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Equity, legal coding, and the foundations of banking: Foley v Hill (1838-48)
No full textIn the leading House of Lords decision of Foley v Hill in 1848, it was ruled that if a banker had failed to account for a customer’s bank balance, including a failure to acknowledge or pay over the agreed interest, for a period longer than six years, then the extant limitation statute was effective to bar the customer’s claim to an account of the balance, and hence the value of both deposited principal and notionally accrued interest could not be claimed. As part of their reasoning, the Lords affirmed Lord Lyndhurst C’s view that a customer depositing money in a bank account has only a conventional debt claim against the banker, and cannot normally demand an account in equity to measure a fluctuating balance, and so cannot use an equitable procedure to maintain the banker’s duties. Some five separate courts heard the cause across a ten-year span of litigation, and of these, only the first instance judge, Knight Bruce V-C thought that a Chancery court had power to enforce return of the bank money by finding a continuous equitable duty of account binding the banker that was effective to circumvent the limitation period. According to the appellate courts, the claim embodied in a positive bank balance was a simple debt subject to normal limitation rules, even though the debt has no terminus or maturity date. It was true that the banker’s debt to the customer was accompanied or augmented by implied and express contractual terms typically according the customer a right to payment on notice or demand, plus some level of reporting of the balance. In addition it was normal to offer a facility for drawing payment orders on the bank for the benefit of third-party payees, such as personal or negotiable cheques, giving the payee an autonomous claim to payment from the bank/drawee at the order of the depositor/drawer and payable upon acceptance; and there might further be an overdraft facility annexed to the deposit account. After extensive grappling with the distinction between bailments of money as specie, debts of sums certain, and accountability for control of assets, the judges came to insist on the banker-depositor relation as a simple fluctuating debt relationship, with superadded, limited, and malleable customary and contractual rights. The augmentations do not transform the basic banking relationship into any type of bailment or trusteeship over the money value accorded to the bank via the deposit; nor should the banker be regarded as an accountable agent or fiduciary of the customer (unless he or she takes on a role as adviser or manager). It was crucial to the relationship that the bank should have full title to the money and power to direct its use value, so that the bank could personally lend it out under contract to other customers, or invest in the bank’s own name in external security instruments in order to earn the bank income...
Do Ukrainians still prefer self-defense against Russia at any cost?
Get PDFDo Ukrainians still categorically reject political and territorial concessions to Russia as found by Dill, Howlett and Müller-Crepon (2024a) in July 2022? Or have their attitudes toward resistance changed given mounting costs and uncertain benefits of self-defense against Russia’s aggression? Between December 2024 and January 2025, we presented the original and a modified conjoint experiment with stronger cost treatments to 2,580 Ukrainian citizens, sampled from largely the same locations as before. We find continued categorical resistance to Russian control. Resistance to accepting political neutrality or conceding territory meanwhile has weakened. Ethnic Ukrainians and less waraffected respondents remain comparatively more willing to resist Russia’s aggression than other respondents. Locations’ exposure to war-related violence is not associated with changes in Ukrainians’ attitudes since 2022. Our findings help us better understand how the attitudes of conflict-affected populations evolve over time and shed light on public support for a potential political settlement in Ukraine
Express yourself! A comparison of how autistic boys and girls communicate through joint attention and expressive language
No full textLanguage and communication differences are core characteristics of autism, but few studies have explored the associations of joint attention and communication behaviours in young autistic children. This study explores caregiver-reported measures of expressive language and joint attention behaviours from birth to age 3, noting differences between autistic and nonautistic children, as well as gender differences. A secondary data analysis of the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children population cohort was undertaken, exploring links between different aspects of expressive language and joint attention. A statistical analysis of multivariate test of means conducted in StataMP17 explored the associations of expressive language, joint