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Development and validation of the performance environment of practice scale
Full text linkThe performance climate is affected by time, situation, and case, which requires frequent measurement within practice environments where athletes spend most of their time. This study aimed to develop and validate the Performance Environment of Practice Scale (PEPS). Three waves of data collection and analysis were conducted: content validity (n = 30), exploratory factor analysis (n = 389), and confirmatory factor analysis (n = 198). The scale development process provided initial evidence for the face validity and internal reliability of the 7-factor 26-item PEPS for use with athletes in a competitive practice environment. The PEPS provides a performance environment measure that carries lower response burden than previous measurement attempts. The PEPS can be used by coaches at regular intervals to measure the psychological performance climate of their practice environment. Further evaluation of the test-retest reliability and predictive validity of the PEPS is required, along with accuracy assessments against coach performance perceptions and the gathering of normative data
Performance as spiritual conjuring: Exploring influences of alárinjó theatrical art in the works of Taiwo Ajai-Lycett
Full text linkTaiwo Ajai-Lycett, Nigerian-British actress of stage and screen, stands as a compelling contemporary figure whose work bears the imprints of this indigenous theatrical heritage. Her praxis is shaped by the “disguise” and culture-custodian legacies of the Alárìnjó theatre., blended with the Western performance styles of Konstantin Stanislavski, Lee Strasberg, Bertolt Brecht, and Sanford Meisner. Through her, we can conceptualise Alárìnjó as a living system of performance, thereby expanding the discourse of performance theory as well as the pedagogical landscape of performance from an African indigenous knowledge location – one that has remained comparatively underexplored until now. With this objective, this paper explores how Ajai-Lycett channels aspects of this receding theatre tradition into her contemporary screen and stage work. It examines key Alárìnjó concepts - such as “invisibility”, “disguise”, and “spirituality” - alongside exemplars of her performances from 1973 to the present. In doing so, it spotlights three cultural subtexts of the Alálàrinjó form that are typically lost to the casual observer. These include: (1) the transcendental mindset required by the actor to simultaneously inhabit the dual roles of entertainer and cultural curator (Kalilu 1991); (2) the spiritual significance in costume selection (Aremu 1983); and (3) the cultural dimensions embedded in blocking and dance expressions of human experiences such as birth, death, loss, and marriage. In this way, the paper contributes to extended critical conversations on Nigerian screen performance and nuances key dynamics of gendered presences in Nigerian television systems since the 1970s
Measuring recurrent victimization: Evaluating operationalization strategies and predictors using the Crime Survey for England and Wales
Full text linkVictimization is concentrated among a small group of individuals, commonly referred to as recurrent victims. However, there is no consensus on the operationalization of recurrent victimization. This study investigates optimal measurement strategies and identifies predictors of recurrent victimization through a meta-analytic synthesis of multiple analytic approaches estimated on the 2019/20 Crime Survey for England and Wales. The results suggest that defining recurrent victimization using a Top 10% binary categorization and estimating logistic regression models can lead to biased conclusions. In contrast, operationalizations based on experiencing two or more victimization types or incidents performed substantially better when paired with bivariate probit models. Count-based operationalizations, particularly total victimization counts across crime types, also performed well when analysed using negative binomial or zero-inflated negative binomial models. Taken together, the findings indicate that researchers wishing to categorise recurrent victims should employ theoretically informed category- or incident-based measures analysed with bivariate probit models, whereas those seeking to identify individuals who experience higher volumes of victimization should use count-based measures estimated with negative binomial frameworks. Across all approaches, mental health conditions consistently emerged as the strongest correlate of recurrent victimization
Microstructure and hydrogen sorption of severely deformed TaTiVCrFe and ZrTiVCrFe refractory high-entropy alloys
