Assessment Paradigm Research Articles

A free association semantic task for fNIRS-based perinatal depression assessment

Perinatal depression (PD) is a highly prevalent psychological disorder that has a detrimental effect on infant and maternal physical and mental health, but effective and objective assessment of PD is still insufficient. In recent years, the functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) has been acknowledged as an effective non-invasive tool for clinical assessment of depression. This study proposed a free association semantic task (FAST) paradigm for fNIRS-based assessment of PD. To better address the emotion characteristics of PD, the participants are required to generate a dynamic concept chain based on positive, negative or neutral seed words, while 48-channel fNIRS recordings over frontal and bilateral temporal regions. Results from twenty-two late-pregnant women revealed that, the oxyhemoglobin (oxy-Hb) changes during the FAST with the positive and negative seed words over the frontal region were correlated with PD severity, which was different from the correlation patterns in the FAST with neutral seed word and the classical verbal fluency test (VFT). Furthermore, distinct correlation patterns were also observed in the FAST with the positive and negative seed words, manifested in fNIRS channels corresponding to the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), respectively. Moreover, regression analyses showed that the FAST with positive and negative seed words can well explain the severity of PD. Our findings suggest the proposed FAST paradigm as a promising approach for PD assessment.

Parallel EEG-fNIRS assessments of covert cognition in behaviorally non-responsive ICU patients: A multi-task feasibility study in a case of acute motor sensory axonal neuropathy.

Repeat neurological assessment is standard in cases of severe acute brain injury. However, conventional measures rely on overt behavior. Unfortunately, behavioral responses may be difficult or impossible for some patients. As a result, patients who recover consciousness before the ability to express so may go undetected. Recent studies have demonstrated the efficacy of incorporating functional neuroimaging into clinical assessment protocols. The objective of the current study is to assess the feasibility of a multi-task, multimodal bedside technique to evaluate sensory and cognitive function in behaviorally non-responsive patients. We deployed a novel assessment paradigm to evaluate sensory and cognitive processing in one 63-year-old unresponsive patient with acute motor sensory axonal neuropathy (AMSAN). We collected parallel bedside EEG-fNIRS activity during hierarchical auditory processing, movie listening, and motor imagery. We found appropriate hemodynamic activation in the patient's middle and superior temporal gyri to simple sounds and activation in their superior temporal gyrus, left angular and precentral gyri during speech. During movie listening, the patient produced patterns of EEG and fNIRS activity that were statistically indistinguishable from healthy controls. The patient also showed appropriate fNIRS and source-localized EEG activation of motor areas during motor imagery. Upon recovering, the patient correctly recalled multiple aspects of our assessment procedures. In sum, our assessment protocol effectively captures neural markers of sensory and cognitive function in behaviorally non-responsive patients. Crucially, while AMSAN is distinct from brain injury, the patient's assumed dissociation between behavior and awareness provided an ideal test case to validate our protocol.

The skin allergy risk assessment-integrated chemical environment (SARA-ICE) defined approach to derive points of departure for skin sensitization.

Mechanistically based non-animal methods for assessing skin sensitization hazard have been developed, but are not considered sufficient, individually, to conclusively define the skin sensitization potential or potency of a chemical. This resulted in the development of defined approaches (DAs), as documented in OECD TG 497, for combining information sources in a prescriptive manner to provide a determination of risk or potency. However, there are currently no DAs within OECD TG 497 that can derive a point of departure (POD) for risk assessment. The Skin Allergy Risk Assessment - Integrated Chemical Environment (SARA-ICE) DA for skin sensitization is a Bayesian statistical model that estimates a human-relevant metric of sensitizer potency, the ED01, an estimate of the human predictive patch test dermal dose at which there is 1% chance of inducing sensitization, which can be used in a risk assessment paradigm. The model accounts for variability of input data and explicitly quantifies uncertainty. SARA-ICE derives the ED01 from a variety of in vitro and in vivo test method data and is built upon historical human, murine, and in vitro test data for 434 chemicals. In addition to the ED01 POD SARA-ICE DA also provides a Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) classification probability for GHS subcategories 1A, 1B and not classified (NC). Here we describe the SARA-ICE model and its evaluation, including performance versus benchmark PODs. In addition, via a case study with isothiazolinones (ITs), we demonstrate the utility of SARA-ICE for integrating different data inputs and compare the ED01 for six ITs to existing historical data.

