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Toward a deeper understanding of concentrated electrolyte effects in redox flow batteries
No full textThe rapid uptake of wind and solar power has created an urgent need for long-duration, grid-scale energy-storage technologies that are efficient, safe, and economically scalable. Redox flow batteries (RFBs) satisfy many of these requirements, yet their commercial adoption is hampered by poor durability, which in part owes to gaps in the fundamental understanding of ion transport in the concentrated electrolytes favored for high energy density. This dissertation delivers an integrated experimental–theoretical investigation that traces performance bottlenecks from the cell-scale symptoms of capacity fade to the micro-scale physics that govern ion motion in complex fluids.Chapters two and three diagnose and mitigate the principal durability challenge in non-aqueous RFBs: membrane fouling. Using galvanostatic cycling, impedance spectroscopy, and a novel “canary-cell” protocol, I show that pore clogging — not electrolyte decomposition — dominates capacity decay in vanadium acetylacetonate systems. Flow-field redesign and active reservoir rebalancing suppress concentration gradients across the separator and extend cycle life by an order of magnitude.Motivated by these findings, Chapter four revisits multicomponent transport theory. I recast the Onsager—Stefan—Maxwell (OSM) equations in a salt–charge coordinate system, clarifying how electroneutrality, thermodynamic non-ideality, and ion-ion friction govern ion transport and pinpointing the assumptions that collapse the OSM framework into the familiar Nernst—Planck form. The resulting hierarchy of sub-models, each invoking only the transport and thermodynamic parameters it needs, resolves coupled concentration and electrostatic-potential gradients in space and time, enabling practical prediction of ionic fluxes.Chapter five closes the property loop by measuring the viscosity, density, sound speed, and compressibility of LiPF6 in mixed-carbonate solvents over a broad concentration range. These constitutive relations, coupled with the new transport formalism, enable predictive simulation of concentrated-electrolyte behavior under extreme pressure and temperature variations. Although chemically distinct, both lithium-ion and non-aqueous RFB electrolytes combine rigid-ring solutes with flexible linear co-solvents, indicating that mixing volumes, partial-molar compressibilities, and related Gibbs free-energy derivatives follow generally transferable trends.Collectively, the thesis integrates separator diagnostics, flow-field engineering, advanced transport modeling, and comprehensive property characterisation to build a unified picture of concentrated-electrolyte effects in RFBs. The resulting insights shorten the path from laboratory discovery to field deployment, guiding the design of more durable, efficient, and cost-competitive flow-battery systems essential for a decarbonised electricity grid
Roadmap on fast machine learning for science
No full textThe need for microsecond speed machine learning (ML) inference for particle physics experiments has emerged in recent years, in particular for the forthcoming upgrades to the experiments at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. A community has grown around the need to develop the custom hardware platforms and tools required. The material presented in this report is drawn from the latest workshop held by the fast ML for science community and comprises of a collection of perspectives on the status of fast ML in different scientific domains, and the supporting technology
A randomised controlled trial of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy plus usual care in comparison to usual care alone for reducing anxiety in older people with treatment-resistant generalised anxiety disorder (CONTACT-GAD): trial protocol
No full textBackground: Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is the most common anxiety disorder in older people and is characterised by excessive anxiety and worry that is experienced as being difficult to control. Current recommended first-line treatments for GAD include pharmacotherapy and psychological therapy, but some people experience GAD that does not respond to these treatments. Such treatment-resistant GAD (TR-GAD) is associated with numerous negative outcomes in older people. However, evidence-based guidance on how to manage TR-GAD in older people is lacking. Previous research suggests that Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), tailored to the needs and preferences of older people with TR-GAD, may help reduce anxiety in this population. Aims: To determine the clinical and cost-effectiveness of tailored ACT plus usual care (UC) in comparison to UC alone for reducing anxiety in older people with TR-GAD. Methods: The CONTACT-GAD trial is an international, multi-centre, parallel, two-arm RCT with a 9-month internal pilot phase. 