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The development of technology has made it easier for engineers to design and test models that allow simulation of real-time water distribution networks with greater accuracy. However, with so many nodes and links in a network, building a model still requires some simplification. One such simplification is the ‘conservative approach’, which applies the principle of ‘lumped demand’, taking the demand only from nodes at the ends of pipes. Herein, the full effect of lumped demand on key water parameters is analysed, on a large-scale network based on as-built networks of Al Furjan and Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai, UAE for different conditions. Epanet and WDNetXL software are used for the analysis, and results show the impact of different levels of skeletonisation on the head and velocity values for the two models. The analysis indicates that the head changes are high for a branched network under the extreme condition of firefighting. It includes the effect of skeletonising local tanks, with changes being higher when all tanks are empty. These findings provide a critical evaluation of the performance of this method for the Middle East region and it is concluded that the considerable velocity changes observed in the models could lead to overdesign.

The covid-19 virus pandemic in Indonesia has been taking place since February 2020, which almost knocked out all sectors of the economy, industry, trade and human mentality. Data as of April 13, 2020 shows that the number of people in Indonesia contaminated with the covid-19 virus totals 4557 people, with the number of deaths of 399 people and patients cured reached 380 people (Source detik.com). From this data, the Government of Indonesia enacts and urges all people to stay at home or Stay at Home. With the program to stay at home, many people do all activities from home from work, study, worship done at home together with family. The implementation of staying at home from March 13, 2020 until now makes some people feel saturated, can't wait to stay at home so that many people are not disciplined in doing this program and still do regular activities in the midst of the covid-19 pandemic. The impact of impatience, indiscipline and disorderly behavior is what results in the number of contaminated sufferers every day is increasing. Therefore, it is necessary to socialize about the understanding that should be done especially by every Muslim in the face of the covid-19 pandemic disaster. The method used is to make a video of da'wah containing a short message about patience in the face of disasters that last approximately 3 minutes and upload it online then share the online link through the group in Whatsapp group. The hope of this devotion program is that the community, especially Muslims, will be encouraged and self-conscious to be able to stay at home until the End of the covid-19 pandemic. The results of this program after the video message was uploaded through Youtube then disseminated through Whatsapp group and watched approximately 150 times there are 25 people responded by sending a comment message to this video and 25 people will try to remain patient in the face of the test and implement government programs to stay home until the pandemic outbreak subsides.

Souissi, MA, Elghoul, Y, Souissi, H, Masmoudi, L, Ammar, A, Hamdi chtourou, and Souissi, N. The effects of three corrections strategies of errors on the snatch technique in 10-12-year-old children: A randomized controlled trial. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2020-Sports movement correction is one of the major problems for motor control and learning. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine which of the 3 strategies, i.e., the self-observation method with direct instructions (SO-DI), self-observation alone (SO), or the direct instruction (DI), would be useful for correcting errors during the snatch technique. Forty-eight children with 2 months of experience were randomly assigned to one of 4 training conditions: SO-DI, SO, DI, or control. In this study, the experience lasted 15 sessions. Subjects completed the test sessions before (T0) and after (T1) 12 training sessions and a retention test session after 2 weeks (T2). The Kinovea version 0.8.15 software was used to measure the kinematic parameters of weightlifting performance. After the training intervention, the data showed that the SO-DI group registered a greater improvement in all kinematic parameters compared with the SO, DI, and control groups, and this benefit was present 2 weeks later in the retention test (e.g., the horizontal displacement of the bar in the first pull with respect to the starting position [T1 vs. T0: +32.57 ± 6.69%, d = 1.87, p < 0.001; T2 vs. T0: 25.07 ± 11.55%, d = 1.32, p < 0.001] and the horizontal displacement of the bar between the receiving position and the reference line [T1 vs. T0: 24.34 ± 29%, d = 1.17, p < 0.01; T2 vs. T0: 25.53 ± 30.4%, d = 0.99, p < 0.01]). The results of the present study could have practical implications for physical education teachers because, even if practice is required to improve the technique, the effectiveness of the learning process is essential to enhance learner self-efficacy and motivation.

Gäbler, M, Prieske, O, Elferink-Gemser, MT, Hortobágyi, T, Warnke, T, and Granacher, U. Measures of physical fitness improve prediction of kayak and canoe sprint performance in young kayakers and canoeists. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2021-Markers of talent selection and predictors of performance in canoe and kayak sprint are not yet well defined. We aimed to determine the combination of variables (i.e., demographic, anthropometric, and physical fitness) that most accurately predicts sprint performance (i.e., 500- and 2000-m race time) in semielite, young kayakers and canoeists (n = 39, age 13 year, 10F). The level of significance was set at p < 0.05. Linear regression analyses identified boat type (i.e., kayak or canoe), skeletal muscle mass, and average power during a 2-minute bench pull test, normalized to body mass, as predictors of 2000-m race time (R22000 m = 0.69, Akaike information criterion [AIC] = 425) and together with vertical jump height, as predictors of 500-m race time (R2500 m = 0.87, AIC = 255). This was an improvement over models containing solely demographic variables (R2500 m = 0.66, AIC = 293; R22000 m = 0.44, AIC = 446) and over models containing demographic and anthropometric variables (R2500m = 0.79, AIC = 277; R22000 m = 0.56, AIC = 437). Race time showed the strongest semipartial correlations with the 2-minute bench pull test (0.7 ≤ r ≤ 0.9). Adding physical fitness data (i.e., 2-minute bench pull test) to demographic and anthropometric data improves the prediction accuracy of race times in young kayak and canoe athletes. The characteristics of physical fitness tests should resemble as much as possible the biomechanical (e.g., prime movers) and metabolic (e.g., duration) demands of the sport.

The now-abandoned project for a new international airport for Mexico City was located at a site on the former Texcoco Lake, where extremely difficult subsoil conditions prevail. The behaviour of one of the trial embankments built to test foundation solutions for the runways is analysed in this paper. Observational data were gathered over 50 months at the so-called reference embankment, where no special foundation or soil improvement techniques were adopted. The performance of this embankment was investigated through finite-element simulations in which an elasto-viscoplastic constitutive model was implemented in commercial software. The model incorporates key features such as time dependence, long-term deformation and an anisotropic flow surface. The results provide an assessment of the constitutive description adopted as well as the role of anisotropy in the simulation of the case study.

