Specialist palliative care services response to ethnic minority groups with COVID-19 : equal but inequitable—an observational study

Objectives To develop insights into response of palliative care services caring for people from ethnic minority groups during COVID-19. Methods Cross-sectional online survey of UK palliative care services response to COVID-19. Quantitative data were summarised descriptively and χ2 tests used to explore relationships between categorical variables. Free text comments were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results 277 UK services responded. 168 included hospice teams (76% of all UK hospice teams). Services supporting those from ethnic minority groups were more likely to include hospital (p<0.001) and less likely to include hospice (p<0.001) or home care teams (p=0.008). 34% (93/277) of services had cared for patients with COVID-19 or families from ethnic minority groups. 66% (61/93) of these services stated no difference in how they supported or reached these groups during the pandemic. Three themes demonstrated impact of policy introduced during the pandemic, including: disproportionate adverse impact of restricted visiting, compounded communication challenges and unmet religious and faith needs. One theme demonstrated mistrust of services by ethnic minority groups, and the final theme demonstrated a focus on equal and individualised care. Conclusions Policies introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic may have adversely impacted those from ethnic minority groups making these at-risk populations even more vulnerable. The palliative care response may have been equal but inequitable. During the para-COVID-19 period, systemic steps, including equality impact assessments, are urgently needed

A Comparative Study on the Numbers of Operations Used in the Computation of Value of Combinations (n¦r)

Several different methods are used to compute the value of combinations. A comparison between the two methods of computing the value of combinations viz traditional method involving the use of factorial notations in the formula of &nbsp;and the method of computing the value of combinations by the repeated divisions with a specific lower bound ‘p’ associated with ‘n’ where n and p are positive integers is made

Secure channel estimation model for cognitive radio network physical layer security using two-level shared key authentication

Abstract Physical Layer Security (PLS) in Cognitive Radio Networks (CRN) improves the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of the external communication between the devices/ users. The security models for sensing and beamforming reduce the impact of adversaries such as eavesdroppers in the signal processing layer. To such an extent, this article introduces a Secure Channel Estimation Model (SCEM) using Channel State Information (CSI) and Deep Learning (DL) to improve the PLS. In this proposed model, the CSI is exploited to evaluate the channel utilization and actual capacity availability throughout the allocation intervals. The change in channel capacity and utilization augments the need for security through 2-level key shared authentication. The deep learning algorithm verifies the authentication completeness for maximum channel capacity utilization irrespective of adversary interference. This verification follows mutual authentication between the primary and secondary users sharing the maximum capacity channel with high secrecy. The learning monitors the outage secrecy rates to verify failed allocations such that the replacement for allocation is pursued. Thus, the physical layer security between different user categories is administered through maximum CSI exploitation with high beamforming abilities. The proposed model leverages the secrecy rate by 10.77% and the probability of detection by 15.01% and reduces the interference rate by 11.07% for the varying transmit powers

Mechanical Investigation of S-Glass/Carbon Fibers Reinforced Epoxy Polymer Matrix Composites

Fiber-based hybrid composite materials are used for variety of industrial purposes going on from automotive to many engineering fields such as structural, aerospace because of unique properties compared over conventional materials. Fiber based hybrid composites have greatly long-drawn-out o varying applications in today's automotive industry reason behind is due their light weight, high strength, stiffness and ease of repair. This work aims to create a novel type of hybrid composite made by reinforcing S-glass (satin type) &amp; carbon (twill form) in an epoxy matrix. Pure and hybrid composites are made by manual laying with 0° orientation of each fiber layer and the action has been tested with different combinations of each layer of S-glass and carbon and finally with a hybrid subjected to different mechanical stresses. The fiber matrix for the hybrid is created in a 50:50 ratio. Pure samples of fiberglass and carbon fiber-epoxy composites were compared to hybrid samples. The results showed that the hybrid samples outperformed the pure forms of the composite in mechanical tests, due to the presence of carbon fiber on the end faces of the sample, which offers the hybrid form's superior mechanical properties.</jats:p

Specialist palliative care services response to ethnic minority groups with COVID-19: equal but inequitable—an observational study

ObjectivesTo develop insights into response of palliative care services caring for people from ethnic minority groups during COVID-19.MethodsCross-sectional online survey of UK palliative care services response to COVID-19. Quantitative data were summarised descriptively and χ2 tests used to explore relationships between categorical variables. Free text comments were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.Results277 UK services responded. 168 included hospice teams (76% of all UK hospice teams). Services supporting those from ethnic minority groups were more likely to include hospital (p&lt;0.001) and less likely to include hospice (p&lt;0.001) or home care teams (p=0.008). 34% (93/277) of services had cared for patients with COVID-19 or families from ethnic minority groups. 66% (61/93) of these services stated no difference in how they supported or reached these groups during the pandemic.Three themes demonstrated impact of policy introduced during the pandemic, including: disproportionate adverse impact of restricted visiting, compounded communication challenges and unmet religious and faith needs. One theme demonstrated mistrust of services by ethnic minority groups, and the final theme demonstrated a focus on equal and individualised care.ConclusionsPolicies introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic may have adversely impacted those from ethnic minority groups making these at-risk populations even more vulnerable. The palliative care response may have been equal but inequitable. During the para-COVID-19 period, systemic steps, including equality impact assessments, are urgently needed.</jats:sec