7564 research outputs found
Sort by
Modern Arab kingship: remaking the Ottoman political order in the interwar Middle East by Adam Mestyan
No full textAdam Mestyan’s Modern Arab Kingship: Remaking the Ottoman Political Order in the Interwar Middle East is a significant contribution to the study of modern Arab political history, particularly in its exploration of how monarchical authority evolved in the Middle East during the interwar period. The book examines the transformation of kingship in the region, focusing on the reconfiguration of imperial legacies, the role of Islamic authority, and the interaction between colonial powers and local rulers. Mestyan’s meticulous research, which draws upon extensive archival sources, presents a fresh perspective on the political history of Arab monarchies, situating them within the broader global trends of governance and sovereignty.
The book is structured into seven chapters, each exploring different aspects of Arab kingship in the twentieth century. Mestyan begins by exploring the late Ottoman period, emphasizing how Ottoman administrative structures and Islamic institutions shaped the governance models that persisted into the post-Ottoman era. The first chapter effectively sets the stage for the book, illustrating how political power in Arab lands was not simply a product of European colonial intervention but also the result of deeply rooted Ottoman traditions. While Mestyan provides a compelling argument for the continuity of Ottoman influence, a stronger comparative analysis with non-Arab former Ottoman territories could have further contextualized the unique developments in Arab monarchies
Clinicians' perspectives on managing medical emergencies in eating disorders (MEED) in adolescence—a reflexive thematic analysis
Full text linkObjective:
Despite the UK national guidance for Managing Emergencies in Eating Disorders (MEED) being widely used, little is known about how the guidance has been embedded into clinical practice or implemented across services.
Methods:
Clinicians (n = 13) working in community child and adolescent eating disorder services and medical wards were interviewed about their experience of using the MEED guidance in their clinical practice. Open-ended questions were used. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse interview data.
Results:
Reflexive thematic analysis of responses identified three main themes. These were the following: (1) a common language, (2) looking beneath the surface, and (3) refeeding syndrome—a rare event in youth. These themes evidenced the important role of the MEED guidance in child and adolescent eating disorders and highlighted both the benefits and limitations of the current guidance.
Conclusions:
This study demonstrated that MEED was most helpful as a tool to clearly communicate acuity of medical risks between services, aiding multi-agency working required to manage both physical and mental health risks of young people with AN. The absence of parameter risk stratification and the lack of consistency on refeeding guidance across adolescent and adult guidance were highlighted as areas that future research should focus on
Generative AI and LLMs for critical infrastructure protection: evaluation benchmarks, agentic AI, challenges, and opportunities
Full text linkCritical National Infrastructures (CNIs)—including energy grids, water systems, transportation networks, and communication frameworks—are essential to modern society yet face escalating cybersecurity threats. This review paper comprehensively analyzes AI-driven approaches for Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP). We begin by examining the reliability of CNIs and introduce established benchmarks for evaluating Large Language Models (LLMs) within cybersecurity contexts. Next, we explore core cybersecurity issues, focusing on trust, privacy, resilience, and securability in these vital systems. Building on this foundation, we assess the role of Generative AI and LLMs in enhancing CIP and present insights on applying Agentic AI for proactive defense mechanisms. Finally, we outline future directions to guide the integration of advanced AI methodologies into protecting critical infrastructures. Our paper provides a strategic roadmap for researchers and practitioners committed to fortifying national infrastructures against emerging cyber threats through this synthesis of current challenges, benchmarking strategies, and innovative AI applications
Identification repentance in New Covenant theology: a balanced theological and pastoral appraisal
Full text linkThis article assesses Identification Repentance (IR) within New Covenant theology. Identification Repentance (IR) refers to repenting for the sins of a group with which one identifies. It has gained popularity in intercessory contexts. However, its theological validity within New Covenant theology is questionable. While Old Testament figures like Nehemiah and Daniel model communal confession, these acts lack the personal transformation central to New Testament repentance. This study uses a doctrinal definition (Webster, 2005), biblical-theological analysis (Vos, 2003), thematic evaluation (Grenz & Olson, 1996), and a balanced appraisal (Grenz & Olson, 1996) to assess IR’s theological coherence. Scripture is allowed to shape doctrine, tracing IR across redemptive history and evaluating its compatibility in the New Covenant context. IR lacks biblical, patristic, and liturgical support. Key texts (e.g., Nehemiah 1; Daniel 9) demonstrate Identification Confession (IC), but not repentance. The New Covenant emphasises personal accountability, emotional integrity, and spiritual rebirth. IR risks undermining the believer’s new identity in Christ and runs the risk of confusing intercession with repentance. IR should not be normative in the Church. Ministers should promote authentic, Spirit-led repentance, distinguish IR from IC, and emphasise the believer’s identity in Christ. Lament and intercession are valid expressions of pastoral solidarity, but must not replace personal repentance
Channel quality predictions assisted by new algorithms for high throughput satellite and 5G systems
