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Analog versus Digital Signal Processing : A Comparative Study of Frequency Response and Perceptual Perception of Compressors and EQ in Analog and Digital Form
No full textI denna studie undersöks vilka skillnader som finns mellan analoga signalprocesseringar och digitala versioner inom musikproduktion. Med stöd av relevant teori och tidigare forskning har vi kunnat motivera och precisera våra metodval, vilka kom att omfatta både frekvensanalyser, med hjälp av RoomEQWizard som användes för att ge en teknisk grund för analys, och lyssningstester med enkät. Resultatet tyder på att testdeltagarna hade det lättare att höra skillnader mellan effekterna för sång men utöver det var de olika effekterna svåra att skilja. Fenomenet psykoakustik visade sig spela en större roll än förväntat baserat på svaren från testdeltagarna i lyssningstestet. För fortsatt forskning skulle antalet effekter kunna utökas, effekttyperna kunnat bli fler, större testgrupp, samt mer djupgående tekniska analyser på spektrala skillnader
Work-related musculoskeletal disorder among midwives, a threat for maternity care
No full textBACKGROUND: Work-related musculoskeletal disorder is a limiting, painful condition that affects the muscular, skeletal, articular, and nervous tissues of the body. The condition is mainly associated with poor working conditions and awkward body positions. Health professionals, including midwives, are among the most affected workforce globally. The condition affects the health of the professionals and the quality of care that professionals are expected to provide. However, there is a scarcity of information on the magnitude of the condition, its effect on midwifery practice, and associated factors. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the magnitude of work-related musculoskeletal disorder, its effect on midwifery practice, and associated factors among midwives in North Shoa Zone, Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia. METHOD: An institution-based cross-sectional study assessed the magnitude of work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WRMSD), the effect on midwifery practice, and associated factors. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Disorder Scale was used to assess the presence of WRMSDs in the nine regional body parts and its effect. A stepwise backward elimination logistic regression model was used, and significant association was declared at a p-value of less than 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 473 (252 (53.3%) female and 221 (46.7%) male) midwives participated in this study. Overall, in the last 12 months, 355 (75.05%, 95% CI: 71.15% - 78.95%) midwives were affected by WRMSD, which was seen in any one of the nine regional body parts. About 45% (162) of them reported being unable to perform their daily tasks while they were affected, and 27% (96) of them sought treatment for their condition. The lower back was the most affected axial body part, reported by 300 (63.4%, 95% CI: 59% - 68%) midwives. Working in awkward or uncomfortable positions was significantly associated with the development of WRMSD (AOR: 1.81, 95% CI: 1.15-2.87). Similarly, awkward positions significantly affected the development of area-specific WRMSD in the lower back, upper back, neck, and limbs. Working in the same position for a longer time, seeing clients daily, and moving heavy objects were among the risk factors associated with developing area-specific WRMSD among midwives. CONCLUSION: The magnitude of work-related musculoskeletal disorders is high among midwives, and a significant number of them were unable to perform their daily tasks. The lower and upper back are the most commonly affected areas. Working in uncomfortable positions and attending to large clients daily were common risk factors. Therefore, training midwives about safe working positions and reducing the workload is commendable
Inferring causal interplay between air pollution and meteorology
No full textINTRODUCTION: This study investigates the bidirectional causal interplay between PM2.5 and relative humidity (RH) in Quito, Ecuador. Focusing on a high-altitude city with complex terrain, the objective is to understand pollution-climate feedbacks over a two-decade span. METHODS: The study employs Convergent Cross Mapping (CCM), a nonlinear empirical dynamic modeling approach. Hourly data were analyzed across four districts in Quito across two distinct time periods: 2004-2005 versus 2022-2024. Robustness of causality was confirmed using surrogate testing techniques. RESULTS: The analysis reveals statistically significant, nonlinear, and time-variant couplings. While RH influenced PM2.5 in the early 2000s, the relationship inverted, with PM2.5 increasingly driving RH by the early 2020s. Partial-derivative analyses indicate shifting interaction signs and strengths. Notably, pollution was found to increasingly suppress RH, particularly in northern districts. DISCUSSION: The observed suppression of RH by pollution is consistent with urban heat island amplification and radiative effects. These findings underscore the necessity of nonlinear causality frameworks for understanding environmental feedbacks in complex terrains. The study highlights the need for integrated air quality and climate strategies. Future research should expand variables and monitoring sites to further generalize these findings
