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The performance of color matching functions (CMFs) is important to color specification and calibration. In comparison to the great number of studies focusing on the effect of primary set, few studies focused on how observer age and field of view (FOV) jointly affected the performance of CMFs. In this study, a color matching experiment with three different primary sets, which were carefully selected based on our previous study, was carried out by two observer age groups under four FOVs (i.e., 2°, 4°, 8°, and 13°). The results suggested that the observer age had a more significant effect than the FOV, and the change of the FOV did not introduce a systematic trend to the color matching results. Neither the CIE 1931 2° nor 1964 10° CMFs were found to accurately characterize the color matches. The CIE 2006 CMFs with the FOV set to the experiment setup also did not have good performance. On average, the CIE 2006 2° CMFs were found to have the best performance, without considering the effects of the observer age and FOV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eye-tracking is emerging as a tool for researchers to better understand cognition and behavior. However, it is possible that experiment participants adjust their behavior when they know their eyes are being tracked. This potential change would be considered a type of Hawthorne effect, in which participants alter their behavior in response to being watched and could potentially compromise the outcomes and conclusions of experimental studies that use eye tracking. We examined whether eye-tracking produced Hawthorne effects in six commonly used psychological scales and five behavioral tasks. The dependent measures were selected because they are widely used and cited and because they involved measures of sensitive topics, including gambling behavior, racial bias, undesirable personality characteristics, or because they require working memory or executive attention resources, which might be affected by Hawthorne effects. The only task where Hawthorne effects manifested was the mixed gambles task, in which participants accepted or rejected gambles involving a 50/50 chance of gaining or losing different monetary amounts. Participants in the eye-tracking condition accepted fewer gambles that were low in expected value, and they also took longer to respond for these low-value gambles. These results suggest that eye-tracking is not likely to produce Hawthorne effects in most common psychology laboratory tasks, except for those involving risky decisions where the probability of the outcomes from each choice are known. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Monitoring hand hygiene compliance (HHC) of healthcare providers (HCPs) in healthcare facilities is critical for hand hygiene (HH) promotion. However, less is known about the cost and effectiveness of different HHC monitoring tools. In this study, we aimed to compare various health economic indicators corresponding to electronic system-based monitoring (ESM) and manual paper-based monitoring (MPM) for HHC to provide evidence-based advice for HHC monitoring measures targeted selecting. Methods: A before and after study in 40 clinical departments with 4,524 healthcare providers was conducted from December 2022 to January 2023 (MPM implementation phase) and March 2023 to May 2023 (ESM implementation phase). The cost-effectiveness, cost-efficiency, the extent of the Hawthorne effect, and indirect cost-benefit of the two monitoring methods were compared. Results: The total cost spent on ESM for the 40 departments (17,702.92 CNY) was 4,123.76 CNY lower than that of MPM (21,826.68 CNY). The HHC of MPM (80.16%) was higher than that of ESM (69.82%) (p < 0.01). In high- and medium-risk departments, the cost-effectiveness ratio of ESM (7,977.90 CNY and 13,794.60 CNY, respectively) was lower than that of MPM (9,039.61 CNY and 14,549.05 CNY, respectively). In low-risk departments, the cost-effectiveness ratio of ESM (3,910.77 CNY) was higher than that of MPM (3,899.06 CNY). Compared with ESM, the incremental cost of MPM in all departments was 4,123.76 CNY, the incremental effectiveness was 10.34%, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was 39,881.62 CNY. Between the two monitoring methods, the efficiency of ESM (48.11%) in all departments was higher than that of MPM (14.20%) (p < 0.01). The cost-efficiency ratio of MPM in all departments (155,775.56 CNY) was higher than that of ESM (36,796.76 CNY). The extent of Hawthorne effect of MPM of HHC in all departments (43.99%) was higher than that of ESM (35.69%) (p < 0.01). When ESM was used as the HHC monitoring approach, the HAI rates (1.39%) in all departments were higher than that when MPM was used (1.34%) (p = 0.562). When the payment willingness was less than 40,000 CNY, the ESM method was the better option for cost-effectiveness; When the input exceeded this threshold, the MPM method was the better option for cost-effectiveness. Conclusions: ESM exhibited notable advantages over MPM in terms of cost-effectiveness, cost-efficiency, cost-benefit, and the Hawthorne effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatiotemporal gait kinematics and their variability are commonly assessed in clinical and laboratory settings to quantify fall risk. Although the Hawthorne effect, or modifications in participant behavior due to knowledge of being observed, has the potential to impact such assessments, it has received minimal attention in the study of gait—particularly gait variability. The purpose of this study was to quantify the Hawthorne effect on variability and central tendency measures of fall-related spatiotemporal gait parameters. Seventeen healthy young adults walked on a treadmill at a self-selected velocity for 2 minutes under covert evaluation (ie, without awareness of being evaluated) and 2 minutes under overt evaluation. The movement was recorded using motion capture technology, from which we calculated mean value and step-to-step variability (using standard deviation and mean absolute deviation) of step length, step width, percent double support, percent stance phase, and stride time. Although central tendencies were unaffected by evaluation type, four-of-five measures of variability were significantly lower during overt evaluation for at least one-of-two metrics. Our results suggest a Hawthorne effect on locomotor control. Researchers should be aware of this phenomenon when designing research studies and interpreting gait assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Considering the existence of time delay and interval uncertainty, a set‐membership state estimation problem based on zonotopes is studied for discrete‐time switched systems subject to unknown but bounded noises. To conform the actual situation, a state observer asynchronous with the subsystem is designed. The L∞$$ {L}_{\infty } $$ performance is introduced to attenuate the effect of noises in the observer design. By dealing with the interval uncertainty, the design approach of L∞$$ {L}_{\infty } $$ observer is given and transformed into a convex optimization problem which can be solved off‐line. The zonotope and the estimation interval containing state are provided based on the L∞$$ {L}_{\infty } $$ observer. Finally, a numerical example is given to verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolite extraction is the critical first-step in metabolomics experiments, where it is generally regarded to inactivate and remove proteins. Here, arising from efforts to improve extraction conditions for polar metabolomics, we discover a proteomic landscape of over 1000 proteins