26013 research outputs found
Sort by
Within person predictors of physical activity and fatigue in long Covid: Findings from an ecological momentary assessment study.
Get PDFObjectiveWe aimed to examine the extent to which current perceived demand for energy and affect predict subsequent physical activity and fatigue in people with Long Covid using an intensive longitudinal method (ecological momentary assessment).MethodsAnalysis of data from a study of 69 adults with self-reported Long Covid combining 3-hourly self-report data perceived energy, and fatigue, on a smartphone app with continuous physical activity recording. We tested three hypotheses derived from cognitive behavioural and neuroscientific models of fatigue. These related to expectation, current affect and recalled emotional demand. Analysis used linear mixed effects models with fatigue and physical activity as outcomes.ResultsExpectation of energy need for the next 3 h was predictive of physical activity, fatigue and recalled demandingness of the period. (p-values 0.005 to ConclusionIn the day-to-day experience of Long Covid expectation and affect have little detectable effect on subsequent physical activity or fatigue
Development of a small-scale municipal solid waste-to-energy conversion system for localized energy solutions in Ethiopia
Get PDFEthiopia is striving to enhance waste management and energy access but lacks a clear understanding of utilizing waste for energy generation. This underscores the necessity of developing power generation technologies that utilize locally sourced materials. While numerous studies have highlighted the production of municipal solid waste in various Ethiopian cities, there is a lack of localized case studies focusing on specific regions and the composition of waste about small-scale power generation systems that use municipal solid waste as fuel. This study seeks to characterize selected municipal solid waste as a fuel source, as well as to design and develop a small-scale power generation system using locally available materials to utilize municipal solid waste as a fuel source. The Engineering Equation software tool was utilized for system modelling and design. The EA1112 Flash CHNS/O analyzer measured the ultimate analysis of waste samples, while a K-type thermocouple was used to measure combustion temperature. The modelling indicated that the prototype could process 32.5 kg/hr of dry municipal solid waste, with an overall efficiency of 35.2%, generating a theoretical power of 300W. However, in the experiment, the system produced 18.7 W by combusting 125 kg/hr of municipal solid waste, resulting in the production of 68.4 kg/hr of steam. The study highlights the need for further efficiency improvements in the combustion system and the thermal-to-mechanical energy converter unit, such as the turbine system. The study shows a feasible way to create a small power generation system using local materials and expertise, which can address energy shortages and waste management problems. This study particularly attempted to fill the spatial research gap of municipal solid waste-based small-scale power generation plants in Ethiopia. Local businesses and industries should consider adopting this technology to overcome these challenges
How Ancient Trees and Botanical Indicators Evidence Both Change and Continuity
Get PDFKnowledge of ancient trees and tree-forms helps inform understanding of landscape continuity and change. Information analysis of tree-form and growth rates may be combined with precise aging through dendro-chronology and carbon dating. Until recently, much of the information has been neglected, and indeed, there was an absence of accepted methodologies. Assessments of both coppice trees and pollards, for example, now suggest that trees achieve great age (for example, 500 years+ to 1500 years or more). These trees reflect both natural processes and human management. Examined within a robust conceptual and analytical framework, these trees generate insight into landscape evolution over centuries. Tree analysis combined with archival sources and site archaeological information, including mapping of ‘botanical indicator species’, soils, and other sediments, generate reliable timelines of human–environment interactions. Drawing together diverse approaches and insights into landscape evolution helps the formulation of new concepts of historical ecology and environmental history. Importantly, such emerging paradigms trigger new ways to demonstrate how understanding past landscape evolution both informs knowledge of contemporary ecologies and may guide future site planning. However, there is a rider to these observations since case studies in Great Britain highlight the vulnerability of such historic landscapes and show how they are being rapidly erased from the countryside
Patient and public involvement in neonatal research – experiences and insights from parents and researchers
Get PDFBackground: Involving parents in decisions about the care of their infant is common practice in most neonatal intensive care units. However, involvement is less common in neonatal research and a gap appears to exist in understanding the process of patient and public involvement. The aim of this study was to explore parents and researchers’ experiences of patient and public involvement in a neonatal research project. Methods: A qualitative design was employed, consisting of two focus group interviews, one dyadic interview, and four individual interviews with parents and researchers. The interviews followed a semi-structured guide specific to both parents and researchers. Data were analysed using content analysis as described by Graneheim and Lundman. Results: A total of nine parents and four researchers participated in the study. Seven themes were consolidated into three core concepts: Embracing the ethos and pathos of patient and public involvement, Finding the path to maximise meaningful involvement, and Becoming skilled in engaging patients and the public in research. The core concepts highlighted both similarities and differences, as well as challenges and facilitators, of the experiences of the patient and public involvement process. Conclusion: Patient and public involvement in research was a mutually beneficial process, facilitating learning and reflective opportunities for parents and researchers. However, there were challenges that emphasised the need for rapport building between parents and researchers, valuing everyone’s unique perspective and expertise, with clear communication and well-defined roles and goals. These insights offer a contribution for future patient and public involvement in health research
The co-location of health care and leisure as part of a whole-system approach to physical activity promotion.
