Preliminary Definition Research Articles

Protocol for identifying and characterising critical physical tasks in the military: Development and validation.

When establishing Physical Employment Standards, validity is dependent on the correct identification and characterisation of critical job tasks. To develop and validate a standardised protocol for the identification, characterisation, and documentation of critical physical job tasks in military occupational specialities in the Swedish Armed Forces (SwAF), and propose a definition of critical physical job tasks for use in the SwAF. A protocol was drafted with three content domains, including a preliminary definition. Protocol content validity was iteratively assessed in two consecutive stages where ten subject experts rated relevance and simplicity. A consensus panel revised the protocol after each stage. Content validity index (CVI) was calculated as item-CVI (I-CVI) per each feature and as scale average (S-CVI/Ave) per content domain. Acceptable content validity thresholds were 0.78 and 0.90, respectively. The validated protocol consisted of 35 items with an I-CVI≥0.90 and≥0.80 for relevance and simplicity, respectively. The S-CVI/Ave was 0.97 for relevance and 0.98 for simplicity. The protocol was language reviewed, reorganised for easy use, and approved by the consensus panel. The final protocol includes: background and aim of the protocol, the accepted generic and critical physical job task definitions, protocol instructions, subject expert-qualifications, job task source and characteristics. A standardised protocol for identification and characterisation of critical job tasks in SwAF military occupational specialties was developed. The protocol content was rated relevant and simple by experts and will be of importance in future work establishing physical requirements in the SwAF.

Mothering in liminality: Toward a definition of third culture parenting

AbstractObjectiveThis study proposes a preliminary definition of third culture parenting drawn from the experiences of relatively privileged expat mothers who raise their children outside of their passport country.BackgroundA vast literature examining third culture kids (TCKs) in the context of expatriate postings exists, as does research on parenting styles among middle‐class, U.S. families; however, there is little scholarship exploring where these intersect: an emerging style of third culture parenting.MethodThis gap was explored through an inductive, qualitative analysis of data collected from 11 in‐depth interviews with middle‐class mothers who were all married and globally mobile because of their husbands' work. In total, these families lived in 17 countries.ResultsRespondents reflected on the challenges and opportunities of parenting while suspended in a liminal space between geographic locations and cultural contexts.ConclusionThis article examines several paradoxes that emerged in the analysis: juggling intensive parenting with children's increased independence, navigating family dynamics that are both insular and egalitarian, and creating a sense of belonging in mobility. Analysis of these paradoxes of mothering in liminality is significant if the transnational lives of expatriate families are harbingers of the kinds of identities and family relations that are becoming commonplace in a mobile world.ImplicationsThe phenomenon of TCKs is well documented in the scholarship, but it must also be understood in relation to an emerging style of third culture parenting among expatriate families, which may inform therapeutic interventions aimed at these families.

Childhood maltreatment and mentalizing capacity: A meta-analysis

BackgroundThe protective role of mentalizing capacity against the adverse effects of childhood maltreatment (CM) is acknowledged; however, empirical studies have yielded diverse conclusions regarding the relationship between childhood maltreatment and mentalizing capacity. ObjectiveThis meta-analytic review aims to comprehensively summarize and quantify the association between childhood maltreatment and mentalizing capacity. Participants and settingA total of 23 studies involving 3910 participants were included in the analysis. MethodsSystematic searches across eight bibliographic databases identified peer-reviewed publications describing empirical studies on the interplay between CM and mentalizing capacity. Effect sizes (r) were synthesized using random-effects models. A moderated effects analysis was conducted on five variables: participant gender, age group, mental health status, mentalizing capacity measurement, and childhood maltreatment measurement. ResultsThe findings showed a significant moderate negative correlation between childhood maltreatment and mentalizing capacity (r = −0.21, 95 % CI = [−0.26, −0.15]). This suggests that heightened severity of childhood maltreatment corresponds to lower mentalizing capacity. Moreover, the strength of this correlation was influenced by participant gender, age group, mental health status, mentalizing capacity measurement, and CM measurement. ConclusionsThe controversy surrounding the link between CM and mentalizing capacity gains clarity when considering significant moderating variables. The pooled effect provides a preliminary definition of the magnitude and direction of this correlation.

