Manchester Metropolitan University
  • Manchester, United Kingdom
Recent publications
Sexual size dimorphism (SSD), the difference in body size between males and females, is shaped by sexual and natural selection and often varies across populations due to environmental factors. We investigated SSD in the European stag beetle (Lucanus cervus) across three adjacent oak-forested landscapes in northern Latium, Italy. The three forest sites differ in their size, tree maturity, and landscape composition: Macchia Grande di Manziana (MANZ) is a mature, well-preserved forest with large oak-dominated trees; Montevirginio (MONT) is a mosaic of younger coppice forests and oak tree hedgerows due to periodic cutting; and Oriolo Romano (ORIO) consists of small hedgerows along rural paths, with a landscape similar to MONT but with less forested coverage. We assessed elytra and mandible length differences between sexes, interannual variability , and determined whether these variables correlated with tree size. Males consistently had longer elytra than females, with the degree of SSD varying significantly among the sites and years. The largest SSD was observed in MANZ while more moderate SSD occurred in MONT and ORIO. Male mandible length, a key sexually selected trait, was significantly larger in MANZ, with a strong positive correlation with tree size. Male elytra was also related to tree size. These findings highlight the influence of habitat quality, particularly tree size, in shaping SSD and sexually selected traits. Larger trees likely provide better larval habitats, fostering better growth. This study underscores the critical importance of conserving mature forests with larger trees to maintain stag beetle populations and preserve their natural morphological diversity. Future research should investigate additional ecological and genetic factors affecting SSD variation.
Emergency decision-making problem is common in our daily life. To solve this kind of problem, a group of decision-makers (DMs) are usually invited to make a decision in a limited time. Since multiple attributes are usually considered, it’s called large-scale multi-attribute emergency group decision-making (LS-MA-EGDM). There are two issues in the general research of LS-MA-EGDM. First, clustering and consensus-reaching process (CRP) should consider the influence of DMs’ intrinsic features. Second, consensus adjustment within and among sub-clusters ought to be fast to prevent multi-round iteration. Accordingly, (1) we introduce graph attention mechanism to calculate the attention coefficients between DM pair’s intrinsic features. The multi-head graph attention coefficient based on social network analysis (SNA) is proposed, which is then combined with opinion similarity to construct a social network clustering method. (2) The Einstein product operator is introduced to propagate the attention coefficients and yield DMs’ weights, which is then incorporated in the subsequent adjustment allocation. (3) Identification rules are provided based on four consensus types in the CRP. The one-iteration personalized adjustment strategies corresponding to different consensus types are then proposed. (4) Evidential reasoning (ER) algorithm is finally utilized to aggregate the preferences of clusters after consensus is reaching. The proposed method is further applied to a chemical plant explosion in Texas to illustrate its effectiveness and validity in dealing with emergencies.
Background Diabetic foot ulcers are common and costly. Most cases are preventable, although few interventions exist to reliably support patients in performing self-care. Emerging technologies are showing promise in this domain, although patient and health care provider perspectives are rarely incorporated into digital intervention designs. Objective This study explored patient and health care provider feedback on a smart sensing sock to detect shear strain and alert the wearer to change their behavior (ie, pause activity and check their feet) and considered how patient experience and attitudes toward self-care are likely to impact uptake and long-term effective engagement with the device to curate guiding principles for successful future intervention development. Methods This qualitative study combined semistructured interviews and a focus group alongside a participant advisory group that was consulted throughout the study. In total, 20 people with diabetic neuropathy (n=16, 80% with history of diabetic foot ulcers) and 2 carers were recruited directly from podiatry clinics as well as via a recruitment network and national health mobile app for one-to-one interviews either in person or via landline or video call. A total of 6 podiatrists were recruited via professional networks for 1 virtual focus group. Participants were asked about their experience of diabetic foot health and for feedback on the proposed device, including how it might work for them in daily life or clinical practice. The data were analyzed thematically. Results Three main themes were generated, each raising a barrier to the use of the sock complemented by potential solutions: (1) patient buy-in—challenged by lack of awareness of risk and potentially addressed through using the device to collect and record evidence to enhance clinical messaging; (2) effective engagement—challenged by difficulties accepting and actioning information and requiring simple, specific, and supportive instructions in line with podiatrist advice; and (3) sustained use—challenged by difficulties coping, with the possibility to gain control through an early warning system. Conclusions While both patients and podiatrists were interested in the concept, it would need to be packaged as part of a wider health intervention to overcome barriers to uptake and longer-term effective engagement. This study recommends specific considerations for the framing of feedback messages and instructions as well as provision of support for health care providers to integrate the use of such smart devices into practice. The guiding principles generated by this study can orient future research and development of smart sensing devices for diabetic foot care to help optimize patient engagement and improve health outcomes.
