclassified 58 % (59/101) and 49 % (48/98) of patients with a final diagnosis of acute myocardial injury or infarction at 1 and 2 h, respectively, whereas an absolute change of < 3 ng/L misclassified 22 % (22/101) and 15 % (15/98). In the validation cohort (n = 621), the relative and absolute change criteria at one hour misclassified 43 % (13/30) and 17 % (5/30) of those with myocardial infarction.ConclusionsChronic myocardial injury cannot reliably be differentiated from acute myocardial injury or infarction by recommended criteria over short remeasurement intervals in the Emergency Department. Longer intervals between sampling and absolute rather than relative criteria may reduce the risk of misclassification
Mechanisms linking cyberbullying victimisation to internalising problems in youth:A systematic review and meta-analytic structural equation modelling
Full text linkThere is a growing body of evidence indicating that cyberbullying victimisation (CV) among youth is associated with internalising problems, such as depression, anxiety, non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicidality. Despite numerous individual studies examining the mechanisms linking CV to internalising problems, no meta-analyses have systematically synthesised the evidence on mediating pathways, leaving a critical gap in understanding how CV is linked to these internalising problems. This systematic review and meta-analysis addressed this gap by identifying and synthesising key factors that influence the link between CV and internalising problems. We searched multiple databases, identifying 125 quantitative studies in English or Chinese that met our inclusion criteria. Our review categorised the mediators into emotional dysregulation, social support, cognitive processes, internalising problems, externalising problems and life stressors across cross-sectional and longitudinal studies with 260,608 participants from 33 countries. Separate meta-analytic structural equation modelling (MASEM) analyses revealed that emotional dysregulation, internalising problems, life stressors and social support partially mediated the impact of CV on depression/anxiety, and internalising problems partially mediated the association between CV and NSSI/suicidality. These findings highlight the need for prevention and intervention strategies focused on these mechanisms to improve youth mental well-being.</p
Australian fathers and the adoption of their biological child:Disenfranchisement, impact and life-long consequences
Full text linkInternational adoption literature has revealed much about the impact of an adoption process on birth mothers and birth parents. However, published research insufficiently reflects separately on the experiences of birth fathers, a significantly marginalised and silent population. Grief similar to that of birth mothers associated with the adoption of a child experienced by birth fathers is complicated by feelings of disenfranchisement, shame, guilt, and stigma. This is also compounded by the continued psychological presence of the child in their lives. This paper reports on Australian birth fathers’ experiences of the adoption of their biological child. Interviews were conducted with twenty-six participants. An interpretivist model informed by a hermeneutic phenomenological approach enhanced the analysis of data from in-depth qualitative interviews and qualitative responses. Key findings highlighted the long- term permanent impact of the adoption events on birth fathers. Birth fathers’ exclusion, invisibility and disenfranchisement worsened their often-negative experiences. The lack of acknowledgement of their fatherhood on the birth certificate was a significant issue of dissatisfaction. Later-life contact and reunion were identified as issues with the potential to alleviate complicated grief and feelings of ambiguous loss. This research contributes helpful insights to assist governments, policy makers and practitioners in future adoption practices.</p
Controlling Tip Vortices and Cavitation through Tip Permeability for Tidal Turbin
No full textBlade-tip vortices can lead to wakes, cavitation and noise, and their control remains a significant challenge for tidal and wind turbines. In the present work, we propose controlling tip vortices through local permeability on a model-scale horizontal-axis turbine. The numerical investigation follows a rigorous validation and verification process. The tip permeability is modelled by including a porous zone over the blade tip, within which Darcy’s law is applied. The results demonstrate that there is an optimal range of permeability, corresponding to a non-dimensionalDarcy number, , of around 10−5, that can substantially decrease the tip vortex intensity. The revealed flow physics show that the permeable tip can effectively enlarge the vortex viscouscore radius with little change to the vortex circulation. The permeable tip treatment can increase the minimal pressure-coefficient at the vortex core by up to 63%, which significantly alleviates the cavitation risk. This approach has negligible influence on the turbine’s energy-harvesting performance because the spanwise extent of the permeable zone is only in the order of 0.1%turbine diameter. Our findings demonstrate this approach’s great promise to break the upper tip-speed ratio limit capped by cavitation for tidal turbines, contributing to developing more efficient and resilient turbines
Triassic-cretaceous sedimentary and magmatic development of the classic SW outcrop of the Antalya Complex, S Türkiye as a developing rift and passive margin bordering the Southern Neotethys
