University of Birmingham

Quinoa is a pseudocereal with a complete essential amino acid profile and nutritionally favourable fatty acid composition. Here, cryo-milling was used to disrupt quinoa seeds, promoting the preservation of the native oleosome structure, which was then recovered by centrifugation of the cryo-milled seed suspension. The remaining flour suspension was used to extract quinoa protein isolate; applying alkalinisation followed by precipitation with HCl, acetic acid or citric acid. Microscopy, droplet size and ζ-potential data indicated recovered oleosomes were predominantly in their native state, which was retained after acid treatment. Quinoa protein precipitated with citric acid showed a higher denaturation enthalpy compared to protein precipitated with HCl or acetic acid. The citric acid-based protein gel also had the highest final gel strength and showed a fine stranded microstructure, while the HCl-based protein gel had the lowest final gel strength and displayed a particulate microstructure. Treatment with acetic acid gave a protein gel that demonstrated a mix of both types of microstructures. This study not only introduces quinoa seed oleosomes and quinoa protein isolate with improved and tailored functionality but also demonstrates the potential of cryo-milling as a seed disruption technology that allows recovery of intact oleosomes. • Extraction of quinoa seed oleosomes (OS) and protein isolates; • Cryo-milling allowed OS recovery in the native state; • OS microstructure was not affected by acid treatment; • Precipitation with citric acid protected native protein and improved gel strength.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of work-from-home (WFH) practices, raising important questions about their long-term implications for organisational performance. This issue is particularly salient for multinational enterprises (MNEs) and international small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), where digitalisation has significantly reshaped work arrangements. This study evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of WFH and their differential impacts on MNEs and international SMEs. A comparative analysis was conducted using expert pairwise judgements, assessed through linguistic terms with weakened hedges (LTWHs) within the Best–Worst Method (BWM) framework. The LTWHs approach enables experts to articulate nuanced and flexible preferences, extending traditional linguistic scales by softening the strength of evaluations. This makes it particularly suited for capturing subjective assessments of WFH impacts under conditions of uncertainty. The findings indicate substantial variation in WFH adoption, with private sector organisations demonstrating approximately 50 % greater willingness to adopt WFH compared to public authorities. The analysis further highlights the distinct advantages and disadvantages that shape the performance outcomes of MNEs and international SMEs. By introducing a novel hesitant fuzzy linguistic preference approach, this study develops a comprehensive framework for assessing the organisational consequences of WFH. The results offer valuable insights for managers and policymakers seeking to strike a balance between flexibility, productivity, and resilience in the design of post-pandemic work strategies. • Paper investigates the implications of work-from-home using digitalisation. • This is done on the performance of multinational enterprises and international SMEs. • Findings reveal a difference between the public and private sectors in their adoption of WFH. • Study highlights pros and cons of WFH, demonstrating their varying impacts.

This study provides novel evidence on perceptions and use of alcohol-free and low-alcohol (NoLo) products among mid-life women, a group underrepresented in alcohol research. A cross-sectional survey of 497 women aged 40-65 was co-developed with stakeholders to ensure relevance and acceptability. The survey assessed understanding of alcohol by volume (ABV) definitions (low-alcohol ≤1.2%; alcohol-free ≤0.05%), patterns of NoLo use, attitudes, and perceived helpfulness for harm reduction. Most respondents misunderstood ABV terms, with 64% assuming "alcohol-free" meant 0% ABV. Nearly half had used NoLo products in the past year, with uptake more common among participants with higher education levels and, more tentatively, with higher income, raising equity concerns. Bayesian regression identified taste motives as strong positive predictors of NoLo use, while enhancement motives (drinking for pleasure) were negative predictors. Around 75% rated NoLo substitution as helpful for reducing alcohol intake. In adjusted Bayesian regression, enhancement motives and AUDIT scores showed predominantly negative associations with perceived helpfulness, and taste motives showed no clear effect indicating that determinants of use and beliefs about helpfulness may differ. Acceptability varied by context: celebratory scenarios were rated most appropriate, while during pregnancy or in the workplace were least acceptable. Factor analysis revealed three sub-scales of NoLo perceptions; recent users reporting higher social and health benefits and fewer associations with alcohol-related cues. Findings underscore the need for policy to prioritise clear ABV labelling, inclusive messaging, and equitable access to appealing NoLo options that emphasise taste, social usability, and health benefits to maximise harm-reduction impact.

