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AbstractDue to the current shortage of accountants and the various pipeline initiatives taking place, our research aims to address the instructor’s role in the accounting classroom. We survey students on their perceptions regarding teaching and assessment methods used in university accounting courses. Results for both in person and online courses suggest students prefer instruction that involves instructor demonstration of exercises and real-world examples, while relying on the instructor’s personal experiences with accounting. We offer valuable perspectives to educators aiming to improve both the caliber of accounting education and the student learning experience to help combat the drastic shortage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While taste and smell perception have been thoroughly investigated, our understanding of oral somatosensory perception remains limited. Further, assessing and measuring individual differences in oral somatosensory perception pose notable challenges. This review aimed to evaluate the existing methods to assess oral somatosensory perception by examining and comparing the strengths and limitations of each method. The review highlighted the lack of standardized assessment methods and the various procedures within each method. Tactile sensitivity can be assessed using several methods, but each method measures different tactile dimensions. Further investigations are needed to confirm its correlation with texture sensitivity. In addition, measuring a single textural attribute may not provide an overall representation of texture sensitivity. Thermal sensitivity can be evaluated using thermal‐change detection or temperature discrimination tests. The chemesthetic sensitivity tests involve either localized or whole‐mouth stimulation tests. The choice of an appropriate method for assessing oral somatosensory sensitivity depends on several factors, including the specific research objectives and the target population. Each method has its unique intended purpose, strengths, and limitations, so no universally superior approach exists. To overcome some of the limitations associated with certain methods, the review offers alternative or complementary approaches that could be considered. Researchers can enhance the comprehensive assessment of oral somatosensory sensitivity by carefully selecting and potentially combining methods. In addition, a standardized protocol remains necessary for each method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the contemporary educational landscape, the outcome-based education (OBE) philosophy has emerged as a pivotal approach, emphasizing the achievement of specific outcomes in the learning process. This study delves into the intricate relationship between physical education assessment methodologies for university students under the OBE framework and their subsequent social adaptability. This study used a sample of 100 physical education elective students from Qilu Normal University. It employed experimental and questionnaire methods to measure the effects of OBEdriven physical education assessment. Preliminary findings suggest a positive correlation between holistic assessment techniques, which consider physical prowess and cognitive understanding, and enhanced social adaptability among students. This adaptability was measured in teamwork, conflict resolution, and interpersonal communication. The study underscores the potential of the OBE philosophy in reshaping physical education curricula, making it more aligned with the broader objective of holistic student development. Further research is recommended to explore the longterm impacts of such assessment methods on students’ post-university life and career trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of early studies and methods of land degradation assessment demonstrated that the existing assessment procedure does not reflect the real situation. The existing methods do not consider ecological aspects as loss of social-recreational and protective-restoration functions. The existing methods of assessing damage from the mining and processing enterprise require improvement with mandatory consideration of the environmental component. The object of the study is the land in mining and industrial regions, where minerals are extracted underground and industrial masses are formed on the surface. The main types of land use have been systematized, which makes it possible to apply an estimated aggregate approach. The loss of a number of functions of economic turnover is a classification sign of land degradation assessment. A three-criteria approach to the assessment of land degradation is proposed. This approach considers the impact of loss of social-recreational functions, loss of protective and restorative functions, and the impact of the main mining type of activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactic acid bacteria play a dual role by enhancing both the flavor and nutritional benefits of fermented foods, and helping the body to prevent a variety of diseases caused by oxidation. The fulfillment of these beneficial functions is inseparable from the antioxidant activity of lactic acid bacteria. This article elaborates on the antioxidant mechanism of lactic acid bacteria including regulating antioxidant enzymes, regulating signaling pathways, scavenging free radicals, and inhibiting lipid peroxidation and metal ion chelation. The current status of the application of the antioxidant activity of lactic acid bacteria in dairy, meat, aquatic, and fruit and vegetable products is also reviewed. Finally, this article outlines the in vitro and in vivo evaluation methods for the antioxidant activity of lactic acid bacteria, aiming to provide a reference for deepening the application of lactic acid bacteria in the food processing sector.

We provide a novel algorithm, called Valuto, for the fair valuation of real estate market values. The algorithm is based on the selling prices (or adjusted asking prices) of properties located in well-defined areas (microzones) of a territory. The algorithm takes into consideration the peculiar features of each individual property (cadastral typology, maintenance, presence or absence of an elevator, floor level, energy efficiency rating, gross and conventional surface area) and, based on well-defined conversion tables, recalculates its value. The algorithm could serve a variety of purposes in social applications, from the long sought-after land registry reform to a fair valuation of mortgaged properties. It also has an appealing marketable potential for real estate instant-buyers. In this paper, we describe the full implementation of the algorithm and provide guidelines on its application to the above-mentioned scopes. The algorithm is implemented via a user-friendly, testable web application at www.valuto.org.