Perspectives: The Burden of Proving Burnout in Academic Library Workers

Current paradigms of assessment, measurement, and evidence-based practice in libraries, which inform administrative and managerial action (or inaction), construct an undue burden of proof for burnout (and other negative workplace conditions) that denies library workers the care and interventions necessary for them to thrive in their workplace and that leads to continued exploitative practices and emotional extraction. Frequently, burnout has to be proven through quantitative rather than qualitative processes, and the lack of quantitative data allows administrators to ignore burnout’s prevalence. Similarly, when solutions to burnout are considered, they're approached without consideration of individual worker needs. Through the focus on quantification, we bureaucratically obscure the individual in favour of a plurality, and develop solutions that serve those at the centre but not the margins. The phenomenon of burnout can be understood as a symptom of larger labour concerns throughout libraries and other workplaces that result from an overreliance on (quantitative) evidence-based paradigms and the mining of affect in service of “workplace wellbeing.” Library innovation, then, improves the functioning of the library for users in a model where the library is not a workplace and the library workers are not considered a user group. In some cases, library resources receive far more consideration and care than the people working in the library both in terms of space and support.

ATTITUDE AND COMPETENCIES OF TEACHERS AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL REGARDING CONTINUOUS AND COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION IMPLEMENTATION

Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) stands as a comprehensive assessment paradigm, aiming to appraise various facets of student development consistently throughout their academic journey. This research delves into the attitudes and proficiencies of secondary school teachers concerning the adoption and execution of CCE. Employing a mixed-methods approach, data collection extended across a spectrum of secondary school environments, capturing insights from teachers across diverse settings. The study sets out to unravel teachers' perceptions, confrontations, and preparedness regarding CCE integration, thereby unveiling the underlying determinants shaping their attitudes and competencies in this realm. The study seeks to analyze the perspectives of secondary school teachers regarding Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE), and secondly, to measure their competencies in implementing CCE. To facilitate data collection, the researcher devised two instruments: the Teacher Attitude Scale and the Teacher Competencies Scale. The present study is conducted in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh State. The total sample comprises 80 teachers employed in both government and private secondary schools. The findings anticipated from this research endeavor hold the potential to captivate the attention of policy framers, school administrative bodies, and stakeholders alike, prompting necessary actions to ensure the seamless operation of CCE within secondary educational institutions. In light of the findings, recommendations are proposed to address the impediments hindering the effective implementation of CCE. These findings underscore the recognition among teachers of the prospective benefits that CCE promises, albeit overshadowed by obstacles such as inadequate training, resource deficiency, and insufficient institutional support. Moreover, discernible disparities in attitudes and competencies among teachers emerge, delineated by factors like tenure, subject specialization, and pedagogical methodologies employed. KEYWORDS: Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE), attitudes, competencies, pedagogical methodologies.

Insights from emergency remote language assessment for a post-pandemic world

The COVID-19 pandemic perhaps produced the largest disturbance our educational systems have ever seen. Assessment was particularly impacted as systems and educators had to identify the most optimal and adequate accommodations to meet both external and classroom-based mandates. When in-person teaching was possible again, various assessment practices that emerged to meet the pandemic challenges were and, still, are in use. This study aims to add to the exploration of practices and competences of Higher Education teachers in the context of second language (L2) classroom assessment. Based on Schumpeter's theory of creative destruction, the study attempts to unpack the abrupt albeit creative ways that teachers used when moving into a formative language assessment orientation in their practice, and explain how this worked, what the challenges were and which of these are still relevant and implemented in university systems. The paper contributes to the discussion of the tendency observed among teachers to resort mainly to formative assessment paradigms to address the challenges imposed during the pandemic and what the field of language assessment has learned from it.

Enhancing cognitive function after traumatic brain injury in male mice: The benefits of running regardless of intervention timing

The significant benefits of physical activity are well-documented in academic literature, with growing evidence highlighting its positive effects (among others) on memory and cognitive function. Exercise, particularly aerobic activities, has been shown to mitigate neuroinflammatory processes, promote neuronal regeneration, facilitate recovery from cerebral trauma, and reduce the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Among neurological conditions, traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the most common in individuals under 50, with 80–90 % of cases categorized as mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).This study investigates the impact of exercise on visual and spatial memory deficits in mice following mTBI. ICR mice were subjected to a seventeen-day treadmill training protocol initiated at four different time intervals post-mTBI (2, 7, 13, and 30 days). A battery of specific behavioral tests was used to assess anxiety-like behaviors, motor skills, and visual and spatial memory.Our results indicate that running positively affected mTBI in both novel object recognition (p < 0.001) and Y-maze (p < 0.001) regardless of the running protocol's initiation time, demonstrating that aerobic exercise significantly alleviates cognitive deficits associated with mTBI. Importantly, mTBI did not appear to impact motor abilities or anxiety-like behaviors based on the assessment paradigms utilized. In conclusion, aerobic exercise effectively enhances visual and spatial memory post-mTBI, with promising results observed even when the running protocol is initiated up to one-month post-injury.

