11237 research outputs found
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UK librarians' views of chatbots: a study based on fictional scenarios
No full textThe potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in libraries, including use of chatbots, has been widely discussed in recent years. This paper investigates how library professionals see the role of chatbots in the library context. As a data collection method, the study used the arts-based approach of fictional scenarios, which are short, crafted stories representing possible futures. Participants (UK librarians) responded to researcher-authored fictional scenarios and wrote their own. In response to the fictional scenarios authored by the researchers, participants were negative about giving chatbots agency or human-like characteristics. Resource issues and ethics also appeared in their responses as barriers. Participants were more positive about time saving applications and data analysis. In the fictional scenarios participants wrote themselves they tended to imagine rather narrow, low-level functions for AI. The theory of professions is drawn on to interpret the resistance of professionals to more capable AI and the assertion of human agency.</p
Flagellin fusion proteins as self-adjuvanting vaccines for viral infections and cancer
No full textVaccines can be highly safe and effective tools for disease prevention. However, improvements in the areas of cost, ease of manufacture, distribution, and administration are sought in the next generation of vaccine platforms. A promising candidate is the recombinant flagellin fusion protein platform, which comprises a protein antigen of interest genetically fused to the bacterial protein flagellin. As flagellin stimulates two distinct pattern recognition receptors of the human innate immune system (Toll-like receptor 5 and nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain-like receptor family apoptosis inhibitory protein) and contains helper T-cell epitopes, it is capable of serving as both a carrier and an adjuvant for the target antigen. Studies in animal models and human clinical trials have shown that flagellin fusion proteins can induce diverse humoral (including various subtypes of IgG), mucosal (including secreted IgA), and cell-mediated (TH1 and TH2 CD4+ helper T-cell and CD8+ cytotoxic T-cell) responses to the covalently linked antigen. Such fusions are also capable of eliciting protective immunity in diverse experimental models of infection and cancer. They are effective via numerous routes of administration, including intranasal delivery, without the requirement for adjuvant or complex delivery vehicles. This review aims to cover recent progress in the investigation of flagellin fusion proteins for their potential to stimulate humoral and cellular immune responses to partner antigens, and their prospects for the prevention or treatment of viral infections and cancer.</p
Investigation of parametric behaviour of reinforced thermoplastic pipes under dynamic loading
No full textGlass-fibre reinforced pipes (GFRP) are increasingly being used in the oil and gas industry for their chemical resistance, corrosion resistance, flexibility in design, high strength-to-weight ratio, and high stiffness-to-weight ratio. They are slowly replacing steel pipes, both onshore and offshore, to transport oil and gas over large distances. Such pipes can be susceptible to accidental dynamic loads from low velocity impacts with high magnitudes of force. To ensure these pipes can safely operate after being subjected to such impact loading conditions, it is vital to investigate their resilience to impact. The nature of these impacts can potentially lead to catastrophic damage, resulting in huge losses. In this work, a numerical study has been conducted in LS-Dyna to investigate the behaviour of glass-fibre reinforced pipes under different impact loading conditions. Two parameters for the reinforcement layer were examined to understand their effect on the overall behaviour of the pipe under dynamic impact to achieve a multi-optimisation strategy capable of enhancing the impact absorption capacity. Different angle (+45/-45, +15/-85, +60/-30, +60/-60, +75/-25, +85/-15) and thickness (combos) combinations were implemented for the GFRP to observe the optimal combination for maximum dynamic impact absorption with a deformable boundary constraint. The existing design of the GFRP was numerically analysed and validated based on ASTM D2444-21 to establish the viability of the simulation as well as its utilisation for further investigation. An iterative method of thickness and angle combinations was implemented through simulations and a composite pipe based on the optimal combination was manufactured as well as experimentally validated. The comparison between the existing design of the GFRP simulation and experimental results show a difference of 7% whereas the optimised pipe results (thickness of 2.5-2.5 mm and angle of +60/-60) show a difference of 15%. The increase in the difference percentage can be attributed to the introduction of modified reinforcement on the proposed composite, constructed with aluminium infused nanocomposites in the resin. The impact resilience of the newly designed pipes is 11% higher than that of the existing pipe design. This work provides a comprehensive numerical study on different design parameters that can be manipulated to enhance the impact resilience of the GFRP</p
Investigating the effects of interactive social media communication on community engagement: evidence from Abu Dhabi health sector
