Counterparts In Control Group Research Articles

Metabolic alterations of peripheral blood immune cells and heterogeneity of neutrophil in intracranial aneurysms patients.

Intracranial aneurysms (IAs) represent a severe cerebrovascular disease that can potentially lead to subarachnoid haemorrhage. Previous studies have demonstrated the involvement of peripheral immune cells in the formation and progression of IAs. Nevertheless, the impact of metabolic alterations in peripheral immune cells and changes in neutrophil heterogeneity on the occurrence and progression of IAs remains uncertain. Single-cell Cytometry by Time-of-Flight (CyTOF) technology was employed to profile the single-cell atlas of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) in 72 patients with IAs. In a matched cohort, metabolic shifts in PBMC subsets of IA patients were investigated by contrasting the expression levels of key metabolic enzymes with their respective counterparts in the healthy control group. Simultaneously, compositional differences in peripheral blood PMNs subsets between the two groups were analysed to explore the impact of altered heterogeneity in neutrophils on the initiation and progression of IAs. Furthermore, integrating immune features based on CyTOF analysis and clinical characteristics, we constructed an aneurysm occurrence model and an aneurysm growth model using the random forest method in conjunction with LASSO regression. Different subsets exhibited distinct metabolic characteristics. Overall, PBMCs from patients elevated CD98 expression and increased proliferation. Conversely, CD36 was up-regulated in T cells, B cells and monocytes from the controls but down-regulated in NK and NKT cells. The comparison also revealed differences in the metabolism and function of specific subsets between the two groups. In terms of PMNs, the neutrophil landscape within patients group revealed a pronounced shift towards heightened complexity. Various neutrophil subsets from the IA group generally exhibited lower expression levels of anti-inflammatory functional molecules (IL-4 and IL-10). By integrating clinical and immune features, the constructed aneurysm occurrence model could precisely identify patients with IAs with high prediction accuracy (AUC=0.987). Furthermore, the aneurysm growth model also exhibited superiority over ELAPSS scores in predicting aneurysm growth (lower prediction errors and out-of-bag errors). These findings enhanced our understanding of peripheral immune cell participation in aneurysm formation and growth from the perspectives of immune metabolism and neutrophil heterogeneity. Moreover, the predictive model based on CyTOF features holds the potential to aid in diagnosing and monitoring the progression of human IAs.

Cortical Auditory Evoked Potential Indices of Impaired Sensory Gating in People With Chronic Tinnitus.

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate whether there is cortical auditory evoked potential (CAEP) evidence of impaired sensory gating in individuals with tinnitus. On the basis of the proposed mechanism of tinnitus generation, including a thalamocortical inhibitory deficit, it was hypothesized that individuals with tinnitus would lack the normal inhibitory effect on the second CAEP response in a paired-click sensory gating paradigm, resulting in larger sensory gating ratios in individuals with tinnitus relative to age-, sex-, and hearing-matched controls. Further, this study assessed the relative predictive influence of tinnitus presence versus other related individual characteristics (hearing loss, age, noise exposure history, and speech perception in noise) on sensory gating. A paired-click CAEP paradigm was used to measure sensory gating outcomes in an independent group's experimental design. Adults who perceived chronic unilateral or bilateral tinnitus were matched with control group counterparts without tinnitus by age, hearing, and sex (n = 18; 10 females, eight males in each group). Amplitude, area, and latency sensory gating ratios were determined for measured P1, N1, and P2 responses evoked by the first and second click in the paradigm and compared between groups by independent t tests. The relative influence of tinnitus (presence/absence), age (in years), noise exposure history (subjective self-report), hearing loss (pure-tone audiometric thresholds), and speech perception in noise (signal to noise ratio-50) on sensory gating was determined based on the proportional reduction in error associated with each variable using multiple regression. A significantly larger was identified in the tinnitus group relative to the control group, consistent with the hypothesis of poorer sensory gating and poorer thalamocortical inhibition in individuals with chronic tinnitus. On the basis of the proportional reduction in error, the influence of tinnitus presence better predicted compared with other related individual characteristics (age, noise exposure history, hearing loss, and speech perception in noise). Results consistent with poorer sensory gating, including a larger , were found for the tinnitus group compared with the controls. This finding supported a thalamocortical inhibitory deficit in the tinnitus group and suggests that individuals with tinnitus may have poorer sensory gating. However, the tinnitus group did differ from controls in meaningful ways including having worse pure-tone thresholds in the extended high-frequency region, lower high-frequency distortion product otoacoustic emissions, and poorer speech perception in noise. Although tinnitus best predicted sensory gating outcomes, the specific effects of tinnitus presence versus absence and other individual characteristics on sensory gating cannot be completely separated.