Improving the EAR Index for Flexible Pavement and a Preliminary Definition of an Environmental Index (ECR) for Rigid Pavement

Nowadays, roadway infrastructures are designed in order to satisfy technical and economical requirements, as well as to guarantee advanced environmental performance. Focusing on that, this paper deals with an innovative procedure for the characterization of pavement materials, both asphalt and cement-bound mixtures. The methodology takes its cue from a previous study in which the so-called Environmental Asphalt Rating (EAR) was firstly introduced as a reference parameter for asphalt pavements to evaluate technical offers and for the assignment of scores, in terms of environmental impacts, during the tender phase. In this work, the EAR methodology is revised with a focus on the main variations and improvements related to the new version of the ISO standard. By applying the same approach to rigid or concrete pavements, a preliminary version of the Environmental Concrete Rating (ECR) is presented. For ECR, a correction is provided regarding functionality through a fatigue-related parameter and the surface characteristics related to the IRI value. Despite its strong applicability to the pavement sector, the strength of the proposed method is its ability to be fine-tuned to different fields by varying the associated performance coefficients.

Definition of rheumatoid arthritis flare based on SDAI and CDAI

ObjectiveTo develop and validate definitions for disease flares in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) based on the quantitative Simplified and Clinical Disease Activity Indices (SDAI, CDAI).MethodsWe analysed RA treatment courses from the...

Refinement of a Preliminary Case Definition for Use in Traumatic Brain Injury Surveillance.

Current methods used to measure incidence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) underestimate its true public health burden. The use of self-report surveys may be an approach to improve these estimates. An important step in public health surveillance is to define a public health problem using a case definition. The purpose of this article is to outline the process that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention undertook to refine a TBI case definition to be used in surveillance using a self-report survey. Survey. A total of 10 030 adults participated via a random digit-dial telephone survey from September 2018 to September 2019. Respondents were asked whether they had sustained a hit to the head in the preceding 12 months and whether they experienced a series of 12 signs and symptoms as a result of this injury. Head injuries with 1 or more signs/symptoms reported were initially categorized into a 3-tiered TBI case definition (probable TBI, possible TBI, and delayed possible TBI), corresponding to the level of certainty that a TBI occurred. Placement in a tier was compared with a range of severity measures (whether medical evaluation was sought, time to symptom resolution, self-rated social and work functioning); case definition tiers were then modified in a stepwise fashion to maximize differences in severity between tiers. There were statistically significant differences in the severity measure between cases in the probable and possible TBI tiers but not between other tiers. Timing of symptom onset did not meaningfully differentiate between cases on severity measures; therefore, the delayed possible tier was eliminated, resulting in 2 tiers: probable and possible TBI. The 2-tiered TBI case definition that was derived from this analysis can be used in future surveillance efforts to differentiate cases by certainty and from noncases for the purpose of reporting TBI prevalence and incidence estimates. The refined case definition can help researchers increase the confidence they have in reporting survey respondents' self-reported TBIs as well as provide them with the flexibility to report an expansive (probable + possible TBI) or more conservative (probable TBI only) estimate of TBI prevalence.

Electrical Distribution System LCA for Future Regional Aircraft—Preliminary Definition of Methodology

The Hybrid Electric Regional Aircraft Distribution Technologies (HECATE) Clean Aviation project will mature and develop breakthrough technologies and perform scalability and impact analysis to ensure safe and power-dense technologies that will enable Entry Into Service (EIS) of hybrid-electric regional aircraft by 2035. Along the project, a circular economy approach in future aircraft will be ensured through the use of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), performing this type of assessment on the overall electrical system and primary/secondary distribution and conversion technologies, helping to be in line with long-term environmental roadmaps such as Flightpath 2050. This communication includes a description of the HECATE activities and how LCA will be applied to the future Regional Aircraft Electrical Distribution System.

Digital Communication of Conscientious Brands: Case Studies

In the actual context, it is increasingly crucial for brands to act with a conscience and communicate their environmental and social commitments to gain social legitimacy from stakeholders. Despite the relevance of this issue, limited studies provide insight into conscientious communication. Specifically, there is a dearth of research in the conscientious brand literature on how conscience-driven brands can communicate in digital environments. Indeed, brands may benefit from digital touchpoints by increasing social acceptance. The proposed paper aims to provide a conscientious communication definition and explore requirements that conscientious brands can fulfil to communicate their conscientiousness to stakeholders in the online context. The findings emerging from secondary data-based case studies offer a preliminary definition of conscientious communication and initial answers to what conscientious brands communicate (main contents), to whom (main audience), for what objectives (functions), how (main principles) and where (main digital means and channels) they communicate. Furthermore, the paper provides a compass to orient managers and practitioners toward conscientious communication strategies and practices to achieve environmental, social, and governance goals. This study broadens the debate on conscientious brands and offers theoretical insights into social legitimacy. Finally, it paves the way for future research in this emerging field.

