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A smart campus design: data-driven and evidence-based decision support solution design
Get PDFThe growth and the availability of the smart devices is becoming ubiquitous today and inter-networking of these devices make up what is commonly called the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT is being used to update, enhance, simplify and automate individual lives and communities. Most of the cities in general and universities in special are adopting IoT technologies in order to create a smart sustainable living and working environments. Based on the existing literature of smart campus domain, it can be observed that there is only a small number of models as such. This study attempts to bridge the following knowledge gaps of smart campus domain.
This project falls into the concept of Smart Campus and aims to design a Smart Campus solution for Staffordshire University. The primarily goal is to design a solution architecture able to collect data from remote sensor networks and analyse them with the support of data analytics and machine learning techniques for sound business decision making. The project has two stages. The first stage is the business side of the project where a business requirement study has been done to extract the exact business requirements and once this complete the second stage was the technical implementation of one or many requirements and evaluation of the solution. The scope of this paper limits to the first stage of the project.
A quantitative approach was chosen by considering the nature of this study. A self-administered online questionnaire was developed around several key challenges and directed especially to the staff members, in order to identify what are the expectations of university staff in relation to thematic topics. Subsequently, business requirements under each key challenge were ranked based on MoSCoW prioritisation method. Energy management, space utilisation and occupancy, cleanliness recognition, smarter car parking, internet enabled café, network and physical security and environment (temperature) control are the key business challenges identified. Moreover, intended system qualities and specific project benefits were also identified to scope the project well
Personal and perceived peer use and attitudes towards use of non-prescribed prescription sedatives and sleeping pills among university students in seven European countries
Get PDFIntroduction
The use of non-prescribed prescription sedatives and sleeping pills (NPPSSP) among university students has been described as an important public health issue. However, the impact of perceived social norms on students' use and attitudes towards use of NPPSSP is still unclear. Our aim was to investigate whether perceptions of peer use and approval of use are associated with students' personal use and approval of NPPSSP use.
Methods
Cross-sectional data from the Social Norms Intervention for the prevention of Polydrug Use (SNIPE) project containing 4482 university students from seven European countries were analyzed to investigate self-other discrepancies regarding personal use and attitudes towards NPPSSP use. Associations between personal and perceived peer use and between personal and perceived approval of use were examined using multivariable logistic regression.
Results
The majority (51.0%) of students perceived their peers' NPPSSP use to be higher than their personal use. 92.6% of students perceived their peers' approval of NPPSSP use to be identical or higher than their personal approval. Students perceiving that the majority of peers had used NPPSSP at least once displayed higher odds for personal lifetime use (OR: 1.95, 95% CI: 1.49–2.55). Perceived peer approval of NPPSSP use was associated with higher odds for personal approval (OR: 5.49, 95% CI: 4.63–6.51).
Conclusions
Among European university students, perceiving NPPSSP use and approval of use to be the norm was positively associated with students' personal NPPSSP use and approval of use, respectively. Interventions addressing perceived social norms may prevent or reduce NPPSSP use among university students
Midinfrared high birefringence Ge20Sb15Se65-based photonic crystal fiber with large nonlinearity using dual-rhombic air hole
No full textA midinfrared high birefringence Ge20Sb15Se65-based hexagonal lattice photonic crystal fiber (PCF) with central defect core and dual-rhombic air holes cladding is proposed. The finite difference time-domain method with perfectly matched layer absorption boundary conditions are used to numerically analyze the guided modes of the designed PCF. The properties of this PCF including the birefringence, beat length, dispersion, and nonlinearity are investigated in the 3 to 5 μm midinfrared range. The results show that for the optimized structure parameters of Λ = 2 μm, D = 1.7 μm, H = 1.76, and d = 0.4 μm, the highest birefringence of 0.1513 and beat length of 33.04 μm are obtained. The maximum nonlinearity coefficients of 3726 and 2585 w − 1 km − 1 for x- and y-polarization modes are achieved. The distinctive dispersion is acquired, which is all-normal for x-polarization mode while has single zero dispersion points at 3.96 μm for y-polarization mode. The designed PCF will have broad application in midinfrared optical fiber sensing, nonlinear optics, and precision optical instruments
The association of sex hormone-binding globulin with mortality is mediated by age and testosterone in men with type 2 diabetes
No full textBACKGROUND:
Serum sex hormone-binding globulin levels have been associated with mortality in adult men with type 2 diabetes (T2DM).
