Different Groups Of Participants Research Articles

Proposing a new LSGDM framework based on BWM with hesitant fuzzy information for prioritizing blockchain adoption barriers in supply chain

Due to the vast advantages of Blockchain technology, especially transparency of information and the ability to track transactions, this technology has been considered in several areas, including supply chain management (SCM). However, due to the emergence of this technology, numerous barriers and limitations have hindered its use. Due to the special conditions of developing countries (such as Iran), there is still a need for independent research to localize these barriers in these countries. On the other hand, most of the research has focused more on identifying barriers and less on prioritizing them. Examining the specific features of the Blockchain technology field shows that there is a need to provide a decision-making framework based on large-scale group decision-making methods (LSGDM), which, in addition to simultaneously paying attention to the advantages of previous approaches (including the participation of different groups of stakeholders; the consensus reaching process (CRP) as well as the uncertainty and doubt of the stakeholders in the evaluations), can increase the applicability of the method by reducing the number of pairwise comparisons. Therefore, while identifying and localizing the list of barriers in Iran, the LSGDM method along with the proposed consensus framework can be used to aggregate the opinions between the experts in a network and create a relative consensus between them. The use of hesitant fuzzy (HF) sets has made it possible to model the uncertainty and hesitancy in the opinions of experts. Also, using the Best-Worst method (BWM) instead of the pairwise comparison approach between all criteria, has reduced the number of pairwise comparisons and provided other advantages such as reduced inconsistency and higher reliability. The results of applying this framework in Iran showed that lack of awareness and customer orientation, scalability and lack of management participation and support are the main barriers to the implementation of the blockchain for SCM in this developing country. The results can help decision makers and policy makers in this area to plan more accurately.

The effect of employment services on employment and health among unemployed persons: an IV approach

Abstract Background In a large city in the Netherlands, professionals of one department of the municipality focus on rapid return to work, even if that work is not directly in line with education, experience or preference of the client. The first aim was to investigate the effects of this work-first strategy of the municipality on entering paid employment and on health among unemployed persons. The second aim was to determine whether these effects differed between persons, depending on age, sex, education, health, and employment history. Methods To identify the effectiveness of employment services of the municipality, a judge leniency instrumental variable (IV) design was used, based on referral behaviour of case workers. In total, 3272 persons who applied for welfare in a large city in the Netherlands in the year 2015, were included in the study. Information on employment services was derived from the municipality. Information on individual characteristics and employment status was derived from register data from Statistics Netherlands. Information on diseases was derived from a medication register. IV regression models and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression models were performed. Results The work-first strategy increased the likelihood of entering paid employment by 27% points (b = 0.26, se = 0.07) and had a positive influence on health by 4% points (b = 0.06, se 0.03) of welfare recipients compared to other employment services. Although standard errors were larger for subgroups, the positive effect of the work-first strategy on employment was driven by relatively young (18-30 yrs) and old (45-65 yrs) welfare recipients, with low and intermediate education level. Conclusions The instrumental variable approach is a valuable approach to investigate the effect of employment services on entering paid employment and health. To improve health of unemployed persons, it is important to promote entering paid employment. Key messages • Active labour market policies, such as the work-first approach, are beneficial for individuals, by increasing employment participation and health, and society, by increasing the employment rate. • The IV approach is a promising approach to study causal relations in a quasi-experimental study. By using large datasets, differential effects across different groups of participants can be studied.

