Huang and Shen [Math. Comput. 92 (2023) 2685–2713] proposed a semi-implicit tamed scheme for the numerical approximation of stochastic Allen–Cahn equations driven by multiplicative trace-class noise. They showed that the scheme is unconditionally stable on finite time intervals and can be efficiently implemented. In this paper, we investigate the long-time stability of this tamed scheme for stochastic Allen–Cahn equations driven by additive white noise. We also address the strong convergence analysis of the associated fully discrete scheme within the Galerkin finite element framework. The main contributions of this work are as follows: (i) by constructing a suitable Lyapunov functional, we establish the unconditional long-time stability of the tamed method; (ii) we rigorously derive the strong convergence rates of the fully discrete scheme obtained by coupling the tamed approach with the finite element method. Numerical experiments are provided to validate the theoretical analysis and demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.

This thesis examines the flood experiences of rural riparian communities along the River Severn catchment, addressing a significant gap in flood vulnerability research that has predominantly focused on urban contexts. Using an approach that integrates the principles of natural hazard management with rural geography perspectives, the study investigates how relational, and material factors shape human-flood system dynamics within diverse rural settings. Through a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative survey data (n=176) and qualitative interviews with community members including residents (n=18), business owners (n=7) and flood risk management (FRM) stakeholders (n=4), the research reveals the differentiated nature of rural flood vulnerability, risk perception, and resilience across varying settlement types. Findings demonstrate significant variations between villages and rural towns, with village residents experiencing greater direct flood impacts, higher mental health concerns, and stronger intra-community support networks, while rural towns benefit from better institutional engagement and protective infrastructure. The research identifies how life stage, place attachment, spatial location, rural function (distinguishing between residents and diverse business types including agriculture, hospitality, and service sectors), and community dynamics intersect to create distinctive patterns of vulnerability and resilience. Rural businesses, particularly agrarian enterprises, demonstrate heightened vulnerability due to their dependence on flood-exposed land, while non-agrarian businesses exhibit greater operational flexibility during flood events. Additionally, the study explores rural communities' perceptions of FRM agencies, highlighting issues of spatial justice and the potential for enhanced community participation in flood governance. By foregrounding lived rural experiences and recognising the differentiated nature of rural communities, this thesis advances both theoretical understanding of human-flood system dynamics and provides practical insights for more equitable, context-sensitive flood risk management approaches in rural areas.

A literature review exploring developing research-practice partnerships highlighted they originated in the education sector and have been operating for two decades in the United States. The literature was applied to frame a real-world case study and make recommendations to inform the development and implementation of such partnerships. Research practice partnerships are long-term collaborations between researchers and practitioners aiming to make practice-based improvement. The literature offers frameworks and guidance regarding how to establish and develop these partnerships and the factors required for success. Insights from the case study highlight the importance of adequate resourcing, open dialogue between partners, setting research goals, and establishing terms of reference. Research practice partnerships provide a platform in facilitating a range of partners in supporting the application of evidence into practice. The application of such partnerships has the potential to address current challenges by promoting evidence-informed practice. The uniqueness of this paper is in highlighting research practice partnerships can be implemented in adult social care and offering practical guidance. Research practice partnership can raise practitioners’ awareness of research and the associated processes required. Similarly, the researchers gain better understanding of the challenges faced in adult social care practice.

