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Blue-green infrastructure and socio-spatial changes: A study of urban wetlands restoration, housing development and gentrification in London using census data
Full text linkWhile blue-green infrastructure (BGI), such as urban wetlands, can offer multiple benefits, including public health improvements, social cohesion, and positive environmental impacts, they can inadvertently lead to green-blue gentrification; a phenomenon that remains under examined, for example in cities like London, UK. In London, neighbourhood surrounding the Woodberry and Walthamstow wetlands have experienced social-spatial changes over the past two decades that are worthy of study. Analysis of UK census data from 2001, 2011 and 2021 and GIS analysis tracked changes in population composition nearby (0–300 m) and in the wider area (301–1000 m) surrounding the wetlands indicates that within 300 m of these wetlands, there has been a rise in non-deprived, university-educated residents and a decrease in socially rented housing, compared to 1000 m away. This suggests that nearby private (re)development in tandem with BGI projects may be contributing to green gentrification. As governments continue to promote BGI to address environmental and societal challenges, it is important for urban planners and policymakers to implement strategies to prevent displacement. This includes ensuring that the benefits of BGI are equitably distributed and that vulnerable populations are protected from involuntary relocation
Effectiveness of Blog Writing Intervention for Promoting Subjective Well-Being, Resilience, and Post-Traumatic Growth of Palliative Care Nurses
Full text linkBackground/Objectives: Palliative care nurses are at risk of burnout, trauma, and poor well-being. Expressive writing interventions are shown to promote self-reflection, personal growth, and resilience. A pilot study was designed to test the feasibility and use of a self-reflexive blog writing intervention to promote the subjective well-being, resilience, and personal growth of palliative care nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A sample of N = 144 registered nurses working in palliative care settings were enrolled in the study. Recruitment was performed using university alumni, nursing, and palliative care organization member listservs. Self-reported surveys such as the Subjective Well-Being Inventory (SUBI), Brief Resiliency Scale (BRS), and Post-traumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) scales were used to evaluate study outcomes. Pre- and post-surveys were obtained at baseline, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks. Upon baseline survey completion, participants were randomly assigned to control and intervention groups. Participants in the intervention group were asked to write two weekly blog entries for a period of four weeks using a blog template on Qualtrics software. Descriptive statistical measures were used to evaluate the study outcomes and content analysis to analyze descriptive survey responses and blog narratives. Results: A total of N = 57 participants completed this study. Most participants were females (93%), White (89.5%), married (93%), and full-time employees (96.5%) and underwent PC training (93%). The findings indicate significant improvement in the subjective well-being (MD = 2.43, p < 0.05) and resilience scores (MD = 0.244, p < 0.05) in the intervention group. No significant changes were found in post-traumatic growth scores post-intervention. Most participants found blog writing as a supportive tool to reflect on their personal experiences and to ventilate their emotions and feelings. Conclusions: Self-reflexive blog writing is convenient and a potentially effective method for promoting the resilience and well-being of nurses. Future studies are needed to evaluate its effectiveness in a larger sample across different practice settings
Structural performance and implementation challenges of next-generation concrete materials
Full text linkConventional concrete faces limitations in durability, sustainability, and adaptability to modern structural demands, constraining its use in high-rise, bridge, and extreme-environment applications. This study examines emerging concrete mixes—HPC, UHPC, SCC, FRC, GPC, and 3D-Printed Concrete—by evaluating their mechanical properties, implementation challenges, and future opportunities. A review of experimental data, case studies, and comparative analyses was conducted to assess strength, durability, workability, and structural applications. Results show that HPC and UHPC reach compressive strengths of 60–200 MPa, GPC achieves 40–80 MPa with reduced CO₂ emissions, SCC demonstrates slump flows of 600–800 mm, and fibre reinforcement enhances tensile strength to 8–15 MPa. These findings highlight superior performance, sustainability, and constructability, though high costs, lack of standards, and scalability issues remain obstacles to widespread adoption. This review uniquely integrates comparative insights on High-Performance, Ultra-High-Performance, Self-Compacting, Fibre-Reinforced, Geopolymer, and 3D-Printed concretes, bridging laboratory findings with real-world applications. Unlike existing reviews, it emphasizes structural implementation challenges and opportunities. Key obstacles—including high cost, lack of standards, and scalability—are outlined to contextualize pathways for sustainable adoption. Overall, next-generation concretes deliver enhanced strength, durability, and sustainability, making them viable for critical infrastructure. Future studies should focus on advancing standardization, integrating nanotechnology and AI for mix optimization, and developing cost-effective, large-scale deployment strategies
Ornithodoros moubata (African hut tampan; the eyeless tampan)
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Edge computing in big data: challenges and benefits
No full textEdge computing is a distributed computing paradigm that brings computation and data storage closer to the network edge, enabling improvements in response times and bandwidth utilization. It offers potential privacy benefits by facilitating local data processing, thereby reducing the need to transmit sensitive data to centralized cloud systems. This technology is particularly beneficial for big data applications. We analyze the transformative benefits of edge computing in big data systems, such as reduced latency, bandwidth optimization, and near-real-time decision making, alongside the potential for enhanced data control when processing occurs locally. Despite its potential, the integration of edge computing with big data analytics introduces significant technical challenges. We examine these challenges, including data consistency, fault tolerance, energy efficiency, and notably, the new security and privacy concerns arising from the distributed nature of edge devices, managing decentralized data access, and securing computation on potentially vulnerable edge infrastructure. While acknowledging the potential of current approaches, this paper identifies their limitations and proposes key future research directions and fully realize the potential of edge computing in big data analytics in the coming years. Edge-cloud computing, AI-driven orchestration, 6G networks, and quantum edge computing, as well as bio-inspired computing, represent key areas of technological advancement
