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Dilemma:Utilizing the activation decision-construction-action theory to understand and predict children's hypothetical decisions to conceal cases of school bullying
Get PDFThe Decision component of the Activation-Decision-Construction-Action theory (ADCAT) proposes that if people perceive the benefits of lying higher than the truth, they are more likely to lie. To expand on the existing ADCAT research, the current study investigated the cost-benefit appraisals of 115 children ages 7-to-14 when concealing information about school bullying. Further, the current study examined the impact of the type of bullying (verbal vs. physical), type of exposure to bullying (victim vs. bystander-witness), and familiarity of the person to whom they could disclose (familiar adult vs. unfamiliar adult) when evaluating ADCAT. The results indicate that the expected value of lie-telling and motivation to lie were only significantly related to decisions to lie when the child is the victim of physical bullying and being questioned by a familiar person. Whereas the expected value of truth-telling was only significantly related to decisions to lie when the child is the victim of verbal bullying and being questioned by an unfamiliar person. Discriminant function analysis models were also statistically significant for these two vignettes, meaning that ADCAT-dependent measures could be used to accurately classify the truth and lie tellers for these two vignettes. Furthermore, developmental factors such as age, gender and Theory-of-Mind skills of the ADCAT-dependent measures within each scenario were examined. This study provides further understanding of the complexities in cases of school bullying, particularly as it relates to social-cognitive factors that encourage or discourage children and adolescents from disclosing these events
Superheated flash-boiling atomisation effects on spray carbon capture performance using non-aqueous amines
Get PDFThere is an urgent need to develop energy and space efficient carbon capture technologies for hard to decarbonise sectors. While spray-based carbon capture systems can offer high CO2 absorption rates compared to packed columns, their optimisation requires fine control on spray homogeneity and droplet properties such as size and relative velocity. More specifically, denser mono-disperse sprays with micron scale droplets have been found to increase the rate of CO2 absorption due to increased surface area for mass transfer. One approach that has not previously been investigated is to control the solvent spray properties through flash boiling atomisation to consistently produce fine and homogeneous droplets. To address this gap, we present optical measurements comparing the performance of solvents atomised with varying degrees of flash boiling. Diffuse-back illumination extinction imaging was used for temporal characterisation of spray morphology. We tested a 20:80 (%w/w) blend of triethanolamine and methanol, and neat isopropylamine under six temperature conditions to vary the amount of superheat. Absorption capacities, molar absorption rates, and CO2 percentage removal are reported for each test condition, showing significant improvements at the higher temperature conditions where flash boiling was more intense. While flash boiling carbon capture carries a higher energy demand than conventional technologies, our results offer an innovative and promising avenue for high-efficiency CO2 absorption in hard-to-abate sectors such as marine transportation, especially when coupled with a waste heat recovery strategy
Death Anxiety Among Peer Caregivers of Older Persons in Two US Prisons
Get PDFBackground: Death anxiety is marked by worrisome thoughts and feelings surrounding death. It can influence health care workers’ performance and increase workforce attrition, yet no study has examined death anxiety among persons who provide peer care in the correctional system. Methods: Two small samples of peer caregivers working in two US prisons were surveyed (N = 27). Using the 15-item Death Anxiety Scale, we first described death anxiety using descriptive statistics. We examined gender disparities using an independent sample t-test and explored the associations between death anxiety, caregiver burden, and depression using Kendalls’ Tau-b. Results: Average death anxiety for the sample was 6.30 (SD = 2.88) and while women reported greater death anxiety than men, (M = 6.82, SD = 2.77; M = 5.40, SD = 2.99, respectively), the difference was not significant (t(25) = 1.25, p = 0.111). Although death anxiety did not relate to care burden or depression, a significant relationship was found between care burden and depression for peer caregivers in this sample. Conclusions: This is the first study to examine death anxiety among correctional system peer caregivers. Further research with larger samples, and across multiple jurisdictions and facility types is required as is investigation of the influence of death anxiety on care outcomes
Effectiveness of interventions to reduce sedentary behaviour in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review of randomised controlled trials
No full textBackground:Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects over 300 million people and is the third leading cause of death. People with COPD spend a large amount of their day sedentary, which is associated with reduced life expectancy.Methods:A systematic search was conducted across electronic databases, including Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Library. Due to the heterogeneity of study design and siting of the activity monitor, a narrative synthesis was conducted.Results:1086 studies were identified; six met inclusion criteria, and two reported a decreased sedentary time. Nordic walking reduced sedentary time by 128 minutes/day compared to baseline, significantly more than the control group (p < 0.01). Another study using a behaviour change intervention reduced sedentary behaviour by 64 minutes/day compared to baseline, significantly more than the control group (p = 0.018). Both studies were conducted for over 12 weeks, with a multi-modal approach incorporating behaviour change techniques, goal setting, education, self-monitoring and feedback. No studies focusing on reducing sedentary behaviour alone reported significant changes.Conclusions:Few interventional studies have focused on reducing sedentary behaviour in people with COPD. Interventions that have effectively reduced sedentary time primarily focused on physical activity and adopted a multi-modal strategy. This suggests that future interventions could consider a multi-modal approach, which includes behaviour change and the incorporation of enjoyable light physical activities into daily living. We cannot conclude from the available evidence that solely targeting sedentary time will reduce sedentary behaviour. Longer interventions may reduce sedentary behaviour, but there is a lack of studies on both short- and long-term approaches.PROSPERO registration number CRD 42024510434
There's No Place Like Home