Denture cleaning is indispensable to the maintenance of good oral and systemic health for denture users. Nowadays people often consult YouTube about health-related topics, including denture care. However, the quality of the information about denture care presented on YouTube is unknown.The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness and quality of popular videos about denture care shared by different uploaders on YouTube and to evaluate the demographic characteristics of the videos.Google Trends showed that "denture cleaning" was the most searched keyword on the topic. This keyword was used to search YouTube videos. Of the 200 most-watched videos, 109 videos were selected for analysis. Included videos were analyzed for their demographic data, including number of views; number of likes, dislikes, and comments; days since upload; duration and number of subscribers; an 8-point usefulness score system, a global quality scale (GQS); video sources; target groups; and primary purposes of the videos. Statistical analyses were conducted by using the Kruskal-Wallis test, post hoc Mann-Whitney U test, Pearson chi-squared test, and Spearman correlation analysis, which was used to investigate the relationship among total content score, GQS score, and video demographics. Cohen kappa statistics was used to measure the reliability of the investigator's evaluations of the videos (α=.05).Based on the usefulness score, 59.6% of the videos were classified as poor, 32.1% as moderate, and 8.2% as good. No statistically significant differences were found among usefulness scores according to the video demographics, except lower GQS score of poor content videos (P.001). The overall mean ±standard deviation GQS score was 1.92 ±1.0 out of 5. Videos were primarily uploaded (38.5%) from commercial companies. No statistically significant difference was found between video sources and usefulness scores (P.05). The number of videos with poor content was significantly higher than the number with moderate and good content among the videos primarily intended for the education of health professionals (P.001).The majority (59.6%) of YouTube videos on denture care received poor content quality ratings, independent of video demographics. Therefore, YouTube is not suitable as the only source of information on denture care. Dentists and prosthodontists should take more responsibility for enriching the content of video-sharing platforms because this content can affect the behavior of patients and their attitudes about denture care.

The lateral step-down test is used to appraise movement quality in patients with patellofemoral pain (PFP), however, it is unclear if reliability of the test is affected by physical therapist experience.Determine if there is a difference in reliability between 'experienced' and 'novice' physical therapists appraising movement quality of patients with PFP during the lateral step-down test.Three 'experienced' and 3 'novice' physical therapists analyzed movement quality of 22 participants [mean age (SD) 28.25 (6.5) years] with PFP. Physical therapists viewed two-dimensional videos of participants performing the lateral step-down test and appraised the quality with a score (0-1 = 'good'; 2-3 = 'fair', and 4-5 = 'poor') at baseline and 1 week. Inter- and intra-rater reliability were calculated with kappa and percent agreement. Differences between the groups were assessed with the chi-square test with an a priori alpha level of0.05.Inter- and intra-rater reliability ranged from fair to moderate (ĸ = 0.40-0.65). There was no difference in reliability between 'experienced' and 'novice' physical therapists at baseline (There was no difference in reliability between 'experienced' and 'novice' physical therapists using categories to appraise movement quality during the lateral step-down test for patients with chronic PFP.

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is negatively impacting vulnerable and marginalized communities. Growing research among sexual and gender minority communities shows increased COVID-19 risk and burden due to underlying social structure factors, however, not as much is known about the impact on trans women. Our team gathered data on COVID-19 risk, self-reported prevalence, and testing behaviors as part of an ongoing study of trans women's HIV risk and partnerships to fill this gap in data.This is a secondary analysis of data from The Partners Study, a study of HIV risk and transmission among trans women and their sexual partners in the San Francisco Bay Area. We collected COVID-19-related data from 87 trans women from July 2020 to January 2021. Participants were asked whether they were tested for COVID-19, had symptoms, or tested positive for the virus between March 2020 to the time they were screened to participate for a survey interview.The majority of trans women did not report experiencing COVID-19 symptoms (85.05%,The COVID-19 prevalence among trans women in our sample was higher than in other gender groups in San Francisco, suggesting that trans women may be disproportionately impacted by this disease. More research is needed to determine the impact of COVID-19 on trans women, and to develop strategies to increase testing and vaccinations among vulnerable communities preventing onward spread.

Educational attainment is increasingly associated with family inequality in the U.S., but there is little understanding about whether and how education stratifies attitudes toward eldercare. Using the General Social Survey 2012 Eldercare Module, I test the association between educational attainment and attitudes toward eldercare provisions of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) including different combinations of help and payment for help. IADLs are the most common care received by older adults and needs are projected to grow, so understanding attitudes toward this type of care is timely and relevant. Results show that adults with a bachelor's degree or graduate/professional degree, compared to adults with less than a high school degree, are more likely to support complete family IADL eldercare, where families provide the care and any payment necessary for care, compared to complete outside IADL eldercare, where outside institutions provide both care and payment. Educational attainment is an important axis of stratification in the U.S. and may explain potentially bifurcated policy solutions desired among different groups.

Objectives In 2012, onetime hepatitis C virus (HCV) screening was recommended for all baby boomers (people born during 1945-1965) in the United States, but only 4.0%-12.9% of baby boomers have ever had a screening ordered by a health care provider. This study examined the HCV screening prevalence among adult patients in a large academic health care system and assessed factors associated with the completion of screening when ordered for baby boomers. Methods We defined HCV screening completion as the completion of an HCV antibody test when it was ordered. We used electronic health records to examine HCV screening completion rates among adults (N = 106 630) from August 1, 2015, through July 31, 2020, by birth cohort. Among baby boomers whose health care provider ordered HCV screening, we examined frequency and percentages of HCV screening completion by sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. We conducted univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses to assess factors associated with HCV screening completion among baby boomers. Results During the study period, 73.0% of baby boomers completed HCV screening when it was ordered. HCV completion did not differ by sex or race and ethnicity among baby boomers. Baby boomers with Medicare supplemental health insurance compared with commercial health insurance (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.87) and those seeing only advanced practice professionals compared with specialty care physicians (aOR = 2.24) were more likely to complete HCV screening when it was ordered. Conclusions Noncompletion of HCV screening is one of many barriers along the HCV treatment continuum. Our findings suggest a need for interventions targeting systems, health care providers, and patients to increase HCV screening rates in the United States.

