Search

This article considers how undocumented youth in the UK survive and construct their everyday lives in precarious circumstances. Drawing on multiple in-depth narrative interviews with (n = 7) undocumented youth, I illustrate how these young people focus on the future and engage in purposeful activities as a way of enduring the everyday challenges of living with no papers. I reflect on the relationships, which young people draw on to enable them to endure adversity and rebuild their everyday lives. I conclude that the presence of love and community is critical for young people's survival, safety and wellbeing, and I suggest how practitioners and researchers might make use of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the storage and transport of clinical specimens for the diagnosis of Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) infections in resource-limited settings, we have evaluated the performance of dried blood spot (DBS) and dried cerebrospinal fluid spot (DCS) assays. DBS and DCS were prepared on filter paper from liquid specimens previously tested for Nm in the United Kingdom. Nm was detected and genogrouped by real-time PCR performed on crude genomic DNA extracted from the DBS (n = 226) and DCS (n = 226) specimens. Targeted whole-genome sequencing was performed on a subset of specimens, DBS (n = 4) and DCS (n = 6). The overall agreement between the analysis of liquid and dried specimens was (94.2%; 95% CI 90.8–96.7) for blood and (96.4%; 95% CI 93.5–98.0) for cerebrospinal fluid. Relative to liquid specimens as the reference, the DBS and DCS assays had sensitivities of (89.1%; 95% CI 82.7–93.8) and (94.2%; 95% CI 88.9–97.5), respectively, and both assays had specificities above 98%. A genogroup was identified by dried specimen analysis for 81.9% of the confirmed meningococcal infections. Near full-length Nm genome sequences (>86%) were obtained for all ten specimens tested which allowed determination of the sequence type, clonal complex, presence of antimicrobial resistance and other meningococcal genotyping. Dried blood and CSF filter spot assays offer a practical alternative to liquid specimens for the molecular and genomic characterisation of invasive meningococcal diseases in low-resource settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the development of a smart Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) platform tailored for long-span bridge monitoring, using the Forth Road Bridge (FRB) as a case study. It discusses the selection of smart sensors available for real-time monitoring, the formulation of an effective data strategy encompassing the collection, processing, management, analysis, and visualization of monitoring data sets to support decision-making, and the establishment of a cost-effective and intelligent sensor network aligned with the objectives set through comprehensive communication with asset owners. Due to the high data rates and dense sensor installations, conventional processing techniques are inadequate for fulfilling monitoring functionalities and ensuring security. Cloud-computing emerges as a widely adopted solution for processing and storing vast monitoring data sets. Drawing from the authors' experience in implementing long-span bridge monitoring systems in the UK and China, this paper compares the advantages and limitations of employing cloud- computing for long-span bridge monitoring. Furthermore, it explores strategies for developing a robust data strategy and leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and digital twin (DT) technologies to extract relevant information or patterns regarding asset health conditions. This information is then visualized through the interaction between physical and virtual worlds, facilitating timely and informed decision-making in managing critical road transport infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global warming, pollution, and increasing energy demand have compelled electrification of the transport sector. Electric vehicles are not only an attractive and cleaner mode of transport, but they also possess the capacity to offer flexible storage alternative based on bidirectional vehicle-to-grid schemes. Vehicle-to-grid or V2G technology permits electric vehicles' batteries to store energy and discharge it back to the power grid during peak-load periods. However, the feasibility and economic viability of V2G is still a matter of concern and needs investigation. In this paper, the authors delved into the feasibility of V2G technology by analysing the real time-charging data of a V2G demonstration project named EV-elocity, located at the University of Nottingham campus in the UK. The authors analysed the charging data and trip-status data of two charging sites and put forward some insights regarding the feasibility of V2G and the behavioural traits of the vehicles. This paper will enlighten the research community regarding the feasibility and benefits of V2G in a real-world environment by analysing the charging/discharging and vehicle behaviour and reporting the opportunities and benefits of vehicle-to-grid technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A unifying setup for opinion models originating in statistical physics and stochastic opinion dynamics are developed and used to analyze election data. The results are interpreted in the light of political theory. We investigate the connection between Potts (Curie–Weiss) models and stochastic opinion models in the view of the Boltzmann distribution and stochastic Glauber dynamics. We particularly find that the q-voter model can be considered as a natural extension of the Zealot model, which is adapted by Lagrangian parameters. We also discuss weak and strong effects (also called extensive and nonextensive) continuum limits for the models. The results are used to compare the Curie–Weiss model, two q-voter models (weak and strong effects), and a reinforcement model (weak effects) in explaining electoral outcomes in four western democracies (United States, Great Britain, France, and Germany). We find that particularly the weak effects models are able to fit the data (Kolmogorov–Smirnov test) where the weak effects reinforcement model performs best (AIC). Additionally, we show how the institutional structure shapes the process of opinion formation. By focusing on the dynamics of opinion formation preceding the act of voting, the models discussed in this paper give insights both into the empirical explanation of elections as such, as well as important aspects of the theory of democracy. Therefore, this paper shows the usefulness of an interdisciplinary approach in studying real world political outcomes by using mathematical models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar energy is one type of clean energy resource, and currently the IMO, EU and UK are targeting net zero carbon emissions by 2050. This paper delves into the integration of photovoltaic (PV) systems into hybrid vessels in order to meet their strategies and targets. The technical challenges that come with designing such systems as well as their economic and environmental impacts are examined. By optimizing the usage of harnessed solar energy, we discover the operational strategy that provides maximal benefits through day-to-day savings as well as over the 25 year lifespan of solar panels. It demonstrates impressive economic viability, with cost savings of up to GBP 4.55 per day and a payoff period as short as 9 years. It also displays a modest emission reduction of up to 8.002 kg of CO2, which serves as proof for a pathway to greener practices in the maritime industry. This report highlights the operational flexibility that a hybrid vessel possesses once paired with a PV system through the ability to withstand regulatory and market changes. Also, when looking ahead, further adoption of PV technology creates opportunities for innovation in adopting renewable energy solutions in maritime transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supply chain disruptions, a pandemic, and war in Ukraine have exposed faultlines in a globalised food system that depends on a few staple crops grown in a few exporting regions and transported to consumers around the world. In the UK, just three crops, (wheat, barley, and oilseed rape), account for 75 per cent of the UK's 4.5 million hectares of arable land whilst the country imports around half its food—nearly 40 per cent—from just four EU countries (The Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, and France). Poor diets contribute to one in seven deaths in the UK, 63 per cent of the population is overweight or obese and health inequality is increasing between the poorest and most affluent regions. The food security and health of the UK population is therefore dependent on a small number of locally grown crops, vulnerable supply chains, and an unhealthy, obesogenic diet. The UK food system must diversify if it is to become food and nutritionally secure, meet its climate and biodiversity goals and have a healthy and active population. Climate-resilient and nutritious underutilised crops can help diversify the UK agrifood system, but research and investment in them is sporadic, piecemeal, and unfocused. In this paper, we compare two approaches to identifying potentially suitable underutilised crops for the UK. The first, based on UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Project CH0224, was delivered through literature and database searches and the expertise of growers, advisers, breeders, seed suppliers, processors, traders, and researchers. The second used the CropBASE digital knowledge base for underutilised crops. The two approaches produced no single crop that was common to both shortlists. We propose that the analytical and predictive tools derived from CropBASE could be combined with local knowledge and expertise from the Defra project to provide a common framework for the identification of underutilised crops that are best suited to local UK circumstances now and in climates of the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen is an emerging technology changing the context of heating with cleaner combustion than traditional fossil fuels. Studies indicate the potential to repurpose the existing natural gas infrastructure, offering consumers a sustainable, economically viable option in the future. The integration of hydrogen in combined heat and power systems could provide residential energy demand and reduce environmental emissions. However, the widespread adoption of hydrogen will face several