Hollowing out communities: small rural schools in Northern Ireland and the threat of closure

Across Europe, the surge and prevalence of neoliberal and metro-centric education policies have resulted in the threat of closure surfacing as a major challenge facing many small rural schools (Fargas-Malet and Bagley, 2022a). In exploring the implications of this phenomenon, the chapter draws on key aspects of findings from a three-year mixed-method study of small rural schools in Northern Ireland (see Fargas-Malet and Bagley, 2022b), including data from an online survey of all small rural school principals (N=201) and five in-depth case studies. The findings reveal not only the educational impact on schools working under a constant threat of closure, but also the less well-considered wider socio-cultural impact on the close-knit communities they serve. In the context of a religiously divided post-conflict society such as Northern Ireland, an appreciation of the need for policy to acknowledge and indeed nurture the local community-based value attributed to small rural schools is deemed particularly apposite

The roles of switching and inhibition in adult counterintuitive scientific thinking

Learning science often appears to involve replacement of naïve, intuitive ideas with correct, counterintuitive ones. Recent studies indicate that the old naïve, intuitive ideas are not actually replaced but exist alongside the correct but often counterintuitive ones. On this account, newer knowledge for scientific thinking might involve inhibition of the old idea. However, instead of merely inhibiting old ideas, it is possible that switching is necessary to select between new and old scientific ideas. In this study, we explored the direct and indirect contributions of behavioural inhibition, cognitive inhibition and switching to intuitive and counterintuitive science reasoning in adults (N = 167). After replicating the commonly observed processing costs of counterintuitive items relative to intuitive ones, we find that individual differences in switching rather than in inhibition are most strongly associated with variation in the accuracy and speed of adult intuitive and counterintuitive science reasoning. These results suggest that adults switch between older and newer ideas when reasoning about science rather than suppressing one in favour of the other

A systematic review of horticultural therapy and urban agriculture interventions targeting depression, anxiety, and acute stress disorder

Mental ill-health is a major concern in urban settings, particularly in relation to conditions such as depression, anxiety and acute stress disorder. Research has demonstrated the potential for horticultural therapy (HT) interventions that draw on urban agriculture practices and methods to address this issue. However, there is a paucity of evidence to support the potential for these interventions for individuals with pre-existing diagnoses. The aim of this systematic review was to address this gap in the literature by evaluating the efficacy of HT interventions as well as the methodologies employed in each study. We searched four bibliographic databases, and identified eleven studies for inclusion in the review, and reported generally favourable results: six studies reported improvements for depressive symptoms; three found that HT interventions mitigated stress; and two studies reported a positive influence on anxiety. Over two thirds of the included studies had either moderate (n = 6) or high (n = 2) risk of bias, and there was a high degree of methodological heterogeneity. In addition, the number of studies was small, therefore the generalisability of the findings is limited. Further research is needed to establish a robust causal link between HT interventions and improved mental health outcomes among populations with pre-existing diagnoses.<br/

Solubility enhancement of BCS class II drugs via in-situ loading onto MIL-101(Cr) in a green solvent system

This study explores strategies to enhance the solubility of Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) Class II drugs: felodipine (FDP), ibuprofen (IBU), and ketoprofen (KP), by incorporating them into MIL-101(Cr) metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). Two loading methods are investigated: conventional solvent impregnation and a novel in-situ synthesis method. The in-situ strategy incorporates drug molecules during MOF crystallisation while replacing toxic hydrofluoric acid with acetic acid and aqueous solvents, thereby aligning with green chemistry principles. Comprehensive characterization (FESEM, BET, FTIR, XRD, zeta potential) confirmed successful drug loading but revealed reduced crystallinity and altered morphology post API encapsulation. MIL-101(Cr) exhibited exceptional adsorption capacities (Langmuir values of 904.7 mg/g for IBU, 954.4 mg/g for KP and 416.4 mg/g for FDP), surpassing literature benchmarks. The drug release studies in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) revealed solubility enhancements ranging from 4.1 to 7.3 g/L, enabling the reclassification of all drugs from “poorly soluble” to “soluble”. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations elucidated π–π stacking and hydrogen bonding as key drug–MOF interactions. This work establishes MIL-101(Cr) as a high-performance and environmentally sustainable carrier for enhancing the oral bioavailability of BCS Class II therapeutics.<br/