Early Home Visits and Health Outcomes in Low-Income Mothers and Offspring

Individuals with low income may have heightened rates of obesity and hypertension. To determine whether prenatal and infancy home visitation by nurses reduces maternal and offspring obesity and hypertension. This randomized clinical trial of prenatal and infancy nurse home visitation in a public health care system in Memphis, Tennessee, enrolled 742 women with no previous live births and at least 2 sociodemographic risk factors (unmarried, <12 years of education, unemployed) from June 1, 1990, through August 31, 1991. At registration during pregnancy, 727 mothers (98%) were unmarried, and 631 (85%) lived below the federal poverty level. At offspring ages 12 and 18 years, maternal and offspring obesity and hypertension were assessed by staff masked to treatment. The data analysis was performed from July 1, 2021, to October 31, 2023. Women assigned to the control group received free transportation for prenatal care and child developmental screening and referral at child ages 6, 12, and 24 months. Women assigned to nurse visitation received transportation and screening plus prenatal and infant and toddler nurse home visits. Obesity and hypertension among mothers and their offspring at child ages 12 and 18 years, although not hypothesized in the original trial design, were analyzed using post-double selection lasso method. Of the 742 participants randomized (mean [SD] age, 18.1 [3.2] years), interviews were completed with 594 mothers and 578 offspring at child age 12 years and 618 mothers and 629 offspring at child age 18 years. Obesity was assessed for 576 offspring at age 12 years and 605 at age 18 years and for 563 and 598 mothers at child ages 12 and 18 years, respectively. Blood pressure was assessed for 568 offspring aged 12 years and 596 aged 18 years and 507 and 592 mothers at child ages 12 and 18 years, respectively. There were no overall treatment-control differences in offspring obesity or hypertension at ages 12 and 18 years combined, although nurse-visited female offspring, compared with controls, had a lower prevalence of obesity (adjusted relative risk [ARR], 0.449; 95% CI, 0.234-0.858; P = .003) and severe obesity (ARR, 0.185; 95% CI, 0.046-0.748; P < .001). There were reductions at ages 12 and 18 years combined for stage 1 and stage 2 hypertension for nurse-visited vs control group mothers, with differences limited to mothers of females (stage 1: ARR, 0.613 [95% CI, 0.440-0.855; P = .001]; stage 2: ARR, 0.217 [95% CI, 0.081-0.582; P < .001]). For both obesity and hypertension outcomes, there was no intervention effect among male offspring or the mothers of males. Self-reported maternal health aligned with program effects on hypertension. In this clinical trial follow-up at offspring ages 12 and 18, nurse-visited female offspring had lower rates of obesity and mothers of females had lower rates of hypertension than control-group counterparts. These findings suggest that risks for chronic disease among mothers of females and their female offspring who live in extreme poverty may be prevented with prenatal and infant and toddler home visitations by nurses. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00708695.

Should teachers stick to the script? Examining the effects of scripted lessons on student literacy in Madagascar

This paper evaluates the impacts of a Grade 1 literacy intervention, Mahay Mamaky Teny (MMT) translated to “I know how to read”, implemented in Madagascar on student literacy outcomes. The intervention included teacher training and coaching on effective literacy-focused instructional routines and strategies, scripted lesson plans for teachers, and student learning materials. We employ a cluster-randomized controlled trial, at the school level, to identify the overall causal effects of the intervention on student literacy outcomes using the Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) administered in the Malagasy language. We contribute to the evidence base by disentangling the effect of teacher adherence to scripted lessons from the overall effect of the intervention. We achieve this by linking classroom observation data to student reading assessment scores. Our results show that students in the intervention group outperform their control group counterparts on all EGRA subtasks including letter sound identification, syllable reading, oral reading fluency, and reading comprehension. Additionally, within the intervention group, we find that EGRA performance is significantly higher when teachers followed the scripted lessons than when teachers did not.

