Digital Commons Network^™

Developments And Industrial Applications Of Basalt Fibre Reinforced Composite Materials, Indraneel R. Chowdhury, Richard Pemberton, John Summerscales

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Basalt mineral fibre, made directly from basalt rock, has good mechanical behavior, superior thermal stability, better chemical durability, good moisture resistance and can easily be recycled when compared to E-glass fibres (borosilicate glass is called ‘E-glass’ or ‘electric al-grade glass’ because of its high electrical resistance) which are traditionally used in structural composites for industrial applications. Industrial adoption of basalt fibre reinforced composites (FRC) is still very low mainly due to inadequate data and lower production volumes leading to higher cost. These reasons constrain the composites industry from seriously considering basalt as a potential alternative to conventional (e.g., E-glass) fibre …

The 100 M Composite Ship?, Michael John Lowde, Henry George Arthur Peters, Ruadan Geraghty, Jasper Graham-Jones, Richard Pemberton, John Summerscales

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Fibre-reinforced polymer (FRP) matrix composites are widely used in large marine struc-tures, and in wind turbines where blade lengths are now over 100 m. Composites are the material of choice for small vessels due to ease of manufacture, high hull girder stiffness, buckling resistance, corrosion resistance and underwater shock resistance. Ships over 100 m are still built using traditional steel and/or aluminium, but so far not FRP. Composite ship lengths have increased over the past 50 years, but fundamental technical challenges remain for the 100 m composite ship. Prelimi-nary studies suggest a possible 30% saving in structural weight, a 7–21% …

Zac: Efficient Zero-Knowledge Dynamic Universal Accumulator And Application To Zero-Knowledge Elementary Database, Hai Van Dang, Tran Viet Xuan Phuong, Thuc D. Nguyen, Thang Hoang

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

—Zero-knowledge universal accumulator generates the succinct commitment to a set and produces the short (non) membership proof (universal) without leaking information about the set (zero-knowledge). In order to further support a generic set and zero-knowledge, existing techniques generally combine the zero-knowledge universal accumulator with other protocols, such as digital signatures and hashes to primes, which incur high overhead and may not be suitable for real-world use. It is desirable to commit a set of membership concealing the information with the optimal complexity. We devise ZAC, a new zero-knowledge Dynamic Universal Accumulator by taking the existing cryptographic primitives into account to …

Emerging Contradictions In The Enforcement Of Bird Hunting Regulations In Malta, Bertie Ferns, Brian Campbell, Diogo Veríssimo

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

‘A Platform For Goodness, Not For Badness’: The Heuristics Of Hope In Patients' Evaluations Of Online Health Information, Alan Petersen, Allegra Schermuly, Alison Anderson

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

Patient advocates and activists are increasingly relying on online health information that can assist them to manage their health condition. Yet once online, they will confront diverse information whose veracity and utility are difficult to determine. This article offers a sociological analysis of the practical methods, or heuristics, that patient advocates and activists use when making judgements about the credibility and utility of online information. Drawing on the findings from interviews with fifty Australian patient advocates and activists, it is argued that these individuals' use of these heuristics reflects their hopes that information can help them manage their condition which …

Impact Of Water-Sediment Diversion And Afflux On Erosion-Deposition In The Luoshan-Hankou Reach, Middle Yangtze River, China, Boyuan Zhu, Jianhao Qin, Yitian Li, Gexuanzi Luo, Qi Xu, Lingfeng Liu, Alistair G.L. Borthwick

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

It is not yet fully understood how water-sediment diversion and afflux along a mainstream reach of a river affect erosion-deposition in downstream reaches. This study focuses on the Luoshan-Hankou mainstream reach of the middle Yangtze River, China. The Luoshan-Hankou reach is vitally important for flood control, being located downstream of three diversion mouths and an afflux outlet along the Jingjiang reach. We establish empirical formulae for sediment transport rates at boundary cross-sections, and hence estimate the amount and proportion of erosion-deposition and its relative increase (termed erosion-deposition promotion) in the Luoshan-Hankou reach. We then propose critical net water supplies from …

Viscocanalostomy And Combined Phacoemulsification With Viscocanalostomy: A Five-Year Follow-Up, Conor Lyons, Daniela Oehring, Divya Mathews

School of Health Professions

No abstract provided.

