Unmanned aerial vehicle for internet of everything : opportunities and challenges
- Liu, Yalin, Dai, Hong-Ning, Wang, Qubeijian, Shukla, Mahendra, Imran, Muhammad
- Authors: Liu, Yalin , Dai, Hong-Ning , Wang, Qubeijian , Shukla, Mahendra , Imran, Muhammad
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Computer Communications Vol. 155, no. (2020), p. 66-83
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The recent advances in information and communication technology (ICT) have further extended Internet of Things (IoT) from the sole “things” aspect to the omnipotent role of “intelligent connection of things”. Meanwhile, the concept of internet of everything (IoE) is presented as such an omnipotent extension of IoT. However, the IoE realization meets critical challenges including the restricted network coverage and the limited resource of existing network technologies. Recently, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have attracted significant attentions attributed to their high mobility, low cost, and flexible deployment. Thus, UAVs may potentially overcome the challenges of IoE. This article presents a comprehensive survey on opportunities and challenges of UAV-enabled IoE. We first present three critical expectations of IoE: (1) scalability requiring a scalable network architecture with ubiquitous coverage, (2) intelligence requiring a global computing plane enabling intelligent things, (3) diversity requiring provisions of diverse applications. Thereafter, we review the enabling technologies to achieve these expectations and discuss four intrinsic constraints of IoE (i.e., coverage constraint, battery constraint, computing constraint, and security issues). We then present an overview of UAVs. We next discuss the opportunities brought by UAV to IoE. Additionally, we introduce a UAV-enabled IoE (Ue-IoE) solution by exploiting UAVs's mobility, in which we show that Ue-IoE can greatly enhance the scalability, intelligence and diversity of IoE. Finally, we outline the future directions in Ue-IoE. © 2020 Elsevier B.V.
- Authors: Liu, Yalin , Dai, Hong-Ning , Wang, Qubeijian , Shukla, Mahendra , Imran, Muhammad
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Computer Communications Vol. 155, no. (2020), p. 66-83
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The recent advances in information and communication technology (ICT) have further extended Internet of Things (IoT) from the sole “things” aspect to the omnipotent role of “intelligent connection of things”. Meanwhile, the concept of internet of everything (IoE) is presented as such an omnipotent extension of IoT. However, the IoE realization meets critical challenges including the restricted network coverage and the limited resource of existing network technologies. Recently, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have attracted significant attentions attributed to their high mobility, low cost, and flexible deployment. Thus, UAVs may potentially overcome the challenges of IoE. This article presents a comprehensive survey on opportunities and challenges of UAV-enabled IoE. We first present three critical expectations of IoE: (1) scalability requiring a scalable network architecture with ubiquitous coverage, (2) intelligence requiring a global computing plane enabling intelligent things, (3) diversity requiring provisions of diverse applications. Thereafter, we review the enabling technologies to achieve these expectations and discuss four intrinsic constraints of IoE (i.e., coverage constraint, battery constraint, computing constraint, and security issues). We then present an overview of UAVs. We next discuss the opportunities brought by UAV to IoE. Additionally, we introduce a UAV-enabled IoE (Ue-IoE) solution by exploiting UAVs's mobility, in which we show that Ue-IoE can greatly enhance the scalability, intelligence and diversity of IoE. Finally, we outline the future directions in Ue-IoE. © 2020 Elsevier B.V.
A comprehensive review of computational methods for automatic prediction of schizophrenia with insight into indigenous populations
- Ratana, Randall, Sharifzadeh, Hamid, Krishnan, Jamuna, Pang, Shaoning
- Authors: Ratana, Randall , Sharifzadeh, Hamid , Krishnan, Jamuna , Pang, Shaoning
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Frontiers in Psychiatry Vol. 10, no. (2019), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Psychiatrists rely on language and speech behavior as one of the main clues in psychiatric diagnosis. Descriptive psychopathology and phenomenology form the basis of a common language used by psychiatrists to describe abnormal mental states. This conventional technique of clinical observation informed early studies on disturbances of thought form, speech, and language observed in psychosis and schizophrenia. These findings resulted in language models that were used as tools in psychosis research that concerned itself with the links between formal thought disorder and language disturbances observed in schizophrenia. The end result was the development of clinical rating scales measuring severity of disturbances in speech, language, and thought form. However, these linguistic measures do not fully capture the richness of human discourse and are time-consuming and subjective when measured against psychometric rating scales. These linguistic measures have not considered the influence of culture on psychopathology. With recent advances in computational sciences, we have seen a re-emergence of novel research using computing methods to analyze free speech for improving prediction and diagnosis of psychosis. Current studies on automated speech analysis examining for semantic incoherence are carried out based on natural language processing and acoustic analysis, which, in some studies, have been combined with machine learning approaches for classification and prediction purposes. © Copyright © 2019 Ratana, Sharifzadeh, Krishnan and Pang.
- Authors: Ratana, Randall , Sharifzadeh, Hamid , Krishnan, Jamuna , Pang, Shaoning
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Frontiers in Psychiatry Vol. 10, no. (2019), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Psychiatrists rely on language and speech behavior as one of the main clues in psychiatric diagnosis. Descriptive psychopathology and phenomenology form the basis of a common language used by psychiatrists to describe abnormal mental states. This conventional technique of clinical observation informed early studies on disturbances of thought form, speech, and language observed in psychosis and schizophrenia. These findings resulted in language models that were used as tools in psychosis research that concerned itself with the links between formal thought disorder and language disturbances observed in schizophrenia. The end result was the development of clinical rating scales measuring severity of disturbances in speech, language, and thought form. However, these linguistic measures do not fully capture the richness of human discourse and are time-consuming and subjective when measured against psychometric rating scales. These linguistic measures have not considered the influence of culture on psychopathology. With recent advances in computational sciences, we have seen a re-emergence of novel research using computing methods to analyze free speech for improving prediction and diagnosis of psychosis. Current studies on automated speech analysis examining for semantic incoherence are carried out based on natural language processing and acoustic analysis, which, in some studies, have been combined with machine learning approaches for classification and prediction purposes. © Copyright © 2019 Ratana, Sharifzadeh, Krishnan and Pang.
A systematic review of Lean in healthcare : a global prospective
- Antony, Jiju, Sunder, Vijaya, Sreedharan, Raja, Chakraborty, Ayon, Gunasekaran, Angappa
- Authors: Antony, Jiju , Sunder, Vijaya , Sreedharan, Raja , Chakraborty, Ayon , Gunasekaran, Angappa
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management Vol. 36, no. 8 (2019), p. 1370-1391
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Purpose: Fostered by a rapid spread beyond the manufacturing sector, Lean philosophy for continuous improvement has been widely used in service organizations, primarily in the healthcare sector. However, there is a limited research on the motivating factors, challenges and benefits of implementing Lean in healthcare. Taking this as a valuable opportunity, the purpose of this paper is to present the key motivating factors, limitations or challenges of Lean deployment, benefits of Lean in healthcare and key gaps in the literature as an agenda for future research. Design/methodology/approach: The authors used the secondary data from the literature (peer-reviewed journal articles) published between 2000 and 2016 to understand the state of the art. The systematic review identified 101 articles across 88 journals recognized by the Association of Business Schools ranking guide 2015. Findings: The systematic review helped the authors to identify the evolution, current trends, research gaps and an agenda for future research for Lean in healthcare. A bouquet of motivating factors, challenges/limitations and benefits of Lean in healthcare are presented. Practical implications: The implications of this work include directions for managers and healthcare professionals in healthcare organizations to embark on a focused Lean journey aligned with the strategic objectives. This work could serve as a valuable resource to both practitioners and researchers for learning, investigating and rightly adapting the Lean in the healthcare sector. Originality/value: This study is perhaps one of the comprehensive systematic literature reviews covering an important agenda of Lean in Healthcare. All the text, figures and tables featured here are original work carried by five authors in collaboration (from three countries, namely, India, the USA and the UK). © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited.
