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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 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]

Featured Application: Bibliometric analysis of SDG-related papers with CATAR can help academic scholars, public sectors, and practitioners utilize the growing volume of literature. This study employed a comprehensive systematic review of the literature (SRL) process with the Content Analysis Toolkits for Academic Research (CATAR) for conducting a bibliometric analysis of the 2814 general SDG-related papers and 92 review papers selected from the Web of Science database from 2013 to 2022. The overview analysis found that the US and UK took the lead in publication and citation. The WHO and several universities were identified as the most prominent institutes around the globe. The field distribution of the most cited papers revealed the existence of a "strong sustainability" paradigm and the importance of science and technology. A landscape of 1123 papers was included in eight clusters according to the bibliographic coupling algorithms in the Multi-stage Document Clustering (MSDC) process. These clusters were then categorized into three groups, "synergies and trade-offs", "networking", and "systems analysis", demonstrated in the theme maps. As for the 92 SDG-related review papers, most were shaped based on literature analysis without specified countries. Moreover, SDG 3 was identified as that exclusively studied in most papers. The information presented is expected to help research scholars, public sectors, and practitioners monitor, gather, check, analyze, and use the growing volume of SDG-related academic articles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Definition: Personal development refers to the process of increasing one's self-awareness, associated increases of self-esteem, increasing skills, and fulfilling one's aspirations. The current paper reflects on these elements within the doctoral journey, for PhD students within the UK Higher Education system. The paper makes particular reference to frameworks to encourage and capture personal development needs and supervision or coaching styles that may be used to encourage a continual reflection of personal development throughout the doctorate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, responsible sourcing and procurement (including green supply chain management) across the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) sectors have become notable contributors to sustainable construction strategies. This study aims to provide a systematic review of responsible sourcing literature across the AEC sectors of the UK to identify a suite of opportunities and obstacles to adopting ethical and environmentally supportive practices and to highlight avenues for further investigation. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) review process was adopted to identify, screen, and select (n = 80) articles (from 2000–2020) for review. Analysis of these articles identified the most frequently reported opportunities: (i) stakeholder value (40%); (ii) improved supply chain performance (39%); and (iii) competitive advantage (30%). The most frequently reported obstacles relating to the uptake of responsible sourcing are the following: (i) cost (44%); (ii) industry constraints (28%); and (iii) lack of frameworks/information and lack of awareness (25%). Given the industry importance of these themes, it is proposed that there is a necessity to explore and unravel the perceptions of industry experts about these issues so as to clarify the progress and possibilities for more widely adopting responsible sourcing across the AEC sector and, moreover, for clarifying their contribution towards achieving national and international sustainability targets (e.g., UN Sustainable Development Goals). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adoption of data science brings vast benefits to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) including business productivity, economic growth, innovation and job creation. Data science can support SMEs to optimise production processes, anticipate customers' needs, predict machinery failures and deliver efficient smart services. Businesses can also harness the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and big data, and the smart use of digital technologies to enhance productivity and performance, paving the way for innovation. However, integrating data science decisions into an SME requires both skills and IT investments. In most cases, such expenses are beyond the means of SMEs due to their limited resources and restricted access to financing. This paper presents trends and challenges towards effective data-driven decision making for organisations based on a 3-year long study which covered more than 85 UK SMEs, mostly from the West Midlands region of England. In particular, this study attempts to find answers to several key research questions around data science and AI adoption among UK SMEs, and the advantages of digitalisation and data-driven decision making, as well as the challenges hindering their effective utilisation of these technologies. We also present two case studies that demonstrate the potential of digitisation and data science, and use these as examples to unveil challenges and showcase the wealth of currently available opportunities for SMEs. [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]

The land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector, as a source and a sink of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, is critical for achieving carbon neutrality. Many academic journals have published papers on land use carbon emission or sink (LUCES), but LUCES reviews are relatively rare, which poses great challenges in accurately understanding the research progress and future prospects. This work analyzes the research characteristics, hotspots and future perspectives of LUCES research by using a bibliometric analysis (such as DDA, VOSviewer, CiteSpace software) and a review based on the data (6115 scientific papers) during 1991–2023 from the Web of Science (WoS) platform. We found that (1) over the past 33 years, it first presented a steady growth, then fluctuating growth, and finally a rapid growth trend in the yearly number of publications in LUCES research. The USA (17.31%), China (14.96%), and the UK (7.37%) occupy a dominant position in this research field. (2) The related LUCES research is interdisciplinary, which mainly cover science and technology, meteorology