Knowledge and Awareness of Oral Mucosal Diseases Among Saudi Dentists

Background: Oral mucocutaneous lesions have a significant impact on patient care. Late diagnosis of oral lesions may affect patients' quality of life and prognosis. Dentists are usually the first to encounter such lesions, and many studies have explored the knowledge and management related to oral cancer. However, not many studies have examined a more comprehensive understanding and management of oral lesions, including infectious and autoimmune/immune-mediated diseases. Aims: This study aimed at evaluating dentists’ knowledge and referral patterns regarding oral mucocutaneous diseases. Methods: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate dentists’ knowledge about oral mucocutaneous diseases and referral patterns among Saudi dentists. A total of 301 participants were included in the study. It was voluntary and written informed consent was obtained from the participants. A Chi-square test was used to compare the categorical variables. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 301 participants responded. Significant differences were observed between genders when asked about being comfortable with treating oral mucosal lesions in their practice (p-value: .019), and males were more convenient than females. A significant difference (p-value: .011) was observed between different educational levels when the participants were asked about the management of patients with oral mucosal lesions. Overall, the majority of participants rarely or never managed oral lesions. When comparing the different groups of participants, postgraduate residents responded more accurately (p-value: 007). Approximately 60% of all participants did not or rarely managed oral lesions in their practice. Conclusion: It was found that there was a lack of knowledge among dentists regarding the detection and treatment of oral mucosal lesions. This lack of knowledge can lead to unfavorable patient care and prognosis outcomes.

Public participation GIS can help assess multiple dimensions of environmental justice in urban green and blue space planning

In the last two decades, there has been an exponential increase in application of public participation GIS (PPGIS) methods to urban green and blue space (UGBS) planning. However, integrating different elements of environmental justice in PPGIS research is still in its infancy, especially in regards to the deep and less visible issues related to recognition and participation of different groups in local green space planning and management. Here we present a new method for assessing perceived recognition and procedural justice with respect to UGBS in the Amager island of Copenhagen, Denmark. We collected survey data together with 2187 place-based values and preferences from 298 local residents. Using Exploratory Factor Analysis, we classified respondents in four clusters representing low to high perceived recognition and procedural justice. We then examined how these clusters relate to socio-demographics and the spatial distribution of mapped values and preferences. Results indicated no significant differences in terms of income and age between clusters. However, there was clear variation in the spatial distribution and type of values and preferences respondents from different clusters assigned, particularly for those who feel unrecognized and do not participate in local environmental decision-making compared to all other groups. In addition, gender had a significant effect on the perceptions of recognition and procedure. Female respondents scored lower on procedural justice than male and mapped landscape values and preferences closer to home than males, thus suggesting that gender inequalities can be deeply embedded in everyday public spaces and practices. Planning inclusive and environmentally just UGBS requires not only incorporating such gender perspectives, but a more flexible, intersectional and relational understanding of space that reflects the everyday needs of different and marginalized groups.

Twitter data from the 2019–20 Australian bushfires reveals participatory and temporal variations in social media use for disaster recovery

Social media platforms have proved to be vital sources of information to support disaster response and recovery. A key issue, though, is that social media conversation about disasters tends to tail off after the immediate disaster response phase, potentially limiting the extent to which social media can be relied on to support recovery. This situation motivates the present study of social media usage patterns, including who contributes to social media around disaster recovery, which recovery activities they contribute to, and how well that participation is sustained over time. Utilising Twitter data from the 2019–20 Australian bushfires, we statistically examined the participation of different groups (citizens, emergency agencies, politicians and others) across categories of disaster recovery activity such as donations & financial support or mental health & emotional support, and observed variations over time. The results showed that user groups differed in how much they contributed on Twitter around different recovery activities, and their levels of participation varied with time. Recovery-related topics also varied significantly with time. These findings are valuable because they increase our understanding of which aspects of disaster recovery currently benefit most from social media and which are relatively neglected, indicating where to focus resources and recovery effort.

Search mode, not the attentional window, determines the magnitude of attentional capture

A salient color distractor is known to capture attention during search for a less salient shape target, but the mechanisms underlying attentional capture are debated. Theeuwes (2004, Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 11(1), 65–70) argued that attentional capture depends on the size of the attentional window. If the attentional window is large, search is efficient and attentional capture should be stronger because the distractor is more likely to be inside the window. Consistently, we found higher search efficiency and more attentional capture in singleton than in feature search. However, differences in attentional capture only occurred when singleton and feature search were performed by different groups of participants, but not when singleton and feature search occurred unpredictably in the same group of participants. This result contradicts the attentional window account because search efficiency was always higher in singleton than in feature search. Rather, the results support search mode theory, which claims that participants looked for the most salient stimulus in singleton search (“singleton detection mode”), which resulted in more capture by the salient color distractor. When search types varied unpredictably, it was impossible to apply a consistent search strategy, which eliminated the differences between singleton and feature search. Further, we manipulated search efficiency by target–nontarget similarity. With dissimilar nontargets, the target was salient and search efficiency was high. Therefore, the attentional window account predicts more capture. However, we found the opposite result in singleton search and no difference in feature search. Taken together, these observations are inconsistent with the attentional window account but support search mode theory.

