Program Preferences Research Articles

What undergraduates want in campus sexual assault prevention programming: Findings from a formative research study

Objective Campus sexual assault (SA) prevention programs are widely implemented, despite few having strong empirical support. To inform the development and refinement of prevention programs, we collected pilot qualitative data to capture undergraduates’ perspectives regarding desirable program characteristics. Participants Undergraduates completed an audio-taped interview (n = 19) or a focus group (n = 16) in June – November 2016. Methods We double-coded transcripts for a priori and emerging themes using NVivo 11. A third coder resolved disagreements; we assessed intercoder reliability using Cohen’s Kappa. Results Participants preferred SA prevention programming to be delivered in-person to small, coed groups of unfamiliar students. Students preferred programming with peer-facilitated, candid conversation about SA outcomes and prevention strategies. Participants also preferred for the tone of these training sessions to match the serious subject matter. Conclusions Students’ perceptions of desirable program characteristics differ somewhat from current evidence-based programs in several ways, highlighting important future directions for SA prevention research.

Comparison of Program-centric vs Student-centric National Resident Matching Algorithms

The current program-centric algorithm for the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) primarily uses the program's ranking of students to determine a match. Concerns that the existing algorithm favors programs over students, recent findings that the program's ranking of applicants is not associated with resident performance, and disruptions of existing screening methods and metrics have prompted reevaluation of the current algorithm relative to a student-centric algorithm, in which student ranking of programs is primary and program ranking of students is secondary. To compare program-centric and student-centric algorithms for the NRMP participants. This cross-sectional study used randomized computer-generated data reflecting the NRMP match for 2018, 2019, and 2020, capturing more than 50 000 students and more than 4000 programs in 23 specialties, to compare the 2 algorithms. The same simulated students, programs, and rankings were exposed to the 2 algorithms, running 2300 simulations in the overall analysis and 1000 simulations in each of 23 specialties. The percentage of students who did and did not match, the percentage of students who matched to their top-ranked and top-5-ranked programs, and the program's rank of the last student matched per position were examined. The 2 algorithms were not different in percentage of students matched overall (eg, for 2020, program-centric: 59% [95% CI, 57%-61%]; student-centric: 58% [95% CI, 56%-60%]; P = .73). The student-centric algorithm, relative to the program-centric algorithm, matched a significantly higher percentage of students to their first-ranked program (eg, for 2020, 50% [95% CI, 48%-52%] vs 14% [95% CI, 13%-15%]; P < .001) and to their top-5-ranked programs (eg, for 2020, 60% [95% CI, 58%-62%] vs 46% [95% CI, 44%-48%]; P < .001). However, the last position was filled with students who had lower program rankings in the student-centric algorithm vs the program-centric algorithm (2 [95% CI, 1-2] vs 8 [95% CI, 6-10]; P < .001). In this study, the 2 algorithms were not different in the percentage of students matched overall. However, the student-centric algorithm matched a significantly higher percentage of students to their preferred programs. The program-centric algorithm was associated with a lower program's last matched student rank. Further research is needed on the algorithms' associations with cost and time demands in the match, postmatch resident and program performance, and fit with a changing environment.

Structure, Diversity, and Environmental Determinants of High-Latitude Threatened Conifer Forests

Pilgerodendron uviferum (D. Don) Florin is an endemic, threatened conifer that grows in South America. In the sub-Antarctic territory, one of the most isolated places in the world, some forest patches remain untouched since the last glaciation. In this study, we analyze the tree structure and tree diversity and characterize the environmental conditions where P. uviferum-dominated stands develop within the Magellanic islands in Kawésqar National Park, Chile. An environmental matrix using the databases WorldClim and SoilGrids and local topography variables was used to identify the main environmental variables that explain the P. uviferum-dominated stands. PCA was used to reduce the environmental variables, and PERMANOVA and nMDS were used to evaluate differences among forest communities. The results show that two forest communities are present within the Magellanic islands. Both forest communities share the fact that they can persist over time due to the high water table that limits the competitive effect from other tree species less tolerant to high soil water table and organic matter. Our results contribute to knowledge of the species’ environmental preference and design conservation programs.

