Holistic Assessment Research Articles

English

Abstract Comprehensive surveys are critical to conserve and monitor crayfish communities, imperiled species, and detect crayfish invasions. The Missouri portion of the North Fork White River drainage (MONFWR) was never comprehensively surveyed, but adjacent drainage surveys suggested it could harbor species of conservation concern (SOCC). We surveyed the MONFWR to determine crayfish species richness, distributions of potential SOCC, and potential invasive species. We included recent sampling of the Arkansas portion of the drainage for a more holistic assessment of the entire drainage. We examined potential changes in crayfish communities after three decades at 22 previously sampled MONFWR locations. We also collected the first habitat association data for the endemic, Faxonius longidigitus. We detected eight taxa; none that were not known from the drainage. Faxonius neglectus chaenodactylus and Cambarus hubbsi were SOCC; F. n. chaenodactylus was common and abundant in the MONFWR; C. hubbsi was detected at only one site in Arkansas. Faxonius neglectus neglectus and Faxonius virilis were each detected only once and are likely introduced. Intermittent streams harbored diversity and abundance rivaling perennial segments. We observed no notable temporal differences between 22 historical and current samples. Faxonius longidigitus, detected at few sites in low numbers, was associated with deeper waters and larger substrates.

Holistic assessment of the economic, environmental, and social impact of building construction. Application to housing construction in Andalusia

Buildings, although increasingly efficient, currently lack a comparative analysis from a holistic perspective. A large part of the effort to increase their efficiency focuses on their direct consumption of water and energy through the design of more efficient systems, but another large part of the consumption is caused indirectly by the production processes and the construction itself, and these are usually disregarded. To tackle this problem, a model is proposed for the evaluation of indirect impacts that take place during the building construction phase. The three dimensions of sustainability (economic, environmental, and social) from the construction site perspective are evaluated by integrating the assessment of social and environmental impact indicators with cost control tools. Construction cost control is normally defined by classification and coding systems of work units. In order to make this integration straightforward for practitioners, the existing classification is employed as a basis to systematize the evaluation of the other two dimensions of sustainability. The environmental assessment is covered with the PREDICE tool, developed here, which evaluates the footprint family indicators. For the social assessment, a secondary tool evaluates the project occupational risks. The model is applied to the construction of social housing in Andalusia, validating its versatility and allowing to simulate different scenarios. Five out of sixty work units evaluated represent around 70% of the total impact in each category. Three of those work units (concrete slab, façade plastering bricks, and brick partition walls) are replaced by a reticular slab, gypsum board partitions, and bricks with exposed face without plastering, respectively. These modifications allow reducing up to 20% the impacts in several categories.

Translation, and validation of Dysphagia Outcome and Severity Scale (DOSS): Swedish version

BackgroundSwallowing dysfunction (dysphagia) significantly impacts patient and medical outcomes. In Sweden, there is no comprehensive outcome measure for dysphagia that incorporates holistic assessment and dysphagia impact on a person’s impairment, function and participation. The Dysphagia Outcome and Severity Scale (DOSS) was developed and validated (in English) and incorporates the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) aforementioned, International Classification of Functioning (ICF) aspects. This study translated then evaluated the validity and reliability of the Swedish version, DOSS-S.MethodTranslation occurred based on WHO recommendations. The Content Validity Index (CVI) of the translated version (DOSS-S) was assessed twice by 11 (multi-professional) dysphagia experts. Criterion validity and rater reliability was calculated using 18 Speech Pathologists assessing patient cases from International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative—Functional Diet Scale (IDDS-FDS) research.ResultsVery high CVI values (0.96–0.99) for the linguistic correlation, and high CVI values (0.84–0.94) for applicability correlation were achieved. High criterion validity of DOSS-S with IDDSI-FDS was demonstrated (rs = 0.89, p < 0.01), with very high inter and intra rater reliabilities (ICC > 0.90).ConclusionThe DOSS-S demonstrated very high validity values, and very high inter and intra rater reliability. This research contributes to improved dysphagia management by providing interprofessional dysphagia clinicians with a validated scale to identify patient progression, communicate dysphagia status between regions and countries, and document patient outcomes using an ICF framework.