attention, autism, and gender. The results showed differences between autistic and non-autistic children for all but one of the variables regarding joint attention and expressive language. Differences in social pretend play and number of words known at age 3 between autistic and non-autistic children showed the strongest association. Furthermore, joint attention measures are effective in differentiating autistic and non-autistic boys, and social pretend play at age 3 may also be effective in differentiating autistic and non-autistic girls, and autistic boys and girls. This study concluded that there is potential to differentiate between autistic boys and girls through social pretend play behaviours at age 3. These differences were observed despite the small sample size of autistic girls, and the analyses suggested that social pretend play behaviours may be more important differentiators of autistic boys and girls than speech or language outcomes
Kubernetes scheduling with checkpoint/restore: challenges and open problems
Get PDFEfficient resource management and scheduling have been persistent challenges since the early days of computing and remain crucial today. The widespread adoption of containers managed by orchestrators like Kubernetes has introduced new dimensions to these challenges. Despite their lightweight nature, containers still suffer from inefficiencies due to over-provisioning and long-running workloads allocating resources potentially forever. Existing scheduling techniques are not enough to meet these demands, and there is a growing need for orchestration and scheduling policies that support advanced preemption, migration, and fault tolerance. Well-established container Checkpoint/Restore (C/R) mechanisms, implemented through tools like CRIU, offer a promising solution for improving resource scheduling efficiency. However, these mechanisms remain only partially integrated with Kubernetes. In this paper, we propose a novel Interruption-Aware Scheduling Strategy that incorporates transparent C/R with the Kubernetes scheduler. We discuss the current C/R mechanisms, outline the key design choices involved in integrating with the Kubernetes scheduler, and explore associated challenges and open problems. We further discuss potential solutions to these challenges, offering a path toward more efficient resource management to better meet the needs of today’s computational landscape
Cost-effectiveness of digital health interventions for supporting mental health of children and young people: a rapid review and narrative synthesis
No full textGlobally in 2021, about 1 in 4 children and young people (CYP) below age 25 lived with poor mental health. Various forms of digital health interventions (DHIs) have been introduced in attempts to address unmet mental healthcare needs among young people. DHIs use websites or applications in computers, tablets, or smartphones to deliver mental health interventions, which are either self-directed, or therapist guided. This rapid review synthesises the evidence on the cost-effectiveness of DHIs for supporting mental health in CYP. A literature search was carried out in MEDLINE and PsycINFO using Ovid platform. The search was restricted to peer-reviewed studies published in English between Jan 2018 to May 2025. Eligible studies were identified using the population, intervention, comparator, outcome, and study design (PICOS) framework. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they provided a trial- or model-based full economic evaluation or return on investment of a DHI targeting mental health in CYP up to 25 years of age. Titles and abstracts of 1,265 records were screened. 15 studies met the criteria for inclusion following full-text screening of 28 studies. The focal outcomes in the studies included reduction in symptoms linked to depression, anxiety, and alcohol use. Most studies evaluated computerised cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) or interventions that included aspects of CBT as the primary intervention. All studies except two reported the DHIs to be cost-effective, at least under certain conditions. Two model-based and three trial-based studies reported that the interventions were dominant (cost saving and more effective) with respect to at least one outcome measure. There is some evidence to suggest DHIs hold the potential to expand and extend mental health support for CYP with minimal therapist involvement. Yet, the evidence is not conclusive due to short follow-up periods, variability in the methodological approaches and reporting of results. High quality evidence on cost-effectiveness of DHIs with comparable methodological approaches is needed to inform implementation decisions
On the complexity of the Skolem Problem at low orders
