Measurement report: Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in particulate matter (PM10) from activated sludge aeration

Environmental pollution with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly referred to as “forever chemicals”, received significant attention due to their environmental persistence and bioaccumulation tendencies. Effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) have been reported to contain significant levels of PFAS. Wastewater treatment processes such as aeration have the potential to transfer PFAS into the atmosphere. However, understanding their fate during sewage treatment remains challenging. This study aims to assess aerosolisation of PFAS during WWTP process. Special emphasis is given to new generation and legacy PFAS (e.g., perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)) as they are still observed in sewage after years of restrictions. Particulate matter with aerodynamic size ≤10 µm (PM10) collected above a scaled-down activated sludge tank treating domestic sewage for a population >10,000 people in the UK were analysed for a range of short-, medium- and long-chain PFAS. Eight PFAS including perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), PFOA, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), PFOS and perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) were detected in the PM10. The presence of legacy PFOA and PFOS in PM10 samples, despite being restricted for over a decade, raises concerns about their movement through domestic and industrial sewage cycles. The total PFAS concentrations in PM10 were 15.49 pg m-3 and 4.25 pg m-3 during Autumn and Spring campaigns, respectively. PFBA was the most abundant PFAS, suggesting a shift towards short chain PFAS use. Our results suggest that WWT processes such as activated sludge aeration could aerosolise PFAS into P

Redefining Peace in a Shifting World:IGAD, South Sudan, and the New African Security Paradigm

This book offers a groundbreaking exploration of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)’s role in peace-making in the Horn of Africa (HoA), focusing on its efforts in the South Sudan conflict. Blending rigorous academic analysis with practitioner insights, it shows how IGAD’s distinctive, adaptable approach challenges Eurocentric models of peace, security governance, and regional integration. Drawing on extensive fieldwork and interviews across East Africa, the book examines African regionalism, Pan-Africanism, hybrid governance, and the decolonisation of peace theory and practice. It traces IGAD’s facilitation of the 2018 peace agreement, revealing how the organisation weaves together contending ideas and practices of peace. Through strategic hybridisation and platformisation, it underscores African agency and calls for reimagining peace, security, and integration from an African perspective. This book is essential reading for scholars, policymakers, and anyone interested in African peace processes, global governance, regional organisations, and the politics of peace in the Global South

Assessing the determinants of participation in the circular plastic economy by Nigerian students

Purpose: This study aims to address the critical subject of building capacity for the circular economy in the global south. It complements the literature by providing information on the role of higher education institutions in developing skills for the circular plastic economy. Design/methodology/approach: This study used a mixed method approach drawing on reflective analysis on qualitative data from 5 focus groups and 12 semi-structured interviews, and structural equation modelling of quantitative data from 151 students across 4 Nigerian Universities. Findings: The results indicate that Nigerian university students are more likely to participate in the circular plastic economy through a high prominence of soft power features such as increased awareness, inspiration, idea generation, encouragement and capacity building. Research limitations/implications: The main limitation of this study is with the sample. A larger data set, including other tertiary institutions such as private universities, polytechnics and schools of vocational studies, would strengthen the results. Practical implications: The study underlines the importance of targeted policy interventions and pedagogic innovations to drive awareness and knowledge building among Nigeria’s youth population. Originality/value: This study makes a novel contribution by using empirical evidence to determine the predictors of student participation in the circular plastic economy. This understanding is important for the development and implementation of appropriate policies that promote participation in the circular plastic economy. Furthermore, given the typical youthful age bracket of university students, any plans to achieve a systemic shift in the plastic value chain must involve the young generation.</p

Anticoagulation Among Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19:A Systematic Review and Prospective Meta-analysis

Background: Reported results of clinical trials assessing higher-dose anticoagulation in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 have been inconsistent.Purpose: To estimate the association of higher- versus lower-dose anticoagulation with clinical outcomes.Data Sources: Randomized trials were identified from the World Health Organization's International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov with no restriction by trial status or language.Study Selection: Eligible randomized trials assigned patients hospitalized for COVID-19 to higher- versus lower-dose anticoagulation.Data Extraction: 20 eligible trials provided data in a prospectively agreed format. Two further studies were included based on published data. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality 28 days after randomization. Secondary outcomes were progression to invasive mechanical ventilation or death, thromboembolic events, and major bleeding.Data Synthesis: Therapeutic- compared with prophylactic-dose anticoagulation with heparins reduced 28-day mortality (OR, 0.77 [95% CI, 0.64 to 0.93]; I 2 = 29%; 11 trials, 6297 patients, of whom 5456 required low or no oxygen at randomization). The ORs for 28-day mortality were 1.21 (CI, 0.93 to 1.58; I 2 = 0%) for therapeutic-dose compared with intermediate-dose anticoagulation (6 trials, 1803 patients, 843 receiving noninvasive ventilation at randomization) and 0.95 (CI, 0.76 to 1.19; I 2 = 0%; 10 trials, 3897 patients, 2935 receiving no or low oxygen at randomization) for intermediate- versus prophylactic-dose anticoagulation. Treatment effects appeared broadly consistent across predefined patient subgroups, although some analyses were limited in power. Higher- compared with lower-dose anticoagulation was associated with fewer thromboembolic events, but a greater risk for major bleeding.Conclusion: Therapeutic-dose compared with prophylactic-dose anticoagulation reduced 28-day mortality. Mortality was similar for intermediate-dose compared with prophylactic-dose anticoagulation and higher for therapeutic-dose compared with intermediate-dose anticoagulation, although this comparison was not estimated precisely