A novel application of the CORAS framework for ensuring cyber hygiene on shipboard RADAR

Radio Detection and Ranging (RADAR) equipment is a significant information and navigational system onboard vessels and a critical part of a ship’s cyber space. It is an electronic system used not only for detecting surrounding objects, to indicate their positions, and tracking targets using radio waves, but also providing safe navigation by receiving and displaying data from other navigational devices. Therefore, it is concerning to see that marine RADAR systems have various cyber vulnerabilities, including data deletion and data relocation. These systems can be manipulated and penetrated via malicious software, unauthorised remote access, human error, or sabotage by internal and external attackers. This is critical to the cyber hygiene of the ship, which affects its reliability and safety. This study performs a cyber risk assessment using the CORAS framework for RADAR cyber security by developing case-based RADAR cyber scenarios in terms of both its specific information technology subsystems and the cyber security control measures. The output of this study includes a holistic and visual assessment of RADAR's cyber security for both its cyber vulnerabilities and cyber hygiene to better protect shipboard RADAR in the future.

Vaccine value profile for Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection (gonorrhoea) is a global public health challenge, causing substantial sexual and reproductive health consequences, such as infertility, pregnancy complications and increased acquisition or transmission of HIV. There is an urgency to controlling gonorrhoea because of increasing antimicrobial resistance to ceftriaxone, the last remaining treatment option, and the potential for gonorrhoea to become untreatable. No licensed gonococcal vaccine is available. Mounting observational evidence suggests that N. meningitidis serogroup B outer membrane vesicle-based vaccines may induce cross-protection against N. gonorrhoeae (estimated 30%–40% effectiveness using the 4CMenB vaccine). Clinical trials to determine the efficacy of the 4CMenB vaccine against N. gonorrhoeae are underway, as are Phase 1/2 studies of a new gonococcal-specific vaccine candidate. Ultimately, a gonococcal vaccine must be accessible, affordable and equitably dispensed, given that those most affected by gonorrhoea are also those who may be most disadvantaged in our societies, and most cases are in less-resourced settings.This vaccine value profile (VVP) provides a high level, holistic assessment of the current data to inform the potential public health, economic and societal value of pipeline vaccines. This was developed by a working group of subject matter experts from academia, non-profit organizations, public private partnerships and multi-lateral organizations. All contributors have extensive expertise on various elements of the N. gonorrhoeae VVP and collectively aimed to identify current research and knowledge gaps. The VVP was developed using published data obtained from peer-reviewed journals or reports.

Reconsidering 4Q69 (4QpapIsap)

Abstract 4Q69 consists of two small papyrus fragments treating to Isa 5:28–30. Following Raffaella Cribiore’s criterion for identification of scribal exercises, an analysis of the textual variants to which the 4Q69 fragments attest will serve as a platform for exploring why the scribe(s) chose papyrus instead of parchment as his medium, the implications of the scroll’s column width, and the significance of its semi-cursive script and calligraphic traits. Engaging in a holistic assessment of the scroll’s purpose and use, this paper submits that rather than constituting a complete copy of the biblical book of Isaiah, it is a partial copy for use as a scribal exercise of a mid-level student. It thus sheds light on the educational process underlying the production of 4Q69 as the importance attached to the book of Isaiah during the Second Temple period and the book’s distinctive, authoritative status.

Exam Culture and Formative Assessment in China: The Gaokao Reform and Its Sociocultural Hindrance

When high-stakes examinations are utilised to sort students into different tracks, and determine who is eligible to pursue higher education, teachers typically respond by ensuring incentivised success with the policy hand they are dealt with, that is, by ensuring that the students are incentivised to succeed. Formative assessments provide an opportunity to identify areas where students need additional support and adjust instruction accordingly. They also allow students to develop and demonstrate the skills required to succeed in higher education. Reform efforts are primarily commendable. However, these are merely preliminary steps towards achieving authentic holistic assessment forms. This article reviews the literature on formative assessment in China and the gaokao reform policies, intending to add sociocultural factors to discussions relating to the implementation barriers and gaps. This article seeks to provide insights into formative assessment practices in the Chinese educational context and contribute to the international literature on learning-oriented assessment. The article argues that the 'top-down' system is ineffective in shifting the exam culture and result-oriented mindset and understanding the role of feedback and formative assessment more deeply. Much effort should be made to assist teachers-in-service in developing assessment literacy and grant teachers’ greater autonomy to transform teacher-centred pedagogy into a student-centred one.