- Authors: Antony, Jiju , Sunder, Vijaya , Sreedharan, Raja , Chakraborty, Ayon , Gunasekaran, Angappa
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management Vol. 36, no. 8 (2019), p. 1370-1391
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Purpose: Fostered by a rapid spread beyond the manufacturing sector, Lean philosophy for continuous improvement has been widely used in service organizations, primarily in the healthcare sector. However, there is a limited research on the motivating factors, challenges and benefits of implementing Lean in healthcare. Taking this as a valuable opportunity, the purpose of this paper is to present the key motivating factors, limitations or challenges of Lean deployment, benefits of Lean in healthcare and key gaps in the literature as an agenda for future research. Design/methodology/approach: The authors used the secondary data from the literature (peer-reviewed journal articles) published between 2000 and 2016 to understand the state of the art. The systematic review identified 101 articles across 88 journals recognized by the Association of Business Schools ranking guide 2015. Findings: The systematic review helped the authors to identify the evolution, current trends, research gaps and an agenda for future research for Lean in healthcare. A bouquet of motivating factors, challenges/limitations and benefits of Lean in healthcare are presented. Practical implications: The implications of this work include directions for managers and healthcare professionals in healthcare organizations to embark on a focused Lean journey aligned with the strategic objectives. This work could serve as a valuable resource to both practitioners and researchers for learning, investigating and rightly adapting the Lean in the healthcare sector. Originality/value: This study is perhaps one of the comprehensive systematic literature reviews covering an important agenda of Lean in Healthcare. All the text, figures and tables featured here are original work carried by five authors in collaboration (from three countries, namely, India, the USA and the UK). © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited.
Abrasion injuries on artificial turf : A systematic review
- Twomey, Dara, Petrass, Lauren, Fleming, Paul, Lenehan, Kurt
- Authors: Twomey, Dara , Petrass, Lauren , Fleming, Paul , Lenehan, Kurt
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 22, no. 5 (2019), p. 550-556
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objectives: To review the incidence of abrasion injuries sustained on artificial turf playing fields and the level of evidence existing on player perceptions of abrasion injuries on these surfaces. Design: Systematic review. Method: A systematic search was performed using SPORTDiscus, Medline, Web of Science, Scopus and Science Direct databases. Inclusion criteria included: abrasion type injuries measured; conducted on artificial/synthetic turf; type of sport reported; peer-reviewed original research; English language search terms, but no language restrictions. A quality assessment was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa quality scale. Results: The search yielded 76 potential articles, with 25 meeting all inclusion criteria. Twenty articles were injury-based and five were perception–based. The differences in injury definition and the lack of details of the playing surfaces produced varying results on the rate of injuries on artificial turf. Regardless of the condition of the surface, the level of play, or the sport, players perceived the fear of abrasion injuries as a major disadvantage of artificial turf surfaces. Conclusions: The review highlighted the current disparity that exists between players’ perceptions of abrasion injuries and the level of evidence of abrasion injury risk on artificial turf playing surfaces. There is a need for the inclusion of greater detail of playing surfaces’ specifications and condition, and an injury definition sufficiently sensitive to better measure abrasion injury incidence and severity. Without this more detailed information, it is likely that the strongly perceived risk of abrasion injuries will continue as a barrier to the adoption of artificial playing surfaces.
- Authors: Twomey, Dara , Petrass, Lauren , Fleming, Paul , Lenehan, Kurt
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 22, no. 5 (2019), p. 550-556
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Objectives: To review the incidence of abrasion injuries sustained on artificial turf playing fields and the level of evidence existing on player perceptions of abrasion injuries on these surfaces. Design: Systematic review. Method: A systematic search was performed using SPORTDiscus, Medline, Web of Science, Scopus and Science Direct databases. Inclusion criteria included: abrasion type injuries measured; conducted on artificial/synthetic turf; type of sport reported; peer-reviewed original research; English language search terms, but no language restrictions. A quality assessment was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa quality scale. Results: The search yielded 76 potential articles, with 25 meeting all inclusion criteria. Twenty articles were injury-based and five were perception–based. The differences in injury definition and the lack of details of the playing surfaces produced varying results on the rate of injuries on artificial turf. Regardless of the condition of the surface, the level of play, or the sport, players perceived the fear of abrasion injuries as a major disadvantage of artificial turf surfaces. Conclusions: The review highlighted the current disparity that exists between players’ perceptions of abrasion injuries and the level of evidence of abrasion injury risk on artificial turf playing surfaces. There is a need for the inclusion of greater detail of playing surfaces’ specifications and condition, and an injury definition sufficiently sensitive to better measure abrasion injury incidence and severity. Without this more detailed information, it is likely that the strongly perceived risk of abrasion injuries will continue as a barrier to the adoption of artificial playing surfaces.
Aerobic training protects cardiac function during advancing age : A meta-analysis of four decades of controlled studies
- Beaumont, Alexander, Grace, Fergal, Richards, Joanna, Campbell, Amy, Sculthorpe, Nicholas
- Authors: Beaumont, Alexander , Grace, Fergal , Richards, Joanna , Campbell, Amy , Sculthorpe, Nicholas
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Sports Medicine Vol. 49, no. 2 (2019), p. 199-219
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: In contrast to younger athletes, there is comparatively less literature examining cardiac structure and function in older athletes. However, a progressive accumulation of studies during the past four decades offers a body of literature worthy of systematic scrutiny. Objectives: We conducted a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of controlled echocardiography studies comparing left ventricular (LV) structure and function in aerobically trained older athletes (> 45 years) with age-matched untrained controls, in addition to investigating the influence of chronological age. Methods: Electronic databases were searched from inception to January 2018 before conducting a random-effects meta-analysis to calculate pooled differences in means, effect size and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Study heterogeneity was reported using Cochran’s Q and I2 statistic. Results: Overall, 32 studies (644 athletes; 582 controls) were included. Athletes had greater LV end-diastolic diameter (3.65 mm, 95% CI 2.66–4.64), interventricular septal thickness (1.23 mm, 95% CI 0.85–1.60), posterior wall thickness (1.20 mm, 95% CI 0.83–1.56), LV mass (72 g, 95% CI 46–98), LV mass index (28.17 g·m2, 95% CI 19.84–36.49) and stroke volume (13.59 mL, 95% CI 7.20–19.98) (all p < 0.01). Athletes had superior global diastolic function [ratio of early (E) to late (A) mitral inflow velocity (E/A) 0.18, 95% CI 0.13–0.24, p < 0.01; ratio of early (e′) to late (a′) diastolic annular tissue velocity (e′/a′) 0.23, 95% CI 0.06–0.40, p = 0.01], lower A (−8.20 cm·s−1, 95% CI −11.90 to −4.51, p < 0.01) and a′ (−0.72 cm·s−1, 95% CI −1.31 to −0.12, p = 0.02), and more rapid e′ (0.96 cm·s−1, 95% CI 0.05–1.86, p = 0.04). Meta-regression for chronological age identified that athlete–control differences, in the main, are maintained during advancing age. Conclusions: Athletic older men have larger cardiac dimensions and enjoy more favourable cardiac function than healthy, non-athletic counterparts. Notably, the athlete groups maintain these effects during chronological ageing. © 2018, The Author(s).