Core Outcome Set Development For Childhood Epilepsy Treated With Ketogenic Diet Therapy: Results Of A Scoping Review And Parent Interviews, Jennifer H. Carroll, Kirsty J. Martin-Mcgill, J. Helen Cross, Mary Hickson, Emma Williams, Val Aldridge, Avril Collinson

School of Health Professions

PurposeClinical trials on childhood epilepsy treated with ketogenic diet (KD) use a wide range of outcomes, however, patients and decision-makers often do not perceive the outcomes used as the most important. We sought parental opinion on outcomes of importance and compared these to outcomes reported in published research.MethodsEthical approval (London-Surrey-REC19/LO/1680). A scoping review identified outcomes reported in previous studies of childhood epilepsy and KD. Parents were recruited from nine KD centres (UK), charities and social media (international), then interviewed (Jan-April 2020) to explore priority outcomes. Content analysis identified all outcomes in transcripts. Parent identified outcomes were compared with those in …

Reconstruction Of Provenance And Tectonic Setting Of The Middle Jurrasic Yan'an Formation (Ordos Basin, North China) By Analysis Of Major, Trace And Rare Earth Elements In The Coals, Jie Gao, Dawei Lv, Van Loon Aj Tom, James C. Hower, Munira Raji, Yi Yang, Zhonghe Ren, Yujia Wang, Zhihui Zhang

More Faculty of Science and Engineering Research

The Middle Jurassic Yan'an Formation in the Ordos Basin (North China) is an important coal-bearing succession. Twenty coal samples and four samples of silty mudstones were collected from Coal Seam 2 of the Yan'an Formation in order to determine major, trace and rare earth elements; moreover, the geochemistry of the rare earth elements, and in particular yttrium, was investigated. The major elements investigation reveals that Si, Al, Na, K, and Ti are primarily found in clay minerals. Calcium is primarily found in calcite and iron is largely controlled by sulfur. The average REE (rare earth element) contents in the coals …

On Sir David Cox's Publications, Mario Cortina Borja, Julian Stander, Giovanni Sebastiani

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

No abstract provided.

Covid Lockdowns In The Uk: Estimating Their Effects On Transmission, Emily Prestige, Julian Stander, Yinghui Wei

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

No abstract provided.

No “Box To Be Checked”: Environmental Justice In Modern Legal Practice, Clifford J. Villa

Faculty Scholarship

For nearly thirty years, environmental justice has been part of our civic conversation and included in the mission of federal agencies. But while public attention to environmental justice has waxed and waned over time, environmental justice principles have endured and developed into rules of law. This development may be expected to continue and accelerate with recent events such as the nationwide outcry after the police killing of George Floyd in 2020, the disparate impacts of COVID-19 on people of color, and the express priorities of the Biden administration. This paper seeks to help legal practitioners and other interested parties comprehend …

The Application Of Precaution In Elasmobranch Conservation And Management In The Mediterranean Sea, Lydia Koehler, Ioannis Giovos, Jason Lowther

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

Inter-State Proceedings Interim Measures And Protection Of The Environment :Case C-121/21 R Czech Republic V Republic Of Poland, J Sellick

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

Human Affinity For Rivers, Yichu Wang, Alistair G.L. Borthwick, Jinren Ni

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

Human civilization prospers along rivers worldwide. Here, we investigated human–river relations by revealing the linkage between water and habitability for human settlements, and socioeconomic and cultural development across China. We found that human–water co-occurrence relationships are self-similar over sub-basins for different scales of stream-order in the river networks. According to the earlier complete demographic census conducted during the reign of the Qing Dynasty (1776), there has been a general tendency for inhabitants to live close to rivers, characterized by population density associated with habitability cored by water under a near-natural state, which still remains to date (2019) even after long-term …

Long‐Term Effects Of Artificial Nighttime Lighting And Trophic Complexity On Plant Biomass And Foliar Carbon And Nitrogen In A Grassland Community, Vinka Anic, Kevin J. Gaston, Thomas W. Davies, Jonathan Bennie

School of Biological and Marine Sciences

No abstract provided.