In the context of an aggravated competitive situation both in domestic and foreign markets, marketing tools for ensuring the competitiveness of an enterprise are becoming increasingly important. With the simultaneous growth of the role of a systematic approach in strategic planning both in the overall activities of the enterprise and its development prospects, and the level of competitiveness of the enterprise and its competitive position in specific markets. The subject of the study is the theoretical and methodological foundations of enterprise competitiveness management. The purpose of the article is to form a system for managing the competitiveness of enterprise on the basis of marketing. Methodology. To achieve the research objective, the following tasks were set and solved: a critical analysis of scientific approaches to the formation of a system for managing the competitiveness of enterprise, substantiation of the theoretical and methodological foundations for the formation of a system for managing the competitiveness of enterprise, clarification of the components of this system, and identification of the types of links between the components of the system for managing the competitiveness of enterprise. The following methods and approaches to research were employed in the study: an abstract and logical approach was used to examine the theoretical and methodological foundations of interaction management; an analysis of theoretical approaches to the formation of the enterprise competitiveness management system was conducted; an inductive and deductive approach (used to determine the factors influencing the formation of the enterprise competitiveness management system) was employed; a systematisation and generalisation approach (to clarify the approaches to the formation of the enterprise competitiveness management system) was also utilised. Results. The article considers processes of formation of the system of enterprise competitiveness management. It characterises and groups approaches to the system of management of competitiveness of an enterprise. The factors of influence on the level of competitiveness of enterprise have been determined. The structure of the system for managing the competitiveness of enterprise is described. Practical implications. The suggested integrated approach will help to clarify the role and functional links between the components of the enterprise competitiveness management system, taking into account the influence of factors of the marketing environment of enterprise and the marketing tools for assessing and improving the competitiveness of enterprise. Value/Originality. The proposed integrated approach to the formation of a system for managing the competitiveness of enterprise on the basis of marketing, unlike the existing ones, recognises the key role of competitiveness of enterprise products in assessing the competitiveness of enterprise, allocates the subject and object of competitiveness management, is based on the levels of strategic planning, takes into account the influence of factors of the marketing environment of enterprise and reveals the marketing tools for assessing and managing the competitiveness of enterprise.

Background: Understanding self-concept in individuals with intellectual disabilities is crucial for tailored support and interventions. The research question driving this study is: What factors influence the self-concept of individuals with intellectual disabilities, and how is it assessed? Methods: Employing a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines, studies from 1993 to 2024, which used diverse assessment tools such as the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Acceptance, Myself as a Learner Scale, and other self-report questionnaires, were analysed. Results: Factors influencing self-concept include diagnosis, age, gender, perception of control, school placement, and socioeconomic status. Internal factors like perception of control and external factors like societal attitudes interact to shape self-concept trajectories. Assessments reveal nuanced dimensions of self-perception, facilitating targeted interventions. Conclusions: Assessing self-concept among individuals with intellectual disabilities requires diverse evaluation methods. Insights gained inform tailored interventions to enhance well-being. Further research is needed to validate assessment tools across diverse populations. Recognizing the interplay of internal beliefs, external perceptions, and societal structures is crucial for empowering individuals to embrace their unique identities.