OBJECTIVES:
To confirm the association of serum sex hormone-binding globulin with mortality and then determine whether this association is mediated by age and total testosterone concentration.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
We studied 364 men (median age: 66 years) with T2DM over a median follow-up of 4.3 years using the Cox regression to study associations between sex hormone-binding globulin, age, total testosterone, and mortality.
RESULTS:
Mortality was significantly and independently associated with sex hormone-binding globulin, age, and total testosterone. In pairwise combinations of age and sex hormone-binding globulin dichotomized by median values, the association of sex hormone-binding globulin with mortality was age-dependent. Relative to the combination of age >66 years/SHBG >35 nmol/L (mortality 22.5%), the other combinations were associated with significantly less mortality (mortality in men ≤66 years/SHBG ≤ 35 nmol/L was 3.23%). In men >66 years, SHBG ≤ 35 nmol/L was associated with decreased mortality (HR: 0.41, p = 0.037) compared with SHBG > 35 nmol/L. In men ≤66 years, there was no significant difference between those with sex hormone-binding globulin above or below the median (HR: 1.73, p = 0.56, reference: SHBG ≤ 35 nmol/L). TT 66 years with the reference combination of SHBG > 35 nmol/L and TT 35 nmol/L and TT ≥ 12 (18.06%) and those with SHBG ≤ 35 nmol/L and TT < 12 nmol/L (13.79%).
DISCUSSION:
Our data suggest sex hormone-binding globulin and total testosterone have particular impact on mortality in men aged over 66 years. Further, in older men, the combination of high sex hormone-binding globulin levels and low total testosterone is associated with greater risk than either high sex hormone-binding globulin or low total testosterone individually.
CONCLUSIONS:
Our findings are compatible with data suggesting the importance of sex hormone-binding globulin lies in mediating free testosterone levels
Agreement between the spatiotemporal gait parameters of healthy adults from the OptoGait system and a traditional three-dimensional motion capture system.
Get PDFWhile previous research has assessed the validity of the OptoGait© system to the GAITRite© walkway and an instrumented treadmill, no research to date has assessed this system against a traditional three-dimensional motion analysis system. Additionally, previous research has shown that the OptoGait system shows systematic bias when compared to other systems due to the configuration of the system’s hardware. The present study examined the agreement between the spatiotemporal gait parameters calculated from the OptoGait system and a three-dimensional motion capture (14 camera Vicon motion capture system and 2 AMTI force plates) in healthy adults. Additionally, a range of filter settings for the OptoGait were examined to determine if it was possible to eliminate any systematic bias between the OptoGait and the three-dimensional motion analysis system. Agreement between the systems was examined using 95% limits of agreement by Bland and Altman and the intraclass correlation coefficient. A repeated measures ANOVA were used to detect any systematic differences between the systems. Findings confirm the validity of the OptoGait system for the evaluation of spatiotemporal gait parameters in healthy adults. Furthermore, recommendations on filter settings which eliminate the systematic bias between the OptoGait and the three-dimensional motion analysis system are provided
The Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner Experience: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis
Get PDFThis thesis evaluates the current literature on staff experiences within Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services. It extends on current knowledge and directly explores the experiences of Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (PWPs).
Chapter one is a literature review, appraising what it is known about the experiences of clinical staff in IAPT services. Burnout and stress were found to be significant experiences of this population. Potential differences between IAPT professionals were also indicated. Limited qualitative research has been conducted in this area. It was recommended that further exploratory research is completed with independent staff groups, particularly PWPs.
Chapter two is an empirical paper designed to answer two research questions: How do PWPs experience their role? What meaning do PWPs give to these experiences? Nine participants were recruited to complete semi-structured interviews. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was employed, which indicated four superordinate themes: The Business Model, Process of Internalisation, Emotional and Clinical Impact, and Supportive Structures. The clinical implications and areas for service development are discussed with recommendations for future research.
Chapter three is an executive summary of the research paper. This aims to improve the accessibility and usability of the research. The paper is aimed at professionals, as they are the focus of this thesis
Mental Health Clinicians’ Perceptions of the diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder: A Q-study
Get PDFThis thesis was written to fulfil the requirements of the University’s Doctorate in Clinical Psychology. The thesis is made up of three sections: a review of the research literature focused on service users’ experience of psychiatric diagnosis, an empirical paper exploring clinicians’ perceptions of the diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder and an executive summary outlining the study designed for dissemination in clinical practice.
