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Machine learning workflow for edge computed arrhythmia detection in exploration class missions
Get PDFDeep-space missions require preventative care methods based on predictive models for identifying in-space pathologies. Deploying such models requires flexible edge computing, which Open Neural Network Exchange (ONNX) formats enable by optimizing inference directly on wearable edge devices. This work demonstrates an innovative approach to point-of-care machine learning model pipelines by combining this capacity with an advanced self-optimizing training scheme to classify periods of Normal Sinus Rhythm (NSR), Atrial Fibrillation (AFIB), and Atrial Flutter (AFL). 742 h of electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings were pre-processed into 30-second normalized samples where variable mode decomposition purged muscle artifacts and instrumentation noise. Seventeen heart rate variability and morphological ECG features were extracted by convoluting peak detection with Gaussian distributions and delineating QRS complexes using discrete wavelet transforms. The decision tree classifier’s features, parameters, and hyperparameters were self-optimized through stratified triple nested cross-validation ranked on F1-scoring against cardiologist labeling. The selected model achieved a macro F1-score of 0.899 with 0.993 for NSR, 0.938 for AFIB, and 0.767 for AFL. The most important features included median P-wave amplitudes, PRR20, and mean heart rates. The ONNX-translated pipeline took 9.2 s/sample. This combination of our self-optimizing scheme and deployment use case of ONNX demonstrated overall accurate operational tachycardia detection
Rethinking the regulation of Social Work: changes, challenges and choices
Get PDFThis PhD by Publication focuses on social work regulation in England, the recent changes in regulator and the contemporary experiences of social workers as they encounter regulation in their working lives. Drawing on seven peer reviewed journal articles and one unpublished report (all published in the period 2016-2022), the thesis considers regulation in terms of social policy, fitness to practice experiences and legal principles, but also makes comparisons with sister professions and different national and international regulators in the Health and Social Work field. In contextualising these issues, the work draws on a wide range of literature from areas such as sociological theory, the sociology of professions, comparative policy analysis and notions of professional identity to try and understand why social work has experienced recent regulatory shifts and how this stream of centrally driven innovation has created the current landscape experienced by registrants.
A range of methodological approaches are used to gather related primary data and examine existing secondary data to develop an understanding of the challenges current regulatory practice presents, including in-depth, one to one interviews with current practitioners about their experiences of regulation. Having considered these changes and the challenges they present, attention is given to the choices that could be made to improve regulation – especially from the practitioner perspective. The thesis promotes the idea of shifting the balance of regulatory activity away from fitness to practice areas to more positive, proactive, enabling endeavours that might help the profession manage the emerging
complexity of contemporary practice whilst also offering greater protection to users of services. Applying concepts of ‘upstreaming’ and ‘formative spaces’, it is argued that by
shifting the regulatory gaze to practice before problems occur – rather than always dealing with the after-effects - we can better protect the public. Arguments are made for the
originality and significance of the work as a whole and include reference to an unpublished report constructed whilst the author was under secondment to the UK Department for
Education to develop policy options for the latest regulator, Social Work England
Firefighters Occupational Health Hazards – Statistical Data Analysis
No full textThere have been reports of higher death rates among firefighters in the USA, Canada, and Nordic countries due to various cancers and other diseases, but research on the health of UK firefighters is relatively limited.
The aim of this thesis is to assess whether Scottish male firefighters experience elevated mortality rates from cancers and other diseases as compared to the general population.
The study compared mortality rates from cancer and other diseases among male firefighters in Scotland from 2000 to 2020 with those of the general male population in Scotland. The data was presented as standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
The study revealed that Scottish male firefighters had a significantly higher risk of mortality from cancer when compared to the general population (SMR 1.61, CI 1.42-1.81). The risk of death due to unspecified malignant neoplasms was almost three times higher for Scottish male firefighters (SMR 2.73, CI 1.71-4.00). Moreover, Scottish male firefighters showed excess mortality for site-specific cancers, including prostate (SMR 3.80, CI 2.56-5.29), myeloid leukaemia (SMR 3.17, CI 1.44-5.58), oesophagus (SMR 2.42, CI 1.69-3.29), and urinary system (kidney and bladder) (SMR 1.94, CI 1.16-2.91). The mortality rate from neoplasms of unknown behaviour was over six times greater in Scottish male firefighters (SMR 6.37, CI 2.29-12.49). Additionally, Scottish male firefighters showed significantly higher mortality rates for acute ischemic heart diseases (SMR 5.27, CI 1.90-10.33), stroke (SMR 2.69, CI 1.46-4.28), interstitial pulmonary diseases (SMR 3.04, CI 1.45-5.22), renal failure (SMR 3.28, CI 1.18-6.44), and musculoskeletal system diseases (SMR 5.64, CI 1.06-13.83).