The role of Participatory Action Research in developing new models of healthcare: Perspectives from participants and recommendations for ethical review and governance oversight

Participatory Action Research (PAR) is a methodology often used in social sciences, which involves groups of people in action, reflection and iterative change. In PAR, ‘traditional’ researchers become participants, and people who comprise ‘traditional’ participants become researchers, facilitating cohesiveness and communication within the team. However, PAR is less used in healthcare, despite the complexity of providing and receiving health and social care. Development and testing of the delivery of new models of care is an area with increasing service-user participation, but often with no structured or formalised framework to embed end-users. This may be due in part to the complex ethical and governance systems in healthcare research, and the lack of practical guidance on using PAR as a research method within this context. We carried out a PAR project to develop and evaluate the implementation of a new model of care for the assessment and management of respiratory conditions in the community (MISSION ABC). The care model delivered a community-based multidisciplinary clinic involving healthcare staff from both primary and secondary care. Regular sessions were held for participants (including patients, healthcare staff, research staff) to discuss observations, reflections and suggestions for the development and delivery of the care model. At the end of the project, meetings were held with representatives from the different groups of participants to discuss overall views about the study and ethics and research governance challenges specifically. We present key perspectives from various stakeholders involved in the PAR process, highlighting benefits and challenges. Specific challenges relating to ethical and governance approvals encountered in the set-up and delivery of the project are described. These include the design of the study protocol, approaches to consent, presentation of study information within the current ethical and regulatory frameworks and maintaining the flexibility of study methods and roles of participants throughout the study period. Recommendations for improvement in the research pathway that PAR researchers could adopt to enable a meaningful and successful PAR approach are made, in addition to suggestions for overarching ethics and governance frameworks. Developing new models of healthcare benefits significantly from collaboration with stakeholders so that the design and delivery are feasible and acceptable to all. However, the current UK research approvals and governance frameworks present challenges to design and successfully deliver PAR studies in healthcare; we present possible solutions.

“I would watch her with awe as she swallowed the first handful”: A qualitative study of pediatric multidrug-resistant tuberculosis experiences in Durban, South Africa

There are limited data on the experiences of children being treated for drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB), and most work in the area has been done with older children and adolescents. Comprehensive explorations of the caregiver experiences in this area are also lacking. To describe the experiences of being treated for drug-resistant tuberculosis of children and their caregivers. This was a qualitative study done using focus group discussions (FGDs) among three different groups of participants: 1) health care providers involved in the care of children being treated for DR-TB (including physicians, nurses, and pharmacists)-herein referred to as providers; 2) household caregivers of children being treated for DR-TB-herein referred to as caregivers; and 3) children who were being treated for DR-TB-herein referred to as children. The population was a convenience sample and included children hospitalized between January 1, 2018, and June 30, 2020, ages 0-14 years old, as well as their caregivers and providers. Focus group transcripts and notes were analysed using a thematic network analysis based in grounded theory The analysis was iterative and the coding system developed focused on "stressful experiences" as well as ways to address them along the diagnostic and treatment journey. This paper follows the COREQ guidelines. 16 children between the ages 7 and 14 years participated in 5 FGDs, 30 caregivers participated in 7 FGDs, and 12 providers participated in 3 FDGs. Data from the children and the caregivers were the focus of this analysis, although some themes were informed by the discussions with the providers as well. In general, it was reported that for a child diagnosed with DR-TB, there is a lived experience of stress that impacts their physical, mental, and social well-being. These pediatric patients and their families therefore develop strategies for coping with these disruptions to their lives. In general, there were major disruptive experiences that resulted from the process around receiving a diagnosis of DR-TB and second distinct set of stressful experiences that occurred during the treatment of DR-TB once the diagnosis had been made. These stresses occur in the physical, mental, and social realms, and families develop multiple strategies to cope with them, demonstrating resilience in the face of this disease. Addressing the stresses experienced by children and their caregivers through child-friendly DR-TB testing, treatment, and counseling is not only essential for ending TB but also for enacting a human-rights based approach to child health in general. Children with DR-TB are a vulnerable population, and they have often been the last to benefit from advances in general pediatric care and in DR-TB care more specifically.

