29321 research outputs found
Sort by
Citizens’ Inclusion in Public Services: a Systematic Review of the Public Administration Literature and Reflection on Future Research Avenues
No full textData Availability Statement:
Data sharing not applicable—no new data generated.Despite a resurgence of interest in social equity, citizens' inclusion in public services has attracted limited attention in the public administration literature so far, having often remained in the background of studies focusing on citizens' participation and representative bureaucracy. To fully comprehend and enhance the role of public administration in promoting inclusive public services and building inclusive societies, it is necessary to prioritize citizens' inclusion in public services as a central phenomenon. A first step in this direction is assessing existing knowledge and identifying new research avenues. Drawing on the “name, blame, claim” framework, this systematic literature review of 119 studies extends public administration scholarship by mapping and analyzing knowledge of citizens' inclusion in public services and identifying ways forward to strengthen the research and practice in this area
SharkNet Networks Applications in Smart Manufacturing Using IoT and Machine Learning
Get PDFData Availability Statement:
The necessary research data have been presented in the article.With the advancement of Industry 4.0, 3D printing has become a critical technology in smart manufacturing; however, challenges remain in the integrated management, quality control, and remote monitoring of multiple 3D printers. This study proposes an intelligent cloud monitoring system based on the SharkNet dynamic network, IoT, and artificial neural networks (ANNs). The system utilizes a SharkNet dynamic network to integrate low-cost sensors for environmental monitoring to enable low-latency data transmission and deploys ANN models on the cloud for print quality prediction and process parameter optimization. Next, we experimentally validated the system using the Taguchi design and ANN-based analysis, focusing on optimizing printing process parameters and improving surface quality. The main results show that the designed system has a communication delay of 40–50 ms and 99.8% transmission reliability under moderate load, and the system reduces the surface roughness prediction error to less than 17.2%. In addition, the ANN model outperforms conventional methods in capturing the nonlinear relationships of the variables, and the system can be based on the model to improve print quality and productivity by enabling real-time parameter adjustments. The system retains a high degree of scalability in terms of real-time monitoring and parallel or complex control of multiple devices, which demonstrates its potential for applications in smart manufacturing.This research was funded by the Graduate Student Innovation Program of Shanxi Province, Grant No. 2023SJ214. It was also partly funded by Brunel University London
Implicit bias in referrals to relational psychological therapies: review and recommendations for mental health services
Get PDFData availability statement:
The dataset supporting this study is publicly available on Brunel University's Figshare repository. It can be accessed at the following link: https://doi.org/10.17633/rd.brunel.27332307.v2.Introduction: Timely and appropriate psychological treatment is an essential element required to address the growing burden of mental health issues, which has significant implications for individuals, society, and healthcare systems. However, research indicates that implicit biases among mental health professionals may influence referral decisions, potentially leading to disparities in access to relational psychological therapies. This study investigates bias in referral practices within mental health services, identifying key themes in referral procedures and proposing recommendations to mitigate bias and promote equitable access.
Methods: A systematic review of literature published between 2002 and 2022 was conducted, focusing on biases, referral practices, and relational psychological therapies. The search strategy involved full-text screening of studies meeting inclusion criteria, specifically those examining professional and organizational implicit bias in mental health referrals. Thematic synthesis was employed to analyze and categorize bias within these domains, providing a structured framework for understanding its impact on referral decision making processes.
Results: The search yielded 2,964 relevant papers, of which 77 underwent full-text screening. Ultimately, eight studies met the inclusion criteria and were incorporated into the review. The analysis revealed that bias development mechanisms in referral decisions occurred across five key domains: resource allocation, organizational procedures, clinical roles, decision-making, and referral preferences. These domains highlight organizational and practitioner-level factors contributing to disparities in access to psychological therapies.
Discussion: Findings suggest that implicit biases within referral processes can limit equitable access to psychological therapies, particularly relational therapies that emphasize therapeutic alliance and patient-centered care. This study provides recommendations to address these biases, including standardized referral guidelines, enhanced professional training on implicit bias, and improved oversight mechanisms within mental health services.The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. CNWL NHS Foundation Trust provided a grant to Brunel University of London
Rehabilitation using virtual gaming for Hospital and hOMe-Based training for the Upper limb in acute and subacute Stroke (RHOMBUS II): results of a feasibility randomised controlled trial
Get PDFData availability statement:
Data are available upon reasonable request. Data will be made available on the Figshare data repository.Objective: To investigate the safety, feasibility and acceptability of the Neurofenix platform for upper-limb rehabilitation in acute and subacute stroke.
Design: A feasibility randomised controlled trial with a parallel process evaluation.
Setting: Acute Stroke Unit and participants’ homes (London, UK).
Participants: 24 adults (>18 years), acute and subacute poststroke, new unilateral weakness, scoring 9–25 on the Motricity Index (elbow and shoulder), with sufficient cognitive and communicative abilities to participate.
