Research skills and writing in business (Business and Management)

Researcher Development Programme (RDP) seminar

An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the experience of a nature-based therapy intervention for children with long-term health conditions and associated psychological difficulties

Children and young people (CYP) with long-term health conditions (LTC) are at higher risk of developing mental health difficulties. Research suggests nature-based therapeutic interventions (NBTIs) may benefit CYP’s wellbeing, but less is known about the impact on CYP with LTC. This study’s objective was to explore how CYP with LTC and associated psychological difficulties experienced a NBTI and the impact on their wellbeing. Ten participants aged 10–13 attended a NBTI and took part in semi-structured interviews that explored how they made sense of their journey through the intervention, its impact on mental, physical wellbeing and sense of self. An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the interview data yielded four group experiential themes: ‘Overcoming Illness-Identity’, ‘Freedom to Choose’, ‘Sense of Connection’ and ‘A Mindful Presence’. Participants reported improved self-esteem, a deepened sense of belonging with peers and nature, and enhanced emotion regulation. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed

Cyber-physical system security for manufacturing industry 4.0 using LSTM-CNN parallel orchestration

Interoperability among different machines, systems, and humans connected via the Internet of Things (IoT) has blessed Industry 4.0 with numerous advantages over the years. However, these benefits have unleashed risks of cyber attacks on internet-connected manufacturing units such as autonomous intelligent computer-controlled cutting (ICNC) machines. These are used in different manufacturing industries to ensure high precision and faster production. Over the Internet these machines receive product designs and instructions of how to produce them. Intrusions through malicious code embedded in the design can hamper precision and cause production delays, resulting in significant revenue loss. This paper presents an innovative cyber-physical system (CPS) security mechanism, using a long short-term memory (LSTM) network and a convolutional neural network (CNN) coordinated by a parallel orchestration (PLO) algorithm. It detects intrusions from both image and text data with 90.85% and 91.66% accuracy, respectively. Applying the proposed methodology in a simulated manufacturing industry shows an average yearly successful intrusion reduction from 184 to 15, saving an average of $30,474 in revenue. Its innovative concept, the distinctive mechanism of the PLO algorithm, and applying it in a simulated manufacturing industry make the proposed security system superior to comparable approaches

Finding and using information: A guide for nursing, health and social care

Finding and Using Information is an accessible textbook for nursing, health and social care students seeking to improve their information skills. Starting with a self-assessment checklist and through clear explanations, examples and activities, the book will help you to develop a toolkit for dealing with information throughout your studies and beyond. You will learn: * How to identify what information you need and how to find the best sources * About browsing the web and how to work effectively with web-based information tools * How to identify and evaluate trustworthy sources of information * Ways of managing and keeping track of the information you find so that you can retrieve it when you need it About the importance of acknowledging, citing and referencing information * How to use academic databases * How to plan and carry out an advanced literature search Written by a highly experienced learning and research librarian, this book will help you to develop the information skills you need for your studies and to achieve the standards of proficiency required to practise your health and care profession effectively

A comprehensive review of sustainable geopolymer concrete using palm oil clinker: Environmental and engineering aspects

Amidst the dual challenges of aggregate scarcity and the environmental impact of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from cement production, this study investigates the viability of palm oil clinker (POC) as a sustainable aggregate in geopolymer concrete (GPC). The lack of appropriate alternative coarse and fine aggregates essential in concrete production is one of the critical issues faced by the construction industry. This review evaluates its environmental benefits, chemical and physical attributes, and influence on GPC's microstructure. Previous studies have shown that incorporating POC in GPC significantly reduces density from 2345 to 1821 kg/m3 while maintaining competitive compressive strength, thus proving its applicability in various structural and nonstructural contexts. Moreover, GPC with POC demonstrates enhanced resistance to aggressive environmental conditions such as water absorption and resistance against acid and sulfate environments. Geopolymer mortar (GPM) exposed to sulfate attack recorded the lowest decrease in strength than GPM containing POC fine aggregates by about 20%. The use of 100% POC aggregates in GPC mix has a 3.2% water absorption, which is lower than the limit for high-performance concrete. The results advocate for the development of POC-aggregate GPC as an environmentally friendly construction material, contributing to the sustainable advancement of the building industry

UK leads the way in ‘professionalizing policing’

News media interview to online magazine 'Police Oracle'

Rethinking the medieval pig in England: From woodland animal to bagpipe-playing sow

Explores the cultural history of the medieval pig, as well as aspects of medieval pig farming

An implementation facilitation intervention to improve the musculoskeletal X‑ray reporting by radiographers across London

Background The National Healthcare Service (NHS) radiology service delivery in London is representative of the current pressures and challenges faced in England of Musculoskeletal (MSK) X-ray reporting workforce shortages, and national turnaround time (TATs) targets. The implementation project evaluated facilitation as a strategy to achieve the NHS England 50% target for all MSK X-rays to be reported by radiographers. Methods The project was an eight-month multi-centre (n = 5 London NHS Trusts) study applying the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS) framework with embedded mixed-methods evaluation. Initial observational data using the Context Assessment Index (CAI) tool and the Workplace Culture Critical Analysis Tool (WCCAT) set the implementation interventions which comprised external facilitation, to support internal facilitators action learning activities. Evaluation data comprised monthly reporting performance, systems mapping, interviews. Results System mapping allowed a perspective beyond the characteristics of the NHS Trusts involved (small single site hospitals to large multi-sites hospitals) of mixed clinical duties, scope of practice, reporting session allocation, and equipment used. CAI scores for workplace culture demonstrated = 73.7% (SD 6.8; 95%CI 8.49), leadership scored = 69.3% (SD 7.3; 95% CI 9.17), and evaluation scored = 75.5% (SD 6.9; 95% CI 98.63). WCCAT observations provided themes for facilitation focusing on remote reporting, insourcing backlogs, prioritising worklists to reduce breaching TATs, reporting metrics, and reducing auto reporting. The combined reporting of MSK X-rays by London radiographers during this study achieved = 53.7%. Conclusion This study had an innovative approach using an implementation facilitation framework to improve service delivery. The clinical workplace context in which MSK X-ray reporting by radiographers occurs was key to implementing change. The complexities of sustaining and upscaling MSK X-ray reporting by radiographers to meet the NHS England target of 50% are varied and require local champions to facilitate and drive change at organisational levels. It is recommended that there are dedicated ‘resources’ to sustain implementations with a community of practice for support. Workplace leadership and stakeholder networks are needed to sustain improved working practices and embrace regular evaluation and monitoring of service delivery performance

“If she had kept going down that way, she would’ve gone straight to that castle!”: Labyrinth, the Gothic body of David Bowie, and the education of desire

This article investigates Labyrinth as a Gothic narrative; it positions the films as an attempt to ‘educate desire’ into normative channels within the context of the late Cold War and the Culture Wars of the 1980s. Particular attention is paid to the body and performance of David Bowie as Jareth and the way this engages with classic Gothic tropes of the dangerous older man. Sarah is also considered as a liminal adolescent coming to occupy a position defined by desire in a historical moment riven by anxieties around ‘acceptable choices’ amid the AIDS crisis and the activism of conservative pressure groups such as Moral Majority. Ultimately, Labyrinth is shown to be a productive space for the working through of issues of desire, both in its original context and, through the mapping of fan activities, throughout the 40 years since its release