No full textMulti-phase refractory high-entropy alloys with hydride forming elements containing body-centered cubic and Laves phases have a great potential in solid-state hydrogen storage applications. Significant hydrogen sorption capacity close to ambient temperature without activating together fast hydrogen sorption kinetics are considered as important delima for this purpose. The present investigation was conducted to process TaTiVCrFe and ZrTiVCrFe refractory high-entropy alloys by severe plastic deformation in order to satisfy these requirements. Two alloys represented noted multi-phase microstructure before and after high-pressure torsion process. In addition, thermal stability of severely deformed samples were studied after long-term annealing at an elevated temperature of 973 K. Fast hydrogen sorption was detected up to 1.04 and 2.53 wt% for severely deformed TaTiVCrFe and ZrTiVCrFe alloys, respectively, with no incubation time. Introducing structural defects, formation of a high-volume fraction of interfaces between different phases due to phase fragmentation and formation of nano/micro cracks in the severely deformed microstructure provided faster diffusion pathway and more nucleation of hydrides. High thermal stability of the processed alloys allow them to use the advantages of severe plastic deformation on the functional properties of refractory high-entropy alloys over a wide temperature range
How AI shapes the cultural tourism visitor experience: A scoping review with a personalisation lens
No full textThis scoping review maps how artificial intelligence, particularly large language models (LLMs) and adjacent modalities, influence the cultural tourism visitor experience through personalisation. Following Arksey and O’Malley’s PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines, searches were conducted in Scopus and Google Scholar (2015–2024), yielding 610 records, of which 18 studies were retained after screening. The analysis identifies a layered “personalisation stack” comprising conversational guidance (LLM pilots), knowledge-graph storytelling, behaviour-aware recommenders, telemetry-informed orchestration, and immersive/assistive media. Reported benefits cluster around engagement, perceived relevance, comfort in VR, and progress towards accessibility. However, value is contingent on governance, autonomy calibration, spatial/crowding effects, and explainability. Evidence gaps include longitudinal evaluation, multimodal LLM integration with knowledge graphs and sensor streams, accuracy/bias auditing, privacy-by-design, and performance reporting for real-time operation. The paper synthesises theoretical, managerial, and policy implications and outlines a practice-oriented checklist. Overall, the findings clarify how AI shapes cultural visitor experiences and the safeguards required to deliver equitable value at scale
Tourism taxation and policy choices in the UK: the impact of high VAT on demand, competitiveness and resilience
No full textPurpose
This paper aims to examine how value-added tax (VAT) policy shapes tourism demand, firm resilience and longer-term competitiveness in the UK visitor economy. Using the 2020–2022 reduced-rate episode and the subsequent reversion to the standard 20% rate as a policy lens, it assesses the implications of VAT transmission for future tourism tax design.
Design/methodology/approach
This study undertakes a structured policy-evidence synthesis, integrating legislative developments, economic theory, national fiscal evidence, firm-level financial indicators, regional tourism data and international comparisons. Evidence is drawn from official and sectoral sources, including HM Treasury, the Office for Budget Responsibility, STEAM-based regional estimates and European benchmarks.
Findings
The temporary VAT reductions supported short-term stabilisation but were characterised by incomplete and asymmetric price pass-through, with a portion of the relief retained to rebuild liquidity and absorb costs. Following reversion to 20%, the sector exhibits a predominantly value-led recovery in which higher prices partially offset weaker visitor volumes, with uneven regional performance and heightened financial fragility. In a high-cost environment, reinforced by rising labour and property pressures, elevated VAT is associated with weaker demand conditions, increased insolvency risk and reduced international price competitiveness. Comparative evidence indicates the UK is now a relatively high-tax tourism destination, consistent with a widening tourism trade deficit.
Practical implications
This paper argues for a more strategic approach to tourism taxation. A lower VAT rate for core visitor-economy services, complemented by targeted measures, could support off-peak demand where capacity exists while avoiding incentives that intensify peak pressure. Reinvestment of tourism-related tax receipts into local infrastructure, skills and destination management is critical to strengthening community well-being, sustainability and long-term competitiveness.