Performance evaluation and multi-objective optimization of an innovative double-stage thermoelectric heat storage system for electricity generation

As the need for renewable energy continues to grow, there is an increasing requirement to utilize systems that offer enhanced performance and efficiency. Consequently, a comprehensive investigation is conducted on a two-stage thermoelectric heat pump. The primary objective is to assess the impact of various influential factors on the overall effectiveness of the system. This exhaustive parametric study aims to provide valuable insights into the system's performance and efficiency. Subsequently, the multi-objective optimization approach considers both technical and economic goal functions. By incorporating these two aspects, the optimization process seeks to achieve the most favorable balance between technical performance and economic feasibility. This allows for a holistic assessment that takes into consideration not only the system's efficiency and effectiveness but also its economic viability in real-world applications. The best optimal solution is discovered using a variety of methods for multi-objective optimization. The optimized system is examined from both an exergy and an exergoeconomic vantage point after the best optimal solution has been identified by comparing the results of various methodologies. The outcomes demonstrate that for the multidimensional analysis of Linmap, the combination of multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) and the linear programming technique yields the best optimal solution. The objective functions for this final optimal solution are unit cost of heating power and exergy efficiency, which are defined as 1.91 and 51.28 USD/(kWh), respectively. The results showed that the optimal current for temperature changes of 10, 20, and 30 K is 2.84, 5.53, and 8.1 respectively. Also, the optimal length and number of thermocouples were 0.0055 m, 30, and 15 m respectively in all techniques. The optimal current changes from 23.30 to 27.60 A, which indicates that the optimization technique prefers to adjust the current over other effective parameters. When the thermocouples in the first and second stages are 30 and 15 pairs, respectively, according to the design parameters of the ideal point, the system will work at its peak efficiency.

Socioeconomic factors predict successful supervised exercise therapy completion

ObjectiveSupervised exercise therapy (SET) for patients with intermittent claudication (IC) can lower the risk of progression to chronic limb-threatening ischemia and amputation, while preserving and restoring functional status. Despite supporting evidence, it remains underutilized, and among those who initiate programs, attrition rates are extremely high. We hypothesize that socioeconomic factors may represent significant barriers to SET completion. MethodsPatients with IC referred to SET at a multi-hospital, single-institution health care system (2018-2022) from a prospectively maintained database were retrospectively analyzed. Our primary endpoint was SET program completion and graduation, defined as completion of 36 sessions. Our secondary endpoints were vascular intervention within 1 year of referral and change in ankle-brachial index (ABI). Baseline demographics were assessed using standard statistical methods. Predictors of SET graduation were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression generating adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Change in ABI was analyzed using t-test between subgroups. Reasons for attrition were tabulated. Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), metabolic equivalent level, Vascular QOL, Duke Activity Status, and ABI were analyzed using paired t-tests across the entire cohort. ResultsFifty-two patients met inclusion criteria: mean age 67.85 ± 10.69 years, 19 females (36.54%), mean baseline ABI of 0.77 ± 0.16. The co-pays for 100% of patients were fully covered by primary and secondary insurance plans. Twenty-one patients (40.38%) completed SET. On multivariable analysis, residence in a ZIP code with median household income <$47,000 (aOR, 0.10; 95% CI, 0.01-0.76; P = .03) and higher body mass index (aOR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.67-0.99; P = .04) were significant barriers to SET graduation. There were no differences in ABI change or vascular intervention within 1 year between graduates and non-graduates. Non-graduates reported transportation challenges (25.00%), lack of motivation (20.83%), and illness/functional limitation (20.83%) as primary reasons for SET attrition. Metabolic Equivalent Level (P ≤ .01) and Duke Activity Status scores (P = .04) were significantly greater after participating in a SET program. ConclusionsAlthough SET participation improves lower extremity and functionality outcomes, only 40% of referred patients completed therapy in our cohort. Our findings suggest that both socioeconomic and functional factors influence the odds of completing SET programs, indicating a need for holistic pre-referral assessment to facilitate enhanced program accessibility for these populations.