Association between COVID-19 vaccine side effects and history of nutritional supplement intake and body mass index (BMI): a retrospective study

PurposeAs the development and vaccination of the COVID 19 vaccine is accelerating worldwide, it is important to investigate the ways to improve immunity and immune responses to vaccines. This study aims to investigate the association between history of nutritional supplements intake and body mass index (BMI) in the severity of COVID-19 vaccine side effects after vaccination.Design/methodology/approachA total of 465 vaccinated participants with the Sinopharm vaccine (females and males in the 18–65 age range) participated in the study. Anthropometric measurements were taken on the first visit. In addition, nutrient supplement history and demographic information were collected. Moreover, the participants’ phone numbers were collected and they were contacted. Participants were asked to report if they experienced systemic (whole-body) and/or local side effects after vaccination, in the following eight days. Then, participants were grouped into four categories: no symptoms (n = 232), mild symptoms (n = 121), moderate symptoms (n = 55) and severe symptoms (n = 57).FindingsThere was a significant difference between the consumption of nutritional supplements by different groups of participants in the last six months (considering the severity of the symptoms) (p < 0.001). The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the incidence of side effects from the COVID-19 vaccine increased in the Q3 of BMI (range 22.94–26.34) in Modes 2 and 3: [OR: 1.85, (95% CI: 1.14– 3.00), p-for trend = 0.08] and [OR: 1.89, (95% CI: 1.16– 3.09), p-for trend = 0.09] based on logistic regression models.Originality/valueIn this study, the history of nutrient supplement intake affects the severity of side effects after the vaccination with COVID-19. Furthermore, based on logistic regression models, side effects were more prevalent in the BMI range 22.9–26.3 when compared to BMI < 20.2 so further study is necessary.

Algorithmic fairness in computational medicine.

SummaryMachine learning models are increasingly adopted for facilitating clinical decision-making. However, recent research has shown that machine learning techniques may result in potential biases when making decisions for people in different subgroups, which can lead to detrimental effects on the health and well-being of specific demographic groups such as vulnerable ethnic minorities. This problem, termed algorithmic bias, has been extensively studied in theoretical machine learning recently. However, the impact of algorithmic bias on medicine and methods to mitigate this bias remain topics of active discussion. This paper presents a comprehensive review of algorithmic fairness in the context of computational medicine, which aims at improving medicine with computational approaches. Specifically, we overview the different types of algorithmic bias, fairness quantification metrics, and bias mitigation methods, and summarize popular software libraries and tools for bias evaluation and mitigation, with the goal of providing reference and insights to researchers and practitioners in computational medicine.

A Risk Estimation Mechanism for Android Apps based on Hybrid Analysis

Mobile apps represent essential tools in our daily routines, supporting us in almost every task. However, this assistance might imply a high cost in terms of privacy. Indeed, mobile apps gather a massive amount of data about individuals (e.g., users’ profiles and habits) and their devices (e.g., locations), where not all are strictly needed for app execution. According to privacy laws, apps’ providers must inform end-users on adopted data usage practices (e.g., which data are collected and for which purpose). Unfortunately, understanding these practices is a complex task for average end-users. The result is that they install apps without understanding their privacy implications. To support users in making more privacy-aware decisions on app usage, we propose a risk estimation approach based on an analysis of the app’s code. This analysis adopts a hybrid strategy, exploiting static and dynamic code analyses. Static analysis aims at discovering which personal data an app is collecting to determine whether the target app is asking more than required. This gives the first estimation of the app’s risk level. In addition, we also perform a dynamic analysis of the target app’s code. This further analysis helps determining whether the collected personal data is consumed locally on the mobile device or sent out to external services. If this happens, the risk level has to be increased, as personal data are more exposed. To prove the proposal’s effectiveness, we run several experiments involving different groups of participants. The obtained accuracy results are promising and outperform those obtained with static analysis only.