Streamlining Smart Grids Reliability Assessment: An Innovative Mapping Approach

Assessing smart grid reliability, considering both cyber and physical components, typically involves a mapping step, escalating complexity and computational overhead. This paper presents a pioneering mapping approach that redefines the fundamental paradigm of smart grid reliability assessment. By leveraging a defined interconnection matrix, the method optimizes computational efficiency, curtailing the array of potential system states. Evaluation employing key performance metrics - Loss of Load Probability (LOLP) and Expected Energy Not Supplied (EENS) - quantitatively demonstrates the superiority of our approach. Also, we explore the ramifications of integrating a dynamic thermal rating (DTR) in the process of reliability assessment, augmenting component safety through permissible enhancements in their ratings. Results underscore a notable reduction in total system states, from 221 to 214 for the bus topology and from 222 to 216 for the ring topology. Moreover, the analysis reveal substantial enhancements (Up to 43.58% ) in reliability indices upon consideration of the DTR system.

Multi-Scale Risk-Informed Comprehensive Assessment Methodology for Lithium-Ion Battery Energy Storage System

Lithium-ion batteries (LIB) are prone to thermal runaway, which can potentially result in serious incidents. These challenges are more prominent in large-scale lithium-ion battery energy storage system (Li-BESS) infrastructures. The conventional risk assessment method has a limited perspective, resulting in inadequately comprehensive evaluation outcomes, which impedes the provision of dependable technical support for the scientific appraisal of intricate large-scale Li-BESS systems. This study presents a novel Li-BESS-oriented multi-scale risk-informed comprehensive assessment framework, realizing the seamless transmission of assessment information across various scales. The findings from a previous smaller-scale analysis serve as inputs for a larger scale. The evaluation process of this method is more scientifically rigorous and yields more comprehensive results compared to assessment technologies just relying on a single perspective. By utilizing the proposed comprehensive assessment methodology, this study utilized the emergency power supply of nuclear power plants (NPPs) as an application scenario, demonstrating the complete implementation process of the framework and conducting a comprehensive assessment of Li-BESS feasibility as an emergency power source for NPPs. Our findings propose a novel paradigm for the comprehensive assessment of Li-BESS, which is expected to serve as a scientific foundation for decision-making and technical guidance in practical applications.

Development of an Indicator System for Evaluating Risks in Trekking Tourism

In today’s fast-paced and and high-stress society, trekking tourism is a leisure activity for stress relief and closer nature engagement. Given the adventurous nature inherent in trekking tourism, risk assessment is deemed both crucial and imperative. This study aims to develop a risk assessment framework for trekking tourism based on the Delphi method and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Initially, we conducted a literature review and expert interviews grounded in the Systems Theory of Accident Causation and the Human Factors Theory to establish the risk assessment paradigm specific to trekking tourism. Subsequently, we ascertained specific weights for each evaluation criterion and delineated explicit data sources for each operational indicator. The findings indicate that the formulated risk assessment system for trekking tourism is both scientifically grounded and practical, furnishing stakeholders in the tourism industry, organizational teams, and management authorities with an efficacious tool for evaluating the safety conditions of trekking tourism activities.

The Predictive Role of visual attention bias in aggressive driving decisions among violation-involved drivers on attitudes of right-of-way

This study, based on dual-process theory, explores the aggressive driving decision-making characteristics and cognitive processing of violation-involved drivers in right-of-way infringement scenarios. It aims to identify an eye-movement indicator that can predict drivers’ prosocial behaviors. The study recruited 75 drivers aged 19–58 years, who completed a video-based aggressive driving decision-making test and the Driver Attitudes of Right-of-way Questionnaire (DARQ). The results indicate that age moderates the relationship between violation history and visual attentional bias. Younger drivers with a history of violations exhibit an attentional bias towards aggressive words, whereas older drivers do not. After controlling for age, violation-involved drivers demonstrated a higher rate of aggressive decision-making, especially in situations with very short lane-change time headway. Visual attentional bias towards aggressive words can effectively predict positive emotions in attitudes towards the right-of-way. This suggests that early eye movement indicators during the driving decision-making process represent a form of socioemotional characteristic. The more positive the driver’s right-of-way attitude, the stronger their prosocial behavior and the weaker their intuitive impulsiveness during the early cognitive processing stages of driving decision-making. This indicates that the driving decision-making eye-movement assessment paradigm is an objective and effective method for evaluating drivers’ pro-sociality.

