Simple Form Research Articles

Process evaluation of the implementation of the ABC method, an intervention for nurses dealing with challenging behaviour of patients with brain injury

BackgroundIntroducing new working methods is common in healthcare organisations. However, implementation of a new method is often suboptimal. This reduces the effectiveness of the innovation and has several other negative effects, for example on staff turnover. The aim of the current study was to implement the ABC method in residential departments for brain injured patients and to assess the quality of the implementation process. The ABC method is a simplified form of behavioural modification based on the concept that behaviour operates on the environment and is maintained by its consequences.MethodsFour residential departments for brain injured patients introduced the ABC method sequentially as healthcare innovation using a stepped-wedge design. A systematic process evaluation of the implementation was carried out using the framework of Saunders et al. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the quantitative data; open questions were clustered.ResultsThe training of the ABC method was well executed and the nursing staff was enthusiastic and sufficiently involved. Important aspects for successful implementation had been addressed (like a detailed implementation plan and implementation meetings). However, facilitators and barriers that were noted were not addressed in a timely manner. This negatively influenced the extent to which the ABC method could be properly learned, implemented, and applied in the short and long term.ConclusionsThe most challenging part of the introduction of this new trained and introduced method in health care was clearly the implementation. To have a successful implementation serious attention is needed to tailor-made evidence-based implementation strategies based on facilitators and barriers that are identified during the implementation process. Bottlenecks in working with the ABC method have to be addressed as soon as possible. This likely requires ‘champions’ who are trained for the job, next to an organisation’s management that facilitates the multidisciplinary teams and provides clarity about policy and agreements regarding the training and implementation of the new method. The current process evaluation and the recommendations may serve as an example for the implementation of new methods in other healthcare organisations.

Societal perceptions of aquaculture: Combining scoping review and media analysis

AbstractAquaculture has been recognised for achieving multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; its further growth depends on understanding, and responding to, societal perceptions in a broader context. Thus, this study aims to understand societal perceptions of aquaculture through a scoping review and media analysis. A scoping review identified 151 academic studies for inclusion in our five identified research clusters: (1) social acceptability, (2) growth and development, (3) media coverage, (4) sustainable aquaculture, and (5) consumer perceptions. Further, newspaper articles (n = 100) were sampled from the United Kingdom, Denmark, France, Spain, Turkey, and China; elsewhere all articles identified were included (Poland, 79; Hungary, 29; India, 70). The findings suggest that scientific and newspaper articles tend to present sustainability aspects in a simplified form. Key stakeholder groups include fish farming enterprises, civil society, governmental officials, scientists, and business leaders both within aquaculture value chains (retailers/wholesalers, technology industry) and outside of them (fisheries, tourism). Also, other stakeholders included the public (indigenous groups, residents, consumers). The stakeholder groups perceived aquaculture differently and depending on the circumstances and context, their perceptions ranged from positive to negative. Many factors influenced their perceptions, including aquaculture's impact on multiple sustainability dimensions, knowledge, transparency, personal interests, types, and location of aquaculture practises, regulations, experience, and sociodemographic characteristics such as age, gender, education, and income. We recommend that aquaculture practitioners focus on context‐specific multifaceted strategies—prioritising transparency, communication, and accountability—and provide essential knowledge to ensure that societal perceptions of aquaculture are based on accurate, empirical information.

The grey decision model and its application based on generalized greyness of interval grey number

PurposeIn order to solve the decision-making problem that the attributive weight and attributive value are both interval grey numbers, this paper tries to construct a multi-attribute grey decision-making model based on generalized greyness of interval grey number.Design/methodology/approachFirstly, according to the nature of the generalized gresness of interval grey number, the generalized weighted greyness distance between interval grey numbers is given, and the transformation relationship between greyness distance and real number distance is analyzed. Then according to the objective function that the square sum of generalized weighted greyness distances from the decision scheme to the best scheme and the worst scheme is the minimum, a multi-attribute grey decision-making model is constructed, and the simplified form of the model is given. Finally, the grey decision-making model proposed in this paper is applied to the evaluation of technological innovation capability of 6 provinces in China to verify the effectiveness of the model.FindingsThe results show that the grey decision-making model proposed in this paper has a strict mathematical foundation, clear physical meaning, simple calculation and easy programming. The application example shows that the grey decision model in this paper is feasible and effective. The research results not only enrich the grey system theory, but also provide a new way for the decision-making problem that the attributive weights and attributive values are interval grey numbers.Practical implicationsThe decision-making model proposed in this paper does not need to seek the optimal solution of the attributive weight and the attributive value, and can save the decision-making labor and capital investment. The model in this paper is also suitable for the decision-making problem that deals with the coexistence of interval grey numbers and real numbers.Originality/valueThe paper succeeds in realizing the multi-attribute grey decision-making model based on generalized gresness and its simplified forms, which provide a new method for grey decision analysis.

