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A meta-analysis investigating the outcomes and correlation between heart rate variability biofeedback training on depressive symptoms and heart rate variability outcomes versus standard treatment in comorbid adult populations.
Get PDFHeart rate variability biofeedback (HRVB) has previously been used to ameliorate depressive symptoms but its uses for tackling depressive symptoms in an array of comorbid adult patients is less established. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate whether HRVB is a useful tool to reduce depressive symptoms and improve HRV relative to standard treatment in adult comorbid populations, while also attempting to establish the association between the two outcomes. An extensive literature review was conducted using several databases including PubMed, Cinahl, Medline, Web of science and clinical.gov/UK register. A total of 149 studies were identified with 9 studies, totalling 428 participants were analysed using a random effects model. Depressive outcomes yielded a mean effect size g=0.478 (CI 95% 0.212, 0.743) with HRV outcomes, yielding a mean effect size of g=0.223 (95% CI 0.036 to 0.411). Total heterogeneity was non-significant for depressive outcomes (Q= 13.77, p=0.088 I^=42.86%) and HRV (Q= 1.598, p=0.991, I^=0.000%) which indicates that little variance existed for the included studies. In summary, the outcomes demonstrate that HRVB can improve both clinically relevant depressive symptoms and physiological HRV outcomes in various comorbid conditions in adult populations, while the correlation between the two was moderately negative, but non-significant
Multiple severity-level classifications for IT incident risk prediction
No full textThe adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now widespread in Information Technology (IT) support. A particular area of interest is in the automation of IT incident management (i.e., the handling of an unusual event that hampers the quality of IT services in the most optimized manner). In this paper, we propose a framework using state-of-art algorithms to classify and predict the severity of such incidents (commonly labeled as High, Medium, and Low severity). We argue that the proposed framework would accelerate the process of handling IT incidents with improved accuracy. The experimentation was performed on the IT Service Management (ITSM) dataset containing 500,000 real-time incident descriptions with their encoded labels (Dataset 1) from a reputable IT firm. Our results showed that the Transformer models outperformed machine learning (ML) and other deep learning (DL) models with a 98% AUC score to predict the three severity classes. We tested our framework with an open-access dataset (Dataset 2) to further validate our findings. Our framework produced a 44% improvement in AUC score compared to the existing benchmark approaches. The results show the plausibility of AI algorithms in automating the prioritization of incident processing in large IT systems
Knowledge-based intelligent system for IT incident DevOps
No full textThe automation of IT incident management (i.e., handling of any unusual events that hamper the quality of IT services) is a main focus in Artificial Intelligence for IT Operations (AIOPS). The success and reputation of large-scale firms depend on their customer service and helpdesk system. These systems tend to handle client requests and track customer service agent interactions. In this research, we present a complete knowledge-based system that automates two core components of IT incident service management (ITSM): (1) Ticket Assignment Group(TAG) and (2) Incident Resolution (IR). Our proposed system bypasses the 4 core steps of the traditional ITSM process, including data investigation, event correlation, situation room collaboration, and probable root cause. It provides immediate solutions that can save companies key performance indicator(KPIs) resources and reduce the mean time to resolution (MTTR). The experiment used an industrial, real-time ITSM dataset from a prominent IT organization comprising 500,000 real-time incident descriptions with encoded labels. Furthermore, our systems are then evaluated with an open-source dataset. Compared to the existing benchmark methodologies, there is a 5 % improvement in terms of Accuracy score. The study demonstrates AI automation capabilities in incident handling (TAG and IR) for large real- world IT systems
Mirror, mirror
No full textMatthew Bowman goes in search of lost experience in the commercially co-opted field of immersive art
"Mirrors reflect not only a room’s enclosure illusionistically, extending it towards infinity, but they also grant us the opportunity to document our presence in that space, converting reflexivity into narcissism.