296 individuals aged ≥ 60 years with TR-GAD will be recruited from primary and secondary care services (and their equivalent in Australia) and via self-referral at approximately 11 UK sites and 4 Australian sites. TR-GAD will be defined as GAD that has failed to respond adequately to pharmacotherapy and/or psychotherapy, as described in step 3 of the UK's stepped care model for GAD (and its equivalent in Australia). Participants will be randomly allocated to receive up to 14 one-to-one sessions of ACT with a booster session at approximately 3-months post-intervention plus UC or UC alone by an online randomisation system. Participants will complete outcome measures at baseline and 6- and 12-months post-randomisation. The primary outcome will be anxiety at six months. Secondary outcomes will include quality of life, depression, psychological flexibility, resource use, health-related quality of life, capability, adverse events, satisfaction with therapy, personally meaningful behaviour change and engagement in activities. Outcome assessors will be blind to treatment allocation. Primary analyses will be by intention-to-treat, with data being analysed using multi-level modelling. Discussion: The CONTACT-GAD trial will provide much needed evidence on the management of TR-GAD in older people. Trial registration: ISRCTN Registry, https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN85462326, registered 04/01/2023. Protocol version: 3.0 (09/05/2025)
Reviewing geography education’s relationships with citizenship to (re)imagine possibilities for future research
No full textThis article examines the relationships between geography education and citizenship via a scoping review of 60 studies. Literature focused on a range of countries, primarily in Europe, and five interconnected themes were identified: citizenship as a purpose of geography education; engagement with injustices and issues; constructions of ‘the child’; political literacy and participation; and identities in relation to place, nation, and empire. The review highlights a lack of direct engagement with children’s perspectives and calls for future research that centres children’s (lived) citizenship and examines how we can develop children’s knowledges of citizenship, political literacy and participation through school geography
A nonnegativity-preserving finite element method for a class of parabolic SPDEs with multiplicative noise
No full textWe consider a prototypical parabolic SPDE with finite-dimensional multiplicative noise, which, subject to a nonnegative initial datum, has a unique nonnegative solution. Inspired by well-established techniques in the deterministic case, we introduce a finite element discretization of this SPDE that is convergent and which, subject to a nonnegative initial datum and unconditionally with respect to the spatial discretization parameter, preserves nonnegativity of the numerical solution throughout the course of evolution. We perform a mathematical analysis of this method. In addition, in the associated linear setting, we develop a fully discrete scheme that also preserves nonnegativity, and we present numerical experiments that illustrate the advantages of the proposed method over alternative finite element and finite difference methods that were previously considered in the literature, which do not necessarily guarantee nonnegativity of the numerical solution
What does sci-fi taste like? Metallic taste associated with the sound of the theremin
No full textThere has been an explosion of interest in sonic seasoning in recent years, building on the emerging literature concerning the existence of consensual crossmodal correspondences between sonic and gustatory properties. However, to date, a musical match for the metallic taste has not been reported (nor looked for). Here, based on the authors’ intuition, we tested, and by so doing demonstrate, that the sound of the theremin, associated with old sci-fi movies is strongly associated with a metallic taste
A protocol for a realist review of the acceptability and implementation of health checks for people with an intellectual disability and for autistic people
No full textBackground Autistic people and/or people with an intellectual disability are more likely to experience health conditions and premature mortality. Regular health checks and assessments are known to be useful for some people with an intellectual disability, but provision is not universal, uptake is lower than expected in some areas, with variable outcomes. Evidence for the effectiveness of health checks for autistic people has been gathered. It is important to understand how the NHS can increase health check provision, uptake, quality, and consistency, and how they should be implemented. Further evidence about how and in what ways health checks work for autistic people and people with an intellectual disability is needed. Health professionals and other stakeholders need to understand how to improve health check provision, uptake, and receipt by making them more accessible. This paper outlines a realist review protocol to explore the variable impacts and implementation challenges of health checks for autistic people and people with an intellectual disability. Methods This six-staged realist review