Consistent Approach Research Articles

Teaching and assessment of communication skills in dietetics: a scoping review.

Communication is a core element of dietetic practice, and although communication skills are a prominent feature of dietetic curricula, research suggests a need for more consistent approaches. The evidence on how communication skills are taught and assessed in dietetics has not been synthesised leaving uncertainty about best practice. This scoping review aimed to examine and map the research literature relating to the teaching and assessment of communication skills in dietetics. The review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews. Five electronic databases, two theses databases and eight conference proceedings were systematically searched for research on how communication skills are taught and assessed in dietetics. The search had no geographical or time limits. Studies were independently screened by two authors, summarised thematically using the Kirkpatrick Model and narratively synthesised. The 45 included studies were organised thematically into three categories: (i) the inclusion of communication skills education in dietetics, suggesting that dietitians have variable experiences; (ii) approaches to teaching communication skills in dietetics, characterised predominantly by a move away from didactic approaches in favour of experiential opportunities for learning such as simulation; and (iii) assessment of communication skills in dietetics, including the use of both dietetic-specific and generic tools. The included studies demonstrate that although a variety of teaching strategies are used in the development of communication skills in dietetics, there is potential for more robust evaluation and more diverse approaches to support dietetic educators to prepare the dietetic workforce.

Legal status of young scientists in the Russian Federation

The subject. The article presents a comprehensive analysis of the legal status of young scientists in the Russian Federation, taking into account the needs of the Russian scientific society for the reproduction of the scientific knowledge.The purpose of the research is to confirm or to reject the hypothesis of the necessity of the specific legal status of the young scientists in Russian academic law.Methodology. The formal legal method, the method of comparative legal analysis and method of systemic approach were used in the article.The main results. The research proves that the modern Russian academic community is in need of the young scientists due to the aging of the community. According to statistics, the lack of social guarantees and the low prestige of the academic profession result in a low percentage of PhD graduates in the recent years. The study concludes that there is no systematic approach to the definition of the status of a young scientist in the current Russian law. Although attempts to formalize the legal status of the young scientists have been made, they have so far not led to significant results. The authors conclude that the current legislation governing the legal status of young scientists should be harmonised. Analysis of the current legislation on the legal status of young scientists also reveals a number of complex issues. Social guarantees for young scientists, presented in the form of social housing, affect only a small proportion of the scientific community, while there are no laws granting preferential loans for young scientific workers. The participation of young scientists in grant support competitions is complicated due to the lack of a unified approach. Specific problems are faced by female scientists. A partial solution to the problem of the low prestige of the profession for both scientific and pedagogic workers, according to the authors of the article, lies in the foundation of a unified federal system of guarantied wages for such workers.Conclusions. Researchers conclude that a consistent approach to the legal status of young scientists and social guarantees, according to such status, can ensure the stable growth of young people in the sphere of scientific activity. In order to enhance the prestige of the profession of scientist among young people and to prevent the lack of scientific and pedagogical workers, researchers consider it necessary to take a number of measures, such as legal enshrinement of the status of a young scientists, development of a system of social guarantees, search for a new ways to measure the scientific activity of employees, formation of a stable system of postgraduate studies and creation of comfortable working conditions for young scientists.

The LEAP checklist for laboratory evaluation and analytical performance characteristics reporting of clinical measurement procedures

Reporting a measurement procedure and its analytical performance following method evaluation in a peer-reviewed journal is an important means for clinical laboratory practitioners to share their findings. It also represents an important source of evidence base to help others make informed decisions about their practice. At present, there are significant variations in the information reported in laboratory medicine journal publications describing the analytical performance of measurement procedures. These variations also challenge authors, readers, reviewers, and editors in deciding the quality of a submitted manuscript.The International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine Working Group on Method Evaluation Protocols (IFCC WG-MEP) developed a checklist and recommends its adoption to enable a consistent approach to reporting method evaluation and analytical performance characteristics of measurement procedures in laboratory medicine journals. It is envisioned that the LEAP checklist will improve the standardisation of journal publications describing method evaluation and analytical performance characteristics, improving the quality of the evidence base that is relied upon by practitioners.

