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A NMF-based non-Euclidean adaptive feature extraction scheme for limb motion pattern decoding in pattern recognition system
Full text linkFeature extraction is a crucial step in electromyogram (EMG)-based pattern recognition systems for decoding motor intents. However, despite the existence of numerous proposed techniques for feature extraction, their decoding performances have remained relatively low. Furthermore, these techniques are often evaluated without taking into account the drift between the training and test datasets. This study proposes a feature extraction scheme that operates in an unsupervised manner to address these limitations. This approach focuses on reducing drift between the training and test sets by utilizing feature adaptation based on non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) and Riemann operations. Additionally, we minimize drift by aligning the distribution of the test data with that of the training set. The results demonstrate that the proposed feature extraction technique exhibits significantly higher performance (p < 0.05) in decoding motor intent for 13 hand and finger movements, achieving an average accuracy of 99.91 ± 0.35% for amputee participants and 99.99 ± 0.02% for able-bodied participants. We also conducted further investigations to assess the effectiveness of the proposed feature scheme against varied signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). These investigations revealed that our technique outperforms other feature extraction techniques in terms of decoding performance, even in the presence of varied SNRs. Overall, the findings show that the proposed feature extraction technique can effectively enhance the reliability and robustness of EMG control systems in both clinical and commercial applications
Drawing Sculpture (Study for Heap)
No full textStudy for Heap is an ink drawing on gridded paper that functions as a spatial net and prelude to the sculpture Heap, featured in the exhibition NECROLOGY. As a contribution to Artists’ Drawings Issue No. 1: Drawing Sculpture, Sharples’ Study for Heap evidences a process of sculptural becoming, where mass is diagrammed before its fabrication, and where weight, volume, and shape are flattened into two dimensions and composed by simple lines. Rather than functioning as an accurate plan, the drawing functions as a kind of planular dissection of the structure and sculpture-to-come. It reads as an x-ray of sculptural thought, informed by Beatriz Colomina’s X-Ray Architecture. In this way, the drawing performs an autopsy of space, revealing the sculpture’s anatomy in advance of its body
Evaluation report for Generation Green 2. Assessing the impact of nature based short courses for young people
Full text linkEvidence suggests that children are spending less time playing outdoors and in nature, with those from lower income and ethnic minority backgrounds having less opportunity to spend time outdoors and access green spaces. Generation Green 2 aimed to address these inequalities by offering young people opportunities to spend time in nature in beautiful natural landscapes through a mixture of multi-day residential experiences and day trips all of which aimed to support a deeper connection with the natural world. Questionnaire data was collected from the young people at three time points: Pre- and post-short course and 12 week follow up. Qualitative data was also collected from young people and the staff who worked with them. In total 941 young people completed pre and post questionnaires with 272 of these young people providing follow up data. 388 young people provided qualitative data, and 4 staff members participated in interviews. Significant short-term increases from pre- to post-short course were seen in both the day trip and residential experiences for nature connectedness, importance of looking after nature, wellbeing, connection to the night sky and inclusion of nature at night in self. Significant increases in nature connectedness, wellbeing, connection to the night sky and inclusion of nature at night in self were maintained at follow up for the residential group only. Residential experiences appear to support longer-lasting effects across all measures taken whilst day trips appear to support a more intense short-term boost. Qualitative data showed support for a deeper connection with nature with strong support for the importance of contact, beauty, emotion and compassion pathways to nature connectedness. Young people were also found to engage with nature through a wide variety of activities, were pushed out of their comfort zones, overcame challenges, learned new skills, had freedom to engage in self-led activities, developed greater appreciation of the natural world and had the opportunity for an amazing and awe-inspiring experience. These overwhelmingly positive results highlight the importance of offering such experiences to young people and for such opportunities to be offered more widely, so many more young people get to experience the benefits of outdoor nature based short trips and residential courses.
This report presents the evaluation undertaken by researchers from the University of Derby Nature Connectedness Research Group to assess the impact of Generation Green 2 for the young people who participated
Determinants for selecting higher education institutions in India: a fuzzy analytical hierarchical process approach
Full text linkPurpose: This study investigates and unravels the factors upon which students base their choice of institutions for pursuing postgraduate education in management.
Design/methodology/approach: A mixed method combining qualitative and quantitative analysis is used. In the first phase, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was undertaken to identify the factors students consider when selecting an educational institution. The fuzzy analytical hierarchical process (FAHP) technique was used in the second phase to rank the identified factors.
Findings: The results indicate that placement prospects ranked first, followed by friends' references, inclusivity, hostel or dormitory facilities, ecosystem, peer group, college faculty, international outreach, cost of education, research facilities, accessibility, safety and security, and sports facilities.
Practical Implications: The study provides information and cues to university administration, and education managers as to the main factors on which they should configure their organization. In a world where branding and promotion drive consumption, the study will help the marketing and branding team in deciding the content and the target segment of the communication strategy.
