Average Response Rate Research Articles

Measuring Time Load Using a Mobile Application to Monitor Curriculum Workload.

Insuffient time for learning activities makes learning very difficult. Weaker students need more time to appropriately manage their learning objectives. To ensure enough study time, curriculum designers must monitor potential mismatches between needed versus provided study time. This study was conducted to measure students' time loads and compare them to the workload determined by the curriculum and measured in European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credits. Time load entry using the Studo mobile application consisted of entering the time required for all learning activities, categorized into attendance, self-study, and writing student papers, per course. In addition to time load measures, socio-demographic information on travel time, care obligations, and employment status was recorded. Over six semesters (2018/2019-2021), the average response rate per semester was low (8%-17%). Of the 75 piloted courses (4-16 per semester), 2 exceeded the number of hours specified in the curriculum. Regarding socio-demographic data, 3%-34% of the evaluated students worked part time (≥ 10 hours per week). In summary, students were disinclined to measure their learning time. With consideration of potential nonresponse bias, no significant evidence of curriculum workload exceedance was found for the evaluated courses at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna. However, some students are under increased individual time pressure due to part-time employment. The ratio of measured to estimated time should be monitored as a key component to improve performance and enhance student learning.

以马内利二校初中一年级学生使用 MICROSOFT TEAMS 对汉语学习的影响

AbstractMicrosoft Teams (MT) is a full-featured chat-based collaboration platform, that integrates chat, video conferencing, file storage and more. In order to understand the impact of using the Microsoft Teams application on learning Mandarin, and the responds of the first-year secondary Immanuel junior high school students using Microsoft Teams on learning Mandarin, the writer used a questionnaire and survey method to obtain research result. The first result is the average rate of students using MT software is 73.4%, which proved that students using MT software can help students learn Chinese. And the average rate of students' response to using MT software to learn Chinese is 69.3%. It proved that the students have received the approval of using the MT software, which means that the students are satisfied with using the MT software to learn Chinese. The second result is the students' responds of using Microsoft Teams software on learning Mandarin are very interesting and satisfying; Student do tasks are more convenient to submit and also student can review the mandarin material easier because it is uploaded to Microsoft Teams.Keywords: Influence, Learning Chinese, Microsoft Teams software

How a faecal immunochemical test screening programme changes annual colorectal cancer incidence rates: an Italian intention-to-screen study

BackgroundThis study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a biennial faecal immunochemical test (FIT) screening programme in reducing annual colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence in its dynamic target population.MethodsThe target population included over 1,000,000 persons aged 50–69 living in a region of northern Italy. The average annual response rate to invitation was 51.4%. Each observed annual age-standardised (Europe) rate per 100,000 persons between 2005, the year of introduction of the programme, and 2016 was compared with each expected annual rate as estimated with age-period-cohort (men) and age-period (women) models.ResultsFor both sexes, the rates observed in 1997–2004 and those expected in 2005–2016 were stable. Observed rates increased in 2005, peaked in 2006 (the first full year of screening), dropped significantly below the expected level in 2009, and continued to decrease until 2013 (the eighth full year), after which no further significant changes occurred. In the pooled years 2013–2016, the observed incidence rate per 100,000 persons was 102.2 [95% CI: 97.4, 107.1] for men, 75.6 [95% CI: 71.6, 79.7] for women and 88.4 [95% CI: 85.3, 91.5] for both sexes combined, with an observed:expected incidence rate ratio of 0.68 [95% CI: 0.65, 0.71], 0.79 [95% CI: 0.76, 0.82] and 0.72 [95% CI: 0.66, 0.81], respectively.DiscussionThe study provided multiple consistent proofs of a causal relationship between the introduction of screening and a stable 28% decrease in annual CRC incidence after eight years.

Community Mobilization Approaches for Large-Scale Public Health Surveys: Experiences from the Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (PHIA) Project.