Abstract C100: An effective intervention toolkit to promote medication adherence among Asian Americans living with chronic hepatitis B

Abstract Introduction: Asian Americans is a Hepatitis B (HBV) disparity population who only account for 7% of the US population but experience nearly 60% burden of chronic HBV, which is associated with 75% of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Adherence to HBV medication guideline is a practical approach to preventing liver cancer. However, limited studies have been conducted on promoting HBV medication adherence among underserved Asian American HBV patients. Methods: This study utilized 18-month follow-up data from a randomized controlled clinical trial aimed at improving long-term adherence to HBV medication adherence. Eligible Asian American HBV patients were recruited in the Greater Philadelphia and New York City areas from community-based organizations and clinics that serving the targeted population. Guided by Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach, we developed and implemented Virtual Patient Navigation Toolkit and Text Messaging (VPN Toolkit+TM) to promote HBV pill-taking among the targeted population. HBV medication adherence was assessed using the Morisky 8-Item Medication Adherence Scale with a score ranges from 0 to 8, depression was measured with Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and knowledge of HBV was evaluated with a 10-item scale. A p-value that is smaller than 0.5 is considered statistically significant.  Results: Among 149 participants (108 Chinese and 41 Vietnamese) who were prescribed HBV medication, 44.97% were female. Bivariate analysis showed that medication adherence was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control (7.25 vs. 5.57, p&amp;lt;0.001 ) group at the 18-month follow-up. Results from the multivariable analysis revealed that compared with their control group counterparts, intervention group participants had significantly higher Morisky medication score (Coef.= 0.66, p=0.044), controlling for demographics, depression level, and HBV knowledge score. The results indicated that there was a significant intervention effect in medication adherence at 18-month follow-up. In addition, we found that a lower depression score (Coef.=-0.11, p&amp;lt;0.001) and a higher level of HBV related knowledge (Coef.=0.40, p&amp;lt;0.001) were significant predictors of better HBV medication adherence at 18-month follow-up assessment, with other variables held constant.  Conclusion: The findings imply the necessity of promoting VPN Toolkit+ TM intervention among medically underserved HBV pill-taking patients. Moreover, targeted interventions addressing psychosocial barriers and promoting HBV-related knowledge would effectively promote HBV medication adherence among Asian Americans with chronic HBV infection.   Citation Format: Wenyue Lu, Lin Zhu, Thoin Begum, Yin Tan, Minhhuyen T. Nguyen, Xiaoli Ma, Sarah Lai, Tam Tran, Phuong Do, Elizabeth Handorf, Ming-Chin Yeh, Grace X. Ma. An effective intervention toolkit to promote medication adherence among Asian Americans living with chronic hepatitis B [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C100.

A smartphone app effectively facilitates mothers' mind-mindedness: A randomized controlled trial.

The efficacy of a smartphone app intervention (BabyMind©) in facilitating mind-mindedness was investigated in a randomized controlled trial, assigning mothers and their 6-month-olds (N = 152; 72 girls, 146 White) to intervention or active control conditions. Mothers who had received the BabyMind© app intervention scored higher for appropriate (d = .61, 95% CI .28, .94) and lower for non-attuned (d = -.55, 95% CI -.92, -.18) mind-related comments at follow-up (age 12 months), compared with their control group counterparts. Adjusting for missing data did not alter this pattern of findings. Mothers' baseline parental reflective functioning did not moderate these relations. Results are discussed in terms of the benefits of early intervention and exploring the efficacy of the app in more diverse populations.