Chatbot4QR: Interactive Query Refinement for Technical Question Retrieval

Technical Q&#x0026;A sites (e.g., Stack Overflow (SO)) are important resources for developers to search for knowledge about technical problems. Search engines provided in Q&#x0026;A sites and information retrieval approaches (e.g., word embedding-based) have limited capabilities to retrieve relevant questions when queries are imprecisely specified, such as missing important technical details (e.g., the user&#x2019;s preferred programming languages). Although many automatic query expansion approaches have been proposed to improve the quality of queries by expanding queries with relevant terms, the information missed in a query is not identified. Moreover, without user involvement, the existing query expansion approaches may introduce unexpected terms and lead to undesired results. In this paper, we propose an interactive query refinement approach for question retrieval, named <i>Chatbot4QR</i>, which can assist users in recognizing and clarifying technical details missed in queries and thus retrieve more relevant questions for users. Chatbot4QR automatically detects missing technical details in a query and generates several clarification questions (CQs) to interact with the user to capture their overlooked technical details. To ensure the accuracy of CQs, we design a heuristic-based approach for CQ generation after building two kinds of technical knowledge bases: a manually categorized result of 1,841 technical tags in SO and the multiple version-frequency information of the tags. We develop a Chatbot4QR prototype that uses 1.88 million SO questions as the repository for question retrieval. To evaluate Chatbot4QR, we conduct six user studies with 25 participants on 50 experimental queries. The results are as follows. (1) On average 60.8 percent of the CQs generated for a query are useful for helping the participants recognize missing technical details. (2) Chatbot4QR can rapidly respond to the participants after receiving a query within approximately 1.3 seconds. (3) The refined queries contribute to retrieving more relevant SO questions than nine baseline approaches. For more than 70 percent of the participants who have preferred techniques on the query tasks, Chatbot4QR significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art word embedding-based retrieval approach with an improvement of at least 54.6 percent in terms of two measurements: Pre<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$@$</tex-math><alternatives><mml:math><mml:mo>@</mml:mo></mml:math><inline-graphic xlink:href="xia-ieq1-3016006.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula>k and NDCG<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$@$</tex-math><alternatives><mml:math><mml:mo>@</mml:mo></mml:math><inline-graphic xlink:href="xia-ieq2-3016006.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula>k. (4) For 48-88 percent of the assigned query tasks, the participants obtain more desired results after interacting with Chatbot4QR than directly searching from Web search engines (e.g., the SO search engine and Google) using the original queries.

Adapting Safety Check as a Universal Suicide Prevention Strategy in Pediatric Primary Care

The presence of unlocked firearms in the home is associated with increased risk of suicide and unintentional injury in youth. We adapted an evidence-based program for promoting safe firearm storage, Safety Check, to enhance its acceptability as a universal suicide prevention strategy in pediatric primary care. We applied ADAPT-ITT, an established adaptation framework, to guide iterative program adaptation with ongoing input from key stakeholders. The present study describes 2 phases of ADAPT-ITT: the Production phase (generating adaptations) and the Topical Experts phase (gathering stakeholder feedback on adaptations). After generating proposed program adaptations based on 3 inputs (stakeholder feedback collected in a prior study, the behavioral science literature, and best practices in pediatric medicine), we elicited feedback from stakeholders with firearm expertise. The adaptations included changes such as clarifying firearm ownership will not be documented in the medical record and offering follow-up reminders. We also crowdsourced feedback from 337 parents to select a new name and program logo. Saturation was reached with 9 stakeholders. Feedback confirmed the value of adaptations that: 1) considered context (eg, reason for ownership), 2) promoted parent autonomy in decision-making, and 3) ensured privacy. The most preferred program name was Suicide and Accident prevention through Family Education (SAFE) Firearm. Guided by an established adaptation framework that prioritized multistage stakeholder feedback, adaptations to the original Safety Check were deemed acceptable. We plan to test the SAFE Firearm program as a universal suicide prevention strategy in pediatric primary care via a hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial.

