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A theoretically-informed process evaluation in parallel to a feasibility study of a complex oral health intervention using NICE guidelines in a care home setting
Full text linkBackground: A theoretically-informed process evaluation was undertaken in parallel to a study examining the feasibility of an oral health intervention based on an existing guideline for care homes. The objectives were to explore the factors that influenced the implementation of the intervention in order to understand the potential pathway to impact. The research team initially utilised Pfadenhauer et al.’s framework, which focuses on a number of different implementation factors: intervention characteristics, context, theory, process, strategy, agents, outcomes and setting.
Methods: Nine semi-structured interviews were undertaken with care home managers and staff, predominantly within the intervention arm of the study. Interview schedules were originally based on Pfadenhauer et al.’s framework. These were coded and analysed using thematic analysis. Given the range of themes that emerged, the research team ran a reflexive workshop to determine whether Pfadenhauer et al.’s framework was able to capture and frame the authentic voice of those interviewed.
Results: The research team found that a systems lens approach better fitted the data from the interviews, capturing the idiosyncrasy of the different settings and the importance of values and beliefs of the key stakeholders. It was clear that unlike the structure proposed by Pfaednhauer et al., many of the factors were interdependent and hierarchical in nature i.e. paradigm and goals within the care home had a direct impact on the system structure, which fed into how the care home was maintained, which led onto how the different actors behaved (care home managers and staff). The process also highlighted key factors for intervention delivery: time poverty, competing needs, staff turnover, differences between shift patterns and between permanent and agency staff. Cognitive capacity of the residents and staff attitudes were also key.
Conclusions: Adding a reflexive workshop enabled the research to critically review the Pfadenhauer et al.’s framework and change to a systems lens approach, which better explained the interdependent and hierarchical nature of the findings. It also highlighted a number of key factors that could influence the pathway to impact for the intervention
Gelation and Rheological Properties of Ultrasound-Extracted Faba Bean Protein: A Comparative Study with Commercial Plant Proteins
Full text linkEnvironmental and consumer concerns about dependence on animal-based proteins have sparked interest in sustainable alternatives, with plant-based biopolymers emerging as a promising substitute. The present study comprehensively assessed and compared the rheological and structural properties of commercial plant proteins (pea and soy) and ultrasound-extracted faba bean protein (US-FBP) to provide an extensive overview of their comparative characteristics. At 12 % protein concentration, the exponent n approached zero for soy (n = 0.32) and pea (n = 0.56), whereas it remained higher for faba bean protein (n = 0.69) after fitting a viscosity curve to power law model. The least gelation concentration was observed to be 10 % for US-FBP, soy and pea protein. Additionally, in situ gelation indicated strong gel formation by soy (loss factor = 0.19) compared to US-FBP (0.24) and pea protein (0.37). Secondary structure analysis using FTIR spectroscopy and water/oil absorption capacity measurements revealed significant differences between these proteins. This opens interesting possibilities for using a wide range of plant proteins in the design, formulation, and customization of next-generation plant-based foods
Modelling Industrial IoT Security Using Ontologies: A Systematic Review
Full text linkThe significance of iiot is undeniable, yet many critical industries remain hesitant to adopt it due to fundamental security, transparency and safety concerns. Developing a mechanism to address these concerns is challenging, as it involves a large number of heterogeneous devices, complex relations and human-machine contextual factors. This article presents a comprehensive analysis through a systematic review of ontologies and key security attributes essential for modelling the security of iiot environments. Our review includes an extensive analysis of research articles, semantic security ontologies, and cybersecurity standards. Through this analysis, we identify critical security concepts and attributes, which can be leveraged to develop standardised security ontologies tailored for iiot. Additionally, we explore the potential of integrating ontologies into the Industry 5.0 paradigm, which emphasises human-centricity, resilience, and sustainability. While ontologies offer structured modelling capabilities, their alignment with Industry 5.0’s unique collaborative and adaptive security needs remains limited. Our review suggests that existing security ontologies are not fully aligned with security goals, exposing many important research gaps. These gaps include areas such as semantic mapping techniques, security-by-design ontologies, holistic security standards, and ontologies that address the sociotechnical aspects of iiot
Derwent River data - RiverSense Project
No full textA preliminary analysis of river data, to explore the possibility of detecting anomalies in the dissolved oxygen levels, or of modeling oxygen levels to predict them. Data sensing provided by Aquasensor (https://aquasensor.co.uk/sensor)
Healthcare Professionals’ Attitudes towards Social Prescribing in Specialist Children’s Weight Management Services
Full text linkBackground
Addressing increasing rates of childhood obesity is a global priority. High numbers of children and young people are living with obesity and experience significant physical and mental health impacts. Social prescribing research has shown it can help improve young people’s physical and mental health, meaning it may be a helpful way to provide additional, personalised support to young people who are living with obesity, and to help to address the health inequalities experienced by this group. This study aimed to provide an overview of the current understanding and use of social prescribing from healthcare professionals working in specialist weight management services in England, and to identify perceived benefits and barriers to future implementation of social prescribing in these services.