Full text linkThe SW segment of the Antalya Complex (Antalya nappes) documents sedimentation, magmatism and tectonics related to Permian-Triassic continental rifting, Jurassic-Cretaceous passive margin subsidence, Late Cretaceous ophiolite genesis, and latest Cretaceous initial emplacement. Pulsed rifting took place during Late Permian and Early Triassic, followed by continental break-up during Late Triassic, and then Jurassic-Late Cretaceous (Santonian) passive margin subsidence. In the west, the Lower Antalya Unit records Late Triassic (Norian) rifting and collapse of the adjacent carbonate platform (Bey Dağları), then latest Triassic (Rhaetian)-Cenomanian development of a channelised carbonate slope with redeposited shallow-water carbonates. The Middle Antalya Unit begins with Mid-Triassic (Ladinian) radiolarites, overlain by Middle-Upper Triassic siliciclastic turbidites, deep-water hemipelagic carbonates (drift deposits) and radiolarites. Alkaline volcanics erupted during Late Triassic in a deep-water setting. Deep-water radiolarites characterised Rhaetian to Late Cenomanian-Turonian. Within the Upper Antalya Unit farther east, above pre-rift and early syn-rift crust, Middle Triassic (Ladinian) radiolarites were followed by Upper Triassic hemipelagic carbonates, then uppermost Triassic-Cenomanian shallow-water platform carbonates. The SW Antalya Complex restores to the northern margin of the Southern Neotethys. The upper unit (Cambrian-Devonian) rifted during Late Permian, Middle Triassic (Ladinian) and Late Triassic (Carnian-Norian). Rift-related flexural and/or thermal uplift preceded seafloor spreading, similar to the Central-Northern Red Sea. Dismembered ophiolitic rocks were emplaced from the adjacent Southern Neotethys during the latest Cretaceous. Initial ophiolite emplacement resulted in collapse of the passive margin and transgression by mass-flow deposits. Initial emplacement by thrusting and strike-slip during late Campanian-Maastrichtian, was followed by Paleocene, Eocene and Miocene emplacement events
Recycling of carbon fibre/PEKK laminates via glass transition assisted mechanical delamination
No full textRecycling high-value thermoplastic composites is essential for sustainable use of advanced materials in high-performance applications. However, the brittle resin matrix and strong interfacial bonding with carbon fibers (CF) compromise CF integrity and alignment during mechanical recycling of carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic laminates. To overcome this, the brittle polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) matrix in a CF/PEKK laminate was reversibly transformed into an elastic rubbery state via controlled heating across its glass transition. In this softened state, reduced resin strength and interfacial adhesion allow wedge-shaped blades to penetrate between CF plies. The wedging action drives incisions through the matrix, inducing fracture and debonding, enabling clean delamination of intact CF/PEKK plies. At low temperatures (≤260 °C), insufficient resin elasticity causes bending fractures during cutting, while at high temperatures (≥340 °C), resin melting disrupts fiber alignment. At optimal conditions, 2 mm-thick unidirectional laminate was delaminated into uniform 0.34 mm-thick plies, preserving fiber length and orientation. The delaminated plies were reconsolidated under heat and pressure into new laminates. The resulting composites retained over 80 % of the original laminate's flexural strength, flexural modulus, and interlaminar shear strength. This study presents a sustainable and effective strategy for high-value recycling of end-of-life carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites
Towards new horizons in shrimp cell culture: A streamlined protocol for culturing healthy, enduring haemocytes and lymphoid organ cells from Pacific whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)
Full text linkWhiteleg shrimp is one of the most important species in global aquaculture, second in value only to Atlantic salmon. Nonetheless, a wide array of pathogenic diseases threatens the sustainability and profitability of the industry. There is an increasing demand for a solution, but this is hindered by the lack of resources and tools available for research. One of the most valuable tools lacking in marine invertebrates is an accessible in-vitro cell culture platform, where host-pathogen interactions can be studied and novel therapeutic strategies tested and refined. In absence of an immortalized cell line, a long-lived primary cell culture system is a practical alternative.The current study aimed to establish novel cell culture protocols for creating healthy primary cell and tissue cultures that could be widely used in shrimp research. We extracted haemolymph and lymphoid organ from Pacific whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) and cultured them in a range of new cell media. The cultures were monitored for growth and survivability. The results show that both the haemocytes and the lymphoid organ tissue cultures can be kept viable in a Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium/Nutrient Mixture F-12(DMEM/F-12)-based medium for over 20 and 40 days respectively, before the onset of ageing or senescence, with a maximum culture time for haemocytes and lymphoid organ of 28 and 50 days respectively. Two-colour fluorescence cell viability assays show undergoing cellular division in cultured cells, opening up the possibility of immortalising these cell lines in the future. Our study provides a novel in-vitro platform suitable to study host-pathogen interactions in Pacific whiteleg shrimp
Access Repository Dashboard
Do you manage Edinburgh Research Explorer? Access insider analytics, issue reports and manage access to outputs from your repository in the CORE Repository Dashboard!