Objective Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs, myositis) are rare systemic autoimmune disorders that lead to muscle inflammation, weakness, and extramuscular manifestations, with a strong genetic component influencing disease development and progression. Previous genome‐wide association studies identified loci associated with IIMs. In this study, we imputed data from two prior genome‐wide myositis studies and analyzed the largest myositis data set to date to identify novel risk loci and susceptibility genes associated with IIMs and its clinical subtypes. Methods We performed association analyses on 14,903 individuals (3,206 patients and 11,697 controls) with genotypes and imputed data from the Trans‐Omics for Precision Medicine reference panel. Fine‐mapping and expression quantitative trait locus colocalization analyses in myositis‐relevant tissues indicated potential causal variants. Functional annotation and network analyses using the random walk with restart (RWR) algorithm explored underlying genetic networks and drug repurposing opportunities. Results Our analyses identified novel risk loci and susceptibility genes, such as FCRLA, NFKB1, IRF4, DCAKD, and ATXN2 in overall IIMs; NEMP2 in polymyositis; ACBC11 in dermatomyositis; and PSD3 in myositis with anti–histidyl–transfer RNA synthetase autoantibodies (anti–Jo‐1). We also characterized effects of HLA region variants and the role of C4. Colocalization analyses suggested putative causal variants in DCAKD in skin and muscle, HCP5 in lung, and IRF4 in Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV)‐transformed lymphocytes, lung, and whole blood. RWR further prioritized additional candidate genes, including APP, CD74, CIITA, NR1H4, and TXNIP, for future investigation. Conclusion Our study uncovers novel genetic regions contributing to IIMs, advancing our understanding of myositis pathogenesis and offering new insights for future research.
The climate and health polycrisis represents a complex network of cross-cultural, multidisciplinary, and interdiscursive interdependencies threatening the future of life on Earth. This chapter investigates the complexities underpinning this polycrisis by means of an analysis of its discursive framing. Through a corpus-based contrastive analysis of the use of the words health, santé, and salud in climate-themed and health-themed public-oriented research communication in English, French, and Spanish, three recurrent framing activities are identified. These include (1) defining and contextualising the polycrisis, (2) representing cause and effect, and (3) proposing solutions. These framing activities were interrogated to identify variations in the cultural and epistemological construction of knowledge of the climate and health polycrisis. The findings highlight the crucial role of cultural and linguistic diversity in shaping responses to global crises and call for pluriversal approaches to knowledge production that address the complex challenges posed by global polycrises.
Marine littering is a global challenge and a significant threat to a sustainable planet, requiring comprehensive and effective mechanisms to address it in a comprehensive manner. This study reports on a bibliometric analysis that has identified the extent to which the topic has been explored in the international literature, by focusing on geographical scope, the emphasis on (micro)plastic litter and on policy measures. Additionally, as a complement to the assessment of the recent literature on marine plastic litter, this study reviews some case studies, identifying some trends on how to cope with this problem. The findings underscore the imperative for heightened research efforts in the context of marine littering. The literature reveals that unsustainable practices, the absence of robust policies and inadequate enforcement substantially contribute to the prevalence of marine plastic litter. Consequently, urgent action is essential, demanding the implementation of effective policies and frameworks. Encouraging nations to transition towards marine sustainability, particularly in terms of prevention and environmental awareness, is of paramount importance. To pave the way for a cleaner ocean for future generations, this study not only highlights the root causes but also offers suggested solutions. These solutions serve as valuable insights for researchers, innovators and policymakers worldwide, charting a course towards a more sustainable and litter-free marine environment.
