Comparing City Governance Models for Economic Development:The Emergence of Shared, Visionary Leadership

This article provides a theoretically informed and empirically grounded analysis of the local political leadership of economic development policy. It is a small-N comparative study examining two cities in England and two in Spain: Birmingham in the Midlands and Manchester in the north-west of England, and Seville and Malaga, both in the southern region of Andalusia. Our analysis draws on the literature of political leadership styles informed by the typology of urban leadership developed by John and Cole in 1999. Our core purpose was to advance empirical knowledge of how local leadership styles affect the governance of economic development policy. We do so by identifying the decisive actors involved in the ecosystem of municipal economic development policy, the style of local political leader in each case and the impact of different local government systems in Spain and England on the governance of municipal economic development policy. Our findings point to the scope for further theoretical development of John and Cole's typology to fully capture a shared and collaborative leadership style which our research revealed as increasingly prevalent in local governance.</p

Upcycle Challenge 2025:The Denim Edit

Featuring in the exhibition THREAD REPUBLIC CIC 2025 Exhibition: TEXTILE CITIZENS: BEYOND CONSUMERISM, this outfit explores the reconstructed aesthetic potential of garment waste through flat pattern cutting, sampling, and three-dimensional draping techniques, using denim remnants directly on the stand. It incorporates elements from repurposed denim garments – such as existing pockets, and belt loops – to enhance garment detailing. Constructed from four pairs of jeans, a dungaree dress (sourced from Oxfam Batley Wastesaver) and denim offcuts, the design experiments with ruching, eyelet fastenings and bias-bound lacing straps. Curved panel pattern drafting creates fluidity and drape in the dress, while deliberate raw hems/seams highlight the deconstructed aesthetic. Belt loops connect interchangeable components, allowing for multiple configurations to be worn as separate garments or a layered outfit

Calculation of Airflow through the Air Cycle Technology’s Turboexpander and Its Effects on a Diesel Engine—Part I

Amidst escalating climate change, the sustainability of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, particularly in heavy transport, remains a critical challenge. Despite emission reductions from 1990 to 2020, ICEs, particularly diesel engines in Europe, continue to pose environmental challenges, notably in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. This study proposes a novel solution to address the problem of NOx emissions by incorporating Air Cycle Technology’s (ACT) turboexpander into diesel engines. Acting as a second-stage compressor, intercooler, and expander, the turboexpander aims to lower intake air temperature, thereby mitigating NOx formation. The study utilizes a 4.4-l JCB-TCA-74 turbocharged diesel engine retrofitted with the ACT turboexpander as the experimental platform. The methodology involves using empirical formulae to calculate the key parameters of engine airflow for a standard turbocharged diesel engine followed by repeating the calculations for the same engine fitted with a turboexpander. Parameters including intake temperature, cylinder temperature, exhaust gas temperature, and NOx emissions are analyzed in depth and compared for both the engines. Initial calculations suggest that the turboexpander has the potential to reduce intake temperatures by up to 34°C, resulting in significant reductions in NOx emissions. These findings underscore the promising role of turboexpanders in enhancing the sustainability of diesel engines, urging further exploration across various engine types. As emissions standards tighten, the adoption of innovative solutions like turboexpanders could contribute to a cleaner and more sustainable future for the ICE.<br/

iKids study protocol:A longitudinal study to understand the impact of interactive electronic devices on the development and health of young children in England