- Authors: Beaumont, Alexander , Grace, Fergal , Richards, Joanna , Campbell, Amy , Sculthorpe, Nicholas
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Sports Medicine Vol. 49, no. 2 (2019), p. 199-219
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: In contrast to younger athletes, there is comparatively less literature examining cardiac structure and function in older athletes. However, a progressive accumulation of studies during the past four decades offers a body of literature worthy of systematic scrutiny. Objectives: We conducted a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of controlled echocardiography studies comparing left ventricular (LV) structure and function in aerobically trained older athletes (> 45 years) with age-matched untrained controls, in addition to investigating the influence of chronological age. Methods: Electronic databases were searched from inception to January 2018 before conducting a random-effects meta-analysis to calculate pooled differences in means, effect size and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Study heterogeneity was reported using Cochran’s Q and I2 statistic. Results: Overall, 32 studies (644 athletes; 582 controls) were included. Athletes had greater LV end-diastolic diameter (3.65 mm, 95% CI 2.66–4.64), interventricular septal thickness (1.23 mm, 95% CI 0.85–1.60), posterior wall thickness (1.20 mm, 95% CI 0.83–1.56), LV mass (72 g, 95% CI 46–98), LV mass index (28.17 g·m2, 95% CI 19.84–36.49) and stroke volume (13.59 mL, 95% CI 7.20–19.98) (all p < 0.01). Athletes had superior global diastolic function [ratio of early (E) to late (A) mitral inflow velocity (E/A) 0.18, 95% CI 0.13–0.24, p < 0.01; ratio of early (e′) to late (a′) diastolic annular tissue velocity (e′/a′) 0.23, 95% CI 0.06–0.40, p = 0.01], lower A (−8.20 cm·s−1, 95% CI −11.90 to −4.51, p < 0.01) and a′ (−0.72 cm·s−1, 95% CI −1.31 to −0.12, p = 0.02), and more rapid e′ (0.96 cm·s−1, 95% CI 0.05–1.86, p = 0.04). Meta-regression for chronological age identified that athlete–control differences, in the main, are maintained during advancing age. Conclusions: Athletic older men have larger cardiac dimensions and enjoy more favourable cardiac function than healthy, non-athletic counterparts. Notably, the athlete groups maintain these effects during chronological ageing. © 2018, The Author(s).
Animal movements in fire-prone landscapes
- Nimmo, Dale, Avitabile, Sarah, Banks, Sam, Bird, Rebecca, Callister, Kate, Clarke, Michael, Dickman, Chris, Doherty, Tim, Driscoll, Don, Greenville, Aaron, Haslem, Angie, Kelly, Luke, Kenny, Sally, Lahoz-Monfort, Jose, Lee, Connie, Leonard, Steven, Moore, Harry, Newsome, Thomas, Parr, Catherine, Ritchie, Euan, Schneider, Kathryn, Turner, James, Watson, Simon, Westbrooke, Martin, Wouters, Mike, White, Matthew, Bennett, Andrew
- Authors: Nimmo, Dale , Avitabile, Sarah , Banks, Sam , Bird, Rebecca , Callister, Kate , Clarke, Michael , Dickman, Chris , Doherty, Tim , Driscoll, Don , Greenville, Aaron , Haslem, Angie , Kelly, Luke , Kenny, Sally , Lahoz-Monfort, Jose , Lee, Connie , Leonard, Steven , Moore, Harry , Newsome, Thomas , Parr, Catherine , Ritchie, Euan , Schneider, Kathryn , Turner, James , Watson, Simon , Westbrooke, Martin , Wouters, Mike , White, Matthew , Bennett, Andrew
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Biological Reviews Vol. 94, no. 3 (2019), p. 981-998
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Movement is a trait of fundamental importance in ecosystems subject to frequent disturbances, such as fire-prone ecosystems. Despite this, the role of movement in facilitating responses to fire has received little attention. Herein, we consider how animal movement interacts with fire history to shape species distributions. We consider how fire affects movement between habitat patches of differing fire histories that occur across a range of spatial and temporal scales, from daily foraging bouts to infrequent dispersal events, and annual migrations. We review animal movements in response to the immediate and abrupt impacts of fire, and the longer-term successional changes that fires set in train. We discuss how the novel threats of altered fire regimes, landscape fragmentation, and invasive species result in suboptimal movements that drive populations downwards. We then outline the types of data needed to study animal movements in relation to fire and novel threats, to hasten the integration of movement ecology and fire ecology. We conclude by outlining a research agenda for the integration of movement ecology and fire ecology by identifying key research questions that emerge from our synthesis of animal movements in fire-prone ecosystems.
- Authors: Nimmo, Dale , Avitabile, Sarah , Banks, Sam , Bird, Rebecca , Callister, Kate , Clarke, Michael , Dickman, Chris , Doherty, Tim , Driscoll, Don , Greenville, Aaron , Haslem, Angie , Kelly, Luke , Kenny, Sally , Lahoz-Monfort, Jose , Lee, Connie , Leonard, Steven , Moore, Harry , Newsome, Thomas , Parr, Catherine , Ritchie, Euan , Schneider, Kathryn , Turner, James , Watson, Simon , Westbrooke, Martin , Wouters, Mike , White, Matthew , Bennett, Andrew
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Biological Reviews Vol. 94, no. 3 (2019), p. 981-998
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Movement is a trait of fundamental importance in ecosystems subject to frequent disturbances, such as fire-prone ecosystems. Despite this, the role of movement in facilitating responses to fire has received little attention. Herein, we consider how animal movement interacts with fire history to shape species distributions. We consider how fire affects movement between habitat patches of differing fire histories that occur across a range of spatial and temporal scales, from daily foraging bouts to infrequent dispersal events, and annual migrations. We review animal movements in response to the immediate and abrupt impacts of fire, and the longer-term successional changes that fires set in train. We discuss how the novel threats of altered fire regimes, landscape fragmentation, and invasive species result in suboptimal movements that drive populations downwards. We then outline the types of data needed to study animal movements in relation to fire and novel threats, to hasten the integration of movement ecology and fire ecology. We conclude by outlining a research agenda for the integration of movement ecology and fire ecology by identifying key research questions that emerge from our synthesis of animal movements in fire-prone ecosystems.
Benefits of pilates in Parkinson's Disease : A systematic review and meta-analysis
- Suarez-Iglesias, David, Miller, Kyle, Seijo-Martinez, Manuel, Ayan, Carlos
- Authors: Suarez-Iglesias, David , Miller, Kyle , Seijo-Martinez, Manuel , Ayan, Carlos
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Medicina-Lithuania Vol. 55, no. 8 (2019), p. 1-14
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Pilates may be a beneficial method of exercise for people with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, no studies have critically reviewed the scientific evidence in this regard. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of Pilates as a rehabilitation strategy for PD. A systematic search of the electronic databases PubMed, PEDro, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus was conducted to identify studies related to the effect of Pilates on PD. The search timeframe ranged from the inception of each database to March 2019. The search resulted in the identification of four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and four non-RCT studies. The methodological quality of the investigations ranged from poor to fair. The descriptive analysis of the eight investigations showed that Pilates resulted in beneficial effects on fitness, balance and functional autonomy. A subsequent meta-analysis on the four RCTs indicated that Pilates was more effective than traditional training programmes in improving lower limb function. Pilates can be safely prescribed for people with mild-to-moderate PD. Preliminary evidence indicates that its practice could have a positive impact on fitness, balance and physical function. Its benefits on lower-body function appear to be superior to those of other conventional exercises. Future randomized studies with greater samples are needed to confirm these observations.