The study analyzed whether maturation affects young basketball players’ strength training and detraining adaptations. Thirty-five youth male basketballers (U-13 to U-15) performed eight weeks of strength training twice weekly, followed by eight weeks without strength training, maintaining their basketball practices. Changes in performance were assessed in three maturity groups based on years from/to age of peak height velocity (PHV): pre-PHV (-1.51 ± 0.62, n = 9), mid-PHV (0.11 ± 0.45, n = 17), and post-PHV (1.31 ± 0.42, n = 9). They were tested on bilateral-vertical countermovement jump, unilateral vertical and horizontal jumping, unilateral triple horizontal jumping (3HJ), sprinting (25-m), and change of direction (COD) ability over single and multiple angles. All groups significantly (p < 0.05; ES = 0.42–1.10) improved unilateral horizontal jumping ability between pre-and post-test. Unilateral vertical jumping significantly improved in mid-PHV and post-PHV between pre- and post- (p < 0.05; ES = 0.46–0.61) and pre- to detraining (p < 0.05; ES = 0.51–1.01). Pre-PHV and mid-PHV significantly enhanced 3HJ between pre- and post- (p < 0.05; ES = 0.72–1.15) and de-training (p < 0.05; ES = 0.61–1.11). COD ability significantly improved in mid-PHV between pre- and post- and detraining (p < 0.05; ES = 0.47–0.80). Left horizontal jumping at post-test and detraining was significantly (p < 0.05; ES = 1.56 – 1.73) greater in post-PHV and mid-PHV than pre-PHV. The combined training had favorable outcomes for most unilateral jumps, particularly those with a horizontally oriented force vector, independent of maturity status. Moreover, the subsequent detraining period positively affected specific high-intensity actions, albeit variations were noted across different maturation stages. These findings can help practitioners to design effective strength training programmes during competitive basketball season for youth male basketballers.
Assessing cognition and language using standardized tests is challenging when the individual has severe speech and motor impairments. Tests with a multiple-choice format may be adapted without compromising standardization using alternative response modes like partner assisted scanning (PAS) and eye-pointing (EP). Standardization of such assessment is little researched. The study investigates the (a) reliability of, (b) transparency of, and (c) adherence to assessment protocols using PAS and EP. The participants were students from special needs education and speech and language therapy, who worked in dyads ( n = 39). Two observers recorded a number of errors made in protocol delivery, independently of each other. The dyads made between 0 and 81.5 errors. Number of errors was not related to response mode, t(38) = –0.21, p = .839. The observers were in high agreement, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of .97, p < .001. The study suggests that assessing language involving alternative modes of responding can be successfully taught to novice practitioners.