Introduction: There is evidence of both positive and negative impacts of interactive electronic devices (IEDs), such as tablets and smartphones, on young children’s development and health outcomes. Consultations with early years practitioners, parents and policy makers recognise IEDs as a valuable resource for early-year learning. However, concerns exist regarding their potential negative impacts on children’s self-regulation, parent-child interaction and physical activity.The primary aim of this study is to understand the longitudinal impact of IED use, in particular duration (hours per day) and mode (educational vs non-educational; age-appropriate vs non-age-appropriate), on emerging abilities (ie, self-regulation, social development, executive function, language and numeracy) in 3-year-old to 5-year-old children. The secondary aims are to explore the impact of IEDs on health-related outcomes (ie, body mass index and motor skills), behavioural outcomes (ie, movement behaviour, parent-child interaction) and educational outcomes (ie, school readiness).Methods and analysis: We aim to recruit 1377 children from economically diverse areas in the Mid and North of England, UK. We will measure children’s exposure to IEDs using a mobile sensing application tool which records app usage, while the primary outcome, emerging abilities, will be measured through the Early Years Toolbox. The secondary outcome measures will include the following: accelerometry (24-hour movement behaviour), National Institute of Health (NIH) Toolbox (motor skills), STIM-Q preschool questionnaire (parent-child interaction) and early years foundation stage profile (school readiness). We will employ multilevel regression models to examine the association between IED duration and mode with emerging abilities. We hope this study will contribute to the development of guidelines for parents and educators regarding the use of IEDs.Ethics and dissemination: The study has received approval from Sheffield Hallam University (ID: ER69550320). Engagement with the public and stakeholders will guide the dissemination plan. The insights gained from this project will be shared through publications and will inform policy briefs distributed to health and educational organisations.Trial registration number: NCT06810570. Strengths and limitations of this study•We will gather a comprehensive array of developmental and health data to deepen our understanding of how IEDs influence the health and growth of young children. •We will use direct measures to assess screen behaviour in children and validated, device-based measures to evaluate development, health, and behavioural outcomes in young children. •This observational study aims to assess the association between exposure to IEDs and developmental and health outcomes, while not addressing casualties. •Despite including a number of potential confounding variables, other confounders not included here might impact the association between the exposure and outcome variables, which introduces a moderate level of bias. <br/

Everyday lives of older people living with multiple long-term conditions:A photo-elicitation exploration

BackgroundGlobally, ageing populations have increased the number of older adults living with multiple long-term conditions, resulting in healthcare redesign and recognition that first-person perspectives are vital to inform meaningful service transformation. This study answered the call for research with a population whose voices are not always sought, to explore ‘everyday life’ in the context of being older and living with multiple long-term conditions at home.MethodologyInterpretive hermeneutic phenomenology shaped the study’s design. Eight Caucasian participants recruited from community groups in West Yorkshire (aged 66-93) took photos that illustrated their everyday lives. These were explored through photo-elicited interviews and reflexive data analysis.FindingsEveryday life had become a balancing act, and occupational participation was more difficult. Participants were thoughtfully and positively adjusting to the impacts of ageing with long-term conditions through occupational adaptation to live their life – their way. Five interlinked themes illustrated the findings: Confronting precariousness, Loss of anticipated everyday life, At the mercy of others, Journey of transition, and What matters to me.DiscussionParticipants shaped everyday life in community, social, and home environments through occupational choices and personal adaptation aligned with their values and priorities. Participation was sometimes disrupted and vulnerability illuminated by ageing, invisible illness, and others’ well-meaning actions, including moments within healthcare contexts.ConclusionThis study offers new insights into how older adults with long-term conditions engage in occupational adaptation to live life on their own terms. As ageing populations grow, further first-person research with demographically diverse older adults is needed to deepen understanding of everyday participation in later life

‘Made in Huddersfield’ Celebrating Tailoring Craftsmanship at The University of Huddersfield

Fashion Design lecturers Debbie Allsop and Kathryn Brennand were proud to host a special event as part of WOVEN 2025. Held at Heritage Quay at The University of Huddersfield, home to over 200 archive collections dedicated to local history, the tailoring event and exhibition showcased the creative work of second-year Fashion Design BA (Hons) students, with the project exploring Huddersfield’s rich textile legacy alongside its celebrated sporting history, drawing inspiration from the iconography and memorabilia of Huddersfield Town Football Club

Dataset of Bluetooth Low Energy IQ samples for Angle of Arrival determination

One significant challenge in research is to collect a large amount of data and learn the underlying relationship between the input and the output variables. This data, collected in a laboratory setting, is intended to approximate real-world industrial scenarios. The samples were collected using a Texas Instruments (TI) BOOST-XL-AOA antenna array and the Ground Truth (GT) position of the tag was tracked and logged by a motion capture system with millimetre accuracy. This position was used to calculate the angle between the tag and the antenna array. The collected samples and the process of generating GT labels were validated using the TI phase difference of arrival (PDoA) implementation on the data, yielding a mean absolute error (MAE) at one of the heights without obstacles of 25.71 degrees

