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Digital Interventions for Older People Experiencing Homelessness: Systematic Scoping Review
Get PDFBackgroundolder people experiencing homelessness can have mental and physical indicators of aging several decades earlier than the general population and experience premature mortality due to age-related chronic conditions. Digital interventions could positively impact the health and well-being of homeless people. However, increased reliance on digital delivery may also perpetuate digital inequalities for socially excluded groups. The potential triple disadvantage of being older, homeless, and digitally excluded creates a uniquely problematic situation warranting further research. Few studies have synthesized available literature on digital interventions for older people experiencing homelessness.ObjectiveThis scoping review examined the use, range, and nature of digital interventions available to older people experiencing homelessness and organizations supporting them.MethodsThe scoping review followed Arksey and O’Malley’s proposed methodology, PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines, and recent Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. We searched 14 databases. Gray literature sources were searched to supplement the electronic database search. A narrative synthesis approach was conducted on the included articles, and common themes were identified inductively through thematic analysis.ResultsA total of 19,915 records were identified through database and gray literature searching. We identified 10 articles reporting on digital interventions that had a clearly defined a participant age group of >50 years or a mean participant age of >50 years. A total of 9 of 10 studies were published in the United States. The study design included descriptive studies, uncontrolled pilot studies, and pilot randomized controlled trials. No studies aimed to deliver an intervention exclusively to older people experiencing homelessness or organizations that supported them. Four types of intervention were identified: telecare for people experiencing homelessness, distributing technology to enable digital inclusion, text message reminders, and interventions delivered digitally. Interventions delivered digitally included smoking cessation support, vocational training, physical activity promotion, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Overall, the included studies demonstrated evidence for the acceptability and feasibility of digital interventions for older people experiencing homelessness, and all 10 studies reported some improvements in digital inclusion or enhanced engagement among participants. However, several barriers to digital interventions were identified, particularly aspects related to digital inclusion, such as infrastructure, digital literacy, and age. Proposed facilitators for digital interventions included organizational and peer support.ConclusionsOur findings highlight a paucity of evaluated digital interventions targeted at older people experiencing homelessness. However, the included studies demonstrated evidence of the acceptability and feasibility of digital interventions for older people experiencing homelessness. Further research on digital interventions that provide services and support older people experiencing homelessness is required. Future interventions must address the barriers older people experiencing homelessness face when accessing digital technology with the input of those with lived experience of homelessness.<br/
Golf coaches’ perceptions of the role and use of player errors in motor learning:An exploratory survey
Get PDFBackground: As coaching science has improved, there is increasing recognition that all aspects of a learner’s experience can be utilized beneficially when coaches make effective decisions about what should and should not be addressed. In this regard, learners’ mistakes are potentially confusing for applied sport practitioners, given their seemingly beneficial role in long-term learning, however, at the expense of short-term performance. Recent research has promoted a nuanced Professional Judgement and Decision Making (PJDM) approach towards addressing learners’ mistakes by employing a more applied perspective within practice environments. Specifically, research has encouraged coaches to consider the aims of practice design to meet different players’ needs based on skill status and contextual factors (e.g., developing or maintaining skills). Moving forward, these recommendations may be better operationalized with an understanding of current applied perspectives towards learners’ mistakes.Purpose: This study aimed to develop applied knowledge and make practically meaningful recommendations for coaches and coach educators on this topic by, a) exploring golf coaches’ perceptions of the role and use of player errors in learning, b) testing coaches’ perceptions when applied to two distinct player populations based on skill level, and c) assessing the perceived relevance and utility of the PJDM approach for coaching practice when applied to errors.Methods: Taking golf as an exemplar sport where coaches’ decision-making skills are applied across a range of player needs, an online survey was used to explore the beliefs, behaviors and interest in the role and use of player errors amongst 78 international professional golf coaches (Mage 44.4 years, SD = 13.1, Mexperience = 17.6 years, SD = 12.8). Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential (chi-squared, t-tests and MANOVA) statistics.Findings: Findings indicated that coaches recognized the potential benefits and limitations of errors, shown by a significant (p < .01) difference in chi-squared distribution for statements related to errors supporting long-term learning and short-term performance. Coaches were more likely to encourage errors when coaching experienced players than when coaching beginner players, indicated by the MANOVA result when comparing responses pertaining to the skill level of golfer (F = 24.21, p < .001). Coaches overall somewhat agreed that the PJDM approach was relevant and potentially valuable to their coaching, as shown by a significantly different chi-square distribution across all statements (p < .001). However, neither agreed nor disagreed that they would consider using errors differently in their coaching by using the PJDM approach. Notably, statistics revealed no significant difference in responses for any of the findings based on coaches’ level of experience.Discussion: This study revealed an interesting narrative regarding coaches’ understanding of errors within player development that carry both theoretical and applied implications. Specifically, while coaches were aware of the potentially beneficial and detrimental implications of errors on players long-term learning and did adjust their use depending on players’ skill level, there remains scope for a more structured and strategic implementation of errors as a pedagogic coaching tool. Accordingly, recommendations are made for coaches, coach educators and future research in this regard
