4101 research outputs found
Sort by
Losing a loved one during the Covid-19 pandemic: an on-line survey looking at the effects on traumatic stress, coping and post-traumatic growth
No full textThe Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect across the world. In the UK alone, the death toll is 132,742, with 207 people dying the previous day and a total of 6,825,074 cases of Covid-19 thus far (September 1st, 2021). The aim of this study was to look at post-traumatic stress, coping skills and post-traumatic growth in relatives, who lost a loved one during the pandemic. Some 185 individuals took part in a Qualtrics survey. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the Impact of Event Scale-Revised, the Coping Assessment for Bereavement and Loss (CABLE) and the Post-Traumatic Growth Questionnaire. There were two major findings. First, there were very high levels of post-traumatic stress, with 94.6% of the sample scoring above the threshold of 33 for a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Second, levels of post-traumatic growth were very low. Losing a relative during the Covid-19 pandemic may lead to more PTSD.The circumstances surrounding many Covid deaths, may have long term negative consequences for the bereaved relatives
Development of conducting polymer for application in Biosensor
No full textWhen conducting polymers were discovered, their use as low-cost electrocatalysts was investigated, but their low conductivity, poor environmental stability and poor solution processibility limit their possible applications. However, with impressive mechanical and electronic properties of carbon nanomaterials (such as graphene and carbon nanotubes), remarkable contributions have been made by researchers to fabricate conducting polymers composites by introducing carbon nanomaterials, especially carbon nanotubes into conducting polymers so as to combine synergistically the merits of individual components. One of the major key areas in biosensor field is the enhancement of electrochemical properties of composite material to make them suitable for use as an active sensing layer during sensor fabrication. Various techniques and methods have been employed when using these composite materials as a sensing layer in fabricating biosensor but the majority of these techniques rely on expensive equipment and complicated processes which would limit the sensor stability and reliability.In this work, a novel, low-cost and high performance electrochemical biosensor prototype for selective determination and amperometric detection of tetracycline hydrochloride (THC) antibiotics in aqueous media has been developed. This is based on conducting polymer composites containing functionalised carbon nanotubes and prepared using a unique analytical amperometry method. Tetracycline was selected as the target analyte because it is one of the antibiotics most commonly used to treat infections in both human and animals and its residues in water and food products have become a global problem. Amperometry technique is adopted in this work to eliminate cost and complicated process that comes with other techniques so as to achieve highly sensitive and reproducible electroanalytical response. Also, important drawbacks like electrode fouling and high potential value associated with other techniques have been successfully eliminated using amperometric detection technique (amperometric i-t curve).Polyaniline (PANI), a conjugated polymer, was adopted as the sensing layer for amperometric detection of tetracycline by using its excellent electrochemical sensing properties. A new method of synthesis of the material was first developed to resolve the problem of polyaniline’s poor processibility. Polyaniline was synthesised at room temperature via organic/aqueous interfacial polymerization to yield uniform, pure and template-free nanostructured polyaniline in bulk quantities, which is readily dispersed in water, invariably facilitating environmentally friendly processing and superior performance in chemical sensor applications. Subsequently, a polyaniline-based composite containing multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was developed. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes were functionalised before the composite was formed so as to get a good stable dispersion of filler within the polymer matrix. Such a fabricated composite material was in a powder form which was characterised by a number of techniques including DC-conductivity measurement, thermal analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and amperometric detection test, etc. Characterisation results show that the molecular weight, crystallinity, thermal stability and electrical conductivity of the fabricated polyaniline powder as well as the composite material were independent of the polymerisation temperature. Furthermore, the experimental result demonstrates that the composite shows dramatically improved performance compared to each of the individual components. Increase in electrical conductivity with the increase of carbon nanotube contents in the composite was observed, although the composite performance became poorer at higher loading content of carbon nanotubes.Electrical conductive thin films were first prepared from the composite material to investigate their redox potentials and electrochemical properties. The composite was further tested for its potential applications in detecting antibiotics in aqueous media. A prototype of biosensor was fabricated by drop casting the composite solution in m-cresol on a glass carbon electrode at room temperature. M-cresol was used as the processing solvent as compared to other processing solvents based on the findings in published literature. Moreover, carboxylated multiwall carbon nanotubes played an important role