17390 research outputs found
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Understanding social motivation in scan and go technology
No full textThis paper offers novel insights into the embedding of self-service technology in consumers’ daily buying behaviors at supermarkets. It takes a social constructivist perspective so that the process of the research goes beyond standard technology adoption frameworks to highlight specifically how consumers interact with technology. A mixed methods design was applied involving internet-based reviews and focus group discussions. Two stages of data collection occurred, which initially involved analyzing social media and YouTube for feedback on scan and go app before participating in discussions with “scan and go” app users. Analysis of the collected data was based on thematic analysis, and this resulted in the creation of the Three-Level Technology Incorporation model. This study makes a significant theoretical contribution by delineating various dimensions of dissatisfaction, satisfaction, and incorporator roles across three levels during the technology adoption process. These findings have substantial implications, providing fresh perspectives on the optimal design and integration of technology into consumer routines
A model of frame categories for analyzing media discourse of emerging technologies
No full textThis paper presents a model of frame categories for analyzing media discourse of emerging technologies, applying it to two original case studies on UK news coverage of Big Data and Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen-AI). The Frame Categories for Emerging Technologies (FCET) model offers four categories (Conceptualization, Newness, User Experience and Evaluation) to allow researchers to identify frames inductively whilst affording easy and effective comparisons between studies. The empirical results demonstrate this, showing the news included frames unique to each technology (such as Vast for Big Data and Human-Like for Gen-AI), as well as shared frames such as Revolutionary and Important. This paper contributes to literature on the media discourse of emerging technologies and offers a methodological contribution to improve the quality and comparability of future studies in this area
Early childhood graduates in the workplace: Experiences and perceptions
No full textThis report of an Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network (ECSDN) funded collaborative research project explores the experiences and perceptions of Early Childhood Studies (ECS) graduates in the workplace. Previous research has shown the benefits of a graduate workforce in the delivery of high-quality education and care for young children, their families and communities. This project aimed to build upon the previous two ECSDN funded projects and was completed in two phases. The first involved a national survey of ECS graduates which aimed to understand their experiences as they entered the workforce and developed their own career pathways. The second phase centred around an online ‘world café’ event for employers which aimed to understand the value of the degree and its graduates from the perspective of the sector. Shared thematic analysis brought the findings from these two phases together to draw conclusions about the overall experiences and perceptions of ECS graduates in the workplace.
The key findings and recommendations are:
• Greater appreciation of the wide diversity of career pathways that ECS Degrees contribute towards. The graduates’ stories demonstrate the value of ECS degrees for society and this needs to be acknowledged more widely by both the university sector and policymakers.
• ECS degrees support elevated reflective and critical thinking skills which enhances graduates' personal development as well as localised, context-specific pedagogical and research knowledge. However, graduates continue to require support to develop their understanding of wider contextual factors such as the impact of poverty and additional needs as well as receiving more support to develop their leadership skills.
• Employers value ECS graduates for their knowledge and understanding, but there needs to be a shared appreciation of this value from parents, policymakers and wider society, especially in financial terms. Policymakers should consider a national qualification framework with commensurate funding and pay scales.
• A joined-up, bi-directional partnership approach to working with the sector, that supports ECS students and employers as well as universities is needed. These partnerships could be further developed through the enhancement of existing networks and further joining up of professional learning opportunities to establish an eco-system of early childhood studies networks, linked through association with the ECSDN
Innovative integration of layered carbon materials in biopolymer fibrous membranes for sustainable water treatment
No full textClimate change and socioeconomic shifts are straining water resources, threatening public welfare and ecosystems, making it crucial to address hazardous pollutants in industrial wastewater before they enter the environment. Amidst the global transition toward a circular bioeconomy, biopolymers have emerged as a promising alternative to synthetic polymeric membranes. Their biodegradability into harmless byproducts positions them as eco‐friendly options. Biopolymeric materials, particularly in fibrous forms, offer exceptional flux and permeability, enhanced resistance to fouling, and highly selective filtration. Their remarkable specific surface area and interconnected porous structure make them a superior choice for advanced filtration applications. A progressive advancement in this domain unfolds by integrating carbon‐based materials into biopolymeric filtration membranes. Represented by materials like MXene, graphene oxide, and carbon nanotubes, such fillers augment biopolymeric membranes, offering exceptional attributes such as remarkable surface area, superior adsorption and ion exchange capabilities, selective permeability, chemical versatility, and antibacterial features. This comprehensive review delves into the intricacies of engineering biopolymeric membranes, emphasizing their evolution into efficient structures for wastewater treatment. It also explores the synergistic amalgamation of biopolymeric networks with carbon‐based nanostructures, highlighting their collective potential in advancing environmentally conscious green membranes and achieving the ultimate objective of ensuring clean water resources
Preeclampsia screening taking into account ethnicity and socioeconomic status - a comparison of the competing-risks model and risk factor scoring.
