Regent's University London

It was late November 2020 and the tension in the Google Research office in Mountain View was palpable. Dr. Timnit Gebru, co-lead of the company’s small Ethical AI team, received an urgent email from the leadership team regarding the paper’s review. Her team had spent months developing a paper that raised uncomfortable questions about bias, environmental costs and the concentration of power in large language models—technologies that underpinned Google’s business strategy. The findings, co-authored with internal and external collaborators were accepted at a top-tier AI conference. But now, leadership had concerns. The email asked her to withdraw the paper or remove Google-affiliated authors citing potential conflicts with business interests. For years, Gebru had advocated for transparency and inclusivity in AI systems. She had always believed that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) were not peripheral values but central to ethical innovation. Yet the more visible her work became; it placed her in conflict with one of the world’s most powerful technology companies. Now the question arose: Should Gebru protect her career by complying with Google’s request, or should she stand by her research that reflected her convictions on DEI—even though it exposed critical concerns about the company’s approach to AI fairness?

COVID-19 restrictions had a significant impact on family life, including daily activities and routines. This study aimed to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's sleep and feeding behaviours, through undertaking reflexive thematic analysis of parents' open-text box responses to survey questions related to their child's sleep and feeding practices during COVID-19 restrictions. Six hundred and ninety one parents of children aged 0-24 months old who were living in the United Kingdom completed an online questionnaire between 14th December 2020 and 15th January 2021. Results suggested that the pandemic resulted in specific contemporaneous changes to feeding and sleep practices. Specifically, for feeding there were positives around an extension to breastfeeding but this was alongside a negative perception of increased breastfeeding demand. For sleep practices, parents reported primarily negative implications of poorer child sleep and an increase in reactive bedsharing. Overall there were some positive implications on general practices which impacted both sleep and feeding, including providing the opportunity for parents to make beneficial adjustments such as to their routines. However, there were also clear negative implications around practical challenges and a lack of formal and informal help and support. This is the first study to explore the impact of the pandemic and its associated restrictions (which offered a unique snapshot in time, unable to be experimentally replicated) on infant and toddler sleeping and feeding practices. Findings have implications beyond the pandemic as they provide an illustration of the ways in which parents, if afforded with favourable circumstances such as additional time, flexibility, a reduction in perceived pressure and social stigma may seek to change their child's sleeping and feeding practices. In addition, specific child sleep and feeding behaviours which parents struggled with and may benefit from additional help and support in a post-pandemic context to contribute to children's development and well-being are highlighted.

Purpose : This research explored the factors prompting the diffusion of predictive analytics (PA) in international e-fashion companies. A typology of motives, advantages, and diffusion challenges was provided, and recommendations on overcoming them were suggested to PA executives. Methodology : Based on integrating the technology – organization – environment (TOE) perspectives into the steps of diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory, a new systemic framework was developed to explain the process of diffusing PA in e-fashion and to help design interactive, innovative marketing strategies that enhanced the customer experience in such an international e-commerce industry. This study adopted an interpretative approach by conducting 20 semi-structured interviews with e-commerce analytics leaders in the top 10 fashion companies between 2020 and the end of 2024. Findings : The findings referred to a range of motives based on intention to use, market niche, and informational, transactional, and transformational values provided by the companies. The challenges emphasized by the participants were complexity, organizational readiness, compatibility, management support, observability, privacy and security, external support, trialability, competitive pressure, and government regulations. Practical Implications : The study offered guidelines for PAs on how to set the right questions, frame their dataset, and set the right interactive, innovative strategy for customers. Originality : A dynamic framework of PA diffusion was provided to reflect the “Linear vs. Cyclical Process,” “Static Factors vs. Dynamic Processes,” “Inclusion of Post-Adoption Benefits,” “Nuanced Understanding of Management Support,” and “Specification of Key Challenges and Pathways.”

Dementia is a progressive neurodegenerative disease which is characterised by cognitive decline, memory loss, and behavioural changes. Patients suffering from dementia often experience emotional distress, sadness and depression which also impacts the wellbeing of their caregivers. Recent research has explored the potential of psychedelics, such as psilocybin and LSD, when treating various mental health conditions. Psychedelics are known to alter perception, mood and cognition by affecting serotonin receptors in the brain. Studies suggest that psychedelics may be a promising treatment for dementia patients and promote neuroplasticity, reduce neuroinflammation and enhance cognitive flexibility. These effects could potentially lead to a reduction in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases and improve the patients’ quality of life. Additionally, psychedelics might contribute to the prevention of dementia by fostering brain health and resilience against age-related decline. The application of psychedelics in dementia care might pose significant safety and ethical concerns. The present paper provides a narrative review of the existing literature on the use of psychedelics in treatment of dementia and its different types (Alzheimer’s) with the aim to raise awareness on the topic from a critical perspective.