Spanish labour market, mobility and labour shortages
Get PDFWe use a simple yet powerful approach to investigate the dynamics of worker flows across sectors in the Spanish economy. The method imposes a minimal amount of structure on the data by assuming sector-specific matching functions, and backs out the direction of workers’ search intensities across sectors using data on realised worker flows and vacancies. We find that aggregate search intensity in Spain has been increasing since the pandemic and has led aggregate labour shortages to be below pre-pandemic levels by 2023. However, this boost of search intensity is directed to industries with low matching efficiencies and job finding rates. As a result, aggregate match formation is near to a 10-years low relative to the number of matches that would result if search intensity was allocated to maximise total matches given the observed vacancy distribution and match efficiencies across sectors
Soil Deposition of Atmospheric Hydrogen Constrained using Planetary Scale Observations
Get PDFQuantifying soil deposition fluxes remains the greatest source of uncertainty in the atmospheric H2 budget. A new method is presented to constrain H2 deposition schemes in global models using observations of the zonal mean H2 distribution and seasonality. A “best-fit” scheme that reproduces the observed zonal-mean seasonality of atmospheric H2 at the planetary scale is found by perturbing a prototype deposition scheme based on soil temperature and moisture dynamics. Comparing the best-fit and prototype schemes provides insight into how the prototype scheme may be improved to better reproduce observed seasonality. The H2 signal driven by the prototype scheme is accurate compared to observations in the Northern Hemisphere extratropics but shows discrepancies in the Southern Hemisphere, with surface mixing ratios that are too high and seasonality that is too weak. A best-fit scheme indicates that the function capturing the soil microbial consumption of H2 requires a shift of +2 to +3 months in the seasonality in the tropics, with peak uptake shifting from February to April in the southern tropics and from August to October in the northern tropics, compared with a prototype scheme sensitive to seasonal soil moisture driven by the shifting of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. New constraints on the H2 surface flux at low latitudes are key to accurately modelling the H2 cycle in the Southern Hemisphere
A Dominant Mutation in Gαs-Protein Increases Hair Pigmentation
Get PDFWe have identified a chemically induced mouse mutation which increases the eumelanic hair pigmentation. We identify a coding mutation, A3533G, resulting in an amino acid substitution Y1133C, in the Gnas gene encoding the Gαs subunit of the tripartite G-protein, consistent with an activation of signalling via MC1R. In addition heterozygous mutant females are significantly lighter than wild type littermates. In cultured melanocytes, derived from mutant mice crossed to C57BL6 mice carrying Cdkn2atm1Rdp, basal pigmentation is higher than wild type melanocytes derived from litter mates. However, the addition of exogenous NDP-MSH does not increase pigmentation in mutant melanocytes in contrast to the pigmentation response of non-mutant melanocytes. The mutant and wild type cells respond in the same way to agouti signalling protein (ASP), consistent with ASP signalling mediated through a pathway other than Gαs-protein
Exploring expert and public perceptions of answerability and trustworthy autonomous systems
Get PDFThe emerging regulatory landscape addressing autonomous systems (AS) is underpinned by the notion that such systems be trustworthy. What individuals and groups need to determine a system as worthy of trust has consequently attracted research from a range of disciplines, although important questions remain. These include how to ensure trustworthiness in a way that is sensitive to individual histories and contexts, as well as if, and how, emerging regulatory frameworks can adequately secure the trustworthiness of AS. This article reports the socio-legal analysis of four focus groups with publics and professionals exploring whether answerability can help develop trustworthy AS in health, finance, and the public sector. It finds that answerability is beneficial in some contexts, and that to find AS trustworthy, individuals often need answers about future actions and how organisational values are embedded within a system. It also reveals pressing issues demanding attention for meaningful regulation of such systems, including dissonances between what publics and professionals identify as ‘harm’ where AS are deployed, and a significant lack of clarity about the expectations of regulatory bodies in the UK. The article discusses the implications of these findings for the developing but rapidly setting regulatory landscape in the UK and EU.</p
Combined genomic and molecular analysis defines prognostic markers of relapse in stage IA-IC1 clear cell ovarian carcinoma