Interpretation bias is a transdiagnostic mechanism underlying anxiety. Theoretical models highlight the role of parental interpretation bias in predicting and maintaining child anxiety. However, very few studies have examined parent interpretation bias as a treatment target. The current pilot study tested the feasibility and acceptability of an interpretation bias intervention delivered by a smartphone app, called HabitWorks, in parents of anxious children who self-reported at least mild symptoms of anxiety and negative interpretation bias. Parents of anxious youth (ages 8 to 16) were recruited from the waitlists of three child anxiety clinics. They were asked to complete interpretation modification exercises via the HabitWorks app 3 times per week for 1 month. Participants completed assessments at pre- and post-intervention and 1-month follow-up to assess changes in interpretation bias, anxiety symptoms, and overall perceptions of HabitWorks. Participants (N = 14) (Mage = 44.36; 14.29% men, 85.71% women) completed an average of 13.29 exercises out of the 12 prescribed. Acceptability ratings were high. Interpretation bias, as measured by an assessment version of the intervention exercise, significantly improved from pre- to posttreatment, and these improvements were maintained at the 1-month follow-up. Anxiety symptoms significantly improved from the “mild” severity range to the “none to minimal” range. In this pilot feasibility study in parents of anxious youth, HabitWorks was a feasible and acceptable low-intensity intervention. These preliminary results support a future controlled trial of HabitWorks for parents. Future studies are also needed to test whether targeting interpretation bias in parents has downstream effects on maladaptive parent behaviors and ultimately, child interpretation bias and anxiety.

Progressive word-finding difficulty is a primary cognitive complaint among healthy older adults and a symptom of pathological aging. Classic measures of visual confrontation naming, however, show c...

The Test of Practical Judgment (TOP-J) has shown utility in inpatient and outpatient settings in older adults who present with mild cognitive impairment and various dementia subtypes. The TOP-J has...

The Internet provides the most extensive platforms for information and knowledge seeking. Accordingly, investigating antecedents for online knowledge seeking becomes an important topic for managing knowledge-based work and innovation. Taking an integrative approach drawing on social cognitive theory, expectancy theory, and theory of reasoned action, this article examines the antecedents of online knowledge seeking with a sample of 246 professionals in 43 technical RD and 2) norms of knowledge sharing positively moderate the relationship between extrinsic motivation and online knowledge seeking. This article is one of the few that develop and empirically test an integrative model of antecedents for online knowledge seeking. The findings not only contribute to the knowledge seeking and knowledge management literatures, but also shed light on managing employee knowledge behaviors and learning via the means of the Internet.

Job demands-resources research has largely adopted a variable-centered approach to test main and interactive effects of demands and resources on employee outcomes. However, this approach cannot det...

Berry et al. (2020) noted that predictive bias is a function of three factors: subgroup mean difference on the predictor (dx), subgroup mean difference on the criterion (dy), and test validity (rxy). They used meta-analytic estimates of each of these three to examine predictive bias against Hispanic test takers when cognitive tests are used in personnel selection. They found that tests underpredict Hispanic job performance by an average of .21 SDs, which would call into question the fairness of cognitive test use in personnel selection. We located 119 studies in which all three parameters-dy, dx, and rxy-could be obtained, thus holding sample, setting, and operationalization constant in estimating the three parameters within each study. This produced a substantially different conclusion: We find that tests overpredict Hispanic performance by .04-.20 SDs, depending on assumptions made about artifact corrections. Factors contributing to differences between the two studies include differences in range restriction corrections, sample incomparability, and Berry et al.'s use of rxy estimated from the total sample rather than within the majority subgroup. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Growing digitization is accompanied by a concomitant increase in customer integration, making the customer an even more integral part of service settings, to the extent that customers even may replace employee labor. Customer integration can have positive effects for service firms and customers, but it also threatens some negative effects that have not been studied closely. This study proposes silent endurance as a neglected outcome of customer integration, caused by violations of customer fairness perceptions. In line with fairness heuristic theory, providing more input for the same output may reduce perceptions of distributive fairness. Four studies test this theorizing (one critical incident study and three experiments) to investigate the effect of being integrated on customers’ distributive fairness and silent endurance. Stable results across studies show that distributive fairness mediates the link between customer integration and silent endurance; offering monetary advantages can offset integration-induced losses of fairness perceptions. These findings thus have both theoretical and managerial implications.

The evaluation of a patient's competency to consent to treatment, regardless of the test of competency used, can be substantially affected by a number of clinical factors. The authors point out that, in assessing competency, the clinician must consider 1) psychodynamic elements of the patient's personality, 2) the accuracy of the historical information conveyed by the patient, 3) the accuracy and completeness of the information disclosed to the patient, 4) the stability of the patient's mental status over time, and 5) the effect of the setting in which consent is obtained. Inattention to these factors can lead to errors in assessment of competency that can have important implications for patient care.

Objective To present and validate a new simulation model for endoscopic phonomicrosurgery training as an improved teaching method. Methods A low-cost artificial model was assembled using 3D printing, silicone, and gelatin. The study was designed to test the model's ability to carry out training and teaching of endoscopic phonomicrosurgery. The synthetic model was built to simulate normal and pathological vocal folds such as polyps, intracordal cysts and keratoses, made of silicone and gelatin and embedded in a larynx framework made by 3D printing. Simulations of endoscopic surgical procedures were performed and documented through photographs and videos and the images were submitted to the evaluation of a group of 17 otorhinolaryngologists who used a Likert scale questionnaire. The responses were submitted to an agreement analysis using the sum of the scores obtained for the responses as an appropriate level of validation. Cronbach's alpha index was calculated to measure the degree of the questionnaire internal consistency. Result The evaluations indicated maximum approval for the model adequacy for use in practical classes and for the teaching of the procedures, as well as in the overall satisfaction with the model in the use of surgical training. Conclusion The present proposal for training laryngeal endoscopic surgery in a 3D synthetic model is a viable option according to the validation methodology used in the present study.