Stimulating ambulance specialist nurse students' ethical reflections by high-fidelity simulation
No full textIntroduction: Ethical competence in professional practice can be considered essential among nurses and nurses in ambulance care encounter ethical dilemmas frequently. To enhance ethical competence among students in the ambulance specialist nursing program, high-fidelity simulation scenarios including ethical dilemmas were introduced as a learning activity. Research aim: The research aim was to investigate the usefulness of high-fidelity simulation in ambulance specialist nurse education to teach ethical reasoning when caring for children. Research design: This study was conducted as a qualitative interview study, complemented with observations and using field notes and qualitative interviews for data collection. Data was analysed using deductive qualitative content analysis based on a care ethical model. Participants and research context: Participants (n = 35) were recruited from an ambulance nurse educational program at a Swedish university. Data was collected after the students took part in two high-fidelity simulations involving children in an ambulance care setting. Ethical considerations: The study has been vetted and approved by the ethical council at the University of Borås, Sweden. The study follows the Helsinki Declaration's advice on ethical principles. Results: The results showed that most of the students expressed some form of ethical reasoning during the simulation sessions, which were elaborated and reflected upon during the debriefing part of the sessions. The simulation design seemed to have a great impact on the outcome of the student's ethical reasoning, where increased immersion led to deeper emotional engagement among the students which increased awareness of their personal preconceptions. Conclusions: This study aimed to investigate whether high-fidelity simulations could be useful to stimulate ethical reflections and contribute to increased ethical competence among students. In conclusion, a well-designed high-fidelity simulation can be useful as an educational tool to learn and enhance ethical competence among specialist ambulance nursing students
Assessment for and of learning in nonlinear movement education practices
No full textBackgroundPrinciples such as instructional alignment and step-by-step progression are often seen as crucial features of good assessment practices in school physical education (PE). These features are problematic from nonlinear educational perspectives, which are based on the idea that movement learning cannot be expected to take place in the same manner for all students. Without some resolution of the contradiction between nonlinear pedagogies and principles of good assessment, the likelihood of physical educators fully embracing any kind of nonlinear approach to movement education remains doubtful. Purpose and research questionOur purpose in this paper is to illustrate how assessment for and of learning (AfL and AoL) can look when implemented in nonlinear movement education practices. MethodsIllustrations of AfL and AoL are drawn from an investigation in which one educator implements a nonlinear movement education module. The module focuses on juggling for students at high school (grade nine students aged approximately 15 years). The module provided students with 10 × 50-minute lessons to explore juggling. Data were generated through observations (film clips and field notes) and ethnographic-type interviews that were conducted with the students during the lessons. FindingsIn the context of the nonlinear movement education module, AfL became: Interacting with students in joint exploration; Introducing learning strategies; Encouraging students to clarify and verbalise the object of learning; Helping students identify critical aspects of the movement activity, and; Inviting students to consider alternative learning trajectories. The educator then evaluates the students’ learning experiences in the context of a group performance at the end of the module. This performance can be seen as an instance of holistic assessment within a nonlinear movement education practice. ConclusionsThe suggested holistic perspective on PE assessment could help educators to: circumvent dichotomies such as mind-body and theory-practice; approach students as active meaning-makers; re-frame students’ actions as emergent and context-dependent; and replace direct instruction with explorative teaching and learning methods. The major contribution of this study is that it shows how assessment for and of learning can be implemented in nonlinear movement education practices within a linear, goal-related and criterion-referenced, education system