within metabolite extracts. This is a ubiquitous feature across several common extraction and sample types. By combining post-resuspension stable isotope addition and enzyme inhibitors, we demonstrate in-extract metabolite interconversions due to residual transaminase activity. We extend these findings with untargeted metabolomics where we observe extensive protein-mediated metabolite changes, including in-extract formation of glutamate dipeptide and depletion of total glutathione. Finally, we present a simple extraction workflow that integrates 3 kDa filtration for protein removal as a superior method for polar metabolomics. In this work, we uncover a previously unrecognized, protein-mediated source of observer effects in metabolomics experiments with broad-reaching implications across all research fields using metabolomics and molecular metabolism. Metabolite extraction with organic solvents is assumed to remove/denature proteins. Here, the authors uncover a vast landscape of >1,000 proteins in metabolite extracts. These proteins can retain catalytic activity and drive post-extraction metabolite changes, obscuring biological interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing development of intelligent technologies for hand hygiene (HH) compliance audit has the potential to create an alternative to direct observation (DO), which is still considered the gold standard but has disadvantages such as lack of standardized monitoring practices, Hawthorne effect, insufficient sample size, and time/resource consumption. We aimed to share our preliminary results on the impacts of intelligent monitoring technology installation (IMTI) and additional modalities on healthcare workers' (HCWs') HH compliance in a Burn Center, according to the "5 Moments of HH" concept defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). Methods: A quasi-experimental longitudinal trial was conducted over eleven months.The first phase of the three-stage study evaluated basic HH compliances obtained by DO. The system-defined HH performances, which IMTI recorded, were assessed in the second phase. Finally, the effect of IMTI and additional modalities was determined in the third stage. 15202 HH events were performed by 41 HCWs, and a total of 20095 HH opportunities were observed. Four hundred fifty-five opportunities were in the preinstallation phase, and 19640 were during the total post-installation period. IMTIdefined performance rates in both Phase 2 (71.2%) and Phase 3 (80.5%) were generally considerably higher than HH compliances obtained from DO (58.5%). Nurses, physical therapy /anesthesia technicians, and housekeeping personnel showed significant increases, which was insignificant in physicians in phase 2. Meanwhile, a sustained increase was observed regarding IMTI and additional modalities of HH compliance of all HCWs in Phase 3. IMTI has significantly increased HH performance rates. Furthermore, combining the IMTI with additional modalities as components of a multimodal strategy recommended by WHO appears to affect the sustainability of the increasing trend of HCWs' HH compliance. • Infection-prevention/-control is vital to the survival of burn patients. • The primary route of infection transmission in burn patients is through the hands of healthcare workers. • Healthcare workers' hand hygiene is critical in reducing healthcare-associated infections. • Intelligent monitoring technology installation has significantly increased hand hygiene performance rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behavioural ecologists frequently collect data that involve the potential for subjective judgement, so it is important that researchers in the field develop awareness of potential issues around bias in data collection. We report the results of an undergraduate classroom experiment in which we estimated the potential for students' a priori expectations to bias their estimates of behaviour. Prior to conducting a set of behavioural observations on a video-recorded flock of foraging pigeons, we randomly primed half of the students to expect the pigeons to be hungry, while the other half were primed to expect the pigeons to be satiated. Students were blind to the treatment and subsequently estimated two variables expected to differ in their potential for subjectivity: the proportion of birds in the flock that were feeding (potentially subjective), and the feeding (peck) rates of two focal individuals (potentially objective). Surprisingly, we found no evidence that observer bias affected the estimate of the percentage of birds foraging. By contrast, we found a large effect of observer bias on feeding rate estimates, with students who expected a hungry state recording inflated feeding rate estimates relative to those that expected a satiated state. We furthermore found that students' expectations of foraging state did not always match their allocated primers: bias was predicted by 'expected state' but not by 'allocated state'. Our experiment illustrates that bias associated with expectation can influence results. Furthermore, a variable we initially expected to be relatively objective proved to have a strong subjective element, inflating the effect of confirmation bias on estimation. We recommend blind data recording even when response variables are thought to be objective, as well as explicit teaching of university students about the potential for bias in data collection, and our experiment suggests a potentially useful way in which this can be undertaken. • We tested whether students' a priori expectations biased their data collection. • Bias was difficult to detect as a function of allocated priming statements. • However, confirmation bias was detected as a result of students' true expectations. • Putatively objective variables may have unconsidered subjective elements. • Blind data recording should be implemented wherever possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predator avoidance is critical to fish survival and yet multiple types of predator response are rarely recorded at the level of individuals let alone studied in detail. Behaviour of an individual adult male dragonet, Gross's stinkfish Callionymus grossi (Ogilby 1910) (Family Callionymidae) was observed over the course of four consecutive daily snorkelling sessions on high tides in the Maroochy River estuary, Queensland, Australia. On two occasions, the dragonet buried in the sand in the presence of a great barracuda, Sphyraena barracuda, whereas, smaller benthic predators or competitors and the observer sometimes provoked dorsal fin raising and fleeing responses of the dragonet. The dragonet, therefore, demonstrates multiple responses to potential predators and competitors seemingly depending on the likely severity of interaction. Further research of dragonet fishes is recommended to disentangle the functionality of fin display in this group, with the anti‐predator function of fin displays and honest signalling of chemical defence a promising aspect for investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the application of contusion stability yaw control of a lightweight solar-electric vehicle. The vehicle's customized design envelope makes it more sensitive to variations in load due to its low weight and relatively large size. To address this issue, control strategies were developed using differential motor torques to generate direct yaw moments using the vehicle's rear in-wheel motors. This paper introduces the working conditions of solar vehicles and demonstrates the necessity of stability control. Vehicle parameters such as mass and center of gravity position are obtained to apply control to the real vehicle. The