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A Meta-Analysis of Urban Green Infrastructure: Impacts on Sustainability and Wellbeing
Get PDFThis working paper explores the impact of Urban Green Infrastructure (UGI) on environmental sustainability and human wellbeing, an area that is gaining increasing attention in urban studies. It discusses the context of UGI and summarises research evidence related to the cultural benefits and wellbeing impacts of green spaces in urban environments. Using meta data and synthesis of existing literature, we present an understanding of UGI’s role in urban living, particularly focusing on how interconnected green networks can enhance accessibility and ensure equitable distribution of health and social benefits. We demonstrate the socially constructed nature of UGI and highlight the interplay between environmental, social, and economic factors in its successful implementation. Central to our contribution is the recognition that UGI provides significant cultural and wellbeing benefits that can transform urban life. We conclude by offering implications for urban planning practices and policy, as well as suggesting directions for future research in the field of green infrastructure
Enhanced State of Charge Estimation Through Cluster-Based Learning Model: Impact Study on Degradation and Profitability of Second-Life Electric Vehicle Batteries
No full textThe growing adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) presents an opportunity for repurposing end-of-life batteries for second life (SL) applications, such as energy storage systems. However, accurate estimation of the state of charge (SOC) remains critical for optimising battery performance and extending operational life in these applications. This paper presents an in-depth investigation into the impact of advanced SOC estimation on the degradation and profitability of second-life EV batteries, utilising a Cluster-Based Learning Model (CBLM). An empirical degradation model is adapted to quantify how SOC estimation errors influence key battery health metrics, including capacity loss, State of Health (SOH), and energy retention. The study proposes the "energy advantage metric," which quantifies the usable energy retained in SL batteries based on SOC estimation accuracy. Capacity loss analysis across various SL applications demonstrates that the CBLM model significantly reduces battery degradation compared to the Standard Long Short-Term Memory (S. LSTM) model, particularly under deep discharge cycles. These improvements in capacity retention are then translated into economic impact, revealing cost savings ranging from £339 in residential PV systems to over €200,000 in grid-scale energy arbitrage.  T-test confirmed significant differences in degradation performance between CBLM and S. LSTM models, with Cohen’s d effect size showing a small but meaningful effect size for Loss of Lithium Inventory (LLI) (d = 0.24)
Physiological and behavioural responses of aquatic organisms to microplastics and experimental warming
No full textMicroplastics are an emerging contaminant of concern because of their potential to cause harm to aquatic biota, such as reproduction, growth, and survival, and there is a lack of knowledge about how microplastics can affect other sub-lethal responses, such as movement behaviour and respiration rates, which may have consequences for species interactions. Additionally, there is little evidence for the effects of microplastics under different climate warming scenarios. To address this knowledge gap, the effects of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) microplastics, in combination with different constant temperature regimes (10°C, 15°C, and 20°C) and a fluctuating regime (10 - 20°C over a 24h diel cycle) on the respiration rates, feeding rates, and movement speeds of Gammarus pulex and Asellus aquaticus were assessed. Respiration rates of G. pulex increased with temperature according to metabolic theory, but there was no evidence for increased respiration rates of A. aquaticus at higher temperatures. Overall, the respiration rates and movement speeds of G. pulex were higher than A. aquaticus but there was no evidence that microplastics independently, or in combination with experimental warming, influenced any of the responses tested. There is increasing evidence that some microplastic particles may not be harmful to aquatic biota, and the findings presented in this study indicated that further evidence about the effects of different microplastic types, in combination with other human-induced pressures, is required to better understand the hazards and risks associated with microplastic particles in the environment
Deuterated water ( 2 H 2 O, heavy water) labelling to investigate human cell dynamics in vivo - lessons in protocol design and toxicity from the current literature