Assessing perceived assembly complexity in human-robot collaboration processes: a proposal based on Thurstone’s law of comparative judgement

Due to the growing demand for customised products, companies have faced increasing product and process complexity levels. To address this issue, manufacturing processes should become more flexible. One of the most promising technologies to achieve this goal is collaborative robotics (or ‘cobots’). In collaborative assembly processes, human and robot combine their skills. However, the co-existence of humans and cobots in the same workspace may influence the operators’ perception of assembly complexity. The analysis and control of assembly complexity are crucial to achieving better performances in terms of process quality and operators’ well-being. Many qualitative methods have been proposed in the literature to provide a holistic assessment of assembly complexity. This paper proposes a novel method to define a quantitative scale of perceived assembly complexity, based on Thurstone Law of Comparative Judgements. This method was applied to an experimental case-study concerning the assembly of three different products in two modalities (i.e. manual and collaborative). Regression analysis showed that the perceived complexity may be related to the occurrence of process failures and to the perceived workload. The method also proved capable of identifying assembly processes where cobot assistance was helpful, providing process designers with a supporting tool to minimise perceived complexity.

Development of an Assessment Model for Electric Circuit Courses Based on "Free Campus Learning (MBKM) According to Industry Needs" Using an Expert System

The aim of the research is to develop an MBKM-based assessment model for electrical circuit courses according to industry needs by using an expert system to provide recommendations in determining implementation policies on campus. The aspects assessed are the validity, practicality and effectiveness of the model. The instruments used are observation sheets, interview guides and questionnaires for students, lecturers and industry. And also use tests to measure student learning outcomes. The research population at the Faculty of Engineering, Padang State University, sample selection using a purposive sampling technique was 55 students and 5 lecturers, and industry instructors. Descriptive data analysis techniques to measure the validity, practicality and effectiveness of the model. And also the test uses Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using the SMART PLS application. The findings from the needs analysis of an expert system-based assessment model are that the results are very much needed. In line with the results of observations and interviews, it shows that there are still problems that occur in learning activities, assessment and MBKM, which requires the development of assessment models. Meanwhile, the results of expert validation produce data models, questions and websites (usability), information quality, information quality or interaction quality that are proven to be valid. Likewise, the practicality of the lecturers' and students' responses proved to be practical. For student learning outcomes, the average student learning outcomes are classified as good. These findings were novelty by using CAT technology, expert systems, MBKM, holistic assessment, and student assessment needs in industry. The suggestion for this research is to be able to add the latest technology to the MBKM assessment.

Development and Validation of a Reading in Science Holistic Assessment (RISHA): a Rasch Measurement Study

Development and Validation of a Reading in Science Holistic Assessment (RISHA): a Rasch Measurement Study

An Intelligent Chinese Driver Road Performance Assessment Model (RPAM) for Future Licensing Examinations

As the demand for private vehicles rises, there has been a gradual increase in the number of motor vehicles on the roads, leading to a growing concern about addressing traffic safety. Currently, China’s approach to assessing driver capabilities remains rooted in traditional, non-intelligent, and standardized evaluation methods based on examination subjects. The traditional model often falls short in providing constructive feedback on a driver’s real-world vehicle handling abilities, as many of the examination subjects can be practiced in advance to achieve a mere passing result, which, undoubtedly, increases the likelihood of underqualified drivers on the road. To address the issues of the current examination-oriented driver evaluation system in China, we propose a road performance assessment model (RPAM) that assesses drivers comprehensively by evaluating their road environment perception and vehicle operation abilities based on an in-vehicle and out-vehicle perception system. The model leverages patterns of the driver’s head posture, along with real-time information on the vehicle’s behavior and the road conditions, to quantify various performance metrics related to reasonable operation processes. These metrics are then integrated to generate a holistic assessment of the driving capabilities. This paper ultimately conducted tests of the RPAM on one actual examination route in Beijing. Two drivers were randomly selected for the examination. The model successfully computed the overall ability scores for each driver, validating the effectiveness.