Interventions: Participants randomised to the intervention or control group on a 2:1 ratio. The intervention group (n=16) received usual care plus the Neurofenix platform for 7 weeks. The control group (n=8) received usual care only.
Outcomes: Safety was assessed through adverse events (AEs), pain, spasticity and fatigue. Feasibility was assessed through training and support requirements and intervention fidelity. Acceptability was assessed through a satisfaction questionnaire. Impairment, activity and participation outcomes were also collected at baseline and 7 weeks to assess their suitability for use in a definitive trial.
Randomisation: Computer-generated, allocation sequence concealed by opaque, sealed envelopes.
Blinding: Participants and assessors were not blinded; statistician blinded for data processing and analysis.
Results: 192 stroke survivors were screened for eligibility, and 24 were recruited and randomised. Intervention group: n=16, mean age 66.5 years; median 9.5 days post stroke. Control group: n=8, mean age 64.6 years; median 17.5 days post stroke. Three participants withdrew before the 7-week assessment, n=21 included in the analysis (intervention group n=15; control group n=6). No significant group differences in fatigue, spasticity, pain scores or total number of AEs. The median (IQR) time to train participants was 98 (64) min over 1–3 sessions. Participants trained with the platform for a median (range) of 11 (1-58) hours, equating to 94 min extra per week. The mean satisfaction score was 34.9 out of 40.
Conclusion: The Neurofenix platform is safe, feasible and well accepted as an adjunct to usual care in acute and subacute stroke rehabilitation. There was a wide range of engagement with the platform in a cohort of stroke survivors which was varied in age and level of impairment. Recruitment, training and support were manageable and completion of data was good, indicating that a future randomised controlled trial would be feasible.
Trial registration number: ISRCTN11440079.This work was supported by The Stroke Association and MedCity grant number SA MC 21\10001
Applying Digital Spatial Profiling of the Transcriptome to Elucidate Disease Mechanisms of Psychosis in Alzheimer’s disease
Get PDFBackground:
Psychosis occurs in 30-40% of individuals with AD. New insights into disease mechanisms may lead to novel pharmacological targets and treatments. Previous studies have focused on bulk tissue analysis with limited results. Digital spatial profiling (DSP) is a new technique for spatial analysis of RNA or proteins in fixed tissue. It allows quantitative profiling with spatial complexity to be collected from samples in a non-destructive manner. In this pilot study we used DSP to compare whole transcriptome data in amyloid beta and non-amyloid beta regions in participants with and without psychosis (AD+P; AD-P).
Method:
Six post-mortem brain samples from prefrontal cortex were provided by the Kings College London Brains for Dementia Research (BDR) brain bank. Frozen and formalin fixed, paraffin embedded (FFPE) sections were supplied in order to test the platform on each type. Psychosis positive and negative groups were selected based on Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) assessments. Samples were hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained as well as stained with fluorescent antibodies for AT8, NeuN, SYTO13 and Aβ. Regions of interest (ROIs) are selected based on morphology markers and tissue morphology (see Figure 1 for Amyloid ROI selection).
Result:
H&E staining revealed the frozen samples to be too badly degraded so the analysis was conducted on FFPE sections. AT8 staining showed widespread tau pathology to the extent that it was not possible to confidently select non-tau ROIs. Analysis of Aβ plaque containing and Aβ plaque free regions, comparing AD+P and AD-P groups, found 314 differentially expressed genes in plaque free regions, and 172 differentially expressed genes in plaque containing regions (Figure 2). Of these 172 genes, 28 were not differentially expressed in plaque free regions, forming a plaque-specific signature of genes differentially expressed in AD+P.