No full textThe use of deuterated water (also known as ‘heavy water’) as a tracer to measure human in vivo cell proliferation rates for specific cell subsets has expanded significantly in recent years. Although there have been several published methods papers, investigators developing new applications may be confused by differences in study design and deuterated water dose/duration. Furthermore, this approach may be met with regulatory difficulties and participant concerns about toxicity. This scoping review explores lessons that can be learnt from the current literature on the use of deuterated water in human in vivo studies measuring cell proliferation. We identified 29 such studies involving 535 study participants, both healthy volunteers and those with specific clinical conditions. Wide variations in protocols were noted with doses ranging from 40-100 ml/day of pure deuterated water (or equivalent) and durations from 4-12 weeks. Study design usually reflected the kinetics of the cell of interest. No clinical toxicity signals were noted in any studies although four studies did report transient dizziness, a recognized symptom of changing water density. These published studies provide a strong safety signal for potential participants and regulatory authorities and can act as templates for the development of new research applications
London Vignettes [Screendance]
No full textAn embodied site exploration, engaging with the dynamic flow and the urban textures of the city. Filmed on locations across London.Direction: Ana Baer & Heike SalzerCinematography and Editing: Ana BaerChoreography: Ana Baer & Heike Salzer in collaboration with the dancersDance: Chen Siqi, Chen Daini, Du Yu, Hu Fang, , Hu Zhouran, Jiang Yunxian, Li Dailin, Li Jiaying, Lin Lisha, Liu Yuhan, Pan Ziyu, Song Jianing, Song Ke’Yan, Yu Xizi,Yuan Rong and Zhang XinyuMusic Composition and Mixing: Richard HallProduction: WECreate Production & Lalitaraja ChandlerLength: 5.22minAn embodied site exploration, engaging with the dynamic flow and the urban textures of the city. Filmed on locations across London. All filming on location in London, United Kingdom:Leake Street Arches, Barbican Centre, Charterhouse Square, Canary Wharf, Tate Modern Garden, Bankside, Millennium Bridge and Bear Gardens Supported by: University of Roehampton, School of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences. London, MA Dance Practice and Performance, and BA Dance, London, UKTexas State Department of Theatre and Dance, San Marcos, TX, US<br/
The nurture of nature: why physical and psychological differences between the sexes are greater in healthier, wealthier societies
No full textMen and women differ morphologically, physiologically, cognitively, psychologically and behaviourally, and many of these differences are getting larger. We propose a synthesis of two disparate yet related mechanisms in combination with sexual selection theory to explain this divergence of the sexes. In large part through sexual selection, males and females have evolved many trait differences, some subtle, others stark. In stressful environments (e.g. frequent nutritional shortfalls, disease risk), those differences are attenuated because in the sex where the trait is greater (such as height in men, or various forms of memory in women) the effects of those stressors are more apparent. Societies exposed to these stressors have more restrictive social mores and harsher criminal punishments for norm violations, restricting the behavioural expression of individuals and hence sex-based preferences (e.g. working with people vs. things). It follows that reduction in ecological threats (e.g. pestilence) and out-group social threats (e.g. warfare) leads to a lessening of in-group social restrictions resulting in more self-referential cognitions, emotions and motivations, and through this a fuller expression of individual and thus sex differences in various psychological domains. In this scenario, increases in bodily sex differences, such as height, are predicted to be associated with increases in psychological and behavioural sex differences (e.g. facets of personality). Our model integrates evolutionary and biological processes with social customs and mores—that is, combines nature and nurture—into a cohesive framework to explain historical and cross-cultural variation in the magnitude of many sex differences
Creativity in computing
Get PDFMiles Berry, Professor of Computing Education atthe University of Roehampton, discusses hisconcerns about a lack of creativity in mostcomputing lessons and the negative impact thishas on pupils’ engagement with the subject.Looking at aspects of creativity that could bedeployed, Berry suggests pupils should makesomething specific, strive for excellence, deliveroriginal work, and learn by joining creative andcollaborative communities such as Scratch. Theoutcome? Hopefully, more interest in computing
Exploring How Large Language Models Understand Sexual Communication in Hypothetical Sexual Situations
No full textExperimenter evidence unmasking as a confound in optional stopping
Get PDFOptional stopping refers to the practice of repeatedly performing a statistical analysis on a dataset as new data are collected until a pre-specified decision criterion is reached. This procedure is often adopted because of its effectiveness in optimizing data collection. Discussions of optional stopping to date have primarily centred around statistical issues, with relatively little consideration of any methodological implications of this procedure. Building on recent work drawing attention to methodological biases arising from the use of optional stopping, we highlight experimenter awareness of the current evidence state during data collection (experimenter evidence unmasking) as a salient methodological confound of optional stopping. We argue that experimenter evidence unmasking has the potential to influence an experimenter to implicitly or explicitly modify their behaviour in ways that can reduce the internal validity of an experiment. We conclude by offering recommendations for circumventing this confound and for the transparent reporting of experimenter evidence masking procedures