A scoping review of the use of exercise-based upper extremity injury prevention programs for industrial workers

Study DesignThis study is a scoping review. IntroductionExercise-based upper extremity injury prevention programs are used by employers to reduce the cost of work-related injuries in the industrial work setting. Purpose of the StudyThe purpose of the study was to identify, report, and evaluate all published literature that describes exercise-based upper extremity injury prevention programs used with an industrial workforce. MethodsA systematic search of Medline, ProQuest, Pubmed, and Worldcat databases was performed. Data extracted included the type of outcome tool used, the outcome that was measured, the components of the exercise program, and the effectiveness toward reducing injury. Results14 studies were included in the final analysis and summary. 12 articles included strengthening (85%) 10 included stretching (71%), 2 included health coaching (14%), and 2 included work simulation (14%). The most prevalent treatment approach was combined stretching and strengthening which accounted for 5 of the 14 studies, or 36%. The intervention period ranged from 4 weeks to 1 year and the program frequency ranged from before every work shift to weekly performance. There were 22 different outcome measures with health condition reported in 12 of 14 studies (86%) and function reported in 7 of 14 studies (50%). Discussion and ConclusionsAlthough many of the studies showed positive benefits to the exercise program, there is a wide variance in the current literature regarding the implementation, supervision, and exercise components of an upper extremity injury prevention program in an industrial work setting.Because there is no commonly-accepted exercise program, a conclusion regarding effectiveness cannot be generalized outside of the environment, supervision requirements, frequency, and duration in which the research was performed. There is a need for improved reporting techniques and a preferred program to be replicated across multiple work settings in order to allow generalizability of findings.

Research on Interactive Online Teaching of Python Language Foundation Course

Python language, as one of the most popular programming languages, has become the preferred programming course in Colleges and universities. However, in traditional teaching, the dull and monotonous teaching of Python course leads to the low teaching efficiency of Python course and the unsatisfactory learning effect of students. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new teaching methods to improve classroom efficiency. Adopting Python interactive online teaching can not only improve the teaching efficiency of Python course, but also promote the reform of information technology course.

Selection of Wind Turbine Based on Fuzzy Analytic Network Process: A Case Study in China

Wind turbine selection is an evaluation problem involving many factors, such as technology, economy, society, etc., and there exist internal dependencies and circular relationships among these factors. This increases the complexity of the selection problem. At the same time, with the development of wind power technology, the types of wind turbines on the market are increasing. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a scientific and comprehensive evaluation system to guide the selection work. This paper extends the traditional indicator system, selecting a total of twelve evaluation indicators from three aspects: operation reliability, economy, and supplier cooperation. The selected indicators are defined in detail to clarify the relationship between them. Then the triangular fuzzy number is introduced to accurately reflect the preference information obtained from experts, and a fuzzy analytical network process (FANP) model for wind turbine unit selection is constructed by combining fuzzy preference programming (FPP) with analytic network process (ANP). In the end, a case study in China is carried out. Results show that the 2.5 W unit produced by Goldwind obtains the best comprehensive evaluation value, which is consistent with the expanding market share permanent magnet direct-drive wind turbines. This paper could provide references for future wind turbine selection questions.

LATE Estimators under Costly Non-compliance in Student-College Matching Markets

A growing literature exploits a feature of centralized college admission systems where students with similar admission scores in a neighborhood of a school’s admission threshold are or are not offered admission based on small quasi-random differences in admission scores. Assuming that the students at the margin of admission differ only in the treatment assignment, this literature relies on admission scores to instrument for admission or graduation. We point out that non-compliance with the centralized matching assignment typically corresponds to enrolling in one’s preferred program a year after the initial assignment, introducing significant non-compliance costs. We show that with costly non-compliance, the exclusion restriction, the key assumption of the LATE theorem, is violated, leading to biased estimates when instrumenting for graduation, i.e., for a treatment taking place after non-compliance costs are incurred. We use data from a student-college matching market in Croatia to illustrate the empirical importance of this potential source of bias and propose a method inspired by Lee (2009), which recovers the treatment effect bounds under the assumption that the costs of non-compliance are not related to the treatment assignment.

