The effect of a novel, digital physical activity and emotional well-being intervention on health-related quality of life in people with chronic kidney disease: trial design and baseline data from a multicentre prospective, wait-list randomised controlled trial (Kidney BEAM)

Background: Physical activity has the potential to enhance health-related quality of life (HRQoL), but few people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have access to physical activity resources and support. The Kidney BEAM trial aims to evaluate whether an evidence-based physical activity and emotional wellbeing self-management programme (Kidney BEAM) leads to improvements in HRQoL in people with CKD. Methods: This was a prospective, multicentre, randomised waitlist-controlled trial, with health economic analysis and nested qualitative studies. In total, three haundred and four adults with established CKD were recruited from 11 UK kidney units. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention (Kidney BEAM) or a wait list control group (1:1). The primary outcome was between-group difference in Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQoL) mental component summary score (MCS) at 12 weeks. Secondary outcomes included KDQoL physical component summary score, kidney-specific scores, fatigue, life participation, depression and anxiety, physical function, clinical chemistry, healthcare utilisation and harms. All outcomes were measured at baseline and 12 weeks, with long-term HRQoL and adherence also collected at six months follow-up. A nested qualitative study explored experience and impact of using Kidney BEAM. Results: 340 participants were randomised to Kidney BEAM (n=173) and waiting list (n=167) groups. There were 96 (55%) and 89 (53%) males in the intervention and waiting list groups respectively, and the mean (SD) age was 53 (14) years in both groups. Ethnicity, body mass, CKD stage, and history of diabetes and hypertension were comparable across groups. The mean (SD) of the MCS was similar in both groups, 44.7 (10.8) and 45.9 (10.6) in the intervention and waiting list groups respectively. Conclusion: Results from this trial will establish whether the Kidney BEAM self management programme is a cost-effective method of enhancing mental and physical wellbeing of people with CKD

Using automated active infrared counters to estimate footfall on urban park footpaths: behavioural stability and validity testing

Background: Using infrared counters is a promising unobtrusive method of assessing footfall in urban parks. However, infrared counters are susceptible to reliability and validity issues, and there is limited guidance for their use. The aims of this study were to (1) determine how many weeks of automated active infrared count data would provide behaviourally stable estimates of urban park footfall for each meteorological season, and (2) determine the validity of automated active infrared count estimates of footfall in comparison to direct manual observation counts. Methods: Three automated active infrared counters collected daily footfall counts for 365 days on three footpaths in an urban park within Northampton, England, between May 2021 – May 2022. Intraclass correlation coefficients were used to compare the behavioural stability of abbreviated data collection schedules with total median footfall within each meteorological season (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter). Public holidays, events, and extreme outliers were removed. Ten one-hour manual observations were conducted at the site of an infrared counter to determine the validity of the infrared counter. Results: At least four-weeks (28 days) of infrared counts are required to provide ‘good’ to ‘excellent’ (Intraclass correlation > 0.75, > 0.9, respectively) estimates of median daily footfall per meteorological season in an urban park. Infrared counters had, on average, -4.65 counts per hour (95% LoA -12.4, 3.14; Mean absolute percentage error 13.7%) lower counts compared to manual observation counts during one-hour observation periods (23.2 ± 15.6, 27.9 ± 18.9 counts per hour, respectively). Infrared counts explained 98% of the variance in manual observation counts. The number of groups during an observation period explained 78% of the variance in the difference between infrared and manual counts. Conclusions: Abbreviated data collection schedules can still obtain estimates of urban park footfall. Automated active infrared counts are strongly associated with manual counts; however, they tend to underestimate footfall, often due to people in groups. Methodological and practical recommendations are provided

Ecological validation and practical challenges of conducting dietary analysis in athletic individuals using a novel remote food photography method mobile phone application