On wave propagation in nanobeams

Wave propagation in Rayleigh nanobeams resting on nonlocal media is investigated in this paper. Small-scale structure-foundation problems are formulated according to a novel consistent nonlocal approach extending the special elastostatic analysis in Barretta et al. (2022). Nonlocal effects of the nanostructure are modelled according to a stress-driven integral law. External elasticity of the nano-foundation is instead described by a displacement-driven spatial convolution. The developed methodology leads to well-posed continuum problems, thus circumventing issues and applicative difficulties of the Eringen–Wieghardt nonlocal approach. Wave propagation in Rayleigh nanobeams interacting with nano-foundations is then analysed and dispersive features are analytically detected exploiting the novel consistent strategy. Closed form expressions of size-dependent dispersion relations are established and connection with outcomes available in literature is contributed. A general and well-posed methodology is thus provided to address wave propagation nanomechanical problems. Parametric studies are finally accomplished and discussed to show effects of length scale parameters on wave dispersion characteristics of small-scale systems of current interest in Nano-Engineering.

Cocoa, Palm Tree, and Cassava Plantations among Smallholder Farmers: Toward Policy and Technological Efficiencies for Sustainable Socio-Economic Development in Southern Nigeria

This study is basically and centrally focused on the review of the extant literature in exploring the challenge of the under-utilization of natural fertile land for the cultivation and farming of different crops such as cocoa, palm tree, and cassava, which remain an important sector of the economy for sustainable socio-economic development in the southern part of Nigeria. The review of the cursory literature is necessary to bridge the gap in the existing body of knowledge, especially by addressing the less attention paid to exploring the non-oil sector of the economy such as cocoa, palm tree, and cassava as well as connecting policy and agro-technology to maximize agricultural productivity for the purpose of sustainable socio-economic development. The primary objective of this study is to explore cocoa, palm tree, and cassava plantations among smallholder farmers in order to enhance sustainable socio-economic development in the country. The methodology used in this study is a systematic literature review (SLR) cum content analysis (CA) of secondary sources or relevant literature whereby six themes were generated and analyzed. A consistent approach was used in order to establish exhaustive searching strategies and single-line search strategies such as using field codes and parentheses as part of a systematic literature review. The results indicated that smallholder farmers have been actively partaking in cocoa plantation, and the government has been supportive of them in this regard in order to achieve sustainable socio-economic development. In addition, agricultural transformation contributes to economic diversification through innovative policy and capacity building among cocoa, palm tree, and cassava farmers in the country, which culminates in improving the overall welfare of the smallholder farmers in attaining sustainable socio-economic development. In conclusion, it is noteworthy to say that giving support, especially cocoa, palm tree, and cassava seedlings, to smallholder farmers can be instrumental in bridging the vacuum created by poverty and unemployment which could be regarded as mechanisms for attaining sustainable development. The importance of the study was manifested in the practical aspect of giving concrete support to the smallholder farmers, and the innovativeness of the study is reflected in the advocacy for the efficiencies and effectiveness of agricultural policy and technology integration into the sector. It is therefore suggested that interventions of individual philanthropists, government, and international communities will boost the morale and resilience of the farmers toward enhancing cocoa, palm tree, and cassava production in order to enhance sustainable socio-economic development among smallholder farmers in particular and to maximize national economy growth in general.

Evolution of 1500-m Olympic Running Performance.

This study determined the evolution of performance and pacing for each winner of the men's Olympic 1500-m running track final from 1924 to 2020. Data were obtained from publicly available sources. When official splits were unavailable, times from sources such as YouTube were included and interpolated from video records. Final times, lap splits, and position in the peloton were included. The data are presented relative to 0 to 400m, 400 to 800m, 800 to 1200m, and 1200 to 1500m. Critical speed and D' were calculated using athletes' season's best times. Performance improved ∼25seconds from 1924 to 2020, with most improvement (∼19s) occurring in the first 10 finals. However, only 2 performances were world records, and only one runner won the event twice. Pacing evolved from a fast start-slow middle-fast finish pattern (reverse J-shaped) to a slower start with steady acceleration in the second half (J-shaped). The coefficient of variation for lap speeds ranged from 1.4% to 15.3%, consistent with a highly tactical pacing pattern. With few exceptions, the eventual winners were near the front throughout, although rarely in the leading position. There is evidence of a general increase in both critical speed and D' that parallels performance. An evolution in the pacing pattern occurred across several "eras" in the history of Olympic 1500-m racing, consistent with better trained athletes and improved technology. There has been a consistent tactical approach of following opponents until the latter stages, and athletes should develop tactical flexibility, related to their critical speed and D', in planning prerace strategy.