Originality: The uniqueness of this study is in the employment of the FAHP technique to study and rank the factors based on which students make their choice of management Institutes
Integrating lean, green, and industry 4.0 technologies in mep systems: a systematic review for sustainable construction practice
No full textThe integration of Lean, Green, and Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies has emerged as a crucial focus in the pursuit of
enhanced efficiency and sustainability in the construction industry. In particular, the Mechanical, Electrical, and
Plumbing (MEP) systems, which are fundamental components of modern construction projects, stand to benefit
significantly from the application of these advanced frameworks. However, despite the growing body of literature
exploring Lean and Green principles as well as I4.0 technologies, the specific intersection of these concepts within MEP construction remains underdeveloped. This paper aims to address this gap by conducting a systematic literature review that critically examines the integration of Lean, Green, and I4.0 technologies in MEP construction. By
analysing existing studies and identifying synergies and challenges, this review seeks to provide a comprehensive
understanding of the current state of research and to propose pathways for future development in this area
The effect of resistance inspiratory muscle training in the management of breathlessness in patients with thoracic malignancies: a randomised controlled trial
Full text linkPurpose
To assess the effects of resistance inspiratory muscle training (IMT) on breathlessness in patients with thoracic malignancies.
Methods
This is a two-arm, non-blinded, randomised controlled trial (RCT). A total of 196 participants were randomly assigned (1:1) into two groups: a control group (routine care) and an intervention group (routine care + IMT training using a pressure threshold device). The intervention duration was 12 weeks with 30 min/day, 5 days/week. The primary outcome was breathlessness severity, assessed by the modified Borg scale (mBorg). Secondary outcomes were worst and average breathlessness over the past 24 h (assessed by the 11-point Numerical Rating Scale), breathlessness severity (assessed by the Dyspnoea-12, D-12), the 6-min walk distance (assessed by the 6-min walk test, 6MWT), quality of life (assessed by the St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire, SGRQ), and emotional status (assessed by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). Assessments were conducted at baseline (T1), week 8 (T2), and week 12 (T3). Adjusted generalized estimating equations (GEE) models for repeated measures over time were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software. The modified intention-to-treat principle was used for data analysis.
Results
Of the 196 participants, 190 completed the trial, and six dropped out. 31.63% of participants completely adhered to the required sessions of IMT. In the adjusted GEE model, statistical and minimal clinically important differences were observed on the m-Borg score at week 8 (P = 0.002), while no significant group-by-time effect was observed in the mBorg. Compared with the control group and baseline, participants in the intervention group showed a significant reduction in D-12 total scores at week 8 (P = 0.005) and week 12 (P = 0.004). No significant group-by-time interaction effects were observed for worst and average breathlessness over the past 24 h, anxiety, depression, 6MWT, and SGRQ scores.
Conclusions
This study highlights the short-term benefits of IMT for reducing breathlessness among patients with thoracic malignancies. However, the long-term effects should be explained with caution due to the participants’ suboptimal adherence. Future studies should explore different strategies to improve adherence and further evaluate the sustained effects of IMT over time.
Trial registration.
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03834116
Illusionary, silencing and civilising - (un)democratic practices in school governance
No full textSuccessive British Governments have promulgated policies and initiatives that have not only resulted in the marketisation of education but have, arguably, constructed a democratic deficit in relation to who represents the local in a neoliberal educational context. The article utilises a conceptual framework which encompasses notions of civility and somatic norms as well as evaluative models of deliberative democratic systems. The article illuminates the democratic deficit impact of these policy changes on social groups, such as parents or community members of low socioeconomic status, women and non-white Others. In doing so this research illustrates empirically a democratic deficit which is manifested in the school governance of the Co-operative Aligned Academies Trust (CAAT). It would appear local participatory school governance practices have been systematically disabled due instrumentalist and economistic New Public Management practices and neoliberal reforms. Democracy can be conceived as illusionary in the empowered space and as silencing, civilising and exclusionary (anti) democracy in the public space
Prison and probation based behavioural change programmes for neurodivergent individuals
No full textIn recent decades, policymakers have become increasingly aware that the inherent differences in how neurodivergent individuals engage with the world around them combined with the, arguably, neurotypical bias of the CJS can create barriers to fair and effective criminal proceedings. There is a well-established concern that neurodivergent people are both over-represented within and under-served by the CJS, experiencing poorer justice outcomes than their neurotypical counterparts. In this evidence review a number of members of the Neurodivergence in Criminal Justice Network (NICJN) look at: Embedding lived experience in the development of policy and practice; The Youth Justice System (YJS) and Neurodivergent Children and Young People (ND-CYP); Neurodivergent suspects and Policing (including custody); Neurodivergence in Criminal Courts; Prison and Probation based Behavioural Change Programmes for Neurodivergent Individuals; Getting started: How organisations can make their service more friendly to neurodivergent people. This article forms part of a series from Clinks, created to develop a far-reaching and accessible evidence base covering the most common types of activity undertaken within the criminal justice system. There are two main aims of this online series: (i) To increase the extent to which the voluntary sector bases its services on the available evidence base, and (ii) To encourage commissioners to award contracts to organisations delivering an evidence-based approach.