challenges, such as carbon dioxide emissions from the current production methods and the need for infrastructure modification for transport and safety. Researchers indicated the viability of hydrogen in decarbonizing heat, while some studies also challenged its long-term role in the future of heating. In this paper, a comprehensive literature review is carried out by identifying the following key aspects, which could impact the conclusion on the overall role of hydrogen in heat decarbonization: (i) a holistic view of the energy system, considering factors such as renewable integration and system balancing; (ii) consumer-oriented approaches often overlook the broader benefits of hydrogen in emission reduction and grid stability; (iii) carbon capture and storage scalability is a key factor for large-scale production of low-emission blue hydrogen; (iv) technological improvements could increase the cost-effectiveness of hydrogen; (v) the role of hydrogen in enhancing resilience, especially during extreme weather conditions, raises the potential of hydrogen as a flexible asset in the energy infrastructure for future energy supply; and finally, when considering the UK as a basis case, (vi) incorporating factors such as the extensive gas network and unique climate conditions, necessitates specific strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychologist resourcing across the United Kingdom (UK) spinal cord injury centres (SCICs) varies considerably, which has detrimentally impacted standardising service provision for people with spinal cord injuries/disorders (PwSCI/D) compared with other nations. This paper presents the outcome of a project involving the Spinal Cord Injury Psychology Advisory Group (SCIPAG) and NHS England Clinical Reference Group/SCI transformation groups to agree upon screening and standards and shares data from the National Spinal Injuries Centre (NSIC) and the Yorkshire and Midlands Regional SCICs. Inpatients completed the GAD-7, the PHQ-9, and the short form of the Appraisals of DisAbility: Primary and Secondary Scale (ADAPSSsf), assessing adjustment. A total of 646 participants were included, with 43% scoring above the clinical threshold on at least one of the measures on admission. A subset of 272 participants also completed discharge measures and 42% remained above the threshold on discharge, demonstrating sustained psychological need. This paper provides support for services to move to a screen-and-assessment model supplemented by referral options for those with changing needs or who present with difficulties outside the remit of screening. The findings also support the efficacy of universal screening across the system and consideration of screening and standards for psychological care by the wider psychology community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tidal flats are some of the most dynamic coastal environments in the world, where traditional coastal mapping and monitoring provide insufficient temporal resolution to reliably map channels and sand flats. Satellite-based Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) enables regular cloud-penetrating detection of water flowing through channels within the tidal flats, referred to as tidal channels. This paper presents a method for detecting a path through tidal channels, using satellite imagery, that supports our understanding and safe exploitation of this valuable coastal environment. This approach is the first proposed to identify navigable paths in all conditions, with SAR images susceptible to variation due to weather and tidal conditions. Tidal channels are known to vary in SAR presentation, and we find that tidal flat presentation is also influenced by conditions. The most influential factor is the wind, with high winds causing an inversion in how both tidal flats and tidal channels present in SAR images. The presented method for the automatic detection of tidal channels accounts for this variability by using previous channel paths as a reference to reliably correct imagery and detect the latest path. The final algorithm produces paths with minor errors in 17.6% of images; the error rate increases to 71.7%, with an almost tenfold increase in errors, when the SAR image and paths are not adjusted to account for conditions. This capability has been used to support the Nith Inshore Rescue in attending call-outs from their base in Glencaple, UK, while the insights from monitoring tidal channels for a year demonstrate how periods of high river flow preceded major changes in the channel path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distributed optical fibre sensing (DOFS)-based strain measurement systems are now routinely deployed across infrastructure health monitoring applications. However, there are still practical performance and measurement issues associated with the fibre's attachment method, particularly with thermoplastic pipeline materials (e.g., high-density polyethylene, HDPE) and adhesive affixment methods. In this paper, we introduce a new optical fibre installation method that utilises a hot-weld encapsulation approach that fully embeds the fibre onto the pipeline's plastic surface. We describe the development, application and benefits of the new embedment approach (as compared to adhesive methods) and illustrate its practical performance via a full-scale, real-world, dynamic loading trial undertaken on a 1.8 m diameter, 6.4 m long stormwater pipeline structure constructed from composite spiral-wound, steel-reinforced, HDPE pipe. The optical frequency domain reflectometry (OFDR)-based strain results show how the new method improves strain transference and dynamic measurement performance and how the data can be easily interpreted, in a practical context, without the need for complex strain transfer functions. Through the different performance tests, based on UK rail-road network transport loading conditions, we also show how centimetre- to metre-scale strain variations can be clearly resolved at the frequencies and levels consistent with transport- and construction-based, buried infrastructure loading scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: According to cancer research statistics, there are 7500 new ovarian cancer diagnoses in the UK each year. An earlier detection of ovarian cancer leads to a better prognosis; however, there is currently no screening programme for ovarian cancer, and detection using ultrasound examinations remains challenging. The use of artificial intelligence in gynaecological ultrasound examinations aims to improve the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound for ovarian cancer and improve outcomes for patients. This review aims to collate current research on AI in the ultrasound diagnosis of ovarian cancer and suggests the usefulness of incorporating this into clinical care. Ovarian cancer is the sixth most common malignancy, with a 35% survival rate across all stages at 10 years. Ultrasound is widely used for ovarian tumour diagnosis, and accurate pre-operative diagnosis is essential for appropriate patient management. Artificial intelligence is an emerging field within gynaecology and has been shown to aid in the ultrasound diagnosis of ovarian cancers. For this study, Embase and MEDLINE databases were searched, and all original clinical studies that used artificial intelligence in ultrasound examinations for the diagnosis of ovarian malignancies were screened. Studies using histopathological findings as the standard were included. The diagnostic performance of each study was analysed, and all the diagnostic performances were pooled and assessed. The initial search identified 3726 papers, of which 63 were suitable for abstract screening. Fourteen studies that used artificial intelligence in ultrasound diagnoses of ovarian malignancies and had histopathological findings as a standard were included in the final analysis, each of which had different sample sizes and used different methods; these studies examined a combined total of 15,358 ultrasound images. The overall sensitivity was 81% (95% CI, 0.80–0.82), and specificity was 92% (95% CI, 0.92–0.93), indicating that artificial intelligence demonstrates good performance in ultrasound diagnoses of ovarian cancer. Further prospective work is required to further validate AI for its use in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Existing cross-cultural research on animal welfare often overlooks the way that policy and law are not the exclusive domain of central government. This can result in an over-simplification or misrepresentation of the true situation. The political culture and institutional arrangements for governing the modern state are more complex than a "one-size-fits-all" approach. It is argued that cross-cultural research needs to give greater attention to differences within as well as between unitary states. Specifically, it needs to examine developments in constituent nations and territories. Here we illustrate this by drawing on new research in the United Kingdom, and examine how 'devolution'—or decentralized government for Wales and Scotland—is providing contrasting opportunities for NGOs, campaigners, and the public to lobby to improve animal welfare policy based on local practices, beliefs, and demands (collectively known as the "political culture"). Our findings show how this is important because it results in contrasting animal welfare policies and laws in the constituent nations of the UK. It is argued that extant cross-cultural research on animal welfare often overlooks or gives insufficient attention to new governance theory, civil society, politics, and the realities of devolved or (quasi-)federal, multi-level governance in the modern state. This paper synthesizes relevant social theory and draws on new empirical findings of civil society accounts of campaigning on animal welfare policies and law in the United Kingdom. It is presented as a corrective to arguably reductive, earlier unitary state-based analyses. Our core, evidence-based argument is that cognizance of civil society activism and the contrasting institutional governance structures and political cultures of constituent nations in unitary states—such as the UK—are providing opportunities for the territorialization of legally grounded animal welfare regimes, and culturally distinctive practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The availability of empirical energy data from Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI)—which includes household smart meters—has enabled residential energy demand to be