Quantifying Bed Surface Roughness in Bedrock and Boulder‐Bed Rivers

The surface roughness of river beds affects flow resistance and sediment transport. In rough‐bedrivers (RBRs), where flow is shallow relative to roughness height, the surface roughness is difficult to define due to complex multi‐scale roughness elements (bedrock, boulders, and sediment patches). Here, neither the sediment grain size distribution percentiles (e.g., D84) nor the bed elevation standard deviation (Zσ) fully captures the surface roughness. This paper uses high‐resolution digital elevation models of 20 RBR reaches to evaluate their channel morphology and surface roughness. A set of 29 different multi‐scale elevation, gradient‐based, and area‐based, roughness metrics are assessed. Correlation analysis and robust feature selectionidentified interchangeable metrics, revealing which roughness metrics provided independent information on channel characteristics. Principal component analysis and hierarchical clustering analysis showed that a comprehensive description of RBR topography requires the concurrent use of multiple metrics encompassing(a) a vertical or horizontal scale‐based roughness metric, (b) a slope‐ or area‐based metric, and (c) surface elevation skewness or kurtosis. Slope‐ and area‐based metrics can include roughness directionality relative to the bulk flow. We demonstrate how surface roughness metrics, specifically the use of multiple metrics in unison, are suitably capable of representing and distinguishing between RBRs with differing characteristics. In some cases, rivers with different morphology types (e.g., boulder bed or bedrock) are found to have greater similarity in their surface roughness metrics than rivers classified as morphologically similar. We then discuss RBR morphological and roughness characteristics in the context of flow resistance and sediment transport processes

A multi-methodological framework combining text mining and causal mapping to engage experts, policymakers, and stakeholders in policy design

Views of experts in a particular field of knowledge are pivotal in shaping the outcomes of public policies. When designing policies, policymakers and stakeholders often struggle to incorporate the views of both experts and those affected by policy implementation. The complexity and volume of data stored from public interviews with experts make it difficult for policymakers to structure themes that could be fully understood and translated into public policy design/implementation. This paper addresses this problem, advancing a multi-methodology framework to facilitate the dialogue between experts, stakeholders, and policymakers. Combining text mining and causal mapping, two (quantitative and qualitative) methods from different paradigms, the proposed methodology aims to overcome the challenge of translating experts’ views into clear themes and patterns that can be embedded into policies. Using a set of media interviews concerning literacy problems in Brazil, the paper demonstrates the framework’s value in linking experts and policymakers. Findings suggest that policymakers could be guided by a list of key themes to bring into focus the main concerns of those potentially affected by the policies. By proposing and testing a novel framework and illustrating, the paper contributes to public policy design and the debate about multi-methodological practice in Operational Research

Perspectivism and Wicked Problems - Patterns in the Discovery Process of Leibniz, Bohr, and Turing

This research investigates fundamental patterns in how transformative scientific knowledge emerges and becomes established, examining three pivotal cases: Leibniz's development of calculus, Bohr's formulation of complementarity, and Turing's conceptualisation of computation and artificial intelligence. The study introduces the o-é-c model (Ouverture Ontologique - Épistémè Socialisante - Connaissance Éclairante) to explain how individual insights become integrated into collective knowledge through structured phases of development. Drawing on Minsky's conception of knowledge as mental models for problem-solving and Longino's social epistemology, the research demonstrates how wicked problems—those that resist formulation within existing frameworks—catalyse the creation of new knowledge domains. The model reveals how transformative frameworks emerge through three distinct phases: initial conceptual breakthrough, social validation and refinement, and systematic integration into established knowledge. Analysis of the historical cases reveals remarkable consistency in how new knowledge frameworks develop, despite vast differences in field and context. Each case demonstrates how periods of social upheaval created conditions conducive to fundamental reconceptualisation, how specific mechanisms of social validation shaped the development of new ideas, and how pedagogical tools proved crucial for knowledge transmission. The thesis makes several original contributions to philosophy of science: it bridges the gap between individual and social accounts of knowledge creation, provides specific mechanisms for how revolutionary insights become established knowledge, and demonstrates the crucial role of pedagogical development in knowledge transmission. The model helps resolve traditional tensions between revolutionary and evolutionary accounts of scientific progress while offering practical insights for addressing contemporary challenges in knowledge creation. Keywords: philosophy of science, epistemology, scientific discovery, knowledge creation, wicked problems, social epistemology, scientific progress, paradigm shifts, scientific revolution, perspectivism, history of science, Leibniz, Bohr, Turing, complementarity, calculus, artificial intelligence, pedagogical development, knowledge transmission. Academic Search Terms: knowledge creation theory, social epistemology, scientific discovery process, wicked problems theory, history of science methodology, scientific revolution theory, perspectivism epistemology, knowledge transmission mechanisms, paradigm shift analysis, scientific progress models