A general hyperelastic model for rubber-like materials incorporating strain-rate and temperature

A comprehensive hyperelastic model that precisely forecasts the mechanical characteristics of materials with rubber-like qualities is presented. This model relies on the well-established five-parameter Mooney-Rivlin model, which is then extended to incorporate strain rate dependent and temperature dependent term. To validate its accuracy, experimental data from ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber materials was utilized to compare with the model prediction. Hyperelastic stress-strain curves were collected from a variety of materials that were subjected to varying temperatures and strain rates to improve the model’s applicability. Its prediction results are compared against the collected experimental data, resulting in consistent and reliable outcomes. The simplified form of the model not only establishes an effective framework for characterizing and predicting the mechanical response of materials that resemble rubber under different working conditions but makes the coding and implementation of finite element analysis easier.

Quantum beam splitter based on free charged particles

It is well known that the beam splitter is an integral part of many classical and quantum devices. The use of beam splitters in quantum technologies is currently particularly relevant. The emergence of new types of beam splitters provides new statistical characteristics of the separated photon beam and their control and new possibilities for use in various devices. This Letter presents a new, to the best of our knowledge, type of beam splitter based on free charged particles. This type of beam splitter has all the properties of a linear beam splitter with its reflection coefficient R, transmission coefficient T, and phase shift ϕ, which are presented in a simple analytical form. This type of beam splitter has interesting application prospects.

On some series involving the binomial coefficients C(3n,n)

Using a simple transformation, we obtain much simpler forms for some series involving binomial coefficients $\binom{3n}n$ derived by Necdet Batır. New evaluations are given and connections with Fibonacci numbers and the golden ratio are established. Finally we derive some Fibonacci and Lucas series involving the reciprocals of $\binom{3n}n$.

System-bath correlations and finite-time operation enhance the efficiency of a dissipative quantum battery

Abstract The reduced state of a small system strongly coupled to a thermal bath may be athermal and used as a small battery once disconnected. The unitarily extractable energy (a.k.a ergotropy) will be negligible if the disconnecting process is too slow. To study the efficiency of this battery, we consider the cycle of disconnecting, extracting, and connecting the battery back to the bath. Efficiency, i.e., the ratio between ergotropy and connecting plus disconnecting work, is a function of disconnecting time. We consider the Caldeira-Leggett model of a quantum battery in two scenarios. In the first scenario, we assume that the discharged battery is uncorrelated to the bath when connecting back and find that the efficiency peaks at an optimal disconnecting time. In the second scenario, the discharged battery is correlated to the bath, and find that the optimal efficiency corresponds to an instantaneous disconnection. On top of these results, we analyze various thermodynamic quantities for these Caldeira-Leggett quantum batteries and express the first and second laws of thermodynamics for the cycles in simple form despite the system-bath initial correlations and strong coupling regime of the working device.

An overlooked source of uncertainty in the mass of the Milky Way

Abstract In the conventional approach to decomposing a rotation curve into a set of contributions from mass model components, the measurements of the rotation curve at different radii are taken to be independent. It is clear, however, that radial correlations are present in such data, for instance (but not only) because the orbital speed depends on the mass distribution at all (or, minimally, inner) radii. We adopt a very simple parametric form for a covariance matrix and constrain its parameters using Gaussian process regression. Applied to the rotation curve of the Milky Way, this suggests the presence of correlations between neighbouring rotation curve points with amplitudes of <10 km s−1 over length scales of 1.5–2.5 kpc regardless of the assumed dark halo component. We show that accounting for such covariance can result in a ∼50 per cent lower total mass estimate for the Milky Way than when it is neglected, and that the uncertainty in model parameters increases such that it seems more representative of the uncertainty in the rotation curve measurement. The statistical uncertainty associated with the covariance is comparable to or exceeds the total systematic uncertainty budget. Our findings motivate including more detailed treatment of rotation curve covariance in future analyses.