O’ Coworker, Who Art Thou? The Conundrum of Not Knowing Who Is or Is Not One’s Coworker and a Preliminary Definition

O’ Coworker, Who Art Thou? The Conundrum of Not Knowing Who Is or Is Not One’s Coworker and a Preliminary Definition

Spatio-temporal characteristics and driving factors of flash drought recovery: From the perspective of soil moisture and GPP changes

Flash drought recovery is significant to evaluate the impact of flash drought and the resilience of ecosystem. However, the definition of flash drought recovery stage and its mechanism remain unclear, with limited research in this area. This study proposes the definitions of flash drought recovery stage based on soil moisture change and gross primary productivity (GPP) change. The spatio-temporal characteristics, driving factors and differences between two identifications are investigated in Xiang River Basin (XRB) and Wei River Basin (WRB), two typical humid and semiarid basins in China. The main results are as follows: (1) XRB has a slightly longer recovery time and a higher recovery rate in terms of soil moisture-based definition, while GPP-based definition shows similar recovery times for both basins, with WRB having a higher recovery rate. (2) Based on soil moisture-based definition, the recovery time and recovery rates of different flash drought events in the same basin vary greatly, while most flash drought events in both basins recover within 2*8 days in terms of GPP-based definition. (3) Under both definitions, regions with relatively higher precipitation, lower average temperature and lower solar radiation tend to have higher recovery rates and shorter recovery time. Besides, grasslands tend to recover more quickly from flash drought than forests with GPP-based definition. (4) The recovery stage with soil moisture-based definition begins with the changes in associated meteorological variables, while the recovery stage with GPP-based definition begins 8 to 2*8 days after the changes of meteorological variables occur. This study proposes preliminary definitions for the recovery stage of flash drought and reveals the mechanism underlying the flash drought recovery, which are crucial for understanding the evolution of flash drought and reducing the risks resulting from it.

Realizing the Metaverse with Edge Intelligence: A Match Made in Heaven

Dubbed "the successor to the mobile Internet", the concept of the Metaverse has recently exploded in popularity. While there exists lite versions of the Metaverse today, we are still far from realizing the vision of a seamless, shardless, and interoperable Metaverse given the stringent sensing, communication, and computation requirements. Moreover, the birth of the Metaverse comes amid growing privacy concerns among users. In this article, we begin by providing a preliminary definition of the Metaverse. We discuss the architecture of the Metaverse and mainly focus on motivating the convergence of edge intelligence and the infrastructure layer of the Metaverse. We present major edge-based technological developments and their integration to support the Metaverse engine. Then, we present our research attempts through a case study of virtual city development in the Metaverse. Finally, we discuss the open research issues.

Tackling the Learning Curve of Medical Terminology: Experience of a Medical Student with a Background in Classical Languages

Upon entering medical school, many students encounter a steep learning curve when handling the vast and intricate vocabulary that healthcare workers use daily. Since the basis of medical terminology has developed from the roots of classical languages, it would theoretically be helpful to provide medical students with a foundational knowledge of Latin and Greek. My experience with learning classical languages before entering medical school has allowed me to have a formulaic approach when tackling unfamiliar medical terminology. By breaking up medical terms like transsphenoidal hypophysectomy into their respective roots, I can create a quick definition for myself before being given any formal teaching on the matter. The primary advantage of this learning style is that it reduces the burden of memorization on the student. The lectures from medical school help refine the preliminary definitions, which makes memorization much easier since students already have a basic framework for each new term encountered. However, certain considerations need to be kept in mind when utilizing the classical approach to understanding medical terminology. For example, the Latin and Greek roots cannot define eponyms like Wilson’s disease, named after the person who discovered the disease, or provide information on medications as their names have non-classical origins. Overall from my experience, the benefits of the formulaic approach make it a valuable tool during the initial years of medical school when the content is taught in a classroom setting and it can provide the foundation for an easier transition into the clinical environment.

Strengthening the Military Potential of the Bucharest Nine States in the Context of the russian-Ukrainian War.