characterised in different forms. This paper first presents a literature review of applications of measured electricity, gas, and heat consumption data at a range of temporal resolutions, which have been used to characterise and develop an understanding of residential energy demand. User groups, sectors, and policy areas that can benefit from the research are identified. Multiple residential energy demand datasets have been collected in the UK that enable this characterisation. This paper has identified twenty-three UK datasets that are accessible for use by researchers, either through open access or defined processes, and presents them in an inventory containing details about the energy data type, temporal and spatial resolution, and presence of contextual physical and socio-demographic information. Thirteen applications of data relating to characterising residential energy demand have been outlined in the literature review, and the suitability of each of the twenty-three datasets was mapped to the thirteen applications. It is found that many datasets contain complementary contextual data that broaden their usefulness and that multiple datasets are suitable for several applications beyond their original project objectives, adding value to the original data collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This paper presents a technique for acquiring 3D point cloud data of pigs in precision animal husbandry. The method combines 2D detection frames and segmented region masks of pig images with depth information to improve the efficiency of acquiring 3D data. Our method achieves an average similarity of 95.3% compared to manually labelled 3D point cloud data. This method provides technical support for pig management, welfare assessment, and accurate weight estimation. This paper proposes a method for automatic pig detection and segmentation using RGB-D data for precision livestock farming. The proposed method combines the enhanced YOLOv5s model with the Res2Net bottleneck structure, resulting in improved fine-grained feature extraction and ultimately enhancing the precision of pig detection and segmentation in 2D images. Additionally, the method facilitates the acquisition of 3D point cloud data of pigs in a simpler and more efficient way by using the pig mask obtained in 2D detection and segmentation and combining it with depth information. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method, two datasets were constructed. The first dataset consists of 5400 images captured in various pig pens under diverse lighting conditions, while the second dataset was obtained from the UK. The experimental results demonstrated that the improved YOLOv5s_Res2Net achieved a mAP@0.5:0.95 of 89.6% and 84.8% for both pig detection and segmentation tasks on our dataset, while achieving a mAP@0.5:0.95 of 93.4% and 89.4% on the Edinburgh pig behaviour dataset. This approach provides valuable insights for improving pig management, conducting welfare assessments, and estimating weight accurately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the penetration of renewable energy sources into a power system increases, the significance of precise short-term forecasts for wind power generation becomes paramount. However, the erratic and non-periodic nature of wind poses challenges in accurately predicting the output. This paper presents a comprehensive investigation into forecasting wind power generation for the following day, using three machine learning models: long short-term memory (LSTM), convolutional neural network-bidirectional LSTM (CNN-biLSTM), and light gradient boosting machine (LGBM). In addition, this paper proposes a method to improve the prediction performance of LGBM by separating data according to the distribution of features, and training and testing each separated dataset with a distinct model. This study includes a comparative analysis of the performance of the proposed models in predicting wind turbine output, offering valuable insights into their respective efficiencies. The results of this investigation were analyzed for two geographically distinct wind farms (Korea and the UK). The findings of this study are expected to facilitate the selection of efficient prediction models within the forecast accuracy auxiliary service market and assist grid operators in ensuring reliable power supply for the grid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managing passenger information during disruption (PIDD) is a significant factor in running effective and quick-to-recover rail operations. Disruptions are unpredictable, and their timely resolution is ultimately dependent on the expert knowledge of experienced frontline staff. The development of frontline employees by their employers usually takes the form of practice reviews and 'on-the-job' learning, while academic education majors on theoretical approaches and classroom-based teaching. This paper reports on a novel industry-funded project that has developed a serious game (the 'Rail Disruption Game') that combines theory and practice to better manage PIDD for frontline staff in a UK train operating company (TOC). It defines challenges and the development method for the Rail Disruption Game; it also incorporates developer and user feedback. This paper provides insight into how to design, make and deploy a serious game as part of a gamified management process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on empirical data generated in the 'Everyday Bordering in the UK' project, with a focus on the experiences of people seeking asylum and hoping to establish a safe life in the UK. Specifically, we show that during the process of claiming asylum, people's experiences of waiting and displacement—practices inherent in UK immigration policies—work as time- and space-based dimensions of power that are imbued with colonial logic. Existing studies apply the lens of Foucault's governmentality approach to politics regulating people seeking asylum. In particular, the international literature describes the policy of dispersal, and associated periods of waiting, as a dynamic of power used by governments to control and regulate behaviours. However, these time- and space-related experiences are often considered separately, focusing on the rationalities underpinning these politics. This paper, by contrast, develops Foucault's theories by examining how these two characteristics interconnect in the lived realities of people waiting for an asylum decision in the UK to create racialised politics of power and privilege that reproduce the colonial origins of European migration governance. In doing so, we contribute by illustrating how practices within the UK asylum system can be embodied by people seeking asylum to create a subject that modifies behaviours in response to being positioned as 'less deserving' than UK citizens—the 'colonised self'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines transreligiosity in the context of the transmission of South Asian concepts of spirituality to the UK in the 20th century. Between the 1920s and 1990s, Indian teacher and author Phiroz Mehta (1902–1994) crossed borders in a colonial and postcolonial shuttling between India and the UK but also transgressed conceptual and practice borders of religion, teaching Indian religious concepts to post-Christian spiritual seekers in 1970s–80s South London. Mehta cultivated an elasticity between many religious and philosophical traditions, recognising the post-institutional fatigue of subjects who sought alternative forms of 'belonging without believing'. Privileging the domestic space for teaching, as well as transitory 'camp' gatherings in the UK and Germany, Mehta often operated in the social margins, combining teachings from Hinduism, Buddhism, and Christianity with Zoroastrianism, Judaism (specifically Kabbalah), and Daoism. He offered his tutees the freedom to practice religion in whatever way they chose by drawing on a broad range of traditions concurrently to create a transreligiosity. This paper examines Panagiotopoulos and Roussou's 'transgressional webs of practising individualised forms of alternative spirituality' in relation to Mehta's followers in the 1970s-1980s and asks how transreligiosity relates to other theoretical analyses, such as religious exoticism, bricolage, religious appropriation, cultural re-articulation or assemblage. This paper focuses on qualitative interviews with original members of the Mehta community conducted between 2021 and 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since at least 2012, UK housing providers (and policy makers) have introduced policies aimed at developing autonomy and independence among service users, through an agenda sometimes referred to as 'responsibilisation'. This paper considers the role that technologies play in this agenda, through an analysis of how wellbeing and independence are facilitated amongst older social housing tenants. Based on case studies of four supported housing schemes in England, the research considers the capacity to exercise agency amongst older persons, through their willingness and ability to accept technological interventions, and the role of support networks to facilitate independent living. Using the concept of modalities of agency, the research examines the impact of implementing 'low-level' assistive technologies in the home, based on the perspectives of residents and staff. The interventions studied were designed to improve social relationships, promote self-sufficiency and support self-managed care (based on the principle that the most effective projects facilitate individual agency). The research findings identified that residents responded differentially to technology, based on their levels of capability, motivation, reluctance and resistance. Whilst the study demonstrated that small technological innovations could have disproportionately positive impacts in improving wellbeing, the research demonstrates the complex nature of agency and limits of responsibility. The paper argues that responsibilisation is part of a wider neoliberal project, where choice and agency are manufactured to create an idealised notion of the autonomous actor (in this case through technology-enabled care). The article argues that a collaborative approach to service provision in which responsibility is shared, via co-managed care, is a more effective means of enhancing agency, than one which advocates a withdrawal of support (in the guise of autonomy). