United Kingdom Research Articles

Air Passenger Rights Case Law Developments From 16 June to 09 December 2024

From 16 June to 9 December 2024, there have been limited case developments concerning air passenger rights. The first part of this article highlights recent decisions from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) that have shed light on the interpretation of EU Regulation No 261/2004 and Regulation (EU) No. 1215/2012. The second part presents a non-exhaustive overview of selected significant rulings from non- EU countries. In the case joined Case E EAD v. DW (C-650/23) and Flightright GmbH v. Condor Flugdienst GmbH, the Court clarified that passengers can rely on the rights provided under Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, even when their flights are part of package tours. In JX v. FTI Touristik GmbH, the Court determined that Article 18 of (B) Regulation (EU) No. 1215/2012 not only governs international jurisdiction but also specifies territorial jurisdiction, allowing the consumer to sue in the court of their domicile. In the case International Air Transport Association v. Canada (Transportation Agency), the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the Canadian Air Passenger Protection Regulations (APPR) do not violate the Montreal Convention’s exclusivity principle. In the case Lipton and another v. BA Cityflyer Ltd, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom held that the cancellation of a flight, does not qualify as an ‘extraordinary circumstance’ under EU Regulation 261and that causes of action arising before Brexit should be governed by the EU law in force immediately before the UK’s exit, as retained EU law. div/div

Boosting photosynthesis opens new opportunities for agriculture sustainability and circular economy: TheBEST-CROP research and innovation action.

There is a need for ground-breaking technologies to boost crop yield, both grains and biomass, and their processing into economically competitive materials. Novel cereals with enhanced photosynthesis and assimilation of greenhouse gasses, such as carbon dioxide and ozone, and tailored straw suitable for industrial manufacturing, open a new perspective for the circular economy. Here we describe the vision, strategies, and objectives of BEST-CROP, a Horizon-Europe and United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) funded project that relies on an alliance of academic plant scientists teaming up with plant breeding companies and straw processing companies to use the major advances in photosynthetic knowledge to improve barley biomass and to exploit the variability of barley straw quality and composition. We adopt the most promising strategies to improve the photosynthetic properties and ozone assimilation capacity of barley: (i) tuning leaf chlorophyll content and modifying canopy architecture; (ii) increasing the kinetics of photosynthetic responses to changes in irradiance; (iii) introducing photorespiration bypasses; (iv) modulating stomatal opening, thus increasing the rate of carbon dioxide fixation and ozone assimilation. We expect that by improving our targeted traits we will achieve increases in aboveground total biomass production without modification of the harvest index, with added benefits in sustainability via better resource-use efficiency of water and nitrogen. In parallel, the resulting barley straw is tailored to: (i) increase straw protein content to make it suitable for the development of alternative biolubricants and feed sources; (ii) control cellulose/lignin contents and lignin properties to develop straw-based construction panels and polymer composites. Overall, by exploiting natural- and induced-genetic variability as well as gene editing and transgenic engineering, BEST-CROP will lead to multi-purpose next generation barley cultivars supporting sustainable agriculture and capable of straw-based applications.

U-shaped association between residential greenness and keratoconus.

Keratoconus is a blinding corneal disorder influenced by genetic factors. Whether environmental factors influence it remains unclear. Here, we observed a U-shaped association between residential greenness and keratoconus, with increased odds ratios (ORs) at low and high greenness levels. In the Chinese Environment-Ocular Surface (EOS) study, a case-control study of 4341 keratoconus and 3723 controls, the multivariate-adjusted ORs [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] of keratoconus associated with the lowest quartile and the highest quartile of residential greenness were 1.33 (1.23, 1.55) and 1.54 (1.37, 1.72) compared with the intermediate quartile, respectively. In spline analysis, the U-shaped association was consistently indicated, with the lowest odds of keratoconus at the 300m buffer normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) of 0.42. Specifically, the association was more pronounced for male, younger (<24 years), and urban-dwelling participants. Urban residents tend to benefit from increased greenness, whereas others may experience adverse effects due to hazards associated with high levels of residential greenness. The association was further validated in a prospective cohort of 502,367 participants from the United Kingdom Biobank (UKB). The results showed that participants with the first quartile residential greenness were 1.8 times (1.12, 2.91) more likely to develop keratoconus than those with intermediate greenness. The results suggested a U-shaped association between residential greenness and keratoconus; both low and high levels of residential greenness were associated with higher odds of keratoconus.