The primary objective of university education is to provide students with the required information and skills to enable them to make a successful contribution to the national development effort. In order to evaluate the level of expertise and skill of students, this preparation includes frequent examination and appraisal in the form of tests. Manual exams are carried out by most universities; Post Graduate and Under Graduate in India. Due to multiple uses made of the outcomes of the students, these examinations have high stakes. Consequently, the experiments became subject to different types of malpractice. Test malpractice affects the success of students in exams and leaves the scores/grades earned inaccurate, hence a challenge to examination bodies and the nation's education system (India). These are all disturbing signs that pose a danger to the nation. Examination malpractice has eaten deep into the Indian culture of education. Therefore, the object of this paper is to explore the problem of examination malpractice in India. The paper covered relevant measures, procedure setting/implementation and suggestions for this action. And finally, a model is proposed to stop malpractices in the examination. This IoT based model is used for detecting any metallic object or object in a range more than normal IR proximity sensor range. The block diagram of proposed model and circuit diagram for that model discussed in detail. This proposed model may be used for any investigation in the universities examinations.

Testing is the fundamental activity intentional at detecting and solving technical issues in the software source code. In software development, test suite plays a major role. A test suite is a collection of test case which describes actual input, action and an expected response to verify whether a system under test satisfies requirements correctly or not. A huge number of test cases are required for testing the software. The test cases may be redundant. So, the execution of all these test cases entails lot of effort, time and cost. So, it is necessary to make enhancement in the test suite that outcome in good coverage with less effort, time and cost. This work proposes a hybrid technique for test suite enhancement using data mining techniques. The hybrid approach is performed in three ways i) Classification based Clustering ii) Classification based Association iii) Classification based RTM approach used to make enhancement in the test suite and to improve accuracy.

Video conferencing applications have become an integral part of today’s world for attending interviews, classes, meetings, and assorted gatherings as well in the COVID-19 era. Alongside the increased use of such applications to facilitate the process of conducting interviews, the quality interview has taken a hit overall. This is largely because prospective candidates resort to fraud by switching tabs and using their phones during the course of an interview, and so come through with flying colors despite a clear lack of skills. Consequently, deserving candidates with the requisite skill set lose out to impostors who manage to clear the interviews. In this paper, we propose an approach to make interviews straightforward and fair to all candidates. Our Online Interview Platform, a web application built using Node.js and Express.js, offers indispensable features that are prerequisites for an interview. These include a real-time collaborative code editor that uses an operational transformation algorithm which allows users to collaborate in real time, test and run code; a video/audio conferencing feature using Peer JS; a chat box for communication, and a real-time collaborative whiteboard that lets users design or draw diagrams. The features are included in the same tab, thus ensuring that the candidate does not switch tabs. Using this application, candidates will be screened based on their technical knowledge, appropriately assessed, and performance-based hiring decisions made. The proposed approach proved that the malpractices strictly restricted while comparing with existing approaches.

We test whether living through conflict in childhood changes political beliefs and engagement. We combine data on the location and intensity of conflicts since 1945 with nationally representative data on political attitudes and behaviors from 17 sub-Saharan African countries. Exposure from ages 0 to 14 has a very small standardized impact on later attitudes and behaviors. This finding is robust to migration and holds across a variety of definitions, specifications, and sources of data. Our results suggest that at the population level in Africa, conflict does not alter political beliefs, though the most exposed sub-populations may experience large, lasting effects.

Objective The Inventory of Interpersonal Problems–Personality Disorders (IIP-PD-47) has a controversial factor structure, as some studies have provided support for 5 correlated factors, and others have suggested the existence of a general second-order dimension. One approach of data modelling that reconciles multidimensionality and the existence of a general factor is the bifactor analysis. We used unrestricted exploratory-confirmatory bifactor modelling to validate the Brazilian version of the IIP-PD-47. Methods The sample consisted of 1,091 subjects aged 18-64 years who answered the IIP-PD-47 and a collateral measure of pathological traits, the Dimensional Clinical Personality Inventory 2 (IDCP-2). Results After testing many candidate models, our data were best represented by a bifactor model with one general factor and five specific uncorrelated factors. Nevertheless, a closer inspection of the discriminant validity of each IIP-PD-47 factor revealed strong support for the general factor and a factor capturing aggressive behaviours, but less support for the additional four specific factors. Conclusions The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed, and some recommendations are offered about the need for controlling response styles when assessing PD traits via self-report inventories. Our findings indicate that the Brazilian version of IIP-PD has promising psychometric properties.

Abstract. Visualization and spatial relations (mental rotation) are two important factors of spatial thinking. Visualization refers to complex visual-spatial transformations, whereas spatial relations refer to simple mental rotation of visualized objects. Conventional spatial relations tests, however, have been found to be highly correlated with visualization tests because solving items through mental rotation might involve visualization ability due to the complexity of the visual materials of these tests. In two studies ( N = 51, N = 109), a new computer-based test for spatial relations, the R-Cube-SR Test, was developed and validated. The R-Cube-SR Test utilizes simple, single-colored cubes as rotated visual materials. Reliability estimates of the reaction times reach ω = .87. Correlations with standard tests of spatial relations (up to r = .55) were significantly higher than with visualization tests, such as the new R-Cube-Vis Test ( Fehringer, 2020 ), which uses the same visual materials. This was supported by CFAs. It is concluded that the new R-Cube-SR Test is a valid measure of spatial relations. Both tests together, the R-Cube-Vis and R-Cube-SR, as specific tests for their respective factor, now, are able to provide a differential diagnosis of a participant’s spatial thinking ability using the same visual materials.