and atmospheric sciences, geology, and environmental sciences and ecology disciplines. (3) The research hotspot analysis on LUCES shows that these articles mostly covered the follow three aspects: ecosystem services, climate change, and carbon neutrality. (4) A review of the past LUCES literature suggests that it is mainly focused on exploring the forefront issues in terms of the definition and boundaries, evaluation method and influencing factors, etc. This work suggests that further research could explore the main scientific problems on quantification of land-based carbon neutrality, quantitative analysis of the impact mechanisms, as well as interdisciplinary research and collaborative governance needed for carbon neutrality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A continuing need to improve health, safety and wellbeing in construction has led to multiple research projects and technological innovations. One such innovation is the Safety Risk Library: a repository of data that functions in BIM environments to assist designers and contractors in identifying health and safety risk scenarios and offer suitable validated treatments to mitigate their effects. This paper reports on the deployment of this library in several construction projects across the United Kingdom and reviews expert and practitioner opinions of such digital solutions for improving health and safety in the future. This paper makes several contributions. The description of an effective process for knowledge base creation, including the data extraction workflow, the anonymization of data and the definition of communication channels aligned to project working practices, is instructive for innovation developers, providing informative guidance through lessons learned. The discussion of expert and practitioner opinions of the functional knowledge base to improve health and safety performance could inform further technological developments in the field and provide empirical insights for developers. Additionally, the alignment of the Safety Risk Library to existing industry standards (PAS1192:6) for better sharing and use of structured health and safety information illustrates how digital solutions can connect directly with industry standards to facilitate improvements to working practices whilst also changing perceptions of how risks may be visualised, understood and actioned by duty holders engaged in construction projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studio-based pedagogy has been central to urban design programmes as it can enable future urban designers to more effectively acquire an understanding of how cities work and critically engage with the role of design intervention. This paper aims to explore the capacities and challenges of learning and teaching urban design through studio pedagogy by drawing on empirical research from a blended urban design studio experiment during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK. This is part of a broader exploratory project using a case study research design and mixed methods approach. This paper explains the process of designing and delivering two constructively aligned postgraduate urban design studios as part of the MA Urban Design programme at Cardiff University in the 2021–2022 academic year. It further discusses the findings of an online survey on the perceptions and experiences of students regarding blended design studio pedagogy. Designing two consecutive and constructively aligned design studios is argued to work better in comparison with designing two entirely separate stand-alone design studios engaging with different topics and sites. The paper highlights the importance of learning from cities as real urban design laboratories rather than merely analysing abstract secondary datasets. The value of policy review, small group reading discussions, and formative feedback opportunities is also highlighted as integral parts of the urban design studio pedagogy. The paper concludes by discussing a range of key issues concerning field site visit, policy review, community engagement, precedent review, student diversity, design studio topic, reading discussion, group size, formative feedback, engagement, educational background, and English language skills. The outcomes of this paper can inform future practices of developing pedagogical frameworks for blended urban design studios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper investigates the impact of Urban Living Labs (ULLs) on social resilience within urban communities, with a specific focus on the Multicultural City ChatterBox project in Portsmouth, the UK. Drawing on a rich body of literature and empirical data collected through ethnographic research methods, including interviews, focus groups, and participant observations, this study explores how participatory placemaking and co-creation activities foster community resilience. The ChatterBox project, a collaborative effort between the local community and researchers, led to the construction of a temporary timber pavilion in an underutilized urban space, serving as a vibrant hub for social interaction and engagement among diverse community groups. Our findings reveal that ULLs significantly contribute to enhancing social resilience by empowering communities, fostering a sense of belonging, and facilitating the development of social networks. Through the process of co-design and co-creation, participants not only gained a deeper understanding and ownership of their urban environment but also developed valuable skills and knowledge, thus strengthening their capacity to adapt to societal challenges. Furthermore, this study highlights the role of ULLs in bridging gaps between different community groups, thereby promoting inclusivity and social cohesion. The Multicultural City ChatterBox project exemplifies how ULL interventions can serve as catalysts for social innovation, offering flexible and adaptive solutions to urban challenges while simultaneously enriching the social fabric of cities. This paper contributes to the growing discourse on urban resilience, placemaking, and community-led urban development, providing valuable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and community organizers seeking to foster resilient and vibrant urban communities. [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]