Assessments of ecosystem functioning are a fundamental ecological challenge and an essential foundation for ecosystem‐based management. Species trophic position (TP) is essential to characterize food web architecture. However, despite the intuitive nature of the concept, empirically estimating TP is a challenging task due to the complexity of trophic interaction networks. Various methods are proposed to assess TPs, including using different sources of organic matter at the base of the food web (the 'baseline'). However, it is often not clear which methodological approach and which baseline choices are the most reliable. Using an ecosystem‐wide assessment of a tropical reef (Marquesas Islands, with available data for 70 coral reef invertebrate and fish species), we tested whether different commonly used TP estimation methods yield similar results and, if not, whether it is possible to identify the most reliable method. We found significant differences in TP estimates of up to 1.7 TPs for the same species, depending on the method and the baseline used. When using bulk stable isotope data, the choice of the baseline significantly impacted TP values. Indeed, while nitrogen stable isotope (δ15N) values of macroalgae led to consistent TP estimates, those using phytoplankton generated unrealistically low TP estimates. The use of a conventional enrichment factor (i.e. 3.4‰) or a 'variable' enrichment factor (i.e. according to feeding guilds) also produced clear discrepancies between TP estimates. TPs obtained with δ15N values of source amino acids (compound‐specific isotope analysis) were close to those assessed with macroalgae. An opposite seasonal pattern was found, with significantly lower TPs in winter than in summer for most species, with particularly pronounced differences for lower TP species. We use the observed differences to discuss possible drivers of the diverging TP estimates and the potential ecological implications. Based on a case study from a remote coral reef ecosystem in the Pacific Ocean, this work analyses how several potential sources of organic matter (i.e. 'baselines') and calculation methods strongly affect assessments of trophic positions. We also demonstrated that seasonal temporality and feeding guild are important parameters to be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This qualitative study aims to examine foundation year Master of Social Work (MSW) students' experiences with the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) using a holistic framework. Study participants included 64 MSW students who completed a 15-minute virtual OSCE with standardized patients and expert observers followed by a five minute debrief. In-depth student narratives about the experience were transcribed and analyzed thematically. Key themes emerged highlighting the value of practicing clinical skills, receiving immediate constructive feedback and honing skills in managing nervousness and developing confidence. Study implications include the critical need for MSW students as developing clinicians to rehearse clinical skills and receive feedback and the benefits of using the OSCE to expand field- and classroom-based learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about students' engagement in school writing tasks and the methods that should be used by the researchers to assess this engagement. This exploratory study examines the relationship between the engagement reported by elementary school students (N = 136) in a handwriting and keyboarding activity (Likert scale questionnaire) and their actual behaviors in such situations. An observational checklist was created to capture engagement behaviors in these writing contexts. Correlational analyses showed that, overall, self-reported engagement scores were positively correlated with the frequency of the behaviors observed in both contexts. The discussion focuses on the relevance of observational checklists and questionnaires for capturing students' engagement in writing tasks, and opens to the conceptual links between engagement and motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The variety of robotic surgery systems, training modalities, and assessment tools within robotic surgery training is extensive. This systematic review aimed to comprehensively overview different training modalities and assessment methods for teaching and assessing surgical skills in robotic surgery, with a specific focus on comparing objective and subjective assessment methods. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. The electronic databases Pubmed, EMBASE, and Cochrane were searched from inception until February 1, 2022. Included studies consisted of robotic-assisted surgery training (e.g., box training, virtual reality training, cadaver training and animal tissue training) with an assessment method (objective or subjective), such as assessment forms, virtual reality scores, peer-to-peer feedback or time recording. Results: The search identified 1591 studies. After abstract screening and full-texts examination, 209 studies were identified that focused on robotic surgery training and included an assessment tool. The majority of the studies utilized the da Vinci Surgical System, with dry lab training being the most common approach, followed by the da Vinci Surgical Skills Simulator. The most frequently used assessment methods included simulator scoring system (e.g., dVSS score), and assessment forms (e.g., GEARS and OSATS). Conclusion: This systematic review provides an overview of training modalities and assessment methods in robotic-assisted surgery. Dry lab training on the da Vinci Surgical System and training on the da Vinci Skills Simulator are the predominant approaches. However, focused training on tissue handling, manipulation, and force interaction is lacking, despite the absence of haptic feedback. Future research should focus on developing universal objective assessment and feedback methods to address these limitations as the field continues to evolve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: The prevalence of cannabis use in the United Kingdom might be underestimated using the Crime Survey of England and Wales. The current study examined whether responding to questions about their cannabis use as part of a crime survey would be less likely to report that they use cannabis compared to those responding to the same questions that are part of a survey about health. Methods: Participants were randomized to be told that the items about cannabis use came from a crime survey versus from a health survey. In addition, the sample was recruited using a representative online sampling method and compared to published rates of self-reported cannabis use collected as part of the Crime Survey for England and Wales. Results: There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) in the proportion endorsing cannabis use between those told the items came from a crime survey versus a health survey. However, self-reported rates of cannabis use collected as part of the online panel (51.3% ever use; 11.9% past year; age range 18–64 years) appeared higher than those reported based on results from the Crime Survey for England and Wales (37.2% ever and 5.8% past year; age range 18–59 years). Conclusion: The current study did not find evidence that manipulating whether participants were told that the items asking about cannabis use came from a survey asking about criminal activity versus one about health had an impact on self-reported cannabis use. However, as prevalence estimates generated by the Crime Survey of England and Wales do appear to be an underestimate of actual levels of cannabis use in the United Kingdom, further research is merited on this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Understanding self-concept in individuals with intellectual disabilities is crucial for tailored support and interventions. The research question driving this study is: What factors influence the self-concept of individuals with intellectual disabilities, and how is it assessed? Methods: Employing a systematic review following PRISMA guidelines, studies from 1993 to 2024, which used diverse assessment tools such as the Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Acceptance, Myself as a Learner Scale, and other self-report questionnaires, were analysed. Results: Factors influencing self-concept include diagnosis, age, gender, perception of control, school placement, and socioeconomic status. Internal factors like perception of control and external factors like societal attitudes interact to shape self-concept trajectories. Assessments reveal nuanced dimensions of self-perception, facilitating targeted interventions. Conclusions: Assessing self-concept among individuals with intellectual disabilities requires diverse evaluation methods. Insights gained inform tailored interventions to enhance well-being. Further research is needed to validate assessment tools across diverse populations. Recognizing the interplay of internal beliefs, external perceptions, and societal structures is crucial for empowering individuals to embrace their unique identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The level of difficulty of mathematical test items is a critical aspect for evaluating test quality and educational outcomes. Accurately predicting item difficulty during test creation is thus significantly important for producing effective test papers. This study used more than ten years of content and score data from China's Henan Provincial College Entrance Examination in Mathematics as an evaluation criterion for test difficulty, and all data were obtained from the Henan Provincial Department of Education. Based on the framework established by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for test item assessment methodology, this paper proposes a new framework containing eight features considering the uniqueness of mathematics. Next, this paper proposes an XGBoost-based SHAP model for analyzing the difficulty of mathematics tests. By coupling the XGBoost method with the SHAP method, the model not only evaluates the difficulty of mathematics tests but also analyzes the contribution of specific features to item difficulty, thereby increasing transparency and mitigating the "black box" nature of machine learning models. The model has a high prediction accuracy of 0.99 for the training set and 0.806 for the test set. With the model, we found that parameter-level features and reasoning-level features are significant factors influencing the difficulty of subjective items in the exam. In addition, we divided senior secondary mathematics knowledge into nine units based on Chinese curriculum standards and found significant differences in the distribution of the eight features across these different knowledge units, which can help teachers place different emphasis on different units during the teaching process. In summary, our proposed approach significantly improves the accuracy of item difficulty prediction, which is crucial for intelligent educational applications such as knowledge tracking, automatic test item generation, and intelligent paper generation. These results provide tools that are better aligned with and responsive to students' learning needs, thus effectively informing educational practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current literature indicates that routine evaluation of preoperative anxiety, its determinants, and patient-specific concerns is universally advocated. This aligns with the increasingly acknowledged importance of prehabilitation – a comprehensive process preparing patients for surgery. A crucial component of prehabilitation is assessing patients’ mental health. Recommendations for psychological evaluations in prehabilitation encompass, inter alia, determining the severity of anxiety. This work builds on a 2019 article, which presented scales for preoperative anxiety assessment: the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS), and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). This article extends the possibilities of preoperative anxiety assessment by introducing four additional methods: the Surgical Fear Questionnaire (SFQ), the Anxiety Specific to Surgery Questionnaire (ASSQ), the Surgical Anxiety Questionnaire (SAQ), and Anesthesia- and Surgery-dependent Preoperative Anxiety (ASPA). The authors provide comprehensive details on these instruments, including scoring, interpretation, availability, and usefulness both in scientific research and clinical practice. The authors also provide the data on the availability of Polish versions of the presented methods and preliminary data on the reliability of SFQ in patients awaiting cardiac surgery. This review seems relevant for professionals in multiple disciplines, including anesthesiology, surgery, clinical psychology, nursing, primary care and notably prehabilitation. It emphasizes the necessity of individualizing anxiety assessment and acknowledging patient subjectivity, which the presented methods facilitate through a thorough evaluation of specific patient concerns. The literature review also identifies concerns and future research avenues in this area. The importance of qualitative studies and those evaluating prehabilitation intervention is emphasized.