The literature review identified four important aspects of mental health diagnosis for service users: whether service users wanted to be told about their diagnosis, the communication of the diagnosis, positive aspects of being given a psychiatric diagnosis and disadvantages of receiving a psychiatric diagnosis. Accuracy, timing and communication of diagnostic feedback were all thought to be important for service users receiving a mental health diagnosis, whilst fostering hope was paramount in positive experiences. The review concluded that service users held a wide variety of different perceptions of psychiatric diagnosis and recommended that clinicians were offered specific training on feeding back a mental health diagnosis to service users.
The empirical paper used Q-methodology to explore the subjective viewpoints of mental health clinicians on the diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder. This study noted the mixed literature on the use of the diagnostic label in mental health services and aimed to explore whether clinical practice mirrored the previous research. A total of 19 mental health clinicians completed Q-sorts in which they were asked to rank statements about the diagnostic label of Bipolar Disorder. Three main factors emerged: (1) Seeing the person and their experience, (2) Promoting quality through standardised processes and (3) Understanding the function of diagnostic labels. All three factors agreed that sufficient time should be taken to assess for Bipolar Disorder and that communication using purely the diagnostic label was not helpful. Holding different perspectives on the diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder is likely to make it difficult to provide consistent, high-quality care for service users and it was suggested that services may benefit from better integration of these viewpoints moving forward. The executive summary outlines an overview of the empirical paper that can be disseminated to mental health services
Quality of life for people living in the community with dementia from the perspectives of people with dementia, family members’ and healthcare professionals’
Get PDFPurpose: Perceptions of quality of Life (QoL) for people living with dementia can vary. A critique of the relevant literature was conducted to find out what is known about peoples’ perceptions of QoL of people living with early stage dementia?
Method: Relevant databases were searched and hand searches were used to identify primary studies on ‘quality of life’ and ‘dementia’ and ‘perceptions’.
Findings: There is a variety of influencing factors on QoL for PWD that cover biological, psychological and social influences. These are valued differently by proxy and subjective views. Self-reports tended to rate their QoL higher than the carer perceptions’ of QoL. The carers focussed on neuropsychiatric symptoms which were sometimes linked to carer burden. PWD tended to focus on the loss of friendship, relationships with carers, mood, stigma and other health conditions.
Research implications: Young people with dementia and the perspectives of healthcare professionals [HCP] working with PWD in community settings are underrepresented.
Practical implications: The studies showed important indicators of QoL for PWD. These cover social and psychological as well as biological factors. The condition of dementia is not the only indicator of QoL, regardless of whose perspective it comes from.
Keywords: Quality of life, dementia, perspective
Factors influencing outcomes and their measurement after brain injury
Get PDFAcquired brain injury (ABI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, especially among younger people and the psychological sequelae can have chronic detrimental effects on patients’ life and wellbeing. It is important to have clinically relevant, validated measures to be able to determine a person’s psychological needs to structure interventions to improve outcomes. Measures designed for an ABI population have been developed but due to their rigid, closed question-based nature lived experience may not be captured. This means that an important source of clinically relevant information may be missed.
The available evidence on the effect of coping, efforts and strategies to reduce stress, on various outcome measures used in the brain injury population was collated and findings were synthesised. Results suggest that not one coping or quality of life measure is used consistently and that the majority of these measures are not specific to this population. In addition, the studies show that excessive use of coping strategies, or the use of emotionally focused strategies, may have a detrimental effect on quality of life.
The research paper addressed whether outcome measures miss clinically relevant information through their rigid structure. A mixed-methods analysis was used to compare information gathered from participants using an outcome measure (EBIQ) and that gained through analysis of semi-structured interviews. Ultimately, both methods have clinical value but the results from the outcome measure can be enriched through the use of qualitative information collected during interview.
These two papers show that, while outcome measures are valuable in assessing a person’s needs and monitoring progress, there is a need for the more consistent use of outcome measures specific to the ABI population, in parallel with interviews to uncover issues which may otherwise be missed. A reflexive commentary on my journey through the research and thesis process is also presented
From Beneficent Elderly to Vile M’others Familial Relations and Cannibalism in Troma’s Rabid Grannies (1988)
Get PDFIn 1988 Troma Entertainment released an obscure Belgian horror film titled Rabid
Grannies. A natural choice for a company already well known for releasing independent
films that blended the ridiculous with underlying social commentary, it was an instant
success. Troma aficionados enthusiastically celebrated the film’s adolescent combination
of wit, gore, and familial subject matter, while it topped the list of “video-nasties” in the
UK and Canada. Initially banned in those nations and pilloried by the mainstream media
globally, it remains notorious to this day
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