Search Results (387)

Technology-critical elements are increasingly used in electronics, renewable-energy systems, high-performance alloys and other strategic technologies, yet their occurrence in wild fungi remains poorly characterised. This study evaluated gallium (Ga), germanium (Ge), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta) and tungsten (W) in wild mushrooms collected from Leicester and Leicestershire, UK. The dataset was reconstructed at fruiting-body level to avoid pseudo-replication from paired cap and stem records, yielding 121 analytical units. Results were corrected using digestion-date acid blanks, interpreted against analytical-portion-specific working limits of detection and classified as fully quantified (FQ), partially censored (PC) or fully censored (FC). Ga was FQ in 106/121 units and was the only element with sufficient quantitative coverage for continuous distributional estimation; its regression-on-order-statistics median was 475.48 ng g⁻¹ dw (IQR: 278.70–941.63). The corresponding FQ counts were 16 for Ge, 33 for Nb, 10 for Ta and 24 for W, with 7, 4 and 4 additional PC observations for Nb, Ta and W, respectively. In 22 paired Agaricus bitorquis fruiting bodies, Ga concentrations were higher in stems than caps (Wilcoxon p = 5.25 × 10⁻⁵; BH-FDR = 1.05 × 10⁻⁴). Composite topsoils from 26 monitored sites provided park-scale geochemical context only and were not used to infer bioaccumulation or direct soil-to-fungus transfer. These findings establish a blank-corrected and censoring-aware occurrence baseline and suggest exploratory, site-specific potential for wild mushrooms as complementary biomonitoring matrices for selected technology-critical elements, while demonstrating that their usefulness is element-, taxon- and design-dependent. Full article

(1) Background: French contrast training (FCT) enhances sports performance, but its long-term efficacy in elite basketball players remains unclear. This study compared FCT and traditional strength training (TST) on jump performance and lower-limb strength. (2) Methods: Sixteen elite basketball players (age 22.4 ± 1.4 years; 14 male, 2 female) were randomly assigned to 8 weeks of FCT (n = 8) or TST (n = 8). The TST protocol consisted of barbell back squat, barbell Bulgarian split squat, conventional deadlift, and barbell hip thrust (4 sets of 8, 6, 4, 4 repetitions at 80%, 95%, 90%, 90% of one-repetition maximum [1RM]; 2–3 min inter-set rest). Assessments included countermovement jump (CMJ) kinetics, CMJ with arm swing (CMJA), running CMJ, running single-leg CMJ, and back squat 1RM, analyzed via repeated-measures ANOVA. (3) Results: A significant Group × Time interaction favored FCT for maximal relative force (p = 0.007, ηp² = 0.41): FCT increased 6.80% (Cohen’s d = 1.55), TST decreased 2.41% (d = −0.36). Significant time effects (p < 0.001–0.044) occurred for CMJA, running CMJ, flight height, reactive strength index, and back squat 1RM, with large improvements in both groups (e.g., back squat 1RM: FCT +30.45%, d = 2.89; TST +26.77%, d = 2.34). The interaction for average power approached significance (p = 0.053, ηp² = 0.24). No other interactions were significant. (4) Conclusions: Both FCT and TST improved performance, but FCT yielded superior gains in maximal relative force. Limitations include small sample (n = 16), mixed-gender composition, short 8-week intervention, and lack of retention testing. Full article