Impact of educational intervention on nurses’ knowledge of pressure ulcer risk assessment and prevention: A pilot study

Background: Professional nurses are saddled with a unique role in patient's skincare among hospitalized patients. Inadequate nurses’ knowledge of pressure ulcer risk assessment (PURA) and prevention as a major contributory factor to development of pressure ulcer among “at risk” patients has been identified by previous studies. Aim: To evaluate the impact of an educational intervention on nurses’ knowledge of pressure ulcer risk assessment and prevention at a tertiary hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. Methods: A pilot study with sample size of 26 nurses selected through simple random sampling technique from selected nursing units of the facility. Data collection was done through a structured questionnaire. Hypotheses were tested with inferential statistics using t-test. Results were presented in descriptive statistics and charts. Level of significance was p-value &lt;0.05. Results: Almost all participants’ knowledge mean score of PURA increased from 4.92 ±1.26 at pre-test to 14.00 ± 0.71 at post-test (p&lt;0.001). Also, knowledge mean score of pressure ulcer prevention improved among intervention group (14.00 ± 0.707) post educational intervention as compared to their counterparts in control group (11.85±1.41). Educational intervention was statistically significant with participants’ knowledge of PURA and prevention (p&lt;0.001). Conclusion: The results of this study confirmed that educational intervention was impactful positively on nurses’ knowledge regarding PURA and prevention strategies at UCH, Ibadan, Nigeria. Thus, a structured educational program on the subject matter is needed to promote quality nursing care delivery according to international best practices among Nigerian nurses.

Use of hyaluronidase enzyme for hastening the cervical dilatation in successfully detorted uterine torsion affected buffaloes

The successfully detorted uterine torsion buffaloes were either subjected to routine post-detorsion treatment (n=10) or in addition to routine treatment, intracervical hyaluronidase enzyme was administered (10,000 IU; 2.5 ml at each of 3, 6, 9, 12 o’clock position of cervix) immediately post-detorsion (n=10), followed by repeated administration at 6h interval (0, 6, 12, 18 h) till complete cervical dilatation or till 24 h post-detorsion. The time elapsed between successful uterine detorsion to complete cervical dilatation was reduced (P&lt;0.05) in buffaloes subjected to enzyme treatment in comparison to their control counterparts (754.6±114.0 vs. 213.5±33.1 minutes). In buffaloes delivering dead fetus, following intracervical treatment, the interval between detorsion to complete cervical dilatation was reduced (P&lt;0.05) to 240.8±44.0 minutes in comparison to their control counterparts (838.1±126.2 minutes). Moreover, following hyaluronidase treatment, the time interval from detorsion of a buffalo to complete cervical dilatation with respect to degree of uterine torsion was much lower (P&lt;0.05) in treated compared to their control group counterparts having either &lt;180o or ≥180o uterine torsion. The fertility parameters (number of days to first estrus and duration of service period) were improved (P&gt;0.05) in hyaluronidase-treated buffaloes of both the groups (&lt;18 h or ≥18 h duration of torsion) as compared to their control counterparts. Conclusion: Intracervical hyaluronidase treatment hastens the cervical dilatation in successfully detorted uterine torsion affected buffaloes with a subsequent potentially beneficial impact on fertility.

The effectiveness of facilitator-led remote interactive intervention for loneliness, quality of life, and social support among seniors in communities during the COVID-19 pandemic: a randomized controlled experiment

Objective This study investigated the impact of a 12-week remote interaction intervention on loneliness, quality of life, and social support for seniors living in a community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods This study adopted a randomized controlled trial design. Participants in the intervention group received a 12-week bidirectional remote interaction intervention, while participants in the control group received a 12-week unidirectional remote interaction intervention. The study’s primary assessment tools were the UCLA Loneliness Scale (UCLA) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF Scale (WHOQOL-BREF). Results The main findings indicate that the intervention group scored significantly higher than the control group on the WHOQOL-BREF in the physical health and social relationships domains after the intervention. In addition, intervention group participants with low loneliness scored significantly higher than their control group counterparts in the physical health and social relationships domains of the WHOQOL-BREF. Similarly, intervention group participants with high loneliness scored significantly higher than their control group counterparts in the social relationships domain of the WHOQOL-BREF. However, there was no significant difference in loneliness scores between the intervention and control groups. Conclusions This result confirms that providing intensive bidirectional interaction benefits seniors’ quality of life during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The role of epistemic curiosity in developing EFL learners’ grammar and pronunciation skills

