Aston University

Elite welfare and the good fortune of just being there

Abstract This paper examines how senior executives at the UK’s largest publicly listed companies financially benefited from the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS), and seeks to explain this phenomenon with the concept of elite welfare . Using a difference-in-differences rese...

The conversion of capital across fields: Hysteresis and the integration paradox among British Muslims

The integration paradox – heightened exclusion among the most socio-economically integrated members of some, though not all, minority communities – challenges linear models of incorporation. This article reconceptualises the paradox through a Bourdieusian field-analytic lens, usi...

Bilateral upper‐limb palsy of the newborn infant: Taxonomy, differential diagnosis, and clinical pathways

Abstract Bilateral reduction or absence of upper‐limb movement in a newborn infant is a rare but critical presentation that cannot be anchored on the unilateral paradigm of brachial plexus birth injury (BPBI). Bilaterality substantially widens the differential to include cervical...

Mapping sleep is a journey in the train sleep stories of the Calm meditation app

Abstract Sleep problems, including difficulties falling and staying asleep, are pervasive and, increasingly, people are turning to mindfulness-based interventions to support sleep routines as well as overall mental wellbeing. A widely used meditation app, Calm, offers a genre of...

Consumer Complaint Mining Through Topic Modeling and Sentiment Analysis: A Proof-of-Concept Analytical Framework for Decision Support

Consumer complaint narratives are an underused source of business and regulatory evidence. This study presents a proof-of-concept analytical framework for multi-dimensional complaint analysis and uncertainty-aware evidence synthesis, with potential use in human-in-the-loop decisi...

Fraud Among Young Adults: A Scoping Review of Victimization and Perpetration

This scoping review synthesized evidence on fraud victimization, perpetration, and prevention among young adults aged 18–25. Eighteen studies were included, predominantly quantitative and from China and the United States. Fraud types were inconsistently defined and rarely the pri...

Textual symbol of urban spatial differentiation: An empirical analysis on nomenclature of tea restaurants in Hong Kong

Spatial differentiation has long been a focus of scholars and policymakers due to its significant implications in urban planning and public administration. Existing research has approached this theme through structural, functional, and symbolic strands, yet the use of cultural ma...

PCSK9 inhibitors usage in South China: A Multi-Center Real-World Study

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors (PCSK9i) are effective for lipid management in high-risk patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Their inclusion in China’s National Reimbursement Drug List and the Hong Kong Hospital Authority Drug Formulary...

Behaviour and design of aluminium CHS in compression and bending

This study presents an experimental investigation of extruded aluminium circular hollow sections (CHS) subjected to compression and bending, with emphasis on local buckling and the design of slender sections. Nine stub column and seven four-point bending tests were conducted on a...

‘Caring for the club’: evaluating the role of supporter liaison officers in English football

This article examines a neglected and often misunderstood role in the governance of English football: the Supporter Liaison Officer (SLO). Originating in Germany in the late 1980s, a network of SLOs began to be embedded across European football after 2010. In theory, SLOs have a...

Distributed signal production in entrepreneurial ecosystems: evidence from Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa

Abstract Entrepreneurial ecosystem research has established that ecosystems influence venture development through networks, institutions, and support organizations, yet it offers limited explanation of how ecosystems shape the evaluative processes through which ventures gain acce...

Major adverse cardiac events and mortality associated with ADHD and its treatment in adults with type 2 diabetes: a multi-national cohort study

Abstract Background Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has been linked to elevated risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, the impact of ADHD and ADHD medication use on prognosis and health outcomes in T2D remains unclear. This study investigates the associations of...

Benzodiazepines use in primary care England: Prescribing patterns and adverse consequences

AIMS: Benzodiazepines (BZDs) are commonly prescribed for anxiety and insomnia but carry risks such as dependence, adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and mortality. Despite deprescribing efforts, the influence of recent prescribing trends, COVID-19 and adverse outcomes on prescribing p...

Capability-driven international scale-up: the moderating role of co-creation and technology

Purpose This paper investigates how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in resource-constrained regions build international scale-up intentions and convert them into internationalization performance. Drawing on a dynamic capabilities perspective, the study examines how capa...

Modifications to a vegan artificial honey result in inhibitory activity against Mycobacterium abscessus

The multidrug resistant Mycobacterium abscessus is an opportunistic pathogen of increasing concern, causing infections of skin and soft tissue as well as pulmonary, it can be life-threatening for immunocompromised individuals. Current treatment strategies are ineffective and new...

Transcritical CO₂ refrigeration cycle modifications: thermodynamic performance, practical challenges and future directions

Carbon dioxide (CO₂, R744) has emerged as a leading natural refrigerant alternative owing to its negligible ozone depletion potential, unity global warming potential, chemical stability, and favourable heat transfer characteristics. However, the low critical temperature (31.1 °C)...

Assessment of the plane of maximum curvature in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis using 3D ultrasound

Aims The size of the curves in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is traditionally assessed using 2D Cobb angles, which may underestimate the extent of this complex 3D deformity. The plane of maximum curvature, measured using 3D reconstructions of the spine, incl...

Meta-domain adaptive framework for efficient diagnostic assessment of lung infection using CT radiographs

Abstract Computed Tomography (CT) scans are widely used to diagnose lung infections; however, manual interpretation is labor-intensive. Artificial intelligence has accelerated the development of computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) systems, allowing faster and more accurate diagnosis....

Reframing HRM for a multipolar world: insights from the Asia-Pacific region

Purpose The purpose of this anthology is to critically evaluate the role of human resource management in International Business within an increasingly multipolar, digitally disrupted and institutionally diverse global environment. By bringing together leading scholars, the collec...

Data4Land - Reproducible Open-Source Tool for Enrichment of Land Use / Land Cover Rasters and Connectivity Maps

Abstract. Land use/ land cover (LULC) datasets derived from remote sensing are widely used in geospatial applications for environmental management, natural capital assessment, and spatial planning. However, their spatial resolution, thematic consistency, and accuracy are often in...