No full textThe Skolem Problem asks to determine whether a given linear recurrence sequence (LRS) ⟨un⟩∞ n=0 over the integers has a zero term, that is, whether there exists n such that un = 0. Decidability of the problem is open in general, with the most notable positive result being a decision procedure for LRS of order at most 4. In this paper we consider a bounded version of the Skolem Problem, in which the input consists of an LRS ⟨un⟩∞ n=0 and a bound N ∈ N (with all integers written in binary), and the task is to determine whether there exists n ∈ {0, . . . , N} such that un = 0. We give a randomised algorithm for this problem that, for all d ∈ N, runs in polynomial time on the class of LRS of order at most d. As a corollary we show that the (unrestricted) Skolem Problem for LRS of order at most 4 lies in coRP, improving the best previous upper bound of NPRP . The running time of our algorithm is exponential in the order of the LRS—a dependence that appears necessary in view of the NP-hardness of the Bounded Skolem Problem. However, even for LRS of a fixed order, the problem involves detecting zeros within an exponentially large range. For this, our algorithm relies on results from p-adic analysis to isolate polynomially many candidate zeros and then test in randomised polynomial time whether each candidate is an actual zero by reduction to arithmetic-circuit identity testing
Liquid crystals for reconfigurable intelligent surfaces and antennas
Get PDFThe wireless communications channel is subject to many deleterious effects: reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) and reconfigurable antennas (RAs) have emerged in recent years as technologies with the potential to address these effects, with the aim of improving the performance of the wireless link.There currently exists contention in the reported literature on RIS technologies for radio frequencies between theoretical studies that assume the RIS can apply a continuous phase-shift to impinging electromagnetic (EM) waves, and practical demonstrations that can only achieve a discrete two-level (1-bit) phase adjustment by employing common electronic circuit elements such as p-i-n diodes. With the ever-increasing number of wirelessly connected devices in home and industrial environments, the need for antennas that can dynamically respond to worsening (frequency-dependent) channel conditions has become of paramount interest. Common iterations of RAs also utilise circuit elements that only allow discrete frequency changes, dramatically reducing the possible frequency points to which the antenna could be tuned.Therefore, in this Thesis, the design, simulation, and experimental validation of RISs and RAs that incorporate nematic liquid crystal (LC) materials are considered as potential solutions to the limitations of conventional discrete phase and/or frequency modulation elements. In particular, nematic LCs are investigated for their utility in effecting a continuous and reversible alteration in either the operational frequency of RAs, or a phase-shift in the range of 0-360 degrees of signals incident at the RIS, through an externally applied electric field. Employing these devices to adjust the phase, or frequency, of EM waves can lead to improvements in the wireless communications link, such as reducing bit error rates or increasing signal-to-noise ratio, without requiring large, power-consuming infrastructure such as communications relays or antenna arrays.For this study, a range of experimental techniques are developed in-house for the fabrication of nematic LC devices used at radio frequencies (RF), including the development of a bespoke anechoic chamber utilised for conducting RF measurements. Following this, a frequency-reconfigurable bowtie antenna, featuring a thermally stimulated nematic LC, is demonstrated to produce a frequency shift of 21 MHz from the antenna, operating at 2 GHz. Then, the design and demonstration of a novel reconfigurable optically-transparent microstrip antenna, operating at 11 GHz is presented. External electric fields are applied across the nematic LC layer, which is precisely deposited onto the radiating area of the antenna via drop-on-demand inkjet printing, to cause a 90 MHz frequency shift, while the reduction in optical transmittance due to the addition of the LC and alignment layers is no more than 14%.Next, a stringent set of technical criteria is delineated to produce an LC-based RIS unit cell that is suitable for fifth-generation new radio (5G NR) frequency bands, while allowing a fair comparison with the leading alternative for 5G NR. Full-wave EM simulations establish that this novel unit cell is adept at meeting each of the criteria and achieves a continuous phase-shift that is superior to the alternative technology. Further measurements of the unit cell support these simulations, indicating potential utility in developing a full LC-based RIS. Finally, a novel concept of a dual-mode RIS unit cell for visible light communications (VLC) is proposed. This unit cell extends the capability of a VLC system by operating in both reflection and transmission modes, controlled via an external voltage applied to a chiral nematic LC layer, while also effecting a continuous phase-shift on reflected light signals via a separate nematic LC layer
Preventing premature deaths through polygenic risk scores
