Research (15)
A Multi-Temporal Context-aware System for Competences Management
Moral judgment as information processing: an integrative review
How do humans make moral judgments about others' behavior? This article reviews dominant models of moral judgment, organizing them within an overarching framework of information processing. This framework poses two distinct questions: (1) What input information guides moral judgments? and (2) What psychological processes generate these judgments? Information Models address the first question, identifying critical information elements (including causality, intentionality, and mental states) that
Differential effects of wakeful rest, music and video game playing on working memory performance in the n-back task
The interruption of learning processes by breaks filled with diverse activities is common in everyday life. We investigated the effects of active computer gaming and passive relaxation (rest and music) breaks on working memory performance. Young adults were exposed to breaks involving (i) eyes-open resting, (ii) listening to music and (iii) playing the video game "Angry Birds" before performing the n-back working memory task. Based on linear mixed-effects modeling, we found that playing the "Ang
Development and testing of a text-mining approach to analyse patients’ comments on their experiences of colorectal cancer care
BACKGROUND: Quality of cancer care may greatly impact on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Free-text responses to patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) provide rich data but analysis is time and resource-intensive. This study developed and tested a learning-based text-mining approach to facilitate analysis of patients' experiences of care and develop an explanatory model illustrating impact on HRQoL. METHODS: Respondents to a population-based survey of colorectal cancer survi
Nottingham Prognostic Index Plus: Validation of a clinical decision making tool in breast cancer in an independent series
The Nottingham Prognostic Index Plus (NPI+) is a clinical decision making tool in breast cancer (BC) that aims to provide improved patient outcome stratification superior to the traditional NPI. This study aimed to validate the NPI+ in an independent series of BC. Eight hundred and eighty five primary early stage BC cases from Edinburgh were semi-quantitatively assessed for 10 biomarkers [Estrogen Receptor (ER), Progesterone Receptor (PgR), cytokeratin (CK) 5/6, CK7/8, epidermal growth factor re
Replaying the tape of life in the twenty-first century
Should the tape of life be replayed, would it produce similar living beings? A classical answer has long been 'no', but accumulating data are now challenging this view. Repeatability in experimental evolution, in phenotypic evolution of diverse species and in the genes underlying phenotypic evolution indicates that despite unpredictability at the level of basic evolutionary processes (such as apparition of mutations), a certain kind of predictability can emerge at higher levels over long time pe
Motion tracking and gait feature estimation for recognising Parkinson’s disease using MS Kinect
BACKGROUND: Analysis of gait features provides important information during the treatment of neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease. It is also used to observe the effects of medication and rehabilitation. The methodology presented in this paper enables the detection of selected gait attributes by Microsoft (MS) Kinect image and depth sensors to track movements in three-dimensional space. METHODS: The experimental part of the paper is devoted to the study of three sets of individu
What Effect Does an Animal Robot Called CuDDler Have on the Engagement and Emotional Response of Older People with Dementia? A Pilot Feasibility Study
On the Science-Policy Bridge: Do Spatial Heat Vulnerability Assessment Studies Influence Policy?
Human vulnerability to heat varies at a range of spatial scales, especially within cities where there can be noticeable intra-urban differences in heat risk factors. Mapping and visualizing intra-urban heat vulnerability offers opportunities for presenting information to support decision-making. For example the visualization of the spatial variation of heat vulnerability has the potential to enable local governments to identify hot spots of vulnerability and allocate resources and increase assis
Accelerometer‐determined physical activity, muscle mass, and leg strength in community‐dwelling older adults
INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to describe the relationship between accelerometer-determined physical activity (PA), muscle mass, and lower-limb strength in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: Six hundred thirty-six community-dwelling older adults (66 ± 7 years) were studied. Muscle mass was measured using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, whilst lower limb strength was measured via dynamometry. We measured minutes/day spent in sedentary, light, moderate, and vigorous intensity ac
What is an intelligent building? Analysis of recent interpretations from an international perspective
In recent years, the notion of intelligent buildings (IBs) has become increasingly popular due to their potentials for deploying design initiatives and emerging technologies towards maximized occupants’ comfort and well-being with sustainable design. However, various definitions, interpretations, and implications regarding the essence of IBs exist. Various key performance indicators of IBs have been proposed in different contexts. This study explores the notion of IBs and presents an analysis of
A psychometric analysis of the reading the mind in the eyes test: toward a brief form for research and applied settings
The Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test is a popular measure of individual differences in Theory of Mind that is often applied in the assessment of particular clinical populations (primarily, individuals on the autism spectrum). However, little is known about the test's psychometric properties, including factor structure, internal consistency, and convergent validity evidence. We present a psychometric analysis of the test followed by an evaluation of other empirically proposed and statistically i
Quantitative Big Data: where chemometrics can contribute
The editors of J. Chemometrics have been kind enough to invite me to outline some directions, which I think young chemometricians could find interesting for the future. This perspective paper is my response, in the form of an essay that summarizes how I see the field today. It builds on mistakes I have made and things I have learnt in my past 43 years of data analytic R&D, in food science and agriculture, in telecommunication, analytical chemistry and biomedicine, in different universities and c
Visualizing Big Data with augmented and virtual reality: challenges and research agenda
This paper provides a multi-disciplinary overview of the research issues and achievements in the field of Big Data and its visualization techniques and tools. The main aim is to summarize challenges in visualization methods for existing Big Data, as well as to offer novel solutions for issues related to the current state of Big Data Visualization. This paper provides a classification of existing data types, analytical methods, visualization techniques and tools, with a particular emphasis placed
Dynasties
For thousands of years, societies have fallen under the reign of a single leader, ruling as chief, king, or emperor. In this fascinating global history of medieval and early modern dynastic power, Jeroen Duindam charts the rise and fall of dynasties, the rituals of rulership, and the contested presence of women on the throne. From European, African, Mughal, Ming-Qing and Safavid dynasties to the Ottoman Empire, Tokugawa Japan and Chosŏn Korea, he reveals the tension between the ideals of kingshi