Level Of Performance Research Articles

Work Engagement and Performance of Romanian School Teachers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Impact of Sociodemographic and Contextual Factors

The pandemic has led to significant changes in teaching environments, which may have affected teacher engagement and performance. The aim of the paper is to investigate the levels of work engagement (WE) and work performance (WP) during the pandemic among teachers in primary and lower secondary schools in Romania and to identify if the dimensions of these two concepts differ according to gender, age, residence, status, teaching degree, and course profile, filling a gap in the specialized literature regarding these variables in Romanian education. We conducted a survey between February and March 2022 on a sample of 1051 teachers using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) and the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire (IWPQ 0.3). Teachers reported a high level of engagement and work performance, higher levels of WE being identified among female teachers and those teaching in rural areas. Younger teachers showed the lowest work engagement, despite their familiarity with the digital tools used during the COVID-19 pandemic. Interestingly, while gender and employment status did not have a significant impact on job performance, contextual performance was higher among tenured teaching staff and women. In addition, the profile of subjects taught significantly affected engagement and performance. The results of this research can contribute to a more dynamic and supportive educational system, ultimately leading to improved outcomes for teachers and students.

Comparative Analysis of the Physical, Tactical, Emotional, and Mood Characteristics of Under-13 Soccer Players by Performance Level

Background and Objectives: Soccer is a sport characterized by various unpredictable situations in which physical abilities are associated with athletic performance. There are several capabilities that young soccer players must develop to adapt to the needs of the competition. This study analyzes the physical characteristics, tactical knowledge, emotional intelligence, and mood states of youth soccer players at different competitive levels. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 36 male soccer players with an average age of 12.65 ± 0.48 years, weight of 44.92 ± 7.49 kg, and height of 157.2 ± 0.08 cm. A cross-sectional correlational study design was selected. Inferential analysis was conducted via the RV coefficient to assess relationships between groups. Two-sample tests (Student’s t test or the Mann–Whitney U test) were used to assess the distribution of the samples. Standardized mean differences (i.e., Cohen’s d) were calculated as effect sizes. Results: For the yo-yo intermittent endurance test level 1, the Premier category showed higher speed (p = 0.01, d = 0.40) and superior estimated VO2max (p = 0.01, d = −0.91). The statistically significant variables included the hamstring strength exercise of the hamstrings for the angle of rupture (p = 0.04, d = −0.04, d = −0.72), the COD-Timer 5-0-5 for contact time—5-0-5 (ms) (p = 0.04, d = 0.69) and 10 m—5-0-5 (s) (p = 0.02, d = 0.79), tactical knowledge of in-game performance (p = 0.01, d = −1.19), support level (p = 0.01, d = −1.27), decision-making ability (p = 0.01, d = 0.59), melancholy (p = 0.01, d = 0.59), confusion (p = 0.01, d = 0.56), and emotional intelligence (p = 0.04, d = 0.77). The Premier category presented slightly higher averages than did category A. In the assessment of running-based anaerobic sprint test power (p < 0.05, d = 0.83) and mood states (p < 0.05, d = 0.59), players in category A presented higher results. Conclusions: The performance capacity of youth soccer players encompasses a multidimensional complexity that includes physical, tactical, emotional, and psychological aspects, which vary among players of the same age.

Analysing the impact of gamification training on reinforcing the relationship of ISA employee engagement and employee task performance – empirical study

Purpose This paper aims to examine the effect of gamification training on employee task performance within the context of intellectual, social and affective (ISA) employee engagement in India. The use of gamification in training as a possible precursor to increased employee engagement is a fascinating research topic, especially as employee engagement is becoming an increasingly important factor in workplace success. Design/methodology/approach To achieve the aim of this study, 300 responses were obtained from employees in an Indian company using online surveys to quantitatively assess levels of employee engagement and task performance. Statistical tests like SPSS 20.0 and Smart PLS 3.0 were run on the collected data to see if gamification training led to significantly higher levels of employee engagement and if this engagement had an effect on task performance. Findings Result tells that social and affective engagement mediates the relationship between gamification training and employee task performance in gamification-using organisations, relative to intellectual engagement. As social and affective engagement has considerable positive effects on employee job performance and gamification training, gamification training is a critical approach for organisations to implement to increase employee engagement and, consequently, performance. Originality/value Using an innovative variable of employee engagement – specifically, ISA employee engagement – the authors have sought to establish a mediating link between gamification and employee task performance. Therefore, the study’s designs have practical value for organisations because they incorporate the ISA engagement scale into a game-based learning environment.