Get PDFPolygenic risk scores (PRS) have demonstrated predictive validity across a range of cohorts and diseases, but quantifying their clinical utility remains a challenge. As PRS can be derived from a single biological sample and remains stable throughout life, we explore the potential of PRS to optimize existing screening programs. Via an integrated modelling approach, we quantify the potential clinical benefits arising from a knowledge of PRS across seven diseases with existing screening programs (abdominal aortic aneurysm, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, coronary artery disease, hypertension, prostate cancer, and type 2 diabetes). We identify individuals at high genetic risk (PRS OR>2) and very high genetic risk (PRS OR>3) and estimate the optimal screening ages for these genetically high-risk individuals, based on the equivalent risk to population-level risk at recommended screening ages. We then leverage published data on differential mortality and other outcomes, with and without screening-based interventions, to assess the potential benefits of tailoring screening age based on genetic risk. Very high risk individuals reach the risk level associated with usual starting screening age on average 10.8 years earlier, high risk individuals 8.9 years earlier and reduced risk individuals (OR<0.5) 16.8 years later. During this time, case enrichment (the ratio of the percentage of cases in the high PRS risk group and in the total population) in the high risk group is between 1.7 and 3.0, depending on the disease. Across all seven diseases, appropriate interventions following PRS-guided screening could reduce premature deaths in high-risk individuals by 23.3%. Knowledge of genetic risk, measured using PRS, has the potential to deliver substantial public health benefits when aggregated across conditions, and could reduce premature mortality by tailoring existing screening programs
The intimate geopolitics of hosting Ukrainian refugees in Lithuanian homes
Get PDFThe article examines the experiences of Lithuanian residents who hosted Ukrainian refugees in their homes in the immediate aftermath of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. First, it argues that the commonly used migration and refugee terminology may be a misfit for this situation, as Lithuanian hosts did not view Ukrainians primarily as refugees, nor were they treated as such legally. Instead, hosts often saw Ukrainians as wives and children of soldiers of a related polity defending Europe’s frontier, with hosting framed through the lens of war and having agency in it. Second, the article examines how the perceived ‘fit’ between the Lithuanian and Ukrainian polities – historical and geopolitical – was experienced and reconfigured through hosting. Although guests occasionally, albeit to varying degrees, did not meet hosts’ expectations, this did not affect the overall sense of affinity between the two polities. At the time of my fieldwork, the affinity rested on the commitment to and faith in Ukraine’s victory – though rarely defined – which is why hosts often viewed stories of ‘misfitting’ as distractions from this existential goal. The article sheds light on the epistemic and affective labour that goes into positioning oneself and others in relation to war
Transhemispheric optic pathway degeneration following unilateral post-geniculate lesions
Get PDFA unilateral lesion in a post-geniculate section of the retino-geniculo-striate pathway (hereafter: optic pathway) leads to binocular vision loss in the contralateral visual hemifield. The extent of additional damage following such a lesion is not fully understood. Although degeneration of the ipsilesional optic tract and both retinas has been reported, potential degeneration in the contralesional post-chiasmal optic pathway has largely been overlooked. We aimed to investigate the presence and extent of contralesional degeneration in individuals with post-geniculate optic pathway lesions. In this case-control study, we examined the optic pathways of study cohorts with 10 (dataset 1) and 22 (dataset 2) individuals with unilateral post-geniculate lesions and 12 (dataset 1) and 17 (dataset 2) neurologically healthy controls. For both datasets, we applied a higher-order analysis framework, i.e. fixel-based analysis, to diffusion-weighted imaging data to evaluate the white matter of optic pathway tracts. Fixel-based analysis showed reduced fibre density and fibre-bundle cross-section in the ipsi- and contralesional optic pathways. Post-hoc analysis and observations further demonstrated reduced fibre density and fibre-bundle cross-section in the forceps major. In individuals with unilateral post-geniculate optic pathway lesions, degeneration extends beyond their primary site to the optic pathway tracts, including contralesional ones. This pattern of widespread transhemispheric degeneration suggests that it spreads more extensively than previously recognized and highlights the need for understanding its implications for visual function