The article focuses on strengthening the military potential of the Bucharest Nine (B9) states in the context of the russia's war in Ukraine. The authors clarify the reasons and goals of the consolidation of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe for cooperation within the framework of the Bucharest format. Prerequisites for changes in defense spending within NATO are described, namely, the russian-Ukrainian war. The reaction of the North Atlantic Alliance to Russia's armed attack on Ukraine is studied, in particular after the full-scale russian invasion. The main results of the NATO summit in Madrid, which took place in 2022, are considered, separately, the adoption of the new Strategic Concept of NATO. The features of the new security and defense model presented by J. Stoltenberg, which includes the protection of the Eastern flank of the Alliance and is based on three key pillars, are pointed, namely: 1) increased forward presence with more combat operations; 2) pre-deployment of military equipment to save time in conditions where mobilization of forces is required; 3) preliminary definition of units - these are forces that will undergo training in a certain territory, where they will have certain duties. The dynamics of defense expenditures of each of the participating countries of the Bucharest Nine format from the beginning of the russian-Ukrainian war in 2014 to the period after the open armed attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022 is presented. The information on the formation of the newest high-reaction combat groups of the North Atlantic Alliance and their location on the territory of the B9 member states to strengthen the military presence in countries that are at risk in the event of further escalation of the Russian-Ukrainian war is covered. The data related to NATO military exercises within the framework of strengthening the eastern borders in connection with the intensification of the armed aggression of the russian federation are analyzed. As a result of the study, it is concluded that russian aggression against Ukraine is considered by the member states of the Alliance to be a colossal threat to the existence of peace and security in the Euro-Atlantic region. The authors predict a further increase in the military potential of the Bucharest Nine countries to maintain a stable security situation in the subregion.

Disease modification achievement in patients with lupus nephritis in a real-life setting: mission impossible?

ObjectiveA preliminary definition of disease modification (DM) in lupus nephritis (LN) was recently developed focusing on long-term remission and damage prevention, with minimal treatment-associated toxicity. We aimed to further specify...

Can Chatbots replace human coaches? Issues and dilemmas for the coaching profession, coaching clients and for organisations

The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) has led to the speculation that chatbots could revolutionise the coaching industry in the coming decade, replacing humans as the main provider of coaching conversations. The development of GPT4 has led to these bots becoming increasingly sophisticated and effective at providing support and guidance in various fields. Coaching providers have been quick to operationalise these generative language tools to create new products like AIMY, evoach and Vici. This paper examines the potential of AI chatbots and their integration into coaching tools. It will review the advantages and current limitations of AI coaching chatbots and offer a preliminary definition for the field, seeking to differentiate chatbots from human coaching. The paper also explores the role of coaching psychology, professional bodies and governments in the development and evolution of AI systems and coaching chatbots, and suggests the urgent need for action to protect clients and organisations from unregulated and unethical practices.

SAFEGUARDING CONSUMERS: COMBATING DECEPTION IN E-COMMERCE

This research explores the significance of protecting consumers from electronic commercial deception, focusing on the Saudi regulatory perspective. It sheds light on this crime’s societal dangers and emphasises prevention's importance. The researcher outlines the risks and characteristics of this crime, highlights Saudi regulations aimed at curbing it, and examines the types and methods of commercial fraud. The study also emphasises the preventive and remedial measures to combat fraud and presents the associated risks and precautionary strategies. The researcher approaches the topic through preliminary definitions, followed by two sections: the first addresses fraud in electronic commercial transactions and the legal and regulatory stance in four demands. In contrast, the second section explores the impact of fraud on commercial electronic contracts in four demands. The conclusion summarises the key findings and recommendations, seeking guidance from the Almighty.

Single-cell RNA transcriptomic and plasma Lipidomic reveal the potential mechanisms of a Methotrexate-based therapy against Rheumatoid Arthritis

ObjectiveTo assess whether a Methotrexate-based therapy could achieve more clinical benefit, we arranged a Simon 2-Stage Phase 1 Trial. Single-cell RNA sequencing and lipidomic profiling were performed to reveal the potential mechanisms. MethodsPatients were enrolled in an open-label, Simon 2-stage, single-center, single-arm trial at Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine. Main inclusion criteria were defined as follows: Aged 18 to 70, low to medium disease activity, fulfilled the RA classification criteria of EULAR/ACR 2010. Patients received the oral medication of MTX 10–15 mg weekly and natural product granules twice a day. Primary outcome was the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 20% preliminary definition of improvement. Single-cell RNA sequencing(scRNA-seq) on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was used to show the aberrant metabolism before and after the trial. Plasma lipidomic profiling quantified the lipid changes caused by this MTX-based therapy. Finally, post-hoc analysis on responders and non-responders were used for further analysis. ResultsBetween October 2020 and June 2022, 46 patients received treatment, while 42 finished follow-ups. 27 of 46 (58.70%) patients achieved ACR20, and significant changes were observed in several secondary outcomes. Comparative scRNA-seq analysis before and after the treatment revealed that lipidomic metabolism was broadly downregulated. Plasma lipidomic profiling reveals that 40 lipids were observed significantly changed. Post-hoc analysis showed the lipid changes were separately linked to clinical parameters in responders and non-responders. ConclusionThe study reveals that the combination therapy of HQT+MTX is effective and has a certain correlation with lipid metabolism, but more rigorous study design is still needed to confirm this speculation.