The existing body of research into the environmental and socio-economic benefits of green infrastructure supports the case for it to be positioned as a form of critical infrastructure, particularly in urban settings. It is broadly recognized that extreme weather and climate change pose significant risks to critical infrastructure systems linked to the provision of services, including electricity, water, communications, and transport, and consequently risk assessments and associated adaptation strategies are common practice. However, although green infrastructure is also at risk from extreme weather and climate change, threatening the realization of benefits that it can deliver in urban settings, associated risks to green infrastructure are not widely understood or assessed in practice. This paper discusses the status of existing research on this topic and uses this as a foundation for a Greater Manchester (UK) case study that assesses the risk of low water availability to grassed areas, which represent a key element of the city-region's green infrastructure. In doing so, the paper demonstrates how risks linked to extreme weather and climate change can be assessed spatially to inform green infrastructure planning. In summary, this paper aims to raise awareness of extreme weather and climate change risk to urban green infrastructure, present an empirical case study and associated methodological approach on this topic, and ultimately support efforts to enhance the resilience of urban green infrastructure to extreme weather and climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The U.K. food system exhibits strong unsustainability indicators across multiple dimensions, both in terms of food and nutritional insecurity and in terms of adverse climate change, biodiversity, and physical resource impacts. These indices of an unsustainable and inequitable social metabolism are the result of capitalist agriculture and society in general and, more specifically, of neoliberal and austerity policies adopted with vigour since the global financial crisis. The causal, capitalistic, and, latterly, more neoliberal bases of the U.K. food system are delineated in the first section of the paper. These bases are then detailed in terms of their impacts in exacerbating climate change, biodiversity (and resource) decline and loss, and food and nutritional insecurity. The political narratives and policy frameworks available to dissemble, mitigate, or, more rarely, to address (resolve) these impacts are then delineated. It is argued that the only policy framework available that strongly integrates food security (social equity) with ecological sustainability is political agroecology and an accompanying degrowth strategy. The final section of the paper details what political agroecology and degrowth might entail for the U.K. food system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whilst study abroad (SA) periods hold much promise for foreign language development, increasing research suggests sojourners' experiences are unique, and language development does not always follow a linear trajectory. For some learners, SA has little impact on their language performance despite the affordances of L2 immersion (the Survivors). Other learners maximise the potential of SA, and this has a positive impact on their language development (the Thrivers). This paper examines the selected cases of four Japanese learners of English and their request language performance during a 10-month SA in the UK. Changes in pragmatic knowledge (based on appropriateness ratings) were documented at three equidistant time points. Language contact profile data also provided quantitative insights into the learners' extracurricular language use and qualitative personal reflections. The selected cases illustrate two learners surviving the SA experience, showing minimal change in their request performance. The other two learners thrived during SA, showing accelerated performance in terms of lexical variation at the production level. This paper reports on the case histories of these learners to better understand these unique experiences and pragmatic discrepancies. Suggestions for how learners might be more pragmatically successful during SA are also offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For several decades, multinational enterprises (MNEs) have offshored their manufacturing activities to low-cost countries to achieve significant productivity gains. However, changes in the relative competitiveness of countries, social effects of deindustrialization in advanced economies and the vulnerability of global value chains (GVCs) revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic have encouraged some firms, supported by governments, to "reshore" part, or all of their offshore industrial operations back to their home country. Reshoring decisions are motivated by a variety of endogenous and exogenous factors that are empirically analyzed in this paper to understand how reshoring policies implemented by governments can more effectively address the factors driving the firms' location decisions. A review of the reshoring policies implemented in Europe, the UK and the US is conducted to provide general policy recommendations regarding policy instruments, SMEs, innovation and regionalization of value chains. This paper fills a gap in the literature by connecting the micro-level supply chain management analysis of firms' reshoring drivers with the macro-level economic policy perspective on reshoring. The review of existing reshoring policies calls for an in-depth analysis by the manufacturing sector and at the local level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the world embarks on a global mission to tackle climate change, reducing carbon represents a key challenge given the escalating global warming. The U.K. is among many other nations that are determined to decarbonise all sectors and strive to achieve a net zero carbon target by 2050. While much attention has been paid to improving performance and reducing carbon emissions in electrical machines, the current research landscape focuses mainly on the thermal and electromagnetic facets. Surprisingly, carbon emissions from the production stage, especially those related to raw material consumption, remain a largely unexplored area. This paper wishes to shed light on a neglected dimension by providing a comprehensive review of carbon emissions in the manufacture of electrical machines, thus contributing significantly to the wider discourse on carbon emission reduction by comparing the carbon emission values associated with various materials commonly used for the main components of these machines. A further case study is included to assess and explore the impact of material alterations