University of Wales Institute Cardiff

This article analyses a wartime feminist publication, Zhenskaia Pravda (Women's Truth), founded by the Feminist Anti-War Resistance shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. We examine the publication as an activist do-it-yourself newspaper and a contemporary version of Soviet samizdat . We explore how, in its 41 issues, it speaks to the intended Russian female readers and, we suggest, invites them to take part in anti-war action. We show how Zhenskaia Pravda puts forward three main types of activist ‘selves’ to which readers can relate: a decolonial activist self, a dissident self and an everyday heroine self. By uncovering these selves, we expose conflicting representations of gender, coloniality and popular feminism, and suggest that Zhenskaia Pravda strategically combines these elements. We argue that it employs a flexible distribution format and ambiguous messaging to speak to diverse Russian audiences and to encourage anti-war resistance.

Diarylated thioethers are privileged scaffolds foundacross pharmaceuticals,functional materials, and molecular electronics. Conventional approachesto these motifs, typically via C–H functionalization or C–Xcross-coupling with thiophenols, disulfides, thiosulfonates, and relatedsulfenylating agents, remain hampered by foul odors, instability,air- and moisture- sensitivity, tedious synthesis, and poor selectivity,often producing undesired byproducts. In contrast, the few strategiesthat employ elemental sulfur for symmetrical thioether synthesis arelargely confined to copper catalysis and lack generality. Therefore,a straightforward and sustainable route to symmetrical thioethersfrom readily accessible, bench-stable sulfenylating agents with broadsubstrate compatibility is highly desirable. Herein, we demonstrate N,N′-thiobisphthalimide as a bench-stablesulfenylating reagent enabling the synthesis of symmetrical diaryl/diheteroarylthioethers or dibenzothiophenes in yields up to 97%. This transformationprecedes via a single-atom transfer (SAT) strategy under metal-freeB­(C6F5)3 catalysis with electron-richarene and heteroarene substrates. Mechanistic investigations, supportedby DFT calculations, cyclic voltammetry (CV), and UV–vis. studies,reveal a stepwise ionic pathway and rationalize the observed regioselectivityand substrate-dependent reactivity. Beyond synthetic value, the ambipolarredox behavior of the resulting thioethers establishes them as tunablephotoredox mediators, bridging small-molecule synthesis and functionalmaterial design.

GABAA receptors (GABAARs) are heteropentameric ion channels that control almost all CNS functions, including spinal nociception. Most GABAARs contain a γ2 subunit but differ in their α and β subunit composition. TPA023B is an α2/α3 subtype selective, non-sedative, positive allosteric modulator (PAM) with antihyperalgesic activity in rodents. The pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) characteristics of its antihyperalgesic action are unknown. To establish the PK/PD relationship for the antihyperalgesic effects of TPA023B, blood and brain concentrations, and brain and spinal cord receptor occupancies (RO) were determined at various time points following the administration of single oral doses of TPA023B in mice, and correlated with the antihyperalgesic effects (increases in paw withdrawal thresholds to punctate mechanical stimuli). In addition, the potentiating effects of TPA023B on recombinant γ1- and γ2-containing GABAARs (γ1-GABAARs and γ2-GABAARs, respectively) were determined in electrophysiological (patch-clamp) and fluorometric (membrane potential-sensitive dye) assays. Antihyperalgesic effects of TPA023B correlated well with blood and brain concentrations, and no signs of tolerance (clockwise hysteresis) were observed. However, antihyperalgesia did not correlate with receptor occupancy at γ2-GABAARs, suggesting that a relevant part of the antihyperalgesic action occurred through non-γ2-GABAARs. In this regard, experiments in heterologous expression systems revealed that TPA023B not only potentiates γ2 but also γ1 containing GABAARs. Antihyperalgesic effects of TPA023B do not undergo tolerance development. Besides γ2-GABAARs, γ1-GABAARs appear to contribute to the antihyperalgesic effects of TPA023B. γ1-GABAAR selective PAMs may hence have a therapeutic potential in chronic pain conditions.

Abstract Monolithic integration of active and passive photonics is the next step in miniaturization of semiconductor devices, to streamline their manufacturing and in doing so reduce their cost. However, Si’s inefficiency as a light emitter, and the high absorption from quantum wells or dots in III-V materials, requires that the two materials are heterogeneously integrated. This requires either regrowth or additional packaging steps, which add complication in scaling to mass manufacture, as well as high losses at material interfaces. This work proposes a solution whereby a monolithically grown GaAs/AlGaAs platform with both active and passive devices is achieved by using two vertically stacked waveguides, where only one of them contains quantum dots. In the gain section, where the InAs quantum dots emit light centred at 1300 nm, the waveguides are decoupled. By changing the relative environment of the two waveguides, light can be made to evanescently couple into the passive waveguide for low loss passive devices. This change can be brought about either by changing the local etch depth, or by the selective oxidation of Al0.98Ga0.02As underlayers. For the correct geometry, 94% of optical power can be successfully coupled between the active and passive waveguide. This coupling is simulated on FIMMPROP by Photon Design Ltd.

Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Programs (HVIPs), based in Emergency Departments (EDs), have been proposed as a public health response to violence. These programs address the underlying reasons why patients are exposed to violence. In addressing any underlying modifiable risks and vulnerabilities HVIPs can reduce patients' exposure to violence and therefore subsequent unplanned attendance into ED. The objectives of this study are to (1) assess whether patient involvement with a HVIP reduces the likelihood of unscheduled ED reattendance, (2) determine whether the presence of the HVIP improves ascertainment of violence in ED attendances, and (3) derive the costs of the HVIP and compare those to the benefits of the intervention and understand whether the HVIP represents value for money from a health service perspective. If an effect is observed, then models will estimate the health impacts, costs and potential savings over a longer time (eg, 10 years) period and for a national roll-out. ED patients are eligible for inclusion in the evaluation if they are normally resident in Wales, United Kingdom, aged 11 years and older. A controlled longitudinal natural experiment will be undertaken. The primary outcome is derived from the Emergency Department Dataset, routinely collected for all EDs in Wales, and is subsequent unplanned ED attendance. Case patients will be matched to control patients attending EDs without an HVIP. Analysis will derive the hazard rate for subsequent unplanned ED attendances using recurrent event analysis. The total monthly count of patients identified as attending because of violence in intervention EDs will be compared to the total count of Welsh control EDs in an interrupted time-series analysis to determine whether HVIPS increase violence ascertainment. To determine whether referral, versus no referral, to the HVIP represents value for money, we will undertake a cost-effectiveness analysis from the perspective of the National Health Service. The approval to access and analyze data housed in the Secure Anonymized Information Linkage (SAIL) databank, an ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 27001 certified and UK Statistics Authority accredited secure data environment, was granted by the SAIL independent Information Governance Review Panel (Ref: 1421). Findings will be presented at local, national, and international conferences and disseminated by peer-reviewed publication. Design inputs arising from public patient involvement and engagement (PPIE) are reported. As a protocol, no further results are available. Novel methods are developed to provide the first robust evaluation of Emergency Department Violence Intervention Programs (EDVIPs). ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN68945844; https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN68945844?q=68945844&filters=&sort=&offset=1&totalResults=1&page=1&pageSize=10. PRR1-10.2196/86247.

Abstract Disclosure: A.K. Hornsby: None. F. Hansen: None. M.A. Good: None. J.S. Davies: None. T. Wells: None. Temporal feeding schedules regulate the pattern and activity of hormone secretion, but the broader impact of these feeding rhythms remains poorly understood. We have used a CLAMS-based feeding station to demonstrate that, unlike grazing (GR), meal feeding (MF) elevates GH pulsatility to promote skeletal growth in mice via the action of ghrelin. Here we expand our analysis to investigate the impact of these feeding patterns on additional actions of ghrelin. Cumulative food intake (cF/I) in nocturnal MF wild-type (WT) male mice was 88% of that in ad libitum-fed (AL) mice (P=0.077) without affecting body weight or abdominal adiposity. This was exaggerated in GH secretagogue receptor (GHSR)-null mice (cF/I reduced by 15%; P=0.004) without influencing weight gain. While GR had no effect on cF/I or weight gain, abdominal adiposity was elevated by 32% (P=0.034), this being abolished in the absence of GHSR. MF doubled new neuron (BrdU+/NeuN+) survival in the granule cell layer (GCL) of the rostral dentate gyrus (rDG) (P=0.034), but reduced new non-neuronal (BrdU+/NeuN-) cell survival in the upper blade of the rDG by 71% (P=0.033); these effects being diminished in GHSR-null mice. In contrast, MF and GR doubled new neuron survival in the upper blade of the caudal DG (cDG), but only in the absence of GHSR (P=0.029 and 0.040). While GR had no impact on new neuron survival in the presence of GHSR, GR quadrupled new non-neuronal cell survival in the GCL of the cDG (vs AL-fed mice; (P=0.051). Absence of GHSR reduced new neuron survival by 54% in the upper blade of the cDG in AL mice (P=0.036). In the novel object-in-place (OiP) memory task that relies upon the hippocampus, AL WT mice discriminated significantly between moved and stationary objects (P=0.002). While this was not significant in GR mice (P=0.088) it was fully maintained in MF mice (P=0.0003). In contrast, OiP was maintained in both GR and MF mice in the absence of GHSR (P=0.030 & 0.018). In an open field test, MF GHSR-null mice showed a significant increase in anxiety-like behaviour (44% reduction in inner zone time vs MF WT littermates ; P=0.007), whereas the MF-induced elevation in outer zone velocity in WT mice, (P=0.006) was abolished in the absence of GHSR (P=0.006). GR did not affect time spent in the inner zone (vs AL WT and GR GHSR-null littermates; P=0.723 & 0.609), but overall and inner zone velocity increased in the absence of GHSR signalling (AL GHSR-null vs GR GHSR-null; P=0.027 & 0.019). In conclusion, MF promotes skeletal growth and modifies the spatial dynamics of new adult-born cell survival in the hippocampus to maintain spatial memory, with ghrelin acting to reduce anxiety and maintain exploration. In contrast, GR promotes fat deposition and impairs spatial memory. Our data imply that the impact of the contemporary shift from regular meals to less structured feeding on the ghrelin system may have a range of detrimental health outcomes. Presentation: Saturday, July 12, 2025