No full textThe phrase 'There’s No Place Like Home' evokes a sense of longing for one’s home and the familiar, comfortable surroundings it provides. It implies that home is a safe and secure place, a sanctuary from the outside world; it is a place where one belongs. However, this is not always the case for the survivors of domestic abuse.In recent years, we faced an incredible increase in incidents of domestic violence these last few years, with Greece having the highest increase during the pandemic (Louloudi et al., 2023). In 2020, 8 victims were reported, and in 2022 this number soared to 24, an increase of 200%. We live in a society where we assume that everything is perfect or are we simply pretending that this is the case. Perhaps we need to stop and reflect: What lies behind these appealing facades of households? What role does the home play in the interpersonal relationships within a family? “I would like people in general, and not only architects, to understand that architecture is not only what it looks like, but also what happens in it.” As Bernard Tschumi adds, “Architecture is defined by the actions it witnesses as much as by the enclosure of its walls”. — Bernard Tschumi, 1981<br/
A theoretical explanation of the density of backstreaming ion beams at oblique collisionless shocks
Get PDFIon beams with energies several times the incoming flow energy propagate upstream away from oblique collisionless shocks, that is, when the angle between the direction normal to the shock and upstream magnetic field is broadly around 45°. The properties of these beams are well-known from measurements at Earth's bow shock, and numerical and simulation studies. It appears that the ions in the beams are initially solar wind ions that are reflected once or several times at the shock. This paper proposes a theoretical explanation for the origin of the backstreaming ion beams using a simple model of the shock as a thin flat discontinuity surface that reflects specularly any incident ions with insufficient energy to overcome the shock's electrostatic potential jump. Our analysis identifies a portion of the upstream velocity distribution that is occupied by ions that will eventually populate the backstreaming beam. Integration of the incident distribution over this restricted region in velocity space yields the beam density and its dependence on upstream Mach number, plasma beta, and magnetic field orientation. The model is applied to Maxwellian and Kappa incident distributions and the results are found to be consistent with those documented in the literature. The significant depletion of alpha particles in the beams, relative to abundances in the incoming plasma, is reproduced by the model and explained by reference to the different plasma betas of the incident proton and alpha populations and the diverse effect of the shock potential on species of different mass
Improving Energy Performance in Smart Buildings Through Information and Communication Technology: A State-of-the-Art Review
Get PDFBuildings have become the primary energy consumer due to increased outdoor temperature rates due to global warming and climate change. Building Management Systems (BMS) are considered a key tool in improving energy management through automation, which relies on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) applications, leading to the emergence of smart buildings as an effective solution. However, a proper theoretical framework for integrating solutions at various levels remains lacking. This research aims to clarify the integrative relationship and its role in building automation to achieve optimal interaction between occupants and the building, focusing on using BMS to attain energy efficiency. Recent literature on integrating ICT with BMS has been reviewed to classify different variables and factors impacting the work topic. An overview of the current state of knowledge has been provided, and a comprehensive table of all potential factors, parameters, technologies, and tools at various levels (such as sensor level, device level, communication level, occupant comfort level, and communication with occupants) has been developed. This facilitates the development of a theoretical framework, which can serve as a basis for a practical decision-making tool to help designers make the best design decisions
From digital crafting to digital manufacturing:automated production using hybrid 3D concrete printing
Get PDF3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) has undergone a significant growth over the last 20 years and more recently, methods for improving surface finish and manufacturing accuracy have been explored by applying secondary shaping processed, post printing. These approaches are termed ‘hybrid’ manufacturing and a promising method is to use milling when the concrete is in its green state. The achievable precision and resolution of detailing is an order of magnitude greater than 3DCP alone and greater complexity than can be readily achieved in casting is possible. This step change in manufacturing capability enables a complete rethinking of design, but to date there has been no work published. This article presents the hybrid process and explores the potential for design and manufacture based around ‘The Canopy’: a full-scale demonstrator project. The article reports on the narratives around establishing the design constraints and how they influenced the achievable detail, leading to the identification of 26 features that were used to classify the material and process constraints that need to be interpreted to achieve a manufacturable assembly. An identified challenge of implementing this and other cement-based digital fabrication methods, is the tacit knowledge required by operatives to create successful outcomes. By taking the output of this work and embedding constraints in design software, this could be avoided moving such processes away from digital crafting and towards digital manufacturing
Determinants of vegetable food choice in families with limited food budgets in England:A focus group study to inform vegetable promotion programmes.
Get PDFVegetable consumption in many countries is less than recommended and even lower in low-income households. This study explored the determinants of current vegetable food choice in households with limited food budgets to inform the implementation of a national vegetable promotion programme. Five focus groups and one individual interview were conducted with twenty-nine parents who self-identified as 'shopping on a budget' in an area of multiple deprivation in the southeast of England. Transcripts of audio recordings were coded in NVivo and analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Four main themes which shaped the range of vegetables brought into the home were identified: (1) attributes of vegetables, (2) attributes of parents including their vegetable norms, knowledge and skills (veg-literacy), and interest and opportunity to invest time and effort in vegetables, (3) family food dynamics, and (4) influence of retailers. Overarching this was parents' capacity to absorb the risk of wasting food, money, time, and effort on vegetables and damaging trust in the parent-child food relationship. The data suggest there is a common set of 'core vegetables', which are routinely bought. When money is tight, parents only buy vegetables they know their children will eat and are generally not persuaded to buy 'off-list' in response to price discounts or promotions. Cost is not always the main barrier to increased vegetable purchase. To avoid unintentionally widening dietary inequalities, supply-side interventions to promote vegetable consumption need to be designed alongside targeted actions that enhance the capacity of low-income households to respond.</p
Physical activity for improving cardiovascular fitness,respiratory function and health related quality of life inchildren presenting with cerebral palsy GMFCS levels IV and V: a systematic review
No full textReview objectivesDoes participation in physical activity improve the cardiovascular fitness, respiratoryfunction and health related quality of life of children presenting with cerebral palsyGMFCS levels IV and V