17390 research outputs found
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Tendon driven assistive hand for mirror based robotic therapy
No full textSoft robotic hands, particularly those utilizing tendon-driven mechanisms, offer significant advantages in precision and adaptability for handling delicate objects. These soft robotic hands are designed to mimic the dexterity and flexibility of the human hand by employing variable stiffness materials. Despite recent advancements in tendon-driven soft robotic hands, there remains a gap in the development of simplified variable stiffness mechanisms with integrated sensors for real-time adaptability. This paper presents the development of a modular, bio-inspired, tendon-driven soft robotic hand, fabricated using 3D printing. Flexible material NinjaFlex TPU85A is used for flexible joint mechanism whereas rigid PLA is used for fingers and rest of the hand for structural support. The combination of these materials allows the soft robotic hands to dynamically adjust their stiffness, striking a balance between flexibility and strength. Following the muscle contraction model, the hand is actuated by servo motors while optimized tendon paths reduce friction for smooth motion. Additionally, force and flex sensors provide real-time feedback, allowing precise control of finger movements and grip pressures. Experimental tests conducted using both glove hand simulation and robotic prototypes confirmed the system's ability to replicate glove finger movements accurately. The presented design holds potential for applications in prosthetics, industrial automation, and delicate object manipulation, where precise, flexible handling is essential
Artificial intelligence aided ultrasound imaging of foetal congenital heart disease: A scoping review
No full textObjectives: Congenital heart diseases (CHD) are a significant cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity. Detecting these abnormalities during pregnancy increases survival rates, enhances prognosis, and im-proves pregnancy management and quality of life for the affected families. Foetal echocardiography can be considered an accurate method for detecting CHDs. However, the detection of CHDs can be limited by factors such as the sonographer's skill, expertise and patient specific variables. Using artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to address these challenges, increasing antenatal CHD detection during prenatal care. A scoping review was conducted using Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect databases, employing keywords, Boolean operators, and inclusion and exclusion criteria to identify peer-reviewed studies. Thematic mapping and synthesis of the found literature were conducted to review key concepts, research methods and findings.
Key findings: A total of n = 233 articles were identified, after exclusion criteria, the focus was narrowed to n = 7 that met the inclusion criteria. Themes in the literature identified the potential of AI to assist clinicians and trainees, alongside emerging new ethical limitations in ultrasound imaging.
Conclusion: AI-based tools in ultrasound imaging offer great potential in assisting sonographers and doctors with decision-making in CHD diagnosis. However, due to the paucity of data and small sample sizes, further research and technological advancements are needed to improve reliability and integrate AI into routine clinical practice.
Implications for practice: This scoping review identified the reported accuracy and limitations of AI based tools within foetal cardiac ultrasound imaging. AI has the potential to aid in reducing missed diagnoses, enhance training, and improve pregnancy management. There is a need to understand and address the ethical and legal considerations involved with this new paradigm in imaging
Effect of channel thickness on the particle diffusion and permeability of carbon nanotubes a membrane in reverse electrodialysis process using molecular dynamics simulation
No full textAdopting innovative technology and solutions is critical for ensuring clean water. Several methods may be used to remove salts from water. They may be divided into two categories: membranes and heat. Reverse electrodialysis, which uses a membrane, is an efficient way of separating substances. Prior research investigated system-level factors, but the nanoscale mechanisms that drive ion and water penetration across membranes were poorly understood. This study closed a research gap by investigating the influence of carbon nanotube membrane thickness on particle mobility and fluid dynamics in reverse electrodialysis systems. The research contributed to the enhancement of energy conversion efficiency and membrane performance in reverse electrodialysis systems by offering a comprehensive understanding of the influence of channel thickness on particle transport and selectivity through the carbon nanotube membrane. Molecular dynamics simulations using the LAMMPS software package were conducted to examine the effect of carbon nanotube thickness variation (1-layer vs 2-layer) on fluid flow, ionic current, hydrogen bonding, and fluid density. to the findings, increasing the thickness of a carbon nanotube from one layer to two layers decreased the fluid flow rate to 203.79 atoms/ns and the current from 5.31 e/ns to 5.15 e/ns. Additionally, the number of broken hydrogen bonds decreased from 116 to 105, indicating decreased permeability and increased stability of the hydrogen-bonding network. In addition to offering useful information for the construction of more effective and selective membranes in renewable energy applications, these results provided a molecular understanding of how carbon nanotube thickness affected reverse electrodialysis effectiveness
Population aging and corporate innovation performance: evidence from China
No full textDrawing on the contingency theory, this study investigates how population aging reshapes corporate innovation in China. With the CSMAR firm database, we find that population aging suppresses corporate patenting by raising labour costs and diluting human capital quality. We further document that scientific expenditure could weaken the impact of population aging on corporate patenting, thereby acting as a strategic buffer. These findings jointly show that population aging constrains corporate innovation performance; for policy implications, they indicate that government policies stimulating scientific expenditure can be a direction to overcome the constraint effect
AI governance in Malaysia: Risks, challenges and pathways forward
No full textArtificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly advancing in development and application, offering transformative opportunities and challenges. Globally, governments are striving to create policies that harness AI’s potential while addressing its risks. Malaysia is no exception, making notable progress in AI governance with initiatives such as the release of national guidelines and the establishment of the National AI Office (NAIO).