The study examines the impact of epistemic curiosity on students' grammar and pronunciation skills in an EFL context in Iraq. Conducted over 12 weeks in 2021-2022 Academic Year, the research involved fifty students from TISHK International University, chosen using cluster sampling. The students were divided into control and experimental groups, with the latter encouraged to explore their interests online as part of their learning process. Data collection utilized a mixed-methods approach, including two exams, a questionnaire, and an interview. SPSS 26 and NVivo were used for quantitative and qualitative data analysis, respectively. The results, determined through independent samples t-test, indicated a significant improvement in grammar and pronunciation marks for students in the experimental group. Additionally, they exhibited more positive attitudes towards inquiry-based learning compared to their control group counterparts. These findings contribute to the understanding of the role of epistemic curiosity in enhancing language learning outcomes and offer valuable insights for implementing inquiry-based strategies in EFL classrooms. The study uncovers a crucial gap in the literature, shedding light on the benefits of fostering curiosity-driven learning approaches in English language education in Iraq.

Audit committee oversight and bank financial reporting quality

AbstractThis study investigates the impact of audit committee oversight on the financial reporting quality of US bank holding companies. To overcome identification concerns, we use Section 165 h of the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which requires publicly traded bank holding companies with assets exceeding $10 billion to have separate audit and risk committees. We utilise a difference‐in‐differences framework where our treatment group comprises bank holding companies that were required to separate audit and risk oversight functions following the introduction of Section 165 h and our control group comprises counterparts that already had separate audit and risk committees prior to the passage of Section 165 h. We estimate the difference in the behavior of treated bank holding companies between the pre‐ and post‐implementation period of Section 165 h with the same difference in the behavior of control group counterparts and find that the separation of audit and risk committees leads to an improvement in financial reporting quality. We attribute the observed improvements in financial reporting quality to the increased focus of audit committees arising from a reduction in the volume and complexity of tasks undertaken following the implementation of Section 165 h.

Effect of melatonin implantation prior to ovsynch plus cidr protocol on subsequent ovarian activity and pregnancy rate in summer anestrous Murrah buffaloes

For assessing the impact of melatonin pre-treatment in summer anestrous Murrah buffaloes on subsequent reproductive activity of a fixed time artificial insemination (FTAI) protocol, 83 anestrous Murrah buffaloes were subcutaneously inserted 2x4 mm size absorbable melatonin (MT) implants (18 mg/50 kg b wt) at the base of left ear and 38 Murrah buffaloes were used as non-implanted controls. On day 35 post-MT, the treatment and control group Murrah buffaloes were subjected to FTAI protocol (Ovsynch plus CIDR). Ovarian ultrasonography and jugular vein blood sampling was carried out on day 7 and 10 of protocol and on day 7-post AI. Overall pregnancy rate on day 90 post-AI in MT group was higher compared to control group (55.4 vs 31.6%, P&lt;0.05), along with the higher (P&gt;0.05) plasma progesterone on day 7 of FTAI protocol in Murrah buffaloes of the former group which conceived subsequently compared to their non-pregnant counterparts. Moreover, MT group had higher (P&gt;0.05) increase in dominant follicle diameter between day 7 and 10 of protocol compared to control group. On day 7 post-AI, the luteal profile in pregnant murrah buffaloes of MT group was better (P&lt;0.05) compared to their counterparts in control group (CL: 14.80±0.70 vs 10.82±0.46 mm, P4: 1.54±0.07 vs 1.04±0.08 ng/ml). In conclusion, melatonin pre-treatment in summer anestrous Murrah buffaloes could be associated with better luteal activity and higher pregnancy rate in the Ovsynch+CIDR protocol.