A new approach for criteria weight elicitation of the ARAS-H method

Criteria weight inference is a crucial step for most of multi-criteria methods. However, criteria weights are often determined directly by the decision-maker (DM) which makes the results unreliable. Therefore, to overcome the imprecise weighting, we suggest the use of the preference programming technique. Instead of obtaining criteria weights directly from the DM, we infer them in a more objective manner to avoid the subjectivity and the unreliability of the results. Our aim is to elicit the ARAS-H criteria weights at each level of the hierarchy tree via mathematical programming, taking into account the DM’s preferences. To put it differently, starting from preference information provided by the DM, we proceed to model our constraints. The ARAS-H method is an extension of the classical ARAS method for the case of hierarchically structured criteria. We adopt a bottom-up approach in order to elicit ARAS-H criteria weights, that is, we start by determining the elementary criteria weights (i.e. the criteria at the lowest level of the hierarchy tree). The solution of the linear programs is obtained using LINGO software. The main contribution of our criteria weight elicitation procedure is in overcoming imprecise weighting without excluding the DM from the decision making process. Keywords: Multiple Criteria Decision Aiding, preference disaggregation, ARAS-H, criteria weights, mathematical programming.

Changing nature of customer relationships: strategies and initiatives to beat the competition

Companies require developing and maintaining customer relationships to remain ahead in the competition. Companies should develop long-term relationships with profitable and loyal customers and even discourage unprofitable customers to continue remaining with them. Companies should develop interactive relationships which are mutually beneficial and acknowledge the growing importance of consumer-generated marketing and customer relationships in online marketing domains. They should be aware of consumer rights and respect those rights to win customer trust. Firms require developing customer preference programs to strengthen the bondage with their passionate and profitable customers and also to attract potential customers in a cost-effective manner. All such strategies will help companies to understand the changing nature of customer relationships, build long-term customer relationships, gain competitive advantage, and grow in the tough business environment.

Assessment of Practice of Endodontic Treatment Protocols among General Dental Practitioners in Pokhara, Nepal

Introduction: Endodontics is specialty field, but the majority of endodontic treatment in Pokhara is provided by the general dental practitioners. The aim of this study was to assess the practice of endodontic treatment protocols among general dental practitioners in Pokhara, Nepal. &#x0D; Materials and Methods: A cross sectional questionnaire based study was conducted among all the general dental practitioners working in various government, private hospital and clinic of Pokhara. Information about the materials and techniques used in endodontic treatment was collected and descriptive statistical analysis was done. &#x0D; Results: Out of 89 respondents, only 82 completely filled the questionnaires which were included in the study. Most general dental practitioners (96.34%) regularly treat single rooted endodontic cases. Only 10.97% occasionally use rubber dam during endodontic treatment. Most general dental practitioners (96.34%) used radiographic technique for working length determination. Ninety two percent used stainless steel hand files and step back was the choice of technique by 90.24%. Sodium hypochlorite irrigation and calcium hydroxide intra canal medicaments were used by 93.9% and 98.78% of general dental practitioners respectively. 75.6% used zinc oxide eugenol as root canal sealer and 95.12% obturated root canals with lateral compaction technique. The common complication encountered was mid treatment pain. They seem to overuse antibiotics in cases requiring endodontic therapy. Only 52.43% used autoclave for sterilization of endodontic files. About 92.68% felt the need of further endodontic training and 74.39% preferred post graduate program. &#x0D; Conclusion: This study indicates that many general dental practitioners of Pokhara are not following well acknowledged endodontic quality guidelines; hence there is a need for further endodontic training.

Chronic Disease Self-Management: Behavioral Intervention Preferences Informed by the PEN-3 Cultural Model

Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) is an evidence-based program shown to improve health status, healthcare utilization, and health behaviors among individuals diagnosed with chronic conditions. Aging African Americans, a population at a greater risk of chronic disease diagnosis and burden, are underrepresented in the utilization of self-management behavioral programs. Previous research suggested that cultural distinctions (e.g., values, beliefs, preferences, experiences) impact the participation of racial/ethnic minorities in health-related research, health behavior outcomes, and healthcare utilization. Little is known about unique cultural influences on CDSMP utilization among this target group. To our knowledge, no research has applied a culture-specific theory to understand preferences or use of CDSMP among aging African Americans. Guided by the PEN-3 cultural model, this study examines preferences, barriers, and facilitators that may influence CDSMP utilization for the management of diagnosed chronic conditions. Using a qualitative research design, African Americans (N=50) from six Atlanta Metropolitan faith-based organizations participated in the 6-week CDSMP and one of six focus groups. Participants were largely female (70%) experiencing multiple chronic conditions (M=2) with an average age of 70. Focus groups were transcribed, and a thematic analysis was applied to identify emergent themes. Participants preferred programs that included family, community liaisons, and relevant advertisement material suggesting the importance of cultural identity. Accessing CDSMP at a familiar location with an endorsement of program benefit from trusted sources suggests the importance of relationship and expectations. Findings shed light on factors that may cause aging African Americans to embrace or avoid CDSMP as a healthcare option.