Development of an Integrated Modeling Framework for Visibility and Air Quality Forecasting in Delhi

Abstract Rapid urbanization has subjected the megacities of developing countries to various environmental stresses. Delhi, a major Indian megacity, faces increasing urban stress leading to reduction in air quality and visibility. These challenges necessitate an integrated modeling framework to mitigate adverse environmental impacts on public health. Therefore, we have developed an advanced version of the high-resolution Delhi Model with Chemistry and aerosol framework (DM-Chem) at the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) under the Weather and Climate Science for Service Partnership India (WCSSP India) project. This collaborative initiative between India and the United Kingdom aims to provide real-time forecasts of visibility and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) for Delhi and neighboring regions during the winter season. The DM-Chem framework is unique due to its detailed urban canopy scheme and realistic aerosol representation, making it well suited for city-scale forecasts. It is designed to predict extreme fog and pollution events in the winter season. Here, we discuss the major physical parameterization improvements for the model, along with its skill and deficiencies in predicting extreme events. Notably, irrigation effects on surrounding agricultural areas have significantly improved fog and visibility forecasts, but have degraded the wind forecasts. We demonstrate the applicability of this modeling framework to study aerosol–radiation interaction during fog holes and discuss its potential to be applied or adapted to other megacities worldwide.

Genetically mimicked effects of evinacumab on psoriasis: a drug target Mendelian randomization study.

Dyslipidemia has been reported to contribute to the psoriasis pathogenesis. Thus, evinacumab, a novel lipid-lowering drug targeting angiopoietin-like 3, may have therapeutic potential to treat and/or manage psoriasis. Summary statistics were obtained from genome-wide association studies addressing psoriasis (FinnGen Consortium; n=216,752) and serum lipid concentrations (United Kingdom Biobank; n=403,943-440,546). Two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses were conducted to evaluate the associations of serum lipid concentrations and genetically mimicked effects of evinacumab, respectively, with the risks of psoriasis and its subtypes. Genetically determined per standard deviation increase in triglyceride concentrations was associated with increased risk of psoriasis (OR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.03-1.32, p=0.018), whereas that in low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) was associated with both psoriasis (OR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.05-1.43, p=0.011) and its subtypes, including arthropathic psoriasis (OR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.02-1.65, p=0.032), psoriasis vulgaris (OR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.16-2.99, p=0.0095), and guttate psoriasis (OR: 2.19, 95% CI: 1.17-4.07, p=0.014). Moreover, genetically mimicked effects of evinacumab, via angiopoietin-like 3 inhibition, significantly reduced the risk of psoriasis (OR: 0.752 per standard deviation reduction in triglycerides, 95% CI: 0.577-0.982, p=0.036) and arthropathic psoriasis (OR: 0.266 per standard deviation reduction in LDL-C, 95% CI: 0.0886-0.799, p=0.018). The genetically mimicked effect of evinacumab has the potential to reduce the risk of psoriasis and arthropathic psoriasis by lowering circulating triglyceride and LDL-C concentrations, respectively. These findings suggest that evinacumab may help prevent psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis progression in clinical practice.

Risk Categorization of Foods of Non-Animal Origin Subject to United Kingdom Import Controls.

Significant volumes of foods are traded between countries and this trade brings with it opportunities for foodborne hazards to cross borders and pose a public health risk. The Competent Authority in the importing country has a duty to protect its population from these foodborne hazards. Due to the high volumes of imported food as well as World Trade Organization requirements, border checks need to be prioritized in a risk-based manner. This represents an enormous practical challenge to which efficient solutions are required. This paper describes an approach to risk categorization and ranking of imported Foods of Non-Animal Origin on a food/country of origin/hazard (combination) basis. Combinations were scored using data on product characteristics, hazard characteristics and import volumes, with weightings applied following external consultation. The described approach differs from most others in that it categorizes and ranks microbiological, mycotoxin and chemical hazards with a single approach and on the same scale, allowing for meaningful comparison between the combinations. The output is a risk categorization, a relative risk ranking and a heat map, all of which provide information that can be used alongside other data by risk managers when prioritizing interventions at the border.