Enhancing students’ achievement in biology using inquiry-based learning in Rwanda

&lt;span lang="EN-US"&gt;Students in secondary schools in Rwanda manifest difficulties in learning science subjects including biology. Studies revealed that inadequate teaching methods dominated by teacher-centered traditional or conventional educational strategies are some of the factors that cause difficulties in learning, which in turn leads to poor achievements in biology. This study investigated the effect of inquiry-based learning (IBL) using 5Es instructional model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate) on secondary school students’ achievement in biology. There were 231 secondary school students from six schools in Rwanda constituted the sample. A quasi-experimental quantitative approach consisting of pre- and post-tests was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Results indicated that the mean of post test score of experimental group was higher than the mean of counterparts in control group. Further, t-test and ANCOVA were used for inferential statistics. Findings showed once again significant differences between experimental groups taught with IBL and control group taught with conventional teaching methods. There was no significant effect on gender while a significant difference based on school location was identified. The study recommends educational stakeholders to use the IBL designed by 5Es instructional model at school level to solve problems related to poor performance in biology.&lt;/span&gt;

The Impact of Portfolio Assessment on the Moroccan Police Cadets’ EFL Writing Skills

The purpose of this study is to examine whether or not the integration of portfolio as part of the assessment practices in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) context can significantly impact the improvement of the Moroccan police cadets’ EFL writing skills. The study participants were 50 Moroccan Police Cadets who have been studying English for Policing at the Moroccan Defense Language Institute for one year. They were randomly selected and divided into experimental and control groups. Each group consists of 25 students. A pre-test was administered to both groups to check their writing proficiency level. The experimental group students were treated, throughout the semester, using portfolio-based assessment techniques like (self-and peer-assessment, teacher’s feedback, student-teacher conferences…etc.) to evaluate their writing skill, whereas the control group ones were tested using the traditional summative writing achievement tests. Eventually, a paired sample t-test was conducted to determine the significant differences between the two groups after the treatment. The findings showed that the experimental group students, who were exposed to portfolio-based writing assessment, outperformed their control group counterparts. Finally, the researchers concluded that the use of portfolio assessment in an ESP classroom positively affects the Moroccan Police Cadets’ writing skills.

Response to Intravenous N-Acetylcysteine Supplementation in Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19

Administering N-acetylcysteine (NAC) could counteract the effect of free radicals, improving the clinical evolution of patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). This study aimed to investigate the clinical and biochemical effects of administering NAC to critically ill patients with COVID-19. A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on ICU patients (n = 140) with COVID-19 and divided into two groups: patients treated with NAC (NAC-treated group) and patients without NAC treatment (control group). NAC was administered as a continuous infusion with a loading dose and a maintenance dose during the study period (from admission until the third day of ICU stay). NAC-treated patients showed higher PaO2/FiO2 (p ≤ 0.014) after 3 days in ICU than their control group counterparts. Moreover, C-reactive protein (p ≤ 0.001), D-dimer (p ≤ 0.042), and lactate dehydrogenase (p ≤ 0.001) levels decreased on the third day in NAC-treated patients. Glutathione concentrations decreased in both NAC-treated (p ≤ 0.004) and control (p ≤ 0.047) groups after 3 days in ICU; whereas glutathione peroxidase did not change during the ICU stay. The administration of NAC manages to improve the clinical and analytical response of seriously ill patients with COVID-19 compared to the control group. NAC is able to stop the decrease in glutathione concentrations.

The Effect of Tinnitus and Related Characteristics on Subcortical Auditory Processing.