Association between ambient temperature and emergency psychiatric consultations: A case-crossover study in a South American emergency setting (2021–2023)
Full text linkBackground:Although environmental factors have been studied for their impact on mental health, the link between ambient temperature and mental disorders remains insufficiently explored.Aim:This study aimed to explore the relationship between ambient temperature and the frequency of emergency psychiatric consultations at the sole university hospital in Paraguay from 2021 to 2023.Methods:This investigation adopted a quantitative, observational, cross-sectional design, using a case-crossover approach. Data collection entailed reviewing patient records and meteorological data, focusing on the daily mean temperatures and other meteorological variables. Statistical analysis was conducted using RStudio and SPSS, applying a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) for a seven-day lag period. Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) for the likelihood of specific diagnoses resulting in emergency consultations in relation to temperature exposure.Results:The analysis covered 2,186 first-time emergency psychiatric consultations, with anxiety disorders being the most frequent diagnosis (24.3%), followed by depressive disorders (23.4%) and personality disorders (15.8%). Women accounted for 70.6% of all patients. The findings indicated that higher temperatures were associated with a greater frequency of consultations for certain disorders, including bipolar (OR up to 27.12 at Lag 1) and eating disorders (OR up to 100 at Lag 1). Conversely, a negative association was observed for schizophrenia, dissociative disorders, and trauma- and stressor-related disorders as temperature increased. Additionally, a linear relationship was found between lower relative humidity and increased number of consultations.Conclusions:The findings underscore the impact of ambient temperature on psychiatric emergency consultations, revealing that the frequency of consultations for different conditions varies with temperature. These insights could inform public health strategies to mitigate the effects of climatic variation on mental health. These findings suggest the need for targeted mental health interventions to address vulnerabilities during periods of climatic stress, particularly in resource-limited settings
Factors Affecting ‘Attrition’ in Helping Professions: The Implications for Educational Psychology Within the UK
Full text linkMany local authority educational psychology services (EPSs) have reported experiencing difficulties with recruiting and retaining educational psychologists (EPs). Increasing statutory workloads and a reduction in diversity of work have been identified as potential factors in EP workforce supply difficulties. In order to further extend understanding of EP workforce supply, this systematic literature review investigates what factors typically affect recruitment, retention and attrition across helping professions. Salient recruitment/retention factors included level of experience, workload demands, working relationships, leadership and workplace culture. Implications for practice and policy are discussed
Post-event Summary Report: Social Prescribing In Secondary Care Roundtable
Full text linkThe Social Prescribing in Secondary Care Roundtable took place on 13th May 2025 at University Square Stratford, hosted by the, Institute for Connected Communities at the University of East London. The event, chaired by Professor Marcello Bertotti, aimed to foster dialogue around social prescribing initiatives taking place within hospital and tertiary care settings (hospital-initiated social prescribing) across different global contexts. It formed part of a broader effort to consolidate learning and contribute to a forthcoming publication on the evidence base for social prescribing in secondary care
Illicit Financial Flows and Polio Vaccination Coverage in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Longitudinal Panel Analysis
Full text linkIllicit financial flows (IFFs) are a major drain on Africa's economic potential, with losses hitting around 8.55 million drop in IFFs. Although this relationship isn't statistically significant (p-value = 0.742), it suggests a negative correlation between enhanced public health initiatives and the scale of IFFs. Furthermore, the findings indicate that a higher density of physicians and urban population coverage positively impacts public sector accountability. These results resonate with existing literature that points out how a functional health infrastructure can both deter and serve as a diagnostic marker for illicit capital outflows. This study adds to the limited empirical research connecting IFFs with sectoral development outcomes, particularly in public health. The findings highlight an urgent call for integrated policy responses that tackle illicit financial flows (IFFs) by investing in the health sector and ensuring fiscal transparency. It's crucial for governments to implement strong anti-money laundering measures, enhance tax collection processes, and encourage regional collaboration to combat these illegal outflows. By improving public health outcomes-like increasing polio immunization rates-we can not only boost human capital but also minimize financial leakages, ultimately paving the way for sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa. JEL Classifications: E6, N17, N27, C23, C3
Alkali activation of calcined clays: a comprehensive review for sustainable cementitious systems
Full text linkIn this review, alkali activation of calcined clays in cementitious systems is extensively explored, covering historical context, evolution and contemporary importance. Beginning with an introduction that outlines the purpose and objectives of this review, the composition, properties and historical applications of calcined clays are investigated. Delving into fundamental aspects of alkali activation, a comparative analysis with traditional methods is provided. The review highlights the impact of alkali activation on properties such as strength development, durability and environmental sustainability. The influences of various alkali activators are evaluated, examining microstructural changes and their implications for mechanical properties. Addressing challenges and anticipating future trends, the review concludes by emphasising the critical need for ongoing research in this field to advance sustainable and innovative construction materials