Estimating the ovarian cancer CA-125 preclinical detectable phase, in-vivo tumour doubling time, and window for detection in early stage: an exploratory analysis of UKCTOCS.

The ovarian cancer (OC) preclinical detectable phase (PCDP), defined as the interval during which cancer is detectable prior to clinical diagnosis, remains poorly characterised. We report exploratory analyses from the United Kingdom Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS). In UKCTOCS between Apr-2001 and Sep-2005, 101,314 postmenopausal women were randomised to no screening (NS) and 50,625 to annual multimodal screening (MMS) (until Dec-2011) using serum CA-125 interpreted by the Risk of Ovarian Cancer Algorithm (ROCA). All provided a baseline blood sample. Women with invasive epithelial OC diagnosed between randomisation and trial censorship (Dec-2014) in the MMS and NS arms with two or more CA-125 measurements, including one within two years of diagnosis were included. OC-free women (2:1 to cases) from the MMS arm provided information on baseline CA-125 distribution. CA-125 measurements were obtained from MMS results, secondary analysis of baseline samples, and medical records. PCDP duration and in-vivo tumour doubling time were estimated using the change-point model underlying ROCA. Early-stage (Stage I and II) PCDP was estimated from a Bayesian model for the probability of early stage given a CA-125 measurement. Of 541 women (2371 CA-125 measurements) with high-grade serous cancer (HGSC), 93% (504/541) secreted CA-125 into the circulation. Median CA-125 PCDP duration for clinically-diagnosed HGSC was 15.2 (IQR 13.1-16.9, 95% IPR 9.6-21.8) months, of which 11.9 (IQR 10.5-13.1, 95% IPR 7.5-16.5) months was in early stage. The median HGSC in-vivo tumour doubling time for cancers secreting CA-125 was 2.9 (IQR 2.3-3.7, 95% IPR 1.5-7.6) months. We report a comprehensive characterisation of the OC CA-125 PCDP. The 12-month window for early-stage detection and short tumour doubling time of HGSC provide a benchmark for researchers evaluating novel screening approaches including need to reduce diagnostic workup interval. Equally the findings provide urgent impetus for clinicians to reduce intervals from presentation to treatment onset. NCI Early Detection Research Network, Concord (MA) Detect Ovarian Cancer Early Fund, MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL Core Funding.

A Cross-Country Comparative Study: The Impact of Open Banking Policies on SME Financing Efficiency

With the development of global fintech, open banking policies, as a model that improves the efficiency of financial services through data sharing and technological innovation, have gradually been widely adopted in financial systems around the world. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as key pillars of economic growth, benefit significantly from improvements in financing efficiency. However, the effects of open banking policies differ across countries, especially in terms of their impact on the financing efficiency of SMEs, which still requires further exploration. This study conducts a cross-country comparative analysis to examine the impact of open banking policies on SME financing efficiency. It selects five representative countries— the United Kingdom, Germany (representing the European Union), Singapore, Brazil, and India— to analyze the heterogeneous performances in the implementation of open banking. Using regression analysis, the study investigates the impact of key quantitative indicators of open banking policies, such as the volume of data shared, API response time, and API uptime, on loan approval speed, loan cost, rejection rate, and loan default rate. The results show that open banking policies significantly enhance SME financing efficiency in all countries, though the effects vary considerably. The UK and Germany have shown significant improvements in reducing loan default rates, while Singapore, Brazil, and India have enhanced financing efficiency through data sharing and API technologies. This study provides valuable insights for global policymakers, suggesting specific pathways to further optimize the open banking framework to boost SME financing efficiency

Implementing behavioural science-informed letter interventions to increase COVID-19 vaccination uptake in London residents. A difference-in-difference study in London, United Kingdom.