The 26-item Southampton Hand Assessment Protocol (SHAP) is a test of prosthetic hand function that generates an Index of Functionality (IOF), and prehensile pattern (PP) scores. Prior researchers identified potential issues in SHAP scoring, proposing alternative scoring methods (LIF and W-LIF).Cross-sectional study.Evaluate the psychometric properties of the SHAP IOF, LIF, and W-LIF and PP scores and develop the Prosthesis Index of Functionality (P-IOF).We examined item completion, floor andceiling effects, concurrent, discriminant, construct and structural validity. The P-IOF used increased boundary limits and information from item completion and completion time. Calibration used a nonlinear mixed model. Scores were estimated using maximum a posteriori Bayesian estimation. Mixed integer linear programing (MILP) informed development of a shorter measure. Validity analyses were repeated using the P-IOF.126 persons, mean age 57 (sd 15.8), 69% with transradial amputation were included. Floors effects were observed in 18.3%-19.1% for the IOF, LIF, and W-LIF. Ten items were not completed by15% of participants. Boundary limits were problematic for all but 1 item. Correlations with dexterity measures were strong (r = 0.54-0.73). Scores differed by amputation level (p.0001). Factor analysis did not support use of PP scores. The P-IOF used expanded boundary limits to decrease floor effects. MILP identified 10 items that could be dropped. The 26-item P-IOF and 16-item P-IOF had reduced floor effects (7.5%), strong evidence of concurrent and discriminant validity, and construct validity. P-IOF reduced administrative burden by 9.5 (sd 5.6) minutes.Floor effects limit a measure's ability to distinguish between persons with low function.Analyses supported the validity of the SHAP IOF, LIF, and W-LIF, but identified large floor effects, as well as issues with structural validity of the PP scores. The 16-item P-IOF minimizes floor effects and reduces administrative burden.

The enrollment process of an educational institution becomes very complex when the waiting time is prolonged and crowds of people are created. Technological tools are the most effective way to deal with this problem. Therefore, this research seeks to optimize the processes that make up the enrollment management of an educational institution through the implementation of a digital enrollment system. The development of the digital enrollment system was divided into four phases. Planning: Where the system requirements were described. Design: A simple model was chosen according to the established requirements. Coding: Programming languages were used that helped in the structure, customization and operation of the system. Test: The system was verified for errors. In this sense, the digital enrollment process was optimized, such as student enrollment, registration and reports, allowing the reduction of crowds, time and human effort. It allowed collaborative work at a distance between the institution and the students, being a technological and innovative aid that reduces the time of the enrollment processes, in an equitable and transparent way, guaranteeing freedom of choice and equal access opportunities to remote education in times of pandemic.

Introduction Learning disability has a significant relevance and can generate negative social impacts on the future of an individual if not corrected in time. Phoniatrics is an area of otorhinolaryngology responsible for evaluating, diagnosing, and referring these cases for therapy and/or complementing the multidisciplinary diagnosis. Objective To evaluate in school-aged children the association between the application of a set of tests used in the phoniatric assessment and complaints of academic difficulties. To identify which tests would show the main association with academic performance when applied individually. Methods Blind, cross-sectional study, subdivided into 4 stages. In the 1st stage, 66 children in the third year of elementary school were submitted to the set of tests of skills applied by the phoniatrician; in the 2nd stage, the physician asked the educators about complaints of academic difficulties regarding the students; in the 3rd stage the students’ Portuguese language school grade was obtained and in the 4th stage an analysis was made between the data. Results The educator identified complaints of academic difficulties in 27.2% of the 66 students. There was a statistically significant association between academic difficulties and the following tests of skills: dictation of words and pseudowords, dictation of words, dictation of pseudowords, rhyming, phonemic synthesis, and in the reading test; fluency, intonation and comprehension of the text and morals were analyzed in the reading test. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, the tests selected to comprise the final model, showing greater association with the academic difficulty complaint were: dictation of words, intonation in reading and comprehension of the morals of the story. Conclusion The tests identified as the most relevant in identifying academic difficulties were dictation of words, intonation in reading and comprehension of the morals of the story. However, the other tests that were part of the phoniatric consultation allowed the observation of the individual and their functioning abilities, leading to a better assessment of the case, regarding aspects not directly related to the pedagogical one.

Here, we present a strong test of the hypothesis that sacrificial moral dilemmas are solved using the same value-based decision mechanism that operates on decisions concerning economic goods. To test this hypothesis, we developed Psychological Value Theory. Psychological Value Theory is an expansion and generalization of Cohen and Ahn's (2016) Theory of Subjective Utilitarianism. Psychological Value Theory defines a new theoretical construct termed Psychological Value, measures Psychological Value using a traditional psychophysics paradigm, and predicts preferential choice from those measurements using a value-based computational model. We evaluate the validity of Psychological Value Theory across six experiments. In Experiment 1, we use Psychological Value Theory to estimate the perceived Psychological Value of human lives and economic goods. The data reveal that perceived Psychological Value of lives is highly influenced by individual differences of people but minimally influenced by the number of people in a group. In Experiments 2-5, we demonstrate that when used as input in a value-based computational model, perceived Psychological Values of human lives accurately predict participants' RT and response choices to sacrificial moral dilemmas. In Experiment 6, we replicate these findings for decisions involving economic goods. We cross-validate our results with multiple data sets using multiple methods. We conclude that the same value-based processes underlying economic decisions also underlie choices involving human lives. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Objective To present a multifaceted approach to ophthalmology undergraduate medical education and to assess the efficacy of an eye dissection laboratory in enhancing medical student learning. Design Curriculum review, validation, and student feedback evaluations. Participants Year 2 medical students enrolled in the University of Toronto's Doctor of Medicine Program. Methods Student feedback evaluations were compiled from the University of Toronto undergraduate medical education student surveys before 2012–2016 and following introduction of the redesigned foundations ophthalmology curriculum at the University of Toronto (2017–2018). Students who participated in the Eye Dissection Lab as part of the newly designed curriculum completed the pre- and postsession satisfaction and overall interest in ophthalmology questionnaires and a knowledge-based test. Results Analysis of 1640 student evaluations demonstrated an increase in ophthalmology curriculum rating following the launch of the foundations ophthalmology curriculum (p = 0.015). Among the 335 students who completed the eye dissection lab, there was a significant increase in the average scores for the satisfaction questionnaire, knowledge-based test, and level of interest in the field of ophthalmology from before and after the session, with improvements in scores noted in 91%, 42%, and 36% of the educational parameters of the participants, respectively (p Conclusions The newly designed foundations ophthalmology curriculum and the eye dissection lab at the University of Toronto serve as effective means for enhancing ophthalmology teaching in medical schools across Canada.

