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Efficient Citation Screening by Weak Classifier Ensemble*
No full textCitation screening in systematic review is timeconsuming. Machine learning can help semi-automate it but faces obstacles. Each systematic review is a new dataset without initial annotations. Extreme class imbalance against irrelevant studies makes it difficult to select a good subset of samples to train a classifier. The rigid requirement of a (near) total recall of relevant studies demands a careful trade-off between accuracy and recall. This paper pilots a weak classifier ensemble approach to tackle both challenges. The idea of ensembling is employed in two ways. First, multiple cost-effective large language models are applied and averaged to score and rank candidate studies to create a balanced pseudo-labelled training set. Second, different sets of pseudo-negative samples are bootstrapped from low-rank documents and multiple classifiers are trained and combined to make screening decisions. Experiments on 28 systematic reviews demonstrate significant performance improvements brought by the weakly supervised classifier ensemble, which also meets the rigid recall requirement for it to be safely used in practice
Estimation of residual stress in carbon fibre composite laminate using the contour method
Get PDFExperimental analysis of residual stress in carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites is rare owing to the difficulties of determining residual stress accurately in these materials. This can lead to non-conservatism in design and poor understanding of potential failure mechanisms. In this study we have determined the residual stress in a cross-ply CFRP laminate. For the first time, the contour method of residual stress measurement was applied using wire electric-discharge machining (WEDM), the process that is accepted as the best way to ensure an accurate relaxed surface profile is obtained to back calculate the residual stress. A novel incremental linear smoothing approach was introduced for the measured displacement data which gave better approximation than the conventional spline smoothing method used in the standard contour method for metals. Measurements show tensile residual stress in the direction transverse to the fibres with a maximum value of 40 MPa, and compressive residual stress along the fibre direction with a maximum value of –130 MPa. The accuracy of the calculated residual stress was improved by considering the measured thickness of each ply cluster rather than the nominal thickness. The results of modified contour method are compared with an analytical solution based on the classical laminate theory
Reliability of Surface EMG During High-Risk Single-Leg Jump Landing and 90° Sidestep Cutting in Female Footballers
Get PDFNon-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries cause substantial time loss in female football. Although altered lower-limb muscle excitation is a modifiable risk factor, the reliability of surface electromyography (sEMG) during dynamic tasks in female players remains uncertain. This repeated-measures reliability study examined sEMG during a single-leg jump landing (LAND) and 90° sidestep cut (CUT) in 16 second-tier English female footballers. We evaluated reliability across: (1) within- versus between-session measures; (2) mean versus peak amplitudes; (3) pre-initial contact (PRE-IC) versus post-initial contact (POST-IC) phases; and (4) 10 ms versus 50 ms smoothing windows. Reliability was quantified using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC[2,k]) and absolute measurement error. Within-session ICCs were moderate to excellent (LAND 0.61 to 0.95; CUT 0.68 to 0.96), whereas between-session ICCs varied from poor to excellent (LAND −0.48 to 0.94; CUT −0.08 to 0.93). Mean amplitudes showed marginally higher ICCs and lower absolute error than peaks. Phase-specific patterns were task-dependent: PRE-IC was more reliable in LAND, whereas POST-IC was more reliable in CUT. Practitioners should prioritize within-session comparisons using mean amplitudes, and the most reliable task-specific phase is recommended. Between-day application warrants caution, as the consistently lower reliability demonstrated may reflect task variability and/or physiological fluctuations rather than the sEMG method alone
Do Not Adjust Your Set! How a Visual Alert Reduced Unnecessary Human Intervention in an Automated Vehicle
Get PDFHuman remote operators, teaming with Automated Vehicles (AV), will need to be provided information from the AV to make decisions on how, or when, to intervene in the AV operations. As an extension to research into how many AVs an individual can successfully monitor, the authors designed and implemented a human machine interface (HMI) that provided key information on the probability that an AV might need an intervention from a remote operator. A key element of that interface was the provision of feedback indicating if a vehicle was stationary, provided in the form of a timer, and a visual alert given 10s after the vehicle came to a halt. An experiment was conducted into the efficacy of this visual alert, by on occasion removing it from use. It was expected that the absence of the visual alert would lead to more incidents where a remote operator missed a requirement to intervene. However, the results indicated that in the absence of the alert the remote operator was more likely to intervene.This paper examines how elements of the HMI design affected the participants decision to intervene in AV operations, and concludes that by offering transparent system-state feedback, the HMI effectively counters the innate psychological pressure to act, reassuring the operator that inaction can be an appropriate and system-approved response.</p