paper then describes two stability control strategies, using (i) sliding-mode control (SMC) and (ii) model predictive control (MPC). To account for the road bank angle of the test area and the impact of additional weight from a driver and passenger, a Kinematic-Based Observer is designed to estimate the vehicle's side-slip based on measured values. To collect real-time data, a dSPACE MicroAutobox was installed on the solar vehicle. The results show the effect of the observer and controllers under different vehicle speeds and load conditions. Finally, closed-loop simulation results are presented to support the findings from the open-loop testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Of the social media tools available to brand managers, consumer-generated advertising (CGA) has attractive features combining consumer-generated content, social media advertising, and online interactive marketing campaigns. However, only a small number of customers actively participate in co-creation of CGA. Based on social presence theory and service-dominant logic conceptualization, we examined CGA observers, knowledgeable and attentive viewers of value co-creation processes who do not directly participate in value co-creation. In two studies, we examined consumer responses to company-driven CGA and found no significant differences between CGA creators, or direct participants, and CGA observers, or indirect participants in the process of involvement with CGA, its antecedents, and its outcomes. Study 1 demonstrated that CGA observers developed positive attitudes toward co-created CGA that influenced their brand loyalty and willingness to participate in the process. Study 2 revealed that both creators' and observers' involvement with CGA led to stronger perceptions of competitive advantage, which positively affected brand loyalty and trust. Perceptions of competitive advantage also had a mediation effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orthodontic retention has evolved into an essential element of orthodontic treatment, applicable regardless of a patient's age, specific malocclusion, or the type of mechanotherapy employed. It is common practice in many regions to utilize fixed retention in a majority of patients. Existing research suggests that the presence of fixed retainers has a relatively minimal impact on periodontal tissues. However, given the often prolonged, and sometimes lifelong, retention periods, it is essential to acknowledge specific limitations within the scientific literature. These include the relatively short durations of observation in most randomized clinical studies, the potential influence of the Hawthorne effect, selection bias (such as the inclusion of patients with exemplary hygiene), and the risk of retainer activation. Therefore, it is advisable to exercise caution when assuming that fixed retainers are entirely free of risks to periodontal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheeled Mobile Robots (WMRs) are systems with applications in diverse fields such as transportation, civilian services, military use, and space exploration. Then, their use will continue increasing, making WMRs an essential research topic that deserves further study. To this end, this work presents a novel observer-based finite-time controller for trajectory tracking control of WMRs disturbed by kinematic disturbances. In the proposed approach, the kinematic model of the WMR is transformed into a set of two decoupled second-order systems. Then, the proposed controller is divided into two parts. The first one employs an observer to estimate the effect of the kinematic disturbances. The second part consists of a finite-time controller designed to achieve finite-time convergence of the tracking error. A detailed synthesis procedure theoretically demonstrates the feasibility of the proposed controller. Subsequently, the proposed scheme is compared against finite-time, feedback, and H ∞ controllers. Exhaustive numerical simulations show that the proposed new control methodology achieves the trajectory tracking objective despite kinematic disturbances and outperforms the other control procedures. Finally, some comments and numerical results are given to clarify how the proposed control methodology can be used to design new controllers for trajectory tracking in WMRs and demonstrate that the new proposal remains to have a good performance when the system's coordinates are corrupted by measurement noise. [Display omitted] • A new observer-based finite-time control for wheeled mobile robots is proposed. • The new control scheme permits achieving the trajectory-tracking task efficiently. • The novel methodology outperforms existing finite-time, feedback, and H ∞ methodologies. • Excellent performance is obtained even in the presence of kinematic disturbances and measurement noise. • The proposed scheme permits the design of new controllers for WMRs easily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observation and replication of observed behavior are two key components to organisms surviving and flourishing. In a corresponding manner, people observe the behavior of others in organizations, replicating adaptive while avoiding detrimental behaviors. Learning by observation allows workers to develop repertoires in which adaptive behaviors are reinforced while maladaptive behaviors undergo extinction or are socially and financially punished. Moreover, observers often improve their own performance when monitoring and recording the behavior of others. However, observers also might replicate inappropriate behavior. Imitation, observational learning, observational performance, and rule-governed behavior are discussed in these contexts. Finally, being viewed by others frequently enhances worker responding and accomplishments. These behaviors occur at the individual, group, and organizational levels, allowing some workers, teams, and organizations to flourish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum non-locality and contextuality can be simulated with quasi-probabilities, i.e. probabilities that take negative values. Here, we show that another quantum phenomenon, the observer effect, admits a quasi-probabilistic description too. We also investigate post-quantum observer effects based on the Specker's triangle scenario. This scenario comprises three observables, with the possibility of measuring two simultaneously. Represented as three boxes with a hidden ball, this scenario exhibits counterintuitive behaviour: regardless of the chosen pair of boxes, one box always contains the ball. Moreover, the scenario demonstrates a strong observer effect. When an observer selects and opens the first box, finding it empty, the ball is guaranteed to be in the second box, thereby allowing the observer to determine the ball's location among the remaining two boxes. We extend this scenario to include additional boxes and multiple balls. By employing negative probabilities, we demonstrate amplification of the observer effect. This article is part of the theme issue 'Quantum contextuality, causality and freedom of choice'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been extensive attention on how to leverage social influence to promote green consumption and achieve environmental effects. Based on observation learning theory, this study examines how a coworker's workplace green behavior incidentally influences an observer's green purchase. The study includes one online experiment and one field survey with multiple time data. Results show that exposure to a frequently interacting coworker who exhibits green behavior in the workplace subsequently has an incidental effect on the observer's green purchase. Concern for the environmental action mediates the above incidental effect, and the mediating effect of concern for the environmental action is moderated by the perceived status of the coworker who conducts green behavior in the workplace. These findings identify the important social influence of coworkers' green behavior and provide theoretical benefits for encouraging green behavior in the workplace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paired stimulus preference assessment (PSPA) is commonly used in both research and practice. However, two iterations have been described: a single‐presentation arrangement in which each tested stimulus is paired with one another once and a double‐presentation arrangement in which each tested stimulus is paired twice with counterbalanced placement. Each arrangement may have different advantages; however, no direct comparison exists. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to conduct both PSPA iterations to determine whether there are differences in the results obtained and which iteration was most efficient regarding time to administer. Seven participants were included, and results demonstrated high degrees of correspondence across preference assessment formats. The average time to administer the single‐presentation PSPA (M =6.6 min) was almost half the time to administer a double‐presentation PSPA (M =12.9 min), and no significant differences were observed for problem behavior, side biases, or latency to stimulus selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to determine the standard time required for the performed job and to examine the standard job critically for productivity improvement in the pathology laboratory. Material and Methods: In this study that was conducted at a tertiary teaching hospital, observation, fishbone diagram, and flow charts were used to collect the information about the job process. All employees were observed from September 2017 to June 2018. The observations were recorded by video camera in order to overcome the Hawthorne effect. Nine basic procedure steps were followed for productivity improvement. Results: Within the scope of the study, the jobs of "trimming tissue blocks" and "sectioning of tissue blocks" was selected. The standard time required was 0.19 minutes for "trimming tissue blocks" and 0.34 minutes for "sectioning of tissue blocks". The procedure steps, named "Removal of tissue block" and "Fixing the block to the device", were removed from the flow chart to define the improved method. The implementation of the improved method brought in a gain of 11.28 work days per year. Conclusion: It is obvious that the pathology laboratory needs to take certain measures to improve working conditions and increase efficiency. Our results demonstrate applying the study techniques could reduce the workload and processing time. This study also shows that the study techniques can be applied in the hospital laboratory. Incorporation of all pathology technicians in the change or innovation process will be important in maintaining the achievements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family Constellations are an emerging therapeutic approach for working with local and non-local consciousness. First developed by German psychoanalyst Bert Hellinger, and now practiced by thousands of licensed and un-licensed facilitators globally, Family Constellations are a transpersonal and systemically oriented therapeutic process. Their aim is to address a focus client's emotional, behavioral, relational, or somatic issues by uncovering and resolving transgenerational entanglements within their family system. The author expands on the proposal of symbiogenesis as a mediator of local and non-local consciousness to query whether applying the Observer Effect to inherited trauma may influence epigenetic marks. An expanded perspective on consciousness, life, death, and quantum fields may provide a more comprehensive framework to address therapeutic interventions for common emotional and behavioral disorders. Innovative features of Family Constellations are its phenomenological orientation, reference to family system entanglements, and potential for symptom relief through cellular mediation of ancestral memory. Family Constellations utilize techniques called representative perception and tuning-in to identify and release ancestral traumas. These are akin to remote viewing and mediumship. While the scientific basis for Family Constellations is speculative, the text references research on the quantum theory of consciousness, mediumship and remote viewing as potential supporting evidence. Four case studies are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper used a multi-period DID model with panel data from 283 Chinese cities between 2006 and 2019 to investigate the emission reduction effects and mechanisms of China's carbon trading scheme. The research revealed that China's Carbon Emissions Trading Scheme not only stimulated businesses to reduce emissions as a market-based environmental regulation policy but also influenced local governments' governance objectives. As a result, the Hawthorne effect inevitably manifested during the experimental period of China's Carbon Emissions Trading Scheme. Further analysis indicated that China's CETS encouraged local authorities to take a more proactive stance towards the balance between environmental preservation and economic growth, aiming to achieve a mutually beneficial outcome. Based on the political stance of local governments, they are likely to simultaneously increase their focus on both economic growth and environmental protection. However, when faced with the conflict between economic advancement and environmental safeguarding, pilot regions prioritized ecological conservation in their practical steps, leading to a modest decline in economic growth. In other words, the government's high-profile announcements may not always manifest in actual deeds. In practice, local authorities tend to allocate more administrative resources to areas highly prioritized by the central government. Furthermore, the extended analysis reveals that China's CETS has resulted in a reduction in social welfare due to a shift in governance priorities influenced by political incentives. Therefore, fine-tuning the performance evaluation mechanism, preventing any bias towards the target preferences of local authorities, and guaranteeing the successful operation of the market mechanism are imperative to achieve truly low-cost and sustainable emissions reductions objectives for CETS.

AbstractPurpose Hypertension significantly contributes to cardiovascular diseases and premature deaths. Effective treatment is crucial to reduce cardiovascular risks, but poor adherence to antihypertensive drugs is a major issue. Numerous studies attempted to investigate interventions for identifying non-adherence, but often failed to address the issue effectively. The RHYME-RCT trial sought to bridge this gap by measuring non-adherence by determining antihypertensive drug concentrations in blood through a dried blood spot (DBS) method in patients with resistant hypertension. This measurement was followed by personalized feedback to improve adherence. During the course of this trial several challenges emerged, including selection bias, the gatekeeper role of physicians, the Hawthorne effect and the role of randomization.Aim This communication aims to inform fellow researchers and clinicians of challenges that can arise when conducting clinical trials to improve adherence and offer insights for refining study designs to avoid these issues in forthcoming adherence studies.