Psoriasis, physical activity and Brodalumab treatment
Get PDFPurpose: The Environmental and genetic factors seem to have a crucial role in the psoriasis treatment. The objective is to investigate the improvement and fast response of moderate-to-severe psoriasis under brodalumab treatment, in patients who exercise more intensely compared to those with reduced physical activity. Design/Setting: Patients divided into 3 groups depending on their physical activity intensity (high-moderate-low) by International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Subjects: Adult, moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis patients treated with brodalumab were involved. Measures: Psoriasis was evaluated with Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI), quality of life was estimated with Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and inflammation was measured with C-Reactive Protein (CRP) at 0, 12 and 52 weeks. Results: At baseline, patients (N=40) had mean age 51 years and mean PASI [Standard Deviation-(SD)] score 20.35 (6.16). The relevant results were: mean (SD) PASI score: 1.67 (1.21), p-value<0.001; mean (SD) DLQI scores: baseline, 15.72 (5.25); week 52, 0.47 (1.41), pvalue<0.001; mean (SD) CRP values: baseline, 3.03 (2.82); week 52, 1.86 (1.84), p-value=0.003; mean overall physical activity (SD): baseline, 1237.59 min/week (1780.43); week 52, 2046.19 min/week (2006.93), pvalue<0.001. Conclusions: The statistically significant results confirm the initial aim of the study, indicating that the rapid improvement and maintenance of the outcome in the long-term treatment with brodalumab is enhanced in patients with increased physical activity. The real-world treatment effectiveness and physical activity relation, alongside the pathophysiological mechanism of the potential physical activity impact on the therapeutic outcome, is an interesting field to be further explored
Cocreators’ experiences and effectiveness of cocreated interventions in improving health behaviours of adults with non-communicable diseases: a systematic review protocol
Get PDFIntroduction: Improved health behaviours and help-seeking behaviour reduce morbidity and mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Compliance with the recommendations of lifestyle changes for the management of NCDs has been challenging, as patients find it difficult to change and sustain lifestyle behaviours for a long period of time. Studies have reported that cocreated interventions are promising in addressing negative health behaviours and improving health outcomes in people with NCDs; however, no conclusive evidence exists. Therefore, this review aims to evaluate cocreators’ experiences and the effectiveness of cocreated interventions in improving the health behaviours of individuals with NCDs. Methods and analysis: This review will follow the recommendations described in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guideline and the Enhancing Transparency in Reporting the Synthesis of Qualitative Research statement for the synthesis of qualitative data. The following databases: Co-creation Database (https://zenodo.org/record/6773028%23.Y9h2sezP1pg), MEDLINE (via OVID), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (via EBSCO Host), EMBASE (via OVID), PsycINFO (via OVID), Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and grey literature will be searched. The identified studies will be independently screened by two reviewers to determine their eligibility. The review will target to include studies that investigated the experiences of cocreators and/or the effectiveness of cocreated interventions on the health behaviour and/or health outcomes of adults with NCDs. Two independent reviewers will also appraise the quality of the included studies, as well as data extraction. A narrative synthesis will be used to summarise the findings. Thematic synthesis and meta-analysis will be conducted for the qualitative and quantitative data, respectively. The qualitative and quantitative findings will be integrated using the parallel result convergent synthesis. Ethics and dissemination: Ethics approval is not applicable because the review will only use data from the published studies. The findings will be disseminated through publication in peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023391746
Waltham Forest research report: co-production in addressing child criminal exploitation
No full textWaltham Forest has high levels of relative deprivation, with neighbourhoods housing communities of high aspiration but blocked opportunity, which is consequential for gang-related crime. Racialised communities are disproportionately represented as both victims and perpetrators of serious violence.
Embedded gangs remain active in the drug business and have endured several generations of disruption activity. Newer gangs involved in drug distribution and serious crime have evolved rapidly from neighbourhood peer groups.
After a brief period of a more localised focus during the Covid-19 pandemic, the County Line drug distribution model continues transporting drugs to ‘out of town’ locations. County Lines organisers continue to use coercion, intimidation and violence (including sexual violence) to control the workforce, and increasingly gangs groom and control vulnerable people utilising online technology.
Dominant gangs are said to operate a near monopoly in drug supply in Waltham Forrest. The County Lines workforce is becoming younger, decreasing from an average age of 14-15 years to 12-13 years, with some as young as ten. More recent supply and demand for Vapes, Xanax, Nitrous Oxide, Cannabis Gummies and Lean for and by younger people is emergent in the Borough. The price and purity of Class A drugs remain relatively unchanged, indicating a stable supply.
Young women continue to be used in gang activities and are at risk of criminal and sexual exploitation. Fewer support interventions are reported for young women and girls.
More established gangs who operate the drug business are relatively unaffected by the imprisonment of gang elders. Succession and logistics are planned and communicated in and from the prison estate (see accompanying HMPPS report). A newer franchised distribution model of drug supply is beginning to emerge. Gang involvement in Dark web procurement of drugs and use of crypto-currencies is a concern.
There is evidence of diversification of gang criminal business in Waltham Forest, including extortion and money laundering. Embedded gangs are linked to Serious Organised Crime Groups and sometimes shade into the role of middle-market drug brokers.
Waltham Forest has a highly skilled workforce based in statutory and voluntary sectors; individuals are committed to reducing gang-related harms and safeguarding vulnerable and young people. Many of the challenges encountered by practitioners relate to deficits in resources. However, some established working methods need to be more suitable to address group-influenced risks and harms occurring in communities.
The police sometimes struggle to maintain legitimacy with some communities but are considered valuable partners by other professionals in the Borough of Waltham Forest. However, intelligence cycles and regional capacity to assist specialist operations require improvement.