One phenomenon in moral decision-making is known as the Side-Effect Effect (SEE; Knobe, 2003), an asymmetry in which participants rate more blame for harmful side effects than they do praise for helpful side effects. Furthermore, participants are significantly more likely to state that harmful side effects are brought about intentionally compared with those that are helpful. The original theoretical explanation for the SEE was that observers utilise the moral valence of actions’ unintended consequences to determine their deserved praise and blame. The SEE has been previously demonstrated to be a robust effect that can be observed across languages, cultures, and age groups. Several theories have been developed to attempt to explain these judgements, including the Norm Violation Model (NVM), which is based on transgressions against social norms, and the Deep-Self Concordance Model (DSCM), which is based on comparisons between a person’s values and the alignment of their actions with these values. This thesis aimed to contribute to the theoretical understanding of the SEE by conducting a series of iterative, within-subjects, multi-item experiments that manipulated factors related to the agent (job role status, gender, power level, and environment). These experiments will elucidate which theoretical models may best explain how the SEE is produced. All experiments were preregistered and employed several open and reproducible research practices. Following a successful conceptual replication (Experiment 1), it was found that the mere mention of the agent’s job role status (Experiment 2) and gender (Experiment 3) were insufficient to modulate the SEE. However, when their level of work-related power was more explicit and salient, more blame was afforded to low-power versus high-power agents for harmful side effects, in opposition to predictions (Experiment 4). A further exploration of work-related power found, contrastingly, participants affording more blame to high-power agents as well as affording more blame in general within the workplace versus outside of it (Experiment 5). There was evidence that participant individual differences may impact the assignment of blame. These mixed results lend support for both the Norm Violation Model and the Deep-Self Concordance Model; however, neither was able to best explain the results in isolation. A new framework for explaining the SEE is proposed that encompasses both the NVM and the DSCM, as well as accounting for the relationship between a participant and the agent. The framework offers a foundation for future research to continue building upon as further elements of the SEE (and moral decision-making generally) are explored. The contributions of this thesis are supported by several methodological and analytical advances, improving the quality, transparency, reproducibility, and credibility of the research.

Background: Stigma poses significant challenges to the overall quality of life of people living with epilepsy (PLWE) in Nigeria; yet, there remains a limited understanding of the stigmatisation of PLWE. Objectives: Guided by critical theory, the purpose of this systematic review is to synthesise evidence on the nature, impact, and socio-cultural drivers of epilepsy-related stigma in Nigeria. This review attempts to provide insights that could be useful for informing interventions to empower PLWE, reduce their burdens, improve their outcomes, and foster their inclusion in the Nigerian society. Method: Literature search was conducted using six electronic databases – APA PsycINFO, Google Scholar, JSTOR, MEDLINE, PubMed, and Scopus – to identify relevant studies published between 2011 and 2024. Qualitative and quantitative studies were included. A total of 10 studies met the inclusion criteria and were analysed using thematic and narrative syntheses. Results: The findings revealed that stigma is a multi-dimensional issue encompassing perceived, enacted, and internalised forms. Cultural misconceptions such as beliefs associating epilepsy with witchcraft, curses, and contagion were found to be the primary drivers of stigma. Economic barriers, gender-specific vulnerabilities, and social exclusion further perpetuate discrimination and healthcare disparities. Stigma is associated with social determinants of health, such as education, employment, and gender, to limit opportunities and quality of life for PLWE. Conclusion: This study highlights that stigma adversely affects PLWE, perpetuating marginalisation, social isolation, and healthcare inequalities. Contribution: Urgent action is required to implement culturally sensitive interventions, enhance healthcare policies, and increase awareness to address stigmatisation, ensuring equitable treatment and access.

This study investigates the capability of additive manufacturing (AM) to produce thick coatings functioning as multifunctional membranes with enhanced barrier, transport, and mechanical properties for harsh operating environments. The primary objective was to evaluate how deposition technique and microstructural optimisation influence porosity, diffusion resistance, corrosion protection, and thermal stability. A combined methodology was implemented, integrating experimental testing of laser cladding, thermal spraying, and direct energy deposition (DED) with mathematical models for permeability, diffusion, and thermal conductivity. Laser cladding demonstrated the densest structures, achieving porosity levels below 2% and reducing gas permeability to 1.2 × 10⁻¹⁵ m², nearly an order of magnitude lower than thermal spraying (1.1 × 10⁻¹⁴ m²). Corrosion testing showed nickel-based cladded coatings reached rates as low as 0.0025 mm/year, representing a 90% reduction compared to uncoated substrates (0.026 mm/year). Thermal barrier evaluation of YSZ coatings indicated a conductivity of 0.95 W/m·K at 1200 °C, corresponding to a 38% reduction in heat flux across 1.2 mm-thick layers. Ultrasonic spray post-treatment reduced surface roughness by up to 55% and biofilm accumulation by nearly half. Error analysis confirmed deviations within ± 6%. These results confirm that AM thick coatings function as functional membranes, offering selective transport regulation, structural durability, and sustainability across the aerospace, energy, and marine sectors.