Objective To determine if best practice guidelines exist for assessment methods throughout the undergraduate psychology program, and whether there are recommendations on how to scaffold these methods effectively and appropriately over the three-year degree.Methods A comprehensive database search and review of journal articles, books, and grey literature relevant to higher education assessment and evaluation, and their focus on psychology, was conducted. From this, six articles, eight books, and one report were deemed relevant to the current research, with all but one published in the United States.Results Four common themes arose from the findings: 1) assessments should be based on learning outcomes, 2) there are many considerations when creating assessments at a course and program level, 3) best practice assessment method: authentic assessment, and 4) recommendations for scaffolding assessment methods across the three-year program. Recommendations for scaffolding assessment methods related to the areas of scientific inquiry, psychological literacy, critical thinking, and problem-based learning.Conclusion This review highlights that much more work is needed to identify the assessment methods that are best suited to each level in the undergraduate psychology program, and how to effectively scaffold and evaluate these methods over the three-year degree.

Due to its widespread availability and inexpensive cost of energy conversion, solar power has become a popular option among renewable energy sources. Among the most complete methods of utilizing copious solar energy is the use of photovoltaic (PV) systems. However, one major obstacle to obtaining the optimal performance of PV technology is the need to maintain ideal operating temperature. Maintaining constant surface temperatures is critical to PV systems' efficacy. This review looks at the latest developments in PV cooling technologies, including passive, active, and combined cooling methods, and methods for their assessment. As advances in research and innovation progress within this domain, it will be crucial to tackle hurdles like affordability, maintenance demands, and performance in extreme conditions, to enhance the efficiency and widespread use of PV cooling methods. In essence, PV cooling stands as a vital element in the ongoing shift towards sustainable and renewable energy sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1990s, an international consensus has been emerging with respect to the methods used to identify and assess geosites. These conventional methodologies generally differentiate between the intrinsic or scientific-natural dimension and the social dimension in the potential value of the geological elements. The aim of this article is to analyse the possible existence of other concepts that may underlie these criteria and that could be operating as evaluation parameters even though they are not explicitly and formally described as such in the published studies. An exhaustive analysis of articles on geosite inventories published in Science Citation Index journals in the last 15 years revealed a systematic reference to conceptions of magnitude (in the sense of degree of development and physical prominence) in geosite descriptions around the world, and in particular with respect to sites of geomorphological interest. To contrast this indication, we subjected the geosites inventory of Lanzarote (Canary Islands, Spain) to a Magnitude Rule hypothesis. This inventory is part of the Spanish Geosites Inventory (IELIG, for its initials in Spanish), which was carried out using conventional assessment procedures. Applying this rule, according to which each geosite is the most prominent example of its typology within the reference geological domain, we obtained an almost complete match. That is, geomorphological sites that were selected, a priori, according to intrinsic and social dimension were also (or one could even say 'actually') selected, implicitly, on the predominant basis of magnitude. This paper discusses why and how the magnitude parameter may be playing a key role as a subliminal non-explicit driver in the evaluation of geosite relevance, and how this finding may open new perspectives and bring methodological advantages in the inventory of geological heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a well-known issue that the 2050 target of carbon emissions neutrality will be reached only with the co-operation of all the interested sectors, and the construction sector could be one of the main contributors to this change. With the built environment globally responsible for about 40% of annual global energy-related CO2 emissions, the construction sector offers an important opportunity to drive transformative change and presents the most challenging mitigation potential among all industrial sectors, which also brings opportunities for adopting sustainability practices and increasing resilience. This paper presents a systematic literature review of those two pivotal concepts to reach the decarbonization goal: sustainability and resilience. Starting from an extensive literature review (2536 scientific documents) based on the PRISMA statement, the definitions and assessment methodologies of those concepts for the construction sector have been studied. The methodological approach followed for their analysis has been conducted on a first selection of 42 documents, further reduced to 12 by using clear inclusion criteria to identify the integrated assessment procedures. The main goal of this study is to clarify the correlation between sustainability and resilience concepts for constructions and their integrated assessment, in line with the latest regulations and market needs. The results show that, currently, sustainability and resilience are mainly evaluated in a distinct way to obtain building energy performance certificates, as well as to quantify the building market value and its complementary contribution to the 'energy efficiency first' principle and energy-saving targets towards the emergent issue of climate change. Few works focus on the integrated assessment of both concepts considering the construction industries' point of view about materials and/or systems for buildings. The novelty of this study is the critical review of the current sustainability and resilience integrated assessment methods used for the construction value chain, declined for four main target groups. Researchers, policymakers, industries, and professionals could gain dedicated insights and practical suggestions to put in practice the elements of circular economy, ecological innovation, and cleaner production, which are essential in order to drive the decarbonization of the built environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the perceptions of K-12 science teachers regarding the implications of ChatGPT on school assessments and the quality of students' education. A questionnaire was administered to K-12 science teachers from public and private schools across the five regions of Brazil: North, Northeast, South, Southeast, and Midwest. More than 400 teachers responded to the questionnaire. The conclusions regarding the opinions of the teachers who responded to the questionnaire were based on the Likert-type scale. The investigation covered various aspects, including the types and frequency of assessment methods used with their students. Additionally, the research delved into their