on a synchronous machine, from a carbon emission perspective. A reliable material guide will provide engineers at the design stage with the critical insight needed to make informed material selection decisions, highlighting the critical role of carbon emission values beyond conventional thermal and electromagnetic considerations, achieving sustainable and environmentally conscious electrical machine design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The student is a consumer of education and is motivated by their graduate outcomes. Entrepreneurship provides the opportunity for substantially greater graduate outcomes, but does it deliver? This paper reviews the undergraduate bachelor Entrepreneurship Education Programmes (EEPs) offered by universities in the UK. It explores the active and engaged approaches to learning through the module themes offered and considers the challenges of using routinely collected data to understand the impact of these programmes. By using data which is publicly available, we build a national viewpoint on the subjects that lead to greater continuation, student satisfaction and earning potential. The results of this study provide five key insights about EEPs. First, they focus mainly on entrepreneurship but lack a high proportion of entrepreneurship-specific modules. Comparative analysis with other disciplines is needed for context. Second, the number of entrepreneurship modules generally increases throughout the programme, but researchers face challenges such as ambiguous module naming. Third, EEP students show lower satisfaction than those studying for other business degrees, indicating a potential impact of unique pedagogies. Fourth, higher EEP continuation rates are not evident, although this may be mitigated by more selective entry requirements. Finally, EEP graduates have higher employability rates than their business degree counterparts but lower initial earnings, reflecting their entrepreneurial career paths. From this work, we identified a range of calls for further research and suggestions for practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the findings of a national survey of over 3400 teachers across all phases of education in England, 10 weeks into school closure. In this paper we report on the teachers' experiences and their testimonies of the effects of the lockdown on their wellbeing as they navigate the situation, trying to cope with teaching and adjusting to the use of new technology to deliver lessons in the confines of their home. We present their voices as they related their experiences and emotions in real time as the event unfolded. Teachers reported an increased workload with a proportionately large amount of time spent on administrative duties and planning, but less on actual teaching. On average, these teachers spent 15 h a week marking during the lockdown. Under half of the respondents said they felt happy and cheerful often, while only 17% said they did not feel this way often. Almost all teachers said they felt that what they were doing was important and worthwhile. The most common emotions expressed by teachers were fear, isolation, neglect, anxiety, and confusion. The inconsistency and lack of clarity of government guidelines added to teachers' anxiety. The negative media portrayal of teachers did not help. The majority of teachers reported little previous experience in online teaching and only a quarter were confident in using edtech to deliver remote teaching. Only a third of teachers said they were adequately supported for online teaching. This has implications for future teacher development and initial teacher training. However, there were equally numerous positive experiences reported by teachers. Active support from parents and consistent school-home communication were seen as important in ensuring students' continued engagement with learning. These lessons are beneficial in supporting the long-term sick and school refusers post-lockdown. [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]

As with other academic disciplines, sport psychology academics working in higher education (HE) in the United Kingdom (UK) in lecturer and senior lecturer positions are typically required to hold a PhD in sport psychology or a related discipline. To work in applied practice with athletes, coaches, National Governing Bodies (NGBs), and sporting organisations, practitioners are required to acquire a qualification that affords registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) through either the British Psychology Society (BPS) or the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES). Accordingly, scholar–practitioners, who have "a foot in both worlds" (Tenkasi and Hay, 2008), are required to have two related but distinct qualifications, each of which requires considerable resources (i.e., time, finances, and commitment) to achieve. This paper addresses some of the dilemmas and conflicts that these individuals may encounter in their primary workplace, which typically does not provide for applied practice (either in time or financial incentives). Specifically, issues around the knowledge-transfer gap will be addressed. Real-world examples will be in the form of reflections from the author's own experiences. I am a senior lecturer in sport and exercise psychology at Cardiff Metropolitan University and the programme director of the MSc Sport Psychology. The role requires me to be HCPC registered, as well as have a PhD in sport psychology. I am also an HCPC Practitioner Psychologist, registered following completion of the BPS Qualification in Sport and Exercise Psychology (QSEP). My practice is limited to minimal private work and the supervision of trainee sport psychologists (BPS). At the end of the paper, I leave the reader with three questions to prompt reflection on what being a sport psychologist means and what contributions scholar–practitioners may offer to academic institutions and the clients we work with. [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]