Enhancing ecosystem services to mitigate agro-environmental pressures:integrating participatory mapping and land suitability analysis for crop-livestock mixed farming and agroforestry systems
Get PDFStakeholders from six European pilot sites engaged in participatory mapping and land suitability assessments to co-design climate-smart strategies for sustainable land management. The mixed methodology applied combined GIS based landscape vulnerability analysis, stakeholder knowledge, and assessments of ecosystem services. Key phases included preliminary assessment of environmental pressures, participatory SWOT analysis, and collaborative mapping exercises to identify suitable mixed farming (MF) and agroforestry (AF) practices. This approach empowered local communities, enhanced knowledge exchange, and integrated socio-ecological dimensions into land-use planning. Participatory mapping proved effective in capturing spatial perceptions, guiding context-specific transitions, and building consensus on landscape-scale interventions. Based on environmental pressure indicators, the scaling-up analysis showed that, depending on local conditions, the proportion of areas suitable for MF and AF ranged from 2 to 61% of the total area analysed across the six pilot sites. All the stakeholders agreed on the introduction of MF and AF and expressed differing views on their potential to reduce the environmental pressures of agricultural practices and enhance ecosystem services. Practitioners, such as farmers and advisors, emphasised the need for greater knowledge and stronger policy support to implement the transition toward more agroecological farming systems. While results highlight the large potential for MF and AF (up to 61% of the land use, in certain cases), it also showed the importance of participatory tools in bridging scientific research and practice, reinforcing the role of stakeholder engagement in designing resilient and multifunctional agricultural systems. While this might help to bridge the gap between planning and the implementation of agroecological practices across diverse European contexts, further research on the implementations and the socio-economic assessment of MF and AF at landscape scale is needed.</p
Dynamic Capabilities, Sustainable Supply Chain Management Practices, and Resilience:Evidence from Chinese Construction Firms
Get PDFDespite the known importance of Supply Chain Dynamic Capabilities (SCDC) in the face of shocks and sustainability pressures in construction, its translation into resilience (SCR) and performance (SSCP) remains unclear. Thus, we examine Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) practices as a mediator and firm size as a moderator within this relationship. Drawing on the Dynamic Capabilities View, the study analyzed survey data from 525 construction industry professionals in China using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Bootstrapping techniques and multi-group analysis were employed to systematically test mediation and moderation hypotheses. The findings indicate that SCDC positively influences both SCR and SSCP. Mediation analysis confirms that SSCM serves as a significant partial mediator, suggesting that dynamic capabilities are most effective when operationalized through specific sustainable practices. Additionally, a strategic divergence was observed: large enterprises leverage internal dynamic capabilities to a greater extent to drive resilience, while small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) rely more heavily on the implementation of SSCM practices to navigate supply chain challenges. The study empirically validates the operational link between dynamic capabilities and sustainable performance. The findings offer a tailored framework for practitioners, highlighting that resilience strategies must align with organizational scale, particularly for resource-constrained SMEs relying on external collaboration
Co‑designing a research agenda for UK agroforestry using a multi‑actor approach
Get PDFThere is growing recognition of agroforestry’s potential to help mitigate and provide resilience to the climate and biodiversity crises. Beyond its environmental benefits, agroforestry can also enhance production and profits, making it a sustainable farming solution that is scalable. Despite this, uptake within Europe is low, and many knowledge gaps remain that need to beaddressed to promote adoption and optimize the management and implementation of agroforestry systems. We co-developed a research agenda for agroforestry using a multi-actor approach and a modified Delphi method in 2023. 156 UK-based stakeholders contributed to this process, including farmers, advisors, policy makers, NGOs, and researchers. An initial list of 238 research priorities (high-priority research questions) was submitted via a survey and a workshop. This was shortened during a second workshop with 48 participants. The final list included 40 research priorities across the themes “environmentand production,” “human livelihoods, knowledge, and perceptions,” and “policy, financing, and markets.” There was high agreement about which priorities to include, with questions on policy incentives, knowledge-exchange, agroforestry design (e.g., tree/crop selection), biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, well-being, markets, and food security. We identified a need for landscape-scale and longer-term research. Our agenda is a rare example of a research-prioritization process that includes farmers and other agricultural stakeholders throughout the research process. The value of this approach can be seen in the inclusion of research priorities that are grounded in the real world and relevant to different actors. Our agenda goes beyond existing evidence syntheses in scope, and should be used alongside them to identify stakeholder-relevant gaps for future primary research and evidence synthesis. By guiding researchers and funding bodies to impactful areas of enquiry, it can promote evidence-based agroforestry practice and policy. Addressing this research agenda requires better support for longterm, transdisciplinary, multi-stakeholder research, and funded demonstration sites or living labs
Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes and Health System Costs in Standard Public Maternity Care Compared to Private Obstetric‐Led Care:A Population‐Level Matched Cohort Study
Get PDFObjective We aimed to compare health outcomes and costs in standard public maternity care compared to private obstetric‐led maternity care. Design Observational study with linked administrative data. Setting Australian maternity care. Population 867 334 births, covering all births in three states of Australia between 2016 and 2019. Methods Standard public care involved mainly fragmented midwifery, obstetric and General Practitioner provider care, with birth in a public hospital. Private obstetric‐led care was led by a personally selected obstetrician, with midwifery involvement and birth in a private hospital. We analysed outcomes from pregnancy onset to 4 weeks post‐birth. Matching was utilised to account for demographic, socio‐economic and clinical characteristics. Main Outcome Measures Stillbirths or neonatal deaths; neonatal intensive care admissions; APGAR score < 7 at 5 min; 3rd or 4th degree perineal tears; maternal haemorrhages; mean cost per pregnancy episode. Results Higher adverse outcomes in standard public maternity care compared to private obstetric‐led care, including 778 more stillbirths or neonatal deaths (OR 2.0, 95% CI: 1.8–2.1), 2747 more APGAR score < 7 at 5 min (OR 2.0, 95% CI: 2.0–2.1), 3273 more 3rd or 4th degree perineal tears (OR 2.9, 95% CI: 2.7–3.1) and 10 627 additional maternal haemorrhages (OR 2.7, 95% CI: 2.6–2.8). Mode of birth correlated with neonatal death. Mean cost to all funders in Australian dollars per pregnancy episode was $5929 higher in standard public maternity care. Conclusion We have shown significantly lower adverse health outcomes and costs in private obstetric‐led care compared to standard public maternity care
Addressing the global problem of Maths Anxiety:Introducing a co-developed CPD programme for mathematics teachers to support students and improve attainment
No full textMaths Anxiety (MA) is not a new phenomenon but sadly continues to be a hindrance to many students. Whilst particularly prevalent among non-STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) students, often due to negative early experiences, STEM students, including mathematicians, also experience MA, commonly linked to test or performance-related stress. Globally, researchers are increasingly investigating strategies to reduce and manage MA. This paper reports a new, co-developed Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme for teachers that helps support their students with controlling their MA, building mathematical resilience, and improving attainment using self-explanations. The paper also presents a case study of one specialist mathematics school who received the training and applied it to their teaching, showing its effectiveness from both the students’ and teachers’ perspective and the impact on attainment through data collected across two academic years. The teachers valued the training, successfully implementing it into their practice with positive outcomes for their students. Many students reported they had better control and being able to use the self-explanation training effectively to improve attainment. The teachers involved in the study suggest incorporating CPD programmes into both secondary mathematics and primary teacher training courses to provide younger students with a more positive mathematics experience
Scholarships in Thailand for ASEAN Integration:A Three Horizons Analysis of Evolution and Future Trajectories
No full textScholarships are vital for promoting regional integration and human capital development within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). This study utilizes the Three Horizons framework to assess the evolution and future of Thailand's scholarship programs in the context of ASEAN's educational cooperation. Through 27 stakeholder surveys and 18 semi-structured interviews, we explore three temporal dimensions: current challenges (Horizon 1), transitional innovations (Horizon 2), and future aspirations (Horizon 3). Our findings highlight ongoing issues, including limited outbound mobility, unequal access, weak private sector involvement, and fragmented policies. By employing the Glonacal Agency Heuristic, we investigate how local, national, and regional actors influence scholarship governance, mapping governance and evolutionary trajectories. Strategic recommendations focus on inclusive design, efficient administration, varied funding, and alignment with ASEAN objectives. By viewing scholarships as instruments of knowledge diplomacy and regional solidarity, this research offers valuable insights for enhancing educational cooperation across ASEAN