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Tracking Recovery: An Up-to-Date Overview of Wearable Sensors in Healthcare Monitoring for Post-Stroke Patients:A Review
No full textStroke is a major global health challenge with high morbidity rate, high risk of recurrence, and increasing incidence. Post-stroke healthcare monitoring involves different physiological functions and is dependent on caregivers, with a high need for regular, long-term, point-of-care monitoring. Recently, many wearable sensors including inertial measurement units, mechanical sensors (example barometric sensors, force sensors, strain sensors, et cetera), and electrodes have been developed to achieve reliable healthcare monitoring for post-stroke patients. The sensors are incorporated in different forms to make it more compact and wearable without altering its measuring abilities. These sensors detect different functions including cardiovascular, respiratory, and neural activities, whereas the majority were focused on body movement. By analyzing the innovative wearable technologies and application scenarios, the merits and limitations of the state-of-the-art sensors are summarized in this review. Artificial intelligence (AI) including edge AI and cloud AI, machine learning and deep learning, hardware optimization, and internet-of-things offer new potentials for overcoming the current challenges in reliable long-term monitoring and standardized data processing towards clinical applications
Exploring the links between sonochemistry and sonomechanobiology
Get PDFSonomechanobiology concerns the ways in which vibrational energy can stimulate biological cells. It is a multi-disciplinary subject involving contributions from fields including chemistry, food science, microbiology, medicine and physics. Early studies of the effects of ultrasound on living tissue can be traced back to the 1920's but in those days, without the aid of modern specialised equipment, detailed explanations were not possible. The more recent work on the stimulation of cells has been of particular interest to microbiologists and medical physicists while sonochemists have not really been involved. But sonochemistry has an important part to play in the developing subject of sonomechanobiology and this opinion paper will re-examine those early studies which can be considered to be precursors to both sonomechanobiology and sonochemistry.</p
Transformative Hospitality:Leveraging a Human-centric Circular Economy Framework for the Hotel Industry
No full textPurpose: While there has been global progress in integrating Circular Economy (CE) principles into the hotel industry, there is a notable disparity between hotels in developed and developing nations regarding transitioning toward circular practices. This paper aims to explore the extent to which the hotel industry in the developing world has embraced circular practices and to devise a human-centric strategy for their successful transformation toward circular hospitality. Design/methodology/approach: The service-oriented nature of the hospitality industry makes the adoption of CE principles highly context-sensitive and notably more complex. This complexity requires the use of nuanced data to fully understand the factors that are not easily quantifiable. We therefore employed a qualitative phenomenological approach to observe and interview key decision-makers and technical professionals within the hotel industry. They possess prior knowledge of sustainability and green initiatives, although they do not necessarily have professional experience in the CE. They also provided data and insights, enriching the discussion and ensuring the achievement of a balanced and inclusive outcome. Findings: Our research found a multitude of good practices in hotels that have strategically ingrained CE practices into their operations. However, we also identified some challenges, such as supplier limitations, short product lifespans, and tensions among CE practices, which continue to hinder the full implementation of CE. Our empirical results suggest that transformative hospitality requires a human-centric approach to integrating CE practices into the hotel industry, which can be achieved by emphasizing the empowerment of hotel management, staff, and guests. Practical implications: Our research offers insights for hoteliers and stakeholders in the hospitality industry to innovate and advance CE practices within the industry. In particular, the human-centric CE framework can be used by hoteliers to build a balanced ecosystem that meets environmental objectives while simultaneously maintaining high standards of guest comfort and satisfaction. Originality/value: Our research contributes to CE theory in hospitality by reframing the CE hospitality attributes: acts of service, hospitable participation, heterogeneity, and perishability, that embody sustainability and pro-environmental initiatives. We propose the human-centric CE framework that encapsulates human-centric CE strategies and people-driven actions. The framework advances CE research in hospitality by aligning behavioral, cognitive, and emotional dimensions of human agency with CE values, emphasizing the intertwining of internal motivations and emotional engagement
AI-Native Open RAN for Non-Terrestrial Networks:An Overview
Get PDFNon-terrestrial network (NTN) is envisioned as a critical component of Sixth Generation (6G) networks by enabling ubiquitous services and enhancing network resilience. However, the inherent mobility and high-altitude operation of NTN pose significant challenges throughout the development and operations (DevOps) lifecycle. To address these challenges, integrating NTNs with the Open Radio Access Network (ORAN) is a promising approach, since ORAN can offer disaggregation, openness, virtualization, and embedded intelligence. Despite extensive literature on ORAN and NTN, a holistic view of ORAN-based NTN frameworks is still lacking, particularly regarding how ORAN can effectively address the existing challenges of NTN. Furthermore, although artificial intelligence native (AI-Native) capabilities have the potential to enhance intelligence network control and optimization, their practical realization in NTNs has not yet been sufficiently investigated. Therefore, in this paper, we provide a comprehensive and structured overview of AI-Native ORAN for NTN. This paper commences with an in-depth review of the existing literature and subsequently introduces the necessary background about ORAN, NTN, and AI-Native for communication. After analyzing the DevOps challenges for NTN, we propose the orchestrated AI-Native ORAN-based NTN framework and discuss its key technological enablers. Finally, we present the representative use cases and outline the prospective future research directions of this study