Analysis of Industrial Performance Indicators Effects On Enhance The Competitiveness of The Food Sector and The Possibility Of Support in The Iraqi Economy (2003-2020)

This study was aimed on analyze the competitiveness of the food industry sector, and showed the level of industrial and competitive performance of these industries, and the possibility of supporting and enhancing their competitiveness in the Iraqi economy for the period 2003-2020. Competitiveness is considered one of the most important indicators of the efficiency of the food industry tool in local and foreign markets, as competitiveness represents the ability of productive sectors of different types to distribute their products and increase their sales level. Therefore, the food industry in Iraq is considered one of the most important sectors of the manufacturing industries that suffer from problems and obstacles including a decrease in the level of competitive and industrial performance. It is believed that the problem of the research is the weak competitiveness of the food industry in Iraq due to the decline in the quality of manufactured products and the weak level of competitiveness of these products compared to imported products. The results of the study showed a decrease and fluctuation in the contribution of the manufacturing sector to the gross domestic product (GDP) in Iraq. The economic policy was not providing the possibility of an investment climate to support and enhance the private sector in industrial investment. The indicators of production requirements such as labor productivity, worker productivity, and the value added index of the food industries sector began to fluctuate between decrease and increase, and to measure the extent of the reciprocal effects between all parts of the standard model and the extent of its contribution to developing the competitive capacity of this sector.

Assessing Project Resilience Through Reference Class Forecasting and Radial Basis Function Neural Network

A project needs to be able to anticipate potential threats, respond effectively to adverse events, and adapt to environmental changes. This overall capability is known as project resilience. In order to make efficient project decisions when the project is subjected to disruption, such as adjusting the project budget, reformulating the work plan, and rationalizing the allocation of resources, it is necessary to quantitatively understand the level of project resilience. Therefore, this paper develops a novel approach for forecasting project performance, illustrating the changes in performance levels during the disruption and recovery phases of a project and thus quantitatively assessing project resilience. While there are several methods for assessing project resilience in existing research, the majority of assessment approaches originate from within projects and are highly subjective, which makes it difficult to objectively reflect the level of project resilience. Moreover, the availability of project samples is limited, which makes it difficult to forecast the level of project performance. In view of the fact that the Reference Class Forecasting (RCF) technique avoids subjectivity and the Radial Basis Function (RBF) neural network is known to be better at forecasting small sample datasets, this paper therefore combines the RCF technique and the RBF neural network to construct a model that forecasts the project performance of the current project after experiencing a disruption, further assessing the level of the project resilience. Specifically, this paper first presents a conceptual model of project resilience assessment; subsequently, an RBF neural network model that takes into account project budget, duration, risk level of disruption, and performance before disruption based on the RCF technique is developed to forecast project performance after experiencing disruption; and finally, the level of project resilience is assessed through calculating the ratio of recovery to loss of project performance. The model is trained and validated using 64 completed construction projects with disruptions as the datasets. The results show that the average relative errors between the forecast results of schedule performance index (SPI) and the real values are less than 5%, and the R2 of the training set and the testing set is 0.991 and 0.964, respectively, and the discrepancy between the forecasted and real values of project resilience is less than 10%. These illustrate that the model performs well and is feasible for quantifying the level of project resilience, clarifying its impact on project disruption and recovery situations, and facilitating the decision-makers of the project to make reasonable decisions.