- Authors: Suarez-Iglesias, David , Miller, Kyle , Seijo-Martinez, Manuel , Ayan, Carlos
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Medicina-Lithuania Vol. 55, no. 8 (2019), p. 1-14
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Pilates may be a beneficial method of exercise for people with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, no studies have critically reviewed the scientific evidence in this regard. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of Pilates as a rehabilitation strategy for PD. A systematic search of the electronic databases PubMed, PEDro, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus was conducted to identify studies related to the effect of Pilates on PD. The search timeframe ranged from the inception of each database to March 2019. The search resulted in the identification of four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and four non-RCT studies. The methodological quality of the investigations ranged from poor to fair. The descriptive analysis of the eight investigations showed that Pilates resulted in beneficial effects on fitness, balance and functional autonomy. A subsequent meta-analysis on the four RCTs indicated that Pilates was more effective than traditional training programmes in improving lower limb function. Pilates can be safely prescribed for people with mild-to-moderate PD. Preliminary evidence indicates that its practice could have a positive impact on fitness, balance and physical function. Its benefits on lower-body function appear to be superior to those of other conventional exercises. Future randomized studies with greater samples are needed to confirm these observations.
Binge eating in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome : Prevalence, causes, and management strategies
- Krug, Isabel, Giles, Sarah, Paganini, Chiara
- Authors: Krug, Isabel , Giles, Sarah , Paganini, Chiara
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment Vol. 15, no. (2019), p. 1273-1285
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Emerging evidence suggests that disordered eating, particularly binge-eating symptomatology, is overrepresented within Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) populations. This comorbidity presents a clinical dilemma as current treatment approaches for PCOS emphasize the importance of weight management, diet, exercise, and the potential for harm of such treatment approaches in PCOS patients with comorbid disordered eating. However, limited research has assessed the occurrence of binge eating and disordered eating in PCOS patients. Consequently, little is known about the prevalence of binge eating in PCOS, and the possible etiological processes to explain this comorbidity remain poorly understood. Given the paucity of research on this topic, the aims of this narrative review are fourfold: 1) to outline the main symptoms of PCOS and binge eating; 2) to provide an overview of the prevalence of binge eating in PCOS; 3) to outline possible etiological factors for the comorbidity between PCOS and binge eating; and 4) to provide an overview of management strategies of binge eating in PCOS.
- Authors: Krug, Isabel , Giles, Sarah , Paganini, Chiara
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment Vol. 15, no. (2019), p. 1273-1285
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Emerging evidence suggests that disordered eating, particularly binge-eating symptomatology, is overrepresented within Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) populations. This comorbidity presents a clinical dilemma as current treatment approaches for PCOS emphasize the importance of weight management, diet, exercise, and the potential for harm of such treatment approaches in PCOS patients with comorbid disordered eating. However, limited research has assessed the occurrence of binge eating and disordered eating in PCOS patients. Consequently, little is known about the prevalence of binge eating in PCOS, and the possible etiological processes to explain this comorbidity remain poorly understood. Given the paucity of research on this topic, the aims of this narrative review are fourfold: 1) to outline the main symptoms of PCOS and binge eating; 2) to provide an overview of the prevalence of binge eating in PCOS; 3) to outline possible etiological factors for the comorbidity between PCOS and binge eating; and 4) to provide an overview of management strategies of binge eating in PCOS.
Biochar versus bone char for a sustainable inorganic arsenic mitigation in water : What needs to be done in future research?
- Alkurdi, Susan, Herath, Indika, Bundschuh, Jochen, Al-Juboori, Raed, Vithanage, Meththika, Mohan, Dinesh
- Authors: Alkurdi, Susan , Herath, Indika , Bundschuh, Jochen , Al-Juboori, Raed , Vithanage, Meththika , Mohan, Dinesh
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Environment International Vol. 127, no. (2019), p. 52-69
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Arsenic (As) is an emerging contaminant on a global scale posing threat to environmental and human health. The relatively brief history of the applications of biochar and bone char has mapped the endeavors to remove As from water to a considerable extent. This critical review attempts to provide a comprehensive overview for the first time on the potential of bio- and bone-char in the immobilization of inorganic As in water. It seeks to offer a rational assessment of what is existing and what needs to be done in future research as an implication for As toxicity of human health risks through acute and chronic exposure to As contaminated water. Bio- and bone-char are recognized as promising alternatives to activated carbon due to their lower production and activation cost. The surface modification via chemical methods has been adopted to improve the adsorption capacity for anionic As species. Surface complexation, ion exchange, precipitation and electrostatic interactions are the main mechanisms involved in the adsorption of As onto the char surface. However, arsenic-bio-bone char interactions along with their chemical bonding for the removal of As in aqueous solution is still a subject of debate. Hence, the proposed mechanisms need to be scrutinized further using advanced analytical techniques such as synchrotron-based X-ray. Moving this technology from laboratory phase to field scale applications is an urgent necessity in order to establish a sustainable As mitigation in drinking water on a global scale.
- Authors: Alkurdi, Susan , Herath, Indika , Bundschuh, Jochen , Al-Juboori, Raed , Vithanage, Meththika , Mohan, Dinesh
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Environment International Vol. 127, no. (2019), p. 52-69
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Arsenic (As) is an emerging contaminant on a global scale posing threat to environmental and human health. The relatively brief history of the applications of biochar and bone char has mapped the endeavors to remove As from water to a considerable extent. This critical review attempts to provide a comprehensive overview for the first time on the potential of bio- and bone-char in the immobilization of inorganic As in water. It seeks to offer a rational assessment of what is existing and what needs to be done in future research as an implication for As toxicity of human health risks through acute and chronic exposure to As contaminated water. Bio- and bone-char are recognized as promising alternatives to activated carbon due to their lower production and activation cost. The surface modification via chemical methods has been adopted to improve the adsorption capacity for anionic As species. Surface complexation, ion exchange, precipitation and electrostatic interactions are the main mechanisms involved in the adsorption of As onto the char surface. However, arsenic-bio-bone char interactions along with their chemical bonding for the removal of As in aqueous solution is still a subject of debate. Hence, the proposed mechanisms need to be scrutinized further using advanced analytical techniques such as synchrotron-based X-ray. Moving this technology from laboratory phase to field scale applications is an urgent necessity in order to establish a sustainable As mitigation in drinking water on a global scale.
Bone char as a green sorbent for removing health threatening fluoride from drinking water
- Alkurdi, Susan, Al-Juboori, Raed, Bundschuh, Jochen, Hamawand, Ihsan
- Authors: Alkurdi, Susan , Al-Juboori, Raed , Bundschuh, Jochen , Hamawand, Ihsan
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Environment International Vol. 127, no. (2019), p. 704-719
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Millions of people around the world suffer from or prone to health problems caused by high concentration of fluoride in drinking water sources. One of the environmentally friendly and cost-effective ways for removing fluoride is the use of bone char. In this review, the structural properties and binding affinity of fluoride ions from different water sources was critically discussed. The effect of experimental conditions on enhancing the adsorption capacity of fluoride ions using bone char samples was addressed. It appears that surface properties, and conditions of the bone char production such as temperature and residence time play an important role in designing the optimal fluoride removal process. The optimum temperature for fluoride removal seems to be in the range of 500–700 °C and a residence time of 2 h. Applying various equilibrium adsorption isotherms for understanding fluoride adsorption mechanism was presented. The effect of bone char modification with different elements were discussed and recommendations for a further increase in the removal efficiency was proposed. Cost of bone char production and large-scale treatment systems were also discussed based on information available from scientific and commercial sources. Challenges with existing domestic defluoridation designs were highlighted and suggestions for new conceptual designs were provided.