The findings indicate that Scottish male firefighters experience a significant increase in mortality rates from cancers and other diseases as compared to the general population. It highlights the pressing need for preventative health monitoring and presumptive legislation to safeguard the health of Scottish male firefighters
Augmenting Zero Trust Architecture to endpoints using Distributed Ledger Technologies and Blockchain
Get PDFWith the increasing adoption of cloud computing and remote working, traditional perimeter-based security models are no longer sufficient to protect organizations' digital assets. The need for a more robust security framework led to the emergence of Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA), which challenges the notion of inherent trust and emphasizes the importance of verifying endpoints, users, and applications. However, within ZTA, the already authenticated and authorized communication channel on an endpoint poses a critical
vulnerability, making it the Achilles' heel of the architecture [1]. Once compromised, even with valid credentials and authorized access, an endpoint can become a gateway for attackers to move laterally and access sensitive resources. Addressing the vulnerability of endpoints within ZTA is crucial to bolster overall security. By mitigating the risks associated with compromised endpoints, organizations can prevent unauthorized access, privilege escalation, and potential data breaches.
Traditional security measures, such as firewalls, antivirus technologies, and Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS), have become less effective in the face of evolving threats and complex network infrastructures. Perimeter-based security models are gradually being replaced by ZTA, which focuses on identity-based perimeters and continuous verification. To enhance endpoint security within ZTA, this research introduces the Blockchain-enabled Intrusion Detection and Prevention System (BIDPS). By integrating blockchain technology, the BIDPS aims to detect and prevent attacker techniques at an early stage before lateral movement occurs. Furthermore, the BIDPS shifts the trust from compromised endpoints to the immutable and transparent nature of the blockchain, creating an explicit system of trust.
Through a systematic design and development methodology, a prototype of the BIDPS was created. Extensive testing against various Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) attacks
demonstrated the system's high success rate in defending against such attacks. Additionally, novel strategies and performance-enhancing mechanisms were implemented to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the BIDPS [2]. The BIDPS was evaluated through a combination of observational analysis and A/B testing methodologies. The evaluation confirmed the BIDPS's effectiveness in detecting and preventing malicious activities, as well as its improved performance compared to traditional security measures. The research outcomes validate the viability of the BIDPS as a solution to enhance endpoint security within ZTA. Conclusively, the integration of blockchain technology into ZTA, as exemplified by the BIDPS, offers a promising approach to mitigate the vulnerability of endpoints and reinforce the security of modern IT environments
What is meant by ‘Local’ food? The case of Independent Coffee shops in a British market town.
Get PDFOnly limited academic attention has been paid to the perspective of the owner/manager of the independent coffee shop in the UK, particularly with regards to the journey of ‘local’ food onto the plate of the customer in that setting. This lack of attention is surprising; the role of owner/manager who exists between supplier and customer is pivotal, as it is they who source and display what they perceive to be ‘local’ food items on the menu. If increased local food consumption is to be encouraged in order to contribute to the current sustainability imperative, it is important to consider how these owners/managers understand the term ‘local’ food and the extent to which they operationalise it in the everyday experience of the coffee shop. The purpose of this thesis, therefore, is to explore the owner/manager perspective of local food by focusing on their attitudes towards ‘local food on the menu’, ‘sourcing of local food’, and ‘definitions and concepts of local food’ whilst also acknowledging the importance of the customer dimension.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten coffee shop owners/managers with ninety-one customer survey questionnaires also completed in five of those coffee shops, in the small rural market town of Oswestry, Shropshire. The results reveal that independent coffee shop owners/managers adopt a reflexive approach to both the sourcing and understanding of ‘local’ food and they do this in order to accommodate their own operational reality. The role of the owner/manager in the pursuit of getting local food onto the plate of customers, who like to see it on the menu, cannot and should not therefore be underestimated.
An intervention of a best practice aide-memoire for owners/managers is therefore proposed, which offers the potential to assist the independent coffee shop owner/manager in achieving further provision of local food on the menu, for their customers
The implementation of freedom of expression in Jordan
Get PDFFreedom of expression is a fundamental pillar of democratic societies, facilitating the exchange of ideas, opinions, and information. It is crucial in promoting open and inclusive societies, enabling citizens to engage in public discourse, challenge prevailing norms, and hold those in power accountable. However, the interpretation and application of this universal human right vary across nations due to cultural, legal, and political factors.
This study performs an in-depth analysis of freedom of expression in Jordan. The historical, cultural, and legal framework of Jordan creates a platform where the expression of freedom and its enactment have a unified environment that is complex and confusing. This research investigates into the legal context as well as ethics, international law, and the practical aspects of practising freedom of expression in Jordan.
The main findings indicated that although the Jordanian Constitution gives expression freedom of thought and expression, some laws and regulations include factors of national security and public order in the justification of censorship. This framework has a consequential effect in that it creates doubt and uncertainty in establishing where the conjunct for free expression starts and ends. Moreover, societal norms and cultural factors that affect the exercise of this right are formed through the competing pressures to preserve social consent and foster critical thinking.
This study underlines the urgency to continue conducting research on the historical and cultural factors behind freedom of expression as a gap exists between the mere existing knowledge. It prescribes initialising the protection for the speech's liberty in such a manner that security concerns along with the domestic legislation get spearheaded along with the international rules will be crafted accordingly. The research recommends constitutional additions, legal revisions, and more judicial independence as instruments to maintain the inviolability of this core praxis.