Impact of Corporate Governance on Firms’ Sustainability Performance: Case Study of BIST 50 Index Companies

Purpose: the purpose of this study is to investigate whether corporate governance mechanisms and attributes influence the sustainability performance of companies included in the BIST 50 Index. Results and contributions: Regression analysis showed that there was a significant positive influence of board tenure on sustainability performance and all its types; board size on environmental performance; and a dummy variable for board evaluation externally facilitated and company size on sustainability, environmental, and social performance. A significant negative impact of director attendance at board meetings on social performance was also revealed. This study contributes to the literature on the role of corporate governance in achieving the SDGs for BIST 50 Index companies, highlighting the significant impact of its individual indicators on the achievement of sustainability performance. Methodology: The authors reviewed 45 sustainability reports of BIST 50 Index companies for 2023. Four indices—Sustainability Performance, Environmental Performance, Social Performance, and Corporate Governance Performance Indexes—were developed to characterize sustainability performance and its types based on a content analysis of sustainability disclosures. To analyze the influence of mechanisms and characteristics of the corporate governance system on sustainability performance, eight independent variables were used: board size, number of board meetings, director attendance at board meetings, board independence, board tenure, a dummy variable for board evaluation externally facilitated, a dummy variable for internal auditors present, and a dummy variable for CEO and Chair functions combined. Two control variables, company size and leverage, were used as well. Gap: Today, the scientific literature has no universal approach and understanding of how the corporate governance system should be developed to improve sustainability performance or its individual components. Relevance: Development of a corporate governance system is one of the ways to increase the level of sustainability performance of companies. Impact: The results of the study made it possible to produce several recommendations (expand the number of board members, develop an effective procedure for regular changes of general directors in company boards, introduce independent external control tools in the corporate governance systems of companies) that will lead to the achievement of SDGs 5, 8, 16.

Nurses' models of spiritual care: Predictors of spiritual care competence.

Previous studies have shown that nurses' spiritual care competence is related to characteristics of personal spirituality, training adequacy, and comfort, confidence, and frequency of provision of spiritual care. However, these studies assumed that all participants understood spiritual care in the same way, and used self-ratings of spiritual care competence, which are problematic. Our previous study found that spiritual care was understood in 4 qualitatively different ways that can be arranged in order of competence. This study aimed to re-examine the relationships between nurse characteristics and spiritual care competence, using spiritual care understanding as a proxy for competence. Data was collected from a convenience sample of nurses who completed an anonymous, online survey. The survey provided qualitative data about what spiritual care means for them. The survey also provided quantitative data regarding nurse characteristics. This study created sub-groups of nurses based on their understanding of spiritual care, and used the quantitative data to construct a profile of nurse characteristics for each sub-group. Kruskal-Wallis statistical tests determined whether nurse characteristics differed across the 4 sub-groups. Spiritual care competence was not related to confidence or comfort in providing spiritual care. Relationships with spirituality, training adequacy, and frequency of provision of spiritual care were not linear; i.e., higher competence did not always correspond with higher scores of these characteristics. The results raise concerns about the construct validity of using comfort and confidence as estimates of spiritual care competence. That the relationships between competence and spirituality, training adequacy, and frequency of spiritual care provision was not as linear as portrayed in extant literature, suggests that outcomes of training may depend on the type of spiritual care understanding subscribed to by training participants. The findings offer insights about how nurses could achieve high levels of spiritual care performance.

Reliability of online visual and proprioceptive feedback: impact on learning and sensorimotor coding.

Multisensory integration is essential for learning and sensorimotor coding, facilitating learners' adaptation to environmental changes. Recent findings confirm that introducing unreliability into visual feedback enhances the use of motor coding, probably because proprioceptive cues are given greater weight. The present study was designed to test this hypothesis and, more generally, to explore the impact of visual versus proprioceptive cue reliability on learning processes. Participants performed a 12-target pointing sequence 100 times with different combinations of visual and proprioceptive feedback: reliable versus unreliable. Retention tests and intermanual transfer tests were administered 24h later. Results showed that learning and sensorimotor coding were both affected by the different combinations of visual and proprioceptive cue reliability. Fully reliable feedback allowed for the best retention, while fully unreliable feedback resulted in the worst retention. Visual reliability alone mediated the level of visuospatial coding performance in visuospatial transfer, regardless of the level of proprioceptive reliability, and conversely, reliable proprioception combined with unreliable vision provided the optimum sensory environment for motor coding in the motor transfer test. Overall, our study highlighted the essential role of both visual cue reliability and proprioceptive cue reliability -and their interactions- in motor learning and its generalization.