This research investigates how experiencing virtual embodiment in a wheelchair affects implicit bias towards people who use wheelchairs. We also investigate how receiving information from a virtual instructor who uses a wheelchair affects implicit bias towards people who use wheelchairs. Implicit biases are actions or judgments of people towards various concepts or stereotypes (e.g., races). We hypothesized that experiencing a Disability Simulation (DS) through an avatar in a wheelchair and receiving information from an instructor with a disability will have a significant effect on participants' ability to recall disability-related information and will reduce implicit biases towards people who use wheelchairs. To investigate this hypothesis, a 2x2 between-subjects user study was conducted where participants experienced an immersive VR DS that presents information about Multiple Sclerosis (MS) with factors of instructor (i.e., instructor with a disability versus instructor without a disability) and locomotion interface (i.e., without a disability - locomotion through in-place-walking, with a disability - locomotion in a wheelchair). Participants took a disability-focused Implicit Association Test two times, once before and once after experiencing the DS. They also took a test of knowledge retention about MS. The primary result is: experiencing the DS through locomotion in a wheelchair was better for both the disability-related information recall task and reducing implicit bias towards people who use wheelchairs.

In recognition memory, anything that is objectively new is necessarily not-old, and anything that is objectively old is necessarily not-new. Therefore, judging whether a test item is new is logically equivalent to judging whether it is old, and conversely. Nevertheless, a series of 10 experiments showed that old? and new? judgments did not produce equivalent recognition accuracy. In Experiments 1-4, wherein subjects made old? or new? judgments about test items, new? judgments yielded more accurate performance for old items than old? judgments did, and old? judgments yielded more accurate performance for new items than new? judgments did. This same violation of logical equivalence was observed in Experiments 5-10, wherein subjects made similar? judgments as well as old? and new? ones. In short, old? and new? judgments displayed consistent Judgment × Item crossovers, rather than equivalence. Response latencies were used to test the hypothesis that Judgment × Item crossovers were due to certain judgment-item combinations provoking more deliberate, thorough retrieval than other combinations. There was no support for that hypothesis, but the data were consistent with an earlier theory, which posits that latency depends on the extent to which judgments or items slant retrieval toward accessing verbatim traces. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

This article assessed the relationship between psychological empowerment and project success through direct and indirect effects of knowledge sharing. The assumptions outlined in this article were built on the self-determination theory (SDT). In this article, two surveys were conducted to test the proposed hypotheses. Data for study 1 were collected from employees (N = 168) working in the Pakistani telecommunication sector, while data for study 2 were gathered from (N = 160) employees working on development sector projects. Time-lagged design was employed to minimize common method bias. As a result, psychological empowerment emerged as a critical factor for the project success both directly and indirectly via knowledge sharing. Hence, this article recommends several theoretical and practical implications for practitioners and academicians.

Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) is a prevalent condition in elite athletes caused by transient airway narrowing during or after exercise. Young athletes nowadays start early to perform high level exercise, highlighting the need to screen for EIB in a younger population. The purpose of this review is to evaluate current evidence of pre-tests with high probability to predict a positive provocation test in young and adolescent athletes, aged 12–24 years and thus indicate whether a young athlete is at risk of having EIB. Up to now, there is no validated screening test available to increase the pre-test probability of a provocation test of EIB in young and adolescent athletes. We would recommend that a clinical guideline committee might consider the development of a flow chart to screen for EIB in adolescent athletes. It could be composed of a symptom-based questionnaire focusing on wheezing during exercise, atopic state, reversibility test (to exclude EIB with asthma) and completed with markers in blood/serum. However, more research is necessary.

OBJECTIVE The Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) recommends assessment of physical function using a performance-based test of stair negotiation, but was unable to recommend any specific test. We assessed the reliability, validity, responsiveness, measurement error, and minimum important change (MIC) of the 6-step timed Stair Climb Test (SCT). METHODS We used pooled data from 397 participants with hip or knee osteoarthritis (54% women) from four clinical trials (86% retained at 12-week follow-up). Construct validity was assessed by testing six a priori hypotheses against other OARSI-recommended physical function measures. A self-reported Global Rating of Change scale was used to classify participants as worsened, improved and stable. Participants who worsened in physical function were excluded from all analyses. Responsiveness and MIC were assessed using multiple anchor-based and distribution-based approaches. Test-retest reliability, standard error of measurement (SEM) and smallest detectable change (SDC) were assessed on stable participants. RESULTS Five of six hypotheses (83%) for construct validity were met. Test-retest reliability was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient2,1 : 0.83; 95% confidence interval: 0.71, 0.90). The SEM and SDC values were 0.44 and 1.21 seconds respectively. We did not find adequate support for responsiveness. The MIC values ranged from 0.78 to 1.95 seconds using different approaches (median=1.37 seconds). CONCLUSION The 6-step timed SCT adequately assesses the construct of physical function in individuals with hip or knee osteoarthritis with excellent 12-week test-retest reliability. However, support for its responsiveness was inadequate to recommend its use as an outcome measure in people with osteoarthritis for research and clinical practice.

Introduction Assessing olfactory perception in olfactory disorders is of utmost importance in therapy management. However, the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test and the Sniffin’ Sticks are the only tests validated in Brazil. Objectives To evaluate the correlation and agreement between the Chemosensory Clinical Research Center olfactory test and the Brief-Smell Identification Test – University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test – in healthy participants and in participants with olfactory disorders based on the results and technical aspects of both tests. Methods Fifty participants without olfactory complaints and 50 participants with olfactory disorders who underwent the Chemosensory Clinical Research Center olfactory test and the Brief-Smell Identification Test were included. The following tests were used for statistical analysis: Mann-Whitney U test, Spearman’s correlation, intraclass correlation coefficient and Bland-Altman plot. An alpha error (significance level) of 0.05 was considered in the statistical analysis. Results Both tests were effective in distinguishing the groups without the presence of overlapping values ​​for the measured markers. Additionally, there was a strong correlation between Spearman’s correlation and intraclass correlation coefficient between the tests and for both nostrils. However, the correlations were lower when the groups were individually evaluated. The Bland-Altman plot showed no bias when all participants were simultaneously evaluated. Conclusions The tests to assess olfactory perception presented a high level of agreement. In our sample, we could infer that the Connecticut Chemosensory Clinical Research Center olfactory test is similar to the Brief-Smell Identification Test and can be used in the routine diagnosis of patients with complaints of olfactory disorders, considering the advantage of its low cost.