The end of the 20th century brought about drastic changes in the tropospheric ozone (O3) around the globe. It is, therefore, highly important to gain insight into O3 formation mechanisms and their key precursors in order to assist policymaking to combat O3 pollution. This article synthesizes a bibliometric analysis of O3 formation sensitivity from 1965 to 2022, reported in English language journals available in the Web of Science Core Collection. This study shows that constant expansion in the number of publications has occurred since 2008, with the highest number occurring in 2021. Most publications are from the United States of America (USA), with 406 papers (42.7%), followed by China with 128 papers (13.5%), and the United Kingdom (UK) with 87 papers (9.1%). Citation burst analysis and significant and highly cited research work analysis are used to discover and assess evolving research tendencies. The thematic evolution of author-supplied keywords indicates that the terms "volatile organic compounds" and "ozone precursors" have recently emerged with a higher frequency. This suggests that there is a growing trend in research focused on these topics in the future. The objective of this study is to provide research primacies and future prospects for better analysis of O3 sensitivity, thereby helping to manage O3 pollution. [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]

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]

Recent unprecedented events worldwide, such as floods in Dubai, recurring heavy rainfall in Santo Domingo, and abrupt temperature changes in the United Kingdom (UK), underscore the tangible impacts of climate change. In response to escalating threats from natural disasters, global communities prioritise resilience and effective disaster management systems. This paper addresses best practices for managing abnormal floods, laying the foundation for the next generation of preparedness and mitigation plans. Focusing on flood risk in Santo Domingo, the study employs the Community Disaster Resilience Framework, conducting a workshop with over 100 stakeholders from government, private, and academic sectors. The assessment spans physical, economic, environmental, and social aspects, revealing common challenges in infrastructure upkeep, public awareness, urban planning, drainage, and economic disparities. The paper proposes technological solutions like predictive maintenance and smart drainage systems, emphasising the potential for implementation. Recognising the importance of community involvement and preparedness, insights from the United Kingdom guide initial steps in strategy development. The conclusions advocate for collaborative efforts among government, academia, and society to navigate the complexities of disaster management and community resilience, ultimately proposing a framework to address these challenges. Further research is suggested in expanding online platforms for disaster risk reduction education in the Caribbean region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A persistent problem in UK hospitals is that of delayed discharges, where patients who are fit for discharge continue to occupy beds whilst awaiting care packages from Social Care. Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) in which Health and Social Care collaborate are now a major NHS initiative, the thinking being that such spending will have direct cost savings to health by freeing up expensive beds. The premise of this paper is that the benefits to health of assisting Social Care could also reduce a number of serious indirect costs and provide wide-ranging benefits to hospital patients, staff and budgets. This is accomplished by reducing the congestion arising from the use of many painful internal coping strategies and unintended consequences, which hospitals have to resort to when constrained by a lack of discharge solutions. The paper explores new and novel ways of using generic systems archetypes to create a hypothesis linking general Integrated Care Systems to congestion reduction throughout hospitals. Rather than use archetypes individually, they are applied here collectively in tandem. These are named 'cascaded archetypes', where the unintended consequence of one archetype becomes the driver for the next and are useful where fundamental solutions to problems are difficult to implement and unintended consequences must be dealt with. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Abemaciclib is an important addition to the care of women with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. To qualify for abemaciclib treatment, some women are advised to undergo axillary node clearance surgery as finding more than three axillary nodes with metastatic cancer allows access to abemaciclib. This paper explores the balance between the benefits of axillary node clearance in permitting access to abemaciclib and the harms of surgery. We examine how many women need to undergo axillary node clearance before one woman clinically benefits from the procedure. We show that for every 10 women undergoing axillary node clearance surgery, only one eventually qualifies for abemaciclib. The remaining nine would have axillary surgery but still not qualify for abemaciclib as less than four metastatic axillary nodes are found despite full axillary clearance. However, these women could still suffer the complications of axillary node clearance surgery. The monarchE study added the CDK4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib to the care of women with oestrogen-positive (ER+) breast cancers. Eligibility required meeting monarchE criteria—either >3 positive axillary nodes, or 1–3 positive sentinel nodes (SNB+) with tumour size >50 mm or grade 3 cancers. Women were advised to proceed to completion axillary node clearance (cANC) if size/grade criteria were not fulfilled for >3 positive nodes to be identified. However, cANC is associated with significant morbidity, conflicting with the potential benefits of abemaciclib. We analysed data of 229 consecutive women (2016-2022) with ER+ breast cancer and SNB+ who proceeded to cANC, keeping with contemporary treatment guidelines. We used this cohort to assess numbers that, under national guidance in place currently, would be advised to undergo cANC solely to check eligibility for abemaciclib treatment. Using monarchE criteria, 90 women (39%) would have accessed abemaciclib based on SNB+ and size/grade, without cANC. In total, 139 women would have been advised to proceed to cANC to check eligibility, with only 15/139 (11%) having >3 positive nodes after sentinel node biopsy and cANC. The remaining 124 (89%) would have undergone cANC but remained ineligible for abemaciclib. Size, age, grade, and Ki67 did not predict >3 nodes at cANC. Following cANC, a large majority of women with ER+, <50 mm, and grade 1–2 tumours remain ineligible for abemaciclib yet are subject to significant morbidity including lifelong lymphoedema risk. The monarchE authors state that 15 women need abemaciclib therapy for 1 to clinically benefit. Thus, in our cohort, 139 women undergoing