University College London

The Search for Life Elsewhere: Avoiding Hype and Fostering Public Understanding

The search for life beyond Earth presents unique challenges for science communication due to its interdisciplinary nature, the potential for groundbreaking discoveries, and the inherent uncertainties involved. The Lorentz Center workshop Breaking News: We Found Extraterrestrial L...

Natural Sunlight IR‐Driven Highly Efficient Synthesis of Acetaldehyde From Bioethanol Over Cu/Fe 2 O 3

ABSTRACT Using renewable biomass to synthesize valuable chemicals can reduce fossil fuel dependence and achieve carbon neutrality. Here, for the first time an infrared light‐driven catalyst, Cu/Fe 2 O 3 , was designed to convert bioethanol to valuable acetaldehyde, accompanied by...

Indoor smellscape interventions and designers’ intended impacts on building occupants: an exploratory review of project descriptions

Existing standards and academic research offer no guidance for intentional olfactory design. This gap is relevant because, although many indoor smells are shaped by occupants, the baseline olfactory conditions of a space can still be intentionally designed through architectural c...

Artificial intelligence in pituitary surgery: the path to clinical solutions

Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly moving from conceptual innovation to high-performing algorithms across the pituitary patient pathway, promising benefit to patients, endocrinologists and surgeons alike. Pre-operatively, machine learning applied to facial imaging,...

Tuning Cation Disorder in LiNi 0 . 5 Mn 1 . 5 O 4 via Room Temperature Continuous‐Flow Co‐Precipitation and Controlled Heat Treatment

A room temperature, continuous coprecipitation process with in‐line dynamic mixing (ACTIM) was used to synthesize a precursor (up to 0.42 kg h −1 ) to the high‐voltage cathode LiNi 0 . 5 Mn 1 . 5 O 4 (LNMO), consuming ~39% less energy at the coprecipitation step than a more conve...

The Impact Mechanisms and Paths of the National Big Data Comprehensive Pilot Zones on Urban Pollution Reduction and Carbon Mitigation

The National Big Data Comprehensive Pilot Zone (NBDCPZ) constitutes a landmark institutional initiative designed to advance and deploy data elements while strengthening governance capacity for environmental sustainability and low-carbon transition. Drawing on a panel dataset cove...

Companionship and Control: Experiencing ChatGPT as Writer-Identity Work in L2 Academic Writing

Abstract The rise of generative artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the landscape of academic writing. Existing research has largely emphasized functional aspects of tools such as ChatGPT (e.g., efficiency, accuracy, and plagiarism) while often overlooking how writers actua...

Delay Information Sharing in Two-Sided On-Demand Platforms

Problem Definition: We study delay information disclosure policies for on-demand platforms serving two user classes (customers and providers) who seek matches using the platform. The platform's objective is to maximize the match rate by choosing the level of information—no inform...

Outcomes of hospitalized children in rural Malawi: investigating the association between inpatient mortality and referral

<ns5:p>Background The under-five mortality rate counted 71 deaths per 1000 live births for children under five in Sub Saharan Africa in 2022, far above the SDG under five-mortality goal of 25 deaths per live 1000 birth. Referral issues are major challenges to child health and the...

MC-NODE: A Mechanism-Decomposed Neural Differential Model for PLGA Microsphere Drug Release Prediction and Attribution

Background/Objectives: Poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) microspheres support long-acting drug delivery, but their release profiles are difficult to predict because burst release, diffusion, polymer degradation, and formulation-dependent effects interact across multiple time scal...

Virtual reality mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for reducing psychological distress in people with depression and/or anxiety symptoms: two uncontrolled feasibility studies

Abstract Background Group mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is recommended for the treatment of subthreshold-to-mild depressive symptoms. Timely access to MBCT, however, is limited by accessibility issues. Self-help MBCT can overcome these issues, but is associated with...

Potentiation effects of the positive allosteric modulator PTC‐174 on NMDA receptors in neonatal male rat substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons

Abstract Background and Purpose Positive allosteric modulators bind to secondary binding sites on the receptor and alter receptor conformation and activation, changing agonist potency and efficacy. PTC‐174 is a novel NMDA receptor positive allosteric modulator that particularly e...

Community engagement in epidemics – experiences from the SoNAR-Global COVID-19 vulnerability assessment

Since the largest outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease 2014–2016, the concept of community engagement (CE) gained popularity in global frameworks and strategies to tackle infectious disease. Recent studies suggest that CE might be a useful approach to understand and resolve vulnerabil...

Analysis of drug development risks for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease from a sustainable accounting perspective

Abstract Background Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is among the most common chronic liver diseases worldwide [1], and its targeted therapy and new drug development have drawn extensive global attention. Prior relevant studies mainly focus on the...

Understanding possible differences between haemodialysis and haemodiafiltration which affect survival in end-stage kidney disease dialysis patients: the STITCHED study halted by the COVID-19 epidemic

<ns5:p>Background The mortality rate of kidney dialysis patients remains high, predominantly due to cardiovascular disease. The clearance of uraemic solutes with standard high-flux haemodialysis (HD) is mainly mediated by diffusion. More recently, haemodiafiltration (HDF), which...

Identification of a Duplication in the RP17 Locus in an Individual With Pathogenic CEP290 Variants: Implications for RP17 Variant Classification

Purpose: To assess the pathogenicity of a novel duplication in the RP17 locus identified in a cone dystrophy proband with biallelic CEP290 variants. Structural variants (SVs) in this locus have previously been associated with dominant retinitis pigmentosa. Methods: Inheritance of...

The dynamic and heterogeneous structure of the non-canonical inflammasome

Inflammasomes are high-molecular-weight complexes that play integral roles in the innate immune system, triggering an inflammatory cascade to protect against cellular stresses such as pathogenic bacteria. Both canonical and non-canonical inflammasomes have been described in the l...

An elementary form of agency at planetary-scale

Abstract The claim that climate homeorhesis—non-equilibrium steady-state dynamics that underlie Earth’s long-term habitability—depends on an integrated biosphere–climate system capable of acting on its own is central to debates surrounding the Gaia hypothesis. This paper presents...

eDAS: Extending Data Availability Sampling with Privacy and Compliance

A data availability sampling scheme (DAS) allows a network of verifiers to collectively ensure that an untrusted party is correctly storing and distributing some committed data. Importantly, the protocol should not require that the verifiers coordinate or store the full data indi...

Exploring Heterogeneity in Meta‐Analysis Using Trial‐Level Characteristics: A Tutorial

ABSTRACT This tutorial describes how to explore across‐trial heterogeneity in meta‐analysis using trial‐level characteristics. It describes how to carry out a subgroup analysis for a trial‐level characteristic with more than two categories and provides approaches for analysing co...