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The cross-cultural training needs of football coaches
Get PDFThe ability to interact and communicate effectively in different cultural contexts has never been more relevant for football coaches because cultural diversity in football has increased in the past decades. Yet, there is a reduced number of institutions that are currently offering cultural training to coaches and it is unknown whether coaches feel the need for such training. This study aimed to explore the cross-cultural training needs of 115 football coaches with national and/or international experience (M = 13.4 years; SD = 8.53). To maximise recruitment reach, an online survey with open-ended questions was used followed by a qualitative thematic analysis. There were four master themes: Cross-cultural training needs in the global football market; Cross-cultural awareness is important in football; Football-specific cultural training; Training by migrant coaches, no matter how. Most coaches perceived a benefit from cultural training in preparation for international appointments, but some felt that coaches already had cultural awareness because they manage individuals and adjust easily to different cultures. Preferences were shown for cross-cultural training delivered by migrant coaches and with a football-specific focus. This is the first study to explore the perceptions of football coaches about cross-cultural awareness and training needs and provides insights to providers of coach education
Prediction of the cross-sectional capacity of cold-formed CHS using numerical modelling and machine learning
Get PDFThe use of circular hollow sections (CHS) have seen a large increase in usage in recent years mainly because of the distinctive mechanical properties and unique aesthetic appearance. The focus of this paper is the behaviour of cold-rolled CHS beam-columns made from normal and high strength steel, aiming to propose a design formula for predicting the ultimate cross-sectional load carrying capacity, employing machine learning. A finite element model is developed and validated to conduct an extensive parametric study with a total of 3410 numerical models covering a wide range of the most influential parameters. The ANN model is then trained and validated using the data obtained from the developed numerical models as well as 13 test results compiled from various research available in the literature, and accordingly a new design formula is proposed. A comprehensive comparison with the design rules given in EC3 is presented to assess the performance of the ANN model. According to the results and analysis presented in this study, the proposed ANN-based design formula is shown to be an efficient and powerful design tool to predict the cross-sectional resistance of the CHS beam-columns with a high level of accuracy and the least computational costs
Evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of home-based urinalysis for albumin-creatinine ratio with smartphone technology: a quality improvement project
Get PDFBackground: Despite albumin-creatinine ratio (urine) testing being recommended for detection of chronic kidney disease among adults with diabetes, testing rates are suboptimal.
Aim: We implemented and evaluated a quality improvement project in an inner-city diabetes population in London, UK to assess the feasibility and acceptability of implementing novel home-based urinalysis using smartphone technology
Methods: After eligible patients were identified and consented, testing kits were sent to the patient's home. Test results and patient feedback were collected through the smartphone application. Focus group discussions were conducted to evaluate primary care staff perspectives on uptake and delivery of the service.
Results: In total 2370 patients agreed to take part. Of these, 1244 completed the test (61% of those eligible) and of these, 465 (37%) had clinically significant albuminuria. 98% of patients found the test easy or very easy to use. Staff in primary care found the service to be beneficial for patients, and reported ease of set up and minimal administrative processes. Concerns regarding barriers among patients with lower digital literacy and non-English speakers were raised although these concerns were not substantiated.
Conclusion: Home-based albumin-creatinine ratio urine testing may improve the testing rates of people with diabetes at higher risk of chronic kidney disease. This is important post-pandemic, as healthcare services are trying to return to pre-pandemic levels of care. The study also found that the use of smartphone technology in an underserved (deprived) community is feasible, despite reservations about levels of digital literacy and possible language barriers. Further evaluation of effectiveness and costs is required
Double-spiral: a bioinspired pre-programmable compliant joint with multiple degrees of freedom
Get PDFGeometry and material are two key factors that determine the functionality of mechanical elements under a specific boundary condition. Optimum combinations of these factors fulfil desired mechanical behaviour. By exploring biological systems, we find widespread spiral-shaped mechanical elements with various combinations of geometries and material properties functioning under different boundary conditions and load cases. Although these spirals work towards a wide range of goals, some of them are used as nature's solution to compactify highly extensible prolonged structures. Characterizing the principles underlying the functionality of these structures, here we profited from the coiling–uncoiling behaviour and easy adjustability of logarithmic spirals to design a pre-programmable compliant joint. Using the finite-element method, we developed a simple model of the joint and investigated the influence of design variables on its geometry and mechanical behaviour. Our results show that the design variables give us a great possibility to tune the response of the joint and reach a high level of passive control on its behaviour. Using 3D printing and mechanical testing, we replicated the numerical simulations and illustrated the application of the joint in practice. The simplicity, pre-programmability and predictable response of our double-spiral design suggest that it provides an efficient solution for a wide range of engineering applications, such as articulated robotic systems and modular metamaterials
Time-of-Use Tariff with Local Wind Generation
Get PDFRenewable energy, such as wind power, is known to significantly reduce system costs and carbon emissions. However, traditional Time of Use (ToU) tariffs fail to account for local energy generation. To overcome this limitation, we propose a mechanism for calculating new ToU tariffs that incorporates Agile ToU and local energy resources, such as a wind farm. By partially supplying local consumption, wind energy can reduce electricity costs for consumers and encourage load shifting towards peak renewable energy production periods. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed mechanism by testing it on a case study of a residential area in Wales, UK, where electricity would be partially supplied by a nearby wind farm with 5 turbines through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). The results show that the new tariff significantly reduces electricity bills