Assessment of group formation methods on performance in group-based learning activities

Research on teaching and learning has demonstrated many benefits from team-and group-based learning for improving content comprehension and meeting learning outcomes in a wide range of disciplines. We help to expand on this research, by shedding additional light on the impact of group formation decisions on group performance during group learning activities in a higher education classroom setting. Our objective is to assess the impact of different group formation strategies, including random assignment, self-selection, and methods based on individual metrics, such as academic performance and individual skill levels. Using an experimental design approach, we find that GPA-based and math-ability based group formation strategies may provide some additional benefit to group performance on the margin when initially forming groups. Self-selection of groups may be more beneficial after students learn more about each other (e.g., skills sets and work ethic) during the progression of the course. Our study contributes to the literature by providing an assessment of different group formation strategies that are accessible to a wide range of instructors for small to large classes, as well as guidance on use of different group formation strategies within classes, specifically for classes with more quantitative and analytical tasks.

Performance of Basilan State College faculty: Metrics on commit, Knowledge, Teaching Prowess, and learning management

This study examined the teaching performance of faculty at Basilan State College, focusing on commitment, subject matter expertise, fostering independent learning, and managing the learning process. The study involved 147 faculty members, both permanent and non-permanent, during the 2008-2009 academic year, from four campuses: Isabela City, Sta. Clara, Lamitan, and Maluso. A stratified random sampling method was used to select 107 teachers, which included 44 permanent and 63 non-permanent staff. A survey was conducted to collect socio-demographic information such as age, gender, marital status, ethnicity, education, teaching experience, subject area, and employment type. Faculty performance in the specified areas was assessed using the NBC-461 Standard Performance Rating Form. Results indicated that faculty performance was rated as Outstanding by teachers, peers, and supervisors, while students rated it as Very Satisfactory. Notable differences were found in ratings from various evaluators, with teachers generally rating themselves higher than their peers, supervisors, and students. The study showed that performance levels remained consistent across age, gender, employment type, or subject area, but were significantly influenced by educational qualifications and teaching experience, with higher levels of both leading to better performance. These insights suggest that focused strategies at both the departmental and institutional levels could improve teaching effectiveness and support the achievement of educational objectives.

Load Monitoring Methods for Controlling Training Effectiveness on Physical Conditioning and Planning Involvement: A Narrative Review

Monitoring the training load during training is important for quantifying the demand on psychological and physiological responses. This procedure is achieved through subjective and objective methods applied to the control of the level of training, to the attainment of conditioning and performance goals, and to the prevention of injuries. Training load refers to either external load, such as the variables of speed, distance, accelerations, and decelerations, or internal load, which is related to the psychological and physiological responses during an exercise session or training period (e.g., rating of perceived exertion—RPE; and heart rate—HR). To measure external load, traditional methods include pedometers, accelerometers, global positioning systems, and volume load. For internal load, methods include RPE, training monotony, strain, and impulse, HR, hormonal and biochemical markers, and training diaries and questionnaires. The current review reinforces the assumption that the methods should be combined to improve confidence with the information, mainly when assessing internal load stress during training. Moreover, training load provides an objective assessment of performance levels and involvement in different training phases, thus providing relevant information to analyse strategies for the effectiveness of conditioning progress, performance enhancement, and injury prevention.