Synthesis, Thermal, DFT Calculations, HOMO-LUMO, MEP, and Molecular Docking Analysis of New Derivatives of Imidazolin-4-Ones

This work focuses on synthesizing new imidazolin-4-one derivatives (2a-c), akin to leucettamine B analogs, via microwave-assisted transamination reactions. This reaction was carried out between 3-alkyl-5-dimethylamino-2-thioxo-imidazolidin-4-one (1a-c) and aniline. The structural integrity of the synthesized compounds was confirmed using NMR and MS spectroscopy, and their configurations were validated through DFT calculations. Analyses encompassed molecular electrostatic potential, frontier molecular orbitals, HOMO-LUMO energies, energy band gap, and global chemical reactivity descriptors, providing comprehensive insights into their characteristics. The investigation extended to the biological domain, employing substance activity spectra prediction (PASS) and molecular docking with Autodock Vina4 program. Notably, this holistic assessment aimed to gauge the potential regulatory effect of the compounds on cholesterol. This integrated approach contributes to compound design understanding and potential applications, spanning drug design and broader biomedical contexts.

Holistic Assessment Based On Hepatocyte Mitochondria: Lycopene Repairs Oxidized mtDNA to Alleviate Mitochondrial Stress Induced by Atrazine.

Atrazine (ATZ) is a highly persistent herbicide that harms organism health. Lycopene (LYC) is an antioxidant found in plants and fruits. The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanisms of atrazine-induced mitochondrial damage and lycopene antagonism in the liver. The mice were divided into seven groups by randomization: blank control (Con group), vehicle control (Vcon group), 5 mg/kg lycopene (LYC group), 50 mg/kg atrazine (ATZ1 group), ATZ1+LYC group, 200 mg/kg atrazine (ATZ2 group), and ATZ2+LYC group. The present study performed a holistic assessment based on mitochondria to show that ATZ causes the excessive fission of mitochondria and disrupts mitochondrial biogenesis. However, the LYC supplementation reverses these changes. ATZ causes increased mitophagy and exacerbates the production of oxidized mitochondrial DNA (Ox-mtDNA) and mitochondrial stress. This study reveals that LYC could act as an antioxidant to repair Ox-mtDNA and restore the disordered mitochondrial function caused by ATZ.

A longitudinal study of the effects of model texts on EFL children's written production

As written corrective feedback tools, it has been claimed that model texts improve language learners' subsequent production, but almost exclusively in terms of lexical gains. However, little research has been carried out with EFL children, an underrepresented population in the literature, and much less from a longitudinal perspective. The main aim of this study was to determine the extent to which sustained exposure to models can have an impact on the written production of child EFL learners. Thirty pairs of 11–12-year-old Spanish EFL children were randomly assigned to a control group, a treatment group, and a long-term treatment group, who engaged in two four-stage collaborative writing cycles of three weeks each. The children's collaborative texts were transcribed and analyzed considering different measures (types of clause, syntactic complexity, lexical diversity, accuracy, fluency, and holistic assessment). Our findings reveal that model texts led to a reduction in the number of pre-clauses and an increase in the syntactic complexity of the texts in the short run. Sustained exposure to models showed that the children were able to produce fewer proto-clauses and more clauses, feature higher lexical diversity in their texts, and make fewer errors.

Diagnosing, assessing and managing cellulitis.

Cellulitis is an acute bacterial infection that affects the deep dermis and surrounding subcutaneous tissue. Although it is a common condition, it is often misdiagnosed because it can mimic a range of conditions that also cause inflamed, red, irritated and painful skin. Such misdiagnoses may lead to unnecessary hospital admissions and antibiotic overuse, with most alternative diagnoses being non-infectious. Undertaking a holistic patient assessment, skin assessment and thorough clinical history is important in the diagnosis of cellulitis, and it is vital to use a collaborative multidisciplinary approach in its acute management and to prevent recurrence. This article defines the term cellulitis and explores its presenting features. The author also discusses the associated risk factors, clinical assessment techniques and effective management strategies, as well as outlining the actions that nurses can take to prevent recurrence.