will include health checks and assessments for people with an intellectual disability and/or autistic people. The review will address what works, how, why, for whom and under what circumstances. The objective is to identify context-sensitive barriers, solutions and their associated outcomes. This will inform the development of an initial programme theory explaining how and why health checks are effective for people with an intellectual disability and autistic people. Discussion The programme theories refined and developed through the review will inform subsequent stages of a broader study. A realist evaluation will follow to further develop and test these theories with stakeholder collaboration. The resulting programme theory will then be used to develop practical guidance for policymakers and healthcare staff on how to deliver more impactful health checks across diverse contexts. PROSPERO registration CRD42025104119
FAO laboratory mapping tool results analysis for veterinary laboratories from 2012 to 2020: highlights of the gaps, the strengths across Southeast Asia and implications for capacity building activities
No full textIntroduction: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) developed the Laboratory Mapping Tool (FAO-LMT) Core module in 2010 to assess the general activities and capacities of central veterinary laboratories. Indeed, the FAO-LMT Core can determine strengths and gaps in laboratory functionality to define mechanisms and targets for capacity building to fill the measured gaps. This article analyzes FAO-LMT-Core evaluation data on 5 areas and 17 categories across 10 Southeast Asian countries, including 32 national and sub-national laboratories, from 2012 to 2020. This result creates a premise for improving, upgrading, and investing in laboratories. They also provide valuable and objective insight into the main constraints veterinary laboratories face in Southeast Asia. Objective: The article aims to identify and assess the gaps and strengths of veterinary laboratories in Southeast Asia. Methods: Thirty-two national and subnational laboratories participated in the assessment using the FAO’s Laboratory Mapping Tool (LMT)-Core module. The results of the LMT assessment were collected from 2012 to 2020, depending on each laboratory. All data from the 32 laboratories in the 10 countries have been reviewed, summarized, and analyzed from a regional perspective; for laboratories displaying several LMT-Core assessments, the results from the latest evaluation were used for this regional analysis. Results: The 32 laboratories from 10 ASEAN countries assessed in this study obtained an overall high result for the LMT-Core (mean average score = 60%; min: 23%, max: 82%). Most of them show a steady increase in the laboratory functionality of veterinary diagnostic laboratories. Laboratories already at a relatively higher level have managed to maintain their status, and those specifically targeted by support programs have increased their scores significantly. Conclusion: Efforts and investments in the laboratories included in this study have impacted the routine activity of these facilities, and the LMT-Core module can be applied to monitor the progress objectively and in a harmonized manner; the importance of using a standardized questionnaire is undeniable. To strengthen health security in the ASEAN region, it is crucial to maintain the current regional programs on quality assurance and biosafety/biosecurity, to encourage the various governments to ensure access to an adequate laboratory budget, to develop a veterinary laboratory policy and to link this policy to the ASEAN regional framework for laboratory capacity building and networking in ASEAN. It will help ensure the sustainable development of veterinary laboratories within ASEAN
Problematic social media use and adolescent wellbeing: the role of family socioeconomic status across 43 countries: World Happiness Report 2026: Chapter 7
No full textNegative emissions to mitigate Earth system risks
No full textMost climate policies are designed under a deterministic Earth system and their climate implications evaluated ex-post. Approaches that incorporate uncertainty ex-ante to anticipate Earth system risks remain underexplored. Here, we derive global climate strategies with an ex-ante approach, employing an integrated assessment framework that embeds estimates of physical uncertainty obtained through Bayesian fusion of Earth system models’ and observations’ data. These ex-ante strategies mitigate risks in the Earth system through precautionary measures unseen with the ex-post approach, in cost-benefit analysis and cost-effective implementations of various Earth system targets. Net-zero CO2 emissions must typically be reached a decade earlier, which can require up to a doubling of the near-term carbon price. Importantly, sustained and possibly century-long net-negative emissions must be planned for, albeit not to overshoot targets as in traditional scenarios but to mitigate long-term Earth system risks. This heightens the challenge faced by humanity to build a safe future within Earth system boundaries