Self-Management Intervention To Reduce Pulmonary Exacerbations By Supporting Treatment Adherence In Adults With Cystic Fibrosis: A Randomised Controlled Trial, Cfhealthhub Study Team, Martin J. Wildman, Alicia O’Cathain, Chin Maguire, Madelynne A. Arden, Marlene Hutchings, Judy Bradley, Stephen J. Walters, Pauline Whelan, John Ainsworth, Iain Buchan, Laura Mandefield, Laura Sutton, Paul Tappenden, Rachel A. Elliott, Zhe Hui Hoo, Sarah J. Drabble, Daniel Beever, H. Cantrill, J. Nicholl, S. Michie, S. Waterhouse, L. Robinson, A. Scott, S. Antrobus, E. Lumley, A. N. Biz, D. Hind, C. Orchard

Peninsula Medical School

Introduction Recurrent pulmonary exacerbations lead to progressive lung damage in cystic fibrosis (CF). Inhaled medications (mucoactive agents and antibiotics) help prevent exacerbations, but objectively measured adherence is low. We investigated whether a multi-component (complex) self-management intervention to support adherence would reduce exacerbation rates over 12 months. Methods Between October 2017 and May 2018, adults with CF (aged ≥16 years; 19 UK centres) were randomised to the intervention (data-logging nebulisers, a digital platform and behavioural change sessions with trained clinical interventionists) or usual care (data-logging nebulisers). Outcomes included pulmonary exacerbations (primary outcome), objectively measured adherence, body mass index (BMI), lung function …

A Review Of The Pharmacotherapeutic Considerations For Managing Epilepsy In People With Autism, Lance V. Watkins, Maire O’Dwyer, Rohit Shankar

Peninsula Medical School

Introduction: Autism, like other neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), has a strong association with epilepsy. There are known common genetic pathways in both autism and epilepsy. There are also specific genetic syndromes associated with both complex epilepsy and the autism phenotype. Areas covered: This review explores the evidence for common genetic etiologies and pathophysiological pathways in relation to both epilepsy and autism. Autism with comorbid epilepsy are associated with a high prevalence of medical and psychiatric comorbidities. This paper discusses how this influences assessment, treatment, and outcomes. The evidence for the treatment of specific seizure types in the context of NDDs is …

Smart Soft Open Point To Synergically Improve The Energy Efficiencies Of The Interconnected Electrical Railways With The Low Voltage Grids, Tamer Kamel, Zhongbei Tian, Mansoureh Zangiabadi, Neal Wade, Volker Pickert, Pietro Tricoli

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

This paper presents a novel smart soft open point (sSOP) that interconnects railway electrification system to the local low voltage (LV) distribution grid to provide additional flexibility and controllability for both networks. The proposed sSOP builds on the concept of soft open points, adding an energy storage system and embedding a rail and grid (R + G) energy management system to enable the energy transfer between the two networks at different average power levels. The smartness of the proposed soft open point is realised in the integration of an energy storage system to act as an energy buffer between these …

Emotions, Psychological Safety And Recommendations For Designing Remediation Programmes, Nicola Brennan

Peninsula Medical School

This commentary presents emotion recognition and enabling psychological safety as crucial in the design of effective remediation programmes.