- Authors: Alkurdi, Susan , Al-Juboori, Raed , Bundschuh, Jochen , Hamawand, Ihsan
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Environment International Vol. 127, no. (2019), p. 704-719
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Millions of people around the world suffer from or prone to health problems caused by high concentration of fluoride in drinking water sources. One of the environmentally friendly and cost-effective ways for removing fluoride is the use of bone char. In this review, the structural properties and binding affinity of fluoride ions from different water sources was critically discussed. The effect of experimental conditions on enhancing the adsorption capacity of fluoride ions using bone char samples was addressed. It appears that surface properties, and conditions of the bone char production such as temperature and residence time play an important role in designing the optimal fluoride removal process. The optimum temperature for fluoride removal seems to be in the range of 500–700 °C and a residence time of 2 h. Applying various equilibrium adsorption isotherms for understanding fluoride adsorption mechanism was presented. The effect of bone char modification with different elements were discussed and recommendations for a further increase in the removal efficiency was proposed. Cost of bone char production and large-scale treatment systems were also discussed based on information available from scientific and commercial sources. Challenges with existing domestic defluoridation designs were highlighted and suggestions for new conceptual designs were provided.
Choking interventions in sports : A systematic review
- Gröpel, Peter, Mesagno, Christopher
- Authors: Gröpel, Peter , Mesagno, Christopher
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology Vol. 12, no. 1 (2019), p. 176-201
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Choking under pressure describes suboptimal sport performance in stressful situations, which has led to two fundamental ‘choking’ models: distraction and self-focus. The purpose of this review was to provide an overview of empirical studies that have tested interventions used to alleviate choking. The systematic review includes 47 empirical studies published up to April 2017, including experimental, quasi-experimental, and single-case studies with athletes. These studies encompassed a variety of interventions (n = 13) that were either distraction based or self-focus based. In addition, a third group–acclimatisation interventions–was identified. The results indicate that, in general, choking interventions based on both choking models and on acclimatisation provide a benefit to performance under pressure. The most reported effective interventions were pre-performance routines, quiet eye training, left-hand contractions, and acclimatisation training. The use of dual task was beneficial for performance under pressure but harmful when used in training. Mixed evidence was found for analogy learning, and null effects were reported for goal setting, neurofeedback training, and reappraisal cues. These results may help athletes and coaches select and implement effective strategies and methods to improve performance under pressure.
- Authors: Gröpel, Peter , Mesagno, Christopher
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology Vol. 12, no. 1 (2019), p. 176-201
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Choking under pressure describes suboptimal sport performance in stressful situations, which has led to two fundamental ‘choking’ models: distraction and self-focus. The purpose of this review was to provide an overview of empirical studies that have tested interventions used to alleviate choking. The systematic review includes 47 empirical studies published up to April 2017, including experimental, quasi-experimental, and single-case studies with athletes. These studies encompassed a variety of interventions (n = 13) that were either distraction based or self-focus based. In addition, a third group–acclimatisation interventions–was identified. The results indicate that, in general, choking interventions based on both choking models and on acclimatisation provide a benefit to performance under pressure. The most reported effective interventions were pre-performance routines, quiet eye training, left-hand contractions, and acclimatisation training. The use of dual task was beneficial for performance under pressure but harmful when used in training. Mixed evidence was found for analogy learning, and null effects were reported for goal setting, neurofeedback training, and reappraisal cues. These results may help athletes and coaches select and implement effective strategies and methods to improve performance under pressure.
Communication training and its effects on carer and care-receiver outcomes in dementia settings : A systematic review
- Nguyen, Hoang, Terry, Daniel, Phan, Hoang, Vickers, James, McInerney, Fran
- Authors: Nguyen, Hoang , Terry, Daniel , Phan, Hoang , Vickers, James , McInerney, Fran
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Journal of Clinical Nursing Vol. 28, no. 7-8 (2019), p. 1050-1069
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Aims and objectives To review communication interventions that aim to improve regular care interactions between people with dementia and their carers in various settings; and to examine the impact of such interventions on both carer and care-receiver outcomes. Background Effective communication is imperative to ensure quality of care for people living with dementia. Due to neurodegenerative changes, people with dementia encounter ongoing and progressive difficulties in both understanding and expressing themselves. This in turn creates challenges for carers, which highlights the need for equipping them with necessary communication skills to respond to the specific communication needs of people with dementia. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Method Medline, Embase, CINAHL, ProQuest and PsycINFO databases were searched for eligible interventions with any date of the publication. Hand searching was also conducted through reviewing the reference lists of relevant articles. The screening and selection of studies were based on the inclusion/exclusion criteria for eligibility and the methodological quality assessment checklist. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted on comparable quantitative data. The review is reported following the PRISMA reporting guidelines. Results Seventeen studies were included in the final review, including 12 randomised controlled trials (RCTs), three nonrandomised controlled trials (NRCTs) and two controlled before-after interventions. The intervention designs, settings and outcome measures were varied. The findings suggest that the communication training had a positive impact on both carer and care-receiver outcomes, albeit to different degrees. The intervention effects were found to be strongest on carer communication skills and knowledge. Conclusion There is solid evidence for the positive impact of communication training on the skills and knowledge of carers. More research is needed regarding the effects of such educational interventions on carer physio-psychological outcomes and care-receiver neuropsychiatric symptoms. It is important to establish best practices in training design, develop validated outcome measures and adopt consistent reporting approaches. Relevance to clinical practice The increasing global prevalence of people with dementia manifests across clinical and community contexts. The profound impact of dementia on communication and associated care raises the imperative for enhanced health worker and carer communication skills to meet the needs of this particular client group. The findings of this review indicate that educational interventions incorporating face-to-face and diverse instructional delivery methods in dementia communication showed positive outcomes for communication skills in all carer groups and warrant inclusion as strategies in dementia training.
- Authors: Nguyen, Hoang , Terry, Daniel , Phan, Hoang , Vickers, James , McInerney, Fran
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Journal of Clinical Nursing Vol. 28, no. 7-8 (2019), p. 1050-1069
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Aims and objectives To review communication interventions that aim to improve regular care interactions between people with dementia and their carers in various settings; and to examine the impact of such interventions on both carer and care-receiver outcomes. Background Effective communication is imperative to ensure quality of care for people living with dementia. Due to neurodegenerative changes, people with dementia encounter ongoing and progressive difficulties in both understanding and expressing themselves. This in turn creates challenges for carers, which highlights the need for equipping them with necessary communication skills to respond to the specific communication needs of people with dementia. Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Method Medline, Embase, CINAHL, ProQuest and PsycINFO databases were searched for eligible interventions with any date of the publication. Hand searching was also conducted through reviewing the reference lists of relevant articles. The screening and selection of studies were based on the inclusion/exclusion criteria for eligibility and the methodological quality assessment checklist. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted on comparable quantitative data. The review is reported following the PRISMA reporting guidelines. Results Seventeen studies were included in the final review, including 12 randomised controlled trials (RCTs), three nonrandomised controlled trials (NRCTs) and two controlled before-after interventions. The intervention designs, settings and outcome measures were varied. The findings suggest that the communication training had a positive impact on both carer and care-receiver outcomes, albeit to different degrees. The intervention effects were found to be strongest on carer communication skills and knowledge. Conclusion There is solid evidence for the positive impact of communication training on the skills and knowledge of carers. More research is needed regarding the effects of such educational interventions on carer physio-psychological outcomes and care-receiver neuropsychiatric symptoms. It is important to establish best practices in training design, develop validated outcome measures and adopt consistent reporting approaches. Relevance to clinical practice The increasing global prevalence of people with dementia manifests across clinical and community contexts. The profound impact of dementia on communication and associated care raises the imperative for enhanced health worker and carer communication skills to meet the needs of this particular client group. The findings of this review indicate that educational interventions incorporating face-to-face and diverse instructional delivery methods in dementia communication showed positive outcomes for communication skills in all carer groups and warrant inclusion as strategies in dementia training.
Completing reflective practice post undergraduate nursing clinical placements : A literature review
- Authors: Barbagallo, Michael
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Teaching and Learning in Nursing Vol. 14, no. 3 (2019), p. 160-165
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- Description: Reflective practice post clinical placement in nursing education is essential to integrate knowledge, skills, attitudes, and experiences. Many nursing programs in-cooperate reflective practice to permit the integration of core nursing education with clinical experiences to develop safe and component nurses. The purpose of this literature review is to examine the current trends in nursing education around reflective practice post clinical practice experiences.