Community mobilization is an integral process of raising awareness and increasing participation in a specific program. Communities with long-standing mistrust of health research may otherwise be reluctant to participate in surveys originating outside of their locality, particularly when asked to share personal information, provide blood samples, or undergo medical examinations. Here we discuss the community mobilization approaches undertaken by the Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (PHIA) project to optimize participation in surveys across 13 countries of sub-Saharan Africa. The PHIA Project developed a community mobilization strategy to address anticipated community concerns. In each country, a trained cadre of Community Mobilization Coordinators (CMCs) facilitated (1) ongoing communication with leadership and stakeholders at national, provincial/district and local levels; (2) door-to-door visits and group meetings; (3) promotional material dissemination through radio and television jingles and mass social/community media; and (4) the use of public address systems to enhance survey awareness and promote participation. Response rates (RR) were recorded from each survey. The PHIA surveys' mobilization efforts cultivated a receptive environment for data collection. The average household response rate for 13 PHIA surveys was 90.4% and interview RR were consistently over 80%, with women more likely to conduct an interview in all countries except Cote d'Ivoire. 89% of eligible women consented to a blood draw and 81.1% of eligible men consented. The robust and contextualized community mobilization approaches in PHIA were critical for engaging communities in large-scale public health surveys and contributed to high RR in participant interviews and blood draw.

COVID-19 Pandemic and Vaccination from The Perspective of University Students: Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices

Aim: Our aim was to find out the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of university students regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to evaluate their vaccination status and the students' approaches to COVID-19 vaccination. Methods: Our cross-sectional study was carried out in the province of Tokat between 01 December 2021 and 31 December 2021. The sample of the research consists of Tokat Gaziosmanpasa University students. The students were reached by sending an online survey to their corporate e-mails. The survey form consists of socio-demographic data and parts regarding knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards COVID-19 and vaccines. Results: Our study included 1053 participants. The mean age of the participants was 22.1±5.2, and 56.2% were female. The rate of having COVID-19 among the participants was 27.8%. Of the students, 94.5% were vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccines. The average correct response rate of the participants about the disease was 79.1±15.2%. Although the high rate of knowledge regarding the effectiveness of protective attitudes, it was seen that the rate of wearing a mask was 70.2% and just 49.9% of participants always avoid crowded areas. Conclusion: The approaches of young people, who can be the source of transmission, regarding COVID-19 disease and vaccines are extremely effective in controlling the pandemic. Keywords: COVID-19, vaccines, knowledge, attitude, students

Assessment of patient safety culture in two emergency departments in Australia: a cross sectional study

PurposePatient safety culture is a vital element to create patient safety in healthcare organisations. Emergency department (ED) professionals operate in unstable conditions that may pose risk to patient safety on day-to-day basis. The aim of this study was to assess the status of patient safety culture and to quantify the dimensions of safety culture in the ED setting.Design/methodology/approachThis was a descriptive cross sectional study that used a validated questionnaire distributed to the staff working in the nominated EDs . Perceptions on various dimensions of safety culture were reported and the frequency of positive responses for each dimension was calculated.Findings“Teamwork” is the only dimension that rated positive by over 70% of participants. Other dimensions rated below 50%, except for “Organisational learning–continuous improvement” which rated 51.2%. Areas that rated the lowest were “Handover and transitions”, “Staffing”, “Non-punitive response to error” and “Frequency of event reporting” with average positive response rate of 15.4%, 26%, 26.8% and 27.6%, respectively.Originality/valueThis study displayed a concerning perceptions held by participants about the deficiency of patient safety culture in their EDs. Moreover, it provided a baseline finding giving a clearer vision of the areas of patient safety culture that need improvement.

