Final Conference Research Articles

Ecology–Community–Spirituality: Holistic Lifestyles on the “Markets of Singularities”

Ecology–Community–Spirituality: Holistic Lifestyles on the “Markets of Singularities”

Characteristics of Delphi Processes in Orthotics and Prosthetics Research

ABSTRACT Introduction The implementations of a structured consensus process can facilitate agreement among experts on varied and inconsistent clinical and educational practices. Recommendations exist for use of the Delphi consensus process in health care research. Most Delphi studies in orthotics and prosthetics research occurred after these recommendations were published, and it is unclear how closely these recommendations have been followed when applying this method. The aim of this review is to summarize the characteristics of Delphi processes in orthotics and prosthetics in order to guide future research. Materials and Methods A review was undertaken of published reports of Delphi processes used to research some aspect of the orthotics and prosthetics profession. Research methods were evaluated to identify and characterize features of the application of the Delphi process. These features were compared with the recommendations for Delphi processes in health care research. Results The application of the Delphi method in the 19 reviewed studies varied significantly in regards to topic, qualifications and number of experts, survey item creation, number of rounds, consensus requirements, outcomes, inclusion of a final conference, dropout rate, and final output. Although some studies closely followed the recommendations for the use of the Delphi method in health care, others deviated greatly. Conclusions Although the Delphi method is a common consensus process used in orthotics and prosthetics research, study methods vary and do not always follow recommended guidelines. Guidelines for future Delphi processes in orthotics and prosthetics research can be developed based on the data collected in this review. It is likely that there will be an increase in the number of Delphi studies conducted in this field in the future. Understanding the way this method has been implemented in previous studies can inform the design of future studies and may result in a more consistent application of this valuable research method.

Art History, Boundary Crossing, Making Worlds

Art History, Boundary Crossing, Making Worlds

The Changing Perception of Communication Needs—A Litmus Test for the Warnock Legacy

Abstract Meeting Mary Warnock at the final conference for some work commissioner by the DfEE/NHS in 2001 she said that one of her greatest concerns about her earlier report is the fetishisation of the statement of education needs. It was true that with the statement, as it came to be known was often equated with her report, and triggered a rather legalistic culture with all the paraphernalia of tribunals and appeals. Nowhere was this more apparent than in the border disputes between health and education as to who was responsible for children with speech, language and communication (a term which only emerged twenty-five years after her report was published). I argue in this paper that the nature of disability has changed since Warnock and that communication disability is now one of the most disability conditions and communication access at least as important as physical access. Although Warnock resisted diagnostic labels in favour of needs there has been a burgeoning market in measures since the 1970s and with it a tendency to subcategorise children and to gain consensus in that sub-classification as witnessed by the recent work on developmental language disorder. I address the importance of seeing special (especially with relation to communication) through the lens of public health and, finally, look at Warnock through the recent Bercow Ten Years On report and argue that a focus on communication is a useful test for the consequences of the seminal report.

5th International Conference on Environmental Science and Civil Engineering (ESCE2019)

Preface5th International Conference on Environmental Science and Civil Engineering (ESCE2019) has been held in Nanchang, P.R. China from April 13th-14th, 2019, organized by Nanchang Institute of Technology, Civil Engineering Academy of Jiangxi Province and Hubei Zhongke Institute of Geology and Environment Technology, co-organized by journal of Rock and Soil Mechanics, Key Laboratory for Safety of Water Conservancy and Civil Engineering Infrastructure in Jiangxi Province, Jiangxi Provincial Engineering Research Center of Special Reinforcement and Safety Monitoring Technology in Hydraulic & Civil Engineering.ESCE2019 proceeding tends to collect the most up-to-date, comprehensive, and worldwide state-of-art knowledge on Environmental Science and Civil Engineering. All the accepted papers have been submitted to strict peer-review by 2-4 expert referees, and selected based on originality, significance and clarity for the purpose of the conference. The conference program is extremely rich, profound and featuring high-impact presentations of selected papers and additional late-breaking contributions. We sincerely hope that the conference would not only show the participants a broad overview of the latest research results on related fields, but also provide them with a significant platform for academic connection and exchange.The Technical Program Committee members have been working very hard to meet the deadline of review. We have collected more than 180 submissions during the conference period. The final conference consists of 68 papers divided into 5 sessions.We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the TPC members and organizers for their hard work, precious time and endeavor preparing for the conference. Our deepest thanks also go to the volunteers and staffs for their long-hours work and generosity they’ve given to the conference. The last but not least, we would like to thank each and every of the authors, speakers and participants for their great contributions to the success of ESCE2019.Qing Quan LiangVictoria University, Australia

