Independent SAGE as an example of effective public dialogue on scientific research.

The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a public health emergency of international concern on 30 January 2020 and then a pandemic on 11 March 2020. In early 2020, a group of UK scientists volunteered to provide the public with up-to-date and transparent scientific information. The group formed the Independent Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Independent SAGE) and provided live weekly briefings to the public via YouTube.

The transport and vertical distribution of microplastics in the Mekong River, SE Asia.

Rivers are primary vectors of plastic debris to oceans, but sources, transport mechanisms, and fate of fluvial microplastics (<5 mm) remain poorly understood, impeding accurate predictions of microplastic flux, ecological risk and socio-economic impacts. We report on microplastic concentrations, characteristics and dynamics in the Mekong River, one of the world's largest and polluting rivers, in Cambodia and Vietnam. Sampling throughout the water column at multiple localities detected an average of 24 microplastics m (0.

Body Image Experiences in Retired Olympians: Losing the Embodied Self.

Athlete body dissatisfaction is prevalent across sports and can lead to disordered eating, negative affect, and poor mental health. Whether body image concerns persist into athletic retirement is a focus of research, predominately involving survey-based data in usually sub-elite athletic samples. This study is the first to focus on the meanings elite athletes ascribe to their bodies in retirement.

Application of geospatial technology and decision model in the development of improved food security index.

Most developing countries are currently experiencing a severe food security crisis. A good policy to mitigate food insecurity is dependent on accurate assessment. Therefore, an improved assessment of food situation is important in implementing food security measures.

Quality of life, healthcare usage and finances of UK cancer survivors five years post-diagnosis: a matched controlled study.

Purpose: Assessing the long-term impact of cancer on people's lives is challenging due to confounding issues such as aging and comorbidities. We aimed to investigate this impact by comparing the outcomes of cancer survivors with a matched control cohort.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey of breast, colorectal and ovarian cancer survivors approximately 5 years post-diagnosis and a cohort of age, sex and social deprivation-matched controls who had never had a cancer diagnosis.

Discrete Time Crystals in Unbounded Potentials.

Discrete time crystalline phases have attracted significant theoretical and experimental attention in the last few years. Such systems require a seemingly impossible combination of nonadiabatic driving and a finite-entropy long-time state, which, surprisingly, is possible in nonergodic systems. Previous works have often relied on disorder for the required nonergodicity; here, we describe the construction of a discrete time crystal (DTC) phase in nondisordered, nonintegrable Ising-type systems.

Brainwave Patterns and Metabolic Adaptations in Rowers Crossing the Atlantic: A Case Series Pilot Study.

Introduction: This pilot study was designed to test the hypothesis that quantitative electroencephalographic (qEEG) measurements reflect physiological adaptations for brain energy reallocation. The study focused on a team of three well-matched male rowers participating in a 30-day, 2,650-mile continuous transatlantic rowing competition, examining the effects of extreme, prolonged stress on brain function and metabolic adaptations.

Methods: Measurements at the start and finish lines included body weight, height, waist circumference, body fat, and a panel of hormones and biochemical markers.

Human Needs in Relation to Home Attachment: Towards a Theoretical Framework to Architectural Affordances in Temporary Accommodation to Aid Designers.

The current and rising provision of temporary accommodation in the UK does not always meet the needs of residents with one such contributing factor being the often-poor atmospheric qualities within these environments. Temporary accommodation is a broad term for housing provided for those who have previously been homeless, covering different variations of support or tenancy length. Our research synthesises transdisciplinary literature to create a theoretical framework which can be used to inform the design of suitable temporary accommodation by connecting psychological theories in a novel way to shed light on the parameters of the phenomenon of home attachment, specifically physical, architectural elements.

The Forced-To-Penetrate Myth Acceptance Scale (FTP-MAS): A New Attitudinal Tool for Assessing Myths That Surround Female Perpetrated Sexual Violence Against Men.

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a new measurement tool designed to capture endorsement of myths surrounding female perpetrated sexual violence against men, specifically in 'forced-to-penetrate' cases. Data were collected among a sample of 4152 UK adults aged 18-55+ (52% female). Dimensionality and construct validity of the Forced-to-Penetrate Myth Acceptance Scale (FTP-MAS) was investigated using traditional Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) techniques separately for the complete sample, males only, and females only.

The CURTAIN feasibility study: Exploring a food-themed reminiscence theatre intervention to improve the nutrition of older adults living in residential care homes.

Reminiscence theatre (RT), an applied drama technique, is an effective tool for improving health-related outcomes for older adults in clinical settings. However, no research has explored the potential for a food-themed RT intervention to improve the nutrition, health and wellbeing of this population. Therefore, the current study explored the feasibility and acceptability of such an intervention - the CURTAIN intervention - in residential care-homes.

Metal-organic frameworks of -hydroxybenzoic acid: synthesis, structure and ring opening polymerization capability.