After finding a solution for the Hayward regular black hole (HRBH) in massive gravity, we embed the (3+1)-dimensional HRBHs both in massless and in massive gravities into (5+2)- and (6+3)-dimensional Minkowski spacetimes, respectively. Here, massive gravity denotes that a graviton acquires a mass holographically by broken momentum conservation in the HRBH. The original HRBH has no holographically added gravitons, which we call 'massless'. Making use of newly found embedding coordinates, we obtain desired Unruh temperatures and compare them with the Hawking and local fiducial temperatures, showing that the Unruh effect for a uniformly accelerated observer in a higher-dimensional flat spacetime is equal to the Hawking effect for a fiducial observer in a black hole spacetime. We also obtain freely falling temperatures of the HRBHs in massless and massive gravities seen by freely falling observers, which remain finite even at the event horizons while becoming the Hawking temperatures in asymptotic infinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smoky cookfires contribute to global climate change and kill approximately four million people annually. While many studies have examined the effects of fuel-efficient cookstoves, this study does so while selling stoves at market prices. After introducing a fuel-efficient cookstove, fuelwood use and household air particu-lates declined by 12% and by smaller percentages after adjusting for observer-induced bias, or the Hawthorne effect. These reductions were less than laboratory predictions and fell well short of World Health Organization pollution targets. Even when introducing a second stove, most households continued to use their traditional stoves for most cooking. Future research should focus on improving the usability of fuel-efficient cookstoves and/or policies that assist consumers to shift to safer fuels like gas or electricity coupled with mechanisms to disable the existing smoky cookfire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eye gaze communicates a person's attentional state and intentions toward objects. Here we demonstrate that this important social signal has the potential to distort time perception of gazed-at objects (N = 70 adults). By using a novel gaze-associated learning paradigm combined with the time-discrimination task, we showed that objects previously associated with others' eye gaze were perceived as significantly shorter in duration than the nonassociated counterparts. The time-compression effect cannot be attributed to general attention allocation because it disappeared when objects were associated with nonsocial attention cues (i.e., arrows). Critically, this effect correlated with observers' autistic traits and vanished when the gazing agent's line of sight was blocked by barriers, reflecting the key role of intention processing triggered by gaze in modulating time perception. Our findings support the existence of a special mechanism tuned to social cues, which can shape our perception of the outer world in time domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a Gilles Deleuze-based perspective on the 'games businesses play,' many of which are ethically unsound and have implications for ways that consulting practices are dissected. Two types of Deleuze's time (Chronos & Aion) are applied to illustrate the genesis of these moral hazards. Chronos, or linear time, includes past and future timelines ad infinitum. Aion, a type of cyclical time, repeatedly slices through Chronos time. Aion is neither linear or cyclical, but dances with Chronos. Consequently, two types of interrelated observer effects are theorized. The first effect, games of chance, or what Boje calls 'bets on the future,' epitomizes everyday aspects of the process of strategizing. Each bet changes the nature of the past. The second effect, found in Deleuze's works, underscores the importance of "now." We then introduce ways these two temporal effects can be utilized for ethical consulting practices. Essentially, this article addresses a novel storytelling method that can expose unethical business practices, leadership, and behavior through ethical consulting. These storytelling methods are germane to organization development because organizations that degrade others also degrade themselves, which has profound business and societal consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Political connections and corporation social responsibility (CSR) play important roles in firms’ investment decisions. This paper examines empirically how distinct social organization identities of the entrepreneurs affect their environmental investment using Chinese private enterprises from the 13th national private enterprise sampling survey in 2018. The results show that: (1) The social organization identities of private entrepreneurs has a significant positive effect on firms’ environmental investment; (2) The positive effects decrease in sequence for government-pushed organizations, industry associations and fellowship organizations; (3) There are significant heterogeneities among regions, industries, external risks and internal ownership structures; and (4) Environmental investment has a significant positive effect on firms’ economic performance. After the methods of variable substitution, instrumental variable, PSM, etc., the results are all robust, which ensures the reliability of our findings. Finally, the research proposes policies of voluntary environmental management for Chinese private enterprises with different social organization identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Overall hand hygiene compliance before the intervention was low (44.1%) which was in line with other studies performed in intensive care units. • After our video camera hand hygiene surveillance, scenario based interactive education and feedback intervention, the overall hand hygiene and glove showed a non-significant improvement. • Only the before patient contact hand hygiene compliance rate increased significantly. • The improvements in hand hygiene behavior were not sustained in the long term (6 months after the intervention) follow period., illustrating the probable importance of continuous and frequent feedback and educations to sustain hand hygiene compliance. The purpose of this study was to determine whether use of a video camera surveillance system for hand hygiene (HH) monitoring, video-based education, and feedback could improve the HH compliance in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). This was an interventional before-after trial conducted in a level-III NICU between July 2019 and June 2020. HH compliance was measured using randomly selected video-camera footage in the baseline, intervention, and maintenance periods. After the baseline, an intervention consisting of feedback and education with video scenarios was implemented. The primary outcome was change in HH compliance. The compliance rates were analyzed as an interrupted time series (ITS) with a segmented regression model adjusted for autocorrelation for each study period. We identified a total of 8335 HH indications. There were non significant increases in the total compliance rate (9.0%, 95% CI -2% to 20%) at the time of intervention and in the compliance rate after intervention (0.26%, 95% CI -0.31% to 0.84%) per day. The hand hygiene compliance before patient contact significantly increased (19.8%, 95% CI, 4.8%-34.8%). Incorrect glove use improved non-significantly with the intervention (-3.4%, 95% CI -13.4% to 6.7%). In this study of HH monitoring using video-camera footage combined with an intervention including feedback and education, there were inconsistent improvements in HH compliance. However, these improvements were not sustained in the long term. Frequent feedback and education may be required to sustain high compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Robust sampling of animals is necessary for understanding ocean ecology, but evaluating the effectiveness of our samplers is a challenge. Scientific echosounders were added to two robotic platforms carrying video imaging systems: a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). The vehicles were used to quantitatively sample midwater life in Monterey Bay along horizontal transects at incremental depths ranging from 25 to 1000 m. The echosounders allowed the bulk behavioral responses of animals to be observed up to 200 m