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate whether individuals with tinnitus exhibited evidence of reduced inhibition and increased excitation at the subcortical auditory processing level. Based on the proposed mechanism of tinnitus generation, including peripheral auditory insult that triggers reduced inhibition and subcortical hyperactivity, it was hypothesized that a tinnitus group would yield reduced amplitudes for the most peripheral auditory brainstem response (ABR) component (wave I) and larger amplitudes for the most central ABR component (wave V) relative to controls matched on factors of age, sex, and hearing loss. Further, this study assessed the relative influence of tinnitus presence versus other related individual characteristics, including hearing loss, age, noise exposure history, and speech perception in noise on these ABR outcomes. Subcortical processing was examined using click-evoked ABR in an independent groups experimental design. A group of adults who perceived daily unilateral or bilateral tinnitus were matched with a control group counterpart without tinnitus by age, hearing, and sex (in each group n = 18; 10 females, 8 males). Amplitudes for ABR waves I, III, V, and the V/I ratio were compared between groups by independent t-tests. The relative influence of tinnitus (presence/absence), age (in years), noise exposure history (subjective self-report), hearing loss (audiometric thresholds), and speech perception in noise (SNR-50) was determined based on the proportional reduction in error associated with accounting for each variable of interest using multiple regression. Between-group trends were consistent with smaller amplitudes for all ABR components in individuals with tinnitus. Contrary to our hypotheses, however, none of the tinnitus compared with control group differences in ABR outcomes were statistically significant. In the multiple regression models, none of the factors including tinnitus presence, age, noise exposure history, hearing loss, and speech perception in noise significantly predicted ABR V/I ratio outcomes. The presence of reduced inhibition and subcortical hyperactivity in the tinnitus group was not supported in the current study. There were trends in ABR outcomes consistent with reduced peripheral to central brainstem auditory activity in the tinnitus group, but none of the group differences reached significance. It should also be noted that the tinnitus group had poorer extended high-frequency thresholds compared with controls. Regardless, neither tinnitus presence nor any of the proposed related characteristics were found to significantly influence the ABR V/I ratio. These findings suggest that either reduced subcortical inhibition was not a primary underlying mechanism for the tinnitus perceived by these subjects, or that ABR was not a reliable indicator of reduced subcortical inhibition possibly due to characteristics of the sample including a skewed distributions toward young and normal hearing individuals with little tinnitus distress.

PD30-05 AI-BASED VIDEO FEEDBACK TO IMPROVE NOVICE PERFORMANCE ON A ROBOTIC SUTURING TASK

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023PD30-05 AI-BASED VIDEO FEEDBACK TO IMPROVE NOVICE PERFORMANCE ON A ROBOTIC SUTURING TASK Jasper A. Laca, Dani Kiyasseh, Rafal Kocielnik, Taseen F. Haque, Runzhuo Ma, Anima Anandkumar, and Andrew J. Hung Jasper A. LacaJasper A. Laca More articles by this author , Dani KiyassehDani Kiyasseh More articles by this author , Rafal KocielnikRafal Kocielnik More articles by this author , Taseen F. HaqueTaseen F. Haque More articles by this author , Runzhuo MaRunzhuo Ma More articles by this author , Anima AnandkumarAnima Anandkumar More articles by this author , and Andrew J. HungAndrew J. Hung More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003316.05AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Automated skills assessment can provide surgical trainees with objective, personalized feedback during training. Here, we measure the efficacy of artificial-intelligence (AI)-based feedback on a robotic suturing task. METHODS: 42 participants (no surgical experience) were randomized to control group (CG) or feedback group (FG) and video-recorded while completing 2 rounds (R1 and R2) of suturing tasks on a daVinci surgical robot. Participants were assessed on needle handling (NH) and needle driving (ND), and feedback was provided via a visual interface after R1 (Fig). For CG: participants were presented with randomly-selected video clips from R1. For FG: participants were informed of their AI-based skill assessment and presented with specific video clips from R1. Following the feedback, participants completed R2 where they repeated the suturing task. The ground-truth annotation of skill assessments of all suturing tasks was performed retrospectively by 3 blinded raters using a previously-validated tool (End-To-End Assessment of Suturing Expertise (EASE)). These ground-truth annotations were compared to AI-based assessments. Participants from each group were further labeled as under-performers (UP) or innate performers (IP), based on a median split of EASE scores from R1. Generalized estimating equation was used to compare performance between groups. RESULTS: Human raters achieved intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.84 for manual assessments (p<0.001). AI scoring achieved an AUC of 0.67 and 0.80 for NH and ND, respectively, using human scores as ground truth. By AI scores: R1 performance was statistically similar between CG (n=20) and FG (n=22) (p>0.05). Observing the median difference across rounds (R1 vs. R2), FG had a significantly larger improvement in NH skill (0.21 vs 0, p=0.032) and a larger improvement in ND skill (0.13 vs.-0.06, p=0.3) when compared to CG. All IP exhibited similar improvements across rounds, regardless of feedback (p>0.05). In contrast, UP in the FG improved more than CG counterparts in NH (p=0.015), suggesting that feedback was particularly valuable for UP. CONCLUSIONS: AI-based feedback facilitates the acquisition of robotic technical skills by surgical trainees, especially UPs. Future research will extend AI-based feedback to additional suturing skills, surgical tasks, and experience groups. Source of Funding: Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R01CA251579. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e832 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Jasper A. Laca More articles by this author Dani Kiyasseh More articles by this author Rafal Kocielnik More articles by this author Taseen F. Haque More articles by this author Runzhuo Ma More articles by this author Anima Anandkumar More articles by this author Andrew J. Hung More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Advanced Placement and Initial College Enrollment: Evidence from an Experiment