Long-Term Changes in the Creation of New Cash Waqfs in Istanbul

In this paper, relying on information from almost 4,500 waqf deeds (vakfiye) available in Istanbul sharia court registers for the period 1550-1900, we study long-term changes in the creation of new cash waqfs including the periods of expansion, stagnation and crises. We also examine the participation of different groups—namely, officials (askeri), civilians (reaya), and women— as cash-waqf founders. We find that women were significant contributors to the waqf sector and that, contrary to a common assumption in the literature, officials’ participation as benefactors was proportional to that of other groups. Furthermore, we show that the relative shares of social groups as benefactors in the waqf sector f luctuated significantly over time. Thus, researchers should be cautious about making generalizations based on a single, set ratio of involvement as if it applies to all times and places.

Moral Reasoning of College-Educated Individuals from The United States in Relation to the Recent Sociopolitical Issues and with the Focus on Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Reasoning

The aim of this quantitative research study was to explore the relationship and impact higher education has on moral reasoning in connection to recent events in United States. The sample size consisted of 137 participants from the United States who earned a Bachelor&amp;rsquo;s, master&amp;rsquo;s, or Doctoral degree and were over the age of 22. Participants were a diverse group including both genders and, different racial and socioeconomic statuses. The one-way ANOVA test suggested that statistically significant difference did not exist among the three different groups of participants, in relation to their moral reasoning on the recent events in the United States. The two-way MANOVA test suggested that statistically significant difference was found in one dependent variable.

Relación entre la estación del año y la gravedad de los síntomas en pacientes con fibromialgia

Background and objectiveFibromyalgia patients often report that certain seasons aggravate their symptoms. The main objective was to determinate the association between key symptoms of fibromyalgia and the season of the year. A secondary objective was to determinate the existence of differences based on levels of anxiety or depression. Material and methodConvenience sample made up of 471 participants with fibromyalgia evaluated before starting multidisciplinary treatment. Demographic and meteorological data were collected. Clinical data were assessed with standardized instruments of pain intensity, functionality, fatigue, stiffness, sleep quality, anxiety and depression. ResultsThe different groups of participants were homogeneous for age, gender, educational level, marital status and employment situation. No significant differences were found in pain intensity (F=1.334; P=.265), functionality (F=.402; P=.669), fatigue (F=.714; P=.490), stiffness (F=.299; P=.741), anxiety (F=.376; P=.687), depression (F=.608; P=.545), psychological distress (F=.261; P=.770), sleep quantity (F=1.507; P=.223) or sleep disturbances (F=.343; P=.710). ConclusionsNo differences were found in the intensity of fibromyalgia symptoms, nor in the percentages of severity among the different seasons of the year. Anxiety was more prevalent than depression, possibly due to the characteristics of the sample itself, with the majority of patients with a dysfunctional profile.

ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ ВПЛИВУ СИСТЕМИ УПРАВЛІННЯ ЗНАННЯМИ ПРОЄКТНОЇ ДІЯЛЬНОСТІ ПІДПРИЄМСТВА НА УСПІШНУ РЕАЛІЗАЦІЮ ПРОЄКТІВ ІЗ ВИКОРИСТАННЯМ НЕЧІТКОЇ ЛОГІКИ