Building on these efforts, this report gathers insights from local AI policy stakeholders to address critical questions about AI risks, governance challenges and pathways forward
Exploring teachers' perceptions of their student mental health support
No full textSection A
There is an emphasis on early intervention in support of children and young people’s mental health. Given the amount of time teachers spend with students, they have been positioned by research and governmental policy as well-placed to play a part in this. Teachers’ experiences and perceptions of this have been captured in research, however, there has been a focus on the challenges that they face. This review aimed to explore existing research to identify the facilitators of teachers’ student mental health support.
A systematic search of three databases was conducted to identify qualitative studies that explored teachers’ experiences of supporting students’ mental health. After a critical quality appraisal of the eighteen included studies, a thematic synthesis was conducted revealing four main themes; ‘teachers see themselves as care givers’, ‘drawing on teaching skills’, ‘teachers’ beliefs about the intersection between academics, school environment and mental health’ and ‘the system around the teacher helps them to help their students’.
Findings are discussed in relation to existing research, policy and theory using Harvest’s (2018) adapted version of Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological framework (1979; 2006).
Experiences of teachers’ revealed facilitators at the individual level in their beliefs, values and subsequent actions, plus in broader ecological levels where teachers relate to their
students, school environment, colleagues and societal influences. Limitations are discussed and implications for practice, policy and research are made.
Section B
Background: Children and young people are experiencing higher rates of mental health difficulties coupled with increasingly longer waits for support, particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic. In their positions working directly with children and young people, teachers have been positioned to identify and support student mental health concerns. While
teachers have reported feeling willing to support student mental health as part of their roles, they have reported expanding roles, feeling ill-equipped, unconfident and disinclined to play the part of ‘therapist’.
Method: This study used an interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore how UK teachers make sense of their roles in supporting students’ mental health. Eight mainstream secondary school teachers from Southeast England were interviewed.
Results: Three group experiential themes were identified with nine subthemes: 1) "You are helping them to shape their worldview": personal investment in students' development, 2) "You're asking us to do too many things under the same umbrella": the emotional strain of balancing competing demands in a broken system, 3) "It just doesn't feel like it's enough": working through helplessness and disempowerment and finding ways to survive.
Discussion: Findings highlight the importance of supporting teachers’ wellbeing, who often prioritise students’ needs over their own, juggle multiple incompatible priorities, feel restricted in working in valued ways by the educational and wider systems, feel unsupported in their
student mental health support and are at risk of compassion fatigue and moral injury. Implications for clinical psychology and future research are discussed
Digitalisation and SMEs internationalisation: The mediating role of eco-innovation
No full textThis study extends the Resource-Based View (RBV) framework and builds on existing scholarly works to examine the relationship between digitalisation, eco-innovation, and SME internationalisation. Using data from 300 SME owner-managers operating in the UK, the findings suggest that digitalisation positively impacts eco-innovation. In addition, we also found that eco-innovation has a positive impact on SME internationalisation. Furthermore, the results indicate that eco-innovation mediates the relationship between digitalisation and SME internationalisation. These findings highlight the pivotal role of eco-innovation and digitalisation in enabling SMEs to thrive in international markets
Investigations into patient and nursing staff experiences of acute adult inpatient mental health units
No full textSection A
Background: Adult inpatient care has changed considerably over the last sixty years. The multiple failings of the inpatient system are well documented, and countless studies have shown that inpatient care is often experienced as inadequate by patients. There is a need for understanding what high-quality inpatient mental health care looks like in order to improve care for patients.
Aims: To conduct a systematic review of the literature base in order to understand experiences of acute adult inpatient mental health care and what the ingredients of high-quality care are from a patient perspective.
Method: A systematic search of three online databases (MEDLINE, PsychINFO, CINAHL) was carried out. Primary research published between 2017 and 2024 was screened against inclusion and exclusion criteria. Study quality was appraised. A narrative synthesis was carried out and key themes were identified.
Results: Fourteen studies were included in the review. Four key themes were identified: therapeutic relationships; patient-centred care and involvement; coercive practices; the physical inpatient environment.
Conclusion: The identified themes confirm findings from previous systematic reviews. Patients frequently described adverse experiences of coercive practices ranging from restraint to ward rules. High quality inpatient care included therapeutic relationships, involvement in one’s care, and access to activities and psychological therapies. A key message across all studies was the fundamental importance of high-quality therapeutic relationships to recovery. The review adds to a body of evidence that can be used to guide improvements in inpatient care.
