Edinburgh College

Transparent wood possesses advantages such as light weight, high strength, translucency, thermal insulation, acoustic performance, and sustainability, demonstrating significant development potential. Its properties are highly compatible with the demands of pop-up commercial spaces, which are characterized by pop-up, low energy consumption, and strong visual expression. Based on Artificial Intelligence-Generated Content (AIGC) technologies, this study takes an urban greenhouse installation as a case study and develops a systematic design methodology for applying transparent wood in modern pop-up exhibition spaces. Through field research, questionnaire surveys, and the integration of design requirements using AIGC, the study employs the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to construct an evaluation system encompassing esthetic performance, structural safety, sustainability, and exhibition experience. In addition, a Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation (FCE) method is adopted for quantitative assessment. The results indicate that transparent wood not only meets the requirements of lightweight structures and full life-cycle environmental performance, but also enhances spatial transparency and immersive atmosphere. This research proposes a standardized evaluation framework and a reproducible design reference for material selection in pop-up exhibition spaces.

Background/Objectives: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a critical global health threat, with sub-Saharan Africa disproportionately affected. Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs are essential in combating AMR; however, data on their implementation in resource-limited settings like Zambia remain scarce. This study assessed the post-implementation status of World Health Organization (WHO) AMS core elements in selected public hospitals in Zambia. Methods: A cross-sectional pre- and post-intervention survey was conducted in 11 public hospitals across Zambia’s 10 provinces. Baseline (pre-implementation) and 12-month follow-up (post-implementation) assessments were carried out using the WHO-adapted Periodic National and Healthcare Facility Assessment Tool. The six AMS core elements evaluated included leadership, accountability, AMS actions, education, monitoring, and feedback. Results: The average AMS program score increased from 59% at pre-implementation to 81% at post-implementation. Significant improvements were observed in education and training (+36%) and accountability (+31%). While leadership and monitoring also showed positive trends, gaps persisted in AMS actions (63%) and feedback/reporting mechanisms (68%). Drug and Therapeutics Committee (DTC) functionality improved by 23%, with 90% of facilities now holding regular DTC meetings. Implementation of AMS actions, such as ward rounds, rose from 0% to 73%. Challenges remained in clinical audit feedback, resource mobilization, and prescribing optimization. Variability across facilities highlighted differences in leadership, resources, and technical capacity. Conclusions: AMS implementation in Zambia improved substantially across key domains. However, sustained leadership, adequate financing, and continuous capacity-building are needed to address persistent gaps and ensure long-term success in mitigating AMR.

Abstract Introduction Rapid access chest pain clinics facilitate the prompt review of patients with symptoms of exertional chest pain suggestive of angina, with the aim of accelerating diagnosis and reducing myocardial infarction and cardiovascular death. Our objective was to systematically evaluate care and outcomes for patients referred to this service. Method This was a retrospective longitudinal cohort study using routinely collected healthcare data of consecutive patients referred from 120 primary care practices across South-East Scotland to a rapid access chest pain clinic. Referred patients were stratified according to whether they were seen at a rapid access nurse-led chest pain clinic or redirected to a general cardiology clinic or were not seen (did not attend or required urgent care prior to outpatient assessment). The primary outcome was fatal or non-fatal myocardial infarction within 1 year of referral. Key secondary outcomes included attendance at the Emergency Department, unscheduled coronary revascularisation, or cardiac death at one year. Results From January 2010 to June 2022, 12,900 patients (median age 61 [inter quartile range 53-69] years, 46% female) were referred to the rapid access chest pain clinic. Of these, 11,060 (85.7%) patients were reviewed at the clinic (4 [2-7] days), 990 (7.7%) were reviewed at the general cardiology clinic (15 [3-49] days) and 850 (6.6%) were not seen. Fatal or non-fatal myocardial infarction occurred in 320 (2.9%) and 40 (3.5%) patients seen at the rapid access and general cardiology clinics respectively, and in 90 (10.6%) patients who were not seen (P<0.001) (Figure 1). Patients referred but not seen were more likely to have fatal or non-fatal myocardial infarction compared to those seen at the rapid access clinic after adjusting for age, sex, hypertension, diabetes and previous myocardial infarction (adjusted odd’s ratio 3.4 [95% confidence interval 2.5-4.5; P<0.001]). Patients referred but not seen were more likely than those assessed in the rapid access clinic to attend the Emergency Department (48% versus 29%; P<0.001) or undergo unscheduled revascularisation (6.5% versus 2.1%; P<0.001) at 1 year, or to have a cardiac death (5.0% versus 3.0%; P=0.005) during the study period. Conclusion Most patients with possible angina referred for rapid outpatient assessment are seen within 4 days and have good outcomes, but a significant proportion experience fatal or non-fatal myocardial infarction or require unscheduled acute care prior to outpatient review. Better risk stratification tools at the point of referral are required to identify those who would benefit from urgent same day assessment.Figure 1