Online Marketing Tools and Students’ Career Decision Processes: Managerial Insights from Iraqi Higher Education
Get PDFThis study explores how digital and traditional marketing tools influence higher education students’ career decision-making, satisfaction, and career commitment during students’ educational trajectories in Iraq’s rapidly expanding university sector. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, a survey of 622 students was analysed with partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), followed by 24 semi-structured interviews with marketing and recruitment professionals. The quantitative findings show thatstudents’ first-choice preferences, demographic factors, and engagement with LinkedIn, WeChat, blogs, and university webpages significantly shaped their career choices and satisfaction levels. Qualitative insights reveal that authenticity, transparent communication, and alignment between institutional messaging and lived experiences were key to sustaining trust. Traditional channels such as brochures and fairs remained important for credibility, supporting a hybrid marketing approach. The study contributes to management theory and practice in universities by linking digital communication strategies to student engagement and institutional performance. It also highlights the need for inclusive, transparent, and culturally adaptive marketing that reflects local and global contexts. These findings provide actionable guidance for higher education administrators seeking to build sustainable student trust, enhance recruitment effectiveness, and strengthen institutional reputation in competitive and resource-constrained systems
Wall Shear Stress Distribution in Intracranial Atherosclerotic Disease and Associations With Vessel and Plaque Morphology
Get PDFBackground and Aims: Wall shear stress (WSS) may govern the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. We aimed to depict WSS distribution in symptomatic, atherosclerotic M1 middle cerebral artery (MCA‐M1) stenosis, and its associations with adjacent vessel and plaque geometry. Methods: Patients with symptomatic, atherosclerotic, 50%–99% MCA‐M1 stenosis were analyzed. MCA‐M1 vessel curve orientation and tortuosity, luminal stenosis, plaque length and longitudinal asymmetry were assessed on CT angiography (CTA). Relative WSS (rWSS) was calculated by the absolute WSS divided by mean WSS at the proximal, normal vessel segment, in a CTA‐based computational fluid dynamics model. rWSS < 1.0, 1.0–3.0, and > 3.0 were respectively defined as low, normal, and high WSS; low‐ and high‐WSS areas were measured. The vessel and plaque geometry was associated with the rWSS measures, across a plaque as a whole, and separately in upstream and downstream plaque segments divided at the stenotic throat. Results: In 176 patients, rWSS increased progressively along the upstream plaque segment but highly varied downstream. rWSS was lower on the inner than on the outer wall of the MCA‐M1 vessel curve. Patients with ventrally (than dorsally), inferiorly (than superiorly) oriented MCA‐M1 vessel curves and higher tortuosity of the affected vessel segment exhibited lower rWSS and larger low‐WSS areas at the downstream plaque segment. More severe luminal stenosis and upstream dominance in the plaque were associated with higher rWSS and larger high‐WSS areas in the upstream and downstream plaque segments. Conclusions: Wall shear stress (WSS) distribution across symptomatic MCA‐M1 stenosis was variable and strongly associated with adjacent vessel and plaque geometry, independent of systemic factors
What keeps FLAME lit? Comparing two modes of implementation of a physical education-based intervention to improve motor competence among Irish adolescents
Get PDFBackground: Adequate levels of motor competence (MC) have been associated with multiple health outcomes. Despite the preponderance of effective MC interventions, globally, levels of MC in children and adolescents are low. There is a gap in understanding what leads to effective implementation of MC interventions into routine practice, to benefit the wider population. Purpose: This study aims to compare implementation outcomes of two versions of Project FLAME: one group of teachers implementing Project FLAME as per the original efficacy trial (‘Original FLAME’), a second group of teachers implementing Project FLAME incorporating three additional implementation strategies (‘Modified FLAME’). Methods: A mixed method, two-group pre-and-post design, lasting six weeks during the period of September to November 2021. Three implementation evaluation outcomes were assessed: (i) PE teacher’s self-efficacy in delivering Project FLAME; (ii) Fidelity and adaptation to the project protocol; and (iii) Teachers’ and students’ responsiveness to the project. Data were collected at student and teacher levels using online survey and interviews. Nine PE teachers and their classes from eight schools consented to participate. Descriptives were reported for quantitative online survey data, and qualitative data were analysed thematically. Results: The final analytical sample included data from 9 teachers and 127 students pre- and post-study. Irrespective of implementation group, teachers with low levels of self-efficacy at the baseline improved after the six-week intervention. Teachers’ fidelity to the use of pedagogical external cues and error identification were high in both groups, with more adaptations made in the Modified FLAME group. Students’ satisfaction towards the intervention was high in both groups, with the use of pedagogical external cues reported as highly preferable. Conclusion: Findings provide evidence on the ‘non-negotiable’ features of Project FLAME that have the potential to be implemented for a longer-term in Physical Education settings (e.g. external teaching cues). The documented implementation of Project FLAME provide knowledge on what adaptations may be needed to translate an effective MC intervention into real-world practice. The study reaffirms that documenting the implementation (especially fidelity and adaptation) of MC interventions is beneficial.</p