The accelerated development of vaccines to mitigate COVID-19 was crucial in the response to the 2020 pandemic. The success of vaccination strategies relies upon adequate uptake across the population. In the United Kingdom, COVID-19 vaccination began in December 2020, with population groups invited in priority groups according to age and clinical vulnerability. By February 2021, uptake rates were lower in North West London than the national average. This study aimed to explore whether behaviourally-informed (BI) letters could increase the rate of first vaccine uptake in previously uncontactable residents. BI letters were designed to invoke a sense of ownership, and highlight the ease of accessing a vaccine. Letters were sent to unvaccinated uncontactable residents in a Central London Borough over a 3-week period. Three neighbouring boroughs in London with similar non-responder data acted as controls. A linear difference in difference (DID) analysis assessed the change in the rate of vaccine uptake across all four boroughs, with percentage point change adjusted for covariates including ethnicity, age, gender and socioeconomic status. In total, 10,161 residents in Central London were eligible to receive our BI letter. All four boroughs demonstrated an increase in vaccination, with an absolute increase of 4.3% in the intervention borough. Our linear DID analysis showed a 14.7% increase in vaccination likelihood in the intervention borough following the intervention on average across all weeks included in the study. Residents with a mixed or multiple ethnic background were less likely to receive a COVID-19 vaccination. Those from a more deprived socioeconomic background demonstrated the largest rate of change. Our study highlights the effectiveness of traditional communication strategies such as letters in those who are uncontactable by other means. Incorporating behavioural science principles into healthcare communication, such as those designed to evoke a sense of ownership can enhance their effectiveness.

"If there was a quick and easy way to participate": The engagement of United Kingdom radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging departments in research strategy.

Research strategies support professionals to create a shared vision and work towards common objectives which can enhance workforce satisfaction, retention and patient experience. Our research aimed to capture the current number of United Kingdom (UK) radiotherapy and diagnostic imaging departments that have a local discipline specific research strategy in place. We also sought to understand the contributing factors to their development, with the aim of generating models of support to enhance future local research strategies. A discipline specific cross-sectional survey was co-developed by the research team, the College of Radiographers (CoR) and our patient and public involvement and engagement representative. Distribution was via the CoR to radiotherapy and imaging departments across the UK. Complete responses were received from 32 radiotherapy and 19 imaging departments, discipline specific strategy numbers were low with only 10 and 3 departments respectively having one in situ. Barriers and enablers to their development as well as disparate motivations and intentions to develop a strategy were evident within and across each discipline. The respondents identified a range of formats and topics to help the development of strategies. Radiographers are keen to develop and implement their own research ideas, however this work is additional to clinical service demand. Removing barriers to research participation is a strategic priority, regional cooperation and coordination may play an increasing role in research engagement, scale and support. Opportunities to increase ownership and confidence in research strategy development should be pursued including template strategies and professional facilitation. A discipline specific strategy would support departments to navigate the complexities of research regulation and policy and overcome the challenges faced by competing priorities.

Enhancing maternity healthcare workers’ wellbeing using insider participatory action research

BackgroundGood healthcare worker (HCW) wellbeing positively impacts service user outcomes, yet the United Kingdom (UK) National Health Service (NHS) is suffering workforce burnout and retention issues. While urgently needing evidence-based wellbeing strategies, participatory interventions using positive psychology have been under-investigated. We aimed to develop a caring, collegial NHS labour ward environment wherein HCWs created paths to enhancing individual and collective workplace wellbeing.MethodsInsider Participatory Action Research (IPAR) used positive psychology within a social constructionist, pragmatic approach. All clinical and non-clinical HCWs on a consultant-led labour ward in the East Midlands, England, UK were invited to identify current sources of workplace wellbeing on which to collectively construct future ways of working. Qualitative data from several methods (below) were inductively thematically analysed.ResultsBetween October 2018 and July 2020, data were generated from 83 paper and 13 online questionnaires; 59 interviews; three action groups; six peer participant reviewers; 16 comments on data displays; and three emails. Three themes represented sources of workplace wellbeing: emotional, professional, and physical nourishment. Culture shifted to be more compassionate and inclusive, and morale, positivity, and atmosphere improved. Ways of working changed. Colleagues more proactively cared for each other, worked well together in teams, expressed thanks and feedback, and instigated interventions for colleagues’ and women’s welfare. Participants proposed that IPAR activities prompted change including: the researcher being considered an accessible colleague wellbeing resource; raised awareness of the importance of HCW wellbeing; and strengthened HCW relationships. The HEARS wellbeing intervention model (HCW driven, Everyone involved, Ask what makes a person feel good at work, Responses displayed, Steps taken) was developed to frame processes by which HCW participation catalysed impact towards workplace wellbeing.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first English language study using IPAR to enhance HCW wellbeing. Colleagues from diverse occupational groups improved individual and collective wellbeing through self-determined action. Using participatory methodology and positive psychology encouraged a more compassionate and inclusive culture. Subject to implementation research evaluating these strategies’ impact in different settings, we propose the HEARS wellbeing intervention model and workplace-based Colleague Support Volunteers as actions towards wellbeing and retention in healthcare organisations.

