University of Manchester

NEW SEXUAL PUNS IN PLATO’S SYMPOSIUM : HICCUPS, SNEEZES AND PAUSANIAS

Abstract No consensus has been reached about the humorous banter in the sneezing and hiccups passages in Plato’s Symposium (185d2–e5, 189a1–c1). Drawing on the work of Craik, Henderson and others, as well as new evidence from the Hippocratic Corpus and Aristophanes’ plays, this a...

Mendicants and the Urban Mediterranean, c.1200–1500

“Mendicants are urban creatures” (p. 1); thus Jon Paul Heyne and Austin Powell, the editors of this excellent volume, commence their introduction. The intersection between the mendicants and the me...

Diagnostic interpretation of CFH expression in pan-cancer analyses: the importance of factor H–like 1 isoform resolution

Recent pan-cancer analyses have identified Complement Factor H (CFH) expression as an immune-related and prognostic biomarker. However, interpretation of CFH transcriptional data requires consideration of isoform specificity. The CFH gene encodes both full-length factor H (FH) an...

Zero-Error Online Memory under Blind Overwrites: Global One-Write Saturation, Sharp Storage Gaps, and Syndrome Compatibility

We investigate the exact memory complexity of zero-error online encoding under blind coordinate overwrites. A finite-state encoder maintains a binary record through successive assignments, while a decoder reconstructs erased coordinates using the stored state and the remaining vi...

Design-logic alignment in digital transformation: A qualitative meta-analysis of Kodak

ABSTRACT Why does an incumbent like Kodak, despite investing early in digital technology, still fail to create and capture value? We argue that Kodak’s fate exemplifies a canonical paradox of digital transformation (DT) because its organisational identity, strategy, and technolog...

Resonant Inelastic X-ray Scattering Covalency Analysis Reveals Non-Aufbau Electronic Configurations in Low-Valent Lanthanides

Abstract Divalent lanthanide ions can adopt complex 4fn5d1 electron configurations that formally violate the Aufbau principle. The blending of contracted 4f and diffuse 5d character strongly influences lanthanide frontier molecular orbitals, yet quantitative characterization of 5...

Apc-deficient pituitary stem cells drive adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma through senescence-associated inflammation

Abstract Adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas (aCPs) are complex intracranial neoplasms that arise in the sellar and suprasellar region of the brain, affecting the endocrine and nervous systems, causing severe sequelae. Although most of aCPs are driven by somatic mutations in β-ca...

Investigating anomalous microwave emission near G107.2+5.20 in Ku-band with the Green Bank Telescope

Abstract Anomalous microwave emission (AME) is 30 GHz-peaking continuum emission thought to arise from spinning dust grains. Building a spatially resolved sample of regions could offer insight into environmental drivers and the grain populations that produce AME. Using the Green...

Sustainable Energy Harvesting Using 3D Printed Self-Healing Cellulose-Derived Composites Reinforced with Yeast and Graphene

Abstract Development of sustainably processed ecofriendly composites is essential for advancing environmentally responsible 2D material-based flexible electronic platforms. Here, we present a PVA/CMC-YG layered composite, a lightweight and mechanically robust carboxymethyl cellul...

Informal care outside the household by older people and cardiovascular health of caregivers: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the SHARE European study

Social isolation is an established cardiovascular risk factor, but the health implications of providing social support remain understudied. We examined whether informal care outside the household is associated with any self-reported cardiovascular disease. We conducted a cross-se...

A Farewell to the “Rainbow Nation”: Storying Ubuntu and Beloved Community for Racial Reconciliation in South Africa – Towards a Womanist Approach

The “Rainbow Nation” narrative failed to achieve racial reconciliation in South Africa as many Black people continue living in the oppressive shadows of apartheid’s capitalist system. The nation is in desperate need of a new narrative; that is, ubuntu in the beloved community. Th...

Thermally Resilient Polymeric Antioxidants that Improve PET Stabilization with Reduced Additive Leaching

Abstract Antioxidants are incorporated into plastics to enhance their resistance to oxidative degradation. With rising concerns of leaching of additives and/or their degradation products into packaged goods and the environment, the development of antioxidants that maintain functi...

Day-case open lumbar spine surgery: a United Kingdom experience

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety, feasibility, and clinical outcomes of day-case open lumbar spine surgery performed in a stand-alone surgical hub in the United Kingdom. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of patients undergoing day-case open lumbar decompression or di...

Mental health effects of the universal credit rollout 2009–2019 on adults with dependent children: evidence from the UK household longitudinal survey

Background: Universal Credit (UC) is the UK’s largest recent welfare reform intended to streamline the benefits system and improve work incentives. However, UC features, including sanctions and work-related conditionality, may undermine financial security and harm mental health....

AI Companions and Loneliness: Conceptualizing and Operationalizing Synthetic Mindfulness and Exploring Its Role in Alleviating Loneliness

ABSTRACT The rise of AI companions has sparked interest in their potential to alleviate the growing social problem of loneliness, yet evidence of their effectiveness remains unsettled. Drawing on social surrogacy theory with a theories‐in‐use approach, this research introduces sy...

In vitro and in vivo functional roles of three region 1 promoters in Escherichia coli K1 capsule gene cluster

Capsular polysaccharides are key virulence determinants in extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli , protecting bacteria from host immune defences while modulating interactions with host tissues. In group 2 capsule gene clusters, transcription of region 1 genes required for c...

Within‐Sector Job Mobility and Worker Outcomes in England's Adult Social Care Sector

ABSTRACT England's adult social care sector faces persistently high staff turnover. This article examines the effects of individual‐level within‐sector job mobility on hourly pay and working hours and identifies the employer types and contractual arrangements that attract such mo...

Older adults’ beliefs about coping strategies for anxiety: A UK-based multicultural qualitative study informed by Leventhal’s Common-Sense Model of Self-Regulation

Aim Older adults experiencing anxiety disorders, particularly those from minority ethnic backgrounds, are less likely to use formal mental health services than younger adults. This UK-based multicultural qualitative study explored beliefs underpinning coping strategies for anxiet...

Development and Validation of a Tool to Measure Documented Health Care Encounter Time

Importance Time toxicity, defined as the time patients spend receiving cancer treatment and interacting with health care systems, is an emerging treatment-related burden. Existing studies typically quantify time toxicity using health care contact days, which may inadequately capt...

Noncentrosymmetric Manganese Bismuth Thiocyanate Perovskites

Abstract Symmetry-lowering orderings in perovskites can produce a wide range of functions. Thiocyanate based perovskites, AM(SCN)3, have orderings distinct from those of the atomic oxides, enabling new functional behavior. We report four new defect-ordered manganese thiocyanate p...