Wild mushrooms collected from urban and peri-urban green spaces may represent environmentally exposed biological matrices for hazardous metal(loid)s, but their interpretation is complicated by taxonomic heterogeneity, tissue partitioning and left-censored analytical data. This study evaluated As, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn in wild mushrooms from Leicester/Leicestershire, UK, using a reconstructed fruiting-body-level dataset designed to avoid double counting paired cap/stem records. The central question was whether taxon- and tissue-aware multielement profiling alters screening-level exposure interpretation compared with a pooled edible-relevant summary. In total, 121 fruiting-body-level units were evaluated on a dry-weight basis. Cu, Mn and Zn were detected in all units, while Cd and Pb were detected in 117/121 and 106/121 units, respectively. V, Cr and Ni were detected in 84/121, 70/121 and 64/121 units, whereas As, Co and Be showed substantial censoring. Be was not interpreted distributionally. Central concentrations selected under the censored-data framework were 1.856 mg kg⁻¹ for Cd, 71.142 mg kg⁻¹ for Cu, 14.318 mg kg⁻¹ for Mn, 3.874 mg kg⁻¹ for Ni, 2.171 mg kg⁻¹ for Pb, 0.104 mg kg⁻¹ for V and 97.506 mg kg⁻¹ for Zn. Taxon-level profiles showed marked heterogeneity, and paired tissue analysis in Agaricus bitorquis showed higher cap than stem concentrations for Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn. The primary PCA was restricted to well-detected elements (Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb, V and Zn), explaining 73.92% of total variance across the first three components. Sensitivity analyses showed that the overall PCA configuration remained stable across alternative treatments of censored observations and after exclusion of flagged extreme records, although some loading magnitudes showed moderate variation. Under the 300 g fresh-weight week⁻¹ scenario, Cd represented 47.3% of the EFSA tolerable weekly intake of 2.5 µg kg⁻¹ bw week⁻¹ in the pooled edible-relevant population (N = 43) and 50.9% in Agaricus bitorquis; however, taxon-specific screening changed both the magnitude and ranking of the principal threshold-based drivers, with Cu becoming the leading driver for Coprinopsis atramentaria and Marasmius oreades. None of the primary or exploratory park-level soil–mushroom associations remained statistically significant after false-discovery-rate correction in the harmonised eight-park analysis. Overall, the findings partially support the working hypothesis: taxon- and tissue-aware profiling improved screening-level interpretation, whereas park-level soil context did not provide robust evidence of prediction or transfer. The fruiting-body-level, censored-data-aware framework provides a transparent basis for exposure screening, although uncertainties related to speciation, bioaccessibility, moisture assumptions and analytical interferences remain. Full article

Zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf) and tellurium (Te) are environmentally and technologically relevant elements whose occurrence in wild macrofungi remains insufficiently characterised. This study investigated their concentrations, distribution and multielement relationships in wild mushroom fruiting bodies collected from urban and peri-urban green spaces in Leicester and Leicestershire, England, together with contextual topsoil geochemistry. Acid-recoverable concentrations were determined through inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in 121 fruiting-body-level mushroom units and 26 independent site-level composite topsoils. Zr and Hf were detected above their respective working limits of detection in all mushroom units and topsoil composites, whereas Te was detected in 118/121 mushroom units but remained below the working limit of detection in all topsoil composites. Median mushroom concentrations were 170 ng g⁻¹ dry weight for Zr, 270 ng g⁻¹ for Hf and 110 ng g⁻¹ for Te. Comparatively elevated concentrations were observed in Panaeolina foenisecii collected from Abbey and Braunstone Parks and in Mycena citrinomarginata from Victoria Park, while Agaricus bitorquis from St Augustine Road showed lower and less variable concentrations. Park-level concentrations were strongly correlated across the three elements (Spearman’s ρ = 0.819–0.885; all BH-adjusted q < 0.001), and the first principal component accounted for 93.4% of the total variance, consistent with the strong inter-element correlations. However, contextual soil–mushroom comparisons for Zr and Hf were inconclusive because of limited site overlap and spatial mismatch, and no direct inference regarding environmental source or soil-to-mushroom transfer was supported. These findings establish an exploratory baseline for Zr, Hf and Te in wild mushrooms and demonstrate the value of taxon- and site-resolved fungal biomonitoring for under-characterised environmental elements. Full article