Formula Labelling in the United Kingdom: Manufacturers' Compliance With the Code, UK Law and Guidance Notes.

The International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes ('the Code') was established to protect babies and young children from inappropriate marketing of formula milk, bottles and teats and avoid undue commercial influence on caregiver infant feeding practices, including undermining breastfeeding and safe and appropriate formula feeding. UK law encompasses some but not all of the Code. To address persisting concerns about the marketing of infant formula (IF) and follow-on formula (FoF), we assessed labelling compliance in the UK against relevant provisions in the Code, UK law and Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Guidance Notes which interpret UK law. Data were collected during July and August 2022 by taking pictures of labels from company websites, in shops and online. We developed three labelling checklists to systematically assess compliance and to compare compliance scores between the regulatory frameworks, formula types and brands. We assessed 57 labels (n = 32 IF and n = 25 FoF) and found low overall compliance: 50% complied with UK law, 32% with Guidance Notes and 40% with the Code. None of the labels complied with provisions prohibiting idealising text and photographs, nutrition and health claims (where relevant) and cross-promotion between formula types. In conclusion, UK IF and FoF labels violate many of the provisions of all three regulatory frameworks. This is evidence of inappropriate marketing. The UK law should be better enforced and strengthened in line with the Code to protect breastfeeding, support safer, appropriate formula feeding and lessen commercial influence on infant feeding practices.

Publishing public service media on demand: A comparative study of public service media companies’ editorial practices on their VoD services in the age of platformization

This article contributes to the emerging empirical research on the editorial practices of video-on-demand (VoD) publishing in European public service media (PSM). It presents results from a comparative study of the editorial practices visible on the VoDs from ten PSM companies across six countries: United Kingdom, Belgium, Poland, Italy, Canada and Denmark. The aim of the article is to map and compare the editorial practices in the ‘prime space’ of the VoD services and the ‘prime time’ of the companies’ main linear channels. The analysis is based on data from a sample week of 13–19 November 2023. The article contributes to research addressing the key issue of universality in terms of content and discusses the conceptualizations of the audience that seem to be at work in the transition towards an online PSM identity.

Certifying Legal AI Assistants for Unrepresented Litigants: A Global Survey of Access to Civil Justice, Unauthorized Practice of Law, and AI

