11237 research outputs found
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Transparency and Privacy: The Role of Explainable AI and Federated Learning in Financial Fraud Detection
No full textFraudulent transactions and how to detect them remain a significant problem for financial institutions around the world. The need for advanced fraud detection systems to safeguard assets and maintain customer trust is paramount for financial institutions, but some factors make the development of effective and efficient fraud detection systems a challenge. One of such factors is the fact that fraudulent transactions are rare and that many transaction datasets are imbalanced; that is, there are fewer significant samples of fraudulent transactions than legitimate ones. This data imbalance can affect the performance or reliability of the fraud detection model. Moreover, due to the data privacy laws that all financial institutions are subject to follow, sharing customer data to facilitate a higher-performing centralized model is impossible. Furthermore, the fraud detection technique should be transparent so that it does not affect the user experience. Hence, this research introduces a novel approach using Federated Learning (FL) and Explainable AI (XAI) to address these challenges. FL enables financial institutions to collaboratively train a model to detect fraudulent transactions without directly sharing customer data, thereby preserving data privacy and confidentiality. Meanwhile, the integration of XAI ensures that the predictions made by the model can be understood and interpreted by human experts, adding a layer of transparency and trust to the system. Experimental results, based on realistic transaction datasets, reveal that the FL-based fraud detection system consistently demonstrates high performance metrics. This study grounds FL’s potential as an effective and privacy-preserving tool in the fight against fraud.</p
Performance management in a rapidly changing world: implications for talent management
No full textPurpose: This conceptual work examines how, in times of post-COVID-19 paradigm shift, the employee performance management (PM) process can help multinational corporations (MNCs) strengthen their talent management and, at the same time, meet their future needs.Design/methodology/approachWe take a conceptual approach and present our perspective on what we see as the most critical trends shaping PM and talent management. Contingency theory and Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity (VUCA) theory provide a sound theoretical framework for understanding and responding to the complex and rapidly changing business context post-COVID-19.Findings: Drawing on these theories, we create a framework providing a means of understanding why and how MNCs can maintain talent and, at the same time, develop new talent through the PM process.Practical implicationsImportantly, our study emphasizes the critical role that project management and talent management techniques play for both practitioners and scholars. In order to gain and sustain a competitive edge in the ever-changing VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) landscape, these processes necessitate ongoing reassessment and adaptation. As Plato eloquently stated, “Our Need Will Be the Real Creator,” encapsulating our vision for the proactive and dynamic nature of effective project management and talent management practices.Originality/value: The study establishes the benefits of an agile and flexible PM approach to help develop talent and pave the way for future research in this increasingly critical area</p
Respiratory rate monitoring devices for the acute care setting: device development and evaluation
No full textRespiratory rate is an important vital sign because it changes early in acute illness. In acute care settings such as emergency departments, respiratory rate is measured manually but this method has shortcomings. Accordingly, technological solutions to this problem are sought.A novel system of classification of respiratory rate measuring devices was developed and a review of the literature was undertaken. Microelectronic mechanical sensor (MEMS) accelerometer and gyroscope devices were identified as having potential for further development. Literature gaps regarding the performance of MEMS gyroscopes in measuring respiratory rate were identified. MEMS devices detect chest wall movement from which respiratory rate can be measured.Device trials were conducted with healthy volunteers and MEMS accelerometers (N = 34) and gyroscopes (N=36) had their respiratory rate measurement performance compared with that of a reference device, a chest mounted strain gauge. Sensors were mounted at different sites on the body wall to determine optimum site of placement. Measurements were made in the supine and seated positions to investigate effects of posture on measurements.No statistically significant difference was found between respiratory rates measured at any site in either posture. MEMS accelerometers were found to have a mean absolute error (MAE) of between 0.73 and 2.23 bpm in the seated posture and 0.43 and 1.32 bpm in the supine posture. MEMS gyroscopes were found to have an MAE of 0.34 – 1.20 bpm seated and 0.45 – 0.82 bpm in the supine posture.Attempts were made to improve accuracy of these measurements by means of developing statistical signal quality indices but these were found to be ineffective, whereas some of these are noted in the literature to be effective for electrocardiogram and photoplethysmogram signals.It is concluded that MEMS accelerometers and gyroscopes can be used in devices to measure respiratory rate but further technical improvements must be sought.</p
Ocular injuries among patients with major trauma in England and Wales from 2004 to 2021
No full textBackground
Ocular trauma is a significant cause of blindness and is often missed in polytrauma. No contemporary studies report eye injuries in the setting of severe trauma in the UK. We investigated ocular injury epidemiology and trends among patients suffering major trauma in England and Wales from 2004 to 2021.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective study utilising the Trauma Audit and Research Network (TARN) registry. Major trauma cases with concomitant eye injuries were included. Major trauma was defined as Injury Severity Score >15. Ocular injuries included globe, cranial nerve II, III, IV, and VI, and tear duct injuries. Orbital fractures and adnexal and lid injuries were not included. Demographics, injury profiles, and outcomes were extracted. We report descriptive statistics and 3-yearly trends.
