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Role of the internet of things in flood risk management: a critical review on current practices and future directions
No full textThe Internet of Things (IoT) has become increasingly important in flood risk management (FRM). This trend emerged as climate change intensified flooding events, driving the urgent need for localised early warning systems. Previous studies demonstrated the effectiveness of IoT sensors in forecasting potential floods and supporting flood modelling. However, comprehensive research addressing all FRM stages - prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery - has remained limited. To address this research gap, this study identified five key IoT sensor categories: water quantity, water quality, rainfall intensity, weather conditions, and catchment characteristics. The roles, objectives, and applications of these sensors across FRM stages were then investigated. Results showed that water quantity sensors were the most common, accounting for 48% of documented IoT applications. Weather condition sensors (27%) and rainfall intensity sensors (21%) were also widely used, especially after 2021. Additionally, IoT-based FRM had three primary Objectives flood modelling (61%), alerting (25%), and visualisation (14%). Most cases (42%) focused on the preparedness stage, while prevention (8%) and recovery (5%) were underrepresented, highlighting clear gaps in existing research. The review also revealed several overlooked sensor types, including groundwater level, biochemical oxygen demand, and nitrite sensors. Despite their potential to enhance quality-based flood modelling, these sensors were rarely utilised. Consequently, the study emphasised the need for broader integration of IoT sensors throughout all FRM stages. Such integration could support more resilient, data-driven flood management strategies, particularly in regions where IoT deployment has remained limited
Can wearable device promote physical activity and reduce pain in people with chronic musculoskeletal conditions?
Get PDFObjective
The purpose of this systematic review is to identify and appraise the evidence on the effectiveness of using wearable devices to promote physical activity and reduce pain in people with chronic musculoskeletal pain.
Methods
Systematic searches of electronic databases- PubMed, CINAHL, and Medline (Ovid) were undertaken for randomized control trials, and observational studies of wearable-based interventions in patients with chronic musculoskeletal conditions.
Result.
Thirteen studies were included in this review. The methodological quality of the included articles was found to vary between moderate and high quality. Studies included patients with osteoarthritis hip/knee (number; n = 5), low back pain (n= 3), rheumatoid arthritis (n=1), juvenile idiopathic arthritis (n = 1), inflammatory arthritis (n = 1), spondylarthritis (n=1), and ankylosing spondylitis (n=1). The intervention group of some of the studies included additional components associated with the use of wearable devices such as step or diet diary, motivational interviewing or counselling, goal setting, multidimensional and tailored exercise programme interventions delivered in-person, remotely, or in a hybrid format. Intervention duration ranged from 1 week to 28 weeks. There were no serious adverse events related to the use of wearables. Overall, evidence from this systematic review shows that wearable technology intervention was effective in increasing physical activity significantly, especially where extra components (counselling, coaching, prescribed physical activity, goal setting, physiotherapist) were used among clinical and non-clinical populations. However, no significant effect was found in pain reduction with the use of wearable devices.
Conclusion
It is concluded that the use of wearable technology should be encouraged in patients with chronic musculoskeletal conditions. Additional research is needed, such as increasing the duration of the intervention, which may have an impact on pain
Enhancing Organisational Readiness: The Critical Role of Health Informatics Clinicians in Implementing Electronic Health Record Systems.
No full textThe widespread adoption of centralised electronic health records (EHR) has become a strategic priority for healthcare systems globally, including the NHS and private healthcare providers, aiming to enhance care delivery and operational efficiency. However, implementing these systems remains complex, particularly in fostering organisational readiness and ensuring healthcare professionals are adequately prepared for the transition. This research examines the role of Health Informatics Clinicians (HICs), known as Clinical Informatics Specialists (CIS), in mediating the adoption process through the development and execution of targeted engagement strategies. A mixed-methods research design was employed to investigate the efficacy of HIC-led interventions, such as 'show and tell' sessions and 'copycat charting' exercises, in mitigating common barriers, including insufficient training, suboptimal user engagement, and the demand for role-specific, personalised support. Data collected via surveys were also analysed using qualitative and quantitative methodologies to assess the impact of these interventions on user adoption and organisational readiness. The findings of this research suggest that healthcare professionals positively perceived the HIC-driven activities, increasing system acceptance and indicating a strong preference for sustained ongoing support. Thus, the study underscores the critical function of HICs in facilitating organisational change, particularly by aligning engagement strategies with the specific needs of diverse clinical roles. This research concludes by recommending enhanced training protocols and sustained support mechanisms to improve EHR implementation outcomes, and it identifies key areas for future research to optimise engagement strategies in the context of digital health transformation
Quality of life of elderly people living in Taif, Saudi Arabia: a scoping review.