Evaluación de la implementación de talleres con metodología de aprendizaje basado en casos en un curso de Salud Pública de estudiantes de Odontología

IntroductionUndergraduate public health training has reported difficulties motivating students and transferring what has been learned to professional performance. In response to this, workshops with case-based learning methodology were incorporated in the Public Health course of the School of Dentistry of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. This study aimed to evaluate the implementation results of the workshops in four cohorts of students (2018–2021). MethodsThe Kirkpatrick model was used on levels 1 and 2 utilizing a satisfaction survey, summative evaluations of the workshops, a questionnaire of perception of achievement of learning outcomes, and a retrospective pre-post questionnaire related to the objective of the course to which the workshops were contributed. Results276 students participated between 2018 and 2021. The average survey response rate was 61.5%. The workshops were positively rated; students have the perception of achieving the objective after the workshop by 83%. The average grade point of the five workshops was 6.4 on a rating scale from 1 to 7. ConclusionsThe incorporation of workshops with this methodology allowed students the application of theoretical contents, stimulating their motivation, the perception of achieved objectives, and the recognition of the importance of the public health course for its application in clinical care.

Development of student empathy during medical education: changes and the influence of context and training.

PurposeEmpathy levels have been observed to often decrease when medical undergraduates move to the clinical years, particularly in the Western countries. However, empathy either remains similar or increases in many Asian medical schools. This study investigated the longitudinal empathy profile of medical students in Singapore.MethodsTwo cohorts of medical students who enrolled in 2013 and 2014 to the National University of Singapore were tracked for 5 years. The Jefferson Scale of Empathy–student version was used. Analyses on the mean of the empathy level and individual factors, year-wise and gender comparison were conducted.ResultsAverage response rates for cohort 1 and 2 were 68.1% (n=181–263) and 55.4% (n=81–265), respectively. For both cohorts, there was no significant change across year of study in the mean empathy score. Average scores for both cohorts were 113.94 and 115.66. Though not significant, we observed mean empathy to be lowest at the end of year 5 (112.74) and highest in year 2 (114.72) for cohort 1 while for cohort 2, the lowest level of empathy was observed in year 5 (114.20) and highest in year 4 (118.42). Analysis of subcomponents of empathy only showed a significant difference for cohort one factor 1 (perspective taking) and factor 3 (standing in patients’ shoes) across the study years.ConclusionNo significant change in empathy score was observed during the transition from pre-clinical to clinical years, unlike many Western and Far-Eastern studies. This might be due to the curriculum and influence of the Asian values.

Effects of Attendance to an Organized Fecal Immunochemical Test Screening Program on the Risk of Colorectal Cancer: An Observational Cohort Study

This cohort study compared colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality between people who participated in an Italian regional biennial fecal immunochemical test (FIT) screening program and people who did not. The program started in 2005. The target population included over 1,000,000 people aged 50 to 69 years. The FIT was a one-sample OC-Sensor (Eiken Chemical Co, Tokyo, Japan) (cutoff, ≥20 μg hemoglobin/g feces). The average annual response rate to invitation was 51.4%. The records of people invited up to June 2016 were extracted from the screening data warehouse. Attenders were subjects who responded to the first 2 invitations or to the single invitation sent them before they became ineligible. Non-attenders were subjects who did not respond to any of these invitations. The records were linked with the regional CRC registry. People registered up to December 2016 were identified. Self-selection-adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and incidence-based CRC mortality rate ratios (MRRs) for attenders to non-attenders, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), were calculated. The cohort generated 2,622,131 man-years and 2,887,845 woman-years at risk with 4490 and 3309 CRC cases, respectively. The cohort of attenders was associated with an IRR of 0.65 (95% CI, 0.61-0.69) for men, 0.75 (95% CI, 0.70-0.80) for women and 0.69 (95% CI, 0.66-0.72) for both sexes combined. The self-selection-adjusted IRR was 0.67 (95% CI, 0.62-0.72) for men and 0.79 (95% CI, 0.72-0.88) for women. The IRR for stage I, II, III, and IV CRC was 1.35 (95% CI, 1.20-1.50), 0.61 (95% CI, 0.53-0.69), 0.60 (95% CI, 0.53-0.68) and 0.28 (95% CI, 0.24-0.32) for men and 1.64 (95% CI, 1.43-1.89), 0.60 (95% CI, 0.52-0.69), 0.73 (95% CI, 0.63-0.85) and 0.35 (95% CI, 0.30-0.42) for women. The overall incidence-based CRC MRR was 0.32 (95% CI, 0.28-0.37) for men, 0.40 (95% CI, 0.34-0.47) for women and 0.35 (95% CI, 0.31-0.39) for both sexes combined. The adjusted MRR was 0.35 (95% CI, 0.29-0.41) for men and 0.46 (95% CI, 0.37-0.58) for women. Attendance to a FIT screening program is associated with a CRC incidence reduction of 33% among men and 21% among women, and a CRC mortality reduction of 65% and 54%, respectively.