forward of each platform. These responses observed included no response, continual avoidance, avoidance to a fixed range resulting in a patch, and attraction. There were strong and interacting effects of depth and platform type on behavioral responses. Measurements of acoustic backscatter showed that animals responded more strongly to the AUV than the ROV. During AUV surveys, there were effects of day/night and the use of artificial illumination on animal responses. Behavioral responses to our sampling were both species‐ and context‐dependent. These data inspired the expansion of an existing mathematical framework that formalized the processes affecting the sampling of motile ocean organisms. Originally developed for net sampling, we generalized the equations to be platform‐ and sensor‐agnostic and incorporated animal decision‐making processes to allow for behaviors consistent with the full range of responses we observed. These results and the framework can help move toward more effective sampling of motile animals in the ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a reply to a letter to the editor regarding a study on the appropriateness of imaging in the emergency department (ED). The authors acknowledge the limitations of their retrospective design but argue that it allowed them to capture a real-world view of ordering practices. They explain that the American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria (ACRAC) were used to classify patients into clinical scenarios based on the most likely diagnosis at the time of imaging order. The authors found a high prevalence of inappropriate imaging orders and suggest that collaboration between radiology and emergency departments is needed to find the right balance between evidence-based imaging and individual clinical judgment. [Extracted from the article]

Hypertension significantly contributes to cardiovascular diseases and premature deaths. Effective treatment is crucial to reduce cardiovascular risks, but poor adherence to antihypertensive drugs is a major issue. Numerous studies attempted to investigate interventions for identifying non-adherence, but often failed to address the issue effectively. The RHYME-RCT trial sought to bridge this gap by measuring non-adherence by determining antihypertensive drug concentrations in blood through a dried blood spot (DBS) method in patients with resistant hypertension. This measurement was followed by personalized feedback to improve adherence. During the course of this trial several challenges emerged, including selection bias, the gatekeeper role of physicians, the Hawthorne effect and the role of randomization. This communication aims to inform fellow researchers and clinicians of challenges that can arise when conducting clinical trials to improve adherence and offer insights for refining study designs to avoid these issues in forthcoming adherence studies. Purpose: High blood pressure is a serious problem that can lead to heart and kidney problems and early deaths. Treating high blood pressure is therefore crucial. Initially, lifestyle changes are recommended, but if they don't work, medications are needed. However, taking these drugs daily can be challenging, and many patients miss doses which is called non-adherence. Despite numerous studies, a perfect solution hasn't been found to solve non-adherence to blood pressure lowering drugs. In the RHYME-RCT study, researchers aimed to improve drug adherence in patients with resistant hypertension. They monitored drug intake by measuring drug concentrations in the blood alongside 24-hour blood pressure monitoring. These data allowed healthcare providers to offer personalized advice to patients. The study encountered some important challenges in its design, including selection bias, where some participants shouldn't have been included or excluded in the study, and the Hawthorne effect, where patients changed their behavior because they knew they were being observed. Aim: This message is to inform fellow scientists and doctors about issues that can arise when conducting clinical trials to improve adherence and to encourage the exchange of ideas between scientists to improve future studies on medication adherence, which is essential for managing conditions like high blood pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present research, we examine how power and group membership of an offender influence observers' motives for punishment. As compared to powerless offenders, powerful offenders should elicit a stronger motivation of an observer to incapacitate them and protect society (i.e., utilitarian punishment motivation). Moreover, demonization of the offender (e.g., perceiving the offender as evil) should mediate the effect of power on punishing motives. Finally, we investigated whether group membership of an offender would moderate the effects of power on punishing motives. In three studies, we manipulated an offender's power (high, low) and group membership (ingroup, outgroup, and – in Study 1 – ambiguous). Supporting our hypotheses, all three studies revealed that powerful offenders triggered stronger utilitarian punishment motivation as opposed to powerless offenders, while demonization of the offender mediated this effect. Moreover, Studies 1 and 2 showed that powerless offenders triggered stronger restorative punishment motivation as opposed to powerful offenders while low demonization of the offender mediated this effect. Contrary to our expectations, however, group membership did not moderate the effect of power on observer's punishing motives. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the effect of observer error on four commonly used species diversity measures: species richness, Shannon–Weiner diversity, Shannon–Weiner evenness and Simpson's index of diversity. We also evaluated how observer error affects inferences derived from multivariate analyses of species–abundance relationships as determined by non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMS) ordination. Grassland vegetation was sampled by three different botanists at two national park units in Missouri and Kansas, USA. The same plots were sampled by two of the botanists, who compiled lists of species composition and estimated foliar cover. Differences in the data records were then compared. Pseudoturnover (i.e. apparent turnover due to observer error) ranged from 17.1% to 22.1%, and differences in cover class estimation ranged from 21.5% to 30.5%. The percentage difference in species diversity measures between pairs of observers depended on how data were summarized, but were always <20%, and often <10%. Based on these results, species diversity metrics are affected to a relatively smaller extent by observer error than turnover indices. Turnover indices, however, contain more information because they track individual species, whereas species are interchangeable in most species diversity indices. Thus, less of the error is identified because of how species diversity indices are calculated. NMS ordinations revealed that while the characterizations of some plots by different observers were similar, differences between observers' records for other plots resulted in greater separation in ordination space. Points representing one observer's records were often shifted in ordination space in the same direction compared with the other observer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infant facial attractiveness is an important facilitator for adult-infant caregiving behaviour. Disruption to typical infant facial configurations can, however, attenuate their perceived attractiveness, as rated by adult observers. Previous research has either focused on how ratings are affected by observer characteristics (e.g., male/female), or alterations to infant faces, either experimentally, or naturalistically induced, such as the presence of a cleft lip. Little research has however been conducted on the effects of observer experience on adult ratings of infant facial attractiveness. Such effects could inform clinical work and policies aimed at promoting positive perception of facial malformations. The present study thus explored the effects of familiarisation on how typical and atypical infant facial configurations are evaluated by adults. We recruited two groups of female participants and compared their subjective attractiveness ratings of infant faces (24 typical and 24 cleft-affected), at