Abstract Background Cardiovascular side-effects of chemoradiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain a major concern. Insights into vascular changes in atherosclerotic burden and overall disease activity secondary to chemoradiotherapy are useful to predict cardiovascular risk. Computed tomography (CT) calcium score is a biomarker of atherosclerosis while [18F]Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging can evaluate cardiovascular inflammation1,2. Purpose In patients with advanced NSCLC undergoing repeated [18F]FDG PET/CT imaging, we investigated the effects of chemoradiotherapy on aortic atherosclerotic burden assessed by aortic calcium score, and atherosclerotic disease activity with [18F]FDG uptake . Methods All available oncology PET-CT scans of patients with stage 3B NSCLC from the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ACRIN 6668) trial were retrieved from the Cancer Imaging Archive and a retrospective analysis was performed3. Pre- and post-treatment scans were performed approximately 14 weeks apart. Volumes of interest for the left ventricle, aorta and major non-cardiac organs were manually delineated on all PET-CT scans. Average standard uptake values (SUV), target-to-background ratios (TBR) to aortic blood pool and calcium score were quantified. Aortic PET uptake was analysed for both calcified and non-calcified areas and comparisons before and after treatment scans were performed. Results A total of 26 patients (mean 60±9 years, body-mass index 25±5 kg/m2) met the inclusion criteria. After chemoradiotherapy, calcium score increased by 10% in calcified aortic plaques (p<0.05) (Figure 1A ). [18F]FDG SUVmean uptake was 41% higher in the left ventricular myocardium (p=0.01), but no change was observed in the [18F]FDG uptake of non-cardiac organs (table 1). [18F]FDG TBRmean uptake was 4% higher in calcified aortic plaques (p=0.02), but no change was observed in non-calcified areas of the aorta (Figure 1B,C). Conclusion Metabolic activity is selectively increased in the left ventricular myocardium and calcified aortic atherosclerotic plaques following chemoradiotherapy for NSCLC. Chemoradiotherapy resulted in both an increase in aortic metabolic activity and burden of calcified plaques highlighting an accelerated disease process suggesting an increased cardiovascular risk.

This article introduces constraint-based breakpoints, a technique for designing responsive visualizations for a wide variety of screen sizes and datasets. Breakpoints in responsive visualization define when different visualization designs are shown. Conventionally, breakpoints are static, pre-defined widths, and as such do not account for changes to the visualized dataset or visualization parameters. To guarantee readability and efficient use of space across datasets, these static breakpoints would require manual updates. Constraint-based breakpoints solve this by evaluating visualization-specific constraints on the size of visual elements, overlapping elements, and the aspect ratio of the visualization and available space. Once configured, a responsive visualization with constraint-based breakpoints can adapt to different screen sizes for any dataset. We describe a framework that guides designers in creating a stack of visualization designs for different display sizes and defining constraints for each of these designs. We demonstrate constraint-based breakpoints for different data types and their visualizations: geographic data (choropleth map, proportional circle map, Dorling cartogram, hexagonal grid map, bar chart, waffle chart), network data (node-link diagram, adjacency matrix, arc diagram), and multivariate data (scatterplot, heatmap).

The phenomenon of global population aging poses considerable mobility challenges for older adults, particularly in cold climate regions, where the accessibility and configuration of street elements exert a significant impact on social participation and safety during severe winter conditions. Employing a combination of non-participatory observation, behavior mapping, and spatial analysis across different winter periods, this study investigates three residential streets in Harbin, China. The research systematically documents the types, frequencies, and spatial distributions of both social activities and street infrastructure utilized by the elderly. Subsequently, kernel density overlays of elderly social activity and street element distributions enable a nuanced analysis of the influence of environmental features on older adults’ social engagement throughout the three delineated winter phases. The findings reveal the following: (1) There is persistent demand for outdoor social interaction among the elderly, with participation rates inversely proportional to the severity of winter, peaking in early winter and declining through late and harsh winter stages; (2) Variations in activity types and durations are closely associated with spatial configurations: dynamic activities are predominantly observed along linear street segments, whereas passive behaviors cluster at intersections and broader street expanses; (3) There are several key aspects of street design and street furniture provision that help to support the use of streets in winter by the elderly. However, the influence of seating and fitness elements on mobile activities is limited. This study contributes to promoting inclusive urban design for older people in cold climates.

Open data and code are crucial to increasing transparency and reproducibility, and in building trust in scientific research. However, despite an increasing number of journals in ecology and evolutionary biology mandating for data and code to be archived alongside published articles, the amount and quality of archived data and code, and subsequent reproducibility of results, has remained worryingly low. As a result, a handful of journals have recruited dedicated data editors, whose role is to help authors increase the overall quality of archived data and code. There is, however, a general lack of consensus of what a data editor should check, how to do it, and to what level of detail, and the process is often vague and hidden from readers and authors alike. Here, with the input from multiple data editors across several journals in ecology and evolutionary biology, we establish and describe the first standardised guidelines for Data and Code Quality Control on behalf of the Society for Open, Reliable, and Transparent Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (SORTEE). We start by introducing the concept of a data editor and data and code quality control, what is expected from data and code quality control, the relative costs and benefits to journals, authors, and readers, and then introduce and detail the SORTEE-led guidelines, ending with advice for journals and authors. We believe that by adopting these standardised guidelines, journals will help increase the consistency and transparency of the data editor process for readers, authors, and data editors.