Safe physical interaction with cobots: a multi-modal fusion approach for health monitoring.

Health monitoring is a critical aspect of personalized healthcare, enabling early detection, and intervention for various medical conditions. The emergence of cloud-based robot-assisted systems has opened new possibilities for efficient and remote health monitoring. In this paper, we present a Transformer-based Multi-modal Fusion approach for health monitoring, focusing on the effects of cognitive workload, assessment of cognitive workload in human-machine collaboration, and acceptability in human-machine interactions. Additionally, we investigate biomechanical strain measurement and evaluation, utilizing wearable devices to assess biomechanical risks in working environments. Furthermore, we study muscle fatigue assessment during collaborative tasks and propose methods for improving safe physical interaction with cobots. Our approach integrates multi-modal data, including visual, audio, and sensor- based inputs, enabling a holistic assessment of an individual's health status. The core of our method lies in leveraging the powerful Transformer model, known for its ability to capture complex relationships in sequential data. Through effective fusion and representation learning, our approach extracts meaningful features for accurate health monitoring. Experimental results on diverse datasets demonstrate the superiority of our Transformer-based multi- modal fusion approach, outperforming existing methods in capturing intricate patterns and predicting health conditions. The significance of our research lies in revolutionizing remote health monitoring, providing more accurate, and personalized healthcare services.

A novel approach for retrieving GPP of evergreen forest regions of India using random forest regression

Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) is a crucial variable of global carbon cycle for determining the ecosystem’s health. Various methods are devised to quantify GPP and upscale it in both time and space. The most common methods are physical model and eddy covariance-based estimation, which are very restricted to surrounding area of study, only. The alternative methods are empirical (e.g., LUE, CASA, SCARF, and MODIS) and Machine learning (ML) models that employ remote sensing satellite data and geographical factors. However, for using ML models, ground-based measurements of GPP is a very important factor, which is not available in most places. We propose an alternative and effective way of estimating the GPP using the ML model and data from various flux sites around the globe for a particular plant functional type (PFT). In the present study, RF is used as ML model, which is trained on global GPP data from evergreen forest and implemented in Indian region. The key findings indicated that ML-based GPP is highly accurate and hence, we generated 20 years of time series GPP dataset (2001–2020). We validated with ground-based flux tower observations during 2016–2018 for three sites (very limited datasets) in India and compared them with MODIS GPP. The coefficient of determination (R2) value of the ML-based model was 0.84 with root mean square error (RMSE) of 1.45 gC m−2 Day−1 and mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.838 gC m−2 Day−1. The proposed approach is highly accurate and far better than the MODIS-based GPP. Therefore, it can be further extended to other forest types for a holistic assessment of the carbon cycle of a region.

The IEQ Occupant Manikin: a holistic indoor environmental quality assessment tool

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) measurement is a fundamental part of quantifying the performance of any space. Performing measurements and interpreting the results require expensive equipment and specialist knowledge for each parameter. Since holistic IEQ assessment requires investigation of multiple parameters across atmospheric, thermal, acoustic, and visual indoor environment, this is a comprehensive and expensive task. The IEQ Occupant Manikin concept presents an operational holistic IEQ assessment based on measurements of various parameters. The paper presents the development of a prototype manikin equipped with various sensors strategically positioned to best represent the exposure occupants would experience. Since the manikin also physically mimics an occupant in the space, the term occupant-centric measurements is used. In addition, the paper presents a preliminary methodology for the assessment, weighting, and aggregation of individual IEQ parameters towards an overall holistic IEQ assessment. Practical implementation of the work is discussed, including the potential implications for standards on IEQ measurement. The paper reflects upon the future perspectives on using machine learning for a black box modelling approach to tackle the complex issues with the interaction effects between IEQ parameters and relative IEQ parameter weights for holistic assessment. Finally, the paper presents suggestions for future work on the IEQ Occupant Manikin concept.