Methods
A national survey was distributed online between April and July 2023 to healthcare professionals working within specialist weight management clinics across England to gather information regarding their current use and understanding of social prescribing.
Results
Thirty-eight completed surveys were analysed, with good representation from services across England. Staff felt they had an understanding of what social prescribing is and were willing to use it. Anticipated benefits included improvements to wellbeing and providing opportunities for physical activity and family support. Reported barriers included limited capacity from staff and a need for more training around how to identify appropriate community-based services to link with.
Conclusion
Healthcare professionals working in children’s weight management services felt social prescribing could be beneficial for the families they worked with. However, to support implementation in their services, there is a need for further resource, such as staff time and training, to help develop relationships between clinical services and community-based services
The National Folklore Survey for England website
No full textWebsite for the AHRC-funded National Folklore Survey for England projec
Examining dynamics of hydrogen supply chains.
Full text linkHydrogen is poised to play a pivotal role in achieving net-zero targets and advancing green economies. However, a range of complex operational challenges hinders its planning, production, delivery, and adoption. At the same time, numerous drivers within the hydrogen value chain present significant opportunities. This paper investigates the intricate relationships between these drivers and barriers associated with hydrogen supply chain (HSC). Utilising expert judgment in combination Grey-DEMATEL technique, we propose a framework to assess the interplay of HSC drivers and barriers. Gaining insight into these relationships not only improves access to hydrogen but also foster innovation in its development as a low-carbon resource. The use of prominence scores and net influence rankings for each driver and barrier in the framework provides a comprehensive understanding of their relative significance and impact. Our findings demonstrate that by identifying and accurately mapping these attributes, clear cause-and-effect relationships can be established, contributing to a more nuanced understanding of the HSC. These insights have broad implications across operational, policy, scholarly and social domains. For instance, this framework can aid stakeholders in recognizing the range of opportunities available by addressing key barriers to hydrogen adoption
A Practical Approach to Deloading: Recommendations and Considerations for Strength and Physique Sports
Full text linkDeloading is a period of reduced training stress where training demand is intentionally reduced to mitigate physiological and psychological fatigue and promote recovery. A deload is commonly implemented to enhance readiness for subsequent training and occurs between or during training phases. During a deload, training is typically modified by reducing the intensity of effort, training volume, duration, or frequency. Adjustments in exercise selection are based on recovery goals and the specific demands of the athlete's training. Deloads are commonly pre-planned and implemented into the training program every 4 to 8 weeks based on the structure of the training cycle and recovery needs. Alternatively, deloads are sometimes applied reactively using an autoregulatory approach to accommodate unexpected fatigue or performance decrements. While deloading shares conceptual similarities with tapering and training cessation, it should be differentiated based on its objective, structure, and positionality with the overall training program. The purpose of this article is to describe the current research landscape, propose areas for future research, and to provide broad practical recommendations for implementing deloading within the strength and physique sports training program