Regional Body Composition and Strength, Not Total Body Composition, Are Determinants of Performance in Climbers

Objective: To compare the body composition of Chilean climbers of different performance levels and to determine the relation between the forearm and upper-trunk lean mass and the handgrip and upper-body traction strength, respectively. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on thirty Chilean male adult climbers (26.1 ± 4.9 y.): nine of intermediate level (L1), eleven advanced (L2), and ten elite (L3). Through dual-energy X-Ray absorptiometry (DXA; Lunar Prodigy®), fat mass percentage (FM%), total lean mass (LM), forearm lean mass (FLM), and upper-trunk lean mass (UTLM) were measured. Total muscle mass (TMM) was also estimated. Handgrip strength (HGS) was measured with a Jamar® dynamometer. Maximum upper-body traction strength (UBTS) was evaluated with a standardized movement. The level of climbing was assessed according to IRCRA rules. Results: No differences in FM%, total LM, UTLM, or TMM between the groups were found. Left and assistant FLM were significantly higher in L3 (p = 0.047 and 0.041, respectively). HGS absolute, relative, and adjusted by FLM were not different between groups. FLM was associated with HGS in all segments (p ≤ 0.001). UBTS absolute values, and as adjusted by TMM, were significantly higher in L3 (p = 0.047 and p = 0.049, respectively). Conclusions: Left and non-dominant forearm lean mass were significantly higher in elite climbers. Handgrip strength was not significantly higher in elite climbers; however, the upper-body traction strength was significantly higher in elite climbers, independent of total or regional muscle mass.

Study of Physiological Adaptations in Vertical Kilometer Runners: Focus on Cardiorespiratory and Local Muscle Demands

Background: Research into key performance factors in trail running, particularly in vertical kilometer (VK) races, is crucial for effective training and periodization. However, recent studies on metabolic and cardiorespiratory responses during VK races, especially using field tests, are limited. Objectives: Therefore, the aim of this study is to evaluate the metabolic and cardiorespiratory responses during a VK field test, identifying differences based on sex and performance level, as well as key performance factors and their deterioration due to fatigue. Fifteen trained trail runners (ten males and five females, 19 to 38 years old) perform a VK race. Methods: The global physiological response is evaluated using the portable gas analyzer Cosmed K5 and the local response using near-infrared spectroscopy technology. Results: In gender comparisons, the ANCOVA test shows significant differences (p < 0.05) in the ventilation, tidal volume, expiratory time-to-inspiratory time ratio, inspiratory flow rate, end-tidal CO2 partial pressure, heart rate, oxygen pulse, and total hemoglobin. Additionally, the performance comparison reveals significant differences in the variables’ velocity, oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, ventilation, dead space-to-tidal volume ratio, total time of the breathing cycle, expiratory time-to-inspiratory time ratio, inspiratory duty cycle, expiratory fractions of CO2, quadriceps saturation index, and VE/VCO2 ratio. Finally, the correlation analysis shows oxygen consumption (r = −0.80 mean; r = −0.72 peak), carbon dioxide production (r = −0.91 mean; r = −0.75 peak), expiratory time-to-inspiratory time ratio (r = 0.68 peak), ventilation (r = −0.58 mean), and quadriceps saturation index (r = 0.54 mean; r = −0.76 coefficient of variation) as the key performance factors in the VK race. Conclusions: Overall, the physiological analysis indicates the importance of local muscular adaptations and respiratory system capacity in this type of short-duration race.