Examining the nature, effectiveness and implications of shadow education in rural Kazakhstan: A participatory study of primary school students
No full textThis study investigates the nature, effectiveness and implications of fee-based private tutoring among primary school students (age 11–12) in rural Kazakhstan, an underexamined context in shadow education research. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory and the ‘new sociology of childhood’, the study employs a mixed-methods approach, integrating survey data (N = 662) with qualitative participatory methods, including group interviews and children's drawings (N = 60). Findings reveal that 43.5% of students received private tutoring, with group tutoring being the most common due to affordability. Unlike their urban counterparts, who primarily seek tutoring for high-stakes exam preparation, rural students used it to strengthen subject comprehension and improve school performance. Some students also identified social and psychological benefits, such as enhanced self-confidence and improved communication skills. They acted agentively by pinpointing its drawbacks, including reduced time for leisure and financial strain on families. These findings highlight the need for policymakers to strengthen rural educational resources and address systemic inequalities that hinder access to selective schools, particularly due to geographical and socioeconomic barriers. Future research should explore the long-term effects of private tutoring on students' academic and socioemotional development, with particular attention to its role in supporting disadvantaged students and those with special educational needs
Responses of the refractory and free-milling gold ores to chloride leaching as an eco-friendly alternative to the cyanidation method
No full textGold cyanidation has been of interest as a dissolution method for over a centry due to its high efficiency and selectivity to gold, and good stability. However, it has basic drawbacks such as long process time, high reagent costs, lower yields in refractory ores, cyanide regeneration complexity, and high toxicity of cyanide compounds. The present study investigates the potential of chloride leaching as as a faster and more sustainable alternative to dissolving gold from the refractory (RO) and free-milling (FO) ores with a focus on the novel application of sodium hypochlorite as an oxidant. The selected RO sample consisted of pyrite and quartz as the main mineral phases, with the gold encapsulated in pyrite. For FO, hematite and goethite were the main gold-bearing minerals. According to the diagnostic leaching tests, 95 % and 68 % of Au from the FO and RO, respectively, were dissolved after 48 h cyanidation. Cupric chloride, ferric chloride, hydrogen peroxide, and sodium hypochlorite were examined as oxidants but only the latter increased the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) of the RO and FO pulps to over 800 and 1000 mV, respectively. Optimal leaching conditions, i.e. 1 M HCl, 5 M Cl−, and 2 % NaOCl at 80 °C, recovered 94 % (FO) and 58 % (RO) gold within 3 h. This demonstrates an eightfold increase in reaction rate compared to cyanidation, with similar efficiency. The results highlight the potential of hypochlorite-assisted chloride leaching as a viable, greener alternative for rapid gold extraction, particularly from free-milling ores, with promising application to certain refractory ores.</p
An innovative approach for using non-noble metals as an alternative initiator for electroless copper plating of non-conductive materials
Get PDFIn the present study, a new approach to inducing the electroless copper deposition reaction was established utilising non-noble metals (zinc (Zn) and cobalt (Co)) as more sustainable, inexpensive, alternative initiators for electroless copper deposition with particular applicability to the coating of non-conductive materials. This work presents an innovative approach to replace critical raw materials (CRMs) like palladium (Pd) with more sustainable metals, addressing the growing risks of supply disruptions that threaten the progress of modern technologies, particularly in catalytic applications. The investigation involved the analysis of precipitates and electroless copper deposits using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and electrochemical analysis employing cyclic voltammetry (CV), impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and Tafel plots. The study clearly demonstrated that zinc (Zn) and cobalt (Co) particles are capable of initiating the electroless copper deposition process despite the fact that cyclic voltammetry (CV) analysis indicated no detectable oxidation of the reducing agent on either Zn or Co. Such results provide compelling evidence for a non-catalytic, indirect initiation mechanism for electroless copper deposition on these metals. Complementary X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis confirmed the deposition of copper on the surfaces of Zn and Co particles, even in the absence of the reducing agent. For the first time, a mechanism for the indirect initiation of electroless copper deposition by non-noble metals (Zn and Co) has been elucidated. The key step involves a displacement (or galvanic exchange) reaction that facilitates the initial deposition of copper onto the non-noble metal surface. Subsequent copper deposition proceeds via the conventional electroless process, catalysed by the oxidation of formaldehyde on this preliminary copper layer. This indirect initiation mechanism contrasts with the well-known ‘direct’ Pd initiation process, whereby the first layer of copper is formed by the catalytic oxidation of formaldehyde on the Pd particles.</p