Background Traditionally, intramuscular vitamin B 12 injections were considered by patients and clinicians the most effective treatment option for B 12 deficiency. The improving understanding of the condition paired with the restricted National Health Service (NHS) resources, resulted in a shift from injections towards tablets. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this change, while healthcare services were adapted to reduce COVID-19 transmission. This included new guidelines on vitamin B 12 prescribing where injections were substituted by tablets. Objective We investigated changes between 2015 and 2024 in prescribing B 12 injections and tablets including the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. Design, population and setting This was an observational study of general practice in England covering 100% of the population. Methods We used prescribing data published by the NHS Business Service Authority. Monthly prescription counts and rates per 100 000 patients were visualised in longitudinal plots from 1 January 2015 to 30 September 2024. We stratified the analysis by regions in England. Changes in yearly counts and rates were summarised using descriptive statistics. Linear regression and data from before the COVID-19 pandemic were used to model trends from 2020 to 2024 as if the pandemic had not occurred. The predicted values and their 95% CI were used to assess the effect of the pandemic. Results The number of prescriptions for B 12 formulations doubled in the last 10 years from 2.5 million to 5 million per year. The prescriptions for tablets increased from half a million in 2015 to 2 million in 2024. While the prescriptions for injections increased from 2 million to 3 million. In 2020, there was a sharp drop in prescriptions for injections and a simultaneous rapid increase in prescriptions for tablets coinciding with the onset of the pandemic. There were 806 031 (27%) less than expected prescriptions for injections (2 171 924 observed vs 2 977 956 predicted, 95% CI 2 905 348 to 3 050 565) and 299 834 (27%) more prescriptions for tablets (1 415 315 observed vs 1 115 481 predicted, 95% CI 1 094 350 to 1 136 612). After the 2020 drop, by 2024, injections returned to the prepandemic levels of 3 million prescriptions per year and tablets doubled from 1 million in 2019 to 2 million prescriptions in 2024. Conclusions In this study, we document important changes to vitamin B 12 prescribing in England over the last 10 years. Before the pandemic, injections were the medication of choice for B 12 deficiency but there had been an ongoing debate about the benefits and cost of injections over tablets. The pandemic accelerated the switch from injections to tablets. However, these changes in the pandemic were driven by the availability of resources and not necessarily clinical evidence or patient preference. To establish best practices, more evidence is needed comparing the safety and effectiveness of injections and tablets specific to the condition being treated.
Brazil is home to some of the world’s most significant biodiversity, including vast portions of the Amazon rainforest. Universities are pivotal in leading environmental sustainability efforts within such a context, setting examples through their policies, research, and community engagement. Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Brazil, hubs for research and innovation, making them ideal places to develop, test, and refine new sustainability technologies and practices, are facing regulatory pressures to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability. By evaluating and publishing green metrics, Brazilian universities, like their counterparts in other countries, can set benchmarks for environmental performance, encouraging other institutions to adopt similar practices. There is a perceived need for research on green metrics at universities in Brazil, which may shed light on the factors that reflect their shift towards sustainability and environmental stewardship. Against this background, this paper outlines the status of the top 10 universities in Green Metric ranking located in Brazil. It provides some suggestions on how to improve the contribution of higher education institutions towards sustainability in a country that is both ecologically rich and diverse.
Smartphones are handheld computers and multichannel communication devices that carry an array of sensors and can link with specialist external devices. These powerful tools have an established role in biological recording and ecological surveying. The ability to geolocate accurately is frequently essential to ecological fieldwork. This field study aimed to test the performance of a compact/handheld surveyor‐grade GNSS receiver, functioning as an external sensor, compared to smartphones' inbuilt GNSS receivers and a standard‐grade external GNSS receiver. We devised a series of survey protocols to test the horizontal accuracy of GNSS receivers in static and dynamic scenarios typical of ecology fieldwork, estimating the horizontal distance of GNSS measurements under ‘open sky’ conditions from a base station geolocated with centimetre accuracy. Protocols were designed to test the capabilities of GNSS receivers; the absolute horizontal accuracy and precision in static surveys and performance in dynamic surveys, walking a transect with frequent changes of direction, or roaming across the survey area, requiring the GNSS to rapidly re‐establish a position fix. In all survey protocols, the surveyor‐grade GNSS performed significantly better with lower horizontal distance estimates at the 50th centile and more consistent performance at the 95th centile than the other GNSS receivers, giving median distance estimates of 0.5–1.1 m. The median horizontal accuracy of inbuilt GNSS receivers in this trial was 0.9–3.4 m under ‘open sky’ conditions. Practical implication: The smartphone GNSS receivers that we tested were accurate to within a few meters. Linking the smartphone with a moderately priced compact/handheld external GNSS receiver significantly improved performance.