(1) Background: Transboundary notifiable infectious viral diseases, such as lumpy skin disease (LSD), highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), and foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), continue to severely disrupt Europe’s animal health and welfare, food security, and the multi-burdened livestock sector. (2) Methods: Through an extensive literature search, with data collected from the scientific literature, outbreak notifications, and European Union (EU) policy reports, this study synthesises evidence on the economic and societal impacts of preventive mass vaccination compared with stamping out for listed viral animal diseases in Europe. (3) Results: Evidence from LSD, HPAI, and FMD indicates that preventive vaccination reduces outbreak size, duration, and associated economic losses, particularly in high-risk and endemic settings. For LSD, vaccination is essential in eradication, as culling alone fails. For HPAI, evolving epidemiology supports vaccination-to-live strategies. In contrast, for FMD, despite epidemiological benefits of vaccination, the maintenance of FMD-free status without vaccination remains the dominant policy objective, constraining adoption of vaccination-to-live due to trade implications. (4) Conclusions: Overall, findings support the following recommendations: shifting toward preventive vaccination tailored by country and disease, prioritising vaccine-to-live strategies within a harmonised regulatory framework, and strengthening differentiating infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA)-based surveillance and trade-compatible frameworks, all sensible approaches to protect animal welfare and economic stability in Europe’s livestock sector. Full article

Coastal urban environments are increasingly exposed to natural hazards, including storm surges, tsunamis, coastal erosion, and flooding, which threaten lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure. Despite their widespread use, conventional hard and soft engineering measures have often proved insufficient to address the escalating risks posed by climate change and rapid urbanisation. This study explores the potential of Nature-Inspired Solutions (NiS) as a complementary pathway to advance resilience in architecture, urban design, and planning. Unlike Nature-Based Solutions that utilise existing ecosystems directly, NiS draw design principles from both biotic and abiotic natural systems, offering innovative models for resilient settlements, coastal infrastructure, and adaptive urban planning. Using a mixed-methods approach that includes systematic and narrative reviews, semi-structured expert interviews, analysis of urban development plans, a panel discussion, and expert brainstorming, this research examines how natural coastal systems inform design interventions. Sri Lanka was selected as the primary case study context due to its exceptional coastal vulnerability, significant climate adaptation policy gaps, and status as a small island developing state representative of the coastal challenges faced by similar contexts globally. Furthermore, Sri Lanka was selected as the case study in accordance with the original research proposal submitted to the University of Huddersfield, which identified the country as a suitable context due to its significant vulnerability to coastal hazards, as outlined above. Field investigations in the Lunawa coastal area documented community-based adaptive practices emerging from multi-generational environmental observation. Analysis reveals how dune morphologies, root structures, living shorelines, and rock pool formations translate into architectural and engineering applications. Findings identify critical implementation challenges, including context-specific requirements, technical knowledge gaps, insufficient policy frameworks, limited practitioner awareness, and uncertainties about economic feasibility, as well as key enablers such as demonstrated ecological effectiveness and the potential of multifunctional infrastructure. The study demonstrates that embedding NiS into risk-informed planning and resilient urban design contributes to climate change adaptation, ecological sustainability, and inclusive governance, while highlighting persistent barriers that require strategic intervention. By bridging ecological wisdom and architectural innovation, NiS offers transformative opportunities to reimagine resilient coastal cities and communities facing escalating climate-induced hazards. Full article

Urban and rural green spaces can accumulate potentially toxic elements in topsoil and support wild mushrooms that concentrate metals. This study quantified Cd, Cu, and Zn in topsoil and naturally growing wild mushrooms from Leicestershire, UK, and evaluated spatial patterns, species- and tissue-specific accumulation, apparent soil-to-fungus transfer, and a screening dietary exposure scenario. Samples were acid-digested and analysed by ICP-MS; left-censored data were treated using R/NADA, and apparent bioconcentration factors (BCFs) were calculated from matched quadrant-level medians. Urban topsoils showed higher median Cu and Zn than rural topsoils, whereas Cd medians were similar; the SW quadrant had the highest topsoil medians for all three metals. Mushroom patterns were more heterogeneous: SW had the highest median Cd (3.15 mg kg⁻¹ dw), while NW had the highest median Cu and Zn, particularly Zn (301.29 mg kg⁻¹ dw). Agaricus bitorquis caps showed the highest median Cd and Cu among retained taxa, whereas Mycena citrinomarginata showed the highest median Zn. Cd showed the strongest apparent transfer, with a pooled urban BCF of 4.66. Median Cd concentrations were below the approximate dry-weight equivalent of the European maximum level for wild fungi, although some A. bitorquis caps exceeded it. Occasional adult-consumption estimates remained below selected health-based guidance values. Wild mushrooms provide useful complementary biomonitors of biologically expressed metal availability in public green spaces. Full article

