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Africa in Russian Imperial Culture: Race, Empire, and Representation (1850-1917) (PDF)
No full textThis volume uncovers how Sub-Saharan Africa was imagined in Russian culture from 1850 to 1917. Drawing on travelogues, ethnographic studies, fiction, and museum collections, Anita Frison reveals how Russia—though lacking formal colonies in Africa—nonetheless engaged deeply with Western colonial discourse.
Organized around themes of Strangers, Lands, Bodies, Collectors, and Disguises, the book explores how Russians represented African peoples, landscapes, and artifacts to negotiate questions of race, empire, and national identity. Challenging the notion of Russian ‘exceptionalism’, this book demonstrates that imperial attitudes toward Africa often prefigured Soviet anticolonial rhetoric, whilst simultaneously relying on the colonial paradigm.
Richly documented and interdisciplinary, this study offers fresh insights for scholars of history, literature, and postcolonial studies, while remaining accessible to curious general readers
Uneven geographies of special educational needs and school segregation in England
No full textThe paper documents new educational and social geographies: the intensified and variable geographies of segregation and exclusion of one of the most marginalised groups of children, those with labels/experiences of ‘Special Educational Needs and Disabilities’ (SEND), who are usually disabled or neurodiverse, in England. The disadvantage faced by, and systematic societal failure to support, disabled and neurodiverse children has become increasingly visible within political and media debates, yet is largely overlooked within geography and broader social sciences. We present original findings demonstrating that increasing proportions of children are being educated in segregated special schools, and that these geographies are uneven at the local (Local Authority) scale, despite a stated presumption of mainstream education, dating back to 1989 and within existing legislation (Children and Families Act, 2014). Time and spatial trends in the school provision of children with SEND are analysed using multilevel longitudinal models and panel data at Local Authority scale. Critically, location is pivotal to whether children attend segregated special schools. The spatial difference is tied to: the proportions of children with statutory support, Local Authorities with higher levels of income deprivation affecting children, and the types of labels/experiences of ‘need’—particularly the increasing number of children on the autism spectrum. In light of the stated government priority to continue a presumption towards inclusion in mainstream schools, our analysis begs questions of the ability of mainstream schools to include children with common and growing ‘differences’, particularly in locations of high deprivation.</p
Supplementary information files for "Machine learning-enhanced 3D analysis of tantalum-containing particles impact on creep performance in creep strength enhanced ferritic steels"
No full textSupplementary files for article "Machine learning-enhanced 3D analysis of tantalum-containing particles impact on creep performance in creep strength enhanced ferritic steels"While the tempered martensitic microstructure of Creep Strength Enhanced Ferritic (CSEF) steels provides remarkable creep resistance, long-term stability remains a challenge. Microstructural risk factors in CSEF steels caused by nitrides, inclusions and coarsening of particles compromise mechanical integrity, accelerating crack initiation and propagation. Tantalum (Ta) additions promote the formation of nanoscale MX carbonitrides that hinder dislocation recovery and stabilise the microstructure, extending creep life. However, the unintended formation and coarsening of large Ta-containing particles could potentially counteract these benefits by serving as preferential sites for creep cavity nucleation. To better understand the direct correlation between creep damage and coarse Ta-containing particles, 3D Focused Ion Beam (FIB) serial sectioning, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and machine learning (ML) enhanced image segmentation was performed on a novel CSEF steel. High-resolution SEM imaging of sequential 100 nm thick slices enabled 3D reconstruction and quantification of particle distributions. ML enhanced image segmentation significantly accelerated the phase separation process across the large dataset, enabling efficient and consistent analysis that would be impractical with manual methods. The results reveal a close spatial association between the coarse Ta-containing particles and creep damage, with progressive accumulation of these particles toward the fracture surface (volume fraction increasing from 0.038% in as-received material to 0.093% near creep fracture), suggesting these particles serve as preferred sites for cavity nucleation with substantial impact on creep behaviour. This study paves the way for microstructural risk factor assessment in next-generation high-temperature materials and highlights the advantages of combining FIB-SEM serial sectioning with ML to analyse complex microstructures.© The Author(s), CC BY-NC 4.0</p
Flow rate ratio as a key parameter in the microfluidic synthesis of doxorubicin-loaded liposomes