baseline, and at one-week post-test. Between the two assessments, one group (n = 41) underwent a week-long training phase, where they were familiarised with cleft lip/palate-related visual and informational stimuli, while the control group (n = 44) received no training. Significantly higher ratings were provided for faces of typically developing versus cleft-affected infants by both groups of participants at baseline. At post-test, this pattern of ratings was repeated in participants belonging to the control group, while familiarised participants showed an increase, compared to baseline, in their ratings of cleft-affected faces and no difference between their evaluation of the latter and that of typically developing faces. These findings extend our understanding of the observer's experience in the evaluation of infant faces, beyond the effects of the structural characteristics of the observed faces. Results also highlight familiarity as a potentially protective influence against the negative consequences of alterations to typical facial configurations, suggesting avenues for intervention in supporting adult caregivers in the context of neonatal facial malformations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study investigated whether the clothing color of female stimuli and the perceived attractiveness judgments of Caucasian and Chinese male observers for own‐ and other‐ethnicity are correlated. Results indicate that Caucasian observers evaluated stimuli in white and black as the most attractive while giving low ratings for stimuli in orange, yellow, or lime. Results for the Chinese observers were found to depend on the stimulus type, whereby the Caucasian stimulus received significantly lower ratings when dressed in lime, and the Chinese stimulus was rated as the least attractive when in lime, orange, green, or cyan. White was found to have a positive effect on Chinese observers' ratings for both stimuli. A comparison of the general versus the facial attractiveness lends some evidence that red enhanced Caucasian observers' attraction to the Chinese stimulus while findings fail to support the general red‐effect. We propose a potential mechanism underlying the color‐attraction associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The representation of peripersonal space (PPS representation) and the selection of motor actions within it (PPS exploitation) are influenced by action outcomes and reward prospects. The present study tested whether observing the outcome of others' actions altered the observer's PPS representation and exploitation. Participants (observers) performed a reachability-judgement task (assessing PPS representation) before and after having observed a confederate (actors) performing a stimuli-selection task on a touch-screen table. In the stimuli-selection task, the stimuli selected could either yield a reward or not, but the probability to select a reward-yielding stimulus was biased in space, being either 50%, 25% or 75% in the actor's proximal or distal space. After the observation phase, participants performed the stimuli-selection task (assessing PPS exploitation), but with no spatial bias in the distribution of reward-yielding stimuli. Results revealed an effect of actors' actions outcome on observers' PPS representation, which changed according to the distribution of reward-yielding stimuli in the actors' proximal and distal spaces. No significant effect of actors' actions outcome was found on observers' PPS exploitation. As a whole, the results suggest dissociated effects of observing the outcome of others' actions on PPS representation and exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Dynamic Imaging Grade of Swallowing Toxicity (DIGEST) is a scale to quantify the severity of pharyngeal dysphagia in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients. This study (1) described the training process of the observers for DIGEST in fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES), (2) determined observer agreement on the DIGEST in FEES, (3) explored the effect of bolus consistency on observer agreement, and 4) explored criterion validity of the DIGEST in FEES. Methods: Twenty-seven dysphagic HNC patients were enrolled. Two observers completed a training program for DIGEST in FEES. Observer agreement on the Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS), percentage of pharyngeal residue (PPR), and DIGEST grades was determined using linearly weighted Cohen's kappa coefficient (κ). Results: Due to insufficient observer agreement after the first measurement attempt, additional training was organized using an elaborated manual with descriptions of the visuoperceptual variables, thereby improving observer agreement. Intraobserver agreement was almost perfect on the PAS (κ = 0.86–0.88) and PPR (κ = 0.84–0.86). Interobserver agreement was substantial on the PAS (κ = 0.78), almost perfect on the PPR (κ = 0.82), substantial on the safety grade (κ = 0.64), almost perfect on the efficiency grade (κ = 0.85), and substantial on the summary grade (κ = 0.71). Bolus consistency had an effect on observer agreement. A significant correlation was found between DIGEST efficiency grade and EAT-10. Conclusion: The DIGEST showed to be a reproducible measurement for FEES in terms of observer agreement. However, agreement between novice observers on the DIGEST was only reached after specific observer-tailored training. Observer agreement should be analyzed by taking bolus consistency into account during training, as this might affect the interpretation of the outcome. A manual with well-defined descriptions can optimize the reproducibility of DIGEST measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The PreVCo study examines whether a structured, operationalized implementation of guidelines to prevent coercion actually leads to fewer coercive measures on psychiatric wards. It is known from the literature that rates of coercive measures differ greatly between hospitals within a country. Studies on that topic also showed large Hawthorne effects. Therefore, it is important to collect valid baseline data for the comparison of similar wards and controlling for observer effects. Methods: Fifty five psychiatric wards in Germany treating voluntary and involuntary patients were randomly allocated to an intervention or a waiting list condition in matched pairs. As part of the randomized controlled trial, they completed a baseline survey. We collected data on admissions, occupied beds, involuntarily admitted cases, main diagnoses, the number and duration of coercive measures, assaults and staffing levels. We applied the PreVCo Rating Tool for each ward. The PreVCo Rating Tool is a fidelity rating, measuring the degree of implementation of 12 guideline-linked recommendations on Likert scales with a range of 0-135 points covering the main elements of the guidelines. Aggregated data on the ward level is provided, with no patient data provided. We performed a Wilcoxon signed-rank-test to compare intervention group and waiting list control group at baseline and to assess the success of randomization. Results: The participating wards had an average of 19.9% involuntarily admitted cases and a median 19 coercive measures per month (1 coercive measure per occupied bed, 0.5 per admission). The intervention group and waiting list group were not significantly different in these measurements. There were 6.0 assaults per month on average (0.3 assaults per occupied bed and 0.1 per admission). The PreVCo Rating Tool for guideline fidelity varied between 28 and 106 points. The percentage of involuntarily admitted cases showed a correlation with coercive measures per month and bed (Spearman's Rho =0.56, p < 0.01). Discussion: Our findings that coercion varies widely within a country and mainly is associated with involuntarily admitted and aggressive patients are in line with the international literature. We believe that we included a sample that covers the scope of mental health care practice in Germany well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. Background: Research trial participation may influence health outcomes regardless of the intervention assigned, but is often not assessed. Setting: We investigated how participation in an HIV prevention trial (the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 068 study) affected health outcomes 4 years after the study in adolescent girls and