Progressive Collapse Resistance of Steel Frames with Reduced Beam Sections and Web Openings

Progressive collapse represents a critical failure scenario in steel moment-resisting frames, especially when beam sections are intentionally weakened through flange cuts or web openings. While previous studies reported that circular openings were the most effective configuration among various shapes, the present study investigates whether semi-circular openings, when combined with reduced beam sections (RBS), can provide superior performance. A finite element model was developed in ABAQUS/Explicit v2016 and validated against experimental results to ensure reliability. Parametric analyses considered both circular and semi-circular openings with diameters of 80 mm and 110 mm, placed at various distances from the RBS centerline (L = 0, 65, 140, and 180 mm). The results show that openings located too close to the RBS zone (L = 0 mm and L = 65 mm) significantlyreduced strength and suppressed catenary action. Conversely, larger spacings (L = 140 mm and L = 180 mm) enhanced load capacity and ductility by promoting stress redistribution. Importantly, semi-circular openings consistently outperformed circular ones in the present investigation. In particular, the SC3-140-110 specimen achieved the highest peak load (248.7 kN) and the strongest catenary action contribution (227.6 kN), demonstrating superior robustness against progressive collapse. These findings highlight the technical advantage of semi-circular openings as an effective detailing strategy for improving the collapse resistance of steel moment frames

Evaluating Self-Supervised Learning for WiFi CSI-Based Human Activity Recognition

With the advancement of the Internet of Things (IoT), WiFi Channel State Information (CSI)-based Human Activity Recognition (HAR) has garnered increasing attention from both academic and industrial communities. However, the scarcity of labeled data remains a prominent challenge in CSI-based HAR, primarily due to privacy concerns and the incomprehensibility of CSI data. Concurrently, Self-Supervised Learning (SSL) has emerged as a promising approach for addressing the dilemma of insufficient labeled data. In this paper, we undertake a comprehensive inventory and analysis of different categories of SSL algorithms, encompassing both previously studied and unexplored approaches within the field. We provide an in-depth investigation and evaluation of SSL algorithms in the context of WiFi CSI-based HAR, utilizing publicly available datasets that encompass various tasks and environmental settings. To ensure relevance to real-world applications, we design experiment settings aligned with specific requirements. Furthermore, our experimental findings uncover several limitations and blind spots in existing work, shedding light on the barriers that need to be addressed before SSL can be effectively deployed in real-world WiFi-based HAR applications. Our results also serve as practical guidelines and provide valuable insights for future research endeavors in this field

From Paralysis to Pluralism:Repoliticising Mediation in Sudan

The ongoing war in Sudan exposes the limits of international mediation efforts when stripped of political substance. In this blog, Jan Pospisil argues that current approaches reduce mediation to a technocratic exercise, where inclusion is invoked more as a legitimising slogan than a meaningful political act. To make a difference, mediation must re-engage with power, fragmentation, and the complex realities of Sudan’s political landscape

Do Playgrounds Help Develop Children’s Fundamental Movement Skills? Using Direct Video Observations to Investigate

Playgrounds are global environments that are purpose made for children and can offer a variety of opportunities for children to be physically active and practice their fundamental movement skills (FMS), which can lead to future physical activity and sport participation. Previous research highlighted that children engage in different types of physical activity (PA) depending on playgrounds apparatus and area. However, there is a paucity of research that investigates the link between playground features, structures, PA, and FMS. This study sought to assess the impact of different playgrounds on PA type PA intensity and the types of FMS completed. This observational study examined 29 (M = 10, F = 19) children’s behaviours on three different playgrounds. Video cameras were placed strategically across the three playgrounds to allow for footage to be captured and analysed using the Observational System for Recording Physical Activity in Children (OSRAC). One-way ANOVA was used to examine the different OSRAC categories across the three playgrounds. Climbing equipment (average 1217.10 s) was the frequently used type of apparatus, standing was the most commonly performed type of activity (average 377.60 s) and stationary movements whilst moving limbs were the most regularly (average 605.13 s) performed type of PA intensity. There were no instances of any throwing, catching, or kicking activities performed across the three playgrounds. Results suggest that public playgrounds do not facilitate more intense types of PA, nor object control skills due to a lack of suitable equipment

The Time Machine Stops

As of this writing, 1653744144847 milliseconds have elapsed since midnight on January 1, 1970, the start of the “Unix Epoch,” so named for the operating system upon which the internet is based. While that date was chosen arbitrarily, it also denotes the onset of “computime,” which Jeremy Rifkin calls “the final abstraction of time and its complete separation from human experience and rhythms of nature.” This chapter explores this notion of computime from within the computer in the form of a dialogue set in the future, which takes place inside of a game that simulates nature. The religious scholar James Carse divided games into two types: “A finite game is played for the purpose of winning, an infinite game for the purpose of continuing the play.” One has temporal boundaries, the other eliminates them; one is defined externally by “world time,” the other defines time internally through the gameplay. Now the world outside of the computer begins to look finite: the passage of time appears as a form of energy that is progressively being dispersed, and when it has been exhausted, the game is over