Full text linkVariations in rainfall patterns across different regions reduce the accuracy of existing satellite channel models. As satellite services and 5G applications continue to advance, the development of accurate rain-impairment-aware channel models has become essential. This paper presents a prediction model for rain-induced impairments in High Throughput Satellite (HTS) and 5G satellite-to-land communication channels. The proposed model integrates three novel algorithms designed to characterize and analyze rain-induced attenuation and channel quality. Specifically, these algorithms calculate rain-specific attenuation, effective slant path lengths through rainfall, overall rain-induced attenuation, signal carrier-to-noise ratios, and symbol error rates across three conventional modulation schemes. Additionally, the study introduces a new database detailing rain-induced attenuation on HTS channels, considering various frequencies and rainfall intensities. Results indicate substantial fluctuations in HTS-to-land fade levels and signal quality during rainfall events, which could lead to communication link outages, particularly at higher-order modulation schemes. This study provides practical methods to analyze channel characteristics using actual rainfall measurements, thereby facilitating the effective design and deployment of future HTS and 5G system
A good city has everything: co-design workshops to integrate a functional mix of culture and industry in Brussels
Full text linkUrban planning in post-industrial cities is often limited by stakeholders’ understanding of the potential for intensifying mixed industrial and cultural uses, and the benefits to each of their co-location. In Brussels, differences in language and governance pose additional challenges to actors trying to bring together diverse stakeholders to cooperatively plan for urban regeneration. As part of a wider action research project on regeneration of the city, five co-design workshops were held across Brussels in 2017–2019 and interviews with participants were conducted. Later, in 2023, the researchers returned to the city to assess the practical outcomes of the project. This paper explores the role of the workshops in harnessing the untapped potential for integrating and expanding mixed industrial and cultural uses, and highlights the factors required to inspire and motivate diverse stakeholders to drive sustainable innovation and growth
Emerging bismuth vanadate-based biosensor platforms for diagnostic, imaging, therapeutic and antibacterial applications
No full textBiVO4 nanostructures are n-type semiconductor photocatalysts with a narrow band gap that is sensitive to visible light. This photocatalytic property, along with unique electrochemical properties, remarkable biocompatibility, tunable surface chemistry, ease of synthesis and facile morphology tuning, has made them attractive candidates in the field of biosensor platforms. These biosensors offer highly sensitive, point-of-care, non-invasive diagnostic and therapeutic applications for various conditions like neurological disorders, multiple tumours and some pathological conditions. Additionally, these materials have gained attraction in imaging-guided therapeutic and diagnostic imaging platforms, such as up- and down-conversion imaging, CT, MRI, photoacoustic and multimodal imaging platforms. Along with that, visible light-driven reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by these materials has been applied for photocatalytic disinfection by ROS-mediated killing of bacteria. These applications are crucial for removing dangerous strains of bacteria and antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This review article highlights the recent advancements in BiVO4-integrated biosensor platforms in diagnostic, therapeutic, imaging and bactericidal applications. The modification and engineering strategies adopted for better suiting BiVO4 for particular applications are discussed in detail. The challenges in addressing their material stability, biocompatibility and clinical translation are discussed with more emphasis on the potential of BiVO4 in integrated diagnostic, imaging and therapeutic applications
High-performance multiport antenna with frequency selective surface for 5G Ka‐band applications
Full text linkThis paper presents a novel multiport antenna tailored for 5G millimeter‐wave (mm‐Wave) applications. The proposed design features orthogonally arranged radiating elements to ensure compactness with an overall footprint of just 20 × 26 mm2. A key innovation is the integration of a frequency selective surface (FSS) layer placed above the antenna system to enhance gain and isolation without increasing complexity. This FSS enhances gain by 1.5 dB across the band, achieving a peak gain of 7.5 dBi at 41 GHz. The antenna operates across the entire Ka‐band (22–46 GHz), delivering efficiency exceeding 80% and maintaining isolation above 20 dB. Key multiport antenna performance parameters including diversity gain (DG = 10) and envelope correlation coefficient (ECC <0.005) align with performance benchmarks, and experimental measurements validate simulation results. The unique combination of orthogonal element placement and FSS enhancement positions this antenna as a robust solution for next‐generation 5G applications
Politics, leadership and power
No full textChapter 3 of "A cultural history of fame in the modern age", this is an analysis of the history of celebrity politics
Partnering with AI for instrument development: possibilities and pitfalls
No full textRecent advances in generative artificial intelligence (AI), specifically large language models (LLMs), provide new possibilities for researchers to partner with AI when developing and refining psychological instruments. In this paper we demonstrate how LLMs, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT 4 model, might be used to support the development of new psychometric scales. Partnering with AI for the purpose of developing and refining instruments, however, comes with its share of potential pitfalls. We thereby discuss throughout the paper that instrument development and refinement start and end with human judgment and expertise. We open with two use-cases that describe how we used LLMs in the development and refinement of two new psychological instruments. Next, we discuss possibilities for where and how researchers can use LLMs in the process of instrument development more broadly, including considerations for maximizing the benefits of LLMs and addressing the potential hazards when working with LLMs. Finally, we close by offering initial suggestions for psychology researchers interested in partnering with LLMs in this capacity