No full textMicrofluidic devices offer scalable, reproducible platforms to produce liposomal drug delivery systems. Yet the relationship between flow rate ratio (FRR), drug-to-lipid (D/L) ratio, and drug encapsulation efficiency (EE%) remains incompletely defined. This study investigated the impact of FRR and D/L ratio on liposome colloidal properties and the passive loading of doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX⋅HCl) using a 3D-printed T-junction microfluidic chip. Zwitterionic (DOPC) and anionic (DOPC:DOPA, 75:25 w/w) liposomes were generated at a fixed total flow rate (12 mL/min) and varying FRRs (3:20 to 1:3, organic: aqueous). Increasing FRR led to a decrease in D/L ratio, causing a significant decrease in liposome size (from ~120 nm to ~100 nm) and increase particle concentration (>20-fold). EE% of DOX⋅HCl increased with decreasing D/L ratio, reaching 4.4% in DOPC and 75.5% in DOPC:DOPA liposomes at FRR 1:3. Comparing methods to adjust D/L (adjusting FRR or total lipid concentration injected into the system) showed that while EE% remained similar, FRR adjustment significantly increased liposome concentration and resulted in less variability in liposome size and morphology. These findings demonstrate that modulating FRR in a macro-geometry microfluidic device enables precise control of liposome size, yield, and loading, without the need to increase lipid input. This work highlights the potential of low-cost 3D-printed microfluidic devices for high-throughput production of drug-loaded liposomes and underscores the critical role of FRR in optimizing encapsulation and formulation parameters.</p
Effects of sensory constraints on sensorimotor functions in individuals with chronic ankle instability: A systematic review and meta-analysis
No full textContext: Somatosensory dysfunction in chronic ankle instability (CAI) has been reported to influence not only peripheral performance but also sensory reweighting of central nervous system. Sensory constraints, such as visual or somatosensory perturbations originating from sway surroundings or sway surface, continuously occur during body movements. Dynamically reweighting somatosensory, visual and vestibular cues are crucial for postural stability. However, due to contradictory evidence, it is unclear how sensory constraints affect sensorimotor functions and sensory reweighting ability in CAI.Objective: To examine the impact of sensory constraints on sensorimotor functions, sensory reweighting ability, and the sensory strategy selection of chronic ankle instability during postural control.Data Sources: PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane, SPORTDiscus and Medline.Study selection: Two authors independently screened article titles, abstracts, and full texts to select peer-reviewed studies exploring sensory constraints on sensorimotor functions in individuals with CAI and healthy controls.Study Design: Meta-analyses of descriptive epidemiological study. Level of Evidence: Level 4.Data Extraction: Center-of-pressure, center-of-gravity and time-to-boundary measures that represent postural stability, and muscle activity amplitude and activation onset time were extracted.Results: Forty-three articles were included. Compared with healthy controls, the CAI group exhibited static (hedges’s g = 0.53) and dynamic (hedges’s g = 1.05) deficits with visual constraint, as well as increased medial gastrocnemius activity (hedges’s g = 1.02) during unilateral stance with visual constraint. The CAI group showed decreased sensory reweighting during unilateral stance with visual constraint (hedges’s g = 0.26) and bilateral stance with visual and somatosensory constraints (hedges’s g = 0.45).Conclusions: Visual constraint could alter postural control and muscle activation patterns in individuals with chronic ankle instability. Sensory reweighting ability of chronic ankle instability may fluctuate based on task and sensory constraints, and visual dominance strategy may help individuals with CAI modulate posture when visual information is reliable.</p
Come full circle: re-illustrating heritage through virtual reality (VR) at All Saints Church
No full textThese are slides from "Come Full Circle: Re-illustrating Heritage through Virtual Reality (VR) at All Saints Church" presented at the 15th International illustration research symposium: The role of technology in illustration, Koç University, Istanbul (20-22 November 2025).The term illustration originated in the fifteenth century from the illumination of biblical stories for the illiterate through imagery on church walls. In Britain, however, the very features that birthed the term were plastered over during the Reformation. Now, in the twenty-first century, the essence of illustration has been reimagined through Virtual Reality (VR) technology.This presentation explores the Tomorrow’s Heritage Today project, where MA Illustration students at Loughborough University were invited to envision biblical murals for All Saints Church, a local medieval church dating back to the fifteenth century. Over the course of three weeks, the students worked closely with the church community to design the biblical narratives.They were not recreating medieval paintings but inventing new designs that reflected both historical traditions and the contemporary cultural identities of today’s multicultural congregation. In this project, VR was more than a display. It was an apparatus that shaped the illustrative process into an interactive and speculative construction of lost narratives. The finished murals were scanned and implemented on the walls of a virtual replica of the church, literally illustrating what the church would look like without altering the current building. Both a tool and a medium, VR not only helped to extend the students’ illustrative capabilities beyond the limitations of physical or digital canvases, it also enabled the viewers to envision alternative realities where historical authenticity and the speculative present coexist. Through VR, the illustrators are reaffirmed as active social enablers bridging communities, imagery, and text.The presentation will close with suggestions on how immersive technology can further enable visual storytelling to once again permeate public spaces, and open doors to empower those who are not represented in the vision of today’s environments to change what their world looks like.© the author</p
Rendering transparency to ranking in educational assessment via Bayesian Comparative Judgement