Mobile Network Traffic Prediction Using Temporal Fusion Transformer

The continuous development of mobile communication technologies has led to a rapid increase in cellular network traffic. Therefore, traffic prediction models have become very important for the design of mobile communication networks, as they are essential for increasing the quality of service (QoS) and ensuring a high level of quality of experience (QoE). Accurate and timely prediction of network traffic volume enables efficient planning of radio resource allocation, improves network energy efficiency, and reduces network congestion and operational costs. However, the task of mobile network traffic prediction is inherently challenging due to the dynamic, multivariate nature of traffic patterns that are influenced by diverse factors such as location, user behavior, and temporal variations. In this paper, we propose a novel prediction model based on deep learning techniques. Specifically, we develop a customized temporal fusion transformer (TFT) for accurate time series prediction that effectively captures the complex dependencies in mobile network traffic and ensures resilience to unexpected variations, which is critical for efficient network management and QoE enhancement. The prediction model is evaluated and tested against state-of-the-art prediction models using real-world cellular network data as the training dataset. The experimental results validate the excellence of this customized transformer architecture in capturing the complex temporal dynamics of cellular network traffic by exploiting attention-based mechanisms.</p

Adults experiencing mental illness

Chapter focuses on common mental health problems that adults may experience across the lifespan, whilst looking at recovery-focused interventions that can be used in practice by mental health nurses

Extrakte aus Sisymbrium officinalis und Plantago lanceolata reduzieren die durch Lipoteichonsäure aus Streptococcus pyogenes induzierte Entzündung in menschlichen Mandelepithelzellen

Pharyngitis ist eine Entzündung des Rachens mit viraler, bakterieller oder nicht-infektiöser Ätiologie. Die Blattextrakte von Wegrauke [Sisymbrium officinalis (L.) Scop] und Spitzwegerich [Plantago lanceolata L.] werden in der traditionellen Medizin zur Behandlung von Halsschmerzen und Entzündungen der oberen Atemwege eingesetzt.In dieser Studie wurden die entzündungshemmenden Wirkungen beider Trockenextrakte in einem in vitro-Modell für Streptokokken-Pharyngitis untersucht. Humane primäre Tonsillenepithelzellen wurden mit Lipoteichonsäure (LTA) aus Streptococcus pyogenes (10 mg/ml) in Gegenwart oder Abwesenheit von Wegrauke Trockenextrakt (12,5, 25 und 50 mg/ml) stimuliert. In ähnlichen Experimenten wurden Mandelzellen vor der LTA-Stimulation mit Spitzwegerich Trockenextrakt (25, 50 und 100 mg/ml) behandelt. Die Kulturüberstände wurden nach 24 Stunden entnommen und mit einem Enzymimmunoassay (EIA)-Kit auf PGE2-Spiegel untersucht. Die Sekretion von proinflammatorischen Zytokinen (TNFα und IL-6) wurde mittels ELISA gemessen. Die Ergebnisse zeigten, dass die Vorbehandlung von Mandelepithelzellen mit Wegraukeextrakt zu einer signifikanten (p &lt; 0,05) und konzentrationsabhängigen Reduktion der LTA-induzierten Produktion von PGE2, TNFα und IL-6 führte. Die höchste Konzentration des Extrakts reduzierte die Produktion von Entzündungsmediatoren um ~60%. Die Ergebnisse zeigten auch, dass Spitzwegerichextrakt signifikant (p &lt; 0,05) die LTA-induzierte erhöhte Produktion von PGE2, TNFα und IL-6 reduzierte, wobei 100 mg/ml des Extrakts die erhöhte Produktion von Entzündungsmediatoren um ~70% reduzierten. Experimente zur Zellviabilität zeigten keine signifikante Verringerung der Lebensfähigkeit von Mandelepithelzellen bei den Konzentrationen der untersuchten Extrakte. Diese Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin,dass Sisymbrium officinalis und Plantago lanceolata bei Streptokokken-Pharyngitis entzündungshemmend wirken und für diese Anwendungen weiter untersucht werden sollten.<br/