In the article, an economic-mathematical model is developed, which allows to evaluate the impact of the knowledge management system of the enterprise's project activities on the successful implementation of projects (PS). The following component systems of knowledge management of project activities of the enterprise are offered: project knowledge management (PKM), knowledge management between projects (KMaP) and knowledge management of project management (KMaP). PKM includes indicators: People, Technologies, Processes (formation and preservation of knowledge; generation and preservation of knowledge; exchange and use of knowledge). KMaP includes indicators: organizational aspect (availability of project management office; type of organizational structure; interaction environment of participants of different groups (project teams)); technical aspect (availability of a single information and communication platform); social aspect (the presence of an atmosphere of interaction and motivation of team members to share knowledge). KMaP is represented by a comprehensive assessment of the level of formation of areas of project management knowledge. The model is built using fuzzy logic, namely Mamdani fuzzy logic, because the input information is qualitative in nature. The implementation of the proposed model includes the following stages: determination of the indicators of the knowledge management system of project activity for the study of its influence on the success of the project and the formation of a logical conclusion tree; description of linguistic variables; definition of functions belonging to linguistic terms; formation of the knowledge base of the fuzzy inference system; construction of a mathematical model; construction of a fuzzy model for assessing the impact of the knowledge management system of project activities on the success of projects using the Fuzzy Logic Toolbox and analysis of the obtained results. The research was carried out for the project-oriented enterprise of the utility sector of Ukraine, Khmelnitskteplokomuninergo. It was established that with the available input values ​​of the indicators in 2020, the probability of successful project implementation is 61.60%. The relationship (degree dependence) between the probability of successful project implementation and the efficiency indicator - electricity consumption by the enterprise for the period 2016-2020 was revealed. In order to reduce the consumption of electricity at the enterprise to the level of 9,200 thousand kWh, it is necessary to increase the probability of successful implementation of the project to the level of 75.06%. To achieve this indicator level, it is necessary to increase the People indicator to the level of 10 points; level of exchange and use of knowledge - up to the level of 5 points; KMaPM - up to the level of 8 points; to create a structural division "Project Management Office", which, as a result, will lead to a PS indicator level of 75.10%.

COMMON FACTORS AFFECTING GRADE-12 STUDENTS’ SPEAKING FLUENCY: A SURVEY OF CAMBODIAN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

The current study aimed to investigate the common factors affecting speaking fluency of grade 12 English-language students studying in the upper secondary school. The participants were composed of 100 students studying in grade 12 and 10 government teachers of English, teaching in grade 12. In collecting the data, two different groups of participants were asked to fill in two different questionnaires with close-ended questions. The obtained data were quantitatively analysed with SPSS, and descriptive statistics were used to determine the number and percentage of the respondents. As a result, the study discovered that instructional methods and the fear of speaking caused by inhibition and anxiety strongly affected the students’ English-speaking fluency the most, as well as many other subsequent factors. Thus, this study can be useful for teachers of English to reconsider their weaknesses and strengths, to identify their weakness and strength in teaching speaking and ascertain the students’ deficiency and potency in learning to improve their English learning, specifically, speaking skills. The study could also be used to help the teachers better understand their students’ speaking difficulties, and find appropriate ways to teach them efficiently.

Conceptualisation and validating benefidonors model in Waqf

Waqf movement in Malaysia has a long history since the colonization era with plenty of innovations being practiced by waqf managers. The literatures have highlighted on the performance of waqf as a social finance instrument with transformational impacts to the economic wellbeing of the beneficiaries. There is a considerable gap between the cyclic impact on the transformation of waqf beneficiaries into donors that needs to be highlighted. The main aim of the study is to conceptualize and validate the beneficiaries-donors model which evolved from the perspective of mutual assistance (ta’awun) prosumers, consumerchant, and volunteer. The study adopts a three-phase qualitative approach. The proposed model on Benefidonors is the result of the first stage, which involved content analysis of literature data. Data was also obtained via Focus Group Discussions (FGD) in the second step of creating and confirming the model. Three different groups of participants, namely donors, beneficiaries, and mutawalli, participated in three different sessions of FGD using MS Teams. The third stage is model validation where the participants have validated the model through a few series of FGD. The participants were given a conceptual model to see whether the new term introduced, "Benefidonors," could be accepted or require further refinement. The new term coined, Benefidonors concept, suggests for a transformational cyclic impact of the major players in the waqf activism. The major output of this paper is the validated term “Benefidonors” which is a hybrid word, derived from the word, “Beneficiaries” and “Donors”. The “Benefidonors” promotes towards “share more”, “use more” and “donate more” for waqf ecosystem using the concept of mutual assistance (ta’awun) prosumers, consumerchant and volunteer. The finding of this research shows that the new term "Benefidonors," even though it is still emerging and requiring efforts for exposure and branding, is inherently practiced, being aware of and known in the community, but it needs a systematic design and strategic arrangement for further expansion.