Background: Cultural, religious, and spiritual (CRS) needs are central to holistic palliative and end-of-life care (PEoLC), yet the confidence and perceived preparedness of community and voluntary sector staff in addressing them remain underexplored. As PEoLC increasingly occurs in community settings, understanding staff preparedness for culturally and spiritually sensitive care is vital. Objective: This service evaluation examined CRS perceived preparedness and confidence among staff across Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland (LLR), exploring perceived challenges and available resources. Methods: A modified Confidence and Perceived preparedness in the CRS Care Survey was distributed to healthcare, hospice, charity, and community staff (May–August 2025). Likert scale data (n = 39) were analysed descriptively; qualitative responses underwent thematic analysis using Braun and Clarke’s framework, which was co-produced with stakeholders. Results: Staff placed high importance on CRS needs (cultural M = 4.48, SD = 0.61; religious/spiritual M = 4.66, SD = 0.53) but reported lower confidence in the organisational capacity to meet them (M = 3.15 and M = 3.05). Qualitative survey findings showed that staff recognised CRS needs as central to holistic, individualised care, emphasising proactive assessment and avoiding assumptions. Barriers included fear of causing offence, organisational constraints, and challenges in supporting families, alongside concerns about unmet needs. Participants highlighted reliance on informal resources and a clear need for accessible, lived-experience-based training and practical guidance. A prototype CRS resource toolkit, including lived-experience videos and guidance for supporting Muslim patients, was co-developed and reviewed by healthcare, community, and public contributors. Conclusions: Staff commitment to CRS-sensitive PEoLC is strong, but practical tools and training are lacking. A virtual CRS toolkit could enhance confidence, communication, and culturally responsive care across multidisciplinary settings. Full article

Background: Multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) has become a dominant approach for glacier hazard susceptibility mapping, widely used to support risk management and climate adaptation planning. However, despite its widespread adoption, the role of MCDA outputs remains conceptually ambiguous: hazard classifications are often interpreted as predictive representations of risk, even though they are derived from preference-dependent decision models. This raises a critical but underexamined question regarding the reliability of MCDA-based glacier hazard assessments. This issue becomes particularly relevant in the current transition toward data-driven and artificial intelligence (AI)-based approaches for hazard modelling, where similar challenges of interpretability, validation, and reliability arise. Methods: To address this issue, we conducted a systematic literature review following the PRISMA 2020 protocol, analysing peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025. After screening 571 records, 60 studies were included. Data were extracted using a structured framework and synthesised through quantitative descriptive analysis and qualitative assessment of modelling practices, including method selection, criteria weighting, uncertainty treatment, validation, and geographical distribution. This study conducts a structured methodological audit—not a catalogue—of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) applications in glacier hazard susceptibility mapping. Results: The analysis reveals a consistent methodological pattern. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) dominates current practice (36/60 studies, 60%), typically implemented through GIS-based weighted overlay with expert-derived weights. Critically, 80% of studies (48/60) derive criteria weights exclusively from expert judgement, with no data-driven calibration or sensitivity testing of subjective inputs. This epistemic reliance on unstructured or semi-structured expert elicitation, presented without robustness analysis, forms a central concern of this review. Moreover, empirical validation is limited: only 21/60 studies (35.0%) report quantitative performance metrics. Uncertainty and robustness analyses are rarely conducted, and most studies rely on single-model configurations without comparative evaluation. Despite these limitations, the resulting hazard maps are frequently presented as objective spatial predictions. The evidence base is also geographically concentrated, with 48/60 studies (80.0%) located in High Mountain Asia. Conclusions: The findings indicate a systematic mismatch between how MCDA-based hazard maps are constructed and how they are interpreted. In most cases, MCDA functions as a decision-structuring framework rather than a validated predictive model, yet its outputs are commonly treated as predictive evidence. This gap has important implications for the use of such models in risk management and climate adaptation, particularly in the emerging context of AI-driven hazard modelling, where issues of model validation, interpretability, and reliability become even more critical. Advancing the field requires explicit validation against observed events, systematic robustness and sensitivity analysis, transparent uncertainty modelling, and comparative evaluation of alternative or hybrid decision frameworks. Full article