Historical Insights into Sustainable Development: Analyzing the Spatiotemporal Dynamics of Ancient Trade and Settlements

Ancient trade routes significantly influenced political structures, cultural exchanges, economic development, and landscape transformations across diverse regions. The Ancient Tea Horse Road, a prominent historical commercial pathway in China, is crucial for ecosystem and cultural heritage conservations. This study uses content and comparative analysis, Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, and spatial analysis to examine the spatiotemporal relationships between 13,026 settlement points identified via Google Earth and 445 recorded settlement names within the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. The findings indicate that the Ancient Tea Horse Road evolved from a simple linear form to a complex radial network, reflecting its growth from local to broad regional connectivity. Settlements related to administrative, postal, and commercial functions emerged in its vicinity, underscoring the route’s impact on social structures and economic activities. The development of settlements, mainly within a 10 km radius of the route, was closely linked to its expansion, alteration, and decline, offering insights into contemporary settlement distribution patterns. This research not only enhances the understanding of the Ancient Tea Horse Road and its surrounding settlements but also supports the protection of ancient trade routes and their cultural heritage. It contributes to sustainable development by integrating ecological preservation with the safeguarding of ancient trade routes and their cultural legacies.

Lexis and Grammar Specifics of the English Language in Africa

This research work deals with the lexical and grammatical features of the English language variant widely used in Africa. The importance of the use of British English is also taken into account, as well as its transformational processes due to the interaction and mutual influence of local dialects on its structure. Examples of neologisms and modified lexical units are given, based on the influence of local culture and the lack of an equivalent in the recipient language. The article pays attention to the grammatical aspects of language in the functioning of phrasal, modal and prepositional verbs, and also reveals the peculiarities of articles and pronouns use due to the influence of autochthonous languages. The aim of the research work is to identify the specifics of the linguistic and cultural adaptation of the English language in Africa and systematize the lexical and grammatical aspects of the English language as the territorial variant type. The choice of working methods is determined by the goals and objectives of the study. In the research work the method of metalinguistic analysis, methods of contextual and definitional analysis, methods of systematization and classification of linguistic material are used. As a result of the work the high productivity of the realities functioning in autochthonous languages in the lexical structure of the English variant in African countries and the lexical borrowings of terms from autochthonous languages are revealed. This trend is also emphasized in the borrowing of entire lexical phrases from the thesaurus of native languages. With regard to the grammatical part, a significant deviation from British English is emphasized. The research work results in such grammatical changes as: the use of auxiliary verbs together with semantic ones; the functioning of a simplified form of modern forms of the verb; the productive use of uncountable nouns in speech in the form of a countable nouns; significant deviations from British English in the process of using articles, personal and possessive pronouns.

Driving quality in delirium care through a patient-centered monitoring system in palliative care: Protocol for the two-staged exploratory sequential mixed methods MODEL-PC study

Introduction Delirium is a serious acute neurocognitive condition that is common in palliative care units and yet under-addressed. To improve delirium care in this setting, we will develop and pilot a monitoring system that integrates the Delirium Clinical Care Standard, Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration (PCOC) methods, and perspectives of patients, carers and staff. Methods This paper reports the protocol for a two-stage, exploratory, sequential mixed-methods implementation study. Stage 1 data collection includes Delirium Standard-aligned process mapping and clinical audits, and Critical Incident Technique interviews with patients, carers and staff with a recent experience of delirium. We will present integrated stage 1 findings to stakeholders then collaboratively develop a delirium monitoring system that aligns with the Delirium Standard and PCOC methods. In stage 2, we will pilot the new system and repeat stage 1 data collection and analyses, adding PCOC and adverse event measures. Implementation principles and strategies such as audit and feedback and education will be applied. We developed simplified participants information sheets and consent forms for interview and process mapping participants, who will provide written informed consent; and waiver of consent to collect clinical audit, PCOC and adverse event data from patients’ medical records is approved. At study end, we will report implementation, effectiveness and safety outcomes, including systemic utility of the delirium monitoring system for wider testing and use to meet the Delirium Standard in palliative care units. Quantitative data analyses will include descriptive and inferential statistics and qualitative analyses will incorporate thematic content analysis aligned to the Critical Incident Technique. Mixed methods data integration will be at the end of each stage. Discussion This protocol paper describes the mixed methods, systems integration, and innovative measures and study processes of the MODEL-PC study. We also share data collection tools and a simplified information sheet and consent form for patients.

