Interdisciplinary Collaborative Work Research Articles

Software Design for Users with Autism Using Human-Centered Design and Design Thinking Techniques

This paper details a method, which has been called FRIDA, applied by the authors within this study based on the collaborative and interdisciplinary development of accessible software that is usable by people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To this end, the context of this study is based on the adaptation of the Design Thinking model as a strategy for interdisciplinary collaborative work between clinical therapists and software developers. This is complemented by a human-centered design (DCH) approach to obtain accessible software aimed at people with ASD level 1. Each of the stages of Design Thinking is detailed in order to obtain the personalized design of accessible software, as well as the activities carried out in case studies in Colombia, Spain, and Portugal with eight children diagnosed with ASD. As a result, we present the design of FRIDA’s components for interdisciplinary collaborative work and the design of personalized software that was developed for some children with ASD who participated in this study. For these children, it is demonstrated that the use of personalized and collaboratively designed software facilitates the development of specific social skills more quickly than with conventional clinical therapies.

Braiding Indigenous knowledge systems and Western-based sciences in the Alberta oil sands region: A systematic review

The braiding of Indigenous knowledge systems and Western-based sciences offers insights into ecology and has emerged as a way to help address complex environmental issues. We reviewed the publicly available ecological research involving the braiding of Indigenous knowledge systems and Western-based sciences to support collaborative work in the Alberta oil sands region of Canada. We conducted a systematic review, coding for 78 questions in six categories: (1) literature search and bibliographic information; (2) research themes; (3) study setting and design; (4) knowledge systems; (5) power relationships, colonization, and ethical considerations in research; and (6) benefits and challenges of braiding. We identified six articles that braided knowledge, with those articles focusing on environmental management and monitoring for impacts of industrial activity in northern Alberta. Researchers used a broad range of approaches to gather Indigenous knowledge and scientific data and identified multiple challenges (e.g., asymmetries of power, resource availability, and funding) to research. Our findings show that more support is needed to foster, promote, and disseminate interdisciplinary collaborative work involving braiding. Additional support is also required to address Indigenous community research needs related to the assessment of environmental impact and reclamation, as well as the understanding of ecological threats across the region.

Advocacy for Health Justice: An Innovative Pilot Course for MD and Master of Public Policy Students

Problem : U.S. medical schools are searching for ways to address issues of health justice in undergraduate medical education. Physicians have not typically received training in how to be effective advocates for systemic change and individuals in policy fields are not usually equipped to understand the complex issues of health science and their intersection with the health system and society. To address this gap, medical school faculty partnered with school of public policy faculty on a collaborative learning model that engaged MD and Master of Public Policy students together to strengthen their collective knowledge of the healthcare landscape, and to build skills to work for health justice. Intervention: We hypothesized that pairing medical students with public policy students to learn about the intersections of health justice and advocacy could enhance the efficacy of each group and provide a new model of collaboration between medical and policy professionals. The students collaborated on a health justice advocacy project through which they provided consultation to an established community organization. Context : The 8-week course took place in the spring of 2021 in Los Angeles, California. Due to Covid-19 the course was taught online and included asynchronous learning modules and live Zoom sessions. The project also served as a pilot for the post-clerkship phase of a new longitudinal health justice curriculum for MD students that launched in August 2021. Impact : Analysis of student work products, course evaluations, partner interviews, and student focus groups showed that students valued learning through their interdisciplinary collaborative work which gave them new perspectives on health justice issues. The community partners indicated that the students consultative work products were useful for their initiatives, and that they found working with MD and MPP students to be a valuable way to think about how to build stronger and more inclusive coalitions to advocate for health justice. This project has the potential for national impact as it aligns with the Association of American Medical Colleges’ renewed focus on the responsibility of academic medicine to partner with communities for health justice. The project also contributed to the national conversation on how to align health systems science education with the aims of health justice through our participation in the American Medical Association Accelerating Change in Medical Education Consortium. Lessons Learned : Leveraging faculty relationships with community partners was crucial for developing meaningful projects for students. Cultivating and expanding community partner networks is necessary to sustain and scale up this type of intervention. Centering the needs of communities and supporting their on-going work for health justice is essential for becoming an effective advocate. Learning communities that bring interdisciplinary students, healthcare providers, policy professionals, and community partners together to learn from one another can create key opportunities for ameliorating health inequities.