2018 the 2nd annual International Conference on Cloud Technology and Communication Engineering

Preface2018 the 2nd annual International Conference on Cloud Technology and Communication Engineering [CTCE2018] has been held in Guilin, China from August 17-19, 2018. Aiming at providing an excellent international academic forum for all the researchers and practitioners, the conference enjoys a wide spread participation among all over the universities and research institutes. Any paper and topic concentrates on related fields of Cloud Computing, Big data, Signal Processing, Wireless Communication and Artificial Intelligence are broadly welcomed. Besides that we also look forward to making the conference perfect circumstances to share resources, exchange opinions and inspire studying.CTCE2018 proceeding tends to collect the most up-to-date, comprehensive, and worldwide state-of-art knowledge on Education and Development. All the accepted papers have been submitted to strict peer-review by 2-4 expert referees, and selected based on originality, significance and clarity for the purpose of the conference. The conference program is extremely rich, profound and featuring high-impact presentations of selected papers and additional late-breaking contributions. We sincerely hope that the conference would not only show the participants a broad overview of the latest research results on related fields, but also provide them with a significant platform for academic connection and exchange.The Technical Program Committee members have been working very hard to meet the deadline of review. The final conference program consists of 118 papers divided into 5 sessions. The proceedings would be published in a volume by IOP Conference Series: Journal of Physics: Conference Series. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the TPC members and organizers for their hard work, precious time and endeavor preparing for the conference. Our deepest thanks also go to the volunteers and staffs for their long-hours work and generosity they’ve given to the conference. The last but not least, we would like to thank each and every of the authors, speakers and participants for their great contributions to the success of CTCE2018.CTCE2018 Organizing Committee

Editorial

Editorial

Protection against the overuse and underuse of health care \u2013 methodological considerations for establishing prioritization criteria and recommendations in general practice

BackgroundInitiatives such as “Choosing Wisely” in the USA and “Smarter Medicine” in Switzerland have published lists of widely overused health care services. The German initiative “Choosing Wisely Together (Gemeinsam Klug Entscheiden)” follows this example. The goal of our study was to prioritize important recommendations against the overuse and underuse of health care services. The final list of recommendations will be published in the German guideline “Protection against the overuse and underuse of health care”.MethodsFirst, a multidisciplinary expert panel established a catalogue of prioritization criteria. Second, we extracted all the recommendations from evidence- and consensus-based German College of General Practice and Family Medicine (DEGAM) guidelines and National Health Care Guidelines (NVL). Third, the recommendations were rated by two independent panels (general practitioners and other health care professionals involved/not involved in guideline development). The prioritization process was finalized in a consensus conference held by DEGAM’s Standing Guideline Committee (SLK).ResultsEleven prioritization criteria were established. A total of 782 recommendations were extracted and rated by 98 physicians and other health care professionals in a survey. In the voting process, more than 80% of the recommendations were eliminated. After the final consensus conference, twelve recommendations from DEGAM guidelines, nine DEGAM addenda and 17 NVL recommendations were chosen for inclusion in the guideline, for a total of 38 recommendations.ConclusionThe selection procedure proved helpful in identifying the highest priority recommendations with which to combat the overuse and underuse of health care services. To date, in Germany there has been no attempt to compile such a list by using a systematic and transparent methodology. Hence, the guideline that results from this process can fill an important gap.

