Lancaster Royal Grammar School

Becoming seriously and/or chronically ill can challenge and disrupt our sense of who we are in terms of our bodies, minds, and social roles. Although a substantial literature exists on metaphor and illness, the use of metaphor to represent identities has received little attention. This article focuses on similes as a particularly relevant manifestation of metaphoricity in language. An 8-million-word corpus of contributions to the Pain Concern online forum is investigated via a combination of corpus linguistic methods and in-depth qualitative analysis. We explore how contributors to the forum use similes to describe their own (changing) self-perceptions due to living with pain and its consequences. To this end, we introduce and demonstrate a multicomponent analytical framework, which, as we show, is equally applicable to the analysis of metaphorical expressions. The framework includes a consideration of source concept, type of identity, and viewpoint. With regard to our data, we show how similes are used to convey mostly unwelcome changes in the person's perception of themselves in physical, psychological, and/or social terms, potentially resulting in estrangement, low self-esteem, isolation, and disempowerment. More broadly, we suggest that our framework is applicable to the study of metaphorical representations of identities in the context of illness generally.

Contraception has undergone significant transformation throughout the years, evolving from rudimentary trial-and-error methods to contemporary bio-integrated technologies that shape reproductive autonomy and global health. This review traces the evolution from initial barrier methods and intrauterine devices (IUDs) to hormone delivery systems, with the emergence of implants, vaginal rings, and advanced contraceptive technologies. Analyzed from medical, technological, and social perspectives, it illustrates how scientific innovation, improved healthcare infrastructure, and supportive policies have expanded access to family planning while influencing individual future aspirations. In the future, emerging technologies such as multipurpose preventative technologies (MPTs), bioinformatics, and artificial intelligence (AI) may enhance the personalization, equity, and accessibility of birth control. Ultimately, the history of birth control reflects not only biomedical advances but also the ongoing global struggle for gender equality, reproductive rights, and health equity.

The adults of Cincticostella insolta (Allen, 1971) (Ephemeroptera: Ephemerel-lidae) are described and illustrated for the first time. Adults were successfully reared from mature nymphs collected in spring 2025. Species of the insolta complex share characteristic wing coloration in the subimaginal stage, as well as lateral scutellar projections in both subimaginal and imaginal stages. However, male adults of the insolta complex exhibit pronounced interspecific differences, particularly in body size, the structure of tergum IX, penis lobes, forceps morphology, and forewing venation.

Abstract The increasing availability of large data sets has initiated a resurgence in artificial intelligence (AI) research. Today AI is integrated into a wide variety of so-called smart products to personalize user experiences. Smart technologies are typically designed for ease of use, with their complex underlying procedures (intentionally) obfuscated; explaining particular outcomes is hampered by their inherent ambiguity. This lack of legibility leads to misconceptions about how AI works. Through design research, the authors address the challenge of AI legibility by designing AI iconography as an accessible way to communicate and better understand the role AI and data increasingly play in our everyday interactions.