Percepción del alumnado sobre su competencia comunicativa en la formación inicial docente: una experiencia interdisciplinar

Communicative competence is one of the key competences in initial teacher training, and the development of this competence is made more significant by coordinated planning across several subjects. Since communication is fundamental to the teaching and learning process, care must be taken to enhance its written, oral and non-verbal aspects. In this study we analyze university students’ self-perception of their communicative competence after they have completed an interdisciplinary project that integrated various communication skills through active and coordinated teaching-learning methodologies in academic-professional collaboration, theoretical sessions and workshops with experts. To do so, we implemented a longitudinal training program with 53 students from the Degree in Primary Education in which the students created a written story in the first year before transforming the story into oral and scenic formats in later courses. Based on the rubrics of the generic competences of the University of , we designed an mixed questionnaire. After the questionnaire had been validated by experts, the data were collected. Our results show a generally positive and critically constructive assessment. They also indicate an increase in student motivation, since the workshops help students better understand the contents of the subjects, thus underlining their practical nature. Interdisciplinary collaborative work that implements comprehensive and inclusive learning experiences should therefore be encouraged in initial teacher training programs.

SIAM—Colombia MMC: A Challenge-Based Math Modeling Learning Strategy

The math modeling challenge CoSIAM is a competition based on interdisciplinary collaborative work challenges. This research seeks to demonstrate the value of this type of challenge-based competition as a learning strategy outside the classroom. Based on data, we conducted a qualitative study on the perception of the participants in the last three versions of the mathematical modeling challenge, in terms of the learning achieved, the benefits of their participation, the knowledge and skills they brought into play, and the change in their conception of modeling. The participants were undergraduate and graduate students in mathematics and other areas, from several Colombian and Mexican universities. The research yielded results in three directions. The first is related to the advantages and limitations of teamwork, the second explores the learning that arises from this experience, and the third is oriented to the disciplinary knowledge mobilized for the solution of this type of problematic situation. The study allowed concluding, among other issues, that learning based on interdisciplinary problem solving, formulated from a global perspective, enhances the acquisition of valuable skills for the participants.

Role of yoga as an adjuvant therapy in the management of metabolic syndrome – A randomized control pilot study

Introduction: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a public health threat rising globally at an alarming rate. Yoga as a therapy is becoming increasingly popular and its applications are increasing in various clinical conditions. Yoga is an integrated system of self-culturing, aimed at coordinated development of body and mind leading to enhanced physical health, spiritual harmony, positive thinking, happiness and peace. Aim: This study aimed to study the role of yoga as adjuvant therapy in the clinical management of MetS. Methods: The study was done an interdisciplinary collaborative work between Center for Yoga Therapy and Department of General Medicine of MGMCRI, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Puducherry. Thirty newly diagnosed MetS patients were recruited; prestudy evaluations of body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, pulse rate, systolic blood pressure (SP), diastolic blood pressure (DP), fasting blood sugar, postprandial blood sugar, glycosylated hemoglobin, and fasting lipid profile were done. By the method of simple randomization, subjects were allocated to yoga therapy group (n = 15), who received yoga therapy thrice weekly for 3 months along with standard medical management and to control group (n = 15) who received only standard medical management. Poststudy evaluation of all parameters was done at the end of the study period. Data were analyzed by Student's paired 't' test, as all data passed normality. Results: There was a statistically significant (p < 0.05) reduction in all the above parameters in yoga group compared to control group. Changes seen in control group were missing significance. Conclusion s: It may be concluded from the present pilot study that adjuvant yoga therapy is beneficial in maintaining good health and reducing metabolic risk factors. This may have impact on utilization of yoga therapy as a secure and cost-effective add-on therapeutic modality in combating MetS.

Current status of perovskite in X-ray detection for medical imaging technology

The X-ray imaging is a powerful tool used in medical diagnostics, non-destructive material inspection, security checks, nuclear plants and research field. Perovskites is considered as a promising candidate for X-ray detection owning to its remarkably improved sensitivity, low-cost synthesis, detection limit, response time and better special resolution. In this review paper the challenges and future scope of the reported work in the lead based and lead free single and polycrystalline perovskites is studied. Most of the reported results are based on single pixel detection. Hence, it is proposed that an interdisciplinary collaborative work will only facilitate its practical implementation in state-of-the-art X-ray imaging technology.