Juvenile arthritis management in less resourced countries (JAMLess): consensus recommendations from the Cradle of Humankind.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most prevalent chronic rheumatic disease in children and young people (CYP) and a major cause of pain and disability. The vast majority of the world's children and their families live in less resourced countries (LRCs) and face significant socioeconomic and healthcare challenges. Current recommendations for standards of care and treatment for children with JIA do not consider children living in less resourced countries. In order to develop appropriate recommendations for the care of CYP with JIA in less resourced countries a meeting of experienced pediatric rheumatologists from less resourced countries was convened with additional input from a steering group of international pediatric rheumatologists with experience in developing recommendations and standards of care for JIA. Following a needs assessment survey of healthcare workers caring for CYP with JIA in LRC, a literature review was carried out and management recommendations formulated using Delphi technique and a final consensus conference. Responses from the needs assessment were received from 121/483 (25%) practitioners from 25/49 (51%) less resourced countries. From these responses, the initial 84 recommendations were refined and expanded through a series of 3 online Delphi rounds. A final list of 90 recommendations was proposed for evaluation. Evidence for each statement was reviewed, graded, and presented to the consensus group. The degree of consensus, level of agreement, and level of evidence for these recommendations are reported. Recommendations arrived at by consensus for CYP with JIA in less resourced countries cover 5 themes: (1) diagnosis, (2) referral and monitoring, (3) education and training, (4) advocacy and networks, and (5) research. Thirty-five statements were drafted. All but one statement achieved 100% consensus. The body of published evidence was small and the quality of evidence available for critical appraisal was low. Our recommendations offer novel insights and present consensus-based strategies for the management of JIA in less resourced countries. The emphasis on communicable and endemic diseases influencing the diagnosis and treatment of JIA serves as a valuable addition to existing JIA guidelines. With increasing globalization, these recommendations as a whole provide educational and clinical utility for clinicians worldwide. The low evidence base for our recommendations reflects a shortage of research specific to less resourced countries and serves as an impetus for further inquiry towards optimizing care for children with JIA around the world.

Resoconto sul Convegno conclusivo del Progetto CREI: «Creare reti per gli immigrati»

The final Conference on CREI Project («Creating networks for immigrants») financed by Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF 2014-2020) of the Ministry of Internal Affairs was held on 19 April 2018 at Roma Tre University, Department of Education. The Conference was centered on scientific debate on assessment of integration policies effects for young migrants and outcomes of a capacity building course for operators of the 14th Town Hall about the activities and services offered in three specific areas: educational and professional guidance; social integration; guardianship. The meeting was organized into two sessions: the first one was composed of two panel discussions on guardianship policies for unaccompanied foreign minors and orientation, training and job placement of applicants for international protection. The second was structured in a series of interventions on results obtained during the workshop on developing of an educational and professional guidance model to realization of young foreigners’ migration project. Finally, some participants presented their experience of integration of services and skills developed within the «social and territorial laboratory».

Introduction to the Special Issue. Civil Society in Ukraine: Building on Euromaidan Legacy

The idea of this Special Issue appeared in early 2014, when the heat of the fire on Kyiv’s Independence Square had not fully cooled down and when many civic activists and newborn volunteers had turned their ceaseless energy to yet another fire first in Crimea and then in Eastern Ukraine. The events that seemingly put the state of Ukraine on the brink of its very existence were evolving too fast, but civil society’s response to them was no less prompt and adaptive. Volunteers and activists were trying on new roles each day as they were helping those escaping persecution, repression and hostilities, equipping and maintaining those who fought with weapons or joining their ranks, developing reform agenda and drafting legislative proposals. What seemed astounding back then, and still does today, was how those thousands of volunteers and millions of “ordinary citizens” who mobilized to support new civic initiatives took over the functions of the weak and nearly collapsed state eroded by corruption, nepotism, the neglect of its citizens and of the country’s national interests. Challenging a post-Soviet monster disguised behind the mask of electoral democracy and market economy, citizens were bringing in a new social contract based on trust and solidarity on which a new state could be built. The speed of events and the scale of civil society engagement precluded any long-term comprehensive analysis, yet researchers’ zeal to reflect upon what looked as a tectonic move in Ukraine’s political and social development took over. At first, our idea was to co-author an article examining civil society’s role in a post-Euromaidan Ukraine, but soon enough the task became too big. The initial idea thus evolved into producing an edited volume with different authors looking into their respective fields of civil society in Ukraine in order to grasp at least a small portion of change. We are grateful to many researchers in Ukraine and abroad who responded to our call for papers in May 2016 and who contributed their ideas to this Special Issue. Some of these ideas eventually turned into articles and we would like to give special thanks to those colleagues who bore with us through rounds of revisions till the very end of this journey. Their articles made this Special Issue happen. We are also grateful to the Kyiv-Mohyla Law and Politics Journal for hosting this Special Issue and for supporting our initiative from the early stages through review and editing to the publication process. We would like to thank UACES – the Academic Association for Contemporary European Studies , UESA – the Ukrainian European Studies Association and the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence in European Studies at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy for their financial and logistical support in organizing the Final Conference of this project, which took place at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy on November 21, 2017, the fourth anniversary of the Euromaidan. We are also enormously grateful to all the participants of the Conference for their remarks, comments and questions. Finally, we would like to extend our gratitude to the Kyiv office of Baker McKenzie , which has provided financial support to the publication of this Issue.