Automated lung segmentation on chest MRI in children with cystic fibrosis

IntroductionSegmentation of lung structures in medical imaging is crucial for the application of automated post-processing steps on lung diseases like cystic fibrosis (CF). Recently, machine learning methods, particularly neural networks, have demonstrated remarkable improvements, often outperforming conventional segmentation methods. Nonetheless, challenges still remain when attempting to segment various imaging modalities and diseases, especially when the visual characteristics of pathologic findings significantly deviate from healthy tissue.MethodsOur study focuses on imaging of pediatric CF patients [mean age, standard deviation (7.50 ± 4.6)], utilizing deep learning-based methods for automated lung segmentation from chest magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A total of 165 standardized annual surveillance MRI scans from 84 patients with CF were segmented using the nnU-Net framework. Patient cases represented a range of disease severities and ages. The nnU-Net was trained and evaluated on three MRI sequences (BLADE, VIBE, and HASTE), which are highly relevant for the evaluation of CF induced lung changes. We utilized 40 cases for training per sequence, and tested with 15 cases per sequence, using the Sørensen-Dice-Score, Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r), a segmentation questionnaire, and slice-based analysis.ResultsThe results demonstrated a high level of segmentation performance across all sequences, with only minor differences observed in the mean Dice coefficient: BLADE (0.96 ± 0.05), VIBE (0.96 ± 0.04), and HASTE (0.95 ± 0.05). Additionally, the segmentation quality was consistent across different disease severities, patient ages, and sizes. Manual evaluation identified specific challenges, such as incomplete segmentations near the diaphragm and dorsal regions. Validation on a separate, external dataset of nine toddlers (2–24 months) demonstrated generalizability of the trained model achieving a Dice coefficient of 0.85 ± 0.03.Discussion and conclusionOverall, our study demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of using nnU-Net for automated segmentation of lung halves in pediatric CF patients, showing promising directions for advanced image analysis techniques to assist in clinical decision-making and monitoring of CF lung disease progression. Despite these achievements, further improvements are needed to address specific segmentation challenges and enhance generalizability.

Assessment of Training Needs of the Office staff (Management assistants and Development Officers) in the National Hospital of Sri Lanka

Introduction: In the dynamic landscape of healthcare administration, the role of hospital office staff is pivotal for maintaining the seamless functioning of the hospital. Training Needs Assessment is a proactive approach to aligning the skills of hospital office staff with the evolving demands of the healthcare landscape, ensuring compliance and promoting excellence in administrative practices and, consequently, contributing to improved patient outcomes.Objective: This study aims to identify the training needs of hospital office staff in the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL).Methodology: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in NHSL with the office staff from June to August 2023. The total population was 181. Among them, 123 people were selected from simple random sampling proportionately to the category. The self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. The questionnaire assessed the activities and capabilities of office staff necessary for their daily tasks. Participants were asked to score these activities based on their importance and current performance level. Mean scores for the importance of the training areas and current performances were calculated, and gaps were identified by subtracting. Training needs with the highest gaps (gap equal or more than 2) were prioritized as training needs for office staff in NHSL.Results: Procurement for the public sector, handling audit inquiries, file management including personal file management, salary conversion, pension management, gathering, organizing, analyzing statistically, & disseminating data and information were prioritized as training needs for next year.Conclusions and recommendations: Those prioritized training needs were included in the next year's (2024) annual action plan with the permission of the Deputy Director General -NHSL.

Zeolite‐Based “Particle Board” Membranes for Rapid and Selective Hydrogen Permeation

AbstractZeolites, with their well‐defined pore sizes and outstanding stability, are regarded as the quintessential material for precise molecular separation tasks. However, the leap from easily produced zeolite powders to synthesizing free‐standing zeolite membranes, which can fully leverage their ordered porosity, presents substantial technical hurdles. Addressing this challenge, this study introduces polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIM‐1) as adhesives through a wrapping‐compression method for the facile fabrication of high‐performance and free‐standing zeolite (FAU) “particle board” membranes. The 3D tomogram reconstruction from the focused ion beam‐scanning electron microscope images reveals the “particle board” membranes exhibit hierarchical porous structures. The non‐interconnecting macropores between zeolite particles facilitate the rapid H2 permeation, and the zeolites’ ordered micropores sieve the gas molecules. The optimized FAU@PIM‐1 free‐standing membrane with hierarchically pore structures demonstrated hydrogen permeance (2240 GPU) alongside H2/CH4 selectivity (31.68) for mixed gas and maintained this performance level under pressure ranges from 1.2 to 4.0 bar and over protracted operational periods (up to 3200 h). Meanwhile, EMT and MFI‐type zeolites have also been successfully applied to validate the versatility of this method, demonstrating its widespread potential for the fabrication of various free‐standing zeolite membranes.