Taking Our Own Temperature: Using a Residency Climate Survey to Support Minority Voices.

Recruitment of underrepresented minorities (URM) in medicine has risen to the forefront as a strategy to address health inequities, but the experiences of URM residents within their own programs are poorly understood. We describe the development and implementation of a diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) climate survey at our residency program, the results of which have informed our DEI efforts. A resident-faculty work group collaboratively developed an 81-item questionnaire, informed by other institutional climate surveys. We administered the survey annually from 2018 through 2021 to all residents and faculty at our large academic family medicine residency program. The anonymous survey covered six key areas: general climate, climate for specific group, personal experience with discrimination and harassment, recruitment, burnout, and curriculum. Average response rates were 84% and 50% for residents and faculty, respectively. Survey results show low satisfaction with resident and faculty diversity; higher rates of burnout for respondents who self-identify as URM, persons of color (POC), and/or LGBTQ; and racial and gender differences in experiences of workplace discrimination and sexual harassment. Instituting an annual internal climate survey at our residency has provided invaluable information regarding the perspectives and experiences of our residents and faculty that has informed our DEI initiatives. We envision that our survey will inform continual improvement and serve as a model for similar introspection leading to meaningful action at other programs.

Survey response rates: Trends and a validity assessment framework

Survey methodology has been and continues to be a pervasively used data-collection method in social science research. To better understand the state of the science, we first analyze response-rate information reported in 1014 surveys described in 703 articles from 17 journals from 2010 to 2020. Results showed a steady increase in average response rate from 48% in 2005 to 53% in 2010 to 56% in 2015 and 68% in 2020; a marked increase in the number of surveys per published article from 1.27 in 2015 to 1.79 in 2020; and that variables that predict response-rate fluctuations over time are related to research design (e.g. data-collection medium), participant motivation (e.g. incentives), and researcher motivation (i.e. number of surveys per article). Second, we propose complementary information on contemporary response-rate norms and benchmarks with a response-rate validity assessment framework to gather evidence on accuracy of inferences based on a particular response-rate level. Implementing this validation process involves gathering information on the researcher–participant relationship, participant qualifications and motivation, survey length and complexity, and cultural and national context. Future survey research should implement the validity assessment framework in addition to reporting the response-rate value to better indicate a sample’s quality, appropriateness, and representativeness.

The methodology of the Italian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) 2018 study and its development for the next round

SummaryIntroductionThe Italian “Health Behaviour in School-aged Children” (HBSC) is a national surveillance system that collects data on health and well-being among adolescents aged 11, 13 and 15 years attending school. It is part of the HBSC Research Network, an international alliance of researchers from 45 European and North American countries and regions started in 1982.MethodsAll countries and regions participating in HBSC must adhere to a common international standard protocol developed and systematically updated by the entire HBSC Network. Data collection occurs every four years. Italy joined the international Network in 2000 and, to date, five waves (in 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018) have been carried out. From 2010 the Italian HBSC is representative at regional level and in 2017 the base of the “Surveillance system for risk behaviours in 11-17 year-olds” became part of the Prime Ministerial Decree “Identification of surveillance systems and registries of mortality, tumours and other diseases”. Cluster sampling is used, with school class as primary sampling unit, and two validated questionnaires are used to collect the information.ResultsIn 2018, the Italian HBSC involved 3,608 classes and 58,976 students. The average response rates were 86% of sampled classes and 97% of students achieving a national and regional representative sample for youths of all age groups (19,504 eleven-year-old, 20,554 thirteen-year-old and 18,918 fifteen-year-old). The national coordination group prepared a standardized format for disseminating the results locally and indicating areas for intervention A national report and some articles have been published. The next round, which will take place in the 2021-2022 school year, will also involve a representative sample of students of grade four of secondary schools (adolescents aged 17 years) and use on line questionnaires.ConclusionsOver 3 decades at international and 2 decades at national level 35 years have demonstrated that HBSC methodology and its results are useful for monitoring and deepening the knowledge on the most critical issues of adolescents’ well-being.