young women in South Africa beyond effects of the tested intervention. Methods: We developed an analytical cohort that included the HIV Prevention 068 trial (HPTN 068) trial participants from the Agincourt Health and Demographic Surveillance System and resembled HPTN 068 trial enrollees (aged 13–20 years and in grades 8–11 in 2011) using inverse probability of treatment weights. We estimated risk differences for the association between trial participation and education and early parity (age <20 years) in 2019, after accounting for differences at baseline between the trial participants and nonparticipants. Results: There were 3442 young women enrolled in grades 8–11 in 2011; 1669 were in the HPTN 068 trial. Trial participants were more likely to have completed secondary school by 2019 (adjusted RD (aRD) 5.0%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.2%, 7.9%; 82.3% in trial participants vs. 77.2% in nonparticipants). Trial participants had similar risk of parity before age 20 compared with nontrial participants (aRD 2.3%, 95% CI: −0.8%, 5.5%). Conclusions: Trial participation did not seem to influence early parity, but did increase educational attainment. Our results are compatible with an explanation of Hawthorne effects from trial participation on schooling behaviors that were small, but observable even 4 years after the end of the trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Histogram equalization plays an important role in digital image preprocessing. However, traditional histogram equalization tends to have technical defects such as over-enhancement and artifacts. This can lead to a loss of detail and make the target image look unnatural. To resolve this issue, this paper presents an approach to image enhancement that uses a limited wavelet integer coefficient histogram to maintain high information entropy. First, a single-layer wavelet transform is performed on the input image to obtain a low-frequency sub-image and three high-frequency sub-images. Then, the low-frequency sub-image is subjected to a histogram-limitation technique to acquire the wavelet integer coefficients. After this, the processed low-frequency and three high-frequency sub-images are reconstructed to output a single high-information enhanced image. An experiment was conducted that shows that the proposed method performs very well in terms of the amount of detailed information captured when compared to an existing improved method based on histogram equalization. In addition, the method can handle the enhancement of images across different dynamic ranges, especially images with narrow a dynamic range, thus improving the amount of detailed information in the output image and maximizing the visual effect for human observers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In axistationary, asymptotically flat spacetimes, zero angular momentum observers (ZAMOs) define an absolute standard of non-rotation locally, as can be verified by the absence of any Sagnac effect for these observers. Nevertheless, we argue that on a global scale the only physically meaningful concept is that of relative rotation. The argument is substantiated by solving Einstein's equations for an approximate thin shell model, where we maintain a degree of freedom, by relaxing the natural assumption of vanishing rotation at asymptotic infinity, at the outset of the analysis. The solution reveals that Einstein's equations only determine differences in the rotation rate of ZAMOs, thereby establishing the concept of relative rotation globally. The interpretation of rotation as relative in a global context is inherently linked to the freedom to transform between coordinate systems rotating relative to each other, implying that an arbitrary ZAMO located at any radius may claim to be the one that is non-rotating on a global scale, and that the notion of an asymptotic Lorentz frame relative to which one may measure absolute rotation is devoid of any meaning. The concept of rotation in Kerr spacetime is then briefly discussed in the context of this interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundDevice-based measurement in physical activity surveillance is increasing, but research design choices could increase the risk of self-selection bias and reactive behaviour. The aim of this study is to compare the self-reported physical activity profiles of four different samples: participants in a large national survey, participants in a telephone-based survey of non-responders, participants in the large national survey who accepted the invitation to device-based measuring, and the same sample during the week of monitoring.MethodsIn October 2020, 163,133 Danish adults participated in a national survey and of those 39,480 signed up for device-based measurements. A balanced random sample (n = 3,750) was invited to wear an accelerometer of whom 1,525 accepted the invitation. Additionally, a short telephone-based survey on 829 non-responders to the national survey was conducted. Sociodemographic characteristics and self-reported weekly frequencies of physical activity across four domains are compared.ResultsThe participants in the national survey were older, more often female, and more often not working. Participants in the telephone-based survey were younger, more often doing unskilled work, and were more often active at home and at work. The participants in the device-based sample were more often active during transport and leisure in the national survey, and participants categorized in the most active category increased during the week of monitoring from 29.0% to 60.7% and from 58.5% to 81.7% for active transport and leisure activities, respectively.ConclusionRecruiting a population representative sample for device-based measurement of physical activity is challenging, and there is a substantial risk of sample selection bias and measurement reactivity. Further research in this area is needed if device-based measures should be considered for population physical activity surveillance.

This article discusses a quality improvement initiative aimed at reducing postoperative hypothermia in infants. The study achieved a 33% reduction in hypothermia rates over a 26-week period. However, the article raises concerns about the potential influence of the Hawthorne effect, a psychological phenomenon that can temporarily inflate the results of a quality improvement project. The study also lacks important details about the study population and does not provide a comprehensive analysis of the data. The authors conclude that while the initiative is commendable, the limitations of the study prevent meaningful conclusions from being drawn. [Extracted from the article]

A growing body of literature demonstrating the malleability of critical higher-order cognitive functions by means of targeted interventions has incited widespread scientific interest, most notably in the form of cognitive training programs. The results are mixed and a point of contention: It has been argued that gains observed in cognitive training are mainly due to placebo effects. To address this, we examined the effect of participant expectations on one type of cognitive training that has been central to the controversy, namely n-back training, by inducing beliefs about expected outcomes. Participants receiving n-back training showed improvements in non-trained n-back performance regardless of expectations, and furthermore, expectations for positive outcomes did not result in any significant gains in an active control group. Thus, there was no detectable expectancy effect in either direction as a function of the cognitive intervention used, suggesting that training-related improvements are unlikely due solely to a placebo effect.

This research investigates whether the effect of an observer's gender in support for collective punishment--that is, the punishment of all the group members as a response to a misdeed perpetrated by only one or a few group members--is moderated by the belief that groups are capable of change (i.e., a malleability mindset). We hypothesize that men would support collective punishment more than women when a fixed mindset is salient but not when a malleable mindset is salient. The results of two studies using different samples and scenarios in which we either assessed (Study 1) or experimentally manipulated (Study 2) the mindset support this hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]