opinions on whether ChatGPT would impact the quality of education and assessment methods, as well as their views on whether ChatGPT use should be deemed plagiarism or a similar infraction. The potential benefits of its use, as well as the challenges arising from it, are discussed in the context of the evolution of teaching and learning. As one of the results, it was found that among K-12 science teachers, there remains some skepticism regarding whether ChatGPT will enhance the quality of students' education and whether its use constitutes plagiarism or a similar infraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the work is to substantiate theoretical provisions and practical recommendations for improving the management of innovative activities of pharmaceutical companies (PC) for the implementation of strategic tasks regarding innovative development and increasing competitiveness. Materials and methods. To achieve the goal of the study, scientific sources on innovation management and intellectual property management and the peculiarities of the organization of innovation processes in pharmacy were analyzed. When conducting research, methods of information search, systematization, comparison, and generalization were used, as well as the method of expert evaluations, taxonomic analysis, and a graphic method to increase the clarity of the presentation of the material. The results. The main directions and features of innovative activity in pharmacy have been studied. A generalized algorithm for managing innovative activities in pharmaceutical companies is given. The relevance of evaluating and managing the innovative potential of PC to achieve a synergistic effect from the use of resources involved in innovative activities is substantiated. A structural model of the innovative potential of PC is proposed, which considers the peculiarities of the flow of innovative processes in pharmacy, related to the development and introduction of new pharmaceuticals to the market. A methodical toolkit for quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the innovative potential of PC has been defined. To improve the management of the PC's innovative activity, a methodology for determining the range of management decisions is proposed based on the results obtained in the framework of creating a report on the patent landscape. Conclusions. In order to achieve the provision of effective and safe domestic drugs to the population of Ukraine, it is necessary to intensify research in the direction of the formation of an effective system of management of the innovative activity of pharmaceutical companies (PC), focused on their gradual transition to an innovative development model. The conducted analysis showed that despite a sufficiently large number of publications devoted to the problems of innovation management, issues related to the problem of forming an effective system of managing the innovative activity of PCs, as well as choosing an effective toolkit for evaluating and managing their innovative potential, taking into account the specifics of the flow of innovative processes in pharmacy, remain insufficiently disclosed and require further research. The proposed structural model of the innovative potential of the FC, a justified methodological toolkit for its assessment, as well as the construction of a cognitive map to determine the most appropriate key components and directions for further improvement and development of the innovative potential will contribute to increasing the efficiency of the innovative activities of enterprises and the implementation of the goals of the innovation strategy. The developed algorithm of preventive management of innovative activity of the PC, aimed at improving the quality of decisions made on innovation management thanks to the use of patent landscape tools, will also contribute to the faster entry into the market of domestically produced innovative medicinal products [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Urinary incontinence (UI) affects over half of people with stroke. It is unclear which methods are accurate in assessing presence and type of UI to inform clinical management. Diagnosis of UI based on inaccurate methods may lead to unnecessary interventions. The aims of this systematic review were to identify, for adults with stroke, clinically accurate methods to determine the presence of UI and type of UI. Method: We searched seven electronic databases and additional conference proceedings. To be included, studies had to be primary research comparing two or more methods, or use a reference test. Results: We identified 3846 studies with eight eligible for inclusion. We identified 11 assessment methods within the eight studies. Only five studies had sufficient comparator data for synthesis. Due to heterogeneity of data, results on the following methods were narratively synthesized: Core Lower Urinary Tract Symptom Score (CLSS), clinical history and physical examination, Barthel Activities of Daily Living Index, International Consultation Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form (ICiQ‐SF) and urodynamic studies (UDS). Most studies were small and of low to medium quality. All reported differences in sensitivity, and none compared the same assessment methods. Conclusion: Current evidence is insufficient to support recommendations on the most accurate UI assessment for adults with stroke. Further research is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Assessments of ecosystem functioning are a fundamental ecological challenge and an essential foundation for ecosystem‐based management. Species trophic position (TP) is essential to characterize food web architecture. However, despite the intuitive nature of the concept, empirically estimating TP is a challenging task due to the complexity of trophic interaction networks. Various methods are proposed to assess TPs, including using different sources of organic matter at the base of the food web (the ‘baseline’). However, it is often not clear which methodological approach and which baseline choices are the most reliable. Using an ecosystem‐wide assessment of a tropical reef (Marquesas Islands, with available data for 70 coral reef invertebrate and fish species), we tested whether different commonly used TP estimation methods yield similar results and, if not, whether it is possible to identify the most reliable method. We found significant differences in TP estimates of up to 1.7 TPs for the same species, depending on the method and the baseline used. When using bulk stable isotope data, the choice of the baseline significantly impacted TP values. Indeed, while nitrogen stable isotope (δ15N) values of macroalgae led to consistent TP estimates, those using phytoplankton generated unrealistically low TP estimates. The use of a conventional enrichment factor (i.e. 3.4‰) or a ‘variable’ enrichment factor (i.e. according to feeding guilds) also produced clear discrepancies between TP estimates. TPs obtained with δ15N values of source amino acids (compound‐specific isotope analysis) were close to those assessed with macroalgae. An opposite seasonal pattern was found, with significantly lower TPs in winter than in summer for most species, with particularly pronounced differences for lower TP species. We use the observed differences to discuss possible drivers of the diverging TP estimates and the potential ecological implications.