Formulation and evaluation of hydrogel-forming microarray patches for transdermal primaquine and chloroquine delivery in malaria therapy

Malaria is still major concern in global health. The standard treatment for malaria involves a combination of chloroquine (CQ), which targets blood-stage parasites, and primaquine (PQ), which eliminates hepatic hypnozoites to prevent relapses. However, these drugs present limitations, including poor adherence due to frequent oral dosing and gastrointestinal side effects. To address these challenges, this study successfully developed, optimised, and characterised lyophilised reservoirs loaded with PQ and CQ, which were incorporated into hydrogel-forming microarray patches (MAPs) for improved malaria treatment. Using a Design of Experiments (DoE) approach, the optimised lyophilised reservoirs dissolved rapidly, within 7 s for CQ and 16 s for PQ. In vitro permeation studies using dermatomed neonatal porcine skin demonstrated efficient drug delivery of approximately 40 mg (70 % delivery efficiency) of each drug over 24 h. Pharmacokinetic analysis in rats showed that MAP administration significantly increased Cmax values from 0.68 ng/mL to 1.68 ng/mL for CQ, and from 14.32 ng/mL to 47.20 ng/mL for PQ compared to oral delivery. Moreover, the area under the curve (AUC0-72h) for the MAP group was 4.4-fold higher for CQ and 1.3-fold higher for PQ compared to oral administration. Efficacy studies in a murine malaria model demonstrated that MAP-delivered PQ and CQ reduced parasitaemia by 99.8 % in treated animals. These findings highlight the potential of MAP technology as a minimally-invasive, sustained drug delivery platform for malaria treatment, potentially offering improved patient adherence, reduced hepatoxicity, and enhanced therapeutic outcomes.<br/

A comparison of time-dependent Cloudy astrophysical code simulations with experimental X-ray spectra from keV laser-generated argon plasmas

We have generated strongly photoionized Ar plasmas in experiments designed to use primarily X-ray l-shell line emission generated from Ag foils irradiated by the VULCAN high-power laser at the UK Central Laser Facility. The principle of the experiment is that use of line emission rather than the usual sub-keV quasi-blackbody source allows keV radiation to play a more dominant role compared to softer X-rays and thus mimic the effect of a blackbody with a higher effective spectral temperature. Our aim is to reproduce in the laboratory the extreme photoionization conditions found in accretion-powered astrophysical sources. In this paper, we compare the experimental results on K-β X-ray Ar spectra with modelling using the time-dependent version of the Cloudy astrophysical code. The results indicate that photoionized laboratory plasmas can be successfully modelled with codes such as Cloudy that have been developed for application to astrophysical sources. Our comparison of simulation and experiment shows that the flux of sub-keV photons that photoionize the outer-shell electrons can have a significant effect, and that detailed measurements of the X-ray drive spectrum across all photon energy ranges are crucial for accurate modelling of experiments.<br/

Geometrical quality prediction of machining process by Exechon X-mini PKM through deformation modelling and error compensation

Parallel Kinematic Machines (PKMs) offer enhanced motion dynamics and flexibility, bridging the gap between conventional CNC machines and industrial robots. Stiffness, a key determinant of machining accuracy, is often modelled with limited consideration of gravitational effects, leading to reduced predictive accuracy. This paper introduces a novel stiffness modelling approach that integrates a theoretical model without gravity and gravity-based parameter optimisation through experimental analysis. Comprehensive stiffness measurements were conducted to isolate gravitational effects on the machine structure, enabling precise calibration of the theoretical model for accurate stiffness prediction. A six-dimensional stiffness analysis of the X-Mini machine tool using the optimised model demonstrated improved prediction accuracy, reducing errors by 14 %, 21 %, and 8 % in the X, Y and Z directions, respectively. Predicted stiffness and estimated cutting forces were used to compute workspace deformations, which were then compensated by modifying the depth of cut in slot milling. Experimental validation demonstrated the method’s effectiveness, achieving a machined shape error prediction accuracy of 6–9 µm. This approach can be well applied to shape quality prediction of machined parts by robots and machine tools.<br/