Get PDFRapid socio-economic and demographic changes have promoted the adoption of modern lifestyles such as moving to and working in urban cities, which may impact the well-being of elderly populations. This chapter explores the daily activities, healthy aging, and Quality of Life (QoL) of elderly people living in Taif City, Saudi Arabia. The study identifies and interprets the interrelation and integration between daily activities, healthy aging, and QoL of elderly people living in Taif. The research recommends for developing new strategies to serve the elderly people in the rapidly aging Saudi society
Unlocking Peripheral Tourism Potential: Reimagining Air Connectivity through Public Service Obligations as Peripheral Region Development Catalysts
Get PDFThis study examines the potential of Public Service Obligations(PSOs)—policies ensuring minimum air connectivity—in supporting place-based tourism development in peripheral regions. The paper reveals a misalignment between current PSO provisions and tourism needs through mixed-methods research conducted across three peripheral regions in the UK. Findings identify significant gaps in network connectivity, frequency, and service quality as barriers to tourism development. The study advocates for re-envisioning PSOs as tools to stimulate tourism demand. The research demonstrates how tourism-focused enhancements to PSO design could significantly enhance the appeal of peripheral destinations to high-value tourism segments. Theoretical contributions conceptualise air connectivity policies as instruments for place-based tourism development and alleviating core-periphery imbalances. Simultaneously, practical implications offer strategies for aligning PSOs with tourism goals to stimulate economic growth in peripheral region
The role of prejudice and prior contact in support for evidence-based interventions to reduce drug-related deaths: a cross-sectional study
Get PDFStigmatized attitudes, opinions on opioid use, and prior contact with people who use drugs (PWUD) contribute to what policies are publicly supported and implemented to reduce drug-related deaths. This study examined how these variables relate to policy support for implementation of supervised injection sites, laws protecting bystanders at the scene of an overdose, and over-the-counter naloxone
Building a dataset of personal live coding style using Mirlcaproxy: a journal of creative sonic exploration under constraints and biases
Get PDFThis paper presents the technical and creative process of building a dataset of a personal live coding style using MIRL-
CaProxy, a custom SuperCollider class built on top of the MIRLCa extension. MIRLCa enables real-time sampling of
sounds from Freesound with the assistance of machine learning using FluCoMa. We designed an environment that cap-
tures eight methods for retrieving sounds in the MIRLCa language, recorded through a live coding journaling approach.
This approach aims to predict the next line (next method) from the audio state of the system. Throughout the dataset
creation, the required number of actions led to unexpected creative discoveries, transforming the process into a space
for sonic exploration. This paper reflects on how the training of the machine learning process becomes a rehearsal
space that supports the development of a personal style through constraints. It also explores the role of biases in this
contex
The professionalization paradox: understanding police officers’ motivations for higher education
No full textThis study examined police officers' motivational orientations toward training engagement and mediating roles of course features. Using 280 Hong Kong Police Force officers and structural equation modelling, we identified three motivational factors: Career Advancement Motivation (highest-rated), Personal Advancement Motivation, and Social Recognition Motivation. While Career Advancement Motivation significantly predicted training engagement, differences between study cohorts emerged as the strongest predictor. Course reputation positively mediated the Career Advancement and training engagement relationship, while course characteristics negatively mediated the Personal Advancement and training engagement relationship. Demographic factors also influence motivational orientations. Findings suggest the disconnect between academic education and police work results from misalignment between learning orientations and course design rather than inherent incompatibility. It is suggested that an integrated approach to police training that accommodates officers' diverse motivational orientations with both career applicability and intellectual engagement could benefit officers, organizations, and communities
Prologue: a mosaic of autoethnography pedagogy and practice
No full textIt’s the turn of the century. The year 2000 and as the first-ever mobile touch screens hit the market, two students begin their doctoral studies at the University of Bristol, in the Department of Exercise, Nutrition and Health Science
A critical systems thinking methodology to explore circularity of food waste in a university campus
Get PDFABSTRACT
This article reports on the learning process and main insights of applying a critical system thinking (CST) methodology to food waste prevention, at a UK university campus project. Many universities are considering or adopting circular economy (CE) principles to meet the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). Yet, there is still lack of understanding about systemic issues and consequences of preventing food waste, towards improved management of campus food resources. Our case study approach combined Soft Operational Research (Soft OR) and other methods to identify possibilities and challenges regarding adopting CE ideas and technologies. These processes featured: initial food waste scrap separation and sorting, conversations with students and managers, student self-assessment of waste disposal, collating diverse perspectives and investigating on-site food composting or anaerobic
digestion (AD) options. There were valuable project lessons from this tactile, practical approach. However, campus stakeholders following through with their own action agendas
(while we maintained a critical, supporting role) came across as paramount. Among other insights from using Soft OR, our study presents this finding about the importance of flexibility and “slowing down” in seeking to progress the 12th UN Sustainable Development Goal (UNSDG) towards responsible consumption and production, by reducing food waste