Promoting patient engagement during care transitions after surgery using mobile technology: Lessons learned from the MobiMD pilot study

BackgroundPoorly coordinated transitions of care in complex abdominal surgery patients contribute to frequent hospital readmissions and inflated healthcare spending. Mobile health (mHealth) transitional care technologies may reduce surgical readmissions yet remain understudied in high-risk surgical populations. MethodsWe conducted a single-group, prepost study of a mHealth transitional care app in 50 complex surgical patients. Eligible patients were adults undergoing complex abdominal surgery in the divisions of Surgical Oncology and Colorectal Surgery. The main outcome was app engagement, calculated by notification response rate (number of participant-entered datapoints divided by the total number of app-requested datapoints) over the 30-day postoperative period. Secondary outcomes included changes in engagement over time and by individual app feature. ResultsA total of 85% (50/59) of eligible patients enrolled. Most participants were male (58%, n = 29), and mean age was 50 years (range 24–80 years). Overall notification response rate was 28%. Among the 58% of participants (29/50) who engaged with the app at least once after discharge (app users), the average notification response rate was 45%. The mean notification response rate among app users decreased over time from 50% to 32% between weeks 1 and 4 after hospital discharge. Engagement with individual app features ranged from 48–81%, with highest engagement for symptom reports and lowest engagement for wound care instructions. ConclusionmHealth transitional care is feasible in complex surgical patients using only patients’ existing smart devices. Randomized controlled trials are required to determine the impact on hospital readmissions, surgical outcomes, patient satisfaction, and overall resource utilization.

Edapho-climatic Characteristics of Precarpathian Biotopes in Participation of Cenopopulation of Polygonatum MILL. Species

The territory of research on landscape-geographical zoning is confined to the Precarpathians - part of the Western Ukraine, within the Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk and Chernivtsi regions (Kravchuk, 1999). It stretches a relatively narrow strip between the Dniester valley and the northeastern foothills of the Ukrainian Carpathians (Koinov, 2014). Coenopopulations of four species of the genus Polygonatum Mill (Polygonatum multiflorum (L.) All., Polygonatum odoratum (Mill.) Druce., Polygonatum verticillatum (L.) All., Polygonatum latifolium Desf.) were studied within the seven territorial divisions of the Precarpathian region. We studied these species at 59 research sites dedicated to 14 types of habitats (Didukh, 2011).
 The studied biotopes of the Precarpathian region are characterized by a number of edaphic and climatic indices. The humus content is 1.94–2.98 %, reaching the maximum values in the biotopes of the Pokutsk hills, and the minimum – in the Kalush (Limnitsko - Bolokhiv) basin. The average soil solution response rates are very acidic within the Storozhynets strand (pH (saline) – 4.33 units); strongly acidic level – within the Kalush and Stanislav basin and Pokuttia height (pH (salt) – 4.68; 4.82 and 4.76 units, respectively); slightly acidic level - within the Upper Dniester Basin and Voynylivskyi hills (pH (salt) – 5.34) and Chernivtsi hills (pH (salt) – 5.05). The moisture content, the amount of active temperatures and the level of illumination vary greatly depending on the type of biotope. The soils of wetland alder habitats are characterized by maximum moisture content (> 40%) and the minimum - the biotopes along the highways and abandoned pastures (<20 %). The sum of active temperatures at a depth of 20 cm is highest in non-forested areas with a low degree of loosening. The minimum level of illumination (in the range of 760 - 900 lux) was stated in forest biotopes, the maximum (> 2000 lux) was found in biotopes of abandoned pastures and hay meadows. Soils within the studied Precarpathian biotopes are characterized by low and medium supply of N, P and high content of K. The weighted average value of mobile phosphorus varies from 39.49 mg / kg in the biotopes of the Kalush Basin to 81.18 mg / kg in the biotopes of the Chernivtsi Upland; of hydrolyzed Nitrogen - from 68.07 in the biotopes of the Kalush Basin to 83.93 - Storozhynets Strand. The highest weighted average values of mobile potassium content were found within the Pokuttia Upland (150.70 mg/kg), the lowest – the Voynyliv Upland (84.1 mg/kg).