Invasive Coronary Angiography As A Tool In Cardiac Evaluation For Liver Transplant Candidates, Js Nayagam, Bc Norton, S Belete, J Rosinhas, K Ramos, Me Cramp, R O'Kane, Wj Cash, Z Milan, C Nicholson, K Menon, A Prachalias, P Srinivasan, G Auzinger, J Byrne, Pa Maccarthy, N Melikian, K Agarwal, Vr Aluvihare, D Joshi, Ma Heneghan

Peninsula Medical School

Background Cardiovascular assessment is central to evaluation of liver transplant (LT) candidates. However, there is a lack of consensus on the diagnostic algorithm for screening for coronary artery disease (CAD), and the place for invasive coronary angiography (ICA) remains undefined. Methods We retrospectively analysed 1201 adults who underwent elective LT assessment over a 5-year period. For patients who underwent LT, survival data to 5 years post-LT was collected. Results ICA was performed in 259 (21.6%): 134 no CAD, 58 mild, 33 moderate, and 34 severe. Detection of CAD was associated with age (OR 1.08, P < 0.01), current smoking (OR 4.92, P < 0.01) and prior CAD (OR 8.93, P < 0.001). Poor performance on cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) was associated with age (OR 1.02, P < .05) and diabetes mellitus (OR 1.54, P < 0.05). 122 (10.2%) patients were declined due to severity of cardiovascular disease. 169/779 (21.7%) patients listed for LT had undergone ICA, and CAD was present in 73/169 (43.2%). The non-risk-adjusted all-cause post-LT 5-year survival was 82.6%, with no difference in survival in those with and without CAD on ICA. In patients with CAD, diabetes was associated with reduced survival (OR 3.78, P < 0.05). Conclusions Multi-modality cardiac evaluation is useful in high-risk patients undergoing LT assessment. ICA can be used with non-invasive assessments and risk factors to delineate candidacy. In selected patients with CAD, LT has been undertaken with comparable post-LT survival.

One-Year Post-Operative Comparison Of Visual Function And Patient Satisfaction With Trifocal And Extended Depth Of Focus Intraocular Lenses, Elizabeth M. Law, Rajesh K. Aggarwal, Hetal Buckhurst, Hosam E. Kasaby, Jonathan Marsden, Gary Shum, Phillip J. Buckhust

School of Health Professions

PURPOSE: To evaluate visual performance with trifocal and extended depth of focus IOL at 1 year post-operatively.

SETTING: BMI Southend Hospital.

DESIGN: Cohort study.

METHODS: An age-matched cohort of forty subjects bilaterally implanted with the AT LISA 839MP trifocal IOL (20 patients, 40 eyes) and the Tecnis Symfony extended depth of focus IOL (20 patients, 40 eyes) were assessed at 3-6 months and 12-18 months post-operatively. Primary outcome measures were distance (6 m), intermediate (70 cm), near visual acuity (40 cm), and analysis of defocus profiles. Secondary outcomes included contrast sensitivity, Radner reading performance, quality of vision and assessment of …

Adaptation Of The Stride Dementia Survey Into The Indonesian Context In North Sumatra, Fasihah Irfani Fitri, Ika Mariana Gultom, Eka Mahendrayana, Engki Irawan, Aldy S. Rambe, Tara Puspitarini Sani, Yuda Turana, Imelda Theresia, Nicolas Farina, Sube Banerjee

Peninsula Medical School

Background: North Sumatra is one of two provinces in Indonesia in which the prevalence and costs of care of dementia has been completed as part of the STrengthening Responses to dementia In Developing countries (STRiDE) program. The toolkit used in the study was developed in English and thus needed to be cross-culturally adapted into Bahasa Indonesia. Part of this process involved pre-testing as a way to maximize the cultural appropriateness of the toolkit, especially in a multi- ethnic province like North Sumatra. Here we report the adaptation process. Methods: The translated toolkit consisted of measures needed within the prevalence survey …

Effect Of Different Durations Of Using A Standing Frame On The Rate Of Hip Migration In Children With Moderate To Severe Cerebral Palsy: A Feasibility Study For A Randomised Controlled Trial, R. Rapson, T. King, C. Morris, R. Jeffery, J. Mellhuish, C. Stephens, J. Marsden