in obtaining the thin and uniform coating of polyaniline resulting in the improved amperometric sensor response. The performance of the sensor was characterized electrochemically and all variables involved during fabrication process were optimized. Under optimal conditions, the synergistic properties of PANI/MWCNTs nanocomposite such as the ion-electron transducing capability, hydrophobic property and active tetracycline binding sites in polyaniline demonstrated high sensitivity, excellent detection limit, high electrochemical redox activity, fast response time, good biocompatibility and stability up to 20 days.This research work has contributed to the development of highly sensitive and stale biosensor to detect antibiotics in fish farm water spiked with tetracycline. The great potential of this development was fully demonstrated using PANI/F-MWCNT nanocomposite through a fast, unique and easy to use analytical method (Amperometry technique). Interfacial polymerisation makes it possible to improve the porosity of the polymer, and the fabricated nanocomposite thin film is sufficiently stable under the experimental condition. The GCE electrode modified with the nanocomposite thin film was able to detect antibiotics in the fish farm water due to hydrophobic property of F-MWCNT and active redox activity of PANI. It is believed that these findings are important in the field of antibiotics detection and analysis in the future
Crisis in teacher identity ISA guided mentorship and teacher turnover Meaning, Measurement and Mastery
No full textThe simple, conventional markers of fatigue - variations in neuromuscular performance, creatine kinase and hydration status in elite soccer players over a season
No full textBackground and Purpose: Fixture congestion, game-intensities and limited recovery negatively influence physical/physiological responses during a competitive soccer season. Therefore, the aim of the investigation was to examine weekly alterations in neuromuscular performance markers, creatine kinase and hydration in elite soccer players throughout a season. Study Design: Longitudinal Observational Study. Methods: Sixteen male professional soccer players competing in the English Football League Championship were assessed over the course of a season. All players provided a urine sample, a blood sample to assess creatine-kinase concentration and performed a countermovement jump test at the start of the season, in-season, pre-and post-match over 38 weeks. Results: Jump height was the most common marker of performance to be significantly reduced in-season compared to baseline (-5.4 to -11.3%, P<0.05) with 45.2% of the time-points affected. Measures of FT:CT (-7.5 to -12.4%) and AP (-9.4 to -11.5%), also showed significant deteriorations throughout the season compared to baseline (P<0.05) at several time-points. Max force (MF) significantly increased in-season (+5.1 to 7.0%) in 20% of the observed time-points compared to baseline. CK concentration significantly increased during 19% of the time-points (P<0.05; 62 to 159%). Urine osmolality demonstrated significant differences in season compared to baseline, but none to levels of dehydration. Conclusion: Monitoring elite soccer players over the course of a competitive season shows alterations in neuromuscular performance and hydration status. These data suggest that assessing counter-movement jump performance may be a useful marker for monitoring responses to training/competition, while creatine-kinase and hydration status may be limited
Emotional intelligence skills and their variability between postgraduate students and the time they start working as employees in the tourism industry
No full textThe objective of this study was to identify and analyze the differences in the Emotional Intelligence skills of employees in the industry of Tourism, between the period of their studies and a later period when they had already started working. Moreover, this study attempted to interconnect the Emotional Intelligence skills of participants with their performance levels, in the scope to highlight the significance of these skills for the development of their careers in the industry of Hospitality and Tourism.This research project comprises of four phases:The first and the third phase of the study was represented by a distribution of a questionnaire to the participants who were students in a Hotel Management school at that period, depicting aspects of their Emotional Intelligence. In the second phase, a different questionnaire has been addressed to educators, where they could highlight sectors where the students were already performing satisfactorily, or where they should become stronger. The fourth and final phase of the research consisted of the participants’ self-assessment of their level of performance as well as their understanding of usefulness of the EQ skills in the operational and administrative challenges they face in the workplace.The findings that have been collected at the 1st and the 3rd phase of the research, revealed a raise of the levels of six out of the eight Emotional Intelligence examined skills. This finding supports the fact that Emotional Intelligence is teachable and can be developed.Finally, the last phase of the research identified through the results obtained from the questions that were part of the respective questionnaire, the value of Emotional Intelligence and its usefulness in the work places related to the Tourism sector
A systematic review of the discrimination and absolute mortality predicted by the National Early Warning Scores according to different cut-off values and prediction windows