The global integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into legal services has created a critical need for clarity regarding unauthorized practice of law (UPL) rules. Traditionally, UPL rules prohibited unlicensed individuals from engaging in activities legally reserved for qualified attorneys, including, in some jurisdictions, offering legal advice, interpreting laws, representing clients in court, or drafting legal documents. Now that some AI systems can perform functions that practice of law regulating authorities have traditionally reserved for licensed attorneys, a framework is needed to certify the use of legal AI assistants by unrepresented litigants. Ensuring the accuracy of information provided by legal AI assistants for unrepresented litigants benefits the entire legal community, including attorneys, by promoting stricter standards and higher acceptance thresholds. We examine the perspectives of several primary stakeholders in certifying legal AI assistants, including unrepresented litigants, practice of law regulating authorities, judiciaries, the legislature, the legal aid community, and the legal tech community. We conduct a detailed survey of access to justice, AI, and UPL in various international jurisdictions, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, Germany, India, New Zealand, Nigeria, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In each of these jurisdictions, we explore how UPL is currently managed in the context of legal AI use by unrepresented litigants. We also include a 50-state and 6-territory survey for the United States on what each Bar Association and Judiciary is doing to regulate legal AI use by unrepresented litigants. In light of this survey, we propose that practice of law regulating authorities add certified legal AI assistants to their lists of UPL exemptions so that such assistants can provide specific and useful legal information, guidance, and advice to unrepresented litigants. We propose a capability-based framework for certifying legal AI assistants for unrepresented litigants. This is intended as a harmonized global proposal, designed for local implementation by each jurisdiction’s practice of law regulating authority, with the flexibility to address individual jurisdictional nuances. Unrepresented litigants are already using AI chatbots for help in legal proceedings, sometimes to their detriment. Our proposal aims to allow unrepresented litigants to use legal AI assistants that have been verified for accuracy. This framework addresses the key justification for UPL restrictions—the risk of incorrect legal guidance—by basing the certification of individual capabilities on their accuracy when tested on public benchmark datasets. Legal AI assistants are added to lists of UPL exemptions under this approach if their accuracy meets or exceeds a certification threshold when tested on these public benchmark datasets. The jurisdiction’s practice of law regulating authority would set the certification threshold or, as we suggest, a third-party certifying authority delegated to perform this task. While many public benchmark datasets are required under this framework, the legal AI community is rapidly developing such datasets. To enable AI to enhance access to justice for unrepresented litigants globally, practice of law regulating authorities in each jurisdiction must choose to exempt certified legal AI systems for unrepresented litigants from unauthorized practice of law regulations.

A cross-cultural mixed-methods approach to the conceptualisation of domestic violence in the United Kingdom and Peru

The lack of cross-cultural research on Domestic Violence (DV) for Latinx populations has left a disparity in culturally-informed frameworks and guidelines for best practice. This study proposes that understanding cultural constructs of DV contributes to the formulation of culturally-relevant programmes. Forty-one participants (21 from the UK and 20 from Peru) responded to a mixed-methods designed study that examined the definition of DV and blame attribution, using the Domestic Violence Blame Scale (DVBS). Results revealed the Peruvian public had significantly higher levels of blame attribution in societal, situational and victim blaming than the UK public. However, both the UK and Peru had aligning perpetrator blame attitude scores. This study also found crucial differences when defining DV, its associated characteristic behaviours, and the perception of who can be affected by DV. These findings could be implemented into existing practices to account for the needs of Latinx populations living in the UK.

Microbiological profiles of infectious corneal ulcers in Derbyshire and North Nottinghamshire-a 10-year analysis.

To assess the spectrum of organisms causing microbial keratitis and their in-vitro anti-microbial sensitivities out of 2 hospitals in the East Midlands Region of the United Kingdom. A retrospective review was undertaken of all patients who underwent corneal scrapes for infectious keratitis between 2011 and 2021 at Royal Derby Hospital (RDH) in Derby and between 2009 and 2021 at King's Mill Hospital in Mansfield. In total, the results of 645 corneal scrapes (from 622 patients) were analysed after exclusions. Of these, 307 (47.6%) yielded positive cultures. The mean patient age was 52.6 ± 22.1years (Mean ± St Dev) across both sites and 332 (51.4%) were from female patients. At RDH, there were 195 positive corneal scrape cultures, from which 250 species of organisms were isolated. At RDH, 64% (160/250) were Gram-positive bacteria, 32% (81/250) were Gram-negative bacteria, 2.4% (6/250) were Acanthamoeba species and 1.2% were fungi (3/250). At KMH, there were 112 positive cultures, from which 128 species of organisms were isolated. 14 corneal scrapes from KMH were polymicrobial. At KMH, 96% (123/128) were bacterial (51% Gram positive, 45% Gram negative), 3/128 (2.3%) were fungi and 2/128 (1.6%) were Acanthamoeba. Sensitivity testing confirmed that the fluoroquinolone class of antibiotics appeared to be effective against the majority isolates across the two hospital sites. There are differences in microbiological profiles between these neighbouring hospitals covering neighbouring populations. Despite these differences, reassuringly, the current first-line fluoroquinolone monotherapy treatment is an appropriate first-line treatment for both hospital sites.

