Individual drivers of toxicity in radical right-wing populist legislative campaigns

Most studies of political rhetoric examine only political leadership or treat parties as unified actors. However, what happens where electoral systems incentivise candidates to diverge from stated party messaging during campaigns? This article uses novel data on political experience and candidate backgrounds from the 2022 French parliamentary elections to explore the individual drivers of campaigning behaviour. The choice of France, with its multiple and prominent radical right-wing parties, allows for the consideration of both within- and between-party differences in individual campaigning. Using the salient example of toxic rhetoric, findings demonstrate that even when party leaders publicly urge moderation, individual candidates do not necessarily follow along. This implies the need for additional focus on the individual-level drivers of political semantics, especially where candidates are apt to campaign independently, using social media platforms to communicate directly with citizens

Effect of water pressure on time-dependent permeability characteristics of sand conditioned with foam and bentonite slurry

During earth pressure balance (EPB) shield tunnelling in water-rich sandy ground, both foam and other conditioning agents, such as bentonite slurry, are injected to prevent water spewing. Permeability tests were conducted to investigate how water pressure affects the permeability of sand conditioned with foam and bentonite slurry. Experimental results demonstrate that increasing water pressure at the top and bottom of the specimen extends the initial stable period of the permeability coefficient, significantly slowing down its growth rate during the fast growth period. Soil grain migration was observed in specimens exposed to sufficiently high water pressure. During the slow growth period, the permeability coefficient decreased as water pressure increased, and this decrease rate correspondingly decreased. Under a consistent hydraulic gradient, increased water pressure led to enhanced stability of foam bubbles and extended the time-dependent curves for the permeability coefficient. Furthermore, the relationship between chamber pressure dissipation and foam stability was discussed during the standstill period of shield machines. To prevent water spewing, it is recommended to use the permeability coefficient of the muck at the outlet of the screw conveyor with the lowest water pressure as the evaluation index during permeability testing

Towards circularity in the wind industry: Optimal reverse supply network design under various policy scenarios

Wind energy is key to supply renewable energy. However, the increasing number of end-of-life wind turbines is still predominantly landfilled, while regulatory aspects such as waste shipment and landfilling rules hinder the development and scalable implementation of reverse supply networks. This work aims to understand how EU directives impact the structure and viability of circularity-enabling networks by investigating the optimal reverse supply network design for end-of-life wind turbine blades under different policy scenarios. Three policy scenarios were explored through a Mixed-Integer-Linear-Programming model: (i) ‘as-is’ (ii) ‘EU Proposal 2021/0367′, removing transboundary restrictions on waste shipments; (iii) ‘Landfilling Ban’ enforcing an EU-wide ban on landfilling composites. The optimal reverse supply networks with minimum costs were identified for each scenario, contextually determining location and sizing of recycling facilities and calculating landfilling quota and GHG emissions. The costs and emissions were minimum for the EU Proposal scenario, at 15,706,041€ and 2,081 tCO2e respectively. A sensitivity analysis on landfilling gate fees highlighted that they should be significantly increased to incentivise higher recycling rates and close material loops. This research is the first to evaluate the effects of policy initiatives on the shaping of optimised reverse supply chains through mathematical programming methods. The work contributes to the waste management literature by designing optimal circular supply chain networks for the management of waste from wind turbines decommissioning at the EU-level to improve sustainability of renewable energy installations

Enhancing prosthetic vision by upgrade of a subretinal photovoltaic implant in situ

In patients with atrophic age-related macular degeneration, subretinal photovoltaic implant (PRIMA) provided visual acuity up to 20/440, matching its 100 µm pixels size. Next-generation implants with smaller pixels should significantly improve the acuity. This study in rats evaluates removal of a subretinal implant, replacement with a newer device, and the resulting grating acuity in-vivo. Six weeks after the initial implantation with planar and 3-dimensional devices, the retina was re-detached, and the devices were successfully removed. Histology demonstrated a preserved inner nuclear layer. Re-implantation of new devices into the same location demonstrated retinal re-attachment to a new implant. New devices with 22 µm pixels increased the grating acuity from the 100 µm capability of PRIMA implants to 28 µm, reaching the limit of natural resolution in rats. Reimplanted devices exhibited the same stimulation threshold as for the first implantation of the same implants in a control group. This study demonstrates the feasibility of safely upgrading the subretinal photovoltaic implants to improve prosthetic visual acuity. [Abstract copyright: © 2025. The Author(s).

Bridging gaps : peer recommendations for better services

In this chapter, we present recommendations for change written by the project's peer researchers, based on their findings from the study. During qualitative interviews, the peers discussed with sex workers how services should change and what actions could be taken to bring about this change. The peer researchers then discussed potential changes in action learning sets, a problem-solving process explained in detail in Chapter 9. Their personal experiences as sex workers and/or practitioners in the field gave them a deep understanding of the challenges that sex workers face. Their analysis followed an action research approach and aligned with the trauma-informed design of the project

Does Scotland's green energy strategy improve security of North Sea critical national infrastructure?