Networks and Emotions in Cooperative Work: A Quasi-Experimental Study in University Nursing and Computer Engineering Students

University students establish networks that impact on their behavior. Social Network Analysis (SNA) allows us to analyze the reticular structures formed and find patterns of interaction between university students. The main objective of this study was to observe the impact of interdisciplinary collaborative work between nursing and computer engineering students on the collaboration and friendship networks, emotions and performance of the participants. It is a quasi-experimental descriptive study with pre- and post-intervention measurements. The contact networks analyzed showed an increase in density in the post-intervention period. The most central people in the network corresponded with those who considered positive emotions most in their academic environment, while the less central people coincided with those who highlighted negative emotions. Academic performance was only significantly associated in the collaboration network, between this and OutdegreeN. This study shows the impact of interdisciplinary activities on teaching methodologies and the repercussions of emotions on curricular activity.

Nephroprotective Impact of Adjuvant Yoga Therapy on Diabetes- A Randomised Controlled Trial

Introduction: Recent studies have provided abundant evidence about benefits of yoga in various chronic disorders. Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a group of metabolic diseases characterised by chronic hyperglycaemia and renal complications of the disease are especially notable. It is estimated that 10% to 40% cases of Type 2 DM (T2DM) eventually end up having kidney failure. Yoga therapy may help to prevent progression of kidney damage in diabetic patients. Aim: To evaluate the effect of adjuvant yoga therapy on renal profile in diabetic patients. Materials and Methods: This single blind Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) was designed as an interdisciplinary collaborative work between Centre for Yoga Therapy, Education and Research (CYTER) and Department of Endocrinology of Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth, Puducherry, India. A total of 72 diabetic patients with HbA1c, more than 7% were recruited and pre study evaluation of Fasting Blood Sugar (FBS), Postprandial Blood Sugar (PPBS), HbA1c, blood urea and serum creatinine were done. They were then randomised into control group (n=36) who received only standard medical management and yoga group (n=36) who received yoga therapy thrice weekly for 4 months along with standard medical management. Poststudy evaluation of all parameters was done at end of study period and data were analysed by Student’s paired and unpaired t-test for intra and intergroup comparisons. Results: Postinterventional comparisons revealed statistically significant reductions (p<0.001) in all glycaemic and renal parameters in the group receiving yoga therapy when compared with control group who didn’t receive the yoga intervention. Intragroup comparisons revealed significant reduction of all parameters in yoga group. Conclusion: It is concluded from the present RCT that yoga has a definite role as an adjuvant therapy as it enhances standard medical care and hence, can be recommended in routine clinical management of diabetes to prevent progression into complications that are part of the natural history of the disease.

Obstacles and levers of interdisciplinary collaborative work. The case of ALLIBEAS.

ABSTRACTInterdisciplinary collaboration is often highlighted in official discourses and represents a considerable challenge for organisations, universities and schools. To address this challenge, proximities/distances, knowledge boundaries and boundary objects are useful concepts to analyse the obstacles facing interdisciplinary collaboration, and to identify levers to cross the knowledge boundaries between disciplines. We raise two research questions. Why is it so hard to work together and collaborate in an interdisciplinary context? How can interdisciplinary collaborative work be sustained? To answer these two questions, we mobilise the literature on the subject and analyse the case of ALLIBEAS. The study highlights three main findings. Cognitive and institutional distances and collective tacit knowledge create knowledge boundaries that make collaboration difficult. Geographical, social and organisational proximities facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration, but are not sufficient. Some micro processes and artefacts are needed to make students from different disciplines and schools interact, create social links, and cross knowledge boundaries.

Effectiveness of Adjuvant Yoga Therapy in Diabetic Lung: A Randomized Control Trial.

Context:Recent studies provide ample evidence of the benefits of yoga in various chronic disorders. Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic diseases characterized by chronic hyperglycemia and Sandler coined the term “Diabetic Lung” for the abnormal pulmonary function detected in diabetic patients due underlying pulmonary dysfunction. Yoga therapy may help in achieving better pulmonary function along with enhanced glycaemic control and overall health benefits.Aim:To study the effect of adjuvant yoga therapy in diabetic lung through spirometry.Settings and Design:Randomized control trial was made as interdisciplinary collaborative work between departments of Yoga Therapy, Pulmonary Medicine and Endocrinology, of MGMC & RI, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth Puducherry.Materials and Methods:72 patients of diabetic lung as confirmed by spirometry (<70% of expected) were randomized into control group (n=36) who received only standard medical treatment and yoga group (n=36) who received yoga training thrice weekly for 4 months along with standard medical management. Yoga therapy protocol included yogic counseling, preparatory practices, Asanas or static postures, Pranayama or breathing techniques and relaxation techniques. Hathenas of the Gitananda Yoga tradition were the main practices used. Spirometry was done at the end of the study period. Data was analyzed by Student's paired and unpaired 't' test as it passed normality.Results:There was a statistically significant (P < 0.05) reduction in weight, and BMI along with a significant (P < 0.01) improvement in pulmonary function (FEV1, FVC) in yoga group as compared to control group where parameters worsened over study period.Conclusion:It is concluded from the present RCT that yoga has a definite role as an adjuvant therapy as it enhances standard medical care and hence is even more significant in routine clinical management of diabetes, improving physical condition and pulmonary function.