Originality/value
By reframing VAT as a demand-management and resilience instrument rather than merely a revenue tool, this study integrates evidence on price transmission, firm solvency, regional recovery and competitiveness into a single evaluative framework, offering policy guidance for sustainable reform in high-tax tourism economies
The role of self-directed tools and strategies in reducing gambling harm: An explore report
Full text linkThis report explores why and how people who wish to reduce, quit, or manage their gambling engage with self-directed tools and strategies in Great Britain. It discusses these experiences across awareness, motivation, uptake, engagement and impact, identifying barriers and facilitators to inform recommendations for the sector explored further in the Final Synthesis report
The taphonomy of human footprints in an estuarine setting: Implications for quaternary track-sites in intertidal zones
Full text linkThe purpose of this paper is to understand the preservation of human footprints formed in estuarine settings, with a specific focus on survival time and morphological modification. To this end, we conducted a taphonomic study by creating five trackways at two different sites on the intertidal mudflats of a modern estuary in North Wales. Trackways were monitored across multiple tidal cycles using photogrammetry to create timelapsed orthomosaics and digital elevation models. Our results exhibit a pattern of morphological footprint decay for individual tracks, while showing persistence at the same time. Under progressive influence of the tides, anatomical detail decreases, push-up ridges erode, and footprint outlines become wider with eventual sediment infill. Despite this, individual tracks remain identifiable and biometric inferences (e.g., foot length) are consistent throughout, with intra-trackway variability comparable to changes observed over time. Estimates for a complete removal of the tracks at the study sites are after five to seven days (10–14 tidal cycles). This will vary between sites as with variations in sediment properties, local hydrodynamics, and track orientation. We suggest that tidal duration is critical for footprint preservation and stress that taphonomic processes are different at sites with aeolian sediment formation. While site-specific, our results offer broader insights into the formation and survival of Quaternary footprints in dynamic coastal environments
A thematic synthesis of the experiences and perceptions of everyday wayfinding
Full text linkWayfinding is an important everyday activity, which can be conceived as a dynamic process of spatial problem solving. Existing research has significantly increased our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of wayfinding but has necessarily minimised the importance of ecological factors. Therefore, in this study we conducted a thematic synthesis of 54 articles, investigating an important yet minimised factor: the experiences and perceptions of wayfinding in everyday settings. Our findings suggest that people's experiences and perceptions are an integral part of everyday wayfinding, which manifests most explicitly in how landmarks are selected and utilised, how individuals' wayfinding experiences and strategies are idiosyncratic, and how wayfinding can be conceived as a dynamic, collective and socially-situated activity. These findings, we suggest, can act as a catalyst for an expansion of wayfinding research towards more ecologically sound approaches with diverse methodologies
Robotic-assisted hip and knee replacement in NHS Scotland: Trends and efficiency implications (2020–2024)
Full text linkRobotic-assisted hip and knee replacement has been increasingly adopted in orthopaedic practice, offering potential advantages in surgical precision and workflow consistency. However, its efficiency compared with conventional manual methods in real-world NHS practice remains debated. This retrospective observational study analysed routinely collected data from the Arthroplasty Rehabilitation in Scotland Endeavour (ARISE) programme, including patients undergoing unilateral primary hip or knee replacement between 2020 and 2024. Robotic-assisted status, type of surgery, and operative duration were examined. Uptake of robotic-assisted hip and knee replacement was assessed annually, and comparative analyses evaluated operative times between robotic-assisted and manual procedures. Robotic-assisted hip and knee replacements increased from 101 procedures in 2020 to 1164 in 2024, representing a tenfold rise. Despite this growth, robotic cases accounted for fewer than 10% of all hip and knee replacements, with uptake concentrated in a small number of centres. Median operative durations were similar between robotic-assisted and manual procedures for both hips and knees. However, robotic surgeries demonstrated narrower interquartile ranges and fewer outliers. Knee replacements showed consistently higher adoption than hip replacement across the study period. Robotic-assisted hip and knee replacement has expanded rapidly in NHS Scotland, though access remains uneven across hospitals. Operative efficiency is comparable to conventional methods, but improved consistency may offer service-level benefits such as more predictable theatre scheduling. Wider adoption will require strategic investment in infrastructure, training, and equitable resource distribution to maximise the potential benefits of robotic-assisted technology within the NHS