No full textBackgroundAlthough early warning scores were intended to simply identify patients in need of life-saving interventions, prediction has become their commonest metric. This review examined variation in the ability of the National Early Warning Scores (NEWS) in adult patients to predict absolute mortality at different times and cut-offs values.Method Following PRISMA guidelines, all studies reporting NEWS and NEWS2 providing enough information to fulfil the review's aims were included.Results From 121 papers identified, the average area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (AUC) for mortality declined from 0.90 at 24-hours to 0.76 at 30-days. Studies with a low overall mortality had a higher AUC for 24-hour mortality, as did general ward patients compared to patients seen earlier in their treatment. 24-hour mortality increased from 1.8% for a NEWS ≥3 to 7.8% for NEWS ≥7. Although 24-hour mortality for NEWS <3 was only 0.07% these deaths accounted for 9% of all deaths within 24-hours; for NEWS <7 24-hour mortality was 0.23%, which accounted for 44% of all 24-hour deaths. Within 30-days of a NEWS recording 22% of all deaths occurred in patients with a NEWS <3, 52% in patients with a NEWS <5, and 75% in patient with a NEWS <7.Conclusion NEWS reliably identifies patients most and least likely to die within 24-hours, which is what it was designed to do. However, many patients identified to have a low risk of imminent death die within 30-days. NEWS mortality predictions beyond 24-hours are unreliable
Complementary implementation of best practice in environmental management with health and safety; context of the United Arab Emirates construction industry
No full textThis research study investigates the strategic implementation of health and safety (H&S) and its effect on environmental management in the UAE construction industry. For this purpose, two objectives are formulated to explore: (i) the extent to which there is a commitment to environmental management, and (ii) the extent to which environmental and H&S activities are appropriately integrated. Quantitative data were collected by a questionnaire survey from 27 respondents including contractors, consultants, clients and safety officers from the UAE construction industry. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results indicate a strong relationship between the variables. Some respondents were of the opinion that the best international H&S practice is applied in the UAE and information availability is appropriate. Many managers are committed to environmental management and the H&S of their employees, but there are some barriers and critical success factors to be addressed to assure continued improvement. There is potential for improving environmental and health and safety performance
Strengthening of reinforced concrete beams: RC versus UHPFRC layers
No full textStrengthening of Reinforced Concrete (RC) beams is of high importance for the structural upgrade of existing buildings. The majority of the existing RC structures need to be upgraded either because they are designed with old or without seismic code provisions or because of existing damages. In this study the effectiveness of the use of traditional RC layers is compared with the use of Ultra High Performance Fibre Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) layers. Experimental investigation has been conducted on beams strengthened with these two techniques and the effectiveness of the examined methods has been evaluated via comparisons of the load-deflection and the interface slip results
Don Paterson
No full textDon Paterson is one of Britain’s leading contemporary poets. A popular writer as well as a formidably intelligent one, he has won both a dedicated readership and most of Britain's major poetry prizes, including the T. S. Eliot Prize on two occasions, the Forward Prize in every category, and the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry. In this first comprehensive study of Paterson’s poetry, Ben Wilkinson presents him as a modern-day metaphysical, whose work is characterised by guileful use of form, musicality, colloquial diction and playful wit, in pursuit of poetry as a moral and philosophical project. Drawing on a wide range of commentators, Wilkinson traces Paterson’s development from collection to collection, providing detailed close readings of the poems framed by theoretical and literary contexts. An essential guide for students, specialists, and the general reader of contemporary poetry, it presents Paterson as a major lyric poet
Cloud data encryption and authentication based on enhanced Merkle hash tree method
No full textMany organizations apply cloud computing to store and effectively process data for various applications. The user uploads the data in the cloud has less security due to the unreliable verification process of data integrity. In this research, an enhanced Merkle hash tree method of effective authentication model is proposed in the multi-owner cloud to increase the security of the cloud data.Merkle Hash tree applies the leaf nodes with a hash tag and the non-leaf node contains the table of hash information of child to encrypt the large data. Merkle Hash tree provides the efficient mapping of data and easily identifies the changes made in the data due to proper structure. The developed model supports privacy-preserving public auditing to provide a secure cloud storage system. The data owners upload the data in the cloud and edit the data using the private key. An enhanced Merkle hash tree method stores the data in the cloud server and splits it into batches. The data files requested by the data owner are audit by a third-party auditor and the multi-owner authentication method is applied during the modification process to authenticate the user. The result shows that the proposed method reduces the encryption and decryption time for cloud data storage by 2- 167ms when compared to the existing Advanced Encryption Standard and Blowfish