Effect of Adjuvant Yoga Therapy on Pulmonary Function and Quality of Life Among Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Randomized Control Trial

Introduction: Previous studies have suggested that yoga may have a positive impact on lung function and quality of life (QoL) and hence the present prospective two-arm single-blinded controlled study evaluated effect of adjuvant yoga therapy on pulmonary function and QoL of patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Material and methods:In this interdisciplinary collaborative work, 72 COPD patients were recruited after obtaining informed consent and randomized to yoga group (22 M and 14 F) who received adjuvant yoga therapyin addition to standard medical management and control group (20 M and 16 F) who received only medical management. Yoga therapy protocol validated by CYTER was used and this included loosening exercises, postures (asanas), vitalising breathing techniques (pranayama) and relaxation. Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1) and FEV1/FVCwere measured using standard computerized pulmonary function test ‘Trueflow (ndd)’ before and after study period of 4 weeks. Saint George Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) was used to asses QoL. Changes in pulmonary function parameters were correlated with QoL (symptoms, activity, impacts and quality) scores. Intra-group comparisons were done using Student’s paired ‘t’ test and intergroup comparisons using unpaired ‘t’ test. Results:There was significant improvement (p < 0.01) in body weight, BMI, FVC and FEV1 after four weeks of adjuvant yoga therapy while controls showedsignificant decline in all parameters. There were improvements in all QoL scores, namely symptoms score (p<0.001) and activity score (p<0.05), impacts score (p<0.01) and quality score (p<0.001)in yoga group while no significant changes in controls.Significant correlation was found between pulmonary function and QoL in Yoga group. Discussion:Significant improvements of lung function with adjuvant yoga therapy can be attributed to comprehensive yoga therapy package administered to participants. This may be due to with decreased airway resistance and better lung compliance attributed to nonspecific broncho-protective or broncho-relaxing effect. Significant improvement in QoL scores implies patients were able to participate in more activities than earlier, and this can be attributed to improved vital capacity as well as enhanced self-confidence /self-reliance. Our results are consistent with previous such studies and we conclude that yoga has a positive and additive role as an adjuvant therapy along with standard medical management of COPD.

Trastornos del desarrollo en niños y adolescentes de la región de Los Ríos, Valdivia, Chile, 2006-2008

ObjectivesTo study possible findings of factors in the antenatal, perinatal or postnatal period, in the mother or the child that may have an influence on the appearance of a developmental disorder. Patients and methodA Data Base of Clinical Histories from every patient with a developmental disorder (F80-F90 ICD10) was created. The patients attended the Child Psychiatric Unit at Hospital Regional of Valdivia, Chile, from August 2006 to December 2008. Total: 493 patientes (48.7% of the total of patients consulting); Control group: 32 healthy patients. Statistical method: odds ratio (95% confidence). ResultsThe main risk factors for developing a developmental disorder (P<.005, 25% frequency in the consulting population) are: prematurity, male sex, mother with low education, early hospitalizations, and medical illnesses (all with a significant odds ratio). Also, having a mother with psychiatric illness doubles the risk of having a developmental disorder. ConclusionIt requires an interdisciplinary collaborative work between neonatologists, obstetricians, child psychiatrists and the primary care to detect early children at risk.

Designing and Incorporating Green Chemistry Courses at a Liberal Arts College To Increase Students’ Awareness and Interdisciplinary Collaborative Work

Two green chemistry courses have been introduced into the liberal arts curriculum at Susquehanna University. Green chemistry was integrated into an existing course, Chemical Concepts, and offered as Green Chemical Concepts for nonscience majors. This course is designed to instill an appreciation for green chemistry in a large and diverse group of students. The course follows a separate interactive lecture and laboratory format, consists of an atom economy workshop, and ends with students’ collaborative group presentations on “life cycle assessment of a greener product”. A chemistry elective, Green Chemistry, was also developed and offered to science majors. It is important that students from various areas of science be exposed to green chemistry, as many innovative science discoveries are made today through interdisciplinary collaborative work. This course follows a unique workshop style, integrating lectures with laboratory activities, and ends with student proposal presentations on “designing a greener ...