Momentary awareness of body sensations is associated with concurrent affective experience.

Affect is thought to be a low-dimensional representation of ongoing body activity. Recent studies have demonstrated that individual differences in the ability to objectively detect one's body activity are related to affective experience, particularly the experience of affective arousal. However, less is known about the role of subjective awareness of body sensations in affective experience, a facet of interoception that has been distinguished from objective detection on theoretical and empirical grounds. Moreover, there is a lack of evidence concerning how affective experience relates to the perception of body activity in the moment; that is, how awareness of sensations from the body may covary with affective and emotional experiences in real time. In the present studies, we examine within-person relationships between subjective awareness of body sensations and self-reported affect in real-world settings using ecological momentary assessment (EMA) paradigms. Across two EMA studies with international samples of adults, we found participants reported greater awareness of body sensations in moments where they also reported experiencing heightened arousal and more negatively valenced affect. In Study 1 (N = 109; data collected and analyzed 2022), we found that the associations held across a 4-week EMA protocol. In Study 2 (N = 116; data collected 2020, analyzed 2022), we also derived measures of affective valence from participants' freely generated descriptions of their ongoing thoughts, and we explored the consistency of this relationship with awareness of several individual body sensations (e.g., awareness of one's breathing, awareness of one's heart rate). We conclude that affective experience covaries moment to moment with subjective awareness of the body. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

IMAGINE Research of Transformational Assessment

In the context of studying human beings, at the macro level, assessment is the process of documenting, analyzing, and interpreting empirical data to provide evidence regarding an observable entity concerning humans that emerges cognitively, affectively, physically, metaphysically, and/or spiritually, and which is internal or external to the person or group being observed. In this article, we argue that assessment does not belong exclusively to either the qualitative or quantitative research tradition; rather, it is central to both traditions, as well as to mixed methods research. Moreover, in every research study— whether representing the qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods research tradition—some form of assessment is used. Further, assessment not only represents a social constructionist and/or a social constructivist act, but also, and even more importantly, it represents a political act. This article features a discussion about the systemic, historically disempowering nature of assessment that privileges an artificial and racist norm, and silences and punishes participants who become othered by traditional research and assessment paradigms.

초등학교 학생평가 정책에 대한 역사적 신제도주의 분석: 1999년 ~ 2024년을 중심으로

This study analyzed the evolution of elementary school student assessment policies from 1999, when performance assessment was introduced, through June 2024. It focused on structural, institutional, and actor contexts, dividing the analysis into three phases: the introduction of performance assessment, the abolition of summative assessment, and the development of assessment practices. Initially, both “path creation” and “path dependence” were observed, as performance assessments were introduced while traditional assessments persisted. In the abolition phase, process-oriented assessments marked a “fork in the path.” Finally, the development phase saw performance assessments becoming established, with new adaptive and customized assessments emerging, driven by edu tech companies. Although these changes haven’t led to institutional reforms yet, shifts in assessment paradigms were evident. The study recommends future policies consider the structural context and incorporate feedback from educators.

Purification Resistance Index: A new water quality assessment method toward drinking water production

Water quality assessment plays a significant role in ensuring the availability of clean and safe water. The Water Quality Index (WQI) model method has been developed to provide a basis for assessing water quality by integrating various water quality parameters. However, existing WQIs do not “actively” consider the difficulty of water treatment from raw water to specific water use scenarios. This study proposes a novel model framework, named as Purification Resistance Index (PRI), quantitatively evaluating not only the exceedance of pollutants but also how difficult they can be removed in the water treatment process. The framework is built based on the conventional drinking water treatment processes, with sub-indices for coagulation-sedimentation (rc), filtration (rf), disinfection (rd), and advanced treatment (ra). The model considers appropriate weights assigned to each sub-index to calculate the purification resistance, resulting in a comprehensive index for water quality evaluation. Case studies on nationwide and citywide water source reservoirs demonstrated the applicability of PRI approach. PRI breakthrough the traditional water quality risk assessment paradigm and extents to engineering region and provide useful tools for water source supervision, drinking water treatment plant planning and updating, operation control, and other purposes. Water authority, water utility and municipal design institute will all benefit. It is open for more localized practices validation and discussion.

MRI for Rectal Cancer: Updates and Controversies-AJR Expert Panel Narrative Review.