A Preferred Vendor Model Reduces the Costs of Sports Medicine Surgery

To report on our institution's first year of experience with a preferred vendor program for implants and disposables for sports medicine surgery. Cost and utilization data for implants and disposables were analyzed for knee and shoulder sports medicine surgeries performed during the 2-year period including the 12 months preceding the start of the contract (contract year 0 [CY0] and the first 12 months of the contract period (CY1). The costs of grafts and biological therapies were excluded. Utilization of the preferred vendor's products, operative time, and per-case costs were compared between the 2 time periods and adjusted for patient factors and case mix. Utilization of the preferred vendor's shavers (0% to 94%, P < .001) and radiofrequency ablation wands (0% to 91%, P < .001) increased significantly in CY1 (n= 5,068 cases) compared with CY0 (n= 5,409 cases), with a small but significant increase in use of the preferred vendor's implants (64% to 67%, P= .023). There was no significant difference in mean operative time between CY0 and CY1 (P= .485). Mean total per-case implant and disposable costs decreased by 12% (P < .001) in CY1 versus CY0. Our institution was able to reduce the costs of sports medicine surgery with the implementation of a preferred single-vendor program for implants and disposables. This program had widespread surgeon adoption and did not have any detrimental effect on operating room efficiency. III, retrospective comparative study.

Medical Students' Reflections on the Recent Changes to the USMLE Step Exams.

The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) consists of Step 1, Step 2 Clinical Knowledge, Step 2 Clinical Skills, and Step 3. To be licensed to practice medicine in the United States, medical students must pass all parts of the USMLE. However, in addition to that pass/fail grade, students are currently given a numerical score for Step 1, Step 2 Clinical Knowledge, and Step 3. Residency program directors have come to use the Step 1 score to efficiently screen a growing number of residency applicants. As a result, a deleterious environment in undergraduate medical education has been created, given the importance of Step 1 to medical students matching to their preferred residency program. It was announced in February 2020 that the score-reporting protocol for Step 1 would be changed from a 3-digit numerical score to pass/fail only, beginning no earlier than January 1, 2022. This decision will undoubtedly impact medical students, medical schools, and residency program directors. Here, the authors discuss the impact that the change to Step 1 scoring will have on these key stakeholder groups, from their perspective as students at MD-granting medical schools in the United States. They also call attention to outstanding issues with the USMLE that must be addressed to improve undergraduate medical education for all stakeholders, and they offer advice for further improvements to the residency application process.

Trans-contextualized cross-border student choice under “one country, two systems” from Hong Kong to Mainland China for higher education

PurposeThis article examines the complexity and dynamics of Hong Kong students' choice to pursue undergraduate education in Mainland China under the context of “one country, two systems.”Design/methodology/approachThis study mainly draws on primary data from in-depth interviews of 51 Hong Kong students studying in Mainland universities. Qualitative approach of inquiry is adopted to probe into the underlying reasons and processes undergone during the educational choice.FindingsAcademic factors push Hong Kong students away from local universities due to the failure of getting admissions in preferred programs or universities, and pull them toward Mainland universities due to attractions of specific universities and programs. During three phases of decision-making process, different influencing factors have conditioned three orientations: pragmatists enrolled in their aspired programs as the first choice, achievers utilized a fast-track path to enter elite universities and underachievers treated such study opportunity as a last resort for a degree.Originality/valueThis article contributes to a better understanding of the dynamics of educational choice to higher education in Hong Kong at a strategic point of time. It explains how the macro political/policy and sociocultural contexts, the institutional influences of hosting universities and sending secondary schools, perceived parental influence and students' personal characteristics have shaped students' college choice.