Wildfires are significant and increasing hazards in the United Kingdom (UK), affecting both ecosystem integrity and public safety, particularly within many rural–urban interface locations. In moorland environments, where recreational pressure is high, human negligence often remains a major ignition source. The Peak District National Park in Central England is vulnerable to these hazards, as exemplified by the 2018 wildfire at The Roaches Nature Reserve, which was triggered by an out-of-control barbecue. Despite increasing wildfire risk due to climate change, public awareness and perceptions of wildfire impact in the UK are limited. This study used an online questionnaire survey to examine public understanding of wildfires among a non-specialist audience and how the ‘2018 Roaches wildfire’ influenced Reserve users’ perceptions of impacts, recovery, and management. Respondents demonstrated a general awareness of wildfire severity, ignition sources, and global fire geography, although familiarity with specific UK incidents varied. Perceptions of impacts were mixed, reflecting different experiences and emotional responses to the 2018 event. Ecological aspects, such as soil, biodiversity, and landscape aesthetics, were widely perceived as ‘slow to recover’, whereas recreation, safety, and health were viewed as returning to normal more quickly. A strong sense of shared responsibility for wildfire safety emerged, with participants emphasizing the need for clearer communication, improved public education, and higher levels of community involvement. These findings provide exploratory but valuable insights into public perceptions of UK wildfires, thereby informing future research pathways to strengthen fire management and preparedness. Full article

In ice hockey, automatic activity detection using wearable sensors and machine learning could provide objective feedback to support coaches and players during performance evaluation. The primary objective was to assess the predictive ability of a deep learning model to recognize common ice hockey stick striking actions (passing, shooting) from inertial measurement unit sensors. This study implemented a fully connected convolutional neural network model to classify seven ice hockey-related technical actions (wrist shot, slap shot, backhand shot, one-timers, pass, other, and rest) using acceleration data via two setups: an all-sensor configuration (17 sensors) and a hands-only sensor configuration (2 sensors) in 43 elite players. Data were split into 80/20 train/test sets, with a five-fold cross-validation applied to the training data. The train/test split was repeated 10 times with different random splits to assess stability of results. The model achieved high classification accuracy, with the all-sensor model reaching an average F1 score of 95.0 ± 3.0% and the hands-only model achieving 93.5 ± 1.6%. These findings support the use of convolutional neural networks for automatic shooting action classification in ice hockey and highlight the feasibility of using minimal sensor configurations, such as sensor-integrated gloves, for real-world applications. This approach could further enhance training practices by providing objective performance metrics and allowing coaches to deliver data-driven feedback to players. Full article

Several prediction equations have been created, based on various dietary composition variables, to predict dairy cattle enteric methane emissions (EMEs). Inconsistencies in measuring EMEs have created difficulties comparing dairy cattle emissions between farms and inhibits certain in efforts to reduce emissions and work towards Net Zero. The aims of the current study were to gather existing EME prediction equations and evaluate the variability in their prediction results. An additional aim was to create a combined prediction equation, based on the dietary components with the highest predictive ability, representing the average prediction across existing equations, which accounted for the variation amongst existing equations. The 32 equations produced large variation in the prediction of EMEs for each of the 15 example diets, ranging from 12.49 to 34.27 g CH₄/kg DM. To create a combined EME prediction equation, twelve combinations of dietary variables were evaluated using a mixed-effects model. An equation based on metabolised energy (ME) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) was chosen (methane (CH₄) = 0.33 × ME + 0.31 × NDF + 3.47), due to the significance of the predictor variables and low prediction error (RMSE = 1.47 g CH₄/kg DM), with a random-effects residual variance of 2.32. The combined equation may act as a suitable compromise to compare emissions between studies accounting for unexplained variation. Full article

