151398 research outputs found
Sort by
Development and evaluation of a bilingual digital dementia awareness game for the Singapore population
No full textDevelopment and testing of search strategies and extraction matrices for a human rights-based international documentary analysis of dementia legislation and policies
No full textIntroduction: The recognition of human rights for individuals with psychosocial disabilities, including dementia, is a global public health priority. Examining normative and policy frameworks is essential to promote a human rights-based approach.Aim: To develop and test search strategies and data extraction matrices for an European mapping of laws and policies relevant to dementia care.Methods: Seven (Czech Republic, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Slovenia, UK) countries piloted the selection strategies and the extraction matrix. In each country, two researchers familiar with national laws and policies on dementia identified relevant higher-level documents and cross-verified the extracted data. The extraction matrix was developed using a hybrid deductive-inductive strategy that combined the theoretical framework of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) with findings from thematic analysis of a purposeful sample of documents. The extraction matrix was structured around eight categories of rights (non-discrimination, living independently, equal recognition before the law, privacy, health, work, adequate living conditions, participation in political and cultural life). Each category was expanded into specific sub-rights with practical examples. A modified matrix version was also developed to fit international and European sources.Results: The pilot phase confirmed the feasibility of the extraction matrices and highlighted the need to refine the search strategies for policy documents. During testing, overlapping rights and examples were merged or removed, while new ones were incorporated; for instance, ‘care coordination and support’ was added under ‘equal recognition before the law’, and ‘participation in social life’ was expanded to include ‘voluntary associations’, ‘educational initiatives’, ‘intergenerational support’ and ‘support to community spaces’. Some rights were reworded for clarity. International documents outlined general principles.Conclusions: The complete mapping will identify country-specific gaps in the legislative and policy frameworks and guide their alignment with CRPD principles, to better guarantee the rights of people with dementia
Percolating dynamic ion-conduction network in composite polymer electrolyte for high-performance lithium metal batteries
No full textSolid polymer electrolytes are driving the development of solid-state lithium metal batteries due to their good interfacial compatibility and suitability for battery manufacturing processes. However, the widespread adoption of conventional solid polymer electrolytes is hindered by their slow ion transport kinetics. Here, a percolating dynamic ion-conducting network with PDOL@LLTO composite polymer electrolyte was developed by in-situ polymerization of DOL in the 3D scaffold of Li0.33La0.56TiO3 nanofibers (LLTO NF). The LLTO NF resolves the critical issue of filler aggregation while providing a spatially-continuous inorganic framework for ion transport that lays the foundation for macroscopic dynamic ion percolation. The highly interconnected LLTO NF and its continuous PDOL-LLTO interface form ion transport pathways with low migration energy barriers, thereby alleviating the suppression of Li+ migration caused by the stable solvation structure in the polymer phase. Meanwhile, the remaining DOL weakens the stable solvated structure formed by the PDOL and establishes a charge-rich organic-inorganic interface, which further increases the dynamic characteristics of the ion transport network. With the synergistic organic-inorganic transport percolation network, therefore, PDOL@LLTO achieves exceptional Li+ transference number of 0.61 and ionic conductivity of 1.62 × 10−4 S cm−1. In addition, the improved solvated structure creates an inorganic-rich SEI on the anode, which further induced the uniform deposition of Li. The Li|PDOL@LLTO|Li symmetric cell exhibits outstanding cycling stability for 1000 h at 0.4 mA cm−2, and the LFP|PDOL@LLTO|Li full cell achieved 94.6 % capacity retention after 100 cycles at 2C. Moreover, after 100 cycles, the Li|PDOL@LLTO|NCM811 full cell maintains remarkable capacity retention of 72 % at 1C, further demonstrating the long-term electrochemical stability and practical applicability of the PDOL@LLTO.</p
Underestimating institutional stance persistence in geothermal market stagnation and market-making