Five-Year Community Surveillance Study for Acute Respiratory Infections Using Text Messaging: Findings From the MoSAIC Study.

BackgroundAcute respiratory infections (ARI) are the most common infectious diseases globally. Community surveillance may provide a more comprehensive picture of disease burden than medically attended illness alone.MethodsIn this longitudinal study conducted from 2012 to 2017 in the Washington Heights/Inwood area of New York City, we enrolled 405 households with 1915 individuals. Households were sent research text messages twice weekly inquiring about ARI symptoms. Research staff confirmed symptoms by follow-up call. If ≥2 criteria for ARI were met (fever/feverish, cough, congestion, pharyngitis, myalgias), staff obtained a mid-turbinate nasal swab in participants’ homes. Swabs were tested using the FilmArray reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) respiratory panel.ResultsAmong participants, 43.9% were children, and 12.8% had a chronic respiratory condition. During the 5 years, 114 724 text messages were sent; the average response rate was 78.8% ± 6.8%. Swabs were collected for 91.4% (2756/3016) of confirmed ARI; 58.7% had a pathogen detected. Rhino/enteroviruses (51.9%), human coronaviruses (13.9%), and influenza (13.2%) were most commonly detected. The overall incidence was 0.62 ARI/person-year, highest (1.73) in <2 year-olds and lowest (0.46) in 18–49 year-olds. Approximately one-fourth of those with ARI sought healthcare; percents differed by pathogen, demographic factors, and presence of a chronic respiratory condition.ConclusionsText messaging is a novel method for community-based surveillance that could be used both seasonally as well as during outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics. The importance of community surveillance to accurately estimate disease burden is underscored by the findings of low rates of care-seeking that varied by demographic factors and pathogens.

Landslide Disasters’ Causal/Trigger Factors as Understood by the Indigenous People in Murang’a County, Kenya

Landslides constitute a considerable number of natural disasters globally. Landslides are not new in Kenya yet a dearth of information about the disasters has been reported. Murang’a County presents a unique case of geographical interest because of all the counties traversed by the Aberdare Ranges, it is the only one with the most serious, deadliest and recurrent landslides, especially in the recent past. Most studies on landslide disasters are limited to the scientific assessment and understanding neglecting the indigenous knowledge albeit the fact that indigenous people are affected in one way or another by the disasters. This research aims at highlighting the residents’ indigenous knowledge of landslide causal and trigger factors. Primary data are analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics in IBM-SPSS package. A total of 336 household questionnaires were administered, with an average response rate of 86%, complemented with, 8 Key Informants Interviews and 7 Focus Group Discussion. The key research findings were that indigenous people understood the landslide causal/trigger factors and their contribution landslides occurrences. The identified factors were rainfall, elevation, slope, soils and land-use land-cover. In conclusion, the study recommends the application and integrated of indigenous knowledge with existing scientific knowledge in the understanding of landslide disasters formulation of a policy framework at the county or national government levels. Also, landslides being highly localized, the study recommends further localized research targeting only the households affected by the landslides to gain closer understanding according to their knowledge and experiences through interaction with landslide disasters.