Rethinking Approaches to Negotiation Training in Russia and other Countries

The article is devoted to the problems of negotiation training and research of modern negotiation practices in Russia and abroad in the context of expanding traditional diplomatic tools through the active involvement of non-state actors in world political processes, as well as the use of “expert diplomacy” resources in international negotiations.Aim . To identify current trends in the teaching of negotiations in Russia and the world, to show the features of modern negotiation practices in the context of new geopolitical realities.Tasks. To analyze the role of negotiations in modern social, political and international processes. To review the latest research in the field of negotiations in the context of Western and non-Western scientific schools on negotiations.Methods. The methods of empirical analysis, consistency, scientific discussion, informational and historical approaches are applied.Results . The key features of modern scientific schools on negotiations are revealed. The specificity of non-Western research on negotiations is shown. The importance of taking into account national, religious, and cultural peculiarities of business communication in building successful negotiation processes is evaluated.Conclusions . Along with the universalization of negotiation practice and the formation of a unified negotiation culture, there is a pronounced trend towards combining negotiation skills based on classical strategies in the educational process, as well as mastering the knowledge and skills of intercultural communication, business etiquette and communication with representatives of various countries of the world.

Comprehensive analysis based on glycolytic and glutaminolytic pathways signature for predicting prognosis and immunotherapy in ovarian cancer.

Background: Our study attempts to develop and identify an aerobic glycolysis and glutamine-related genes (AGGRGs) signature for estimating prognostic effectively of ovarian cancer (OV) patients. Materials & methods: OV related data were extracted from the multiple public databases, including TCGA-OV, GSE26193, GSE63885, and ICGC-OV. A consistent clustering approach was used to characterize the subtypes associated with AGGRGs. LASSO Cox regressions was utilized to construct the prognosis signatures of AGGRGs. In addition, GSE26193, GSE63885 and ICGC-OV served as independent external cohorts to assess the reliability of the model. In vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to study the role of AAK1 in the malignant progression and glutamine metabolism of OV, and assessed its therapeutic potential for treating OV patients. Results: OV patients could be separated into four subtypes (quiescent, glycolysis, glutaminolytic, and mixed subtypes). The survival outcome of glutaminolytic subtype was notably worse than the glycolytic subtype. Besides, we identified eight AGGRGs (AAK1, GJB6, HMGN5, LPIN3, INTS6L, PPOX, SPAG4, and ZNF316) to establish a prognostic signature for OV patients. Comprehensive analysis revealed that the signature risk score served as an independent prognostic factor for OV. Additionally, high-risk OV patients were less sensitive to platinum and, conversely, were proved to be more responsive to immunotherapy than low-risk score. In cytological experiments, we found that AAK1 could promote cancer progression and glutamine metabolism via activating the Notch3 pathway in OV cells. Furthermore, knockdown of AAK1 significantly inhibited tumor growth and weight, decreased lung metastases, and ultimately extended the survival time of the nude mice. Conclusions: The prognostic signature of AGGRGs constructed could efficiently estimate the prognosis and immunotherapy effectiveness of OV patients. In addition, AAK1 may represent a promising therapeutic target for OV.

Image registration for zooming: A statistically consistent local feature mapping approach

AbstractImage registration is a widely used tool for matching two images of the same scene with one another. In the literature, several image registration techniques are available to register rigid‐body and non‐rigid‐body transformations. One such important transformation is zooming. There are very few feature‐based methods that address this particular problem. These methods fail miserably when there are only a limited number of point features available in the image. This paper proposes a feature‐based approach that works with a feature that is readily available in almost all images, for registering two images of the same image object where one is a zoomed‐in version of the other. In the proposed method, we first detect the possible edge points which we consider as features in both the reference and the zoomed image. Then, we map these features of the reference and the zoomed image with one another and find the relationship between them using a mathematical model. Finally, we use the relationship to register the zoomed‐in image. This method outperforms some of the state‐of‐the‐art methods in many occasions. Several numerical examples and some statistical properties justify that this method works well in many applications.

Applying a modified systematic review and integrated assessment framework (SYRINA) - a case study on triphenyl phosphate.