Rectal MRI is a critical tool in the care of patients with rectal cancer, having established roles for primary staging, restaging, and surveillance. The comprehensive diagnostic and prognostic information provided by MRI helps to optimize treatment decision-making. However, challenges persist in the standardization and interpretation of rectal MRI, particularly in the context of rapidly evolving treatment paradigms, including growing acceptance of nonoperative management. In this AJR Expert Panel Narrative Review, we address recent advances and key areas of contention relating to the use of MRI for rectal cancer. Our objectives include: to discuss concepts regarding anatomic localization of rectal tumors; review the evolving rectal cancer treatment paradigm and implications for MRI assessment; discuss updates and controversies regarding rectal MRI for locoregional staging, restaging, and surveillance; review current rectal MRI acquisition protocols; and discuss challenges in homogenizing and optimizing acquisition parameters.

A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF KEY PHILOSOPHICAL, METHODOLOGICAL AND ETHICAL RESEARCH ISSUES IN RELATION TO TEACHER’S PERCEPTION ON THE EFFECT OF ASSESSMENT ON COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT OF THREE TO FIVE YEARS CHILDREN IN ENGLAND

The study critically analysed key philosophical, methodological, and ethical research issues related to teachers' perceptions of the effect of assessment on the cognitive development of three to five years of children in England. The study revealed philosophical issues such as tensions between positivist and interpretivist paradigms in understanding assessment’s impact and debates around the nature of childhood, learning, and development. Methodological issues such as challenges in measuring cognitive development in young children chosen methods’ potential impact on finding and interpretation. Ethical issues include concerns about labelling, stigma, and potential long-term consequences. Balancing accountability with development sensitivity and equity. The findings showed that teachers’ perceptions are influenced by philosophical beliefs, methodological approaches and ethical consideration.&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt; Article visualizations:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src="/-counters-/soc/0703/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Peningkatan Kemampuan Pola Pikir Growth Mindset pada Anak Sekolah

Education at MA Miftahuttholibin Timbang faces challenges in providing a stimulating learning environment, especially related to limited facilities, access to training for teachers, and the lack of information technology infrastructure. Apart from that, students also face learning motivation problems and a lack of understanding about growth mindset. This research aims to implement strategies to increase understanding and application of growth mindset among students. Socialization activities are carried out to educate students about the importance of a growth mindset. The focus is to synthesize students' understanding of this growth mindset and provide relevant practice. This material leads to monitoring personal goals and increasing understanding through the use of technology as an educational tool. Mentoring programs and changing the assessment paradigm from final results to the learning process are also implemented. The results show an increase in students' understanding and acceptance of the growth mindset. Students are more active in planning personal goals and evaluating their progress. The use of technology helps deepen students' understanding of this concept. Suggestions for strengthening technological infrastructure, holding training programs for teachers, and continuing mentoring programs are given to support the implementation of a growth mindset on an ongoing basis. It is hoped that with the strategies implemented, students can apply a growth mindset in everyday life and overcome learning obstacles. It is also hoped that the implementation of this strategy can become a guide for other educational institutions in strengthening the understanding and application of growth mindset among students.

Insect Pest Management and Environmental Risk.

Insect pests and insect pest management tactics impose risks to the environment. Environmental risk assessment is a formalized paradigm for the objective evaluation of risk in which assumptions and uncertainties are clearly presented. Therefore, a better understanding of the environmental risks and especially the comparative risks posed by insect pests and management tactics will improve integrated pest management. Risk assessments for insect pest management tactics are much more common for pesticides and genetically engineered crops than for biological control, cultural control, and semiochemicals. The reasons for this discrepancy include evidence of deleterious effects and data availability for pesticides and genetically engineered crops, public perceptions of tactics, and politics. Regardless of the regulatory oversight and frequency of risk assessments, all tactics should be subject to the risk assessment paradigm to assist in societal decisions.

Validation of behavioral measures of social cognition in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia, a complex neuropsychiatric disorder, manifests severe impairments in social cognition, notably in Theory of Mind (ToM), empathy, and emotion recognition, which significantly influence social competence and overall functioning. These aspects are crucial for prognosis in individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia (SZ). This study validates a comics strip paradigm for ToM and empathy assessment, the Montreal Affective Voices (MAV) for measuring emotion recognition, and a Go-NoGo task for inhibition control estimation in individuals diagnosed with SZ, comparing their performance with healthy controls. SZ participants exhibited diminished abilities in the comics strip task, especially in ToM and empathy conditions, alongside challenges in identifying emotions from vocal cues in MAV. They responded slower and tended to be less accurate in the Go-NoGo task. The validated behavioral battery addresses the limitations of previous measures and emerges as a promising tool for future investigations into the neural systems underlying social cognition in schizophrenia. Such insights can lead to the development of long-needed treatment for negative symptoms and social dysfunctions in schizophrenia.