Facile, inexpensive, and reliable morphological characterization of microplastics using Optical Microscopy images

A morphological classification method was developed and applied to model contaminants of polyethylene microplastics (MPs) obtained in the laboratory by simple procedures. Primary MPs were produced by pump-assisted aqueous isolation from a commercial cosmetic cream, and secondary MPs were obtained by mechanical abrasion from a domestic plastic can. The MPs were investigated by optical microscopy and their images were analyzed according to forms and types of edge by means of a self-written Python-based script. Four simple geometrical forms were employed to classify the MPs, i.e., fiber, ellipse, triangle, and quadrilateral shapes, while their edges were defined as plain, wavy, lobed, and filiform, quantifying each type of edge on every MP. In addition, the numerical results provided by the computational analysis were employed to develop two complimentary indexes, R and I, associated to the degree of surface roughness and smoothness, ranging from 0 to 1 for the quantitative morphological characterization of the regularity and irregularity, respectively, of the particles. Thus, an inexpensive and simple but rigorous detailed physical characterization for MPs is provided, which can be particularly helpful for monitoring the changes that these particles may undergo in the environment.

Numerical Tools For Wave Overtopping At Rubble Mound Breakwaters With Submerged Berms

In the era of climate change, the adaptation of existing coastal structures as a response to potential increasing loads, has become a trending topic in coastal engineering. The combination of sea level rise, storm surge, tides and waves is going to dramatically increase the wave overtopping. In this context, this research is focused on the evaluation of wave overtopping for conventional rubble mound breakwaters, modified by the introduction of a submerged berm. Recent studies illustrated how the introduction of emerged berms on the seaward slope reduces the wave overtopping. The goal then becomes to turn the spotlight on the submerged berms, whose effectiveness has yet to be attested, although it has proven useful in reducing wave loads on the armour layer and seabed pressure under the structure. Therefore, the reliability of two different numerical models in detecting overtopping phenomenon have been assessed. IHFOAM and SWASH have been used (see Figure 1). The first one can solve both Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes and the Volume Averaged Reynolds Averaged Navier–Stokes equations. The second one solves the non-linear shallow water equations with a non-hydrostatic pressure term, representing a simplified form of the Navier-Stokes equations, with associated limited computational cost. The numerical models have been validated based on experimental tests carried out in a wave flume at the University of L’Aquila.

Revolutionizing Student Accommodation: A MERN-Based Rental System For Seamless Property Management

This web application facilitates the registration of individual homes or apartments to streamline the process of finding ideal rental properties. Users can conveniently search for their next rental in targeted areas through a user-friendly interface. The platform is designed to cater to diverse real estate needs in India, including property buying, selling, and leasing. It serves as a valuable tool for investment by maintaining a comprehensive database of various properties and agent information. Not only does it assist users in accessing updated property information globally, but it also enables agents to manage and update their listings. The platform alleviates the complexities associated with traditional property search methods by offering a simplified online form, minimizing the need for individual agent communication, appointment scheduling, and time coordination

Simulations of exact explicit solutions of simplified modified form of Camassa–Holm equation

Simulations of exact explicit solutions of simplified modified form of Camassa–Holm equation

A Web-Based Assessment and Evaluation System for Architectural Design Studio Modules

Architectural design studio modules are known to be difficult to teach and/or assess. To acquire design skills, typically, students have several design modules during their program and several projects for each module. However, traditional project assessment and evaluation lacks consistency, objectivity and fairness. Furthermore, monitoring student progress over the different projects and over the different modules and different semesters is very difficult and needs much time and effort. This work presents a web-based system developed to support fair rubrics-based assessment and evaluation of design projects and to provide in-depth analysis of students' results. It also links between the results over the different projects and the different modules and provides feedback about students' skills and weaknesses in a simple form thus allowing progressive learning. The system has been tested and evaluated and the results show its simplicity, reliability and effectiveness.