This work presents a case study in applying a systematic review framework (SYRINA) to the identification of chemicals as endocrine disruptors. The suitability and performance of the framework is tested with regard to the widely accepted World Health Organization definition of an endocrine disruptor (ED). The endocrine disrupting potential of triphenyl phosphate (TPP), a well-studied flame retardant reported to exhibit various endocrine related effects was assessed. We followed the 7 steps of the SYRINA framework, articulating the research objective via Populations, Exposures, Comparators, Outcomes (PECO) statements, performed literature search and screening, conducted study evaluation, performed data extraction and summarized and integrated the evidence. Overall, 66 studies, consisting of in vivo, in vitro and epidemiological data, were included. We concluded that triphenyl phosphate could be identified as an ED based on metabolic disruption and reproductive function. We found that the tools used in this case study and the optimizations performed on the framework were suitable to assess properties of EDs. A number of challenges and areas for methodological development in systematic appraisal of evidence relating to endocrine disrupting potential were identified; significant time and effort were needed for the analysis of in vitro mechanistic data in this case study, thus increasing the workload and time needed to perform the systematic review process. Further research and development of this framework with regards to grey literature (non-peer-reviewed literature) search, harmonization of study evaluation methods, more consistent evidence integration approaches and a pre-defined method to assess links between adverse effect and endocrine activity are recommended. It would also be advantageous to conduct more case studies for a chemical with less data than TPP.

What is habitat sensitivity? A quantitative definition relating resistance, resilience, and recoverability to environmental impacts

Habitat sensitivity is a consideration for decision-making under environmental laws in many jurisdictions. However, habitat sensitivity has been variously defined and there is no consistent approach to its quantification, which limits our understanding of how habitat sensitivity varies among systems and in response to different pressures. We review various definitions offered in the scientific literature and policy documents before suggesting a universal framework for habitat sensitivity as (i) a habitat trait that defines the ecological impacts from a given pressure, (ii) which is composed of three components (habitat resistance, resilience, and recoverability), and (iii) which is quantified by measuring the change and recovery in the state of key habitat attributes in response to pressures. In addition, we provide guidance toward a consistent approach to assessing habitat sensitivity, which includes the use of pressure benchmarks and standardized metrics of change in key habitat attributes to create a common scale for comparison among habitat attributes and pressures. Our framework and recommendations should help to standardize the way in which habitat sensitivity is defined and assessed, and could be integrated into decision-making processes to improve ecosystem management in different jurisdictions.

Abrocitinib, tralokinumab and upadacitinib for treating moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic relapsing inflammatory skin condition. One of the most common skin disorders in children, atopic dermatitis typically manifests before the age of 5 years, but it can develop at any age. Atopic dermatitis is characterised by dry, inflamed skin accompanied by intense itchiness (pruritus). To appraise the clinical and cost effectiveness of abrocitinib, tralokinumab and upadacitinib within their marketing authorisations as alternative therapies for treating moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis compared to systemic immunosuppressants (first-line ciclosporin A or second-line dupilumab and baricitinib). Studies were identified from an existing systematic review (search date 2019) and update searches of electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL) to November 2021, from bibliographies of retrieved studies, clinical trial registers and evidence provided by the sponsoring companies of the treatments under review. A systematic review of the clinical effectiveness literature was carried out and a network meta-analysis undertaken for adults and adolescents at different steps of the treatment pathway. The primary outcome of interest was a combined response of Eczema Area and Severity Index 50 + Dermatology Life Quality Index ≥ 4; where this was consistently unavailable for a step in the pathway, an analysis of Eczema Area and Severity Index 75 was conducted. A de novo economic model was developed to assess cost effectiveness from the perspective of the National Health Service in England. The model structure was informed through systematic review of the economic literature and by consulting clinical experts. Effectiveness data were obtained from the network meta-analysis. Costs and utilities were obtained from the evidence provided by sponsoring companies and standard UK sources. Network meta-analyses indicate that abrocitinib 200 mg and upadacitinib 30 mg may be more effective, and tralokinumab may be less effective than dupilumab and baricitinib as second-line systemic therapies. Abrocitinib 100 mg and upadacitinib 15 mg have a more similar effectiveness to dupilumab. Upadacitinib 30 and 15 mg are likely to be more effective than ciclosporin A as a first-line therapy. Upadacitinib 15 mg, abrocitinib 200 and 100 mg may be more effective than dupilumab in adolescents. The cost effectiveness of abrocitinib and upadacitinib for both doses is dependent on the subgroup of interest. Tralokinumab can be considered cost-effective as a second-line systemic therapy owing to greater cost savings per quality-adjusted life-year lost. The primary strength of the analysis of the three new drugs compared with current practice for each of the subpopulations is the consistent approach to the assessment of clinical and cost effectiveness. However, the conclusions are limited by the high uncertainty around the clinical effectiveness and lack of data for the primary outcome for comparisons with baricitinib and for the adolescent and adult first-line populations. The most significant limitation that Eczema Area and Severity Index 50 + Dermatology Life Quality Index ≥ 4 could not be obtained for the adolescent and adult first-line systemic treatment populations is due to a paucity of data for dupilumab and ciclosporin A. A comparison of the new drugs against one another in addition to current practice would be beneficial to provide a robust view on which treatments are the most cost-effective. This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42021266219. This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Evidence Synthesis programme (NIHR award ref: 135138) and is published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 28, No. 4. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information.