The intersection of business and artificial intelligence in healthcare: Opportunities and ethical challenges

This dissertation seeks to examine the connection between business and artificial intelligence (AI) in the health sector, major possibilities, and the current ethical issues. It is evident that adoption of AI has revolutionized healthcare by improving clients’ satisfaction, productivity and cost by using technological tools such as analytical tools, tele surgery, and disease diagnosis. This is important because the global AI healthcare market has been estimated to grow to $45.2 Billion by 2026. The study of two different countries – the United States and the United Kingdom – offers an understanding of AI implementation, legislation, and ethical standards as the result of different health systems and legislation. This work reveal potential benefits are enhanced diagnostic accuracy, cost savings whereas the potential harms include violations of patient privacy, bias in algorithms, and accountable issues. The target field adopts theoretical concepts such as The Technology Acceptance Model and The Diffusion of Innovation Theory to review factors affecting AI uptake. This also looks into ethical considerations as a way of making sure that properly applied. The implications of the chosen regulatory frameworks as tools for the analysis of business and patient care strategies are demonstrated in the studied examples of GDPR and HIPAA. The studies provide practical recommendations for both healthcare organizations and policy-makers as well as companies that are importing AI into their services. In conclusion, this research provides to the improvement of healthcare while exploring the signals for confronting the moral issues of AI application on global healthcare settings.

The effect of pregnancy vitamin D supplementation on maternal blood pressure: real-world data analysis within the MAVIDOS randomised placebo-controlled trial.

Observational studies have suggested negative associations between maternal 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) status and risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy [pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) and preeclampsia (PET)]. Data from intervention studies are limited. We hypothesised that vitamin D supplementation would lower maternal blood pressure (BP) during pregnancy and reduce the incidence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. The Maternal Vitamin D Osteoporosis Study (MAVIDOS) was a randomised placebo-controlled trial. Pregnant women with a baseline 25(OH)D of 25-100nmol/l were randomized to either 1000IU/day cholecalciferol or placebo from 14 to 17weeks' gestation until delivery. BP recordings documented during routine clinical pregnancy care were obtained from clinical records and grouped into gestational windows based on the schedule for routine antenatal care in the United Kingdom (23+0-24+6, 27+0-28+6, 33+0-35+6, 37+0-38+6, 39+0-40+6 and ≥ 41+0weeks+days). Systolic and diastolic BP measurements in these gestational windows were compared between randomisation groups. Diagnoses of PIH or PET (in accordance with national guidelines) and the use of antihypertensive agents were also noted and compared between groups. Data for 734 women (366 cholecalciferol, 368 placebo) were included. Maternal mean systolic and diastolic BP did not differ between the randomization groups at any of the gestations studied. The incidences of PIH (placebo 1.6%, cholecalciferol 3.6%, p = 0.10) and PET (placebo 3.3%, cholecalciferol 3.8%, p = 0.68) were similar between the two groups. Gestational vitamin D supplementation with 1000IU/day from 14 to 17weeks gestation did not lower maternal BP or reduce the incidences of PIH or PET in this trial.

University students' religiosity in the United Kingdom and Poland: An exploration of sociodemographic determinants

University students' religiosity in the United Kingdom and Poland: An exploration of sociodemographic determinants

Design and simulation of hybrid renewable energy system integration of micro grids using Simulink

This research explores the novel design and simulation of a hybrid renewable energy system integrating photovoltaic (PV) panels, wind turbines, and a diesel generator backup to address the energy demands of an independent hostel in Nottingham, United Kingdom. The system prioritizes minimizing long-term costs and emissions while maintaining energy reliability. A detailed load profile was developed to optimize battery performance, reduce reliance on diesel, and extend battery lifespan, thereby lowering operational costs. Voltage source control and load profile modeling were implemented and evaluated using MATLAB R2023b. Simulation outcomes demonstrated a significant reduction in the diesel generator's runtime, leading to lower emissions. Additionally, the integrated energy management system ensures safe battery operations, enhancing system efficiency, sustainability, and overall performance. This research underscores the potential of optimizing renewable energy integration within microgrids using Simulink.