Get PDFIndividual-level interventions are insufficient to create the enabling conditions for population-level shifts in physical activity. This is evidenced by a lack of progress tackling physical inactivity across the globe. A more integrative and holistic approach is needed that recognizes the different contexts within which physical activity takes place. The interactions that occur between individuals and wider policy, environmental, and structural factors are also worthy of attention. This article explores an attempt to apply systems thinking and co-design to a health care context. We argue that co-locating health care clinics within leisure facilities can make it easier for people, particularly those with a health condition, to engage in physical activity
Validation and Analysis of Recreational Runners’ Kinematics Obtained from a Sacral IMU
Get PDFOur aim was to validate a sacral-mounted inertial measurement unit (IMU) for reconstructing running kinematics and comparing movement patterns within and between runners. IMU data were processed using Kalman and complementary filters separately. RMSE and Bland–Altman analysis assessed the validity of each filtering method against a motion capture system. Running data from 24 recreational runners were analyzed using Fourier transform coefficients, PCA, and k-means clustering. High agreement was found for Kalman-filtered data in the frontal, sagittal, and transverse planes, with a Bland–Altman bias of ~2 mm on average, compared to a bias of ~10.5 mm for complementary-filtered data. Pelvic angles calculated from Kalman-filtered data had superior agreement, with systematic biases of ~0.3 versus 3.4 degrees for complementary-filtered data. Our findings suggest that inertial sensors are viable alternatives to motion capture for reconstructing pelvic running kinematics and movement patterns. In the second part of our study, negligible intra-individual differences were observed with changes in speed, while inter-individual differences were large. Two clusters of runners were identified, each showing distinct movement patterns and ranges of motion. These observations highlight the potential usefulness of inertial sensors for performance analysis and rehabilitation as they may permit the use of individual-specific and cluster-specific practice programs
Exploring How Models of Disenfranchised Grief Account for the Lived Experience of SEN Teaching and Support Staff Following a Student Death: An IPA Study
Get PDFSpecial Educational Needs (SEN) describe schooling in the UK for young people with an intellectual disability where mortality is more common than in mainstream school settings. This study explores how well models of disenfranchised grief (Doka, 1989, 2002; Robson & Walter, 2012; Rowling, 1995) account for the experience of staff in SEN school settings. Interviews were conducted with 11 teaching staff, focused upon the death of two children with severe/profound learning difficulties. Interviews were analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA; Smith, 2017). Findings demonstrated a lack of disenfranchisement from school-based colleagues, with senior leaders having organisational and financial capacity to actively enfranchise bereaved staff. Within the school context, bereaved staff were the primary bereaved, whereas beyond the school bounds, staff had to renegotiate their rights and entitlements to grieve. Models of disenfranchised grief require some reconceptualisation to fully account for the experience of SEN teaching staff following a student death