Taking the Fear Out of Peer Feedback: A Brain-Friendly Peer Feedback Program.

Effective peer feedback is critical for the self-regulation of nursing practice and safe, high-quality care, yet peer feedback conversations can be challenging and anxiety provoking. As current literature revealed no consistent approach, taskforce members designed and implemented an innovative and standardized peer feedback program using brain science to support nurses' skills in speaking up. The new program resulted in an increase in nurses' self-reported willingness to provide peer feedback, and improvements in safety culture and nurse-sensitive quality outcomes.

LINGUACULTURAL MODEL OF THE KAZAKH WORLDVIEW IN THE WESTERN CONTEXT

When the development of globalization processes become a huge field of communication, the question of the effectiveness of inter-ethnic interaction arises in the world. In this regard, it is very important to have a proper understanding of the worldview of a nation. This article is devoted to the close connection between the national worldview and language as well as the translation and interpretation of the concepts presenting the linguistic image of the world on the base of Abai’s works were studied and conceptualised in western surveys. This article examines the important values for science which are scientific and practical values. The problems of conceptualization of historical and cultural concepts and reception in other nation’s consciousness are determined through the analysis of the linguistic image of the world. The results of the research can be used in the course «Abai studies» and in linguistics, philosophy, cultural studies as well as in conducting research works. In the study of the linguistic image of the world as a cultural phenomenon, various paradigms, linguistic and cultural categories were considered based on the principle of consistency and interdisciplinary approach. The works of western researchers dealing with the problems of Abai studies, poems from Abai’s complete collection of works were selected as the object of research.

Administrative and legal regulation of surrogate maternity in Ukraine

The article is devoted to the study of key aspects related to the legal regulation of the institution of surrogacy, and this study covers both the domestic legislation of Ukraine and the laws of foreign countries.
 The article includes an analysis of the legal regulation of surrogate motherhood in various countries of the world, in particular, the United States of America, Israel, Australia and others. The special focus of the study includes the analysis of the legislation of these countries and their approaches to the regulation of surrogacy.
 In addition, the article examines the norms, requirements and criteria that exist in the current Ukrainian legislation regarding gestational surrogacy. Based on the analysis of this legislation, conclusions are put forward, which indicate the need for further improvement of the legal regulation of surrogate motherhood in Ukraine. In particular, the article expresses the idea of a possible creation of a separate law aimed at regulating procedural aspects and relationships in this field of medicine.
 This article is a valuable source of information and analysis for anyone interested in the current state of legal regulation of surrogacy, both in Ukraine and elsewhere
 In addition, the article points to the importance of the urgent need for further improvement of Ukrainian legislation on surrogacy. The proposed creation of a separate law aimed at regulating procedural aspects and relations in the field of surrogacy can contribute to a more qualitative and systematic approach to this issue in Ukraine.
 The general conclusion from this article is that the legal regulation of surrogate motherhood is an urgent and complex problem, and the further development of this field of medicine requires a well-founded, consistent and objective approach on the part of legislators and other participants in the process.

The Development of the Strengths and Risks Matching Tool for Adoption in the United Kingdom

Identifying the strengths and risks of prospective matches in adoption is crucial to adoption placement stability. With the aim to deliver a consistent and service-led approach to matching children in care with prospective adopters, a tool to identify strengths and risks related to adoption placement was developed. Using a mixed-methods approach, this tool was developed in line with the psychometric theory of test construction, from item generation using semi-structured interviews and survey methods, and exploratory factor analysis to determine the factor structure of the assessment-to-assessment of retest reliability and finalization. Comprising three main components (adopter capabilities and skills, adopter profiles and characteristics, and adoption plans, preparations, and transitions), this tool can be used by practitioners to identify strengths and risks in proposed matches at any point during the linking and matching process.