This study is the first to investigate the relationship between climate change, green economy, and their combined impact on food security within Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The study employed a targeted non-systematic literature review and annual data spanning 2005 to 2022 and encompassing 39 SSA countries using rigorous econometric techniques, including Driscoll-Kraay fixed effects, two-step system GMM, and quantile regressions. Focusing on the quantitative and qualitative dimensions of food security, the literature review first concluded that most agricultural systems in SSA over the past nearly 10 decades failed to address food security, especially for the smallholders, the significant population across SSA. This is due to externally introduced agricultural systems and value chains not contributing to food security, whereas green economy actions show potential depending on the local socio-economic conditions. A conceptual model framework is proposed to consider the links between food security, climate change, agriculture, and the green economy. The econometric analysis found that carbon emissions significantly negatively affect food security in SSA. At the same time, the green economy demonstrates a positive effect, countering the adverse impacts of climate change on food security. Furthermore, the findings revealed that when climate change interacts with green economic activities, it curtails the adverse effects of carbon emissions on food security. As a result, green policy measures are essential in steering food security and reducing the adverse effects of climate change on food systems. The findings show the imperative for strategic policy interventions to bolster climate-smart agricultural methodologies focused on food security, sustainable land management practices, and inclusive renewable energy initiatives. This research paper contributes to the existing literature by delving into the holistic dynamics of climate change, the green economy, and food security. It delineates actionable pathways for policymakers and stakeholders. It advocates for a multidimensional approach prioritising food security in SSA, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as poverty eradication, hunger alleviation, climate action, and sustainable community development, aiming to pave the way for a more resilient and sustainable food future in the region.

This scoping review aimed to map school-based oral health interventions for adolescents in Nigeria and to identify gaps that can be addressed to promote optimal oral health in the population. This scoping review is registered with the Open Science Framework (OSF) Registries (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/CMRV4). An electronic search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, African Journals Online, and Google Scholar for papers focused on oral health interventions implemented in schools in Nigeria, involving adolescents, and published in English between January 2000 and July 2024 was retrieved. Information extracted included study characteristics (author, year, study design), study population characteristics, type of interventions, focus, and key findings. The search yielded 392 results, with five studies meeting the eligibility criteria. All studies focused on oral health education, and education was delivered verbally. Four studies assessed the effect of education on oral hygiene practices, three assessed the effect on the consumption of refined carbohydrates, two measured dental service utilization as an outcome, and one assessed smoking cessation. One study showed that peer- and teacher-led models demonstrated comparable effectiveness, making them viable in resource-limited settings. This scoping review found that school-based oral health interventions effectively improved oral hygiene among adolescent populations in Nigeria, though the few studies skewed to southern Nigeria make it difficult to generalize findings to Nigeria. OSF, https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/CMRV4.

Urbanisation has increased the need for sustainable urban development by positioning smart cities as critical frameworks for addressing environmental, economic, and social challenges. This study evaluates the sustainability strategies of three leading smart cities Zurich, Oslo, and Copenhagen by examining their environmental footprint, energy consumption, waste management, and air quality. The study uses a PRISMA-based systematic literature review to put together evidence from peer-reviewed articles published between 2017 and 2024. The Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) was used to assess the quality of the articles. The study reveals that smart mobility and waste-to-energy systems drive Zurich’s strengths in urban densification and public transportation, Oslo’s leadership in renewable energy and electric mobility, and Copenhagen’s ambitious carbon–neutral initiatives. Despite these achievements, challenges such as high implementation costs, slow technological adoption, and social equity issues persist, emphasising the complexity of achieving inclusive and sustainable urban evolution. To address these challenges, this study recommends increasing public participation through inclusive urban planning and digital platforms, strengthening policy frameworks, and funding for sustainability projects, and investing in data collection technologies to monitor real-time environmental impacts. Furthermore, fostering cross-city collaboration and addressing energy consumption challenges associated with AI and IoT are essential for scaling successful models globally. These insights offer actionable guidance for policymakers and urban planners to improve sustainability strategies and ensure long-term benefits.

ABSTRACT This article reviews the contribution to the scholarship of Henry Wheeler Robinson, Baptist Old Testament scholar and Principal of Regent's Park College. Robinson's entire academic career was undertaken in the context of denominational ministerial training, and his writings display a strong Christian commitment. At the same time, however, having himself studied during a period of epoch-making developments in biblical studies, Robinson was equally committed to engagement with contemporary scholarship. He insisted that the results of critical scholarship were vital to religion, and indeed, his signature concept of corporate personality in ancient Israel was developed by reading the biblical text in light of contemporary scholarship, to understand the text in terms of its own culture and ideas. Although Old Testament scholarship has moved on and Robinson's specific ideas have been critiqued, his principle of fully embracing critical scholarship as a necessary part of an informed faith nevertheless remains.