The study aims to investigate whether a change in the delivery of assessment methods, from a full online assessment to a hybrid assessment, affected accounting students' grades during the COVID-19 Pandemic. This study also considers whether the change undertaken to assessment methods met their targets of improving assessment practices and maintaining academic integrity. The statistical analysis technique used was an independent sample t-test, chi-square, and ANOVA. A total of 473 final grades (fully online assessment = 224, hybrid assessment = 249) were collected to achieve the study purpose. The findings show a statistically significant difference in the final course grades between the two assessment methods. In each course, students scored significantly lower on the hybrid assessment compared to students who took the fully online assessment, indicating that changes in the assessment delivery method affected students' grades and that the shift to hybrid assessment had a positive effect assessment system. Additionally, the performance of males and females is too different; female students have made higher grades than peer males in both methods in each course, indicating that the grades between males and females are different. This research recommends that the use of a hybrid assessment approach would help in providing a unique educational environment and this approach of varied assessment can enable lecturers to find out student abilities in accounting courses and maintain academic integrity.

The article presents a review of modern foreign and domestic literary sources covering the variety of modern methods for assessing the reparative process in a wound, based on an analysis of the PubMed and RSCI databases. The wound process, despite effective methods of treating wounds, is still an urgent problem and requires systematization of existing knowledge. The phases of the healing process - hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation and remodeling - replace each other, but this process often does not proceed linearly, and adjacent processes can occur simultaneously in the wound. The prolongation of one phase and the inhibition of another are due to the influence of exogenous (such as, for example, infection) and endogenous (general somatic status, comorbidity) factors. Taking into account the pathogenesis of the process, unified tools are needed for a multifactorial assessment of the wound healing process, the use of which will pursue the goals of the most accurate prediction of the outcome of the wound process and timely correction of treatment. The article discusses modern approaches to assessing the reparative process in a wound. Modern approaches to scoring the condition of a wound using scales, morphometric, microbiological, biochemical and functional methods for diagnosing the effectiveness of the reparative process are presented.

This article addresses the challenges associated with determining the borrower's creditworthiness. The authors define the borrower's creditworthiness as the ability to timely and fully meet debt obligations to the lender. This determination is based on an evaluation of the borrower's financial condition, forecast of business development, and other factors influencing the ability to repay the loan. The authors identify internal and external factors affecting the creditworthiness of borrowers in Ukraine. Internal factors include the economic situation, regulatory policies, credit history, credit rating, and a lack of financial literacy. External factors encompass the global economic situation and the political climate. The article also discusses challenges in determining the borrower's creditworthiness during times of war. The authors note that creditworthiness can sharply decrease during such periods due to factors such as reduced income, increased costs, decreased demand for goods and services, and an unstable economic situation. To address these challenges during wartime, the authors propose the following recommendations: • Widespread use of artificial intelligence: AI enables the consideration of more factors affecting the borrower's creditworthiness and the adaptation of credit scoring models to changes in the economic situation. • Expansion of data on the borrower's financial condition: Financial institutions should utilize more data sources, including unstructured data such as social media and behavioral data, to assess the borrower's financial condition. • Development of new methods for assessing creditworthiness: Financial institutions should create new methods that account for the specific conditions of wartime. • Establishment of cooperation between financial institutions and government agencies: This collaboration will provide additional data on the financial condition of borrowers, offering financial institutions a more comprehensive view. • Promotion of financial literacy among the population: Improving financial literacy will empower borrowers to better understand their financial obligations and make more informed lending decisions. Implementing these recommendations will enable financial institutions to enhance the accuracy of creditworthiness assessments and, consequently, reduce credit risks during times of war.