Art therapy serves as a crucial intervention modality for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), demonstrating unique value in emotional expression, sensory integration, and social communication. However, current practice presents critical challenges, including the disconnect between design expertise and clinical needs, unclear mechanisms of environmental factors’ impact on therapeutic outcomes, and insufficient evidence-based support for technology integration. Purpose: This study aimed to construct an evidence-based theoretical framework for art therapy environment design for children with autism, clarifying the relationship between environmental design elements and therapeutic effectiveness. Methodology: Based on the Web of Science database, this study employed a dual-track approach comprising bibliometric analysis and micro-qualitative content analysis to systematically examine the knowledge structure and developmental trends. Research hotspots were identified through keyword co-occurrence network analysis using CiteSpace, while 24 representative design cases were analyzed to gain insights into design concepts, emerging technologies, and implementation principles. Key Findings: Through keyword network visualization analysis, this study identified ten primary research clusters that were systematically categorized into four core design elements: sensory feedback design, behavioral guidance design, emotional resonance design, and therapeutic support design. A responsive therapeutic environment conceptual framework was proposed, encompassing four interconnected components based on the ABC model from positive psychology: emotional, sensory, environmental, and behavioral dimensions. Evidence-based design principles were established emphasizing child-centeredness, the promotion of multisensory expression, the achievement of dynamic feedback, and appropriate technology integration. Research Contribution: This research establishes theoretical connections between environmental design elements and art therapy effectiveness, providing a systematic design guidance framework for interdisciplinary teams, including environmental designers, clinical practitioners, technology developers, and healthcare administrators. The framework positions technology as a therapeutic mediator rather than a driver, ensuring technological integration supports rather than interferes with children’s natural creative impulses. This contributes to creating more effective environmental spaces for art therapy activities for children with autism while aligning with SDG3 goals for promoting mental health and reducing inequalities in therapeutic access.

The emergency department represents a potentially valuable opportunity to support smoking cessation. Evidence is lacking around the use of e-cigarettes in opportunistic settings like the emergency department. To undertake a randomised controlled trial in people who smoke attending United Kingdom emergency departments, testing a brief intervention which included provision of an e-cigarette versus signposting to smoking cessation services, assessing smoking abstinence. A two-arm pragmatic, multicentre, parallel-group, individually randomised, controlled superiority trial with an internal pilot, economic evaluation and mixed-methods process evaluation. Six emergency departments across England and Scotland. Adults who smoked daily, who were attending the emergency department for medical treatment or accompanying someone attending for medical treatment, were invited to participate. People were excluded if they had an expired carbon monoxide of < 8 parts per million, required immediate medical treatment, were in police custody, had a known allergy to nicotine, were daily e-cigarette users, were considered not to have capacity to consent or had already taken part in the trial. Brief stop smoking advice, e-cigarette starter kit and referral to stop smoking services. The primary outcome was biochemically validated sustained abstinence at 6 months. Those lost to follow-up, or not providing biochemical verification, were considered not to be abstinent. Secondary outcomes were: self-reported 7-day smoking abstinence, number of quit attempts, number of cigarettes per day, nicotine dependence and incidence of self-reported dry cough or mouth or throat irritation. At 6 months, of 972 participants randomised, biochemically verified smoking abstinence was 7.2% in the intervention group and 4.1% in the control group (percentage difference = 3.3%) (95% confidence interval 0.3 to 6.3; p = 0.032) [relative risk 1.76 (95% confidence interval 1.03 to 3.01)]. Self-reported 7-day abstinence at 6 months was 23.3% in the intervention group and 12.9% in the control group (percentage difference = 10.6%) (95% confidence interval 5.86 to 15.41; p < 0.001) [relative risk 1.80 (95% confidence interval 1.36 to 2.38)]. Daily e-cigarette use was 39.4% in the intervention group and 17.5% in the control group at 6 months. No serious adverse events related to taking part in the trial were reported. The economic evaluation found the intervention was likely to be cost-effective, judged by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence threshold. The process evaluation found the intervention to be acceptable to both staff delivering it and participants receiving it. The brief nature of the intervention was highly adaptable to context, and interviews demonstrated how the intervention supported different pathways towards cessation. The inability to blind participants or researchers, the relatively low level of biochemical verification due to the nature of the population recruited and the fact that those in the control group did not receive usual care. An opportunistic smoking cessation intervention comprising brief advice, an e-cigarette starter kit and referral to stop smoking services is effective for sustained smoking abstinence with few reported adverse events. Future work will include testing other behaviour change interventions in the emergency department and adapting the Cessation of Smoking Trial in the emergency department intervention for other settings. This synopsis presents independent research funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme as award number NIHR129438.