Purpose: Dietary analysis is an important part of the sports nutrition practitioners’ role, however the ability to accurately collect and analyse dietary intake data is questionable. The remote food photography method (RFPM) has been proposed as a low-burden and potentially valid approach to collecting and interpreting dietary intake data. Preliminary research suggests this is valid in some athletic populations, however the ecological validation in real-life settings warrants further investigation. Methods: Twenty athletic individuals completed simultaneous three-day RFPM diaries and weighed food diaries for the analysis of energy, protein, carbohydrate, and fat. Participants were required to provide details alongside provided photographs that did not include food weights to allow for the estimation of nutrient intake from minimally invasive photographs and descriptions. Results: RFPM demonstrated non-significant random and systematic error against the weighed food diary for energy, protein, carbohydrate, and fat at -20.0 ± 455.5kcal, 3.2 ± 35.4g, -12.4 ± 49.3g and 2.3 ± 26.8g, respectively. Coefficient of variation suggest acceptable agreement between RFPM and weighed food diary for energy and poor agreement for protein, carbohydrate, and fat. Considerable variability is observed in the individual calculated values, with the least and greatest difference being 0% and -83.0%, respectively. Conclusion: The results indicate that the RFPM may be an ecologically valid tool for the collection and analysis of dietary intake data on a group level; on an individual basis, data and subsequent recommendations based on this must be applied with caution

Psychology of education: Theory, research, and evidence-based practice

A Book Review of the 'Psychology of education: Theory, research, and evidence-based practice' by Dr Janet Lord (SAGE Publications Ltd, London

Innovative approach using ultrasonic-assisted laser beam machining for the fabrication of ultrasensitive carbon nanotubes-based strain gauges

Here, we present for the first time a novel process based on the simultaneous implementation of ultrasonic vibrations (USVs) and laser beam machining (LBM) to fabricate ultrasensitive strain gauges fabricated from polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) nanocomposites. The results clearly showed that ultrasonic-assisted laser cutting reduces the surface electrical resistance up to 2.5 kΩ, while laser cutting alone is able to reduce the surface electrical resistance down to 3 kΩ towards the best conditions. Microscopic studies confirm that USVs reduce the wrapping of PMMA chains around CNTs and intensify the mechanism of electrons transfer through tunneling by improving the dispersion degree of CNTs on the surface. It was found that the prepared sample using USVs with an 80 W laser power and the beam motion velocity of 35 mm/s presented the best performance for detecting small strains. The sensing properties of the generated sample were characterized in the strain range of 0–1.2%. At 1.2% strain, the relative resistance changes were 27.04%, indicating the gauge factor is higher than 20 for the fabricated strain gauge, which is about 8 times higher than the best similar samples reported previously

Fundamentals, real-time uncertainty and CDS index spreads

The high level of economic uncertainty linked to the pace of the recovery process can persist after a crisis and has implications for the market pricing of firms’ credit risk reflected in credit default swap (CDS) spreads. This paper examines the role of key proxies for the economic state and its real-time uncertainty in determining Northern American CDX index spreads. Focusing on the recovery period following the 2007–2009 global financial crisis, we find that measures of economic output, employment, inflation, and economic uncertainty, all significantly influence CDX spreads, beyond the impact of conventional determinants. Furthermore, our results provide evidence that the sensitivity of investment-grade and high-yield CDX differs across economic aspects. Moreover, our out-of-sample predictive analysis identifies indicators and uncertainty measures with significant predictive content for quarter-ahead CDX spreads. Taken together, our findings indicate that academic modelers and practitioners employing more accurate representations of the macroeconomy in CDS modeling and analysis can improve upon the models that rely solely on the typically employed economic output variables or on broad data aggregation

The paraglacial adjustment of an Alpine lateral moraine, Bas Glacier d’Arolla, Switzerland

Within Alpine catchments, glacial landforms are subject to post-depositional reworking during and following deglaciation. Ice-marginal moraines are thought to rapidly stabilise within ~200 years in this topographic context, although ice-proximal slopes are particularly prone to alteration by debris flows and solifluction. This study investigates landform transformation, documenting geomorphological change at the Bas Glacier d’Arolla, Switzerland. Gully development on a moraine slope was assessed using archive image sets obtained in 1977, 1988 and 2009 to derive historical elevation models. Raster differencing suggests that the mean rate of surface lowering on the upper moraine slope was 7.15 ± 1.83 m (± minimum level of detection) over the observation period (1977–2009), a rate of 0.22 m yr−1. The erosion of the landform resulted in an incontiguous moraine crestline. Whilst some landforms may undergo limited transformation upon deglaciation, selected sites are subject to rapid geomorphologic change, involving crestline retreat via the initial dissection by gullies, followed by the removal of inter-gully slopes

“He knows he is safe; you are the safety net”. Key adult intervention with children with attachment difficulties: The TAs perspective.