Therefore, by looking into the intricacies, pitfalls, and prospects of freedom of expression in Jordan, this research can conjure an in-depth insight into the topic. This suggests that way of illuminating the complex ramifications of the principle to legislators, lawyers, non-governmental organisations and international workers helps foster the protection of freedom of expression and facilitates a more democratic and open society for Jordan
Characterization of the δ Scuti eclipsing binary KIC 4851217 and its tertiary companion as well as detection of tidally tilted pulsations
Get PDFStellar theory enables us to understand the properties of stars at different stages of their evolution, and contributes to other fields of astrophysics such as galactic and exoplanet studies. Assessing the accuracy of stellar theories necessitates high precision, model-independent measurements of the properties of real stars, such as those obtainable for the components of double lined eclipsing binaries (DLEBs), while asteroseismology offers probing power of the stellar interior if one or both components pulsate. KIC 4851217 is a DLEB containing two late A-type stars and exhibits pulsations of the δ Scuti type. By analysing high resolution HERMES and moderate resolution ISIS spectra, jointly with Kepler and TESS light curves, we measured the masses, radii and effective temperatures of the components to precisions of ∼0.5, ∼1.1 and ∼1 per cent, respectively. We additionally report the discovery and characterisation of a tertiary M-dwarf companion. Models of the system’s spectral energy distribution agree with an age of 0.82 Gyr, with the more massive and larger secondary component near the end of the main sequence lifetime. An examination of the pulsating component’s pulsation frequencies reveals 39 pulsation multiplets that are split by the orbital frequency. For most of these, it is evident that the pulsation axes have been tilted into the orbital plane. This makes KIC 4851217 a tidally tilted pulsator (TTP). This precisely characterized δ Scuti DLEB is an ideal candidate for advancing intermediate-mass stellar theory, contributing to our understanding of hierarchichal systems as well as to the topic of TTPs
An International Survey of Sports Coaches’ Knowledge, Understanding, and Definitions of Physical Literacy
Get PDFPhysical literacy (PL) has become a popular term in international policy, advocacy, and practice discourses, and a part of this lies in its claimed role in bringing together traditionally distinct settings – physical education, physical activity, sports coaching (the focus of this paper) – into coherent research and practice agenda. However, questions remain about the coherence and commensurability of the definitions used within the PL field. This study explores the knowledge, understanding, and personal definitions of 521 sports coaches from 37 countries. Using Leximancer semantic software to analyse qualitative data from an international cohort of coaches, we sought to gather a relatively unbiased and trustworthy representation of their perceptions of PL. Relevance ranged from 100% for concepts 'movement,' 'physical,' and 'activity' to 8% and 6% for concepts 'coordination,' 'need,' 'control,' and 'efficiently,' respectively. The dominant accounts of PL in our sample prioritised movement skills and sport, in contrast to influential academic theories that stress multi-factorial constructs. These findings support arguments that definitions of PL are widely divergent and that the imposition of a unified conception of the term may be an unattainable and unnecessary ambition
Computing, data, and the role of general practitioners and general practice in England
Get PDFDue to the burgeoning utilization of health data by general practitioners (GPs) across England's vast network of general practices, an impressive total of 6,514 establishments were operational in January 2022, each boasting at least one GP, delivering community-centric healthcare services. The application and monetization of patients' personal health data was implemented, leading to a trend among GPs and practice personnel where they tended to perceive and address patients as fragmented entities instead of holistic individuals. This could potentially carry significant implications. It posits that as data usage catalyzes service transformations, it becomes imperative to focus on recalibrating and fortifying the nurturing relationships with patients that have traditionally distinguished the role of GPs. A suggestion is proffered for further exploration to ascertain the adequacy of protections surrounding the privacy of patients' personal data
Determining the nanoflare heating frequency of an X-ray Bright Point observed by MaGIXS
Get PDFNanoflares are thought to be one of the prime candidates that can heat the solar corona to its multi-million kelvin temperature. Individual nanoflares are difficult to detect with the present generation instruments, however their presence can be inferred by comparing simulated nanoflare-heated plasma emissions with the observed emission. Using HYDRAD coronal loop simulations, we model the emission from an X-ray bright point (XBP) observed by the Marshall Grazing Incidence X-ray Spectrometer (MaGIXS), along with nearest-available observations from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) onboard Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and X-Ray Telescope (XRT) onboard Hinode observatory. The length and magnetic field strength of the coronal loops are derived from the linear-force-free extrapolation of the observed photospheric magnetogram by Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) onboard SDO. Each loop is assumed to be heated by random nanoflares, whose magnitude and frequency are determined by the loop length and magnetic field strength. The simulation results are then compared and matched against the measured intensity from AIA, XRT, and MaGIXS. Our model results indicate the observed emissions from the XBP under study could be well matched by a distribution of nanoflares with average delay times 1500 s to 3000 s, which suggest that the heating is dominated by high-frequency events. Further, we demonstrate the high sensitivity of MaGIXS and XRT to diagnose the heating frequency using this method, while AIA passbands are found to be the least sensitive