School of Health Professions

Aim To assess the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the effect of different doses of standing time on hip migration rate in children with cerebral palsy (CP). Method Children aged 1–12 years with CP GMFCS levels III–V were recruited and randomised to either doubling or continuing with their usual time in their standing frame. Caregivers kept a standing time diary. The primary outcome measure was Reimers hip migration percentage, measured at baseline, 12 and 24 months. A blinded assessor measured secondary clinical outcomes at baseline, 6 and 12 months. Feasibility results are reported following CONSORT guidelines. …

The Fluency Trust Residential Course For Young People Who Stutter: A Pragmatic Feasibility Study., Anna Prince, Jonathan Marsden, Yvonne Wren, Rosemarie Hayhow, Sam Harding

School of Health Professions

Introduction A feasibility study of The Fluency Trust Residential Course (FTRC) for adolescents who stutter was conducted. The study aimed to measure key areas of a feasibility trial, for example, recruitment and retention, outcome measure completion, outcome measure reliability, and acceptability of the intervention to inform future research into the FTRC. Methods Quantitative and qualitative methods were used. Participants were 23 adolescents (12–17 years), 23 parents and 2 Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) from the FTRC. Data collection included: outcome measure collection via a pre-test post-test quasi-experimental design (including two baseline measures), intervention fidelity checklists, semi-structured interviews with adolescents to explore acceptability …

The Late Onset Of Emotional Distress In People With Progressive Multiple Sclerosis During The Covid-19 Pandemic: Longitudinal Findings From The Cogex Study, Anthony Feinstein, Maria Pia Amato, Giampaolo Brichetto, Jeremy Chataway, Nancy D. Chiaravalloti, Gary Cutter, Ulrik Dalgas, John Deluca, Rachel Farrell, Peter Feys, Massimo Filippi, Jennifer Freeman, Matilde Inglese, Cecilia Meza, Robert W. Motl, Maria Assunta Rocca, Brian M. Sandroff, Amber Salter

School of Health Professions

Objective: An earlier follow-up study from the CogEx rehabilitation trial showed little change in symptoms of depression, anxiety and psychological distress during the first COVID-19 lockdown compared to pre-pandemic measurements. Here we provide a second follow-up set of behavioral data on the CogEx sample. Methods: This was an ancillary, longitudinal follow-up study in CogEx, a randomized controlled trial of exercise and cognitive rehabilitation in people with progressive MS involving 11 centres in North America and Europe. Only individuals impaired on the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) were included. Participants repeated the COVID Impact survey administered approximately a year later and …

Real-World Smartphone-Based Gait Recognition, Hind Alobaidi, Nathan Clarke, Fudong Li, Abdulrahmanalruban

School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

No abstract provided.

An Exploration Of The Contribution Of Embodied, Situated Research Strategies To Cultural Ecosystem Services And Landscape Assessment Frameworks: An Environmental Empathy Case Study, K Łucznik, Jv Serrano, J Martin

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Since the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment in 2005, interest has increased in cultural ecosystem services (CESs) research to understand the complexity of the non-material benefits that people obtain from ecosystems. The intangible and interactive characteris-tics of CESs present many challenges regarding how to approach, quantify and even de-fine CESs. In this paper, we suggest looking at CESs through the lens of embodied and situated cognition theories. We advocate that such an approach should be applied to the development stage of CES research projects, as the embodied and situated experience of the site aids the development of research questions and future interventions. …

Brief Opportunistic Interventions By General Practitioners To Promote Smoking Cessation: A Conversation Analytic Study, H. Wheat, R. K. Barnes, P. Aveyard, F. Stevenson, R. Begh

Peninsula Medical School

No abstract provided.

Comment On: Disease Gene Identification Strategies For Exome Sequencing By Gilissen Et Al. 2012, Julia Baptista

Peninsula Medical School

No abstract provided.