- Authors: Barbagallo, Michael
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Teaching and Learning in Nursing Vol. 14, no. 3 (2019), p. 160-165
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Reflective practice post clinical placement in nursing education is essential to integrate knowledge, skills, attitudes, and experiences. Many nursing programs in-cooperate reflective practice to permit the integration of core nursing education with clinical experiences to develop safe and component nurses. The purpose of this literature review is to examine the current trends in nursing education around reflective practice post clinical practice experiences.
Criteria to measure social media value in health care settings : narrative literature review
- Ukoha, Chukwuma, Stranieri, Andrew
- Authors: Ukoha, Chukwuma , Stranieri, Andrew
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Journal of Medical Internet Research Vol. 21, no. 12 (2019), p.
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- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: With the growing use of social media in health care settings, there is a need to measure outcomes resulting from its use to ensure continuous performance improvement. Despite the need for measurement, a unified approach for measuring the value of social media used in health care remains elusive. Objective: This study aimed to elucidate how the value of social media in health care settings can be ascertained and to taxonomically identify steps and techniques in social media measurement from a review of relevant literature. Methods: A total of 65 relevant articles drawn from 341 articles on the subject of measuring social media in health care settings were qualitatively analyzed and synthesized. The articles were selected from the literature from diverse disciplines including business, information systems, medical informatics, and medicine. Results: The review of the literature showed different levels and focus of analysis when measuring the value of social media in health care settings. It equally showed that there are various metrics for measurement, levels of measurement, approaches to measurement, and scales of measurement. Each may be relevant, depending on the use case of social media in health care. Conclusions: A comprehensive yardstick is required to simplify the measurement of outcomes resulting from the use of social media in health care. At the moment, there is neither a consensus on what indicators to measure nor on how to measure them. We hope that this review is used as a starting point to create a comprehensive measurement criterion for social media used in health care. © 2019 Chukwuma Ukoha, Andrew Stranieri.
- Authors: Ukoha, Chukwuma , Stranieri, Andrew
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Journal of Medical Internet Research Vol. 21, no. 12 (2019), p.
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Background: With the growing use of social media in health care settings, there is a need to measure outcomes resulting from its use to ensure continuous performance improvement. Despite the need for measurement, a unified approach for measuring the value of social media used in health care remains elusive. Objective: This study aimed to elucidate how the value of social media in health care settings can be ascertained and to taxonomically identify steps and techniques in social media measurement from a review of relevant literature. Methods: A total of 65 relevant articles drawn from 341 articles on the subject of measuring social media in health care settings were qualitatively analyzed and synthesized. The articles were selected from the literature from diverse disciplines including business, information systems, medical informatics, and medicine. Results: The review of the literature showed different levels and focus of analysis when measuring the value of social media in health care settings. It equally showed that there are various metrics for measurement, levels of measurement, approaches to measurement, and scales of measurement. Each may be relevant, depending on the use case of social media in health care. Conclusions: A comprehensive yardstick is required to simplify the measurement of outcomes resulting from the use of social media in health care. At the moment, there is neither a consensus on what indicators to measure nor on how to measure them. We hope that this review is used as a starting point to create a comprehensive measurement criterion for social media used in health care. © 2019 Chukwuma Ukoha, Andrew Stranieri.
Health challenges of the pacific region : Insights from history, geography, social determinants, genetics, and the microbiome
- Horwood, Paul, Tarantola, Arnaud, Goarant, Cyrille, Matsui, Mariko, Klement, Elise, Umezaki, Masahiro, Navarro, Severine, Greenhill, Andrew
- Authors: Horwood, Paul , Tarantola, Arnaud , Goarant, Cyrille , Matsui, Mariko , Klement, Elise , Umezaki, Masahiro , Navarro, Severine , Greenhill, Andrew
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Frontiers in Immunology Vol. 10, no. (2019), p. 1-16
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The Pacific region, also referred to as Oceania, is a geographically widespread region populated by people of diverse cultures and ethnicities. Indigenous people in the region (Melanesians, Polynesians, Micronesians, Papuans, and Indigenous Australians) are over-represented on national, regional, and global scales for the burden of infectious and non-communicable diseases. Although social and environmental factors such as poverty, education, and access to health-care are assumed to be major drivers of this disease burden, there is also developing evidence that genetic and microbiotic factors should also be considered. To date, studies investigating genetic and/or microbiotic links with vulnerabilities to infectious and non-communicable diseases have mostly focused on populations in Europe, Asia, and USA, with uncertain associations for other populations such as indigenous communities in Oceania. Recent developments in personalized medicine have shown that identifying ethnicity-linked genetic vulnerabilities can be important for medical management. Although our understanding of the impacts of the gut microbiome on health is still in the early stages, it is likely that equivalent vulnerabilities will also be identified through the interaction between gut microbiome composition and function with pathogens and the host immune system. As rapid economic, dietary, and cultural changes occur throughout Oceania it becomes increasingly important that further research is conducted within indigenous populations to address the double burden of high rates of infectious diseases and rapidly rising non-communicable diseases so that comprehensive development goals can be planned. In this article, we review the current knowledge on the impact of nutrition, genetics, and the gut microbiome on infectious diseases in indigenous people of the Pacific region.
- Authors: Horwood, Paul , Tarantola, Arnaud , Goarant, Cyrille , Matsui, Mariko , Klement, Elise , Umezaki, Masahiro , Navarro, Severine , Greenhill, Andrew
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Frontiers in Immunology Vol. 10, no. (2019), p. 1-16
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The Pacific region, also referred to as Oceania, is a geographically widespread region populated by people of diverse cultures and ethnicities. Indigenous people in the region (Melanesians, Polynesians, Micronesians, Papuans, and Indigenous Australians) are over-represented on national, regional, and global scales for the burden of infectious and non-communicable diseases. Although social and environmental factors such as poverty, education, and access to health-care are assumed to be major drivers of this disease burden, there is also developing evidence that genetic and microbiotic factors should also be considered. To date, studies investigating genetic and/or microbiotic links with vulnerabilities to infectious and non-communicable diseases have mostly focused on populations in Europe, Asia, and USA, with uncertain associations for other populations such as indigenous communities in Oceania. Recent developments in personalized medicine have shown that identifying ethnicity-linked genetic vulnerabilities can be important for medical management. Although our understanding of the impacts of the gut microbiome on health is still in the early stages, it is likely that equivalent vulnerabilities will also be identified through the interaction between gut microbiome composition and function with pathogens and the host immune system. As rapid economic, dietary, and cultural changes occur throughout Oceania it becomes increasingly important that further research is conducted within indigenous populations to address the double burden of high rates of infectious diseases and rapidly rising non-communicable diseases so that comprehensive development goals can be planned. In this article, we review the current knowledge on the impact of nutrition, genetics, and the gut microbiome on infectious diseases in indigenous people of the Pacific region.