A common approach to increase test security in higher educational high-stakes testing is the use of different test forms with identical items but different item orders. The effects of such varied item orders are relatively well studied, but findings have generally been mixed. When multiple test forms with different item orders are used, we argue that the moderating role of speededness on item order effects cannot be neglected as missing responses are commonly scored as incorrect in high-stakes testing. If test-takers run out of time while not giving answers to easy items at the end of the test, they are penalised stronger than if instead they were unable to provide answers to difficult items. Using an illustrative real-data example of a speeded test, we show that the potential consequences of ignoring item order can be substantial with respect to test fairness. Our proposed solution consists of using a fixed item order across forms from the point at which the test may become speeded for some students. In this approach, the most time-intensive items are placed at the end of the test. A simulation based on real data of two university examinations from psychology students illustrates the usefulness of this approach. ispartof: Assessment & Evaluation In Higher Education vol:47 issue:7 pages:1-13 status: Published online

OBJECTIVE Olfaction influences nutrition, safety, and the cognitive development of children. Presently there are few olfactory tests for children, and normative reference values are generally lacking. In this study, we validate the Pediatric Smell Wheel® (PSW) to evaluate olfactory function in Brazilian children. METHODS We modified and validated the PSW, a test developed in the United States, for administration in Brazil, and established normative data for Brazilian children. The validation process consisted of five phases: First, we identified odorants familiar to Brazilian children. Second, we established the test-retest reliability of the Brazilian PSW test that employed these odorants. Third, we compared the test scores of healthy children to those microsmic from adenoid hypertrophy. Fourth, we examined the test's ability to detect improvement in olfactory function before and after adenoidectomy. Finally, we determined a normative 10th percentile cut point for defining microsmia in a sample of 169 healthy Brazilian children between 5 and 12 years of age. RESULTS Eleven odors were identified for inclusion in the test. The test-retest reliability was modest (r = 0.54, p

Software testing plays a critical role in the development and the assurance of the software quality. However, the quality of the code that is responsible for testing may, itself, be affected by poor design choices, known as test smells. In the literature, test smells may be interpreted differently by developers, which in turn can lead to different detection tools and results. In our work, we have selected the mostly commonly used detection tools and have investigated their overall agreement across different projects and different test smells. The found results were evaluated according to the average level of agreement, where we observed a definite disagreement between the tools. To overcome this gap of misinterpretation, we propose in this paper a multi-label classification approach to detect test smells based on a deep representation of the test code. We conducted our experiments using 4 problem-transformation techniques and 4 ensemble techniques. To evaluate our experimental results, we built a benchmark using a tool-based approach for labelling and made it publicly available. Binary Relevance and RAkEL are found to be the best multi-label techniques that achieve high performance results.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of taste and price on consumer satisfaction at a western fast food restaurant. The research design used in this study used quantitative associative methods. Based on the results of data analysis that has been carried out on the first hypothesis (H1) which states that taste has a positive and significant effect on consumer satisfaction, the t-count value is 22,984 which is greater than the t-table value of 1.661, testing the second hypothesis (H2) which states that price has a positive and significant effect on consumer satisfaction, the t-count value is 23,908, which is greater than the t-table value of 1.661, which means that taste and price have a positive and significant effect on consumer satisfaction, while the R-square value obtained is 0.865 which states that the taste and price variables affect consumer satisfaction by 86.50% and the remaining 13.50% is influenced by other variables.

BackgroundMental pain has been proposed as a global person-centered outcome measure. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to test an essential requisite of such a measure, namely that mental pain incorporates independent contributions from a range of discrete but disparate outcome measures.MethodsTwo hundred migraine patients were assessed concerning migraine disability, psychosomatic syndromes, mental pain, depression, anxiety, and psychosocial dimensions. General linear models were tested to verify which measures would individually make unique contributions to overall mental pain.ResultsThe final model, accounting for 44% of variance, identified that higher mental pain was associated with more severe depressive symptoms, higher migraine disability, lower well-being, and poorer quality of life.ConclusionIn this sample, mental pain was shown to behave as expected of a global outcome measure, since multiple measures of symptomatology and quality of life showed modest but significant bivariate correlations with mental pain and some of these measures individually made unique contributions to overall mental pain.

In this article, we identify leader job anxiety as a critical leader emotion relevant to team innovation. Integrating the literature on job anxiety and innovation and treating leader self-serving behavior as a mediator, we explore the relationship between leader job anxiety and team innovation. Further, we hypothesize and examine leader psychological entitlement as a moderator of the relationship. We conducted two studies to test our hypotheses. In Study 1, we used multisource data gathered from 69 team leaders and 210 team members of a high-tech software company in Northern China. In Study 2, we used a multisource, time-lagged research design to collect data from 121 team leaders and 404 team members of a large biopharmaceutical company in Northern China. We found that leader job anxiety positively relates to leader self-serving behavior and that leader psychological entitlement positively moderates this relationship. In addition, leader self-serving behavior mediates the negative relationship between leader job anxiety and team innovation. Further, we discuss theoretical and practical implications related to work teams and team innovation.

Teachers’ instructional practices are important for student learning. However, there are few tools for evaluating instructional practices in social studies. To this end, we present a video-based instrument with teacher-student interactions for assessing teaching practices in a high school economics course. We investigate, using an iterative design-based methodology, the adaptation and validation of a test originally developed in Germany for use in the United States. We found that experienced economics teachers and those with more content knowledge demonstrated higher-level instructional skills, and were more flexibile with their thinking. Inexperienced economics teachers and those with low content knowledge not only struggled with the test items, but also with the test format, the content, inter-cultural understanding, and with feeling overwhelmed. The test provides an opportunity for economics teachers to obtain feedback, practice, reflection, and improvement of their instruction in a way that has not previously been available. It also illustrates the possibilities and drawbacks of video-based testing in teacher training.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the sudden cancellation of in-class instruction for many students around the world presented an unprecedented disruption in children's education. As the COVID-19 pandemic took form, multiple concerns were raised about the potential negative impact on students' learning. The current study examined this proposition for children's writing. We compared the quality of writing, handwriting fluency, and attitude toward writing of first grade Norwegian students during the COVID-19 pandemic (421 girls, 396 boys), which included emergency remote instruction for almost 7 weeks, with first grade students in the same schools a year before the pandemic began (835 girls, 801 boys). After controlling for variance due to national test scores, school size, proportion of certified teachers, students per special education teacher, school hours per student, student gender, and native language, we found that students attending first grade during the pandemic had lower scores for writing quality, handwriting fluency, and attitude toward writing than their first grade peers tested a year earlier before the COVID-19 pandemic emerged. Implications for policy and instruction as well as future research are presented. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved) Impact Statement In December 2019, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus was identified, and it spread across the world quickly causing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, presenting unprecedented challenges for the education of school-age children. This study examined the impact of the pandemic and the temporary 7 week replacement of in class learning with online instruction on the writing of first grade children in Norway. First grade students tested shortly after the end of online instruction displayed a learning loss, having lower scores on measures of writing quality, handwriting fluency, and attitude toward writing than first grade children from the same schools tested a year earlier before the start of the pandemic. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)

