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The Role of Blockchain Technology in Combating Tech-Facilitated Abuse
No full textTechnology-facilitated abuse (TFA) is an escalating global concern, where perpetrators exploit digital platforms to harm, harass, or control victims. As this issue becomes more pervasive, innovative solutions are required to address the associated challenges of security, transparency, and data privacy. This paper presents a comprehensive literature review examining the role of blockchain technology in combating TFA. The review explores blockchain’s potential to securely store evidence, protect user identities, enable verifiable consent, and foster accountability through its decentralized, immutable, and transparent structure. Key themes identified include the key features of blockchain technology, challenges for implementing blockchain solutions, case studies highlighting the application of blockchain to combat social issues and a critical evaluation of the support services available to the victims. Despite its promise, blockchain adoption faces challenges, such as accessibility and ethical considerations. By synthesizing existing research, this paper aims to highlight blockchain’s potential in mitigating TFA and proposes directions for future interdisciplinary exploration
Establishing Therapeutic Relationships with Immigrant Families of Disabled Children:A Scoping Review
Get PDFBackground. Cultural approaches are used to acknowledge the diversity and the social positioning individuals bring into the therapeutic relationship. Purpose. This scoping review describes the utilization of cultural approaches to build and sustain therapeutic relationships between immigrant families of disabled children and occupational therapists. Method. This scoping review was based on the methodological framework developed by Arksey and O'Malley. Six databases were searched, and 24 articles published between 2010 and 2025 were included. Results. Cultural competence, cultural sensitivity and cultural humility were the cultural approaches mentioned in 15 studies, with nine not mentioning a specific cultural approach to facilitate the therapeutic relationship. All the studies outlined strategies to facilitate the relationship. Various culturally appropriate communicative and collaborative strategies were used to (i) establish rapport and trust (ii) align goals and intervention and (iii) facilitate advocacy and participation. These strategies were independently described and were not specific to any approach. Conclusion. Facilitating the therapeutic relationship with immigrant families of disabled children does not align specifically with any of the cultural approaches within occupational therapy. This reinforces the need to focus not on the cultural approaches, but on refining the strategies required to facilitate the therapeutic relationship.</p
Pain Assessment Using Multi-Kernel-FCN-LSTM and Haemoglobin Difference in fNIRS
No full textThis study investigates the effectiveness of various machine learning and deep learning models for automated pain detection using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) data from the AI4Pain Grand Challenge dataset. Four different near-infrared spectroscopy metrics – oxygenated haemoglobin (HbO2), deoxygenated haemoglobin (HHb), total haemoglobin (HT), and haemoglobin difference (HbDiff) – were investigated to determine their contributions to pain assessment and identify which metric offers the most reliable performance. Across all models, both traditional and deep learning, HbDiff consistently outperformed the other metrics in terms of classification accuracy. The multi-kernel fully convolutional network hybrid with long short-term memory (MK-FCN-LSTM) model, particularly when utilising the HbDiff metric, achieved superior performance with a binary classification accuracy of 64.73%. These findings suggest that haemoglobin difference may provide more sensitive and reliable features for pain assessment, highlighting its potential as a key biomarker in fNIRS-based pain detection systems
Editorial:Integrating sensors and artificial intelligence for objective pain detection and quantification: unveiling new possibilities
No full textA CrossMod-Transformer deep learning framework for multi-modal pain detection through EDA and ECG fusion