Differences in Sprinting and Jumping Performance Between Maturity Status Groups in Youth: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background: Large interindividual differences can exist in the timing and tempo of growth and maturation of youth athletes. This can provide significant physical performance advantages to young athletes who mature in advance of their peers. Objective: The aim of this systematic review was to determine the magnitude of differences in sprinting and jumping performance in youth of different maturity status (classified as pre-, circa- or post-peak height velocity [PHV]) (aged < 18 years) to enhance the evaluation of performance. Methods: Eligibility criteria for inclusion were as follows: (1) the study had cross-sectional data available; (2) participants were male and/or female ≤ 18 years of age; (3) a somatic measure of maturity was used to identify maturity status (e.g. Mirwald or Khamis-Roche methods) with at least two maturity status classifications present; (4) the study included a measurement of sprinting speed (e.g. 10–100-m sprint data) and/or jump tests commonly used to assess power (e.g. countermovement jump [CMJ]). Searches were conducted up to November 2024 in PubMed, Embase, SPORTDiscus and preprint servers SportRxiv and medRxiv to identify any unpublished trials. Risk of bias and study quality was assessed using the Appraisal tool for Cross‐Sectional Studies (AXIS). Meta-analysis was computed using a random-effects model. Results: The search identified 1578 studies. From those, 40 studies were identified for qualitative assessment and quantitative synthesis. In the primary analysis, 21 studies provided data for measures of speed, and 19 studies provided data for measures of power using jump tests. Sprinting and jumping performance increased with advancing maturity status and overall effect sizes were predominantly moderate to large between maturity groups. Pre-PHV versus post-PHV comparisons found moderate to large overall effect sizes (ES) for sprinting performance (10-m ES 1.34 [95% CI 0.87–1.80]; 20-m ES 1.40 [95% CI 0.85–1.96]; and 30-m ES 0.93 [95% CI 0.15–1.76] sprint times) and large to very large ES for the jump tests (CMJ ES 1.53 [95% CI 1.14–1.92]; squat jump ES 1.32 [95% CI 0.70–1.94]; and standing long jump ES 2.18 [95% CI 1.32–3.04]). When comparing consecutive maturity groups (i.e. pre- to circa-PHV and circa- to post-PHV), ES were predominantly moderate across the sprinting and jumping measures, with only a trivial difference found in 30-m sprint time (ES 0.45 [95% CI 0.21–0.69]) for the circa- to post-PHV comparisons. Conclusion: Large differences exist in sprinting and jumping performance between the least and most mature male athletes (pre- and post-PHV), with trivial to moderate ES indicated between consecutive groups (e.g. pre- and circa-PHV). Practitioners working with youth athletes should consider how these differences may impact performance in the athlete’s sport, and regularly assess individual maturity to accurately evaluate performance against age and maturity group benchmarks to account for large differences in maturity that exist within chronological age groups. It should be noted we observed inconsistencies in maturity thresholds and test methods; thus, standardization is required for future research