Conclusion:
This pilot study demonstrates the potential of the NanoString GeoMx™ DSP platform as an innovative spatial transcriptomics methodology for investigating AD+P with the potential to uncover differentially expressed genes that may be missed by bulk RNA sequencing studies. FFPE sections appear to be optimal. Analysing earlier stage disease and more sections per subject may help with better differentiation of tau and non-tau ROIs
Introduction to the Research Handbook on the International Court of Justice
No full textThis Research Handbook presents an in-depth examination of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and its jurisprudence. Contributing authors dissect the global governance functions of the ICJ and its impact on national legal orders worldwide.This project was funded by the CaPE Project, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, grant agreement number 708228, Horizon 2020
Judicial review of competition law decisions: an empirical study of the Lithuanian context
Get PDFAcknowledgements:
The author would like to thank the Competition Council of Lithuania for providing the requested information. All comments and observations expressed in this paper are the author’s.Commemorating the 20th anniversary since joining the European Union (EU) (together with an obligation to enforce EU competition law), this study evaluates national judgments reviewing the Lithuanian National Competition Council’s [known as Konkurencijos Taryba (KT)] decisions during the 2004–24 period. Building on comprehensive empirical research on judicial review of the KT’s decisions, which involved employing both quantitative and qualitative methods, this article aims to capture the main trends and patterns of judicial review in the Lithuanian context, with some comparison to other small European countries. The study covers the KT’s decisions in relation to the application of Articles 101 and 102 TFEU (and domestic equivalents), pertaining not only to infringement decisions but also to settlements, commitments, as well as decisions not to launch an investigation or discontinue an investigation. The findings reveal a predominant focus on the national provisions, with only 27 per cent of appealed cases embracing the EU element. As far as the outcomes are concerned, this article notes that the administrative courts mostly confirmed the competition authority’s decisions, with any interventions being calibrated in a manner to avoid any encroachment upon the authority’s discretion, clearly upholding the concept of judicial deference
Evaluation of Machine Learning and Traditional Statistical Models to Assess the Value of Stroke Genetic Liability for Prediction of Risk of Stroke Within the UK Biobank
Get PDFData Availability Statement:
The data used in this study is available on request from the UK Biobank.Acknowledgments:
This research was conducted using the UK Biobank under Application Number 60549 (www.ukbiobank.ac.uk (accessed on 5 February 2021)). The UK Biobank is generously supported by its founding funders, the Wellcome Trust and the UK Medical Research Council, as well as by the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, the Department of Health, the Northwest Regional Development Agency, and the Scottish Government. The MEGASTROKE project received funding from sources specified at https://megastroke.org/acknowledgements.html (accessed on 13 September 2022).Supplementary Materials are available online at: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/13/9/1003#app1-healthcare-13-01003 .Background and Objective: Stroke is one of the leading causes of mortality and long-term disability in adults over 18 years of age globally, and its increasing incidence has become a global public health concern. Accurate stroke prediction is highly valuable for early intervention and treatment. There is a scarcity of studies evaluating the prediction value of genetic liability in the prediction of the risk of stroke. Materials and Methods: Our study involved 243,339 participants of European ancestry from the UK Biobank. We created stroke genetic liability using data from MEGASTROKE genome-wide association studies (GWASs). In our study, we built four predictive models with and without stroke genetic liability in the training set, namely a Cox proportional hazard (Coxph) model, gradient boosting model (GBM), decision tree (DT), and random forest (RF), to estimate time-to-event risk for stroke. We then assessed their performances in the testing set. Results: Each unit (standard deviation) increase in genetic liability increases the risk of incident stroke by 7% (HR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.02, 1.12, p-value = 0.0030). The risk of stroke was greater in the higher genetic liability group, demonstrated by a 14% increased risk (HR = 1.14, 95% CI = 1.02, 1.27, p-value = 0.02) compared with the low genetic liability group. The Coxph model including genetic liability was the best-performing model for stroke prediction achieving an AUC of 69.54 (95% CI = 67.40, 71.68), NRI of 0.202 (95% CI = 0.12, 0.28; p-value = 0.000) and IDI of 1.0 × 10−4 (95% CI = 0.000, 3.0 × 10−4; p-value = 0.13) compared with the Cox model without genetic liability. Conclusions: Incorporating genetic liability in prediction models slightly improved prediction models of stroke beyond conventional risk factors.This research received no external funding
A UNIFIED THEORY FOR ARMA MODELS WITH VARYING COEFFICIENTS: ONE SOLUTION FITS ALL
Get PDFA preprint version of the article is available at: arXiv:2110.06168v1 [math.ST], https://arxiv.org/abs/2110.06168 under a CC BY licence. It has not been certified by peer review.A new explicit solution representation is provided for ARMA recursions with drift and either deterministically or stochastically varying coefficients. It is expressed in terms of the determinants of banded Hessenberg matrices and, as such, is an explicit function of the coefficients. In addition to computational efficiency, the proposed solution provides a more explicit analysis of the fundamental properties of such processes, including their Wold–Cramér decomposition, their covariance structure, and their asymptotic stability and efficiency. Explicit formulae for optimal linear forecasts based either on finite or infinite sequences of past observations are provided. The practical significance of the theoretical results in this work is illustrated with an application to U.S. inflation data. The main finding is that inflation persistence increased after 1976, whereas from 1986 onward, the persistence declines and stabilizes to even lower levels than the pre-1976 period.Magdalinos gratefully acknowledges financial support by the British Academy: grant SRG2324\241667. Alessandra Canepa acknowledges financial support under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), Mission 4, Component 2, Investment 1.1, Call for tender No. 104 published on February 2, 2022 by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR), funded by the European Union—NextGenerationEU—Project Title 20223725WE—Methodological and computational issues in large-scale time series models for economics and finance – CUP J53D23003960006—Grant Assignment Decree No. 967 adopted on June 30, 2023 by the Italian Ministry of Ministry of University and Research (MUR)
Data sources:
Access Repository Dashboard
Do you manage Open Research Online? Become a CORE Member to access insider analytics, issue reports and manage access to outputs from your repository in the CORE Repository Dashboard! 👇