Children and young adults who are ‘looked after' can present teachers and teaching assistants with a variety of day to day classroom challenges and a range of complex behaviours due to adverse childhood environments. This group of vulnerable young people have very complex social and emotional behaviours that require a considered approach of support and interventions. The types of interventions deployed in schools, however, may depend on staff knowledge, staff self confidence, and interpersonal skills to support the child’s learning and complex behaviours. An example of an intervention is the Key Adult intervention programme (Bomber, 2007, p.57), which is purported to develop staff knowledge and self confidence when working with Looked After Children. Training in Key Adult intervention occurred at a special school, which had a high percentage of Looked After Children, situated in an East Midlands town. The purpose of the study was firstly to support the children through in-depth knowledge development for supporting staff, and secondly to investigate staff confidence and understanding of the needs of Looked After Children. In addition, supporting factors of the Key Adult intervention and a discovery of any barriers to its implementation were sought. Using a mixed methods approach, data were collected from participating staff using questionnaires and focused conversations. Qualitative data were analysed using Cresswells six-step process. Findings suggest the Key Adult intervention is an effective means to support staff confidence and understanding, and also offer support for Looked After Children. Recommendations for future practice include increased training and support for Teaching Assistants, teachers and the school community as a whole. In addition, targeted professional and emotional support for the Teaching Assistants deployed, and increased communication between Senior Leaders and Teaching Assistants is crucial. The current research, therefore, adds to existing literature by providing an evaluation of the Key Adult intervention within a special school setting with evidence gathered from Teaching assistan

The Adoption of Robotic Process Automation Considering Financial Aspects in Beef Supply Chains : An Approach towards Sustainability

Sustainable beef production is a global challenge in present times. This research paper aims to investigate the financial risks and barriers in the adoption of robotic process automation (RPA), which has emerged as a strategic catalyst for achieving sustainability in the beef sector. Beef manufacturers constantly strive to achieve sustainability and a competitive advantage in order to gain enhanced beef productivity at low operational costs. There is a gap in the research, as there is a lack of knowledge about the financial aspects, barriers, and challenges influencing the RPA adoption process in the beef supply chain. To bridge this gap, secondary research is used to extract statistical data and information relevant to the RPA adoption process in beef supply chains, considering financial aspects. This study utilises a simulation method adopting a process model created in previous research and analyses different scenarios based on financial parameters using values or variables in Simul8 software. The scenario analysis allows for the identification of financial risks in the adoption of RPA and evaluates the simulation results from a sustainability perspective. The scenario analysis highlights the financial risks and barriers in the adoption of RPA in beef supply chains through process simulation, using financial parameters as a basis. KPI values, income statements, and carbon emission reports are generated to evaluate the main bottlenecks at various beef supply chain stages, thus allowing business users to conduct a thorough cost analysis. Successful adoption of RPA can lead to reduced supply chain complexity, thus improving financial and operational efficiency, which results in increased beef productivity, quality, and shelf life. This study is extremely important as it assesses scenarios from a sustainability perspective and contributes to academic knowledge and professional practice. It provides a process model to support the financial and ethical decision-making of managers or stakeholders, while helping the beef sector adopt RPA with greater ease. The process model can be adopted or modified according to the financial circumstances and individual requirements of business users. Furthermore, it provides decision-makers with the knowledge to eliminate or prevent financial barriers, thus advancing and accelerating the adoption of RPA. Robust adoption of RPA assists beef supply chains in gaining higher productivity at reduced costs, thus creating sustainable value

Exploring the Stigmatisation of Offending & Non-offending Paedophiles. A Terror Management approach.

Paedophilic individuals are a highly misunderstood and stigmatised group, with the general public tending to equate paedophilia with child sexual abuse. Given that paedophilia is often conflated as a psychiatric/mental health disorder and an extreme violent offence, the current study examined whether the stigma towards paedophilic individuals is related to negative associations with severe mental illness and extreme violence. We also used the terror management theory to provide further insights into why paedophilia is so highly stigmatised. A sample of 126 participants were split into one of six conditions and provided punitive and moral character judgments, as well as salience of death thoughts. Conditions were divided into three main stigma conditions (Paedophilia vs. Schizophrenia vs. Homicidal ideation), which were further divided into two conditions (offending vs. non-offending). Results showed that judgments were harsher in the offending conditions than the non-offending conditions. Results also showed that the stigmatisation of paedophilic and schizophrenic individuals may be mediated by terror management processes. These findings suggest that paedophilia is believed to be associated with severe forms of mental illness where an individual is not able to control their own state of mind. Thus, addressing perceptions of dangerousness towards individuals with severe mental illness is a crucial step towards developing effective strategies to help reduce such stigma