No full textThis research examines how social media is used within the Abu Dhabi healthcare system, and how it contributes to public health communication and community engagement. The study addresses four key aims: to measure the extent to which interactive communication via social media increases individual community engagement; to assess the effectiveness of social media in content-driven public health communication; to determine the impact of engagement on health outcomes; and to identify the most common issues raised by communities on social media and to explain how the public health system responds in practice. The study is theoretically framed using the Health Belief Model (HBM) and Social Influence Theory (SIT), providing a means to examine both cognitive and sociocultural aspects of health behaviour and communication in the digital context.A qualitative approach was employed, comprising 28 semi-structured interviews (9 with public health professionals and 21 with community respondents), alongside archival data from over 200 social media interactions on platforms such as Twitter and Instagram. Data were analysed using systematic thematic analysis. Five key thematic domains emerged: Dialogic Resonance, Perceptual Cartography, Communal Ethos (defined as shared cultural values, norms, and trust influencing how communities respond to health communication), Mobilized Cognition, and Digital Reverberations. These domains, comprising 20 codes, reflect the iterative, participatory, and adaptive forms through which digital media engagement for health communication is enacted.The findings suggest that interactive social media communication enhances community engagement by fostering feedback loops, dialogic resonance, and relational trust. Social media serves both as a distribution and participatory channel, shaping perceptions and influencing behaviour through emotional content and peer dialogue. Evidence indicates that such engagement improves health outcomes, particularly in vaccination uptake and preventive behaviour. The study also identifies key community concerns, including trust, clarity, cultural relevance, emotional tone, misinformation, and accessibility, which can be addressed through live question-and-answer sessions, multilingual messaging, partnerships with trusted influencers, and empathetic, culturally attuned content.The study contributes conceptually by reconceptualising health communication as a dynamic, co-created process rather than a top-down broadcast. It integrates social and psychological theories to explain digital behaviour and introduces constructs such as Echo Governance and Discursive Pulse . It contextualises HBM and SIT within a multicultural, digitally sophisticated environment and develops a recursive communication model in which trust functions simultaneously as an input, a mediating force, and an outcome of effective engagement. Managerially, the study provides practical implications for creating culturally sensitive, emotionally intelligent, and inclusive communication strategies and emphasises the value of using real-time analytics to support adaptive and transparent public health messaging.Although the study offers valuable insights, it is limited by its regional focus, lack of longitudinal data, and absence of quantitative validation. Future research may apply the model across diverse geopolitical contexts, track long-term behavioural patterns, and employ qualitative methods designs to enhance generalisability and predictive power. Nonetheless, the research provides a holistic and theoretically grounded account of the evolving role of social media in transforming public health communication in Abu Dhabi and proposes a new framework for trust-based, community-driven digital health interventions.</p
The virtualisation of the influencer economy: development of a conceptual model
No full textThe continued rise and integration of virtual influencers into social media has impacted the structure and financial flows within the influencer economy. This study identifies the diverse range of actors present within the influencer economy along with an examination of the financial flows between these actors, the labour required from them and the control held by them. This research paper subsequently derives a conceptual framework of the current influencer economy from existing concepts and real-world examples, bridging the two literature bodies of human and virtual influencer research and linking work across marketing, media studies and economics. This paper highlights the important role that intermediaries play within the influencer economy along with the significant control that brands can reclaim with the use of virtual influencers, as well as the pressure exerted by many actors within the economic structure onto human social media influencers.</p
Do Corporate Strategies in Fintech and Green Finance Enhance ESG Performance? The Moderating Role of Government Policies
No full textABSTRACT
Despite the growing interest in ESG performance, limited research explores the mediating role of government policy in the relationship between Fintech, green finance and ESG outcomes. We address this gap by examining how Fintech and green finance influence ESG performance through government policies. We analysed panel data of banks in China and the United Kingdom from 2014 to 2024 using robust advanced regression estimates, such as Dynamic Common Correlated Effects, Common Correlated Effects Generalized Test and Bootstrap Quantile Regressions. Results show that both Fintech and green finance play a significant role in enhancing banks' ESG performance in the long run. Findings further reveal that Fintech significantly supports banks' green finance developments, with the effect being more significant at higher quantiles. Additionally, government policies positively moderate the Fintech and green finance impact on banks' ESG performance across all quantiles. Interestingly, our results also highlight country differences: The United Kingdom experiences a greater impact of Fintech on ESG performance, while green finance has a stronger impact on ESG performance in China. Additionally, the role of Fintech in supporting green finance has a higher influence on Chinese banks than in the United Kingdom. The study emphasizes the critical role of policy interventions and innovation‐driven frameworks in coordinating Fintech and green finance initiatives with long‐term ESG targets.</p
Issues of Integration and Adaptation