Abstract Sa1101: Association Between Changes in Hypoxic-Ischemic Brain Injury and Neurological Outcomes in Cardiac Arrest Survivors.

Aim: Quantitative analysis of hypoxic-ischemic brain injury (HIBI) using apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values from brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used to predict poor neurological outcomes in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors. Our study aimed to determine the association between changes in HIBI and neurological outcomes in OHCA survivors using two types of MRI. Methods: This observational study used data collected prospectively from a tertiary academic hospital. The study included adult comatose OHCA survivors who underwent targeted temperature management (TTM) and brain MRI within 6 hours (first) and 72–96 hours (second) using the same MR scanner. We analyzed the neurological outcomes based on brain volumes below a specific ADC value using 10-step intervals within the range of 200–1200 × 10 -6 mm 2 /s for the first and second MRIs. ADC-R(x) represents the proportion of total brain volume occupied by voxels, with ADC values ranging from 200 × 10 -6 mm 2 /s to each threshold. Additionally, ADC(x) represents the proportion of total brain volume occupied by voxels that are “threshold - 10” at each threshold. Poor neurological outcomes were categorized as cerebral performance levels 3–5, observed 6 months after OHCA. Results: Overall, 122 patients (25% female) were included in the analysis, of whom 61 (50%) showed poor neurological outcomes. Higher ADC-R(x) were observed in the poor neurological outcome group on both the first and second MRI scans at all ADC intervals (all P < 0.05) (Figure 1). In the Good Neurological Outcome group, the ADC-R values ranged between 370 and 940, with the second MRI value being smaller than that of the first (right shift, P < 0.05). In contrast, the Poor Neurological Outcome group showed ADC-R values ranging between 340 and 1190, with the second MRI value being higher than that of the first (left shift, P < 0.05) (Figure 2). The difference in ADC(x) between the second and first MRI based on neurological outcome showed a positive change in ADC below 620 for a poor neurological outcome and a positive change in ADC above 740 for a good neurological outcome (Figure 3). Conclusions: In this cohort study, we observed that the initial HIBI that occurred during OHCA worsened or returned to normal depending on the neurological outcome after TTM. Prospective multicenter studies are required to generalize our findings.

TEL Pedagogies: Gamification – Grammar Guru

The Centre for English Communication (CEC) developed and launched Grammar Guru (GG), a browser-based game application, as part of Singapore Management University’s (SMU) TEL initiative in 2023. GG is used as part of CEC’s blended learning resources, which complements our core curriculum module for undergraduates, Writing & Reasoning (WR). GG is an upgraded iteration of Power Grammar 1.0, a basic grammar game developed by students several years ago. GG is an effective TEL tool for teaching grammar as it uses gamification to make learning engaging and caters to the needs of learners with different language proficiency levels. GG improves student engagement through gamification. Gamification is the application of game design, techniques and elements in non-game contexts and activities (Deterding et al., 2011, p. 1). Research shows gamification is highly effective in increasing student engagement, attention, motivation, creativity, digital literacy and performance level (Barua & Bharali, 2023; Fernandez-Antolin et al. 2021; Skritsovali, 2023). GG includes elements such as points, leaderboards, hints, and non-playable characters (NPC) to teach grammar in a professional, corporate context. By contextualizing grammatical and linguistic forms in sentences and paragraphs, GG helps students achieve greater competence and fluency in their English language abilities. The gamification elements make learning more interactive and enjoyable which improves students’ knowledge retention and application. A primary quantitative study conducted by CEC established that “the positive correlation observed suggests that the higher level a student played, the higher the student’s English language proficiency”. CEC is currently conducting a qualitative study to gather students’ feedback. GG also addresses the requirements of learners with diverse language proficiency levels by varying the difficulty of questions. These questions include sentence and text correction, matching, re-arrangement, true/false, fill-in-the-blanks and multiple-choice questions. Players work their way through eight levels that comprises Junior and Senior Intern, Junior and Senior Management Trainee, Junior and Senior Middle Management and Junior and Senior Director. Perez (2020) and Langendah (2016) highlight how certain game elements such as storytelling, challenges, progression, and feedback can boost student drive and learning. The gamification elements in GG have a similar effect, motivating learners of different proficiency levels. GG’s interface is designed to be simple and intuitive. Regardless of students’ socioeconomic background or gaming aptitude, they would be able to navigate it effectively. One challenge GG faces is striking a balance between entertainment and education. Limited game development funds result in limited game design features and less engaging gameplay for students, especially in comparison to commercial games with substantial budgets that offer high entertainment value through advanced graphics and intricate storylines. Furthermore, as CEC instructors are not game design experts, we have limited knowledge that restricts our capacity in designing and maintaining GG. Currently, CEC outsources game design and maintenance to a third parties. This results in instructors not being able to directly make changes to the game questions and content. Moreover, the process of retrieving relevant data for analysis is tedious and time consuming. Despite these constraints, thoughtful and strategic approaches can create valuable TEL resources that improve student learning.

