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The impact of schoolyard interventions on children’s and adolescents’ social, emotional, and cognitive well-being: a scoping review
Get PDFBackground:
Growing mental well-being concerns in children and adolescents, combined with the underexplored potential of schoolyards to positively impact well-being, highlight the need for further knowledge in this area. The objective of this scoping review was to provide an overview of existing research on the impact of schoolyard modifications on social, emotional, and cognitive well-being of children and adolescents.
Methods:
Following the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, the inclusion criteria comprised children and adolescents in primary or secondary education and interventions involving modifications to the physical schoolyard environment (i.e. play structures, markings, and greening). Quantitative before/after evaluations of interventions were eligible. Five databases (Embase, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO, and ERIC) were searched in July 2024. Quality of the included studies was assessed using an adapted version of the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) Quality Assessment Tool.
Results:
Fourteen papers, evaluating 13 studies, were included, of which five were rated ‘strong’ in quality, three were rated ‘moderate,’ and five were rated ‘weak’. Thirty-one outcomes using 18 different measurement tools were identified, which highlights the complexity of the well-being construct. Most studies yielded non-significant or conflicting findings. However, findings cautiously indicated that a greater variety of play structures, spending time in green areas, and play structures combined with educational components tended to improve social, emotional, and cognitive well-being. These features should be prioritised when modifying schoolyards.
Conclusion:
The evidence base remains limited and fragmented, which highlights the need for further research based on robust study designs and sample sizes sufficient to detect differences
Can we see more clearly? Theology on male sexual violence against women through an existential lens
Get PDFNo abstract available
Using melatonin to induce sleep as an alternative to general anaesthesia in Auditory Brainstem Response testing
Get PDFObjectives:
Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) is an objective, non-invasive hearing test requiring the subject to remain still for accurate results. This poses challenges in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Traditionally, general anaesthesia (GA) was employed, but it carries risks, high costs, and long waiting times. Melatonin, with minimal side effects and no need for monitoring, offers a potential alternative. This study evaluates the feasibility and efficacy of melatonin-induced sleep as an alternative for GA in ABR testing.
Methods:
A retrospective review was conducted on 52 children with neurodevelopmental disabilities referred for ABR under melatonin-induced sleep at the Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow, from July 2023 to November 2024. Pre-test sleep deprivation and a 9 mg dose of melatonin were used. Children with unsuccessful first tests were invited for a second attempt. If both attempts failed, GA was required.
Results:
Of 47 attendees, 53% achieved successful ABR testing on the first attempt, and 26.7% at the second attempt. Cumulatively, 61.7% did not require GA. No significant correlation was found between age, sex, or co-morbidities and success rates. Median GA ABR waiting times decreased by 25.8%, and 26 children were removed from the GA waiting list. Cost analysis showed a 43.32% saving per patient using melatonin-induced sleep compared to GA. Parent acceptability was high, irrespective of testing outcomes.