Background In 2019, the Hand Therapy Certification Commission (HTCC), in consultation with Scantron Corporation, performed a practice analysis study of hand therapy, the sixth in a series of similar studies performed byHTCC over a 35-year period. Purpose The primary goal of this study was to update and validate the definition and delineation of hand therapy and to ensure that the test content outline for the Hand Therapy Certification Examination (HTCE) reflects the critical tasks, knowledge, and skills required in the practice of hand therapy. Additionally, HTCC explored specific trends in hand therapy practice, compared findings with previous studies, and gathered data about the frequency, criticality, and performance expectations for the use and fabrication of orthoses by hand therapists. Study Design Quantitative Descriptive. Methods More than 40 subject matter experts from the United States and Canada, representing a broad range of experiences and perspectives, developed an updated delineation of the domains, tasks, knowledge, and techniques and tools used in hand therapy practice. A large-scale online survey of all certified hand therapists from the United States, Canada, and other countries was completed to test the profile within the practice of hand therapy. Results This large-scale online survey overwhelmingly validated the profile of hand therapy. The results affirmed the test specifications for the Hand Therapy Certification Examination; affirmed the definition of hand therapy; and refined the scope of hand therapy practice. New data was gathered regarding the use of orthotics in hand therapy. Conclusions This study establishes content validity for the HTCE. It highlights that the specialty of hand therapy is a mature and stable specialty field of occupational therapy and physical therapy. Certified Hand Therapists frequently issue pre-fabricated and fabricate custom orthoses in the course of rehabilitation for clients with hand and arm injuries, and overall consider this a highly critical task in hand therapy practice. Level of Evidence N/A

The scientific method consists of making hypotheses or predictions and then carrying out experiments to test them once the actual results have become available, in order to learn from both successes and mistakes. This approach was followed in the M4 competition with positive results and has been repeated in the M5, with its organizers submitting their ten predictions/hypotheses about its expected results five days before its launch. The present paper presents these predictions/hypotheses and evaluates their realization according to the actual findings of the competition. The results indicate that well-established practices, like combining forecasts, exploiting explanatory variables, and capturing seasonality and special days, remain critical for enhancing forecasting performance, re-confirming also that relatively new approaches, like cross-learning algorithms and machine learning methods, display great potential. Yet, we show that simple, local statistical methods may still be competitive for forecasting high granularity data and estimating the tails of the uncertainty distribution, thus motivating future research in the field of retail sales forecasting.

Background Adolescence is a crucial chapter in life and the presence of stress, depression, and anxiety at this stage is a great concern. Prolonged stress is one of the risk factors that may induce suicidal thoughts, destructive ideation, abuse of alcohol, and drugs in adulthood. Based on a record from National Crime Records Bureau, In India over 2320 children were committed suicide per year because of failure in examinations. This raised number implies the severity of this issue and its major impact on society. Objectives The main objective of this paper is to analyze the cognitive stress in students during examination period using EEG biomarkers. Methods and Results EEG signal was acquired in two different test conditions such as before examination with 12 minutes and after examination with 3 minutes from 14 subjects with eight electrodes located using wireless Enobio device (Neuro electrics) with 10-20 international lead system. The three brain waves such as theta, alpha, beta relative band energies were considered, and EEG band ratios such as heart rate, neural activity, arousal index, vigilance index and cognitive performance attentional resource index extracted between before and after examination condition using db4 wavelet family with 6 level decomposition. The statistical results suggest that after examination the relative sub-band energies α, β, and θ were decreased significantly (p Conclusion The experimental results found that the memory and concentration were high before examination, which concludes that adolescence group examination stress was high before examination period as compared to after examination. In the case of gender group comparison, theta energy band for male students was found high compared to female students in before examination state such that it concludes that male students were highly stressed (before examination) than female students. Overall, our results suggest that after examination male students with lower heart rate index than female students which implies the male students control their stress levels as compared to females in the same stress situation.

OBJECTIVE First-time-in-college (FTIC) students are relatively inexperienced with alcohol and have pressure to assimilate to new norms, and, therefore, are at a heightened risk of alcohol-related consequences. The present study investigates the use of a brief deviance regulation theory (DRT) intervention to increase the use of protective behavioral strategies (PBS) among FTIC students. METHOD Participation took place completely online. Participants were first-year college students (n = 147, Mage = 18.11, 77.68% female) at a large southwest U.S. university. Participants were randomly assigned one of three conditions: (a) a positive message about individuals who use PBS, (b) a negative message about individuals who do not use PBS, or (c) an assessment-only control group. Participants then completed weekly assessments for 5 weeks, examining alcohol use and consequences, PBS use, and perceived PBS norms. Contrasting previous research, the present study investigated weekly effects of the intervention. In addition, norm type (quantity vs. frequency) was examined as moderators of intervention messaging. RESULTS Across conditions, both quantity and frequency norms increased over time. The positive message produced immediate and lasting effects on SLD PBS among those with higher (+ 1 SD) frequency norms. The intervention effects for the negative message, using the quantity norm, grew across time on all PBS. CONCLUSIONS These results provide initial support for the use of a DRT prevention program for FTIC students. Negative messages may promote long-term PBS use, while positive messages may be most effective in addressing immediate and lasting changes in the use of alcohol protective strategies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).