Abstract To evaluate how Advanced Placement (AP) courses affect college-going, we randomly assigned the offer of enrollment into an AP science course to over 1,800 students in twenty-three schools that had not previously offered the course. We find no AP course effects on students’ college entrance exam scores (SAT/ACT). As expected, AP course-takers are substantially more likely to take the AP exam than their control group counterparts. At the same time, treatment group students opt out of the exam at very high rates and most do not earn a passing score on the AP exam. Though less precisely estimated, the results also suggest that taking the AP course increases students’ aspirations to attend higher-quality colleges but does not lead to enrollment in such institutions.

THE POTENTIAL OF SEMANTIC MAPPING STRATEGY TO ENHANCE VOCABULARY LEARNING

Semantic mapping is perceived as an effective strategy for vocabulary mastery, since it presents a mechanism that helps learners connect their prior knowledge to the current knowledge in a hierarchical form to study the relationship between words. This study sought to examine the potential significant impact of teaching semantic mapping on students’ vocabulary learning. The study used quasi-experimental design in which (60) students were randomly assigned into two groups: control group (N = 30) and experimental group (N = 30). Both groups received a pre- and post-vocabulary test to compare the students’ mean scores before and after the training. The results of this study reveal that teaching semantic mapping has a significant effect on vocabulary mastery. The scores of students in the experimental groups vary significantly compared to their control group counterparts. This study recommends the integration of teaching semantic mapping in an EFL classroom, as it helps revive students’ long-term memory and use the learned words when needed. Keywords: Semantic Mapping, Vocabulary Learning, Saudi EFL Students DOI： https://doi.org/10.35741/issn.0258-2724.58.1.77

The Effectiveness of Hybrid and Pure Problem-Based Learning in the Productive Skills and Critical Thinking of Iranian Undergraduate Students through MALL Application

Hybrid problem-based learning (HPBL) as a learner-oriented method involves learning through collaboration while finding solutions to real-world problems. It has been employed in the education of English as a foreign language (EFL) students recently. Implementation of it in an EFL classroom, though might be a challenging task, has been approved a useful method for improving learning of the students. The current study, using a quasi-experimental design, IELTS pretests-posttests, and Honey’s critical thinking questionnaire, attempted to find out the effectiveness of HPBL method in the productive skills and critical thinking of the students by implementing it in an EFL classroom using eight teacher’s made problems through Mobile Assisted Language Learn (MALL) application. The subjects were 60 Iranian undergraduates grouped as one control group (CG) being instructed based on the traditional lecture-based method and two experimental groups being instructed based on HPBL and Pure Problem-Based Learning (PPBL) methods conveniently. Findings of one-way MANOVA, one-sample, and paired-samples t-test revealed that HPBL students had significantly higher mean scores than the PPBL students who were in turn superior to their CG counterparts in terms of productive skills and critical thinking. This study has the potential to advance new ideas and perceptions which can be implemented by EFL learners in improving the productive skills and critical thinking of the learners. Therefore, the findings might bear implications for students, teachers, university curriculum designers, and decision-makers to design more effective curriculums for the teaching of productive skills to the students.