Events, turns, and critical junctures: unpacking the temporality of supporter rights and democracy in English football

The future of professional men’s football in England stands at a critical juncture. In the wake of a global pandemic, the national game has been beset by volatility and upheaval. In April 2021, six of the most storied clubs in England announced they would be joining a new breakaway European Super League (ESL). These proposals triggered vehement opposition from fan movements, catalysing the intervention of the UK government who established a fan-led review of football governance (FLR) to consult fans on future regulatory reform and the security and safety of supporters at major events. Emerging out of these exogenous shocks and endogenous change, the governance of English football is set to be radically transformed via the establishment of a new regulatory regime. In this article, we employ eventful sociology and historical institutionalism to operationalise the concept of critical juncture and apply this through an analysis of two temporal periods (1985-1990) and (2020-2024). In doing so, we show how the current ‘regulatory turn’ is interdependently linked to prior historical transformative events, namely the Heysel and Hillsborough stadium disasters and the subsequent neoliberal transformation of English football across the last four decades. Incorporating a more nuanced understanding of change and continuity in the governance of English football, we argue that new regulatory frameworks, despite their transformative potential, may continue to exhibit institutional legacies of the existing regime and prevailing political economy

Men’s experiences of a personalised, appearance-based, facial-morphing, safer drinking intervention

Risky alcohol consumption behaviours remain commonplace, representing a major threat to health and safety, and are especially evidenced by young university students. Consequently, new interventions targeting this high-risk group are required. The current study investigated young male university students’ experiences of a personalised, appearance-based, facial morphing, safer drinking intervention. Twenty-five male student participants were recruited, aged 18–34 years. Inductive thematic analysis of data gathered whilst participants were immersed in the intervention, and thereby exposed to alcohol-aged images of their own faces, produced four primary themes: alcohol as a threat to appearance and health, motivations to protect appearance, motivational aspects of the intervention, and proposed improvements and applications. The results of the current study suggested that participants expressed intentions towards healthier consumption/maintenance of already non-risky intake, supporting the potential of the facial-morphing appearance-based approach to address risky alcohol consumption, even in high-risk groups

The impact of mentoring in higher education on student career development: a systematic review and research agenda

Studies published over the last four decades provide the basis for a systematic review of the impact of mentoring in higher education (HE) on student career development. We review 73 papers published between 1986 and 2023 and develop a framework to examine the relationships between mentoring approaches and career development outcomes. Here, we distinguish between different student populations (female students, under-represented groups). Notwithstanding an overall positive verdict on mentoring's career development potential, with particular emphasis on career choice and transitioning behaviour, the results are not always positive, and many nuances in the data are evident. At a time of increased concern about student transitions into the labour market, practical implications can be derived which may strengthen mentoring's benefits, e.g. the value of peer mentoring for female students, and cultural proximity of mentors for under-represented minority students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers. Key research recommendations include:(1) developing novel impact indicators related to emotion such as career inspiration and passion; (2) examining under-researched impact indicators related to non-traditional student careers (e.g. entrepreneurial intentions), and employment and socioeconomic impact indicators; and (3) investigating the role of context and mentoring content and delivery modalities, in helping to explain inconsistent findings across the reviewed papers

Messaging with appeal to intrinsic or relational values shows potential to shift demand for wildlife as pets