cANC would lead to one woman benefitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stylometry has gained great popularity in digital humanities and social sciences. Many works on stylometry have recently been reported. However, there is a research gap regarding review studies in this field from a bibliometric and evolutionary perspective. Therefore, in this paper, a bibliometric analysis of publications from the Scopus database in the stylometric research field was proposed. Then, research articles published between 1968 and 2021 were collected and analyzed using the Bibliometrix R package for bibliometric analysis via the Biblioshiny web interface. Empirical results were also presented in terms of the performance analysis and the science mapping analysis. From these results, it is concluded that there has been a strong growth in stylometry research in recent years, while the USA, Poland, and the UK are the most productive countries, and this is due to many strong research partnerships. It was also concluded that the research topics of most articles, based on author keywords, focused on two broad thematic categories: (1) the main tasks in stylometry and (2) methodological approaches (statistics and machine learning methods). [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]

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]

This paper aims to discuss the importance of the climate crisis and embodied carbon in the landscape architecture sector. The study was carried out in a multiprofessional team with the collaboration of the Landscape Institute (LI) Chartered Body of Landscape Architecture, UK, and experts in the field. Using the expertise and knowledge of professionals as well as existing landscape examples and pioneering tools on carbon, this review paper focuses on the importance of low/net-zero carbon landscapes for our cities and regions and the ways in which these can contribute to the broader health and wellbeing of our communities. Examining the current situation on carbon methodologies and the latest knowledge on carbon calculations through a landscape lens, the paper explores why embodied carbon is important for open spaces/landscapes and the necessary policies to support a more efficient implementation of these concepts. The intensity of recent environmental challenges demands action. This review highlights the need for holistic approaches that integrate embodied carbon calculations on large-scale landscape design. Using the innovative example of the Pathfinder App, a carbon calculation tool, as well as other similar software, this paper argues that more steps are needed towards the calculation and adaptation of CO2 emissions resulting from design, construction and materials in landscape schemes. The low availability of carbon calculation tools, specially developed for landscape schemes, is a major concern for the profession as it creates several issues with the sustainable development of the landscape projects as well as fragmented policies that exclude spatial and open spaces. Even though carbon calculation and embodied carbon are being calculated in buildings or materials, it is a relatively new area when it comes to land, the landscape and open and green space, and therefore, this study will present and discuss some of the pioneering carbon calculation tools focusing on landscape projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, many papers have shown evidence of a positive association between financial market participation and wealth holdings. It is often claimed that individuals with a higher level of financial market participation exhibit a higher propensity for planning retirement. In their planning process, individuals seek to achieve an optimal wealth level before their retirement by considering both their average saving rate and their retirement age. In this paper, we tested whether UK individuals with a higher level of financial market participation and, therefore, with a higher propensity for planning retirement were more likely to delay their retirement age than individuals with lower financial participation. On the basis of regression analyses using the English Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSA) database for waves 1–6, our results support the hypothesis of a positive relationship between financial market participation and retirement age, reinforcing previous results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates voltage fluctuations caused by the operation of battery energy storage (BES) units which provide frequency response (FR) and fast frequency response (FFR) services using a test network based on a typical part of the United Kingdom (UK) mainland system. This paper provides an overview of current FR/FFR services currently used in the UK, and a summary of their typical modes of operation. Using DIgSILENT Powerfactory, the paper introduces a simple frequency disturbance generator to mimic typical frequency disturbances that would occur in the UK network, and then subsequently uses a representative test distribution network to show how voltage disturbances associated with BES units can develop across the electrical network. The paper provides a contribution to knowledge by creating a systematic approach for assessing voltage disturbance and flicker concerns for BES units on island networks, using a simple control algorithm and novel frequency disturbance generator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the previous research on traffic flow prediction models, most of the models mainly studied the time series of traffic flow, and the spatial correlation of traffic flow was not fully considered. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a method to predict the spatio-temporal characteristics of short-term traffic flow by combining the k-nearest neighbor algorithm and bidirectional long short-term memory network model. By selecting the real-time traffic flow data observed on high-speed roads in the United Kingdom, the K-nearest neighbor algorithm is used to spatially screen the station data to determine the points with high correlation and then input the BILSTM model for prediction. The experimental results show that compared with SVR, LSTM, GRU, KNN-LSTM, and CNN-LSTM models, the model proposed in this paper has better prediction accuracy, and its performance has been improved by 77%, 19%, 18%, 22%, and 13%, respectively. The proposed K-nearest neighbor-bidirectional long short-time memory model shows better prediction performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper captures advances in prudential regulation and supervision for challenger banks and fintech in the UK. It presents a critical analysis of the prudential supervisory approaches towards fintech. The focus is placed on fast-growing firms (FGFs), building on the review performed by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) of the Bank of England (BoE) in 2019. Specifically, it comprises a critical examination of the underlying regulatory framework in relation to the robustness of stress testing practices, as part of the review of FGF risk management practices and the weakness identified in the Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process (ICAAP). The economic analysis of law comprises the underlying methodology, using economic theory to analyse regulation and its effectiveness regarding fintech regulation and supervision. Recommendations for enhancements towards supervisory practices about the prudential governance and management of FGFs and fintech are included, with advances to the underlying regulatory framework in the UK. Overall, this critical legal research examines the supervisory practices of FGFs and fintech in the UK, under the lens of prudential regulation and risk management approaches, focusing on the design, development and implementation of the stress testing tool and scenario practices. [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]

Demand response (DR) can potentially provide a cost-efficient alternative for balancing the electricity grid by replacing fossil-fuelled power plants for the provision of flexible capacity. This paper aims to quantify the cost reduction potential of DR from a system perspective. Historical data of balancing markets are studied using regression and average bid price analysis to quantify the effect of the participation of DR resources on the price of flexible capacity for the provision of balancing reserves by focusing on two case studies in Great Britain and the Netherlands. It is estimated that DR bids are, on average, 35% lower than the market average. The regression analysis concluded that 1% higher participation of DR in balancing markets leads, on average, to a 2.7% lower prices for flexible capacity. The results verify the hypothesis that flexible DR capacity is offered at a lower price on balancing markets compared to conventional generation resources, resulting in lower costs for grid operators to balance the grid, thus reducing societal costs for electricity provision and overall emissions through the integration of low-carbon balancing resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the current trends of wind energy already playing a major part in the Scottish energy supply, the capacity of wind farms is predicted to grow exponentially and reach further depths offshore. However, a key challenge that presents itself is the integration of large producing assets into the current UK grid. One potential solution to this is green hydrogen production, which is being heavily researched in industry, with many concepts being investigated for large-scale purposes. However, the operations and maintenance (O&M) costs and availability of green hydrogen systems need to be quantified to ensure economical and technical viability, which is sparse in the available literature. The study presented in this paper investigated the availability and O&M costs of coupled wind–hydrogen systems by attempting to quantify the failure rates, repair times, repair costs and number of technicians required for key green hydrogen components. This study also utilised an O&M model created by the University of Strathclyde, which uses Monte Carlo Markov chain simulations to produce the O&M outputs. A number of assumptions were made throughout the study in relation to the O&M model inputs, and the baseline availability for the coupled wind–hydrogen system was 85.24%. Whilst the wind turbine still contributed a major part to the downtime seen in the simulations, the combined hydrogen system also contributed a significant amount, a total of 37%, which could have been due to the technology readiness levels of some the components included in the hydrogen system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Larch is a strong timber, which grows rapidly in the UK climate, but can contain abundant resin pockets. To address the resin exudation issue, a mild thermal modification process has been developed, promoting the curing of the resin. This paper reports a series of studies which characterised the chemical profile of larch oleoresin before and after the mild thermal treatment, explaining the changes which occur when resin is dried. Further experiments were used to simulate specific points in time during the mild treatment process. The non-polar components of the fresh (untreated) and treated larch oleoresin were profiled using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Fresh larch oleoresin was also subjected to isothermal experiments at different temperatures in a thermogravimetric analyser–differential scanning calorimeter (TGA/DSC), followed by re-analysing the resin composition. This demonstrated the loss of monoterpenes at temperatures of 120 °C and above, with complete loss by isothermal conditions of 150 °C and 60 min. The partial loss of sesquiterpene alkanes and alkenes were also observed at all temperatures, although completeness of this loss was achieved at isothermal temperatures of 150 °C and above. The diterpene composition was seen to change for isothermal experiments conducted at 150 °C and above, with a dehydration of terpenols to form the equivalent terpene alkenes. The observed physical changes in the TGA/DSC experiment were in good agreement with observations of the oleoresin sampled from thermally modified larch planks. [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]