Targeting Full-Hydrogen Operation on Industrial-Scale Gas Turbines: Impact of Unconventional Fuels on Turbine Module Performance and Aeromechanics

Abstract With the trend to full decarbonization, a full hydrogen economy development is a key industrial objective. Gas turbines, currently one of the cleanest fossil fuel-based power generation solutions, provide reliable and on-demand power. The introduction of hydrogen into the fuel mix of existing gas turbines represents a solution with great potential to provide low-carbon or even carbon-free energy. High-hydrogen content fuels, however, challenge the efficient operation of the gas turbine expander, as crucial aspects such as increased flow rate, different gas properties and temperature operating range may affect performance and structural integrity. To evaluate the impact of this conversion, a numerical investigation of five cases with increasing percentages of hydrogen in the fuel was carried out for an industrial four stages gas turbine module. The variation of turbine inlet temperature distribution from combustion chamber was considered, to assess the impact of the unconventional fuel on the well-known aeromechanical behavior of the last stage blades. Variations in capacity, efficiency, power and potential limits due to aeroelasticity were evaluated, identifying the most relevant differences with respect to the full methane case. All these analyses confirm the possibility to employ high-hydrogen fuel operation in a current gas turbine without the need of a further redesign, while maintaining acceptable performance levels.

Circulating BMP-7 Level is Independent of Sarcopenia in Older Asian Adults.

In vitro and animal studies have demonstrated that BMP-7, renowned for its osteogenic properties, also exerts beneficial effects on muscle metabolism by enhancing myogenesis and reversing muscle atrophy. Despite being proposed as a common regulatory factor for both muscle and bone, the impact of BMP-7 on human muscle health has not been thoroughly investigated. This cross-sectional study involved 182 community-dwelling older adults who underwent a comprehensive geriatric assessment in South Korea. Sarcopenia was diagnosed using Asian-specific cutoffs, and serum BMP-7 levels were quantified via enzyme immunoassay. The mean age of the participants was 72.2 ± 7.3 years, with 62.6% being female. After adjustments for confounders, serum BMP-7 levels were not significantly different between individuals with and without sarcopenia, nor were there differences based on skeletal muscle mass, strength, or physical performance levels (P = 0.423 to 0.681). Likewise, no correlations were detected between circulating BMP-7 levels and any sarcopenia assessment metrics such as skeletal muscle index, grip strength, gait speed, or chair stand completion times (P = 0.127 to 0.577). No significant associations were observed between increases in serum BMP-7 concentrations and the risk of sarcopenia or poor muscle phenotypes (P = 0.431 to 0.712). Stratifying participants into quartiles based on serum BMP-7 levels also indicated no differences in sarcopenia-related parameters (P = 0.663 to 0.996). Despite experimental evidence supporting BMP-7's role in muscle metabolism, this study found no significant association between serum BMP-7 levels and clinical indicators of muscle health in older adults. These findings challenge the utility of serum BMP-7 as a biomarker for sarcopenia in this demographic.