School and college exclusions continue to hinder inclusive preventative strategies for early help strategies. Retention of permanent social work staff was a particular problem. The lack of a specialist adolescent team needs redress. The voluntary sector provides a significant resource for outreach and detached work. However, policymakers only sometimes included voluntary sector partners when planning strategies or giving sustainable contracts for longer-term work.
Waltham Forest is developing more localised services, and Youth Hubs will be part of this strategy.
Youth Hubs could provide safe spaces for young people and co-locate dedicated multi-agency gang desistance teams seconded by different agencies to provide universal and targeted youth and community services. These services would be part of a strategic response characterised by suppression, social intervention, organisational development and the provision of social opportunities outlined in the following report
Report on first meeting of high-level working group for privacy and safety
Get PDFThe online harms world is a challenging one, where most parties, we are sure, would agree that it is important that citizens can engage with online platforms and discourses in a manner that mitigates harm and does not expose them to abuse. However, how we achieve this is complex and many stakeholders have conflicting viewpoints. These range from the prohibitive (“Harms occur on platforms, therefore platforms need to stop it”) to the progressive (“Harms are caused by people, how do we reduce them by being mindful of people’s right to participate free from excessive surveillance?”). There are many views that fit between these two positions. However, it is unquestionable that these perspectives all wish to achieve the same goal – that people, particularly young people, can experience the online world while not being harmed.
The ‘High-Level Working Group for Privacy & Safety’ aims to advocate for a holistic, person-centred approach to online safeguarding that respects people’s rights to online participation and to their privacy.
Convened by Prof Andy Phippen and Prof Emma Bond, the Working Group intends to drive discussions where central concepts such as harm, risk, vulnerability, well-being, and the best interest of the child are addressed in a nuanced and contextual manner to move conversations on from the traditional prohibitive narratives that beset the online harms work. In convening this group, Andy Phippen and Emma Bond, who collectively have 40 years’ experience working in this area, are hoping to develop a more inclusive and progressive narrative that moves from “someone needs to stop this” to “what can we all do to make online experiences more inclusive while understanding and reducing harm”. Current political narratives generally centre around how platforms can reduce or eliminate harms, with little consideration of other stakeholders that might be better placed to mitigate these risks
Understanding factors associated with burnout symptoms amongst investigators working on Rape and Serious Sexual Offence (RASSO) investigations in England and Wales
No full textProlonged stress leading to job-related burnout is of increasing interest in policing. Police officers involved in rape and serious sexual offences (RASSO) investigations experience heightened scrutiny alongside increased forensic demands whilst providing an accountable, victim-orientated service. The objective of the study was to examine correlates associated with burnout symptoms [emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization and lack of personal accomplishment (PA)]. RASSO investigators (n = 538) completed a cross-sectional online survey across five police force areas in England and Wales. Measures were screened using the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator method, and
three regression models were run against the three outcome measures. Excessive job demands encompassing workload, work–life balance and team pressures from colleagues and managers were strongly related to EE and DP. Male officers reported elevated levels of depersonalization. The learning climate was associated with all three burnout measures. The
findings suggest that creating an effective learning environment for RASSO investigations and establishing effective organizational health policies to enhance team cohesion can reduce burnout. Further work is required to understand male officers’ higher levels of depersonalization
A comparison of training and match play external load during a congested in-season period in English League 2 Football
No full textThis study aimed to investigate if external training load metrics differ between training days and matchday during a period of fixture congestion and to verify if external load metrics vary based on playing positions. Training and match day (MD) data were collected in a part of the competition phase of the 2020-21 season (6 weeks) in the English Football League 2 (N = 20 players, mean standard deviations: age = 24.4 4.7 years). Global Navigation Satellite System units (Catapult S7 Vector 10Hz) were utilized to monitor external load metrics. The metrics were Duration of training, Total distance (TD), High-speed running distance (HSR), Sprinting distance (SPR), Relative intensity (m/min), Total accelerations (TotAcc) (>3 m.s-2), and Total decelerations (TotDec) (<-3 m.s-2). This study found that Duration, TD, Relative intensity, HSR distance, Sprint distance, TotAcc, and TotDec were different (p<0.001, d = small to moderate) between MD and MD-2 or MD-1, however, during MD-4, only Relative intensity was significantly lower (p<0.001) compared with MD output. Therefore, MD-4 was the most demanding training session of the week (after the MD) and during MD-2 and MD-1 coaches decreased players’ load to favor players’ readiness. Moreover, this study found that MD and MD-1 resulted in statistically different values across several metrics between different playing positions (defenders < midfielders and strikers), while metrics in MD-4 and MD-2 were not statistically different, which highlights that in these sessions, players have similar external loads independently from their playing positions