Non-mutagenic impurities – Recent industry experience of using dose durational limits in drug development

Absence of clear guidance on the qualification threshold for non-mutagenic impurities during clinical development is a source of inconsistency in both sponsor qualification approaches and health authority requests. A survey was conducted in March 2020 with 6 member companies of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). Thirteen examples were gathered of where non-International Council for Harmonisation (ICH) limits have been used in regulatory submissions for various indications and stages of development, together with the regulatory outcomes. As expected, few challenges were faced in early clinical development, with health authorities generally commenting that sponsors should work towards ICH Q3A and Q3B guideline specification limits as development progresses. However, inconsistent health authority requests were noted even for early phase clinical trials in late-stage oncology patients. For an optimised use of resources, consistent approaches would have the benefit of supporting faster access of safe medicines to patients while including Replacement, Reduction and Refinement (the 3Rs) considerations with respect to animal testing.

Systematic review: Self-efficacy and skill performance.

The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the relationship between self-efficacy and skill performance in undergraduate student nurses. Across higher education, self-efficacy is an important predictor of student success in skill-based learning. Nursing students are required to demonstrate skills prior to caring for hospitalized patients. Understanding the relationship between self-efficacy and nursing student skill performance may support patient safety. Following the 2020 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), a systematic search was conducted of four databases: CINAHL, Medline, Psychinfo, and Web of Science. Quantitative, peer-reviewed studies published in English were included with no limitation on year. Hands-on skill performance had to be performed in laboratory or simulation settings and evaluated by an expert. Identified studies were assessed for methodological rigor using Joanna Briggs Institute's Critical Appraisal Tools. A total of 2,450 items were identified by database search and screened, resulting in 20 eligible studies. Most of the studies included novice first- or second-year students. Self-efficacy was operationalized as either a general or skill-specific measure, while the type of skill and associated instrumentation varied widely. Sixteen (80%) of the included study reports showed weak to no correlation between self-efficacy and skill performance. The remaining 4 reports noted a moderate-to-strong relationship. Our findings conflict with existing research in other higher education disciplines where self-efficacy is a significant predictor of performance success. Explanations for this contradiction likely center around how self-efficacy was operationalized and rigor of the included studies. Larger studies controlling for confounding variables are needed to understand this relationship with a goal of developing more consistent approaches to teaching and learning skills within prelicensure curriculums.

ADOPTING A STRENGTH-BASED, PERSON-CENTERED RISK ASSESSMENT CLINICAL DECISION SUPPORT TOOL: WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

Abstract Most older adults want to age in place even if changes in their health results in home safety concerns. A consistent approach to assessing both the physical and psychological risks associated with the decision to remain at home is lacking. The Living with Risk: Decision Support Approach (LwR:DSA) is a recently validated innovative clinical tool that supports a balanced, systematic and person-centered assessment of risks, by analyzing their negative and positive consequences. The aim of this mixed-method study was to understand the barriers and facilitators to using the LwR:DSA during usual care to determine how best to support widespread adoption. Twenty-two hospital- and community-based clinicians used the LwR:DSA for eight weeks. Individual interviews were performed to document the factors that hindered and helped the use of the LwR:DSA in their clinical setting. The interviews were analyzed using Qualitative Description and the positive impact of using the LwR:DSA emerged as one of the facilitator themes. The participants described that using the LwR:DSA in practice improved their clinical decision making, communication and their ability to provide person-centered care. More specifically, the LwR:DSA 1) helped the clinicians understand the risk level and the context, causes, and consequences of the safety concern; 2) guided them to co-create with the older adult, agreeable recommendations to reduce the risk of adverse outcomes; 3) decreased clinician discomfort and 4) supported authentic conversations with the older adult. Understanding the benefits of using the LwR:DSA provides key information for clinicians by challenging the status quo of their current practice.

Validation of causal inference data using DirectLiNGAM in an environmental small-scale model and calculation settings

The development of data science has been needed in environmental fields such as marine, weather, and soil data. In general, the datasets are large in some cases, but they are often small because they contain observation data that the analyses themselves are limited. In such a case, the data are statistically evaluated by increasing or decreasing the levels of factors using differential analysis, resulting in the essential factors are estimated. However, there is no consistent approach to the means of assessing strong associations as a group between factors. Causal inference method has the possibility to output effective results for small data, and the results are expected to provide important information for understanding the potential highly association between factors, not necessarily the inference with big data. Here, we describe essential checkpoints and settings for the calculation by a direct method for learning a linear non-Gaussian structural equation model (DirectLiNGAM) and validation methods for the calculation results by using DirectLiNGAM with small-scale model data as an additional discussion of DirectLiNGAM portion of the related research article. Thus, this study provides the statistical validation methods for the association networks, treatments, and interventions for structural inference as a group of essential factors.•Causal inference with DirectLiNGAM•Validation of correlation coefficient and feature importance•Validation using causal effect object and propensity scores