No full textMarkets can create solutions to some of the world's most challenging issues. Grand challenges such as land-system change, pollution, biogeochemical cycles and climate change have been on political and policy agendas for decades. Yet, despite considerable awareness of the problems humanity faces, some sustainable implementable technology-led market solutions remain persistently stagnant. In this study, we explore this stagnant market problem, addressing the geothermal energy transition from the viewpoint of an internal institutional cognitive approach. Drawing upon the experiences of market actors, our findings identify two interacting and reinforcing institutional stances: (i) a problem-preserving stance and (ii) a problem persistence stance and relatedly, how these contribute to market stagnation. In the face of market stagnation, we further show how market stenting efforts occur via the three mechanisms of tempering, catalyzing and boot-clustering. To countenance the interactive institutional stances, the Shirky effect upholds and preserves the ‘institutional link’ and thus the market stagnant problem. Finally, we outline areas for future market studies and suggest both managerial and policy implications.<br/
EU Law Tracker Report Four - February 2025. A Report for the Scottish Parliament Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee
No full text
Evaluating a bimodal user verification robustness against synthetic data attacks
No full textSmartphones balance security and convenience by offering both knowledge-based (PINs, patterns) and biometric (facial, fingerprint) verification methods. However, studies have reported that PINs and patterns can be readily circumvented, while synthetically manipulated face data can easily deceive smartphone facial verification mechanisms. In this paper, we design a bimodal user verification mechanism that combines behavioral (pickup gesture) and biological (face) biometrics for user verification on smartphones. This work establishes a baseline for single-user verification scenarios on smartphones using a one-class verification model. The evaluation is performed in two stages: first, performance is assessed in both unimodal and bimodal settings using publicly available datasets; second, the robustness of the employed biological and behavioral traits is examined against four diverse attacks. Our findings emphasize the necessity of investigating diverse attack vectors, particularly fully synthetic data, to design robust user verification mechanisms
Sub-150 nm drug nanocrystals produced using a milligram-scale media mill
No full textNanocrystals (NCs), nano-sized drug particles, offer a promising strategy to enhance the bioavailability of poorly soluble compounds, a challenge that affects 70–90 % of new chemical entities. Among the available production methods, wet media milling is widely adopted due to its scalability and efficiency. However, conventional lab-scale mills often require large suspension volumes and high amounts of drug, limiting their suitability for early-stage development, particularly with novel or scarce compounds. This study introduces a miniaturised wet milling system (Mini Mill) capable of producing NCs using less than 15 mg of drug and standard laboratory equipment, such as Eppendorf® vials. The system was benchmarked against a well-established lab-scale milling method requiring approximately 100 mg of drug per trial. Three model drugs (itraconazole, acyclovir, and amphotericin B) were processed under optimised conditions. The Mini Mill yielded NCs with mean sizes of 107 ± 2 nm (itraconazole), 153 ± 37 nm (acyclovir), and 106 ± 14 nm (amphotericin B), all comparable to well-established lab-scale milling set-ups. Similarly, zeta potential measurements showed no significant differences between scales. Overall, the Mini Mill achieved an 85 % reduction in drug consumption without compromising key formulation attributes, positioning it as a practical and cost-effective tool for the early development of NCs-based formulations.<br/
The political climate: political parties and attitudes to climate change in Northern Ireland
No full textToward developing a compact total artificial heart using a soft robotic fluidic transmission system
No full textCardiovascular diseases are a leading cause of mortality, with limited possibilities for transplantation due to a critical shortage of donor hearts. Replacing the heart with total artificial hearts (TAHs) remains challenging, due to size constraints and energy requirements, among others. To address this, we introduce the LIMO heart, a compact TAH concept based on an efficient soft fluidic transmission system. By reducing actuator volume and enhancing energy transfer, LIMO enables a more compact and efficient design. We developed a soft ventricle prototype using thin-walled pouch actuators that achieve transmission ratios above one via circumferential shrinkage. A fast, cost-effective prototyping method accelerated testing. Experimental results showed high energy transfer efficiency (82 to 91%), and in vitro tests demonstrated promising cardiac outputs of 5.9 liters per minute against aortic pressure and 7.6 liters per minute against pulmonary pressure. These findings represent a step toward a more broadly applicable biventricular soft robotic TAH for treating end-stage heart failure.</p