Conclusions:
Melatonin-induced sleep is a feasible, cost-effective alternative to GA for ABR testing. Despite the relatively low success rates, it reduces waiting times, lowers costs, and minimises the need for GA
Coordinating system operators to optimise integrated energy system operation
Get PDFEnergy systems must keep pace with the changing energy landscape, and thus the processes to operate and analyse energy systems must evolve. Integrating electricity and natural gas systems presents a significant opportunity to enhance system flexibility. However, the specialisation of energy system operators necessitates an overhaul of system operator hierarchy to facilitate system integration. This paper presents a novel solution method framework to explore the optimal coordination hierarchy of energy system operators with varying levels of information sharing. Three scenarios are examined. In the first, individual optimal power and gas flow problems are solved, representing the minimisation of energy dispatch costs by two independent, decentralised operators. In the second, these individual optimisation problems are merged into a single optimal energy flow problem, representing the centralised co-optimisation of electricity and gas dispatch. The third scenario introduces secure, two-way information sharing between two decentralised operators, achieved through a novel application of Benders’ decomposition to the non-convex optimal energy flow problem. These methods are applied to a standard test system for integrated electricity and natural gas systems. Results show that centralised coordination yields the lowest cost mix of energy producers, in the most efficient time. Additionally, system operator hierarchy strongly influences the dispatch profiles of electricity generators and affects the performance of incremental gas flow linearisation. Benders’ cuts converge to a local optimum, marginally increasing information sharing and network efficacy in the non-convex environment. Ultimately, these findings underscore the value of centralised coordination in the future operation of integrated energy systems
Corporate responsible innovation for sustainability: toward firm-level measurements for process and outcomes
No full textWhereas the concept of responsible innovation (RI) has attracted increasing academic attention in recent years, little is known about how this policy-linked agenda has been implemented in a competitive environment. We argue that building a firm-level measure of the current innovation practices of corporations could be a valuable step toward exploring sustainable innovation practices. This study develops firm-level measures of RI in corporations by analysing corporate annual reports with machine learning techniques. We employed word embedding and structural topic modeling to identify 16 topics related to RI actions and challenges in corporate innovation processes and outcomes. Our findings reveal that RI in competitive environments is still in its early stages, with more emphasis on ethical processes than on proactively creating social value through innovation outcomes. The findings point to the need for greater strategic alignment and awareness of RI in corporations, supporting a move beyond a “do no harm” approach toward proactively addressing societal challenges through innovation. This study contributes to understanding how RI is currently implemented in business practices and identifies areas for further development to enable innovation that creates both economic and social value
VisiSafe: real-time fall detection for visually impaired people ssing RF sensing
No full textFalls are a leading cause of mortality among
individuals aged 65 and above, making timely fall detection alarms essential for preventing fatalities. Contactless
radio frequency (RF) technology for fall detection has gained
traction due to its wide coverage and privacy-preserving
features. However, existing RF-based systems often assume
falls create predictable RF signal patterns, which can be
problematic, especially among visually impaired people (VIP),
who cannot detect environmental changes. To overcome this
challenge, we propose an innovative approach that focuses
on recognizing normal, repeatable human activities and
detecting falls as deviations from these patterns. Our prototype, developed using commercial ultrawideband (UWB)
XeThru radar, was tested on human subjects, including VIPs.
The results demonstrated a classification accuracy of 98.8% within a 1.5-m range in indoor environments, proving our
system’s high reliability and adaptability for real-time fall detection. This approach provides a more dependable solution
for protecting the elderly, especially those with visual impairments, from fall-related dangers
Ischemic stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation and a recent ischemic stroke, TIA, or intracranial hemorrhage: A World Stroke Organization (WSO) scientific statement