Get PDFPain is a multifaceted phenomenon that significantly affects a large portion of the global population. Objective pain assessment is essential for developing effective management strategies, which in turn contribute to more efficient and responsive healthcare systems. However, accurately evaluating pain remains a complex challenge due to subtle physiological and behavioural indicators, individual-specific pain responses, and the need for continuous patient monitoring. Automatic pain assessment systems offer promising, technology-driven solutions to support and enhance various aspects of the pain evaluation process. Physiological indicators offer valuable insights into pain-related states and are generally less influenced by individual variability compared to behavioural modalities, such as facial expressions. Skin conductance, regulated by sweat gland activity, and the heart’s electrical signals are both influenced by changes in the sympathetic nervous system. Biosignals, such as electrodermal activity (EDA) and electrocardiogram (ECG), can, therefore, objectively capture the body’s physiological responses to painful stimuli. This paper proposes a novel multi-modal ensemble deep learning framework that combines electrodermal activity and electrocardiogram signals for automatic pain recognition. The proposed framework includes a uni-modal approach (FCN-ALSTM-Transformer) comprising a Fully Convolutional Network, Attention-based LSTM, and a Transformer block to integrate features extracted by these models. Additionally, a multi-modal approach (CrossMod-Transformer) is introduced, featuring a dedicated Transformer architecture that fuses electrodermal activity and electrocardiogram signals. Experimental evaluations were primarily conducted on the BioVid dataset, with further cross-dataset validation using the AI4PAIN 2025 dataset to assess the generalisability of the proposed method. Notably, the CrossMod-Transformer achieved an accuracy of 87.52% on Biovid and 75.83% on AI4PAIN, demonstrating strong performance across independent datasets and outperforming several state-of-the-art uni-modal and multi-modal methods. These results highlight the potential of the proposed framework to improve the reliability of automatic multi-modal pain recognition and support the development of more objective and inclusive clinical assessment tools.</p
Coupled SWMM-MOEA/D for multi-objective optimization of low impact development in urban stormwater systems
No full textThe escalating challenge of unsustainable urban development worldwide has precipitated changes in land usage, contributing to increased impermeability of the urban landscape. This phenomenon exacerbates urban runoff, a critical environmental concern. In response, Low Impact Development (LID) techniques, recognized for their environmental efficacy, have emerged as pivotal in mitigating urban runoff. However, transforming the hydrological dynamics of urban watersheds into a more sustainable state necessitates substantial financial commitments from relevant authorities. Consequently, strategic LID planning becomes essential to maximize effectiveness while minimizing costs. This research introduces a novel, hybrid modeling strategy that integrates the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) with the Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm by Decomposition (MOEA/D) optimization algorithm. This approach aims to concurrently minimize runoff volume, peak flow rate, and implementation expenses. Focusing on a segment of Tehran Municipality's urban stormwater system in District 11, the study evaluates four distinct LID scenarios. These scenarios encompass various configurations of Rain Barrels (RB), Bioretention Cells (BC), Green Roofs (GR), and Porous Pavements (PP). Utilizing the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method for comparative analysis, the study results identify the most efficacious scenario, S2_1, including RB and BC, which achieves a 19.34% reduction in runoff volume and a 46.53 % decrease in peak flow rate, all at the implementation cost of 123,169 USD. A close second, scenario S3_1 incorporating RB and PP, demonstrates a 17 % and 46.55 % reduction in runoff volume and peak flow at an expenditure of 107,017 USD, respectively. The proposed SWMM-MOEA/D model, in conjunction with TOPSIS, presents a valuable tool for LID planning and optimization, offering decision-makers and relevant entities a pragmatic approach to address the challenges of urban runoff management.</p
Coronavirus research topics, tracking twenty years of research
No full textResearch publications aimed at understanding the various aspects of Coronaviruses, particularly COVID-19, have significantly shaped our knowledge base. While the urgency to monitor COVID-19 in real-time has decreased, the continual influx of new research of monthly articles underscores the importance of systematic review and analysis to deepen our understanding of the pandemic’s broad impact. To explore research trends and innovations in this space, we developed a pipeline using natural language processing techniques. This pipeline systematically catalogues and synthesises the vast array of research articles, leading to the creation of a dataset with more than eight hundred thousand articles from July 2002 to May 2024. This paper describes the content of this dataset and provides the necessary information to make this dataset accessible and reusable for future research. Our approach aggregates and organises global research related to Coronaviruses into thematic clusters such as vaccine development, public health strategies, infection mechanisms, mental health issues, and economic consequences. Also, we have leveraged the contribution of health experts to review and revise the dataset.</p