Production of GPCR and GPCR complexes for structure determination

Since the first high-resolution structure of the beta 2 adrenergic receptor (b2AR) in 2007, we have seen a growing number of G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) structures coming to the repertory, providing a significant progress in our understanding of the structural basis of their function. This has been achieved by the interdisciplinary collaborative work between scientists with various expertise and the development of new methodologies as well as combining and optimizing existing techniques.

Policy Interactions in Human–Landscape Systems

Given the heightened pace and extent of human interactions with landscapes, there is increasing recognition of the interdependence of hydrogeomorphological, ecological, and human systems in understanding human-landscape interactions. There is also widespread agreement for greater integration across disciplinary boundaries to generate new knowledge urgently needed for theory building to understand, predict, and respond to rapidly changing human-landscape systems. The development of new conceptual frameworks, methods, tools, and collaborations linking across the natural and social sciences are key elements to such integration. In an effort to contribute to a broader conceptual framework for human-landscape systems, this paper describes how environmental policy research has contributed to four integrative themes--thresholds and tipping points; spatial scales and boundaries; feedback loops; and time scales and lags--developed by participants in an NSF-sponsored interdisciplinary workshop. As a broad and heterogeneous body of literature, environmental policy research reflects a diversity of methodological and theoretical approaches around institutions, actors, processes, and ideas. We integrate across multiple subfields and research programs to help identify complementarities in research that may support future interdisciplinary collaborative work. We conclude with a discussion of future research questions to help advance greater interdisciplinary research around human-landscape systems.

Review: Greening the Media

Review: Greening Media By Richard Maxwell and Toby Miller Maxwell, Richard and Miller,Toby. Greening Media, New York and Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012, 246pp. ISBN 9780195325201, paper.As his previous publications have proven, a new book by prolific scholar Toby Miller is always instructive, clear, thought-provoking, and enlightening. For this interdisciplinary collaborative work, distinguished professor of studies at University of California is now working with Professor Richard Maxwell (from University of New York) in order to investigate environmental hazards linked with production and disposal of new technologies, especially cell phones, HD television sets, computers and laptops. The authors argue that all these apparently neat, new technologies are in fact highly polluting, not only because they are short-lived, easily obsolete and frequently replaced, but primarily because of their very dangerous components that have to be manipulated during both production and disassembly before recycling process.As authors write, students in communication and studies are not taught these issues because most university professors are not aware of environmental dimensions related to electronic they use daily: media students and professors generally arrive at, inhabit, and depart universities with a focus on textuality, technology, and/or reception; they rarely address where texts and technologies physically come from or end up (p. 10). The focus here is on these metal boxes full of electronics and dangerous chemical poisons, that are produced and consumed, bought and cherished, as if their real existence was only limited to short period of time they are actually part of our lives. However, things are beginning to change: curiosity about material provenance of commodities has begun to pose new ethical challenges to corporate defenders of consumer society (p. 24). In Chapter 2, authors highlight fact that too many experts are looking in wrong direction, and therefore, they aim to examine the tendency to regard each emergent medium as awe inspiring and world changing relies on recurring myths of technological power in absence of acknowledging environmental and labor realities (p. 43).Greening Media begins at heart of problem: endless consumption of new technologies (p. 22). Consumerism remains main contradiction in environmental issues because it is obsessively linked with growth ideology and a green commodity discourse, which promotes magical fusion of environmentalism with growth, profits, and pleasure (p. …

Managing Misunderstandings

This article explores how scientists communicate with each other in interdisciplinary collaborative work. It is based on ethnographic research conducted with one such group, which is building a predictive computer model of heat transfer in prostate tissues. The analysis identifies strategies scientists use in their communication practices, including managing different understandings of the validity of knowledge, partial understandings among participants, and interpretive discipline crossing in group meetings. The ideas of productive misunderstandings and of registration as correlating distinct knowledge domains are used to interpret how scientists must manage their unshared backgrounds as part of the collaborative scientific work.

DESIGNING COLLABORATIVE USER INTERFACES: LESSONS FROM WRITER/GRAPHIC DESIGNER INTERACTION

Recent discussions about designing and building user interfaces for collaborative work have revealed a number of points. One of the most significant is that before we can concentrate on collaborative interfaces, we still have much to learn about the nature of collaboration itself. In particular, we need information from studies that have systematically looked at interdisciplinary collaboration in real contexts, with real people and problems. Thus, the goals of my research are to deeply understand one kind of interdisciplinary collaborative work -the activities of a document design team working on a client project - and then to produce guidelines for computer support of the interactions studied.