Each article has been written by a leading academic with particular expertise on the topic in question. The topics are selected by Clinks’ members as areas of priority interest. Clinks intends to build a comprehensive directory of the best evidence available across a wide range of criminal justice topics. The online evidence base is co-ordinated by Russell Webster on behalf of Clinks.
Title of full report: Working with neurodivergent people in contact with the criminal justice system.
Dr Luke Vinter and Dr Nicole Renehan authored Section 5: Prison and probation based behavioural change programmes for neurodivergent individuals
The prevalence and pathogenesis of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in normal tonsil tissue
Full text linkBackground: Human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive oropharyngeal cancers (OPCs) of the base of the tongue and tonsils are increasing. The knowledge of the natural history of the virus within the oropharynx is limited, with prospective studies of oral HPV pathogenesis sparse. The prevalence of oral HPV within healthy individuals has been reported to be as high as ~80%. The risk of infection is linked to alcohol consumption, smoking, age, and certain sexual behaviours. It is men that are at greater risk of oral HPV infection and disease.
Objectives: This study aimed to provide an updated estimate of global oral HPV prevalence within healthy adults; to determine the prevalence of HPV within the non-cancerous palatine tonsil tissues of adults and scrutinise the pathogenesis of the virus; and, to examine the tonsil proteome of HPV-positive individuals with comparison to HPV-negative tissues.
Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis of literature of adult oral HPV prevalence was performed. We established a clinical study on the NIHR-portfolio. Non-cancerous tonsils, a tonsillar swab, and a lifestyle questionnaire were collected from adults undergoing routine tonsillectomy surgery within five UK hospitals. We developed a protocol to isolate DNA from formalin-fixed (10% NBF) tonsil tissue for molecular analysis. A modified HPV-DNA qPCR screen was used to determine tonsillar HPV-status followed by HPV genotyping. HPV-positive tissues have been characterised for p16 and CK7 histologically. Protein biomarkers within tonsil tissues were analysed using a non-biased technique, SWATH mass spectrometry.
Results: We provide an up-to-date estimate of the global burden of overall oral HPV prevalence by meta-analysis of 5.044% (95% CI 4.897-5.193%); interestingly, men were twice as likely to have oral HPV than women. In the clinical study, we describe the prevalence and viral pathogenesis of HPV within the non-cancerous tonsils of our prospective sample. We have determined a 10.2% oropharyngeal HPV prevalence (N=12/118; comprising 4 males, 7 females, and 1 unknown individual). Proportionally, more men than women were HPV-positive, but this was not significant (p=0.49). We found HPV-status to be mainly concordant in both the left and right tonsil tissues; however, positivity varies across the tissue. Three viral types were detected within these tissues (HPV-18, -16, -73); HPV-18 was most prevalent within these individuals (N=10/12, 83.3%). HPV-16 was only detected in a co-infection with HPV-18. Upregulated proteins in HPV-positive tissues included those with immune function (p<0.01), and functionally, the respiratory electron transport chain was the most enriched pathway. Analysis of dysregulated proteins within HPV-positive males versus HPV-positive females revealed enriched pathways to include rRNA processing and associated functions (adj. p<0.001).
Conclusions: Globally, oral HPV prevalence is a greater burden to men than women. Oropharyngeal HPV is prevalent within adult routine tonsillectomy patients in the UK. We describe changes in protein expression based on HPV-positivity in non-cancerous tonsil tissue, that require future validation to provide a ‘signature’ of HPV-positivity. Future multivariate analysis of HPV prevalence, risk factors, and protein expression, would allow identification of populations at risk of HPV-mediated disease who would benefit from intervention, and monitoring for HPV-induced cellular changes
Shedding light on heat! Barnet climate adaptation and resilient communities
No full textDr Rhiannon Jones designed and led a curated programme of activity for London Borough of Barnet to create a public realm research programme of work to help Barnet to address the impact of heat on individuals and their communities.
Over two days of public engagement at Brent Cross Shopping Centre, the University of Derby Civic Team utilised our Civic Curiosity e-Bikes™ and S.H.E.D™ pledge wall to speak with members of the public.
They also met with key community leaders from Age UK, Homeless Action Barnet, Inclusion Barnet, and Barnet Multi-faith Forum at Hendon Town Hall to seek out a discourses on the challenges and opportunities facing local communities and people of Barnet. This was a curated meal facilitated and designed by Dr Cara Courage