An approach to calculate Franck-Condon factors involving anharmonic potentials using harmonic oscillator bases

In this contribution a discrete variable representation (DVR) approach to calculate Franck-Condon factors (FCFs) is presented. The method is illustrated using a harmonic oscillator basis. The advantage of this approach is that it is possible to calculate FCFs associated with general potentials based on the knowledge of the harmonic oscillator theory. First the coordinate and momentum representations are introduced. Based on this concept, the DVR is proposed, which allows the Franck-Condon factors to be calculated in a simple form. This method takes advantage of the momentum as generator of translations to include the displacement of the potentials. The calculation of the FCFs is exemplified for transitions involving the ground state X1Σg+ and the excited state a 1Π g of the diatomic molecule 14N2 both modelled with Morse potentials.

Explanatory and numerical examination of the fractional conditions of blood stream in a limit, slanted supply route utilizing the Akbari Ganji technique

This paper investigates the flow of blood through a slanted stenosed artery beneath the impact of a magnetism field. The equations that control the behavior of blood use a type of derivative called Caputo Fabrizio time fractional derivatives. These equations explain that blood acts like a non-Newtonian Casson fluid. The objective of this study is to explore the governing equations of blood flow in a narrow artery by utilizing Caputo Fabrizio fractional derivatives. Using the Laplace and limited Hankel changes of arrange zero, expository arrangements for the overseeing conditions have been inferred. Using the Akbari Ganji method, simple math problems have been solved and transformed into simpler forms. Answers have been found using this method. This article introduces a new approach by applying the AGM analytical and numerical method to address dimensionless fractional equations related to velocity and pressure, in conjunction with the Capato method, marking a significant innovation. Generally, the velocity of the particles is slower than the velocity of the blood. Anyway, the Reynolds number and Casson's liquid parameters are incrementing in both blood and molecule velocities. However, blood velocity diminishes with an increment within the Hartmann number. These discoveries hold noteworthy suggestions for the progress of atherosclerosis treatment. The narrowing of the diameter of the blood vessel with a radius of 45° and a relative percentage of 35 increases the flow resistance and height of the stenosis.

Partial label learning with heterogeneous domain adaptation

Partial label learning (PLL) seeks a classification model with partially labeled (PL) instances. Each PL instance is attached with a candidate label set, with only one being ground-truth. A fundamental assumption of the previous PLL works is that there are sufficient PL instances in the learning process. Nevertheless, this assumption may not always be valid. In real-world scenarios, there may be only a few PL instances available for training. To this end, we introduce a new PLL method with heterogeneous domain adaptation (PLL-HDA). PLL-HDA leverages the knowledge from the source domain to induce a PLL classifier of the target domain, which contains only a few PL instances for training. Firstly, PLL-HDA introduces a common subspace to measure the instances from the source and target domains, where the instances from these domains are described by heterogeneous features of distinct dimensions. Secondly, we augment the features of the common subspace by merging the original features from both domains. Thirdly, a large-margin-based PLL learning system is established on the augmented features. It leads to a simplified dual form, which can be directly resolved by off-the-shelf support vector machine solvers. Lastly, a heuristic framework is proposed to resolve the PLL-HDA classification model. In this framework, the tasks of learning the classifier on the augmented features and identifying the ground-truth labels of target domain are conducted alternately. Extensive experiments on both the controlled PLL and real-world PLL datasets illustrate the superiority of PLL-HDA over the existing PLL methods. Our code is available at: https://github.com/Sux86.

Simplified Sample Size Formulas for Detecting a Medically Important Effect

The sample size is just about the most common question in the minds of many medical researchers. This size determines the reliability of the results and helps to detect a medically important effect when present. Some studies miss an important effect due to inappropriate sample size. Many postgraduate students and established researchers often contact a statistician to help them determine an appropriate sample size for their study. More than 80 formulas are available to calculate sample size for different settings and the choice requires some expertise. Their use is even more difficult because most exact formulas are quite complex. An added difficulty is that different books, software, and websites use different formulas for the same problem. Such discrepancy in the published formulas confounds a biostatistician also. The objective of this communication is to present uniformly looking formulas for many situations together at one place in their simple but correct form, along with the setting where they are applicable. This will help in choosing an appropriate formula for the kind of research one is proposing to do and use it with confidence. This communication is restricted to the sample size required to detect a medically important effect when present – known to the statisticians as the test of hypothesis situation. Such a collection is not available anywhere, not even in any book. The sample size formulas for estimation are different and not discussed here.