Purpose: analysis of methods for assessing various forms of computer addiction in domestic and foreign scientific research. Materials and methods. The article presents a review of the literature and analyzes scientific research on Internet addiction in children, adolescents and adolescents. The advantages internet addiction assessment methods (ease of use; minimum filling time; quantitative and qualitative assessment of the features of Internet addiction in children, adolescents and adolescents; obtaining information from any number of respondents) and disadvantages (information obtained during the survey process may be subjective, which can be link the pressure of social approval) of diagnostic questionnaires with the interpretation of the results obtained. In most of the presented scientific studies, the most accessible research methods were used to assess the characteristics of Internet addiction - questionnaires, questioning (full-time). A scientific search was carried out using the relevant keywords and basic terms in the PubMed and Google Scholar search engines, in the Scopus database, Web of Science, MedLine, The Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Global Health, CyberLeninka, RSCI (eLIBRARY.RU) and others. Results. According to the results of studies conducted in different countries, Internet addiction is widespread among children, adolescents and adolescents, and every year their number is increasing. Conclusion. It should be noted that each questionnaire has its own advantages and disadvantages, diagnostic criteria of the norm, the inclusion or non-inclusion of individuals in the study, the formation of groups, as well as the compliance of the questionnaire methods and the results of the study with the tasks set - "validity".

The relevance of the issue presented in the paper stems from the trends in current economic development. They pose multiple challenges to researchers when it comes to methods for assessing and analyzing competitiveness of business organizations. The aim of this paper is to present an approach to researching business organization's competitiveness based on highly versatile and adaptive competitiveness evaluation technology. Part of the methods on which the said approach is based are analysis, summary, logical approach, and includes quantitative assessment of indicators used to make comparisons with competitors. The results of the implementation of this approach by researches are associated with a more precise diagnosis of the causes leading to one level of business organizations’ competitiveness or another. A conclusion can be drawn that the accuracy and effectiveness of any research depends on the preparation of a proper set of methods. When researching business organizations’ competitiveness, it is crucial to take account of the extreme dynamics of the developing business environment.

In Ukraine, the issue of assessing losses as a result of military aggression became relevant in 2014 after the annexation of part of the country's territory by the Russian Federation. Until 2022, Ukraine's state structures developed several regulatory documents regulating these issues. However, the problems of methodology and techniques for assessing damage and losses as a result of military actions in Ukraine have again come into the focus of academics and expert practitioners after the full-scale and extremely destructive aggression that began on February 24, 2022. It became clear that it would be impossible to assess the volume and variety of damage and losses caused to Ukraine based on previous approaches and methods. The purpose of the article is to substantiate the need and ways of developing the methodology for assessing damage and losses of enterprises as a result of the war, to determine the possibilities of mutual enrichment of the methodology of expert and accounting evaluation for their combined application when calculating losses from military actions in Ukraine. The work reveals the economic and regulatory essence of the approaches to assessing the damage and losses of enterprises from the war applied in Ukraine: the World Bank's rapid assessment methodology; methods of property-by-object assessment of the State Property Fund of Ukraine; methodology based on the accounting assessment methodology of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine. The authors critically analysed their potential and opportunities to achieve the goals set by the Ukrainian authorities for conducting a mass and operational assessment of economic losses from the war and ensuring a transparent and fair compensation policy. The main criteria for evaluating efficiency when choosing and using one or another approach for assessing enterprises' losses from the war were determined. The essence of the assessment methodology was revealed, and the methodological features of expert and accounting approaches to determining the damage and losses of enterprises from the war were defined. Reasoned possibility of mutual enrichment of the methodological bases of expert and accounting assessment through reciprocal borrowing of methods, procedures, techniques and methods. The practicality of both individual and combined application of expert and accounting approaches to assessing damage and losses to achieve the goals set by the Government of Ukraine has been proven.

A coronavirus disease (COVID)-related educational emergency is believed to have changed some of the aspects of the educational landscape. Sudden changes to traditional structures that are schools are undoubtedly an interesting issue to explore: complex phenomena such as assessment methods are highly related to many different factors such as normative base, the use of technological tools, etc. This article reports on the reorganization of assessment methods in the context of a rapid and forced transition to remote teaching mode, based on the results of a survey of Italian teachers. Findings indicate that pandemic-related educational emergency and the push toward the use of tools in teaching and learning practices, and the corresponding relaxation of certain established frames of operation, have created grounds for alternative forms of assessment. Results show that when entertaining different options and enjoying some level of autonomy, teachers can explore alternative forms of assessment. Assessment methods also change according to school subjects; while assessment changes are discipline specific, there is a clear trend toward product-based assessment.