Examining generational differences as a moderator of extreme-context perception and its impact on work alienation organisational outcomes—implications for the workplace and remote work transformation
Get PDFThere is no doubt that extreme contexts (e.g. warzones and pandemics) represent substantial disruptions that force many companies to rethink the way they do business. With so much workforce now working remotely and concerns about resulting work alienation, the question becomes: how can this be translated into the generational divide in workplaces based in extreme contexts? Using COVID-19 as an example trigger of extreme-context experience, therefore, we investigate generation as a moderator of the effects of extreme-context perception upon anxiety leading to alienation with subsequent behavioural outcomes on job insecurity, job satisfaction, and organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB). A time-lagged survey procedure yielded 219 valid responses from a three-generation sample of employees working in multiple service organisations. The data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Our analysis suggested that intense extreme-context perception led to elevated anxiety and alienation, which, in turn, heightened job insecurity and worsened job satisfaction and OCB outcomes. Finally, during the experience of extreme-context times, generation was found to moderate our model, such that both Generation Y and Generation Z experienced higher anxiety due to extreme-context perception and hence higher job insecurity due to alienation compared to Generation X respondents. Our results endorse the criticality of implementing agile and generationally-non-sectarian management for effectively functioning generationally-diverse workforces in pandemic times
The Cytomegalovirus gB/MF59 vaccine candidate induces antibodies against an antigenic domain controlling cell-to-cell spread
Get PDFVaccination against human cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection remains high priority. A recombinant form of a protein essential for CMV entry, glycoprotein B (gB), demonstrated partial protection in a clinical trial (NCT00299260) when delivered with the MF59 adjuvant. Although the antibody titre against gB correlated with protection poor neutralising responses against the 5 known antigenic domains (AD) of gB were evident. Here, we show that vaccination of CMV seronegative patients induces an antibody response against a region of gB we term AD-6. Responses to the polypeptide AD-6 are detected in >70% of vaccine recipients yet in <5% of naturally infected people. An AD-6 antibody binds to gB and to infected cells but not the virion directly. Consistent with this, the AD-6 antibody is non-neutralising but, instead, prevents cell-cell spread of CMV in vitro. The discovery of AD-6 responses has the potential to explain part of the protection mediated by gB vaccines against CMV following transplantation
Enhancement of awareness through feedback does not lead to interlimb transfer of obstacle crossing in virtual reality.
Get PDFLocomotor skill transfer is an essential feature of motor adaptation and represents the generalization of learned skills. We previously showed that gait adaptation after crossing virtual obstacles did not transfer to the untrained limb and suggested it may be due to missing feedback of performance. This study investigated whether providing feedback and an explicit goal during training would lead to transfer of adaptive skills to the untrained limb. Thirteen young adults crossed 50 virtual obstacles with one (trained) leg. Subsequently, they performed 50 trials with their other (transfer) leg upon notice about the side change. Visual feedback about crossing performance (toe clearance) was provided using a color scale. In addition, joint angles of the ankle, knee, and hip were calculated for the crossing legs. Toe clearance decreased with repeated obstacle crossing from 7.8 ± 2.7 cm to 4.6 ± 1.7 cm for the trained leg and from 6.8 ± 3.0 cm to 4.4 ± 2.0 cm (p < 0.05) for the transfer leg with similar adaptation rates between limbs. Toe clearance was significantly higher for the first trials of the transfer leg compared to the last trials of the training leg (p < 0.05). Furthermore, statistical parametric mapping revealed similar joint kinematics for trained and transfer legs in the initial training trials but differed in knee and hip joints when comparing the last trials of the trained leg with the first trials of the transfer leg. We concluded that locomotor skills acquired during a virtual obstacle crossing task are limb-specific and that enhanced awareness does not seem to improve interlimb transfer. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Investigating the Factors, Challenges, and Role of Stakeholders in Implementing Industry 5.0 and Its Impact on Supply Chain Operations: A Study of the Global Agri-Food Supply Chain
Get PDFIndustry 5.0 may assist businesses to become more constructive and competitive in the global economy
in the Fifith Industrial Revolution era. Therefore, a critical review of prior literature is presented in this
paper to examine how Industry 5.0 will impact supply chain operations within the agricultural sector.
Additionally, it examines influencing factors, challenges, stakeholder roles, and recommendations identified from the literature. Industry 5.0 has multiple benefits for the agri-food sector such as improved
agility, responsiveness, efficiency, productivity, precise decision-making, as well as cost-effectiveness
The neurophysiology of continuous action monitoring.
Get PDFMonitoring actions is essential for goal-directed behavior. However, as opposed to short-lasting, and regularly reinstating monitoring functions, the neural processes underlying continuous action monitoring are poorly understood. We investigate this using a pursuit-tracking paradigm. We show that beta band activity likely maintains the sensorimotor program, while theta and alpha bands probably support attentional sampling and information gating, respectively. Alpha and beta band activity are most relevant during the initial tracking period, when sensorimotor calibrations are most intense. Theta band shifts from parietal to frontal cortices throughout tracking, likely reflecting a shift in the functional relevance from attentional sampling to action monitoring. This study shows that resource allocation mechanisms in prefrontal areas and stimulus-response mapping processes in the parietal cortex are crucial for adapting sensorimotor processes. It fills a knowledge gap in understanding the neural processes underlying action monitoring and suggests new directions for examining sensorimotor integration in more naturalistic experiments. [Abstract copyright: © 2023 The Author(s).