The 2017 International Conference on Cloud Technology and Communication Engineering (CTCE2017)

Preface2017 International Conference on Cloud Technology and Communication Engineering [CTCE2017] has been held in Guilin, China from August 18-20, 2017. Aiming at providing an excellent international academic forum for all the researchers and practitioners, the conference enjoys a wide spread participation among all over the universities and research institutes. Any paper and topic concentrates on related fields of Cloud Computing, Big data, Signal Processing and Wireless Communication are broadly welcomed. Besides that we also look forward to making the conference perfect circumstances to share resources, exchange opinions and inspire studying.CTCE2017 proceeding tends to collect the most up-to-date, comprehensive, and worldwide state-of-art knowledge on Education and Development. All the accepted papers have been submitted to strict peer-review by 2-4 expert referees, and selected based on originality, significance and clarity for the purpose of the conference. The conference program is extremely rich, profound and featuring high-impact presentations of selected papers and additional late-breaking contributions. We sincerely hope that the conference would not only show the participants a broad overview of the latest research results on related fields, but also provide them with a significant platform for academic connection and exchange.The Technical Program Committee members have been working very hard to meet the deadline of review. The final conference program consists of 72 papers divided into 4 sessions. The proceedings would be published in a volume by IOP Conference Series: Journal of Physics: Conference Series.We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the TPC members and organizers for their hard work, precious time and endeavor preparing for the conference. Our deepest thanks also go to the volunteers and staffs for their long-hours work and generosity they’ve given to the conference. The last but not least, we would like to thank each and every of the authors, speakers and participants for their great contributions to the success of CTCE2017CTCE2017 Organizing Committee

Realising Engagement through Active Culture Transformation: An Introduction to the REACT Programme

The REACT programme was designed to make a significant impact on student engagement and the student experience in the Higher Education (HE) sector in England and Wales over a two-year period, from July 2015 to July 2017. The focus, in particular, was on the engagement of so-called ‘hard to reach’ students, and the programme included: investigation into the term ‘hard to reach’ and a consideration of which students are characterised in this way; a formal research project looking at links between student engagement, retention and attainment; and a development programme as a collaboration between fifteen UK universities. Outcomes from each of these were disseminated at a final conference at the University of Winchester in May 2017, where practice and findings from the programme as a whole were shared. The programme also included the creation of a website of case studies and tools for use by the sector. The programme was funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and was formally evaluated by an external team from GuildHE.