Lean Six Sigma in financial services industry : a systematic review and agenda for future research
- Vashishth, Abhishek, Chakraborty, Ayon, Antony, Jiju
- Authors: Vashishth, Abhishek , Chakraborty, Ayon , Antony, Jiju
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Total Quality Management and Business Excellence Vol. 30, no. 3-4 (2019), p. 447-465
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The purpose of this paper is to explore the trend and most common themes about Lean Six Sigma (LSS) implementation in the finance sector, and also to identify gaps in the themes that may be preventing organisations from identifying benefits from their LSS strategy and developing an agenda for future research on LSS themes. The following research is based on a systematic literature review of 30 papers that were published on LSS in the finance sector, from 2005 to 2015. Many issues and important themes have emerged, which are benefits, motivation factors, limitations and reasons for implementing LSS in financial organisations. Review identified many gaps and limitations that need to be explored as future research since little have been written on LSS as a holistic strategy for business improvement. It is important for practitioners to be aware of LSS benefits, limitations and motivating factors before starting the implementation process. This paper is based on a comprehensive literature review which gives an opportunity to LSS researchers to understand some common themes about LSS implementation in depth. In addition, by highlighting gaps in the current literature and proposing an agenda for future research saves time and effort for readers looking to research topics within LSS. © 2017, © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
- Authors: Vashishth, Abhishek , Chakraborty, Ayon , Antony, Jiju
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Total Quality Management and Business Excellence Vol. 30, no. 3-4 (2019), p. 447-465
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: The purpose of this paper is to explore the trend and most common themes about Lean Six Sigma (LSS) implementation in the finance sector, and also to identify gaps in the themes that may be preventing organisations from identifying benefits from their LSS strategy and developing an agenda for future research on LSS themes. The following research is based on a systematic literature review of 30 papers that were published on LSS in the finance sector, from 2005 to 2015. Many issues and important themes have emerged, which are benefits, motivation factors, limitations and reasons for implementing LSS in financial organisations. Review identified many gaps and limitations that need to be explored as future research since little have been written on LSS as a holistic strategy for business improvement. It is important for practitioners to be aware of LSS benefits, limitations and motivating factors before starting the implementation process. This paper is based on a comprehensive literature review which gives an opportunity to LSS researchers to understand some common themes about LSS implementation in depth. In addition, by highlighting gaps in the current literature and proposing an agenda for future research saves time and effort for readers looking to research topics within LSS. © 2017, © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Long-term aerobic exercise improves vascular function into old age : A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta regression of observational and interventional studies
- Campbell, Amy, Grace, Fergal, Ritchie, Louise, Beaumont, Alexander, Sculthorpe, Nicholas
- Authors: Campbell, Amy , Grace, Fergal , Ritchie, Louise , Beaumont, Alexander , Sculthorpe, Nicholas
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Frontiers in Physiology Vol. 10, no. FEB (2019), p. 1-16
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: There is an emerging body of literature relating to the effectiveness of frequent aerobic exercise as a prophylactic for age-associated dysfunction of large arteries, yet systematic evaluation and precise estimate of this effect is unknown. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled studies examining flow mediated dilatation (FMD) of athletic older persons and otherwise healthy sedentary counterparts to (i) compare FMD as a determinant of endothelial function between athletes and sedentary individuals and, (ii) summarize the effect of exercise training on FMD in studies of sedentary aging persons. Studies were identified from systematic search of major electronic databases from inception to January 2018. Study quality was assessed before conducting a random effects meta-analysis to calculate a pooled ES (mean difference) with 95% CI's. Thirteen studies [4 interventional (n = 125); 10 cross-sectional [including one study from the interventional analysis; (n = 485)] with age ranges from 62 to 75 years underwent quantitative pooling of data. The majority of study participants were male. Older athletes had more favorable FMD compared with sedentary controls (2.1%; CI: 1.4, 2.8%; P < 0.001). There was no significant improvement in the vascular function of sedentary cohorts following a period of exercise training (0.7%; CI: −0.675, 2.09%; P = 0.316). However, there was a significant increase in baseline diameter from pre to post intervention (0.1 mm; CI: 0.07, 0.13 mm; P < 0.001). In addition, there was no significant difference in endothelial independent vasodilation between the trained and sedentary older adults (1.57%; CI: −0.13, 3.27%; P = 0.07), or from pre to post exercise intervention (1.48%; CI: −1.34, 4.3%; P = 0.3). In conclusion, long-term aerobic exercise appears to attenuate the decline in endothelial vascular function, a benefit which is maintained during chronological aging. However, currently there is not enough evidence to suggest that exercise interventions improve vascular function in previously sedentary healthy older adults.
- Authors: Campbell, Amy , Grace, Fergal , Ritchie, Louise , Beaumont, Alexander , Sculthorpe, Nicholas
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Frontiers in Physiology Vol. 10, no. FEB (2019), p. 1-16
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: There is an emerging body of literature relating to the effectiveness of frequent aerobic exercise as a prophylactic for age-associated dysfunction of large arteries, yet systematic evaluation and precise estimate of this effect is unknown. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled studies examining flow mediated dilatation (FMD) of athletic older persons and otherwise healthy sedentary counterparts to (i) compare FMD as a determinant of endothelial function between athletes and sedentary individuals and, (ii) summarize the effect of exercise training on FMD in studies of sedentary aging persons. Studies were identified from systematic search of major electronic databases from inception to January 2018. Study quality was assessed before conducting a random effects meta-analysis to calculate a pooled ES (mean difference) with 95% CI's. Thirteen studies [4 interventional (n = 125); 10 cross-sectional [including one study from the interventional analysis; (n = 485)] with age ranges from 62 to 75 years underwent quantitative pooling of data. The majority of study participants were male. Older athletes had more favorable FMD compared with sedentary controls (2.1%; CI: 1.4, 2.8%; P < 0.001). There was no significant improvement in the vascular function of sedentary cohorts following a period of exercise training (0.7%; CI: −0.675, 2.09%; P = 0.316). However, there was a significant increase in baseline diameter from pre to post intervention (0.1 mm; CI: 0.07, 0.13 mm; P < 0.001). In addition, there was no significant difference in endothelial independent vasodilation between the trained and sedentary older adults (1.57%; CI: −0.13, 3.27%; P = 0.07), or from pre to post exercise intervention (1.48%; CI: −1.34, 4.3%; P = 0.3). In conclusion, long-term aerobic exercise appears to attenuate the decline in endothelial vascular function, a benefit which is maintained during chronological aging. However, currently there is not enough evidence to suggest that exercise interventions improve vascular function in previously sedentary healthy older adults.
Managing human-tiger conflict : Lessons from Bardia and Chitwan National Parks, Nepal
- Bhattarai, Babu, Wright, Wendy, Morgan, Damian, Cook, Simon, Baral, Hem
- Authors: Bhattarai, Babu , Wright, Wendy , Morgan, Damian , Cook, Simon , Baral, Hem
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: European Journal of Wildlife Research Vol. 65, no. 3 (2019), p. 1-12
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Successful conservation outcomes for the tiger (Panthera tigris) have been achieved in Nepalese protected areas. However, an unwelcome consequence of greater tiger numbers is the increased prevalence of human-tiger conflict (HTC), particularly in buffer zone areas adjacent to key tiger reserves, which are heavily utilised by farming communities. HTC events may manifest as attacks by tigers on livestock or people, or as people harming tigers. Since 1994, 12 and 99 fatal tiger attacks on people were reported in and near Bardia and Chitwan National Parks, respectively; and since 1979, 34 tigers from these Parks have been killed due to HTC. HTC presents major threats to local people and to the continuing success of tiger conservation programmes. Conservation authorities in Nepal are implementing innovative solutions to prevent and mitigate HTC. These include financial compensation for damage caused by tigers and locally based community projects and programmes focussed on changing livestock husbandry practises, raising awareness of tiger ecology among local residents and supporting families to reduce their reliance on park resources. While these approaches have been successful in mitigating HTC and its effects in Nepal, further developments and refinements are required. This paper provides a synthesis of published and unpublished reports of HTC, in order to demonstrate the magnitude of the problem faced in Nepal. A critical summary of current management practises adopted in two of Nepal’s key tiger reserves is intended to provide a tool for managers to target their efforts towards methods likely to achieve success.