Flood hazards present a significant risk to the UK, with homes, businesses and critical infrastructure exposed to a mixture of fluvial, surface water and coastal flooding. Climate change is expected to influence river flows, changing the frequency and magnitude of future flood events. Flood hazard assessments are used by decision-makers to implement policies and engineering interventions to reduce the impacts of these flood events. Probabilistic flood modelling can explore input and parameter uncertainties in flood models to fully quantify inundation uncertainty. However, probabilistic methods require large computational costs—limiting their application. This paper investigates a range of advanced uncertainty quantification methods (traditional Monte Carlo (FMC), Kriging and multi-fidelity Monte Carlo (MFMC)) to reduce the dichotomy between accuracy and costs. Results suggest that Kriging can reduce computational costs by 99.9% over FMC. The significantly increased efficiency has the potential to improve future policy and engineering decisions, reducing the impacts of future flood events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer patients undergoing major interventions face numerous challenges, including the adverse effects of cancer and the side effects of treatment. Cancer rehabilitation is vital in ensuring cancer patients have the support they need to maximise treatment outcomes and minimise treatment-related side effects and symptoms. The Active Together service is a multi-modal rehabilitation service designed to address critical support gaps for cancer patients. The service is located and provided in Sheffield, UK, an area with higher cancer incidence and mortality rates than the national average. The service aligns with local and regional cancer care objectives and aims to improve the clinical and quality-of-life outcomes of cancer patients by using lifestyle behaviour-change techniques to address their physical, nutritional, and psychological needs. This paper describes the design and initial implementation of the Active Together service, highlighting its potential to support and benefit cancer patients. [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]

Wolf Rock Lighthouse is a Victorian era masonry structure located in an extreme environment facing the fiercest Atlantic storms off the southwest coast of England whose dynamic behaviour has been studied since 2016. Initially, a modal test was used to determine modal parameters; then, in 2017, a monitoring system was installed that has operated intermittently providing response data for a number of characteristic loading events. These events have included wave loads due to storms, a small UK earthquake, helicopters landing on the helideck, and the grounding of a ship on the reef. This is believed to be the most extensive experimental campaign on any structure of this type. This paper briefly describes a unique project involving the characterisation and measurement of dynamic behaviour due to different forms of dynamic loading. [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]

Offsite construction has become popular in recent times due to the numerous benefits it offers compared to traditional construction methods. This paper explores the different offsite construction methods, the motivations for adopting these approaches, and the cost-effectiveness of these methods in the UK housing sector using multiple case studies. Firstly, the literature and data were obtained from various sources including professional body reports, industry reports, government websites, and journal articles. Following the review, twelve completed housing projects from the UK which used offsite construction approaches were analyzed. The review of these projects showed that different offsite methods were used in these projects. These include Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), Timber Frames, Precast Concrete, Steel Frames, Volumetric Construction, Gyproc Habito Plasterboards, and Light Gauge Steel (LGS) technology. The key motivations for adopting offsite construction in these projects include the speed of construction, durability of the products, aesthetic considerations, thermal quality, low air leakage requirements, and quality of construction. Of the 12 cases, only two recorded a higher cost for the offsite construction method compared with the alternative using traditional approaches. The outputs of this paper provide evidence-based strategies which would inform practitioners on the best practices for adopting offsite construction methods and what to expect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart meters (SM) with wireless capabilities are one of the most meaningful applications of the Internet of Things. Standards like Zigbee have found a niche in transmitting data on energy usage to the user and the supplier wirelessly via these meters and communication hubs. There are still certain difficulties, notably in delivering wireless connectivity to meters situated in difficult-to-reach locations such as basements or deep indoors. To solve this issue, this paper investigates the usage of mesh networks at 868 MHz, particularly to increase coverage, and proposes an additional mounted antenna to significantly increase outside coverage while providing the necessary coverage extension for hard-to-reach indoor locations. Extensive measurements were made in Newbury in both suburban and open environments for validation and delivery of a simple statistical model for the 868 MHz band in United Kingdom conurbations. Results presented in this paper estimate that mesh networks at 868 MHz can accommodate large areas constituting several SMs with the proposed coverage extension method. With our findings and proposed methods on mesh connectivity, only 1% of UK premises will require mesh radios to achieve the desired coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing emphasis on sustainability; however, not all food packaging fits this remit and consumer knowledge is typically lacking. This paper investigates UK consumers' understanding, perception and preferences relating to sustainable food packaging and the impact that adding information to this packaging has on consumers' behaviour. Consumers (n = 405) completed an online survey covering the following sections: (1) sustainability habits and knowledge; (2) utilising images to understand the role of labelling; and (3) determining key sustainable packaging attributes. Consumers regularly recycle plastic, cardboard, metal, paper, and glass, as well as showing willingness towards recycling; however, they lack knowledge of the correct recycling procedures. Labelling was successful in changing consumer behaviour and encouraging more sustainable choices. Consumers identified key sustainable packaging attributes as biodegradability, disposal methods, renewable sources, recyclability, no excess packaging, and product quality. The main themes from this survey relate to consumers typically being confused about recycling and often lacking knowledge about sustainable materials. More targeted education is needed to help consumers, coupled with additional support from companies and governments, to ensure consumers can make sustainable choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]