Private car travel is the dominant form of transport to work for healthcare workers across Greater Western Sydney:a short report on a large travel survey
No full textObjective Healthcare workers (HCWs) form an essential segment of the workforce. Investigating active commuting within the workforce, especially HCWs, is important. However, limited research exists in this domain. Methods This study, conducted under the auspices of the Greater Western Sydney Health Partnership, a collaboration between three western Sydney local health districts, surveyed over 5000 HCWs to explore their commuting behaviours and attitudes towards commuting. Results We found that almost three quarters (72.8%) of HCWs drove a private vehicle to work, usually parking on site. Less than 5% of respondents used carpooling or active transport methods such as walking or cycling. Distance was stated as a critical barrier to walking or cycling, although road safety and security concerns were also important. Time constraints, as well as the lack of public transport services, were considered barriers to utilising public transport. The survey results highlight the constraints preventing the widespread adoption of non-car commuting modes and should inform decision-making on incentivising healthy commuting options among HCWs. Conclusions HCWs in a metropolitan Global North context such as western Sydney predominantly drive to work, with only 16.9% using public transport or walking or cycling, with various barriers being cited as reasons. We recommend further efforts to develop effective interventions for promoting active commuting among HCWs.</p
Cytometric Evaluation of Cytokine Factors in Serum and Vitreous from Endophthalmitis Patients:Correlated Elevation in Neutrophil Markers
No full textBackground: Endophthalmitis is a rare, sight-threatening condition resulting from infection inside the eye. This study more accurately characterises the cytokines upregulated in human endophthalmitis, and for the first time demonstrates a correlation with cytokine elevation in the serum. Methods: We recruited 39 patients, 17 with endophthalmitis and 22 controls. We compared cytokine expression quantified through cytometric bead assays for both vitreous and serum. Conclusions: The cytokine profile in the vitreous of patients with infectious endophthalmitis was suggestive of a highly inflammatory environment, as 23/26 cytokines examined were significantly elevated. In the patient sera, MMP-9, MPO, Calprotectin, NGAL, SAA (HVIP1), and MCP-1 (HIP1) were all significantly elevated in endophthalmitis samples, which was unexpected as pathology was thought to be localised with minimal systemic effects. Overall, many of the observed cytokines in endophthalmitis are associated with neutrophil responses, and we believe that this deserves further investigation with a view to developing immunomodulatory therapies to prevent endophthalmitis or improve clinical outcomes. Furthermore, our novel demonstration that cytokine elevation associated with endophthalmitis can be demonstrated in serum may allow for novel and rapid interventions.</p
Global, regional and national burden of dietary iron deficiency from 1990 to 2021:a Global Burden of Disease study
No full textAlthough iron deficiency is well documented, less is known about dietary involvement in symptomatic iron deficiency manifesting in medical conditions. In this study, we quantified the global burden of dietary iron deficiency, focusing on where inadequate dietary iron intake leads to clinical manifestations such as anemia. We analyzed data from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 to estimate dietary iron deficiency prevalence and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), stratified by age, sex, geography and socio-demographic index (SDI) across 204 countries. In 2021, global age-standardized prevalence and DALY rates were 16,434.4 (95% uncertainty interval (UI), 16,186.2–16,689.0) and 423.7 (285.3–610.8) per 100,000 population, with rates decreasing by 9.8% (8.1–11.3) and 18.2% (15.4–21.1) from 1990 to 2021. A higher burden was observed in female individual (age-standardized prevalence, 21,334.8 (95% UI, 20,984.8–21,697.4); DALYs, 598.0 (402.6–854.4)) than in male individual ((age-standardized prevalence, 11,684.7 (11,374.6–12,008.8); DALYs, 253.0 (167.3–371.0)). High-SDI countries presented greater improvement, with a 25.7% reduction compared to 11.5% in low-SDI countries. Despite global improvements, dietary iron deficiency remains a major health concern with a global prevalence of 16.7%, particularly affecting female individuals, children and residents in low-SDI countries. Urgent interventions through supplementation, food security measures and fortification initiatives are essential.</p