ESPEN guidelines on nutritional support for polymorbid internal medicine patients

Polymorbidity (also known as multimorbidity) - defined as the co-occurrence of at least two chronic health conditions - is highly prevalent, particularly in the hospitalized population. Nonetheless, clinical guidelines largely address individual diseases and rarely account for polymorbidity. The aim of this project was to develop guidelines on nutritional support for polymorbid patients hospitalized in medical wards. The methodology used for the development of the current project follows the standard operating procedures for ESPEN guidelines. It started with an initial meeting of the Working Group in January 2015, where twelve key clinical questions were developed that encompassed different aspects of nutritional support: indication, route of feeding, energy and protein requirements, micronutrient requirements, disease-specific nutrients, timing, monitoring and procedure of intervention. Systematic literature searches were conducted in three different databases (Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Library), as well as in secondary sources (e.g. published guidelines), until April 2016. Retrieved abstracts were screened to identify relevant studies that were used to develop recommendations, which were followed by submission to Delphi voting rounds. From a total of 4532 retrieved abstracts, 38 relevant studies were analyzed and used to generate a guideline draft that proposed 22 recommendations and four statements. The results of the first online voting showed a strong consensus (agreement of >90%) in 68% of recommendations and 75% of statements, and consensus (agreement of >75-90%) in 32% of recommendations and 25% of statements. Atthe final consensus conference, a consensus greater than 89% was reached for all of the recommendations. Despite the methodological difficulties in creating non-disease specific guidelines, the evidence behind several important aspects of nutritional support for polymorbid medical inpatients was reviewed and summarized into practical clinical recommendations. Use of these guidelines offer an evidence-based nutritional approach to the polymorbid medical inpatient and may improve their outcomes.

EDITORIAL: SPECIAL ISSUE ON BIOCHAR AS AN OPTION FOR SUSTAINABLE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT (EU COST ACTION TD1107 FINAL PUBLICATION)

The articles appearing in this special issue on Biochar as an Option for Sustainable Resource Management are mainly the extended versions of the contributions presented in Biochar COST Action meetings, especially at the International Biocharconference held September 2015 at Geisenheim University (Germany), which was the final conference of the COST Action TD1107.

Report on the Final Conference of the RSA Research Network on the Illicit in the Governance and Development of Cities and Regions

Report on the Final Conference of the RSA Research Network on the Illicit in the Governance and Development of Cities and Regions

Nicht-suizidales selbstverletzendes Verhalten (NSSV) im Jugendalter: Klinische Leitlinie zur Diagnostik und Therapie

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a frequent, clinically relevant phenomenon occurring in adolescence, which can be observed parallel to various mental disorders. Within Europe, Germany has one of the highest prevalence rates in youths, with the lifetime prevalence ranging between 25–35 %. To date a guideline on the treatment of self-injury and stereotypic motoric disorders has been available, the last having been updated in 2006 and expired in 2011. The guideline development group consisted of members of 11 medical, psychological, or psychotherapeutic professional associations and two members from patient and prevention groups. The guideline was developed in two meetings followed up by consecutive literature searches; it was adopted in a final consensus conference. The algorithm on the treatment of NSSI was approved in three rounds of a Delphi process. Although there is solid evidence of NSSI from the fields of epidemiology and diagnostics, few studies report data on the longitudinal course as well as on the psychotherapeutic and adjuvant psychopharmacological treatment of NSSI in adolescence. The stepped care regimens in cases demanding somatic treatment were addressed interdisciplinarily. In accordance with the heterogeneous evidence, important points for the treatment of NSSI in adolescence were determined in a consensus conference. There is still a lack of knowledge on prevention as well as clinical interventions, both of which need to be addressed by further research.

Aging, the Central Nervous System, and Mobility in Older Adults: Interventions.

Research suggests that the central nervous system (CNS) and mobility are closely linked. CNS-mediated mobility impairment may represent a potentially new and prevalent syndrome within the older adult populations. Interventions targeting this group may have the potential to improve mobility and cognition and prevent disability. In 2012, the Gerontological Society of America (GSA) and the National Institute on Aging (NIA) sponsored a 3-year conference workshop series, "Aging, the CNS, and Mobility." The goal of this third and final conference was to (i) report on the state of the science of interventions targeting CNS-mediated mobility impairment among community-dwelling older adults and (ii) partnering with the NIA, explore the future of research and intervention design focused on a potentially novel aging syndrome. Evidence was presented in five main intervention areas: (i) pharmacology and diet; (ii) exercise; (iii) electrical stimulation; (iv) sensory stimulation/deprivation; and (v) a combined category of multimodal interventions. Workshop participants identified important gaps in knowledge and key recommendations for future interventions related to recruitment and sample selection, intervention design, and methods to measure effectiveness. In order to develop effective preventive interventions for this prevalent syndrome, multidisciplinary teams are essential particularly because of the complex nature of the syndrome. Additionally, integrating innovative methods into the design of interventions may help researchers better measure complex mechanisms, and finally, the value of understanding the link between the CNS and mobility should be conveyed to researchers across disciplines in order to incorporate cognitive and mobility measurements into study protocols.