Scotland’s natural endowment makes it an extremely effective location for renewable energy generation. The ‘green’ transition needs to be managed carefully to ensure that energy provision remains resilient across all sectors, benefits communities and supports local economic development. Rising threats to the energy sector pose additional significant risks to this transition. As Scotland pursues its goal of becoming a net zero economy and trailblazer in renewable energy, greater attention must be given to the cyber-physical security of its interconnected maritime structures. Without such consideration, the remainder of the supply chain may be left vulnerable to attack, with potential catastrophic consequences. This opinion piece explores the challenges and opportunities Scotland could encounter in safeguarding cyber-physical maritime infrastructure, drawing insights from a comprehensive literature review of recent studies, articles and reports. The article explores the conceptual frameworks of resilience, security and critical national infrastructure, analyses the current maritime security landscape and assesses Scotland’s capacity to ensure effective critical infrastructure security measures are put in place. Through this analysis, the article aims to provide a balanced perspective on the effectiveness of current security measures within the context of evolving threats and devolution. The article concludes that there is an opportunity for Scotland to champion innovation, progress infrastructure security and foster greater cohesion across UK government departments

Safety and effectiveness of anticoagulation therapy in older people with atrial fibrillation during exposed and unexposed treatment periods

Background: Anticoagulation therapy reduces stroke risk in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), but it is often underused in older populations due to concerns about bleeding. This study aimed to compare the safety and effectiveness of anticoagulation during periods of exposure and non-exposure and across different anticoagulants in people with AF aged ≥75 years. Methods: Using UK primary care data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (2013–2017), a retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients newly prescribed oral anticoagulants (warfarin or direct oral anticoagulants). Exposure to anticoagulation was mapped using prescription data. Cox regression models were used to estimate adjusted HRs for stroke, bleeding, myocardial infarction, and death during periods of exposure and non-exposure and for different anticoagulants. Results: Among 20 167 patients (median age 81 years), non-exposure to anticoagulation was associated with higher risks of stroke (HR 3.07, 95% CI 2.39 to 3.93), myocardial infarction (HR 1.85, 95% CI 1.34 to 2.56) and death (HR 2.87, 95% CI 2.63 to 3.12) compared with exposure. Compared with warfarin, apixaban was associated with lower risks of non-major bleeding (HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.64 to 0.85), whereas rivaroxaban was associated with higher risks of major (HR 1.33, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.55) and non-major (HR 1.29, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.44) bleeding. Conclusions: Non-exposure to anticoagulation increases the risks of stroke, myocardial infarction and death in older patients with AF. Clinicians should carefully weigh the risks of discontinuing anticoagulation and provide shared decision-making support to patients, especially when considering deprescription

"I wanted to be proud of myself, not ashamed” : a qualitative investigation of suicide and self-injury inflection points

Inflection points are pivotal moments immediately preceding self-directed violence (SDV; i.e., self-injury and suicide). This study qualitatively examined factors that contributed to halting SDV during inflection points. Participants (N = 166) completing an online survey were community-dwelling adults in the United Kingdom with some form of SDV lived experience. Thematic analysis yielded the following results. The most common themes across SDV inflection points were (in descending order): concern for the negative impact on others (e.g., fear of hurting loved ones), use of adaptive coping methods (e.g., general use of coping skills), physical deterrents (e.g., scarring, pain), social contact (sense of connection in the moment), and concern for negative consequences on oneself (e.g., fear of punishment). Healthy coping skill use contributed to halting both self-injury and suicide. Self-injury inflection points were largely characterized by intrapersonal factors, whereas suicide inflection points were highly interpersonal in nature. Implications for clinical practice, theory, and research are discussed

Mind the age gap : expanding the age window for mRNA vaccine testing in mice

Background/Objectives: Murine models play a key role in guiding formulation and immunogenicity studies across various vaccine platforms, including mRNA-based vaccines. Typically, a narrow age range (6 to 8 weeks) is used in these studies. Here, we investigated whether widening this age range could provide greater flexibility in experimental design without impacting pre-clinical outcomes. Methods: To achieve this, we evaluated two commonly used lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulations (based on SM102 and ALC-0315 ionizable lipids) containing either firefly luciferase or ovalbumin mRNA in female BALB/c mice aged 4, 8, and 16 weeks. LNPs were prepared and purified via microfluidics, and their size, polydispersity, zeta potential, and encapsulation efficiency were measured. Mice were injected intramuscularly, and the in vivo bioluminescence and antibody titers were measured to evaluate mRNA expression profiles and immunogenicity across the three age groups. Results: Our findings show that the 4-week-old mice exhibited higher protein expression following mRNA administration compared to the older groups; however, no significant differences were observed between the 8- and 16-week-old mice. Despite the initial higher protein expression, the antibody responses after the prime dose were lower in the 4-week-old mice compared to the other two groups. However, following the booster dose, antibody levels were comparable across all three age groups. Conclusions: By identifying a broader age range window, we provide greater flexibility in study design, enhance data comparability across studies, and promote more efficient use of animal resources, all while maintaining reliable and representative results in these murine models

Antecedents of sustainable performance in hotels : the mediating role of green innovation strategy

The environmental impacts of hotels have heightened public interest, resulting in an increased focus on their sustainable practices. This study investigates the effect of institutional pressures and green values on the sustainable performance of hotels through green innovation. Quantitative data were collected from a sample of 310 hotels and relationships assessed using PROCESS MACRO in SPSS (v.26). The analysis confirmed that institutional pressure and top management green values significantly predict sustainable performance. Moreover, green innovation was found to partially mediate the effect of institutional pressure and top management green values on sustainable performance. This paper provides a solid ground for giving a comprehensive explanation of the driving force behind organizations’ adoption of green innovation practices and how it enhances the sustainable performance of organizations