No full textTo achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, which seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages, a sustainable healthcare workforce is essential. Migration of health workers—both within and between countries and internationally—is a well-documented and growing phenomenon. According to a 2023 report on NHS England employees’ nationalities, 81.3% of NHS staff identify as British, 5.2% as EU nationals, and 8.6% as Asian. This study undertakes a systematic review to identify the key issues and challenges related to the integration and adaptation of migrant healthcare workers in England, UK. The review began with a comprehensive search using electronic databases such as PubMed, Medline, OVID, and CINAHL, supplemented by Google Scholar. Keywords included: migrant, immigrant, healthcare, workers, issues, England, UK. Additional searches were conducted on policy think tank websites (e.g., Department of Health England, King’s Fund, SCIE, BMA) and independent research organizations such as the Royal Society of Medicine. The literature selection process applied specific inclusion and exclusion criteria and utilized the PEO framework. Screening followed the PRISMA guidelines, and Boolean operators (“AND”, “OR”) were employed to refine searches. Relevant articles were then incorporated into the review. Data will be analyzed thematically to generate findings and ethical insights. The study aims to propose recommendations for creating a safe, secure, and ethically sound workplace for a diverse healthcare workforce. It emphasizes the moral imperative to safeguard every worker’s right to a safe working environment.</p
Comparative effects of dairy, hybrid and plant-based protein blends (including fibre fortification) on amino acid profiles and gut microbiota adaptations: The Promephy study
No full textThis study investigated the acute and sustained effects of different protein interventions on postprandial amino acid profiles, uremic toxins, faecal fermentation metabolites and microbiota composition in healthy volunteers. Sixteen participants (7 males, 9 females; mean [SD]: 37 [9] years; 69.4 [10.2] kg; 1.74 [0.08] m) completed four 2-week intervention periods, separated by a 6-week wash-out. For each intervention, participants were allocated 50 g d−1 protein from either a milk protein isolate (MPI), a hybrid blend (HYB), a plant-based blend (PB) or a PB blend with added mixed fibres (PBF) in addition to habitual dietary intake. Pre and post intervention, participants underwent laboratory assessment of amino acid profiling (4 h post consumption of 20 g protein from the allocated product), along with stool sample collection for microbiota sequencing.Plasma essential amino acid (EAA) profiles and incremental area under the curve (iAUC) were lower for both PB products at baseline compared with MPI and HYB (MPI: 89,397 [18,025]; HYB: 87,301 [16,920]; PB: 65,350 [17,111]; PBF: 66,595[20,827] μmol·240 min L−1, p < 0.001). Following intervention, EAA profiles decreased further with both PB products, remaining lower than both MPI and HYB (MPI: 83,038 [20,983]; HYB: 76,341 [16,741]; PB: 56,075 [17,045]; PBF: 56,170 [15,213] μmol·240 min L−1, p < 0.001). After the 2-week intervention, L-leucine iAUC was lower for all products compared with MPI (MPI: 19,219 [4444]; HYB: 16,776 [3291]; PB: 12,003 [3008]; PBF: 11,948 [2991] μmol·240 min L−1, p ≤ 0.016), highlighting the importance of fortification or increased protein intake with PB containing products. PB inclusion into products resulted in minor increases in indoxyl sulfate within-intervention (p ≤ 0.039) which may be potentially beneficial in lower concentrations. Both HYB and PBF interventions resulted in increased saccharolytic metabolite production in relation to proteolytic metabolites (p ≤ 0.008). PBF resulted in a significant reduction in Peptostreptoccaceae compared to all products (p ≤ 0.007), as well as an increase in Marinifilacaeae (p = 0.014), which may support gastrointestinal health. The inclusion of fibre into protein interventions may therefore be beneficial for modulating metabolic ‘fates’ of protein, as well as supporting relative taxonomic changes which may regulate gastrointestinal integrity and function.</p
Protocol - Documentary Analysis NIHR 207877 WP1a
No full textProtocol for a Documentary Analysis study of information given to people on discharge from hospital in England following a stroke. This is the first work package within an NIHR RfPB funded study - Developing strategies for improVing OutComes And Living well with people living at home with Stroke (VOCALS study). - NIHR Funding and Awards</p
Decision-making strategies for project management and financial planning: UAE's public sector construction projects
No full textPurpose: The focus of the research was to develop a decision-making framework guiding project management and financial planning of construction projects in the context of the UAE’s public sector.Design/Methodology/Approach: Qualtative research design based on underpinning critical realism research philosophy and inductive research approach was adopted. The research employed semi-structured interviews with 39 decision-makers in the construction industry, including top-management authorities, finance managers, and project managers. The data was analysed using Gioia method of analysis to identify the aggregate dimensions and themes.Findings: The findings indicated that various themes related to data were identified, such as stakeholders involved, challenegs related to construction projects and financial planning, strategic considerations for decision-making, factors involved in decision-making, and implementation of effective technologies, financial plans, and decision-making straregies. Various frameworks were also developed and presented in line with the obtained findings.Implications: This study advances contingency and stakeholder theories by highlighting the dynamic interplay between external forces, stakeholder interests, and integrated decision-making in public sector construction. It emphasizes the need for adaptive, technology-driven strategies to manage financial planning and project execution amid uncertainty. The findings underscore the importance of proactive stakeholder engagement, cultural sensitivity, and real-time data use in fostering resilient project outcomes within the UAE’s public sector.Originality/Value: This research offers original insights by integrating financial planning with project management through the lens of contingency and stakeholder theories in a public sector context. Its value lies in presenting a dynamic, context-responsive framework tailored to the complexities of UAE construction projects, enriched by the role of emerging technologies and stakeholder dynamics.</p
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