Fallen logs act as natural bridges over rivers in a tropical wet forest

Streams and rivers are ubiquitous in tropical forests and can act as barriers for animal movement. This role as barriers can be modulated by connecting features like fallen logs. While logs are commonly observed across rivers, their role as natural bridges has rarely been highlighted. We used motion-activated cameras to characterize how mammals and terrestrial birds use logs across rivers and streams in the Osa peninsula, southern Costa Rica. We investigated factors that influence the frequency and probability of crossing and analyzed interactions like temporal avoidance/attraction or communication. We detected 20 terrestrial mammal species; on most detections (80%) animals used logs to get across the river. Crossing probability depended mostly on the species: species adapted to climbing like tamanduas (Tamandua mexicana), coatis (Nasua narica), and common opossums (Didelphis marsupialis) were more likely to cross than strictly terrestrial species like agoutis (Dasyprocta punctata) and pacas (Cuniculus paca). Animals also crossed logs that were wider, longer, and higher above the water. The diversity of species that used logs suggests they could be important drivers of movement, defining routes across the forest. We found evidence of temporal attraction between coatis, skunks (Conepatus semistriatus), and opossums, probably influenced by scent-marking, observed for 6 of 20 species, suggesting logs also act as inter and intra-specific communication sites. Our results provide evidence of the potential importance of logs and branches and suggest they could be critical features that influence daily movements and long-term space use of many terrestrial vertebrate species in tropical forests.<br/

Antipsychotic drug use during pregnancy and neonatal outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PurposeThe use of antipsychotics during pregnancy has increased over the past two decades, primarily driven by an increase in the use of second-generation antipsychotic drugs. However, knowledge regarding the reproductive safety of antipsychotic drugs remains limited. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the associations between in utero antipsychotic drug exposure and congenital malformations and other neonatal outcomes.MethodsA systematic search of MEDLINE, Embase, and PsycInfo was conducted from database inception to February 2024 for cohort and case-control (English language) studies that examined maternal antipsychotic exposure and reported risk estimates for one or more of the following outcomes: congenital malformation, preterm birth, low birth weight, stillbirth, or neonatal intensive care unit admission. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, and reporting was guided by the PRISMA statement and MOOSE guidelines. Pooled estimates were calculated using a random-effects model.ResultsTwelve studies (comprising over 10 million pregnancies across 12 countries) met the inclusion criteria. A pooled meta-analysis of eight studies indicated borderline evidence of an association between the risk of congenital malformations and in utero antipsychotic drug exposure, with moderate heterogeneity (odds ratio [OR] 1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.996–1.624, p = 0.0535; I2 = 53%). No association was observed when limited to second-generation antipsychotics (OR 1.16; 95% CI 0.78–1.72, p = 0.47). Regarding the outcome of preterm birth, antipsychotic exposure was associated with an increase in risk (OR 1.35; 95% CI 1.13–1.62, p &lt; 0.01), though there was moderate to high heterogeneity (I2 = 70%). There was insufficient data to perform a meta-analysis for the other outcomes.ConclusionMeta-analyses did not indicate strong evidence that in utero antipsychotic exposure is a major teratogen; and although an association was observed between maternal antipsychotic use and preterm birth, there was significant heterogeneity across studies. The decision to continue antipsychotic use during pregnancy involves a complex balancing of risks and benefits for women and their healthcare professionals. Any potential risks to the developing foetus must be weighed against the risks of discontinuing treatment, including the possibility of relapse in women with severe mental illness, which can have serious consequences for a woman and her infant. Finally, there is a need for further robustly designed studies.<br/