Abstract P4-13-05: Safety results of the US expanded access program (EAP) of palbociclib in combination with letrozole as treatment of post-menopausal women with hormone-receptor-positive (HR+), HER2-negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer (ABC) for whom letrozole therapy is deemed appropriate

Abstract Background: In the Phase I/II PALOMA-1 trial, a study in women with estrogen receptor (ER) positive advanced breast cancer (ABC) receiving initial therapy for their metastatic disease, combination of the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib with letrozole improved progression free survival compared to letrozole. The aim of this open-label, single-arm EAP was to provide appropriate patients (pts) with ABC access to palbociclib pending marketing approval in the United States. Methods: In the EAP, a total of 242 pts with HR+/HER2- ABC were treated at 42 sites in the US. Pts received palbociclib 125 mg/d (3 weeks on, 1 week off) in combination with letrozole 2.5 mg/d (continuous daily dosing) until disease progression, intolerable adverse event (AE), or commercial availability. AEs and serious AEs (SAEs) were assessed every cycle. Complete blood counts were assessed on day 1 and day 14 of the first two cycles and then at the beginning of each cycle thereafter. Tumor assessments were collected by investigators as per routine clinical practice. Results: In this early analysis, we describe an initial cohort of 97 pts, with data collected during the first 3 months of study. Median duration of therapy was 31 days. Mean age was 62 yr (range 29-89). Baseline ECOG PS was 0, 1 or 2 in 36%, 49%, and 14% of pts, respectively. Common prior treatments (≥40% in any setting) included fulvestrant (59%), anastrozole (50%), paclitaxel (50%), exemestane (48%), cyclophosphamide (46%), tamoxifen (45%), doxorubicin (44%), and capecitabine (40%). Treatment-emergent AEs (TEAE; all grades) that occurred in greater than 10% of patients included neutropenia (28%), fatigue (19%), neutrophil count decreased (12%). Other hematologic TEAE rates included: anemia 9%, white blood cell count decreased 9% and thrombocytopenia 5%. All causality SAEs occurred in 6% of pts at the rate of 1 patient each for ankle fracture, constipation, disease progression, febrile neutropenia, lung infection, and pancytopenia. The rate of palbociclib dose reduction due to a TEAE was 4%. The rate of temporary delay of palbociclib due to TEAE was 36%. TEAEs leading to permanent discontinuation occurred in 1% of pts (Grade 3 nausea & vomiting). Grade 3 or 4 TEAEs were reported in 42% of pts, including neutropenia (Grade 3: 24%, Grade 4: 2%). There were no fatal outcomes due to TEAEs. This early data will be updated for final conference presentation to include the complete patient cohort and updated duration of therapy on study drug. Conclusions: In this population of pts with HR+/HER2- ABC, palbociclib in combination with letrozole was well tolerated. Analysis of this early cohort indicates that the safety profile was consistent with that seen in the PALOMA-1 trial. Clinical trial information: NCT02142868 Funding Source: Pfizer. Citation Format: Stearns V, Smith II JW, Patel R, Lu D, Perkins JJ, Cotter MJ, Brufsky AM. Safety results of the US expanded access program (EAP) of palbociclib in combination with letrozole as treatment of post-menopausal women with hormone-receptor-positive (HR+), HER2-negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer (ABC) for whom letrozole therapy is deemed appropriate. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-13-05.

Proceedings of the XXXVI final young researchers' conference of the Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry named after A.I. Evdokimov, Russia's Ministry of Health

Proceedings of the XXXVI final young researchers' conference of the Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry named after A.I. Evdokimov, Russia's Ministry of Health