Get PDFObjectiveClear cell ovarian carcinoma (CCOC) is generally associated with a favourable prognosis, however up to 30 % of low-stage cases relapse within five years. The benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy in early-stage disease (FIGO IA-IC1) remains uncertain. This study aimed to identify molecular and immune markers associated with relapse in a well-characterized CCOC cohort.MethodsWe analyzed 85 CCOC cases identified through the Edinburgh Ovarian Cancer Database. Targeted DNA sequencing assessed genomic alterations, while CD3 and CD8 immunohistochemistry evaluated tumour immune infiltration. Tumours were stratified by stage (IA-IC1, IC2-II, III-IV), and progression-free survival (PFS) analysis included stage, age, genomic features, and immune markers.ResultsCommon genomic alterations included ARID1A (49 %) and PIK3CA (42 %) mutations, PIK3-AKT pathway perturbations (60 %), and mismatch repair-related mutational signatures (25.9 %). Genomic features were not significantly associated with tumour stage; however, low-stage tumours (IA-IC1) were enriched in CD3+ (40 % cases) and CD8+ (29 % cases) tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) compared to higher-stage tumours (IC2-II: 13 %/7 %; III-IV: 9 %/0 %). In univariate analysis, low CD3+ TIL levels were significantly associated with reduced PFS (HR = 4.4, P = 0.042), and ARID1A wild-type status was linked to poorer PFS in low-stage tumours (HR = 7.2, P = 0.088). Notably, the combination of ARID1A wild-type status and CD3+ TIL depletion identified a high-risk subgroup with increased relapse risk (HR = 11.7, P = 0.051).ConclusionsThe combination of ARID1A wild-type status and low CD3+ TIL levels suggests higher relapse risk in low-stage CCOC. These findings warrant further investigation into targeted and immune-based therapies for high-risk early-stage patients
Direct numerical simulation of soot break-through in turbulent non-premixed flames
Get PDFSoot break-through, or “leakage”, is the transport of soot particles into fuel-lean regions leading to smoke emissions even when the global equivalence ratio is below unity. Under turbulent conditions, this phenomenon is affected by small-scale mixing, and a better understanding of the non-linear interactions between soot and gas-phase is crucial to improving the prediction of the existing reduced-order model in case of soot break-through. To this end, three Direct Numerical Simulations (DNSs) of temporally evolving turbulent non-premixed jet flames have been performed to study the later stages of soot evolution in turbulent flames. Various degrees of soot break-through are obtained by enforcing three different levels of flame extinction by rescaling the geometry and flow conditions, resulting in a variation in Damköhler number, while the Reynolds number remains constant. The simulations employ a detailed chemical mechanism for the gas phase chemistry and a moment method for modeling the soot number density function evolution. Both soot evolution and turbulence-chemistry-soot interaction are discussed in mixture fraction space and along Lagrangian trajectories in physical space. The results reveal that soot break-through is strongly correlated with both high mixture fraction dissipation rates and strong soot transport in mixture fraction space. Due to the higher mixture fraction dissipation rate, the lowest Damköhler number case exhibits more significant extinction, allowing significant soot break-through. Additionally, soot particles in the lean regions are shown to be smaller than those inside the flame due to the smaller residence times in the fuel-rich growth regions, with a significant probability of leaked soot particles at incipient size. From the Lagrangian statistics, the ratio of the mixture fraction diffusion rate and soot oxidation rate constant is shown to be a suitable parameter to identify soot break-through events. Overall, soot break-through is found to be dominated by local flame extinctions and, while a fast drift of soot toward lean regions is required for such phenomena, an accurate prediction of local extinctions is also necessary to capture soot break-through occurrences. Novelty and Significance This study presents new insights into turbulent sooting flames through a novel dataset, obtained using direct numerical simulations (DNSs), to investigate the later stages of soot evolution, including incomplete oxidation phenomena leading to smoking behavior. In contrast to existing DNS datasets which have primarily focused only on the early stages of soot formation and growth, the dataset presented and analyzed in this study provides key new data on soot oxidation and break-through in turbulent non-premixed flames. As modeling turbulence-chemistry-soot interactions is still an open research question in the combustion community, this dataset contributes to advancing the current understanding of the underlying physics governing soot evolution in turbulent flames.</p
Exploring investment arbitration issues in front of German courts:How far does the Komstroy shadow reach?
Get PDFEnhanced Sensing in 6G NTN: Imaging with LEO Satellite and UAV Communication Network
Get PDFThe integration of sensing and communication functions is regarded as an important trend for sixth-generation (6G) nonterrestrial networks (NTNs). One promising application is high-precision imaging based on NTNs. However, the current image resolution based on the satellite signal is unsatisfactory. Additionally, time and carrier phase offsets will accumulate during long-term observations. In this article, we fully consider the NTN infrastructure and design an integrated imaging and communication system based on the cooperation of a low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite and an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV). This system utilizes the motion of both the LEO satellite and the UAV for imaging performance improvement. First, we present a general system model with communication and imaging functionality. Then, we exploit UAV mobility for resolution improvement, analyzing the theoretical image resolution associated with platform movements, and present an optimization with its closed-form solution. Based on this framework, we further consider the offsets for imaging in practical systems and present a tracking-correction method for offset compensation. Finally, we propose using reference signals in the communication protocol to suppress ambiguity in the image and evaluate the impact of sensing-communication resource allocation on system performance. The prototype system implementation and simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of our designs, achieving at least a 54% improvement in resolution and an 11.7 dB improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).</p
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