Get PDFBackground: Secondary stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the fastest growing areas in the field of cerebrovascular diseases. This scientific statement from the World Stroke Organization Brain & Heart Task Force provides a critical analysis of the strength of current evidence on this topic, highlights areas of current controversy, identifies knowledge gaps, and proposes priorities for future research. Methods: We select topics with the highest clinical relevance and perform a systematic search to answer specific practical questions. Based on the strength of available evidence and knowledge gaps, we identify topics that need to be prioritized in future research. For this purpose, we adopt a novel classification of evidence strength based on the availability of publications in which the primary population is patients with recent (<6 months) cerebrovascular events, the primary study endpoint is a recurrent ischemic stroke, and the quality of the studies (e.g. observational versus randomized controlled trial). Summary: Priority areas include AF screening, molecular biomarkers, AF subtype classification, anticoagulation in device-detected AF, timing of anticoagulation initiation, effective management of breakthrough strokes on existing anticoagulant therapy, the role of left atrial appendage closure, novel approaches, and antithrombotic therapy post-intracranial hemorrhage. Strength of currently available evidence varies across the selected topics, with early anticoagulation being the one showing more consistent data. Conclusion: Several knowledge gaps persist in most areas related to secondary stroke prevention in AF. Prioritizing research in this field is crucial to advance current knowledge and improve clinical care
The structural discrepancy in the immunomodulatory potency of the polysaccharides RFHP-1 and RFHP-2 derived from Radix Fici Hirtae
No full textRadix Fici Hirtae (RFH), a traditional Chinese medication, is said to be useful in controlling immunity. However, it remained unclear whether its polysaccharides components are associated with these immunomodulatory properties. Herein, two polysaccharides, designated RFHP-1 and RFHP-2, were isolated from RFH using water-soluble alcohol precipitation and column chromatography. Structural characterization by monosaccharide content analysis, methylation, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) revealed that the main chain of RFHP-1 was formed by the interconnection of →4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→, →3,6)-β-D-Glcp-(1→, →3)-β-D-Glcp-(1→, and →4,6)-α-D-Glcp-(1→, and the main chain of RFHP-2 was formed by the interconnection of →4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→, →3,6)-β-D-Galp-(1→, →3)-β-D-Galp-(1→, →4,6)-α-D-Glcp-(1→ and →6)-β-D-Galp-(1→. Both RFHP-1 and RFHP-2 raised the CD4/CD8 ratio and improved the expression of immune factors in immunocompromised mice. By activating the NF-κB pathway (promote phosphorylation of p65 and IκB), RFHP-1 and RFHP-2 both promoted release cytokines (NO, TNF-a, IL-6, and IFN-γ) at RAW 264.7 macrophages. The results of molecular docking (-8.4 kcal/mol vs. -6.0 kcal/mol) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) (-7.75 kcal/mol vs. -7.46 kcal/mol) demonstrated that RFHP-1 exhibited stronger binding affinity with MD2, suggesting greater immunoactivating potential. These findings indicate that RFHP polysaccharides, particularly RFHP-1, may serve as promising candidates for development as dietary supplements for individuals with compromised immune systems
Economic burden and cost-effectiveness of treatments for open tibia fractures in Malawi: economic analysis of a multicentre prospective cohort study
Get PDFBackground:
Open tibia fractures result in substantial lifelong disability for patients, and are expensive to treat. As the injury typically affects young working men, the societal costs from open tibia fractures are likely to also be high in low income countries, but remain largely unknown. We therefore investigated the overall societal costs and cost-effectiveness of different orthopaedic treatments at one year following an open tibia fracture in Malawi.
Methods:
This study was a cost-utility analysis nested in a prospective cohort study from the healthcare- and societal-payer perspectives with a one-year time horizon. We obtained quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) from the EuroQoL 5 Dimension 3 Level (EQ-5D-3L) and patient lost productivity estimates at 6 weeks, and 3, 6, and 12 months post-injury. QALYs were calculated from utility scores were modelled within a hierarchical Bayesian multivariate modelling framework that jointly estimated individual-level trajectories in EQ-5D-3L scores and costs over follow-up. Direct treatment costs were obtained from a micro-costing study, and staff interviews at tertiary and district hospitals. Cost-effectiveness was reported in terms of societal cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY). All costs were reported in 2021 United States dollars (USD).
Results:
Between February 2021 and March 2022, 287 participants with open tibia fractures were included. There were substantial costs to participants one year following injury with 42% (n = 112) working with a median monthly household income of US7−90) compared to 89% (n = 255) working pre-injury, with a median monthly household income of US36−144). The posterior median of societal costs at one year varied between US-751−2,389) for treatment with plaster of Paris (POP) in a district hospital for a Gustilo III injury, to US995−5027) for intramedullary nail in central hospital for a Gustilo III injury. The largest cost-effectiveness from a societal perspective was between an intramedullary nail and amputation for a Gustilo III injury with a posterior mean of US$2,290 (95%HDI: 36−4,547) per QALY.
Conclusion:
The main finding was that open tibia fractures result in significant costs to patients, the healthcare system and society in Malawi. Although the funding of orthopaedic treatment can be difficult in countries with very limited healthcare budgets, the costs to society of ignoring this issue are very high. A re-balancing of health budgets (including from government and donors) is needed to prioritise trauma care to reduce the growing societal economic burden from injury
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