Results
Of 287 267 major trauma cases, 2368 (0.82%) had ocular injuries: prevalence decreased from 1.87% to 0.66% over the 2004–2021 period (P
Conclusions
Whilst identifying eye injuries in major trauma is challenging, it appears ocular injury epidemiology in this setting has shifted, though overall prevalence is low. These findings may inform prevention strategies, guideline development and resource allocation.</p
Consumer Perspectives on Improving Hearing Aids: A Qualitative Study
No full textPurpose:
Hearing aids play a pivotal role in mitigating the impact of hearing loss, yet their adoption and consistent usage remains suboptimal. Understanding the hearing aid needs of individuals with hearing loss is important to support uptake, use, and outcomes. The current study describes users' perspectives on how hearing aids can be improved.
Method:
A cross-sectional, qualitative, content analysis design was used for an open-ended question from an online survey, exploring user perspectives on hearing aid improvements. Participants were adult hearing aid users in the United States, surveyed from the HearingTracker and Lexie Hearing user database.
Results:
A total of 628 participants (Mage = 66 years) were surveyed. The majority of participants used bilateral, behind-the-ear hearing aids that were obtained either through a hearing health care professional or online. Three domains, highlighting areas for hearing aid improvement, were identified. (a) The hearing aid features domain described user issues surrounding physical appearance and fit, general features, streaming, battery functionality, adjustments, smartphone applications, and hearing aid–related accessories. There was dissatisfaction with aesthetics and functionality, with a notable desire for improvements in physical appearance and fit (n = 161), and features to improve self-efficacy. (b) The sound quality domain described user issues surrounding sound perception and difficult situations. Participants highlighted unmet needs for clarity, especially in noisy environments (n = 143). (c) The service-delivery domain described user issues surrounding audiology services and general satisfaction, with criticisms centered on the high cost of hearing aids (n = 193) and the credibility of hearing health care professionals.
Conclusions:
Hearing aid users appreciated current technological advances but expressed a need for improvements, to better align devices with their requirements. Key areas included physical aesthetics, user control over device adjustments, sound clarity, cost accessibility, and trust between the user and hearing health care professional. Future designs should focus on features enhancing user autonomy and self-efficacy.</p
Should automated electronic hand hygiene monitoring systems be implemented in routine patient care? Systematic review and appraisal with Medical Research Council Framework for Complex Interventions
No full textManual hand-hygiene audit is time-consuming, labour-intensive and inaccurate. Automated hand-hygiene monitoring systems (AHHMSs) offer advantages (generation of standardized data, avoidance of the Hawthorne effect). World Health Organization Guidelines for Hand Hygiene published in 2009 suggest that AHHMSs are a possible alternative. The objective of this review was to assess the current state of the literature for AHHMSs and offer recommendations for use in real-world settings. This was a systematic literature review, and publications included were from the time that PubMed commenced until 19th November 2023. Forty-three publications met the criteria. Using the Medical Research Council's Framework for Developing and Evaluating Complex Interventions, two were categorized as intervention development studies. Thirty-nine were evaluations. Two described implementation in real-world settings. Most were small scale and short duration. AHHMSs in conjunction with additional intervention (visual or auditory cue, performance feedback) could increase hand hygiene compliance in the short term. Impact on infection rates was difficult to determine. In the few publications where costs and resources were considered, time devoted to improving hand hygiene compliance increased when an AHHMS was in use. Health workers' opinions about AHHMSs were mixed. In conclusion, at present too little is known about the longer-term advantages of AHHMSs to recommend uptake in routine patient care. Until more longer-term accounts of implementation (over 12 months) become available, efforts should be made to improve direct observation of hand hygiene compliance to improve its accuracy and credibility. The Medical Research Council Framework could be used to categorize other complex interventions involving use of technology to prevent infection to help establish readiness for implementation.</p
Measuring collective action intention toward gender equality across cultures