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Definition: Doctoral students, graduate students, or postgraduate researchers (PGRs) are those students who undertake a research degree culminating in a thesis of original work. In this entry-level paper, they will generally be referred to as PGRs, as this demonstrates the importance of their contribution to the global research culture. In the UK, doctorates, usually a PhD but also professional doctorates, are typically three to four years in length full-time or six years part-time and are undertaken as an individual study. Research degrees are therefore unlike undergraduate and master's programmes as they are not taught in a classroom with other students. PGRs can therefore suffer from an isolating student experience. Student monitoring refers to systems which track PGR engagement, progress and attendance. They can therefore be used to ensure that the PGR is present on the programme and submitting work, often in accordance with pre-set deadlines. Although doctorates internationally do have many similarities, there are also significant differences. This entry manuscript will be focused on UK doctoral study, although references will be made to the international stage as appropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Definition: "Publish or perish" is a term used for the culture adopted in universities, whereby academic members of staff, typically although not exclusively on research and teaching contracts, are required to publish research. Minimum levels of quantity and quality may apply and these may be included in key performance indicators and annual staff reviews to ensure compliance. Whilst this culture has been reported in universities for nearly a century, most recently it has cascaded down to doctoral students who are increasingly expected to publish and otherwise disseminate research during their studies (i.e., research outside of that which is to be submitted in their thesis). This entry relates primarily to doctoral students in a UK setting and studying a monograph route (rather than a published papers submission) in the humanities. It further explores the role played by supervisors to help doctoral students to publish, and in turn the help and guidance supervisors need to offer as support. Many of the findings explored in this entry apply equally beyond the parameters noted above, and, as demonstrated in the literature, international students and institutions are facing similar issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy storage systems are undergoing a transformative role in the electrical grid, driven by the introduction of innovative frequency response services by system operators to unlock their full potential. However, the limited energy storage capacity of these systems necessitates the development of sophisticated energy management strategies. This paper investigates the newly introduced frequency response service, Dynamic Regulation, within the Great Britain electrical grid. Our study not only establishes control parameters but also demonstrates a novel approach to energy management that pushes the boundaries of the allowable service envelope. We present two distinctive control methods, the first serving as a reference for standard response, and the second as a dynamic control approach, exploiting the extremities of the allowable service envelope. A comprehensive sensitivity analysis that considers availability, the number of equivalent full cycles, and cost–revenue analysis based on grouped dynamic control state of charge setpoints is carried out. Our results underscore that the optimization of average availability takes precedence over merely minimizing the number of cycles, which leads us to define a target state of charge range of between 40% and 45% for a 1-h battery to achieve an availability >95%. Furthermore, our study presents simulated results utilizing real-world frequency data, which reveal the transformative potential of the latter control method. By enhancing the availability of battery energy storage systems, this innovative approach promises not only higher revenues for the asset owner but also assists the system operator in managing frequency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK government has announced its ten-point plan to annually install 600,000 low-carbon heat pumps by 2028. However, there is a lack of evidence showing potential overheating risk in dwellings retrofitted with heat pumps. This paper examines the prevalence and magnitude of summertime overheating across 24 naturally ventilated social housing dwellings retrofitted with ground source heat pumps (GSHPs). The dwellings are located in a socially deprived area in Oxford (UK). The empirical study included longitudinal monitoring of indoor temperatures in the living rooms and bedrooms during the non-heating seasons of 2021 and 2022 (May–September), which included a record-breaking heatwave in July 2022. Indoor temperature and CO2 levels in bedrooms were monitored across a subset of six dwellings alongside the monitoring of window opening state in three bedrooms to understand the effect of natural ventilation in removing excess heat. About 136 thermal comfort surveys were conducted to ascertain the subjective responses of residents. Overheating risk assessment was carried out using CIBSE static and adaptive methods, which revealed that summertime overheating was prevalent across half of the dwellings in the non-heating season of 2022, as compared to 17% overheated dwellings in 2021. Bungalows with upgraded cavity wall insulation and top floor flats facing south and south-west had a propensity to overheat. The variation in indoor temperature and CO2 levels across a small sample also indicated the relationship between overheating and residents' behaviour. Given that the majority of the dwellings were occupied by retired elderly people with low incomes who are vulnerable to heat and cannot afford active forms of cooling, it is vital to deploy passive design measures, such as appropriate shading devices that are suitable for a heating-dominated climate and enhanced ventilation, as part of home energy retrofits. Implementing reversible heat pumps coupled with solar PVs can provide cooling during heatwaves while delivering low-carbon heat in the winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long COVID, a long-lasting disorder following an acute infection of COVID-19, represents a significant public health burden at present. In this paper, we propose a new mechanistic model based on differential equations to investigate the population dynamics of long COVID. By connecting long COVID with acute infection at the population level, our modeling framework emphasizes the interplay between COVID-19 transmission, vaccination, and long COVID dynamics. We conducted a detailed mathematical analysis of the model. We also validated the model using numerical simulation with real data from the US state of Tennessee and the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen is gaining prominence as a sustainable energy source in the UK, aligning with the country's commitment to advancing sustainable development across diverse sectors. However, a rigorous examination of the interplay between the hydrogen economy and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is imperative. This study addresses this imperative by comprehensively assessing the risks associated with hydrogen production, storage, transportation, and utilization. The overarching aim is to establish a robust framework that ensures the secure deployment and operation of hydrogen-based technologies within the UK's sustainable development trajectory. Considering the unique characteristics of the UK's energy landscape, infrastructure, and policy framework, this paper presents practical and viable recommendations to facilitate the safe and effective integration of hydrogen energy into the UK's SDGs. To facilitate sophisticated decision making, it proposes using an advanced Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) tool, incorporating regret theory and a 2-tuple spherical linguistic environment. This tool enables a nuanced decision-making process, yielding actionable insights. The analysis reveals that Incident Reporting and Learning, Robust Regulatory Framework, Safety Standards, and Codes are pivotal safety factors. At the same time, Clean Energy Access, Climate Action, and Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure are identified as the most influential SDGs. This information provides valuable guidance for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and regulators. It empowers them to make well-informed strategic decisions and prioritize actions that bolster safety and sustainable development as the UK transitions towards a hydrogen-based energy system. Moreover, the findings underscore the varying degrees of prominence among different SDGs. Notably, SDG 13 (Climate Action) exhibits relatively lower overall distinction at 0.0066 and a Relation value of 0.0512, albeit with a substantial impact. In contrast, SDG 7 (Clean Energy Access) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) demonstrate moderate prominence levels (0.0559 and 0.0498, respectively), each with its unique influence, emphasizing their critical roles in the UK's pursuit of a sustainable hydrogen-based energy future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Dog ownership is common in the United Kingdom; however, current dog ownership demography data are lacking. Understanding our pet dog population is paramount to meeting the health and welfare needs of the population. Therefore, this paper provides an overview of a National Dog Survey, aiming to better understand and provide a snapshot of the current dog population in the UK. The results of this paper provide up-to-date demographic data for both dogs and their owners and highlight patterns and trends both long-term and more recently, since the COVID-19 pandemic. Monitoring of trends and patterns of the dog population and dog owners going forward is needed in order to continually identify the needs and welfare state of the population, enabling those working in the canine welfare field to provide appropriate support and services. With dogs being the most commonly owned companion animal in the United Kingdom, knowledge about dog demographics is important in understanding the impact of dogs on society. Furthermore, understanding the demography of dog owners is also important to better target support to dogs and their owners to achieve optimal welfare in the canine population. Combining natural fluctuations in the