Developmental engineering (DE) is a bottom-up strategy for generating functional tissues from modular tissues (MTs), offering potential advantages over conventional top-down approaches. However, scalable MT production remains constrained by limited understanding of scaffold aggregation, oxygen transport, and hydrodynamic effects in bioreactors. This study integrates theoretical simulations with empirical correlations to analyze these factors and provide a systematic basis for MT production. Microcarrier aggregates were modelled to evaluate minimum oxygen concentration (C_min). Results indicate that larger microcarrier diameters (d_mc) are associated with increased C_min due to longer diffusion distances. Aggregate geometry and packing configuration, including hexagonal close packing and the “kissing number,” influenced oxygen distribution and may explain observed C_min plateaus. Hydrodynamic behaviour was assessed using the Zwietering correlation and Kolmogorov turbulence scaling. Denser microcarrier aggregates required higher minimum stirring speeds (N_min), while larger d_mc increased susceptibility to shear. Increased agitation intensity and more aggressive impeller designs reduced N_min but were associated with potential cell damages. Higher medium density (e.g., 20% FBS) reduced shear stress and energy dissipation. A unified framework integrating oxygen diffusion, aggregate geometry, microcarrier properties, and hydrodynamics is proposed to estimate oxygen limitation and cell damage, highlighting trade-offs relevant to MT production in DE. Full article

This paper examines whether executives’ environmental expertise shapes firms’ engagement in open innovation. Open innovation requires long-term, uncertain, and relationship-specific investments, yet such investments are often underprovided due to manage rial short-termism. Based on stewardship theory, we argue that environmental expertise embeds a long-horizon cognitive orientation in executives and alleviates managerial myopia. Based on the upper echelons theory, we posit that executives with environmental expertise could significantly influence corporate strategies, specifically enhancing corporate open innovation activities. Using a panel of 40,133 firm–year observations from Chinese listed firms over 2002–2022, we find that firms led by environmentally expertised executives exhibit significantly greater open innovation, measured by co-patenting activities. To address endogeneity concerns, we implement a stacked difference-in-differences design and propensity score matching. Our results remain robust in a battery of robustness tests. Consistent with the managerial myopia alleviation argument, we show that the effect of executives with green expertise on open innovation is stronger in settings where short-term pressures are more pronounced, including firms with weaker governance and higher capital market pressure. This study highlights and provides micro-level evidence on how environmental human capital enables firms to adopt sustainability-oriented business models through open innovation. Overall, our findings contribute to the literature on sustainable entrepreneurship and open innovation and offer practical implications for firms and policymakers seeking to support long-term, innovation-driven sustainability transitions. Full article

To evaluate the performance of a printed log-periodic dipole antenna (PLPDA) in outdoor environments, we present unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based antenna measurements conducted in the far-field region. Non-tethered UAV flight operations were achieved by configuring commercially available UAVs separately as a transmitter (TX) and as a receiver (RX). UAVs configured in non-tethered mode provide flexibility in terms of altitude maintained by the UAV from the ground level. The TX section of the UAV consists of a portable signal generator and a PLPDA configured to transmit signals with an output power of +15 dBm at 0.8 and 3.5 GHz. Similarly, the RX section of the UAV is equipped with a real-time spectrum analyzer and an identical PLPDA. Using these two UAVs in TX and RX modes, the radiation pattern of the PLPDA was obtained in the azimuth plane. Since two identical PLPDAs were used, the realized gain of the PLPDA is evaluated using the two-antenna gain method. The test scenario involved the TX UAV hovering at the center while the RX UAV followed a circular trajectory around it. A comparison between the UAV measurements, anechoic chamber measurements, and simulated data demonstrates good agreement, validating the reliability of the measurements. Full article