Overharvesting of wildlife for trade is a key driver of biodiversity loss. Messaging that is aligned with people's values could play a significant role in reducing this impact through behaviour change. Using an online survey, we sought to gauge the willingness among bird hobbyists, breeders, and song contestants to change their bird‐keeping behaviours, and to identify barriers to such change. We then evaluated the persuasiveness of various messages that potentially align with people's values (e.g. addressing conservation, cultural and health considerations), each framed as positive or negative, and with outcomes involving a move to commercially bred birds or cessation of purchasing wild‐caught birds. We identified a degree of plasticity in behaviour, with most respondents perceiving the keeping of wild‐caught birds to be a conservation problem, and a majority claiming they would attempt to breed birds in the future. However, while most respondents acknowledged the illegality of both buying and catching wild birds, they also recognised that most birds in markets are wild‐caught because they are easier and cheaper to source than captive‐bred birds. Messages about the damage done by over‐exploitation to wild bird populations, to the future of bird‐keeping itself, and about the benefits of keeping captive‐bred over wild‐caught birds, were most effective. Messages about generational, legal and especially health concerns appeared to gain little traction. The persuasiveness of these messages varied little across bird‐keeping groups, but age‐ and user‐groups differed in their most trusted sources of information and the media they consulted. Our results suggest that appealing to people's concern over the intrinsic value of wildlife or the relational value of cultural heritage might be more effective at shifting demand for wildlife products than more instrumental or utilitarian considerations. Effective messaging should focus on the negative impacts of over‐exploitation on Indonesia's wildlife and/or national heritage, and on the positive aspects of sustainable captive‐bred alternatives, and be transmitted via multiple media, including local and faith leaders (choice varying geographically), to maximise outreach to the diverse bird‐keeping community. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog

Effects of 24-Hour Diet- or Exercise-Induced Energy Availability Manipulations on Substrate Utilization and Performance

Purpose: To examine sex-based differences in substrate oxidation, postprandial metabolism, and performance in response to 24-hour manipulations in energy availability (EA), induced by manipulations to energy intake (EI) or exercise energy expenditure (EEE). Methods: In a Latin Square design, 20 endurance athletes (10 females using monophasic oral contraceptives and 10 males) undertook five trials, each comprising three consecutive days. Day one was a standardized period of high EA; EA was then manipulated on day two; post-intervention testing occurred on day three. Day two EA was low/high/higher EA (LEA/HEA/GEA) at 15/45/75 kcal·kg-1FFM·day-1, with conditions of LEA and HEA separately achieved by manipulations of either EI or EEE (LEA REST/EX vs. HEAREST/EX). On day three, fasted peak fat oxidation during cycling and two-hour postprandial (high carbohydrate and energy meal) metabolism were assessed, alongside several performance tests: Wingate, countermovement jump (CMJ), squat jump (SJ), isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP), and the Stroop Color and Word Test. Results: Highest peak fat oxidation occurred under LEA induced by exercise (p0.05), while SJ height was lower during GEA than both LEAREST (p=0.045) and HEAEX (p=0.016). IMTP peak force and the Stroop effect did not change with altered EA (p>0.05). Conclusions: Acute (24-hour) exercise-induced LEA influenced fasted substrate oxidation more than diet-induced LEA, while 24 hours of LEA did not impair strength/power, sprint capacity, or cognitive performance. Finally, the responses to EA manipulations did not differ between sexes

Boundary objects at play in the world's greenest football club

Due to the increase of environmental and societal pressures, organizations are gradually moving away from merely reducing their detrimental effects and heading toward making positive impacts. One sizeable sector of economic activity that is frequently overlooked is that of sport, with football being the largest sector in terms of economic value, fan base and global cultural influence. It is only relatively recently that outliers in the football industry have transitioned from being purely profit-motivated to being both socially and environmentally aware. This transition is challenging because it is being undertaken within the often aggressive masculine environment, as well as having deep-seated socio-historical origins that are found not only within the individual clubs, but also throughout the sport as a whole. One such football club is Forest Green Rovers, which appears to have navigated this journey successfully. However, the research has not yet been able to establish how this has been achieved. This study addresses this research gap by undertaking a four-year examination of the social and environmental initiatives of Forest Green Rovers. This lower league ‘club on the hill’ is globally recognized for its novel approaches and solutions. Through examination of the various Boundary Objects that aid in uniting disparate social groups to effect considerable changes to the ‘match day experience’ and to stakeholders’ consumption behaviors, it explains how their pragmatic, syntactic and semantic functions combine to create an accepted suite of socially and environmentally beneficial initiatives