population and unprecedented events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for an up-to-date large-scale dataset is even more paramount. In order to address this, Dogs Trust launched the 'National Dog Survey' to provide a large population-level dataset that will help identify key areas of concern and needs of owners and their dogs. The online survey was completed by a total of 354,046 respondents owning dogs in the UK, providing data for 440,423 dogs. The results of this study highlight dog demographics, including acquisition and veterinary factors, as well as owner demographic and household information. Finally, general trends in ownership, and more specifically those following the COVID-19 pandemic, are described. This paper's findings provide valuable insight into the current population of dogs and their owners in the UK, allowing for the most appropriate products, services, interventions and regulations to be developed, reducing the likelihood of negative welfare outcomes such as health and behaviour issues, relinquishment or euthanasia. Furthermore, with significant changes to the dog population following the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted, this dataset serves as an up-to-date baseline for future study comparisons to continue to monitor trends and patterns of the dog population and dog owners going forwards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The concept of advocacy is of increasing importance to the veterinary profession internationally, yet there are concerns about what it means in practice. This paper explores what 'animal advocacy' involves for veterinarians working in an area where its performance may appear particularly challenging, that of animal research. Based on an analysis of interviews with veterinarians working in UK animal research facilities, we aim to demonstrate both what 'counts' as veterinary animal advocacy in this domain and illustrate some of the tensions that may arise in its performance. Focusing on the themes of 'mitigating suffering', 'speaking for', and 'driving change' as three central ways in which veterinarians working in animal research facilities act as animal advocates, we draw out some of the complexities of advocacy for veterinarians working in areas where animal care and harm coexist. Finally, we conclude by calling for further empirical exploration of animal advocacy in other veterinary domains and for more critical attention to the wider social systems which produce the need for such advocacy. The concept of advocacy is of increasing importance to the veterinary profession internationally. However, there are concerns around the ambiguity and complexity of acting as an advocate in practice. This paper explores what 'animal advocacy' involves for veterinarians working in the domain of animal research, where they are responsible for advising on health and welfare. In focusing on the identity of veterinarians working in an arena of particular contestation, this paper provides empirical insights into how veterinarians themselves perform their role as an 'animal advocate'. Analysing interview data with 33 UK 'Named Veterinary Surgeons', this paper therefore examines what 'counts' as animal advocacy for veterinarians, considering the way their role as animal advocate is performed. Focusing on the themes of 'mitigating suffering', 'speaking for', and 'driving change' as three central ways in which veterinarians working in animal research facilities act as animal advocates, we draw out some of the complexities for veterinarians working in areas where animal care and harm coexist. Finally, we conclude by calling for further empirical exploration of animal advocacy in other veterinary domains and for more critical attention to the wider social systems which produce the need for such advocacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Church of England's historic buildings represent the single largest group of heritage sites in the UK, playing a key public-facing role in the church's 'cultural witness'. However, they are complex historic environments implicated in the recent focus on 'contested heritage' and imperial legacies. The wider heritage sector's answer to the adversarial nature of this debate has been to turn contested histories into dialogical opportunities; participatory and collaborative approaches to interpretation and curation have become an important feature of much recent secular heritage work. Yet, the CofE has not yet articulated or embraced the value of similar initiatives for its own collections, with guidance at the institutional level aimed primarily at conservation and protection. This paper initiates a discussion about how engagement with sensitive memories enhances the importance of CofE's cultural heritage. It offers a preliminary report of a research project led by the author titled 'Inclusive Interpretations of Christian Heritage', carried out between 2021 and 2022 at iconic churches in central London. After discussing the theoretical context, project rationale, and method, the paper discusses the connections which Christians from ethnic minority or immigrant backgrounds have to ecclesiastical spaces usually associated with national history. The perspectives of previously unrepresented groups can supplement expert assessments concerning a site's significance, revealing important areas in which the CofE's cultural assets hold meaning beyond national or aesthetic importance. The paper argues that widening community engagement represents a crucial task for accentuating the social and civic importance of the CofE's cultural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric carbon dioxide emanating from activities associated with the construction of buildings in the UK contributes approximately 16% of the uk's total emissions and will need to be reduced significantly to meet international agreements. Against this scenario, this paper presents a novel perspective for carbon accounting and trading that proposes the use of a platform for the uk construction industry as a possible solution. This suggestion assumes that taxation should be synchronised with phases of the entire life cycle of the building and that tax credits (or deficits) should remain an asset of the building itself. In this regard, a strategy is in place in the uk, but with gaps in how it will be implemented. To resolve these gaps, firstly, this paper explores and integrates three socio-technical components (i.e., carbon accounting, trading, and certification) that form an essential set of tools required for the management of taxes directed at property developers and construction companies. Then, it points out the need for a suite of computer-based systems to facilitate the recording of emissions information, the purchase of carbon offsets, and a way to access specialist financial services. As a result, a trading platform is conceptualised that makes use of blockchain technology as a foundation for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of Vietnamese nationals consistently having some of the highest numbers of referrals into the UK's National Referral Mechanism (NRM) is increasingly apparent. However, this did not gather nationwide attention until the Essex tragedy of October 2019 which saw 39 Vietnamese nationals found lifeless in a lorry after they were brought into the country by a criminal network of human traffickers and smugglers. This paper seeks to understand the circumstances of these Vietnamese victims of human trafficking to the Britain by reviewing the situation in both countries—Vietnam and the UK. Three instances of Vietnamese nationals trafficked to the UK have been chosen as case studies. Through semi-structured interviews, issues regarding how voluntary migration led these vulnerable people into slavery will be explored and this will be analysed alongside a review of literature in the field. This paper reveals the complexity of the matter, which is primarily derived from the multinational nature of trafficking and the different attitudes and approaches of the various countries involved, as well as the difficulty facing the authorities when combating this particular crime involving this specific group of vulnerable people, especially in terms of victim support. The ultimate goal of this paper is to offer authorities and practitioners in both countries a fresh review of the challenges in supporting these victims, and to redirect their focus on the obstacles to addressing Vietnamese trafficking. These obstacles include the prevalence of—often illicit—labour-exporting companies in Vietnam, instances of initial voluntary engagement in labour migration relationships which later become coercive, and the failure of the UK and Vietnam to agree what constitutes a genuine trafficking victim. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The controversial events of 2001 (9/11) and 2005 (7/7) have led Britain's media and policy makers to view the proliferation of orthodox Islamic seminaries, Dar-ul-Ulooms (DUs), and their graduates (Ulamaa) with suspicion, further exacerbating the marginalisation of an already marginalised Muslim minority within mainstream British society. Due to ethnic, sociocultural, and religious differences, the identity of Ulamaa in modern-day Britain has become increasingly complex and supposedly contradictory due to the perceived differences between orthodox Islamic values proselytised in DUs and 'liberal' British values. Using an interpretive phenomenological analysis, this paper reports on data collected in 2020 through three in-depth interviews with an Aalim who graduated from a DU in England after 2005. It explores how he constructs and negotiates his religious and national identities. The interviews were undertaken by one of the authors, himself an Aalim, and the paper also provides reflection on the barriers of access to this under-researched group. Data suggest that although DU identity might not contradict British identity, and Islam is not seen as incompatible with British values, the perceived contradictions between DU orthodoxy and British values appear to be conflated with cultural resistances emanating from Britain's colonial legacy in India; the birthplace of DUs. Thus, analysis of the data reveals, through an Aalim's personal voice, issues of identity involving culture, religion, and community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The incidence of this cancer continues to rise, especially in developing countries. Alternative splicing is a normal cellular process that results in the generation of proteins with different structures and functions from a single gene. Colorectal cancer can cause dysregulation of alternative splicing processes to promote its development and growth until it spreads. Dysregulated alternative splicing processes have been shown to promote cancer survival by producing proteins that activate genes known to promote cancer development or deactivate those that inhibit cancer development. It is therefore important that dysregulated alternative splicing genes in colorectal cancer are identified for diagnosis and development of treatments that can specifically target these genes in order to stop them from promoting cancer development and progression. Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks as one of the top causes of cancer mortality worldwide and its incidence is on the rise, particularly in low-middle-income countries (LMICs). There are several factors that contribute to the development and progression of CRC. Alternative splicing (AS) was found to be one of the molecular mechanisms underlying the development and progression of CRC. With the advent of genome/transcriptome sequencing and large patient databases, the broad role of aberrant AS in cancer development and progression has become clear. AS affects cancer initiation, proliferation, invasion, and migration. These splicing changes activate oncogenes or deactivate tumor suppressor genes by producing altered amounts of normally functional or new proteins with different, even opposing, functions. Thus, identifying and characterizing CRC-specific alternative splicing events and variants might help in designing new therapeutic splicing disrupter drugs. CRC-specific splicing events can be used as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. In this review, alternatively spliced events and their role in CRC development will be discussed. The paper also reviews recent research on alternatively spliced events that might be exploited as prognostic, diagnostic, and targeted therapeutic indicators. Of particular interest is the targeting of protein arginine methyltransferase (PMRT) isoforms for the development of new treatments and diagnostic tools. The potential challenges and limitations in translating these discoveries into clinical practice will also be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Right from the beginning, attendance has played an important role in the education systems, not only in student success but in the overall interest of the matter. Although all schools try to accentuate good attendance, still some schools find it hard to achieve the required level (96% in UK) of average attendance. The most productive way of increasing the pupils′ attendance rate is to predict when it is going to go down, understand the reasons—why it happened—and act on the affecting factors so as to prevent it. Artificial intelligence (AI) is an automated machine learning solution for different types of problems. Several machine learning (ML) models like logistic regression, decision trees, etc. are easy to understand; however, complicated (Neural Network, BART etc.) ML models are not transparent but are black-boxes for humans. It is not always evident how machine intelligence arrived at a decision. However, not always, but in critical applications it is important that humans can understand the reasons for such decisions. In this paper, we present a methodology on the application example of pupil attendance for constructing explanations for AI classification algorithms. The methodology includes building a model of the application in the Isabelle Insider and Infrastructure framework (IIIf) and an algorithm (PCR) that helps us to obtain a detailed logical rule to specify the performance of the black-box algorithm, hence allowing us to explain it. The explanation is provided within the logical model of the IIIf, thus is suitable for human audiences. It has been shown that the RR-cycle of IIIf can be adapted to provide a method for iteratively extracting an explanation by interleaving attack tree analysis with precondition refinement, which finally yields a general rule that describes the decision taken by a black-box algorithm produced by Artificial intelligence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The word "Buddhism" conjures up a variety of images and connotations: monks meditating on hilltops, mindfulness, cheerful Buddha caricatures. It is unlikely that these depictions suggest engagement with societal issues. And yet, this is precisely what many Buddhist communities and traditions are involving themselves in around the world. Often referred to as "engaged Buddhism", this development in the Buddhist tradition refers to the application of Buddhist principles and practices to situations of social and environmental suffering. Nevertheless, there are critics of this emerging trend who contend that Buddhists should refrain from engaging in societal issues, believing that such involvement contradicts the teachings of the Buddha and distracts from the ultimate goal of liberation. Built on two years of ethnographic research, this paper explores the ways in which a particular environmentally engaged Buddhist group known as "Extinction Rebellion Buddhists" adapt their religious beliefs and practices in response to the challenges posed by the Anthropocene, where concerns for our collective world have resulted in increasing interest in the ways in which humans actively care for the environment. In reformulating Buddhist principles and meditation as a "politics of care", care becomes a tool for change, with the group not only confronting the pressing issues of the Anthropocene but also disrupting Buddhism's traditionally inward-looking, other-worldly tendencies, carving out space for autonomy and transformation within the broader landscape of UK Buddhism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in widescale changes to how UK puppy buyers purchased their puppies. Many of these changes threatened canine welfare by increasing the likelihood of buyers purchasing a puppy from a low-welfare source, e.g., collecting a puppy away from its place of birth or without seeing their mother, both of which are currently illegal in the UK. However, whether these puppy-purchasing changes were limited only to the 2020 'peak pandemic' phase and had returned to their pre-pandemic baseline afterwards or had persisted into the later phases of the pandemic in 2021 was not known. This study explored how and why puppies were purchased in 2021 and then compared this to the same date-periods in 2020 and 2019. Valid responses were analysed from the owners of 1148 "2019 puppies", 4369 "2020 Pandemic Puppies", and 2080 "2021 puppies". Although some of the peak pandemic changes had returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2021, some worrying trends still persisted, including 2021 puppies being less likely to be viewed in-person pre-purchase or to be collected from inside their breeders' property, compared to 2019 puppies. Furthermore, concerning year-on-year increases were documented between 2019 and 2021 in the number of puppies being sold with a passport indicating importation to the UK, often under the minimum legal age for import. The issues identified in this paper require further monitoring and intervention to protect canine welfare in the future. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a surge in acquisitions of puppies in the UK, dubbed the "Pandemic Puppy" phenomenon. In addition to an increased demand for puppies, widespread changes to both why and how puppies were purchased during this period compared to pre-pandemic 2019 purchases were documented, many of which threatened canine welfare (e.g., puppies being collected away from their place of birth, without seeing their mother). This study aimed to explore which changes to the pre-purchase and purchase motivations and behaviours of UK owners who purchased a puppy aged <16 weeks in the 2020 phase of the COVID-19 pandemic had persisted into 2021 or had returned to pre-pandemic 2019 levels. An online survey was conducted during February to April 2022 from which 2080 valid responses were analysed ("2021 puppies") and compared with previously collected data from comparable cohorts in 2019 (n = 1148, "2019 puppies") and 2020 (n = 4369, "Pandemic Puppies"). While the majority of the peak pandemic changes documented in 2020 had returned to their 2019 pre-pandemic baseline, others persisted into 2021. Multinomial logistic regression models revealed that the shifts during 2020 towards owners viewing their puppy pre-purchase over video calls or via video recordings/photos rather than in-person and towards collecting their puppy from outside of their breeders' property rather than inside had persisted into 2021 and had not returned to pre-pandemic levels. Year-on-year significant rises in the number of puppies sold with a passport were documented between 2019 and 2021, with over 1 in 10 2021 puppies having been sold with a passport, the figure more than doubling since 2019. An increasing number of these puppies sold with a passport were under the minimum legal age for import at sale. Going forward, these concerning changes require further monitoring and human behaviour change interventions to tackle, including increased buyer awareness but also legislative approaches to prevent the greatest harm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accuracy and integrity of structural deformation monitoring can be improved by the GNSS/accelerometer integrated system, and gross error detection is the key to further improving the reliability of GNSS/accelerometer monitoring. Traditional gross error detection methods assume that real-state information is known, and they need to establish state iterators, which leads to low computational efficiency. Meanwhile, in multi-sensor fusion, if the sampling rates are different, the change in the dimension of the observation matrix must be considered, and the calculation is complex. Based on state-domain consistency theory, this paper proposes the State-domain Robust Autonomous Integrity Monitoring by Extrapolation (SRAIME) method for identifying slow-growing gross errors for GNSS/accelerometer integrated deformation monitoring. Compared with the traditional gross error detection method, the proposed method constructs state test statistics based on the state estimated value and the state predicted value, and it directly performs gross error identification in the state domain. This paper deduces the feasibility of the proposed method