Reasons for HR analytics adoption in public sector organisations : evidence from Swedish public administrations
No full textPurpose – This study explores the rationale behind the utilisation of human resource (HR) analytics in public sector organisations. The existing HR analytics literature exhibits limited empirical evidence and has predominantly focused on the business context of private firms. In addressing this gap, the study seeksto answer the following research question: What reasonsfor the adoption of HR analytics can be identified in public sector organisations? Design/methodology/approach – The study employs a qualitative approach drawing on the empirical data collected from three public administrations in Sweden – national, regional and local. A total of 51 in-depth interviews are conducted with HR and other organisational practitioners engaged in HR analytics practices. Findings – Drawing on the institutional legitimacy perspective, this paper suggests that public sector organisations adopt HR analytics to secure cognitive, socio-political and technological legitimacy, stemming from explanations rooted in economic rationality. This encompasses organisational and HR-related outcomes achieved through data management and analysis, driven by the personal interests of specific individuals. Research limitations/implications – This study contributes to ongoing debates about the adoption of HR analytics in diverse contextual settings. Future research is needed in other organisational contexts, including various national and international settings. Practical implications – The results of this study offer practical insights for HR practitioners in public sector organisations seeking to adopt HR analytics to enhance organisational and HR legitimacy. Originality/value – This study contributes to the HR analytics literature by providing empirical evidence from the public sector. Furthermore, it advocates for a synthesis of economic rationality with legitimacy gains and individual interests to elucidate the rationale behind the adoption of HR analytics
Comparing RAG and Fine-Tuned LLMs to ChatGPT for Domain-Specific Insights
No full textThis thesis explores the use of retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) for enhancing large language models (LLMs) to answer domain-specific questions about Positive Energy Districts (PEDs). PEDs represent an innovative approach to achieving energy surplus and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, aligning with the European Union’s goals for sustainable urban energy solutions. However, existing Question Answering (QA) frameworks lack the specialized design needed to tackle the complex challenges of PED projects. By constructing a structured corpus of academic literature about PEDs and fine-tuning models such as BERT and T5, the study evaluates their performance answering domain specific questions alongside GPT-enhanced pipelines and ChatGPT. Expert evaluations and cosine similarity analysis reveal that GPT-based pipelines outperform standalone models inaccuracy, relevance, and readability. However, results also highlight limitations in semantic similarity as a sole metric for assessing response quality. This work highlights the role of structured domain-specific corpora and generative models in improving decision-making processes for stakeholders in urban sustainability. The findings suggest future research opportunities, including integrating real-time information retrieval and expanding knowledge bases to refine QA frameworks further. These contributions advance the implementation of energy-positive urban environments and support global efforts toward sustainable urban development
Svensklärares inställning till standardskriftspråkets normeroch språklig variation inom skrivundervisningen : En jämförande undersökning mellan högstadielärare i Västsverige och på Åland
No full textSyftet med denna undersökning är att utforska vilka inställningar svensklärare på högstadiet har till standardskriftspråkets normer och språklig variation i skrivundervisningen samt att utforska motiven bakom lärarnas förhållningssätt till undervisningen. Tidigare forskning visaratt svensklärare månar om standardskriftspråkets regler. Samtidigt befinner sig svensklärare i ett spänningsfält av förväntningar på undervisning, då de enligt gällande läroplan å ena sidanska undervisa i standardskriftspråkets form och regler, samtidigt som de å andra sidan ska undervisa i språklig variation och funktion sett till situation. Därför undersöks även läroplanensroll i svensklärarnas skrivundervisning. Undersökningen genomförs i Västsverige och på Åland, som är en finsk självstyrande region med svenska som huvudspråk. Data samlas in genom semistrukturerade