Two new, isostructural, metal-organic frameworks {[Co(OCCHO)(DMF)]} and {[Mn(OCCHO)(DMF)]} have been synthesised and structurally characterized. Use of -hydroxybenzoic acid resulted in a three-dimensional MOF featuring a linker with a carboxylic group and a -hydroxyl group. Ring opening polymerization of ε-caprolactone and δ-valerolactone has been performed using these MOFs as catalysts, and results compared with the known zinc MOF Zn(OCCHO).

An ultra-endurance event leads to changes in circulating regulatory T-cells, CD4+ naïve and CD8+ effector memory T-cells in the 48 h post-race recovery period.

Purpose: Exercise is known to acutely affect T-lymphocyte populations in the peripheral blood, which is intensity- and duration-dependent. However, effects of longer duration endurance exercise (>5 h) on T-cells in the days following are unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the circulating T-cell changes that occur in response to an ultra-endurance event, which may provide insight into the inflammatory response to ultra-endurance exercise.

Self-Reinforced Composite Materials: Frictional Analysis and Its Implications for Prosthetic Socket Design.

Friction and wear characteristics play a critical role in the functionality and durability of prosthetic sockets, which are essential components in lower-limb prostheses. Traditionally, these sockets are manufactured from bulk polymers or composite materials reinforced with advanced carbon, glass, and Kevlar fibres. However, issues of accessibility, affordability, and sustainability remain, particularly in less-resourced regions.

Role of the I/D Polymorphism in Selected Public Health-Associated Sporting Modalities: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: The I/D polymorphism has been suggested to be associated with multiple chronic diseases and sports modalities, which has public health implications for global populations and sport performance. This updated review aims to strengthen the association and identify sporting disciplines that are most influenced by the gene polymorphism using a meta-analysis approach.

Methods: Published studies on the association between the I/D polymorphism and elite endurance and power were collected until 15 June 2024.

Phenolic Metabolites Protocatechuic Acid and Vanillic Acid Improve Nitric Oxide Bioavailability via the Akt-eNOS Pathway in Response to TNF-α Induced Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Endothelial Cells.

: Reduced nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability secondary to excess-superoxide-driven oxidative stress is central to endothelial dysfunction. Previous studies suggest that phenolic metabolites may improve NO bioavailability, yet limited research is available in response to an inflammatory mediator. Therefore, we assessed the effects of cyanidin-3-glucoside (C3G) and its phenolic metabolites protocatechuic acid (PCA) and vanillic acid (VA) on NO bioavailability in a TNF-α induced inflammatory environment.

Enhanced Mechanical Properties and Degradation Control of Poly(Lactic) Acid/Hydroxyapatite/Reduced Graphene Oxide Composites for Advanced Bone Tissue Engineering Application.

This study explores the enhancement of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) matrix using calcium hydroxyapatite (cHAP) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) for developing composite scaffolds aimed at bone regeneration applications. The PLA composites were fabricated through solvent evaporation and melt extrusion and characterized by various techniques, including thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and mechanical testing. The incorporation of cHAP and rGO significantly improved the thermal, mechanical, and morphological properties of the PLA matrix.

Continuous glucose monitoring in para cyclists: An observational study.

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is an emerging tool for dietary counseling in athletes. This study aimed to explore blood glucose profiles in Para cyclists and evaluate CGM accuracy at rest and during exercise. Thirteen Para cyclists, comprising eight hand bikers and five cyclists, wore a CGM sensor (Abbott) for 2 weeks.

General-purpose machine-learned potential for 16 elemental metals and their alloys.

Machine-learned potentials (MLPs) have exhibited remarkable accuracy, yet the lack of general-purpose MLPs for a broad spectrum of elements and their alloys limits their applicability. Here, we present a promising approach for constructing a unified general-purpose MLP for numerous elements, demonstrated through a model (UNEP-v1) for 16 elemental metals and their alloys. To achieve a complete representation of the chemical space, we show, via principal component analysis and diverse test datasets, that employing one-component and two-component systems suffices.

IOC consensus statement: interpersonal violence and safeguarding in sport.

Objective: Interpersonal violence (IV) in sport is challenging to define, prevent and remedy due to its subjectivity and complexity. The 2024 International Olympic Committee Consensus on Interpersonal Violence and Safeguarding aimed to synthesise evidence on IV and safeguarding in sport, introduce a new conceptual model of IV in sport and offer more accessible safeguarding guidance to all within the sports ecosystem by merging evidence with insights from Olympic athletes.

Methods: A 15-member expert panel performed a scoping review following Joanna Briggs Institute methodologies.

Hyperthermic intrathoracic chemotherapy modulates the immune microenvironment of pleural mesothelioma and improves the impact of dual immune checkpoint inhibition.

Pleural mesothelioma (PM) is a fatal disease with limited treatment options. Recently, PM management has improved with the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). In first-line therapy, dual PD-1 and CTLA-4 blockade enhances tumor control and patient survival compared with chemotherapy.