theoretically and verifies that the proposed method does not need to consider the dimension change of the observation matrix in gross error detection. Meanwhile, in the excitation deformation experiments of the Suntuan River Bridge in Anhui and the Wilford Bridge in the United Kingdom, the slow gradient of the slope was added to the measurement domain, and the traditional AIME method and the method proposed in this paper were adopted for the gross error identification of the GNSS/accelerometer fusion process. The results demonstrate that both methods can effectively detect gross errors, but the proposed method does not need to consider the dimensional change in the observation matrix during the fusion process, which has better applicability to GNSS/accelerometer integrated deformation monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is commonly assumed in fire modelling that suppression systems can control the heat release rate of a fire. However, many performance-based assumptions are derived from experimental data for sprinklers, and uncertainty remains for their application to water mist systems. In the UK, residential water mist systems are usually tested to the BS 8458:2015 standard, but the heat release rate in these tests is not quantified and focus is instead placed on thermocouple temperatures. This paper details a series of fire tests to the BS 8458:2015 standard for an electronically controlled water mist system. The paper also includes B-RISK zone modelling of these tests to estimate the suppression performance of the system, comparing model outputs to thermocouple test data. Three traditional suppression assumptions, historically derived from experimental data for sprinklers, have been adopted in the zone modelling to examine whether their application following system activation can be extended to the tested water mist system. The work indicates that applying these suppression assumptions remains reasonable in the context of the performance of the tested water mist system, noting the constraints of the test methods in representing a limited number of fire scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers United Kingdom welfare provision for asylum seekers in the context of social protection scholarship, policy discourse more commonly associated with international development. Social protection definitions are contested, ranging from those focused on state provision to wider interpretations reflecting debates on holistic wellbeing, human rights and self-actualisation. Most recently, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has called for social protection policies for all citizens to reduce inequality among and within countries. Though there is exigency to reduce the extreme inequality existing between countries, literature is lacking on how social protection can be used to critique inequality within more economically affluent nations. Commentaries on social protection also tend to focus on economic poverty, with less attention given to vulnerabilities such as marginalisation. Literature suggests that UK asylum welfare provision is based on deterrence, control and marginalisation. In response, and to encourage equity in how all countries' public policy is assessed, this paper utilises an international social protection framework to critique UK asylum welfare provision. It concludes by advocating for transdisciplinary, human-centred and comprehensive social protection policy design, encouraging participation by a wider range of stakeholders and a holistic understanding of wellbeing to meet asylum seekers' needs effectively and efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) approach as used to investigate the impact of the reduction in inertia on the Great Britain (GB) electrical power system with regard to rate of change of frequency (RoCoF) settings for Loss-of-Mains (LoM) protection. Furthermore, the research as presented in this paper updates, enhances, and validates a reduced model of the Great Britain transmission system, as originally developed in DIgSILENT PowerFactory by the National Grid Electricity System Operator. The enhanced model has been developed for integrated use with the OPAL-RT real-time HIL simulation toolkit and is validated against phasor measurement unit (PMU) data from actual disturbance events using novel automated interfacing between both integrated simulation platforms, PowerFactory from DIgSILENT and ePHASORSIM from OPAL-RT. The corresponding simulations show that the updated reduced model is capable of capturing the dynamic behaviour of the GB transmission system, including both local and inter-area oscillations, with satisfactory accuracy. Finally, the paper presents HIL study results with the reduced model to investigate the influence of decreasing system inertia on the response of LoM protection relays. The studies show that decreasing system inertia may have a significant impact on LoM relays using RoCoF detection, particularly relays using the legacy G59 setting of 0.125 Hz/s. Initial studies have also demonstrated the potential for a previously unrecognised interaction between system oscillations and the 500 ms operating delay, as specified in G59 and G99 Engineering Recommendations. Consequently, faster local oscillations (>1 Hz) reset the relay and decrease the sensitivity, whereas slower inter-area oscillations (<1 Hz) appear to cause the relay to overestimate the average RoCoF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report provides a review of several measurement studies and campaigns focusing on road dust resuspension (RDS), which is becoming an important source of ambient particulate matter (PM) concentrations. There is a growing requirement from stakeholders, policy makers and scientists for gathering additional data around RDS, since there is a lack of well-established methodologies or those developed for measuring or modelling this source of emissions are not very recent. Moreover, conventional inventory methodologies are not available for this source of emissions, and it is not yet covered in the UK's National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (NAEI) neither in the inventory guidebooks at European level. Based on the available literature and models, this paper also seeks to provide some preliminary considerations whether an approach can be tailored for application in air quality models used for modelling ambient PM concentrations in the UK in a consistent manner and demonstrated using a state-of-art air quality modelling tool, namely RapidAir®. The impact of including resuspension emissions on roadside concentrations was modelled in a UK case study with the greatest increases in modelled road PM10 concentrations observed on or near the road surface. The paper concludes with recommendations for longer-term implementation of the proposed improvements such as investigation of the temporal effects of RDS on PM levels; of the influence of different type of tyre materials and mixture (e.g., composition) and designs (e.g., shape, dimensions and tread); and influence of different existing pavements or of new road surface types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is common for fire engineers in the UK to consider a time-dependent series of events when using the Fire Dynamics Simulator to assess the performance of residential corridor smoke control systems. A significant proportion of this established timeline focusses on producing the necessary buildup of smoke and heat in the apartment of origin, prior to any smoke spreading to the corridor or stairs. This paper proposes an alternative approach that enables a compressed modelling timeline by using uniform initial condition parameters in the apartment of origin for the soot mass fraction, room gas temperature, wall and ceiling temperatures, and slab temperature. These conditions can be applied from the outset for separate means of escape and firefighting phases, providing greater flexibility and reducing the wall-clock times for simulations. To achieve this, simulations for a 1000 kW medium growth rate fire in a single reasonable worst-case exemplar arrangement were undertaken using an established timeline approach. This was then used to estimate the approximate initial conditions needed to inform the compressed timeline input parameters. When comparing the established and compressed timeline approaches, close agreement was demonstrated for the estimated conditions of corridor visibility and temperature. The paper also suggests prospective correlations for the initial condition parameters needed to represent a given maximum heat release rate. The paper ultimately provides engineers with a method for residential corridor smoke control modelling that reduces simulation times, as well as providing greater consistency in the demonstrated performance, by proposing initial conditions independent of the dimensions of the apartment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last three years, numerous research papers have been reported which use social media data to explore several issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bibliometric methods in this work are used to analyze 1427 peer-reviewed documents from the last three years extracted from the Web of Science database. The results of this study show that there was high growth in publications in open access journals with an annual rate reaching 19.3% and they also identify the top cited journals and research papers. The thematic analysis of papers shows that research topics related to social media for surveillance and monitoring of public attitudes and perceptions, mental health, misinformation, and fake news are important and well-developed, whereas topics related to distance-learning education with social media are emerging. The results also show that the USA, China, and the UK have published many papers and received a high number of citations because of their strong international collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates 7 MHz ionospheric radio wave propagation between pairs of distant countries that simultaneously lie on the terminator. This is known as greyline propagation. Observations of amateur radio beacon transmitters recorded in the Weak Signal Propagation Reporter (WSPR) database are used to investigate the times of day that beacon signals were observed during the year 2017. The WSPR beacon network consists of thousands of automated beacon transmitters and observers distributed over the globe. The WSPR database is a very useful resource for radio science as it offers