No full textTo compare pre-eclampsia risk screening by risk factors and the multivariable competing-risks model. This prospective cohort study enrolled singleton pregnancies, without major anomalies, and delivering at ≥24 weeks. PE risk was compared between the Fetal Medicine Foundation (FMF) model and clinical risk factors, by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance, United Kingdom (UK), and 'NICE-modified' by adding Black ethnicity and social deprivation (Index of Multiple Deprivation [IMD] deciles 1-4) as moderate-risk factors. To compare screening strategies, we matched the FMF screen-positive rate (SPR) to NICE. At 11-13 weeks, preterm PE risk was assessed in 44 813 pregnancies; 368 (0.8%) developed preterm PE. At SPR = 7.4%, FMF (vs. NICE) almost tripled preterm PE DR, but by more (by 19.8%) among Black women. The FMF model at SPR = 7.4% had DR = 67.7% for preterm PE, similar to NICE-modified screening (67.4%, which had SPR = 40.1%). At 35-36 weeks, subsequent PE risk was assessed in 29 035 pregnancies; 654 (2.3%) developed PE. At SPR = 10.9%, FMF (vs. NICE) more than doubled subsequent PE DR, regardless of IMD or Black ethnicity. FMF at SPR = 10.9% had DR for subsequent PE at least as high (70.5%) as NICE-modified screening (61.5%), which had SPR = 37.4%. The FMF model detects PE risk similar to risk factor-based screening, with addition of Black ethnicity and social deprivation as moderate-risk factors, but at substantially lower SPR, at 11-13 weeks when aspirin is offered to prevent preterm PE, and at 35-36 weeks when timed birth at term may prevent term PE. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Unnaming of, and other provocations to, the ‘service user’ name, or label
No full textThis conceptual article supplements critiques of the ‘service user’ label by reading it through poststructuralist-shaped lenses which regard meaning and ‘truth’ as unstable products of language, discourse, and power. This critique develops through four provocations: (1) the ‘service user’ does not exist; (2) the ‘service user’ is a by-product of the service provider, and as the ‘service user’ justifies this, so a supporting cast of other others (for example, social workers, carers, support workers and so on) is (in)validated, albeit while crucially justifying the marketplace and the neoliberal conditions that ‘service user’ discourse registers/generates; (3) the ‘service user’ cannot speak; and (4) it is argued that unnaming the ‘service user’ is a vital prerequisite for effective voice and ethical (inter)relations. Such provocations are intended to support destabilising seemingly natural connections between words and the world and to denaturalise practices that ‘service user’ discourse informs and is informed by
Exploring physical activity interventions for adults with disabilities
No full textSection A
Title: A Systematic Literature Review of the Cost Effectiveness of Physical Activity for Adults with Disabilities.
Background: Adults with disabilities experience significant health inequalities, which physical activity (PA) interventions can help reduce. However, cost effectiveness research has only focused on the UK general population and disabled adults abroad. Therefore, its relevance to adults with disabilities in the UK is unclear. This review aimed to evaluate the cost effectiveness of PA interventions for this group.
Methods: The systematic literature search was completed on 4th November 2024 using six databases: ASSIA, CINAH, PsycINFO, Social Policy and Practice, SportDiscus and Web of Science. A narrative synthesis was conducted, and an economic quality appraisal tool used. Inclusion criteria involved reports involving adults with disabilities, defined by the Equality Act (2010), and UK-based PA interventions involving primarily exercise, sport or PA, with cost-effectiveness outcomes.
Results: Nine reports from 1,229 records were eligible. Quality ranged from medium to high and findings generally supported cost effectiveness. Although several potential confounding factors were highlighted.
Discussion: While findings were positive, difficulties in variety of disabilities studied, implementation and local value was noted. Further research needs to expand the evidence-base and investigate what factors ensure high-cost effectiveness.
Section B
Background: Adults with learning disabilities (LDs) experience significant health inequalities which physical activity (PA) could help reduce. However, PA participation has declined in the UK, especially among adults with LDs who face multiple barriers requiring support across all levels of the ecological system. Fun and Fitness (F&F) is a beneficial community-based exercise programme co-developed by stakeholders across these levels for adults with LDs. This study aimed to explore what programme elements stakeholders perceived to contribute to its effectiveness and sustainability.
Methods: Reflexive thematic analysis was used to explore 18 stakeholders’ perceptions of the key elements supporting F&F’s success.
Results: Four themes were identified: “Continued Motivation”, “Systemic Network Development”, “Managing and Maintaining Resources” and “Demonstrating Compassion and Inclusivity”. Two sub-themes under motivation were also identified: “Motivation from positive outcomes” and “Motivation from meeting societal goals”.
Discussion: Findings highlighted the importance of systemic interdependence, roles and influence across systemic levels, shared values and addressing barriers for the programme’s effectiveness and sustainability. These insights could inform future initiatives, though further research is needed into engineering the effective elements,
intersectionality and higher-level systemic influences
‘If she must see, to see in silence’: Catching up with the Victorians in The Caravaners and The Enchanted April
No full text
The impact of AI-driven remote patient monitoring on cancer care: A systematic review
No full textThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic necessitated a shift in healthcare delivery, emphasizing the need for remote patient monitoring (RPM) to minimize infection risks. This review aimed to evaluate the applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in RPM for cancer patients, exploring its impact on patient outcomes and implications for future healthcare practices. A qualitative systematic review was conducted using keyword searches across four databases: Embase OVID, PubMed, PsychInfo, and Web of Science. After removing duplicates and applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, the selected studies underwent quality assessment using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tools and a risk of bias assessment. A thematic analysis was then performed using Delve, an application that facilitates deductive coding, to identify and explore themes related to AI in RPM. The search yielded 170 papers, from which 11 quantitative studies were selected for detailed analysis. Deductive coding resulted in the generation of 12 codes, leading to the identification of six subthemes and the construction of two primary themes: Efficacy of the RPM intervention and patient factors. AI systems in RPM show significant potential for enhancing cancer patient care and outcomes. However, this review could not conclusively determine that RPM provides superior outcomes compared to traditional face-to-face care. The findings underscore the preliminary nature of AI in medicine, highlighting the need for larger-scale, long-term studies to fully understand the benefits and limitations of AI in RPM for cancer care. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2025 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.