Selective attention involves prioritising relevant sensory input while suppressing irrelevant stimuli. It has been proposed that oscillatory alpha-band activity (~10 Hz) aids this process by functionally inhibiting early sensory regions. However, recent studies have challenged this notion. Our EEG and MEG studies aimed to investigate whether human alpha oscillations serve as a 'gatekeeper' for downstream signal transmission. We first observed these effects in an EEG study and then replicated them using MEG, which allowed us to localise the sources. We employed a cross-modal paradigm where visual cues indicated whether upcoming targets required visual or auditory discrimination. To assess inhibition, we utilised frequency-tagging, simultaneously flickering the fixation cross at 36 Hz and playing amplitude-modulated white noise at 40 Hz during the cue-to-target interval. Consistent with prior research, we observed an increase in posterior alpha activity following cues signalling auditory targets. However, remarkably, both visual and auditory frequency-tagged responses amplified in anticipation of auditory targets, correlating with alpha activity amplitude. Our findings suggest that when attention shifts to auditory processing, the visual stream remains responsive and is not hindered by occipital alpha activity. This implies that alpha modulation does not solely regulate 'gain control' in early visual areas but rather orchestrates signal transmission to later stages of the processing stream.

• Material and joint tests performed on 6082-T6 aluminium after thermal exposure. • Three lap joint configurations tested, showing distinct failure modes. • Stress–strain and fracture behaviour characterised via coupon testing. • Numerical models developed, validated, and used for parametric analysis. • Accuracy of design standards assessed and a modified bearing factor proposed. Structural aluminium alloys are commonly heat-treated to enhance their strength for load-bearing applications, but exposure to fire can degrade or completely eliminate these benefits. Even if a component withstands the fire, it may no longer meet design load requirements, making post-fire performance assessment essential. This study presents 16 material coupons tests and 12 experimental tests on 6082-T6 aluminium lap joints exposed to elevated temperatures (200°C, 300°C, and 400°C) prior to testing. Three joint configurations with varying bolt spacing were investigated, resulting in different failure modes: net section fracture, end bearing, and mixed failure. One unheated specimen per configuration served as a benchmark sample. Additionally, tensile tests on flat and flat grooved coupons were conducted to characterise the stress-strain and fracture behaviour after thermal exposure. The findings of the lap joint tests include load-displacement behaviour, as well as evaluations of failure loads and failure modes, and are reported in detail. Subsequently, numerical models were developed and validated against the experimental results. A parametric study was also carried out to investigate the influence of the bolt hole end and edge distance on the joint performance. The experimental and numerical results were used to evaluate the accuracy of existing design standards for predicting the resistance of aluminium alloy connections, including AS/NZS 1664.1, EN 1999-1-1 (Eurocode 9), and the provisions available in the literature. Based on the experimental and numerical data, a modified design equation for the bearing resistance factor is proposed to improve the prediction accuracy, and enable post-fire design that accounts for temperature-induced degradation.

This paper reexamines the beta-return relation through the lens of time-varying risk aversion. We show that the security market line (SML) depends critically on the level of aggregate risk aversion. During periods of high risk aversion, the SML exhibits a positive slope and an intercept that is statistically indistinguishable from zero, with investor sentiment playing only a minor role. During periods of low risk aversion, the SML slope becomes negative and the intercept is significantly positive. Investor sentiment affects the SML only when risk aversion is low. These patterns are robust across alternative portfolio constructions, longer investment horizons, and multiple measures of risk aversion.