No full textTransparency in educational assessment has become an increasingly pressing concern, particularly in the aftermath of the pandemic, as institutions seek more equitable, robust, and defensible methods of evaluating student work. Comparative Judgement (CJ) has gained traction as a promising alternative to traditional rubric‐based marking. However, despite its potential, CJ has been criticised for its perceived opacity, particularly in high‐stakes contexts where fairness, auditability, and trust are paramount.This paper investigates whether Bayesian Comparative Judgement (BCJ), which applies Bayesian statistical methods to CJ, can enhance transparency by making the judgement process more structured, interpretable, and accountable. BCJ introduces a probabilistic framework that incorporates prior knowledge and updates beliefs based on new evidence, allowing for quantification of uncertainty and clearer justification of ranking decisions. It enables greater insight into the consistency of judgements and highlights areas of disagreement among assessors.We also evaluate a recent multi‐criteria extension of BCJ that models each learning outcome (LO) separately, mirroring the structure of rubric‐based assessment while retaining the efficiency and comparative strengths of CJ. This approach supports the generation of both outcome‐specific and holistic rankings, offering detailed feedback without sacrificing the coherence of the overall evaluation.Using real‐world assessment data from a UK higher education course involving experienced professional markers, we demonstrate the application of BCJ and multi‐criteria BCJ in practice. Our analysis highlights how these models can provide rigorous, transparent insights into the reasoning behind both individual and collective rankings. We also discuss how BCJ supports external validation of assessment outcomes. Finally, through semi‐structured discussions with participant markers and expert CJ practitioners, we qualitatively assess the perceived transparency and usefulness of BCJ in authentic settings, particularly where high‐stakes decisions are made. We conclude by outlining the benefits and limitations of BCJ and its relevance across varied educational contexts.</p
What Thucydides could really teach Trump
No full textThe Trump administration’s embrace of coercion, transactional alliance politics and performative displays of strength is often defended as hard-headed realism in an unforgiving international system. Key figures within President Donald Trump’s foreign-policy team have explicitly invoked a stripped-down and distorted reading of Thucydides’ The History of the Peloponnesian War to legitimise this approach, treating the dictum that ‘the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must’ as timeless wisdom rather than as a warning about its consequences. In fact, Thucydides did not celebrate such logic, but rather traced how Athens’ growing reliance on intimidation hollowed out the foundations of its power. The contrast he draws between Periclean grand strategy and the later coercive turn exemplified by the Melian Dialogue shows how unrestrained power corrodes both international influence and domestic cohesion. Focused on Trump’s foreign policy, the Thucydidean lens illuminates the strategic costs of the coercive approach. Power exercised without restraint may compel compliance in the short term, but ultimately accelerates resistance, balancing behaviour and strategic decline.</p
Neo-Zogan flat inlay as a replacement for piercing and soldering: exploring a sustainable alternative in jewellery manufacturing
No full textSmall-scale jewellery production has the potential to drive sustainable practices through local studio craftsmanship (Craig in Metalsmith 32–38, 2008), influencing younger generations to adopt greener goldsmithing techniques and potentially impacting larger-scale manufacturing in the jewellery industry. Jewellery businesses, from small to medium scale, play a crucial role in both economic and social development. However, achieving sustainable manufacturing in goldsmithing remains a significant challenge due to material waste, reliance on harmful chemicals, and energy-intensive processes. This chapter presents a research project initiated in October 2021 at Loughborough University, School of Design and Creative Arts, which investigates alternatives to traditional soldering methods due to environmental and health concerns. The study examines the potential of an adapted flat inlay technique, influenced by the Japanese metal inlay technique-Zogan, in comparison with conventional piercing and soldering methods, particularly for producing decorative effects that involve the combination of two different metals. Both qualitative and quantitative data are collected and analysed, with findings discussed alongside limitations. The research aims to provide informed recommendations for researchers, educators, and jewellery makers, encouraging the adoption of fabrication methods that reduce environmental impact and material waste. Ultimately, the study contributes to the advancement of sustainable practices in contemporary jewellery manufacturing.</p
Urban Latitude Series: Governance and Urban Data
No full textThis session of the Urban Latitude Webinar Series explores the evolving role of governance in shaping urban data practices at the local, regional and global scale, and the influence of data-driven decision-making.Presenters: Dr Rob Harland (Reader in Urban Graphic Heritage: TOWN Observatory, United Kingdom) & Dr Taimaz Larimian (Senior Lecturer in Urban Planning: TOWN Observatory, United Kingdom) | Rashid Seedat (Executive Director: Gauteng City-Region Observatory, South Africa) & Shannon Whitaker (Junior Researcher: Gauteng City-Region Observatory, South Africa).This session was convened and facilitated by Dr Yolandi Burger as part of the seedcorn project titled "Exploring urban heritage storytelling in digital urban observatories through international collaboration and knowledge exchange".© the authors</p