Simplified grammar in both languages? On scope assignment in Q-Neg sentences in English-dominant heritage Chinese speakers

Quantifier-negation (Q-Neg) sentences are sentences like ‘All teachers did not use Donald’s car,’ where a negation word and universal quantifier occur in the subject position. There are both surface scope (all&gt;not) and inverse scope (not&gt;all) readings in English, but only the surface scope (all&gt;not) reading is allowed in Chinese. This study conducted a picture-matching truth value judgment experiment to examine whether English-dominant heritage Chinese speakers know the difference between English and Chinese regarding the interpretation of Q-Neg sentences. The data reveals three different groups of participants: a. participants who accepted the inverse scope reading in both languages; b. participants who rejected the inverse scope reading in both languages; c. participants who accepted the inverse scope reading in English but rejected it in Chinese. Implications regarding heritage language research will be discussed.

A comparative evaluation of neurophysiological activity, active tactile sensibility and stereognostic ability of complete denture prosthesis, and implant-supported prosthesis wearer-A pilot study.

The study aimed to evaluate the effect of implant-supported prosthesis in completely edentulous participants in terms of osseoperception ability, neural activity, and stereognostic ability in comparison to removable prosthetic options. A total sample of 18 patients, irrespective of gender and age were allocated into three groups according to the three-treatment protocol (upper and lower complete denture, upper complete denture opposing lower implant-retained overdenture, implant-supported fixed prosthesis in both arches). Four weeks after completion of the treatment procedure active tactile sensibility (ATS) was checked by using varying thicknesses (12, 40, 80, 100, 200 μ) of articulating foils and papers. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed to record neurophysiological activity in cerebral cortex in all the participants. Various forms of test pieces (heat cure acrylic resin) were used to evaluate stereognostic ability. Data regarding the neurophysiological activity were analyzed by using Krushkal-Wallis test and p ≤ 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Data from stereognostic ability test procedure and ATS were compared by using chi-squared test and p ≤ 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Statistically significant difference was found in between the articulating foils in terms of true negative responses as the foil thickness increased in participants wearing complete denture in both the arches (p=0.004) and implant-supported fixed prosthesis in both the arches (p=0.010). Participants in implant-supported fixed prosthesis group showed significantly more activation in primary motor cortex (right side), somatosensory cortex (left side), angular gyrus (both sides), temporal lobe (left) compared to other groups. No significant difference found in thalamus and premotor cortex region in between the participants of different groups. No statistically significant difference found in between the groups in terms of true responses identifying correct shapes. Mean number of correct responses in stereognostic ability test were 4.16 (83.33%), 3.5 (70%), 3.83 (76.66%) for participants of complete denture group, upper complete denture opposing lower implant retained overdenture group, and implant-supported fixed prosthesis group, respectively. Primary motor cortex, somatosensory cortex, and other regions of brain were diffusely activated in participants wearing implant-supported fixed prosthesis in both the arches. Less number of false responses were recorded in participants of implant-supported fixed prosthesis group and upper complete denture opposing lower implant-retained overdenture group in ATS test compared to participants wearing complete denture in both the arches.

Asynchronous text-based communication in online communities of foreign language learners: Design principles for practice

Effective employment of information and communication technology (ICT) in foreign language teaching and learning has become imperative as a means to support second language development when traditional face-to-face instruction and interaction is not possible. Using a design-based research approach and a theoretical framework that integrates authentic learning and online communities of practice principles, this paper examines the nature and extent of students’ contributions to computer mediated communication (CMC) tools provided in an online Italian as a foreign language learning environment. This paper describes the context of the intervention strategy, the methodology used, and presents an analysis of themes emerging from the data relating to the use of multiple discussion forums to support interaction and collaboration within the online community of foreign language learners. The findings suggest that there was a substantial development in the way students used different discussion forums over the course of two consecutive iterative implementations of the online learning environment developed. The findings also show that, as time progressed, students felt increasingly more confident about communicating their ideas in writing in the target language to different groups of participants. Implications for practice or policy: The design principles and learning environment described in this study will assist foreign language educators to create their own pedagogical frameworks for language education in technology-based, authentic learning environments. The design principles that emerged from this research will assist foreign language educators to support student interaction and collaboration in online communities of learners. Foreign language students’ engagement with peers and native speakers will be enhanced by integrating the recommendations for encouraging purposeful and authentic student online interactions.