- Authors: Bhattarai, Babu , Wright, Wendy , Morgan, Damian , Cook, Simon , Baral, Hem
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: European Journal of Wildlife Research Vol. 65, no. 3 (2019), p. 1-12
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Successful conservation outcomes for the tiger (Panthera tigris) have been achieved in Nepalese protected areas. However, an unwelcome consequence of greater tiger numbers is the increased prevalence of human-tiger conflict (HTC), particularly in buffer zone areas adjacent to key tiger reserves, which are heavily utilised by farming communities. HTC events may manifest as attacks by tigers on livestock or people, or as people harming tigers. Since 1994, 12 and 99 fatal tiger attacks on people were reported in and near Bardia and Chitwan National Parks, respectively; and since 1979, 34 tigers from these Parks have been killed due to HTC. HTC presents major threats to local people and to the continuing success of tiger conservation programmes. Conservation authorities in Nepal are implementing innovative solutions to prevent and mitigate HTC. These include financial compensation for damage caused by tigers and locally based community projects and programmes focussed on changing livestock husbandry practises, raising awareness of tiger ecology among local residents and supporting families to reduce their reliance on park resources. While these approaches have been successful in mitigating HTC and its effects in Nepal, further developments and refinements are required. This paper provides a synthesis of published and unpublished reports of HTC, in order to demonstrate the magnitude of the problem faced in Nepal. A critical summary of current management practises adopted in two of Nepal’s key tiger reserves is intended to provide a tool for managers to target their efforts towards methods likely to achieve success.
May measurement month 2018 : A pragmatic global screening campaign to raise awareness of blood pressure by the international society of hypertension
- Beaney, Thomas, Burrell, Louise, Castillo, Rafael, Charchar, Fadi, Cro, Suzie, Damasceno, Albertino, Kruger, Ruan, Nilsson, Peter, Prabhakaran, Dorairaj, Ramirez, Agustin, Schlaich, Markus, Schutte, Aletta, Tomaszewski, Maciej, Touyz, Rhian, Wang, Ji-Guang, Weber, Michael, Poulter, Neil
- Authors: Beaney, Thomas , Burrell, Louise , Castillo, Rafael , Charchar, Fadi , Cro, Suzie , Damasceno, Albertino , Kruger, Ruan , Nilsson, Peter , Prabhakaran, Dorairaj , Ramirez, Agustin , Schlaich, Markus , Schutte, Aletta , Tomaszewski, Maciej , Touyz, Rhian , Wang, Ji-Guang , Weber, Michael , Poulter, Neil
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: European Heart Journal Vol. 40, no. 25 (2019), p. 2006-2017
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Aims: Raised blood pressure (BP) is the biggest contributor to mortality and disease burden worldwide and fewer than half of those with hypertension are aware of it. May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global campaign set up in 2017, to raise awareness of high BP and as a pragmatic solution to a lack of formal screening worldwide. The 2018 campaign was expanded, aiming to include more participants and countries. Methods and results: Eighty-nine countries participated in MMM 2018. Volunteers (≥18 years) were recruited through opportunistic sampling at a variety of screening sites. Each participant had three BP measurements and completed a questionnaire on demographic, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140mmHg or diastolic BP ≥90 mmHg, or taking antihypertensive medication. In total, 74.9% of screenees provided three BP readings. Multiple imputation using chained equations was used to impute missing readings. 1 504 963 individuals (mean age 45.3 years; 52.4% female) were screened. After multiple imputation, 502 079 (33.4%) individuals had hypertension, of whom 59.5% were aware of their diagnosis and 55.3% were taking antihypertensive medication. Of those on medication, 60.0% were controlled and of all hypertensives, 33.2% were controlled. We detected 224 285 individuals with untreated hypertension and 111 214 individuals with inadequately treated (systolic BP ≥ 140mmHg or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg) hypertension. Conclusion: May Measurement Month expanded significantly compared with 2017, including more participants in more countries. The campaign identified over 335 000 adults with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension. In the absence of systematic screening programmes, MMM was effective at raising awareness at least among these individuals at risk.
- Authors: Beaney, Thomas , Burrell, Louise , Castillo, Rafael , Charchar, Fadi , Cro, Suzie , Damasceno, Albertino , Kruger, Ruan , Nilsson, Peter , Prabhakaran, Dorairaj , Ramirez, Agustin , Schlaich, Markus , Schutte, Aletta , Tomaszewski, Maciej , Touyz, Rhian , Wang, Ji-Guang , Weber, Michael , Poulter, Neil
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: European Heart Journal Vol. 40, no. 25 (2019), p. 2006-2017
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Aims: Raised blood pressure (BP) is the biggest contributor to mortality and disease burden worldwide and fewer than half of those with hypertension are aware of it. May Measurement Month (MMM) is a global campaign set up in 2017, to raise awareness of high BP and as a pragmatic solution to a lack of formal screening worldwide. The 2018 campaign was expanded, aiming to include more participants and countries. Methods and results: Eighty-nine countries participated in MMM 2018. Volunteers (≥18 years) were recruited through opportunistic sampling at a variety of screening sites. Each participant had three BP measurements and completed a questionnaire on demographic, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140mmHg or diastolic BP ≥90 mmHg, or taking antihypertensive medication. In total, 74.9% of screenees provided three BP readings. Multiple imputation using chained equations was used to impute missing readings. 1 504 963 individuals (mean age 45.3 years; 52.4% female) were screened. After multiple imputation, 502 079 (33.4%) individuals had hypertension, of whom 59.5% were aware of their diagnosis and 55.3% were taking antihypertensive medication. Of those on medication, 60.0% were controlled and of all hypertensives, 33.2% were controlled. We detected 224 285 individuals with untreated hypertension and 111 214 individuals with inadequately treated (systolic BP ≥ 140mmHg or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg) hypertension. Conclusion: May Measurement Month expanded significantly compared with 2017, including more participants in more countries. The campaign identified over 335 000 adults with untreated or inadequately treated hypertension. In the absence of systematic screening programmes, MMM was effective at raising awareness at least among these individuals at risk.
Non-communicable diseases and cognitive impairment : pathways and shared behavioral risk factors among older Chinese
- Yiengprugsawan, Vasoontara, Browning, Colette
- Authors: Yiengprugsawan, Vasoontara , Browning, Colette
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Frontiers in Public Health Vol. 7, no. (Oct 2019), p. 7
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- Reviewed:
- Description: Population aging has brought about a number of challenges to public health and primary health care systems due to increases in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). As a country with one of the largest populations globally, China is confronting a rising number of chronic NCDs including cardiometabolic related conditions. This mini-review investigates the link between NCDs and cognitive impairment through common risk factors. Identifying risk factors is important for the prevention and management of these chronic conditions. In addition, this review also identifies the role of primary health care services in reducing behavioral risk factors for NCDs and cognitive impairment. Addressing shared determinants and pathways is important in the design of public health interventions and primary health care services in China. Monitoring and management of NCD biomarkers and behavioral risk factors may also be beneficial for cognitive health among older Chinese.
- Authors: Yiengprugsawan, Vasoontara , Browning, Colette
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Frontiers in Public Health Vol. 7, no. (Oct 2019), p. 7
- Full Text:
- Reviewed:
- Description: Population aging has brought about a number of challenges to public health and primary health care systems due to increases in the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). As a country with one of the largest populations globally, China is confronting a rising number of chronic NCDs including cardiometabolic related conditions. This mini-review investigates the link between NCDs and cognitive impairment through common risk factors. Identifying risk factors is important for the prevention and management of these chronic conditions. In addition, this review also identifies the role of primary health care services in reducing behavioral risk factors for NCDs and cognitive impairment. Addressing shared determinants and pathways is important in the design of public health interventions and primary health care services in China. Monitoring and management of NCD biomarkers and behavioral risk factors may also be beneficial for cognitive health among older Chinese.