Environmental Evaluation of Coal Mines Based on Generalized Linear Model and Nonlinear Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy

To create a good working environment for workers in coal mines and ensure that they can work safely and comfortably, environmental assessments of coal mines represent an important method used to achieve this goal. In this paper, a comprehensive environmental evaluation model of coal mines was established based on generalized linear theory and fuzzy analytic hierarchy processes. First, the importance degree of each index factor was obtained by analyzing the statistical source data of air, water, soil, ecological compensation, and other indexes that affect the ecological environmental safety of coal mines using generalized linear theory. Based on the importance degree of each index factor, a pairwise comparison matrix was constructed by the logarithmic fuzzy preference programming method, and the influence weight value of each index factor was accurately obtained through MATLAB software. The results indicated that the model can effectively reduce the impact of expert subjectivity on the evaluation results, which is consistent with the reality of coal mines. In addition, in the process of environmental assessment of coal mines, the model is proven to be convenient, precise, and easy to operate.

Informal government preferences and asymmetric land allocation in China

Whether governments have informal preferences toward firms when allocating land resources and the effects of such preferences on regional development remain unclear, particularly in countries with weak formal institutions. This paper investigates the government’s informal preferences in land allocations in China. Substantial evidence is found that politically connected firms are preferred to win land auctions at lower prices due to two different reasons. These preferences are informally achieved through a two-stage auction mechanism rather than formal bid preference programs, and result in the asymmetrical allocation of urban land in terms of land quality, quantity, and price, across politically and non-politically connected firms in China. The state-owned enterprises are allocated poor quality land parcels at 55% land price discounts. In comparison, the manager-based politically connected firms are allocated regular land parcels at 6% price discounts, and other firms without connections with the government are allocated regular land at higher prices.

Empowerment in outdoor environmental education: who shapes the programs?

Empowerment is often considered to be a central goal in outdoor education and environmental education. To develop student empowerment, a frequent recommendation is for the leaders of outdoor environmental education programs to provide students with a high level of autonomy through an emancipatory approach, by involving them in the decision-making processes about and during the programs. The study analyzes the strategies applied in five outdoor environmental education programs to involve students in shaping the programs. Further, it discusses the concepts of the program leaders, the accompanying teachers, and the participating students regarding how and whether such student involvement should be implemented. The findings show that while student involvement is achievable, most of the leaders and teachers questioned its effectiveness and expressed concern regarding the students’ ability to provide meaningful suggestions about the program. As a result, most of the leaders preferred instrumental programs, with few opportunities for students to shape the program. Instead, the leaders focused on enjoyable and attractive learning activities prepared by external program designers. The study argues for an adoption of an open and pluralistic approach to the practice, one that would accept both instrumental and emancipatory strategies as relevant for program design and implementation.

Fuzzy Preference Programming Framework for Functional assessment of Subway Networks

The 2019 Canadian Infrastructure report card identified 60% of the subway system to be in a very poor to a poor condition. With multiple assets competing for the limited fund, new methodologies are required to prioritize assets for rehabilitation. The report suggested that adopting an Asset Management Plan would assist municipalities in maintaining and operating infrastructure effectively. ISO 55000 emphasized the importance of risk assessment in assessing the value of an organization’s assets. Subway risk assessment models mainly focus on structural failures with minimum focus on functional failure impacts and network criticality attributes. This research presents two modules to measure the functional failure impacts of a subway network, given financial, social, and operational perspectives, in addition to the station criticality. The model uses the Fuzzy Analytical Network Process with application to Fuzzy Preference Programming to calculate the weights for seven failure impact attributers and seven criticality attributes. Data are collected using questionnaires and unstructured/structured interviews with municipality personnel. The analysis identified social impacts to have the highest score of 38%, followed by operational and financial impacts at 34% and 27.65%, respectively. The subway station criticality revealed station location to have the highest impact at 35%, followed by station nature of use and station characteristics at 30.5% and 31.82%, respectively. When integrated with probability of failure, this model provides a comprehensive risk index to optimize stations for rehabilitation.