Knowledge and attitude of materiovigilance among doctors in a tertiary care teaching hospital: A cross-sectional survey

Background: Post marketing surveillance of medical devices has to be done to avoid injuries and it is highly required to evaluate and ascertain the risks and benefits associated with the medical devices. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge and attitude about materiovigilance among doctors working in a tertiary care hospital. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study involving faculty and postgraduate residents of a tertiary care hospital using questionnaire which had 12 questions pertaining to attitude and knowledge of materiovigilance. Results: The survey questionnaire was sent to 300 health-care professionals among them, 259 respondents completely answered the questions. There were 96 teaching faculty, 163 were postgraduates residents. The average response rate was 86.3%. There was no statistical significant difference seen between the two groups (P = 0.85). Conclusion: More workshops and training programs need to be conducted to create awareness and reporting of adverse reactions due to medical instruments.

High-resolution virtual brain modeling personalizes deep brain stimulation for treatment-resistant depression: Spatiotemporal response characteristics following stimulation of neural fiber pathways

Over the past 15 years, deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been actively investigated as a groundbreaking therapy for patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD); nevertheless, outcomes have varied from patient to patient, with an average response rate of ∼50%. The engagement of specific fiber tracts at the stimulation site has been hypothesized to be an important factor in determining outcomes, however, the resulting individual network effects at the whole-brain scale remain largely unknown. Here we provide a computational framework that can explore each individual's brain response characteristics elicited by selective stimulation of fiber tracts. We use a novel personalized in-silico approach, the Virtual Big Brain, which makes use of high-resolution virtual brain models at a mm-scale and explicitly reconstructs more than 100,000 fiber tracts for each individual. Each fiber tract is active and can be selectively stimulated. Simulation results demonstrate distinct stimulus-induced event-related potentials as a function of stimulation location, parametrized by the contact positions of the electrodes implanted in each patient, even though validation against empirical patient data reveals some limitations (i.e., the need for individual parameter adjustment, and differential accuracy across stimulation locations). This study provides evidence for the capacity of personalized high-resolution virtual brain models to investigate individual network effects in DBS for patients with TRD and opens up novel avenues in the personalized optimization of brain stimulation.

A Survey of Covid-19 Deaths Among American Clergy

This research aims to discover the number of clergy deaths in the United States that resulted from complications associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). The FaithX Project, in association with researchers from the Global Center for Religious Research (GCRR), conducted a survey of sixteen major Christian denominations in the United States. The methodology for this study was to contact leaders in these denominations (via email and phone) who oversaw specific church judicatories. The research took place from January to June of 2021. There was an average response rate of 23.12% across the sixteen Christian denominations contacted. 169 judicatories responded to the survey and a total of 118 clergy deaths were reported, with the Catholic Church recording the most: 43 deaths. The average overall death rate for these denominations was 0.23%, with the highest rate being the Catholic Church at 0.73%. Utilizing this information, it can be estimated that somewhere between 1,008 and 1,099 total clergy in the United States died from Covid-19.

The automation of marketing

Today, the average campaign response rate is less than one per cent and with the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI), traditional marketing is wading into troubled waters because the waves of strategic campaigns, the retargeting, the real-time media buying and personalised e-mailing are not moving the marketing needle as they used to. The robotisation of shopping and marketing is changing how brands compete for consumers. This paper stipulates that the real opportunity in marketing today lies in redefining the customer relationship rather than in cutting costs. In the future, humans might only be needed in the consumption phase of the buying cycle and purchasing decisions could be left to IoT-connected bots that order products for the customer. These products will then be delivered by anticipatory systems that understand when orders are to be made. For companies to succeed in this environment, they need to make the marketing, ordering and delivering process as seamless as possible, not just for the humans who will consume the products but also for the bots that will order them.