Section B
Background: Meaningful nurse-patient relationships are of fundamental importance to the quality of acute adult inpatient mental health care and recovery. Despite recognition of the value of relationships, inpatients tend to be critical of their care and the quality of their relationships with nursing staff, highlighting the need to understand how nurse-patients relationships develop, and how they might be facilitated.
Aims: To develop an explanatory theory and model of the social processes involved in the development of therapeutic relationships between nursing staff and patients on acute adult inpatient mental health units.
Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six current inpatients and seven members of the nursing team from two acute adult inpatient mental health units in an inner-city London borough. A grounded theory methodology was used to identify key concepts across the interviews.
Results: The analysis produced eight categories, which formed a preliminary model depicting the process of developing meaningful therapeutic relationships between patients and nursing staff. Relationships were conceptualised as a temporal, relational process unfolding across overlapping phases.
Conclusion: The findings contribute to an under-researched area and offer a preliminary model of nurse-patient relationship development that can guide further research, service development, and training. The study highlights the often-overlooked value of relational work undertaken by nursing staff, and the challenges they face in forming and managing relationships
Cognitive and executive functions of top level para-karate athletes with intellectual disability
No full textKarate is one of the most popular martial arts. This study investigates the cognitive profiles of top-level Para Karate athletes with intellectual disability (ID), aiming to assess the extent to which cognitive abilities are related to athletic performance. Cognitive and executive functions, including decision-making, processing speed, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control, are critical in high-level sports but are often understudied in athletes with ID. We conducted cognitive assessments and executive function tests on a cohort of elite Para Karate athletes (n = 42) aged 27.0 (±6.5) years competing in two separate classes. The K21 class (n = 21) is the traditional class for athletes diagnosed with ID and the K22 (n = 23) is a class for ID-athletes with a significant additional impairment such as a genetic syndrome (e.g., Down syndrome) or functional limitation (e.g., reduced joint mobility). The MANOVA revealed that K21 Para Karate athletes perform significantly better than K22 athletes in the areas related to cognitive processing speed (i.e., simple reaction time), visuospatial processing (block design) and inductive reasoning (matrix reasoning task) with large effect sizes. No significant differences between the classes were found for the executive function measures working memory and inhibitory control. The kata-performance during competition was judged by a panel of seven referees. K21 athletes performed better than K22 athletes and a significant correlation was apparent between kata-performance and one parameter of executive function (i.e., inhibitory control). These results highlight the relation between cognitive development and martial arts performance and provide insights for future studies related to the development of sport-specific classification for athletes with ID. More sophisticated measures are necessary to assess the key determinants of kata performance
Understanding practitioners' experiences of co-working
No full textSection A
Background. Co-working, where two or more therapists work together in the delivery of a psychological intervention, is widely practiced across a variety of therapeutic modalities and settings. The relationship between co-therapists has been positioned as central to the practice, and co-working has been discussed as being a learning tool for therapists. This review aimed to explore therapists’ experiences of co-working.
Method. A systematic literature search was conducted across six databases, returning 16 studies fitting the pre-established inclusion criteria. Studies were critically evaluated using three quality appraisal tools. A narrative synthesis of findings followed.
Findings. ‘Modelling’ and ‘development over time of the co-working relationship’, emerged as processes occurring in co-working practice. Success of the co-working relationship was linked to issues of compatibility, satisfaction, trust, nurturing the relationship outside of sessions, and access to supervision. The benefits of co-working, which included therapist development and sharing responsibilities, appeared to outweigh the challenges.
Discussion. The findings align with much of the existing theoretical literature on therapists’ perspectives of co-working. Clinical and research implications are discussed. Further empirical research of co-working in specific interventions, and investigation into how to overcome co-working related challenges is merited.
Section B
Background. Family interventions (FI) for psychosis contribute to improved outcomes for service-users and families. Co-working, wherein two or more practitioners work together to deliver an intervention, is common practice in FI. No known empirical research exists examining co-working in FI for psychosis specifically. This study aimed to develop an initial grounded theory of co-working in FI for psychosis.
Method. A qualitative modified grounded theory methodology was used. Fourteen practitioners who delivered FI for psychosis participated in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed and coded. An emerging theoretical model was developed from the data.
Findings. The developed model suggested co-working in FI can offer certain benefits for practitioners and families. Co-working challenges, and ways of approaching and managing these, were highlighted. Participants described their ability to successfully harness co-working benefits and manage co-working challenges was facilitated or inhibited by various ways of being. Successful co-working contributed to a sense of practitioner wellbeing. Practitioners seemed to be working towards a shared goal of making the best possible use of the co-working relationship for the benefit of the family and the co-working team.
Discussion. Findings are discussed in relation to existing literature and relevant theory. Strengths, limitations, and clinical and research implications are considered