No full textCollective action is a powerful tool for social change and is fundamental to women and girls’ empowerment on a societal level. Collective action towards gender equality could be understood as intentional and conscious civic behaviors focused on social transformation, questioning power relations, and promoting gender equality through collective efforts. Various instruments to measure collective action intentions have been developed, but to our knowledge none of the published measures were subject to invariance testing. We introduce the gender equality collective action intention (GECAI) scale and examine its psychometric isomorphism and measurement invariance, using data from 60 countries (N = 31,686). Our findings indicate that partial scalar measurement invariance of the GECAI scale permits conditional comparisons of latent mean GECAI scores across countries. Moreover, this metric psychometric isomorphism of the GECAI means we can interpret scores at the country-level (i.e., as a group attribute) conceptually similar to individual attributes. Therefore, our findings add to the growing body of literature on gender based collective action by introducing a methodologically sound tool to measure collective action intentions towards gender equality across cultures.</p
Preface
No full textIn 2019, I found myself at the forefront of an unprecedented human rights crisis in Chile. As part of the Chilean National Human Rights Institution (INDH), based in Valdivia, a southern city known for its rivers and rainforests, my role was to observe, document, and address human rights violations, particularly during mass protests. Valdivia, like much of the country, was caught in the wave of civil unrest that erupted across Chile that year. What began as protests over a hike in public transport fares quickly escalated into nationwide demonstrations against deep-seated economic inequality, corruption, and the government’s failure to provide social justice (Fernandez and Smart, 2024). This movement, known as the Estallido Social or Social Outburst, saw millions of people take to the streets, from Santiago to regional capitals like Valdivia, demanding change...</p
Missed opportunities of feedback for emergency ambulance staff: a mixed-methods diary study
No full textIntroduction: Providing feedback to emergency ambulance staff on performance or patient outcomes may improve care quality and professional development. Current feedback provision in ambulance services is limited and staff desire more feedback; however, we do not know what feedback would be most useful. This study aimed to determine the quality of feedback received by emergency ambulance staff, describe self-directed learning activities performed after receiving feedback (e.g. ‘reflected on what exactly I did right/wrong’) and identify situations where ambulance staff desired enhanced feedback. Methods: An observational mixed-methods study was used. Emergency ambulance staff delivering face-to-face patient care in the United Kingdom’s National Health Service completed a baseline survey and diary entries between March and August 2022. Diary entries were event contingent and were collected when a participant identified that they had received feedback or desired feedback but had not received it. Free-text qualitative responses were categorised using content analysis before being included in the quantitative analyses. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics.Results: Baseline surveys were completed by 299 participants; 100 participants submitted 374 feedback-desired diary entries and 105 participants submitted 538 feedback-received diary entries. Ambulance staff expressed a statistically significant preference for patient-outcome feedback (77.8% [95% CI 74.0, 82.1]), provided by non-ambulance healthcare professionals (70.7% [66.2, 75.3]) and delivered electronically (54.0% [48.9, 59.4]). Feedback was particularly desired for cases involving neurological (17.1%) and cardiovascular (16.6%) conditions and non-conveyed patients (11.5%). Self-directed learning activities post feedback included reflection (61.5%), considering alignment with own judgement (41.1%) and discussions with colleagues (37.0%).Conclusion: The study identifies critical gaps in current feedback practices within ambulance services and provides directions for feedback designs that would enhance existing systems and approaches. Training programmes should educate ambulance staff on effective feedback utilisation and management of both positive and negative feedback. Cultivating a supportive feedback culture within ambulance services is crucial for fostering continuous professional growth and improving patient care outcomes.</p
Guest editorial: the interplay between new innovations, sustainability and food supply chains
No full textThis special issue brings together insightful research on managing food supply chains, sustainability and emerging technologies. Food is a common factor linking all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals, however, our current food system is full of contradictions; up to one-third of food is wasted, 800 million people remain undernourished, 2 billion are deficient in micronutrients and obesity continues to rise (Rust et al., 2020). Statistics such as these are likely to worsen as the planet warms up, soils degrade and the global population grows (and hence consumes more resources). Inadequate transport infrastructure and cold chain facilities, as well as fragmented supply chain management principles are major challenges facing the agri-business in general, and the food sector in particular (Krishnan et al., 2021). Taken together, these trends demonstrate an urgent need to improve our food system to work out how to reconfigure our current food systems throughout the entire supply chain (encompassing how we produce, distribute and consume goods and services).</p
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