Cancer-associated thrombosis affects between 1 and 20% of all patients diagnosed with cancer and is associated with significant morbidity and a poorer prognosis. Risk assessment scores exist which include the measurement of biomarkers, and which aim to identify patients at a higher risk of developing thrombotic events, but these are poor predictors and rarely used in routine clinical practice. VEGF is a potent angiogenic factor, produced by tumour cells, and released by platelets and is essential for tumour growth and progression. It also plays a role in the promotion of thrombosis through platelet activation and adhesion, and by inducing the expression of tissue factor. Therefore, the potential of VEGF to be used as a biomarker to predict cancer-associated thrombosis requires further investigation. This study reviewed the published literature to determine whether circulating VEGF levels are associated with increased risk of venous thromboembolism in patients with cancer. PubMed and OVID databases were systematically searched according to PRISMA guidelines for relevant papers using the keywords “cancer” AND “thrombosis” AND “VEGF” up to July 2023. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied. Seven papers (1,528 participants) were identified and included in the meta-analysis, three of which (922 participants) measured VEGF before a thrombotic event, and the remaining four (606 participants) measured VEGF at the time of the thrombosis. Our results showed that although plasma and serum VEGF tended to be higher in those who subsequently developed thrombosis than those who did not (mean difference 70.2 pg/mL for serum, and 11.44 pg/mL for plasma VEGF, 95% CI −2.39–25.73, p = 0.10), this was not found to be statistically significant. However, analysis of VEGF following blood sampling at the time of thrombosis showed a stronger statistically significant association between increased VEGF levels and presence of thrombosis (mean difference 117.02 pg/mL for serum, and 116.6 pg/mL for plasma VEGF, 95% CI 55.42–190.82, p = 0.0004). Based on current studies, whilst it is increased at the time of thrombosis, VEGF is not effective as a predictive biomarker of CAT.
The expresser's smile is a ubiquitous nonverbal communication cue used to elicit favorable impressions among consumers. However, does the expresser's smile exert persuasive power in luxury advertising, where exclusivity often outweighs approachability? Integrating the social‐functional perspective of emotions with the stereotype content model of social judgments, we explore how, why, and when the intensity of a smile can adversely impact the effectiveness of luxury advertising. We demonstrate that a neutral expression (vs. a slight and broad smile) leads to higher levels of luxury ad engagement scores, click‐through rates, ad attitudes, and purchase behaviors. This effect is unique to luxury products and driven by a serial processing mechanism: enhanced competence judgments and perceived ad credibility that surface when the expresser features a neutral expression. To provide a deeper understanding of how the persuasive impact of smile intensity vary depending on complementary nonverbal signals and individual level factors, we elucidate two boundary conditions: lay rationalism level of consumers and eye gaze direction of the expresser. Specifically, the detrimental effect of smile intensity on competence perceptions is attenuated for low‐lay rationalistic consumers, who base their decisions on emotions, while the neutral expression facilitates higher ad effectiveness when paired with a direct gaze (vs. an averted gaze). Six preregistered studies, including field data on Instagram ads (N = 435), two large‐scale field experiments on Meta (Ntotal = 233,301), and three controlled online experiments (Ntotal = 940), using different luxury products as well as fictitious and real brands, support these findings. Theoretically, this research advances literature on the nonverbal communication of emotions and the psychology of luxury consumption by showing that smile intensity serves as a visual deterrent to the effectiveness of luxury advertising. Managerially, it offers implications for luxury brand marketers on how to leverage the psychophysical characteristics of facial expressions in their ad design and positioning strategies.
In this study, we examine the potential influence of consumer confidence on the association between announcing dividend payments and stock returns. We used FTSE 350 spanning the period from 1990 to 2021, using the UK consumer confidence index as a proxy for investor sentiment. The primary empirical test focused on cumulative abnormal returns [− 1, + 1], supplemented by a robustness test spanning [− 10, + 10]. Additionally, a generalized method of moments (GMM) estimation was conducted using CAR [− 1, + 1]. Our analysis revealed: under positive consumer confidence, firms announcing dividend increases experienced a positive market response, while under negative consumer confidence, firms announcing dividend decreases elicited a negative market reaction. This study contributes valuable insights to the discourse on investor sentiment and its impact on stock market dynamics.