This report outlines the context, methods, data, and findings of the Arts and Humanities Research Council funded project British Ritual Innovation under Covid-19 [BRIC-19]. The project ran from August 2020 to September 2021, with the aim of documenting and analysing changes to British communal religious life during the Covid-19 pandemic and associated lockdowns, and of providing best practice recommendations for religious communities adapting their practice to address similar crisis situations in the future. Particular effort has been made to include data that reflects, to the extent possible, the geographic and religious diversity of Britain, by focussing on questions of religious practice rather than on theological questions or issues of belief which are specific to faith traditions.

How does one move forward, as an ordinary citizen, when one lives in the aftermath of a conflict so brutal that it left 200,000 people dead, many of them civilians? This thesis aims to answer this question by exploring the possibility of a third space between fight and flight. In doing so, it draws upon the concepts of French philosopher Gilles Deleuze. Effectuating close readings of four postmillennial films that treat the little known Algerian civil war of the 1990s, known as la décennie noire, research into this conflict’s rare filmic depictions is shown to be highly germane, given the myriad sociopolitical challenges that infuse today’s society and the increasingly futile attempts of warring factions to coexist. Invoking the refusal by Deleuze of a set ontology and acknowledging his rhizomatic notions of change and becoming, as opposed to being and stability, the study will demonstrate the oppressive nature of binarism and show why both fight and flight can and should be problematised. Following the cinematic trajectories of marginalised characters, the Deleuzian body is presented as a transformative force capable of new and powerful movements, ultimately excavating a third space between fight and flight. It will be further demonstrated how identities are destabilised and deterritorialised, molarities become molecular and bodies collide, amidst a backdrop of affective intensities. Subjectivity is ultimately subsumed, thus opening a third space for civil war victims, where protagonists choose neither to take up arms nor to flee, hence rejecting fight and flight and choosing a third space between the two. This enables a hitherto obscure conflict to be reimagined and become more knowable, distilling a micropolitics where the past can return in different forms, as a traumatised body politic is wrested from the crucible of its ossified past. In conclusion, the imbrication of film with philosophy is considered, as a tool with which to address and enhance understanding of sociopolitical issues, especially amongst young people. Accordingly, it is suggested that findings could be incorporated into creative pedagogical methods, such as phenomenon-based learning. More specifically, it is proposed that the concept of a third space between fight and flight paves the way for a more nuanced understanding of conflict by both political and legal bodies.

Ostensibly a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1883 novel Treasure Island, Starz TV series Black Sails (2014-17) imagines a fleeting moment of possibility for anti-slavery and queer revolution in the Golden Age of Piracy. In the final episode, this possibility is extinguished by Long John Silver betraying the pirate and Maroon alliance, and Atlantic history veers back to its grim course of imperial conquest. Srividhya Swaminathan argues that Black Sails offers a “pastiche of a period in history that still inflects contemporary understanding of empire”. Black Sails’ pastiche reimagines pirates as a unique historical community in terms that also speak critically to contemporary neoliberal discourses of disability, which designate irreparably disabled people as a parasitic, dependent class distinct from the supposed norm of productive, independent adults. In the same year Black Sails appeared, David T. Mitchell explained that “devalued populations” are consigned to “zones of expendability”, marked out “for death (letting die) on behalf of sustaining other, more valued populations in lives of surfeit comfort”. By contrast, Black Sails’ creative engagement with histories of Golden-Age piracy suggests a radically different model: a crew that shares labour and profit as a composite body of cooperative “hands”, refusing to separate maimed from whole, transforms the meaning of dependency and disability itself.

The Senior Editors of the Journal of Further and Higher Education (JFHE) are offering a series of editorials to celebrate the journal's vitality. In this editorial, we explore the extent to which the Journal of Further and Higher Education consider the symbiotic nature of further and higher education institutions. In doing so, we will focus on the UK as an example of the challenges that both sectors face and identify how higher education can possibly learn from the challenges faced in the further education sector. While this editorial is primarily UK-centric, we challenge readers to consider how widespread these factors are in their own countries.