In 2021, Idriss published a manuscript outlining that an assignment commonly utilized in catalyst research is not feasible. Despite this, the idea that you can measure oxygen vacancies (OV) with ex situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) persists. A review of 427 manuscripts citing Idriss’s work found that for the citations related to catalysis (55%), those with an interest in OV were more likely to avoid using XPS to identify OV. Regardless, many catalysis researchers continue to rely on erroneous application of XPS data. Of the citations not related to catalysis research (45%), these were more likely to utilize the more obscure approaches. Surprisingly, two thirds of the citations showed no apparent interest in the assignment, an observation shared between both groups. We believe that many of these citations have failed to understand the original publication and/or are using it as a general citation for O 1s assignments. When the data were viewed as a function of publication year, three observations were made: (1) The number of citations using XPS for OV is increasing, (2) those utilizing it as a direct measure are decreasing, and (3) one alternative method is gaining popularity. Herein, we provide evidence that most approaches are generally not applicable, or if they are, can only be successfully performed in-operando using highly specialized equipment with carefully planned methodologies; less than 3% of the citations reviewed met these criteria. It is envisaged that this publication will assist in improving the quality of XPS data interpretation in relation to XP O 1s spectroscopy.

The integration of edge computing and machine learning (ML) in energy forecasting marks a transformative shift in optimizing energy systems. As energy demands fluctuate and renewable adoption grows, traditional forecasting methods struggle to adapt. By deploying ML algorithms for data streams on edge devices, it becomes possible to analyse large datasets in real time, uncovering complex patterns that improve forecast accuracy and reliability. The emergence of energy-edge orchestration, which supports continuous and efficient edge operation, further drives the need for edge-based forecasting, particularly in industrial processes powered by renewables like solar and wind. Local data processing reduces latency, lowers energy use, and enables real-time decisions for smart grids and predictive maintenance. This paper evaluates data stream ML models optimized for cloud and IoT settings, tackling challenges like concept drift, computational cost, and performance penalty. Unlike many deep learning approaches, our models maintain accuracy with reduced complexity, making them suitable for resource-constrained devices. We validate this on real-world solar power data from South Wales and energy market pricing from New Zealand, demonstrating improved renewable energy integration and sustainability through edge-based intelligence.

Abstract Introduction Multivessel coronary artery disease (MCAD) is a common manifestation of ischaemic heart disease, associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Revascularization using coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is standard practice for many patients. However, outcomes may depend on the completeness of revascularization—whether all ischaemic or anatomically significant lesions are treated—which is often suboptimal. Complete revascularization (CR) has been suggested to improve long-term outcomes compared to incomplete revascularization (IR), but head-to-head comparisons across modalities are limited. This protocol outlines the methodology for a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) assessing complete vs incomplete revascularization via CABG and PCI in patients with MCAD. Methods and analysis This protocol follows Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)-P and PRISMA-NMA guidelines and is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024610743). A comprehensive search will be conducted in MEDLINE, Embase and Scopus to identify RCTs and observational studies comparing complete and incomplete revascularization in MCAD. Eligible studies must report at least one of the following outcomes with ≥12 months follow-up: all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction (MI), target vessel revascularization (TVR), stroke, major adverse cardiac events (MACE), or major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). Risk of bias will be assessed using RoB2 for RCTs and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for observational studies. A Bayesian NMA with random-effects modelling will be conducted using the BUGSnet package in R. Treatment ranking will be performed using surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) values. Discussion This study will evaluate the impact of complete vs incomplete revascularization in MCAD, providing clarity on optimal strategies and informing patient-centred clinical decisions. Our findings will support clinicians in choosing revascularization methods that maximize long-term cardiovascular outcomes.