intervjuer, där svensklärare verksamma i högstadiet ombeds beskriva sitt arbete med skriftliga normer i skrivundervisningen och motivera sina didaktiska val. Genom tematisk analys med abduktiv ansats jämförs data från de två regionerna, vars skolkontext skiljer sig åt bland annat i fråga om styrdokument, vilket möjliggör fördjupad förståelse av vilka faktorer som kan påverka lärares förhållningssätt till standardskriftspråkets normer. Svensklärarnas språksyn diskuteras utifrån perspektiven essentialism och socialkonstruktivism, medan svensklärarnas arbetssätt och förhållningssätt till språkundervisning beskrivs med hjälp av perspektiven formalisering respektive funktionalisering. Resultaten visar tydliga skillnader mellan västsvenska och åländska svensklärare, som diskuteras i relation till tidigare forskning. Åländska svensklärare tenderar att fokusera mer på standardskriftspråkets normer och lärarens ansvar gällande det språkvårdande uppdraget, medan de västsvenska lärarna tenderar att fokusera mer på elevdifferentiering, innehåll och sammanhang och verkar vara mer öppna för språklig variation. De skilda läroplanerna tycks inte vara avgörande för utfallet, då ingen av informanterna lyfter fram styrdokumenten som ett stöd i skrivundervisningen. Istället verkar de västsvenska lärarnas skrivundervisning främst styras av de nationella proven. På Åland, som inte har nationella prov, tycks svensklärarnas förhållningssätt, i likhet med tidigare svenska studier om språksyn i skola och samhälle, styras av mer konservativa traditioner, såsom vikten av korrekt språkbruk.
Anchored in the Ephemeral : The Persistence of Honour and Duty in the Heike Monogatari
No full textWhat does it mean to uphold duty and honour in a world of impermanence? This study explores the relationship of impermanence, honour, and duty in The Heike Monogatari, examining how Buddhist philosophy influences ethical responsibility within the samurai ethos. It investigates how values like loyalty and morality persist amidst the transient nature of life, shaping the character actions and decisions. Using Kantian deontology as a framework —an ethical theory that emphasizes duty and moral principles over personal consequences— the research contrasts universal moral imperatives with the cultural and philosophical frameworks depicted in The Heike Monogatari. A comparative perspective with The Mahabharata enriches the discussion, highlighting cross-cultural parallels in ethical struggles related to ephemerality and duty. The study argues that impermanence not only challenges but sustains the ideals of duty, honour and morality, demonstrating how they provide stability and meaning in an ephemeral world. The findings reveal that while Buddhist teachings emphasize detachment and acceptance, the samurai ethos prioritizes honour and loyalty, creating a dynamic tension that shapes moral and existential struggles. Ultimately, the research underscores the enduring relevance of these narratives in addressing universal ethical questions, emphasizing the need for contextual and flexible moral reasoning
Mucosal injuries from indwelling catheters : A scoping review
No full textThere is currently a lack of clarity concerning the types and frequency of mucosa injuries occurring in urine bladders among patients with indwelling urine catheters that are of modern design and material. The aim of the study was to identify and present the available information regarding mucosa injuries in urine bladders among adult patients with indwelling urine catheters. The research question was: What is known about mucosa injuries in urine bladders among patients with indwelling urine catheters? A scoping review applying the patient, exposure, and outcome framework. A preliminary search was made to identify the keywords, and the selection process followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis flow diagram. The final search across five databases retrieved a total of 8,883 records. Eight studies from three countries were included and the studies used two main methods for collecting data. Eleven concepts to describe the injuries were identified, with a range from one to five studies using the same concept. Mucosa injuries, of which polypoid cystitis was most frequently reported, occurred in all studies, and ranged from 41% to 100% per study. The size of injured area varied between 0.5 to 2.5 cm. The posterior wall of the bladder was the most common area where injuries were found. This scoping review sheds light on the limited understanding of mucosal injuries in urine bladders among adult patients with indwelling urinary catheters. Moving forward, concerted efforts are warranted to bridge existing knowledge gaps to enhance our understanding of mucosal injuries and improve clinical outcomes for adult patients with indwelling urinary catheters. The lack of a robust scientific base for the impact of indwelling urine catheters on the urine bladder mucosa warrants future studies