the date and time at which a propagation path was available between two radio stations, as well as their precise locations. This paper provides the first systematic study of grey-line propagation between New Zealand/Eastern Australia and UK/Europe. The study shows that communications were predominantly made from the United Kingdom (UK) to New Zealand at around both sunset and sunrise times, whereas from New Zealand to the UK, communication links occurred mainly during UK sunrise hours. The lack of observations at the UK sunset time was particularly evident during the UK summer. The same pattern was found in the observations of propagation from Eastern Australia to UK, and from New Zealand and Eastern Australia to Italy and the surrounding regions in Europe. The observed asymmetry in reception pattern could possibly be due to the increase in electromagnetic noise across Europe in the summer afternoon/evening from thunderstorms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the effects of short-range and long-range electric vehicles charging on transformer life. Long-range vehicles are expected to become more common in the future. They have higher battery capacity and charge at higher power levels, modifying demand profile. A probabilistic analysis is performed using the Monte Carlo Simulation, evaluating the transformer hottest-spot temperature and the aging acceleration factor. Residential demand is modeled based on real electricity measurements, and EVs' demand is modeled based on real data collected from a trial project developed in the United Kingdom. Simulations are conducted considering the influence of ambient temperature analyzing summer and winter seasons and several EV penetration levels. Results show the impacts caused by long-range vehicles are more severe because they charge at higher power levels, especially during winter, when residential demand is higher. For penetration level of 50% during summer, the use of long-range EVs brings a minimum equivalent aging factor of 5.2, which means the transformer aged 124.8 h in a cycle of only 24 h, decreasing its lifetime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a human activity recognition (HAR) method for frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar sensors. The method utilizes a multi-domain feature attention fusion network (MFAFN) model that addresses the limitation of relying on a single range or velocity feature to describe human activity. Specifically, the network fuses time-Doppler (TD) and time-range (TR) maps of human activities, resulting in a more comprehensive representation of the activities being performed. In the feature fusion phase, the multi-feature attention fusion module (MAFM) combines features of different depth levels by introducing a channel attention mechanism. Additionally, a multi-classification focus loss (MFL) function is applied to classify confusable samples. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves 97.58% recognition accuracy on the dataset provided by the University of Glasgow, UK. Compared to existing HAR methods for the same dataset, the proposed method showed an improvement of about 0.9–5.5%, especially in the classification of confusable activities, showing an improvement of up to 18.33%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Discrimination, racism, harassment, stereotyping, and bullying are a significant issue for medical students as they create a hostile environment with detrimental effect on student wellbeing and educational experience. Findings suggest that though prevalent, reporting of these experiences is rare and perceived as ineffective. Objectives: This scoping review aims to map the trends, types, and nature of discrimination, harassment, bullying, stereotyping, intimidation, and racism reports in undergraduate medical education in the UK since 2010 and to determine areas of focus for undertaking full systematic reviews in the future. Method: A search was conducted using the MEDLINE, AHMED, CINHL, and EMBASE electronic databases from 2010 up to February 2022 in English. Only primary research papers (e.g., cohort studies, cross-sectional studies, and case series) that report the words/phrases discrimination (including gender and racial), harassment (including verbal, sexual, academic, and physical), bullying, stereotype, intimidation, and racism within medical education in the UK after 2010, following the Equity Act 2010, were eligible for inclusion. Results: Five relevant articles relating to discrimination, harassment, bullying, stereotyping, intimidation, and racism in medical schools in the UK were included. Three themes were identified across these studies. Conclusions: The data suggest that there is a high prevalence rate of discrimination, harassment, and stereotyping being experienced by ethnic minority undergraduate medical students in the UK. There is underreporting due to perceived and structural barriers. The identified studies suggest that less progress has been made in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates using simulation to predict the benefits and costs of digitalising cold distribution chains. The study focuses on the distribution of refrigerated beef in the UK, where digitalisation was implemented to re-route cargo carriers. By comparing simulations of both digitalised and non-digitalised supply chains, the study found that digitalisation can reduce beef waste and decrease the number of miles driven per successful delivery, leading to potential cost savings. Note that this work is not attempting to prove that digitalisation is appropriate for the chosen scenario, only to justify a simulation approach as a decision making tool. The proposed modelling approach provides decision-makers with more accurate predictions of the cost–benefit of increased sensorisation in supply chains. By accounting for stochastic and variable parameters, such as weather and demand fluctuations, simulation can be used to identify potential challenges and estimate the economic benefits of digitalisation. Moreover, qualitative assessments of the impact on customer satisfaction and product quality can help decision-makers consider the broader impacts of digitalisation. Overall, the study suggests that simulation can play a crucial role in facilitating informed decisions about the implementation of digital technologies in the food supply chain. By providing a better understanding of the potential costs and benefits of digitalisation, simulation can help organisations make more strategic and effective decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of social media use has been phenomenal, particularly during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, Facebook has also seen its share of users rise at a meteoric rate. At the same time, the academy is producing a growing body of literature concerning the use of online methods for primary data collection. Yet, despite the increase in the use of the internet as a research tool, very little still exists on the use of social media to recruit research participants, particularly those deemed "socially invisible". This paper addresses this gap. Another research project explored the experiences of South Asian women who had departed the social norms of arranged marriage to form an intimate relationship with a partner of choice and who then experienced forms of gender-related violence (GRV). The project encountered difficulties in recruiting participants from this marginalised and often invisible group in UK society, who are often too frightened or ashamed to come forward. This study demonstrates how to use Facebook ethically and methodologically, highlighting some of the methods used to overcome the challenges that were presented. The research was undertaken before the COVID-19 pandemic (which prompted a widespread use of social media in social science research). We argue that, despite the ethical challenges, the advantages of using social media to recruit participants when researching a highly sensitive topic such as GRV with 'invisible groups' was highly beneficial. We therefore suggest that social media should be an integral part of the research recruitment process, alongside non-digital methods, so that other 'invisible groups' are not created comprising those who cannot access technology. We share the lessons learned for the benefit of researchers using a similar approach today when recruiting research participants from invisible and marginalised groups. The authors caveat their recommendation of using social media with suggesting that those who do not have high levels of experience of data collection with such cohorts instead consider working with gatekeepers to facilitate the recruitment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deploying smart local energy engagement tools (SLEETs) in local energy projects enables users to better observe and control energy, and potentially become active participants in local energy management. Using a cross-project approach, this paper examines the prevalence, effectiveness and inclusiveness of 84 SLEETs deployed in 72 local energy projects in the UK from 2008 to 2018. An original framework for the characterisation of SLEETs was employed, which grouped them into seven types and characterised them in terms of their level of interaction and interface design. Our study shows that information-driven tools were the most popular in community energy groups, while digital energy platforms or interaction tools with numeric interfaces were the most popular in smart local energy system (SLES) initiatives. In contrast, interaction tools with visual interfaces, and tools offering control were found to be less popular. Spatial analysis revealed that SLEETs were mostly deployed in areas with grid constraints (technology), active community energy groups (people) and engaged local authorities (policy). Effective SLEETs were found to stimulate engagement amongst people (social engagement), and between people and technology (operation and control), while inclusive SLEETs enabled the inclusion of vulnerable and low-income households. The acceptance and implementation of SLES initiatives can be enhanced by creating effective and inclusive SLEETs that align with local users' requirements and are supported by local stakeholders in order to foster trust. In future, there is a need to develop appropriate metrics (key performance indicator) or scoring methods to measure the prevalence, effectiveness, and inclusiveness of SLEETs in a consistent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]