The paper aims to reflect on the training of teachers in Italian lower and upper secondary schools by presenting the training activities carried out by the Pegaso Telematic University in the provision of the training course foreseen by Ministerial Decree 180/2022. The first training activities focused on the training of the course tutors, while the second focused on the feedback given to the teachers who followed the course, following the development of the competence assessment. The aim of this paper is to reflect on the replicability of the training actions presented and the lines of research that open up.

As one of the important means to coordinate the relationship between the development and utilization activities of the coastal zone and the protection of the ecological environment, and to measure the sustainable development capacity of the coastal zone, the quantitative research of the comprehensive evaluation of marine eco-environment carrying capacity (MECC) of the is very important. This study reviews the existing problems in the current integrated assessment of MECC, compares and analyzes the commonly used methods for carrying capacity assessment, and selects a set of potential methods that is suitable for the integrated assessment of MECC in coastal areas according to the characteristics of coastal areas. On this basis, through the analysis of the results of the case application, the practicability and limitations of this set of methods is further discussed, and several improvement suggestions are proposed. The results show that: (1) in view of the complexity and uncertainty of the coastal ecosystem, some traditional and commonly used assessment methods of carrying capacity cannot be well applied to the integrated assessment of MECC in coastal areas; (2) by fully considering the interaction between human activities and the marine eco-environment, this set of potential methods proposed in this study can better support the establishment of the assessment index system, objectively give weight to each assessment index, and quantitatively analyze and evaluate the comprehensive MECC. And thus, it can provide a feasible approach for the integrated assessment of MECC as well as empirical references for ensuring a sustainable coastal development; (3) additionally, it still has several limitations, such as, mainly, the lack of authoritative and unified indicator systems, as well as specific rating standards. Therefore, future studies should focus on related methods for the establishment of assessment indicator system and the classification criteria for evaluation results, so as to improve the assessment system for MECC and thus apply it to a more scientific analysis of the MECC in coastal areas.

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Entrepreneurship education research has a strong "output" focus on impact studies but pays much less attention to the "inside" or process perspective of the way entrepreneurship education occurs. In particular, the scattered previous entrepreneurship curriculum research has not managed to provide a current and comprehensive overview of the curricular elements that constitute entrepreneurship education. To overcome this shortcoming, we aim to identify the teaching objectives, teaching contents, teaching methods, and assessment methods discussed in entrepreneurship curriculum research. To this end, we conducted a systematic literature review on the four entrepreneurship curriculum dimensions and collected all mentioned curriculum items. We used a two-stage coding procedure to find the genuinely entrepreneurship-specific items. Among numerous items (also from business management and other subjects), we found 26 objectives, 34 contents, 11 teaching methods, and 7 assessment methods that were entrepreneurship-specific. Most of these items were addressed by only a few scholarly papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of information systems and appropriate software at enterprises is considered, by means of various assessment methods. The benefits of information systems for manufacturing enterprises are outlined. Economic methods and indices are discussed. Criteria for assessing the effectiveness of software packages are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture and the entire food production system play a critical role in sustaining the human species. However, as we strive to secure our means of subsistence, our extensive use of land and water has led to the depletion of the environment and biodiversity. This raises the pressing question of whether we can sufficiently produce food to support a growing population while simultaneously mitigating the inevitable environmental impacts. This article presents a comprehensive review of the significant effects of agriculture on the environment including contributions to greenhouse emissions, land use and land-use change, and forests, impact on biodiversity, impact on water quality and quantity, and the impact of pesticide use. The article also offers a list of approaches used to measure and evaluate the impact of agriculture. The primary aim of this article is to comprehensively review the latest insights in the field and to stimulate further research in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: South African occupational therapists' assessment practices of children's hand function are unknown, although the treatment thereof is an integral part of the paediatric scope of practice and clientele. Hand function assessment frameworks and instruments are available, but a lack of contextually relevant, comprehensive standardised instruments was identified. The study aimed to investigate occupational therapists' current paediatric hand function assessment practices and their preferences towards future practice. Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional study design using convenient and snowball sampling was employed. An EvaSys® survey system, custom-developed online questionnaire, was used to collect information. Results: In total, 194 HPCSA-registered occupational therapists participated. All the participants currently rely on informal observations. Although not exclusively designed for hand function, standardised developmental tests were often used. Limited familiarity with and use of the available published hand function assessment instrument was reported. Future assessment preferences supported a standardised, comprehensive hand function assessment instrument for different age groups and paediatric conditions. Conclusion: This study provides baseline evidence of current and preferred paediatric hand function assessment practices used byoccupationaltherapists. The need fortrainingto use the available published instruments was highlighted, Recommendations towards the refinement of existing or the development of a standardised, contextually relevant instrument for paediatric practice in South Africa are offered. Implications for practice This article offers a deeper understanding of available paediatric hand function assessment frameworks, assessment instruments, and practices of occupational therapists. It provides an outline of existing methods therapist use and offers clear directives for how the South African OT would prefer to assess hand function in children. Emphasis is placed on the need for a contextually relevant instrument and future research in refining existing instruments or developing a new instrument is proposed. Additionally, practitioners provided practical suggestions to guide the development of a contextually relevant instrument for potential use in future instrument development research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]