Detection of electromagnetic anomalies over seismic regions during two strong (MW > 5) earthquakes

Ionospheric disturbances (such as electromagnetic emissions) in connection to strong earthquakes have been reported in literature for over two decades. In order to be reliable, the identification of such disturbances requires a preliminary robust definition of the ionospheric background in the absence of both seismic activity and any other possible input (e.g., transient change in solar activity).In this work, we present a new technique for the assessment of the electromagnetic (EM) background in the ionosphere over seismic regions. The background is estimated via a multiscale statistical analysis that makes use of most of the electric- and magnetic-field datasets (2019–2021) from the China Seismo-Electromagnetic Satellite (CSES-01).The result is a map of the average relative energy in a 6° x 6° LAT-LON cell centered at the earthquake epicenter (EE). Only EM signals that statistically differ from the background should be considered as events suitable for investigation.The method is tested against two strong seismic events, the 14 August 2021 Haitian earthquake (7.2 MW) and the 27 September 2021 Cretan earthquake (6.0 MW). In the former case, a signal (with characteristic frequency of 250 Hz) can be identified, which emerges from the background. In the latter one, the concurrent strong geomagnetic activity does not allow to tell any distinct signal apart from the background.

Defining and Scoping Participatory Health Informatics: An eDelphi Study.

Health care has evolved to support the involvement of individuals in decision making by, for example, using mobile apps and wearables that may help empower people to actively participate in their treatment and health monitoring. While the term "participatory health informatics" (PHI) has emerged in literature to describe these activities, along with the use of social media for health purposes, the scope of the research field of PHI is not yet well defined. This article proposes a preliminary definition of PHI and defines the scope of the field. We used an adapted Delphi study design to gain consensus from participants on a definition developed from a previous review of literature. From the literature we derived a set of attributes describing PHI as comprising 18 characteristics, 14 aims, and 4 relations. We invited researchers, health professionals, and health informaticians to score these characteristics and aims of PHI and their relations to other fields over three survey rounds. In the first round participants were able to offer additional attributes for voting. The first round had 44 participants, with 28 participants participating in all three rounds. These 28 participants were gender-balanced and comprised participants from industry, academia, and health sectors from all continents. Consensus was reached on 16 characteristics, 9 aims, and 6 related fields. The consensus reached on attributes of PHI describe PHI as a multidisciplinary field that uses information technology and delivers tools with a focus on individual-centered care. It studies various effects of the use of such tools and technology. Its aims address the individuals in the role of patients, but also the health of a society as a whole. There are relationships to the fields of health informatics, digital health, medical informatics, and consumer health informatics. We have proposed a preliminary definition, aims, and relationships of PHI based on literature and expert consensus. These can begin to be used to support development of research priorities and outcomes measurements.

The Athena X-ray Integral Field Unit: a consolidated design for the system requirement review of the preliminary definition phase

The Athena X-ray Integral Unit (X-IFU) is the high resolution X-ray spectrometer, studied since 2015 for flying in the mid-30s on the Athena space X-ray Observatory, a versatile observatory designed to address the Hot and Energetic Universe science theme, selected in November 2013 by the Survey Science Committee. Based on a large format array of Transition Edge Sensors (TES), it aims to provide spatially resolved X-ray spectroscopy, with a spectral resolution of 2.5 eV (up to 7 keV) over an hexagonal field of view of 5 arc minutes (equivalent diameter). The X-IFU entered its System Requirement Review (SRR) in June 2022, at about the same time when ESA called for an overall X-IFU redesign (including the X-IFU cryostat and the cooling chain), due to an unanticipated cost overrun of Athena. In this paper, after illustrating the breakthrough capabilities of the X-IFU, we describe the instrument as presented at its SRR, browsing through all the subsystems and associated requirements. We then show the instrument budgets, with a particular emphasis on the anticipated budgets of some of its key performance parameters. Finally we briefly discuss on the ongoing key technology demonstration activities, the calibration and the activities foreseen in the X-IFU Instrument Science Center, and touch on communication and outreach activities, the consortium organisation, and finally on the life cycle assessment of X-IFU aiming at minimising the environmental footprint, associated with the development of the instrument. Thanks to the studies conducted so far on X-IFU, it is expected that along the design-to-cost exercise requested by ESA, the X-IFU will maintain flagship capabilities in spatially resolved high resolution X-ray spectroscopy, enabling most of the original X-IFU related scientific objectives of the Athena mission to be retained. (abridged).