Understanding how the traits of lineages are related to diversification is key for elucidating the origin of variation in species richness. Here, we test whether traits are related to species richness among lineages of trees from all major biogeographical settings of the lowland wet tropics. We explore whether variation in mortality rate, breeding system and maximum diameter are related to species richness, either directly or via associations with range size, among 463 genera that contain wet tropical forest trees. For Amazonian genera, we also explore whether traits are related to species richness via variation among genera in mean species-level range size. Lineages with higher mortality rates—faster life-history strategies—have larger ranges in all biogeographic settings and have higher mean species-level range sizes in Amazonia. These lineages also have smaller maximum diameters and, in the Americas, contain dioecious species. In turn, lineages with greater overall range size have higher species richness. Our results show that fast life-history strategies influence species richness in all biogeographic settings because lineages with these ecological strategies have greater range sizes. These links suggest that dispersal has been a key process in the evolution of the tropical forest flora.
Background Eating ability is central to human existence and survival, societal acceptance, life satisfaction, and social participation. Although eating difficulties (EDs) are common after stroke, few studies are reporting their impact on the quality of life (QoL) of stroke survivors. This study aimed to assess the prevalence, correlates, and association of EDs with QoL among stroke survivors. Methods A cross-sectional study on 233 (Mean age: 59.6 ± 10.9 years; 52.8% female) Nigerian community-dwelling stroke survivors attending rehabilitation at three public hospitals was conducted. The Minimal Eating Observation Form– version II and WHOQOL-BREF were used to collect data on EDs and QoL respectively. Socio-demographic, stroke-related, and clinical characteristics of patients were assessed using structured questionnaires. The association of EDs with each domain of WHOQOL-BREF (physical health, psychological health, social relationships, environmental health, perceived health status, and overall QoL) was assessed with hierarchical regression analyses. Results The majority (60.9%) of stroke survivors had at least one form of ED. Among the three types of EDs assessed, difficulty with energy/appetite (45.1%) was the most prevalent, followed by difficulty with ingestion (43.8%) and deglutition (40.8%). The results showed that EDs were associated with haemorrhagic stroke (r = 0.158; p = 0.016), right-sided hemiplegia (r = 0.172; p = 0.008), increasing stroke severity (r = 0.466; p < 0.001), increasing co-morbidity (r = 0.384; p < 0.001), poor oral health (r = 0.511; p < 0.001), poor mental health (r = 0.260; p < 0.001), poor affected grip strength (r= -0.157; p = 0.016), poor nutritional status (r= -0.362; p < 0.001), low functional ability (r= -0.415; p < 0.001), and low social support (r= -0.257; p < 0.001). After adjustments, EDs independently explained 10.7% of the variance in psychological health (β= -0.467; p < 0.001), 4.7% in social relationships (β= -0.308; p < 0.001), 2.4% in perceived health status (β= -0.221; p = 0.002), and 7.4% in overall QoL (β= -0.383; p < 0.001). However, the variance accounted for by EDs in physical and environmental health domains was insignificant. Conclusion The prevalence of EDs among Nigerian community-dwelling stroke survivors is high, which is associated with many stroke-related and clinical factors. Meanwhile, increasing in EDs is independently associated with reduced QoL among stroke survivors using WHOQOL-BREF. Emphasis on screening and management of EDs in stroke rehabilitation protocols may assist in improving survivors’ QoL.
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Tomasz Liskiewicz
  • Department of Engineering
Mark Batey
  • MMU Business School
Bruce Edmonds
  • Centre for Policy Modelling
Ali Kashif Bashir
  • Computing and Mathematics
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