Practical Questions Research Articles

Development, review, and activation of thoracic oncology investigator-initiated trials.

Investigator-initiated trials (IITs) may address important biological and clinical questions that may not be prioritized by pharmaceutical sponsors. However, little is known about the process by which IIT proposals are evaluated and activated. We performed a retrospective study of IIT concepts submitted through the Academic Thoracic Oncology Medical Investigators Consortium (ATOMIC), which comprises 13 institutions in the U.S. and Canada, from 2014 (consortium inception) to 2024. We compared approved and disapproved concepts using chi-squared tests, Fisher's exact tests, and Wilcoxon Rank-Sum tests. Among a total of 68 presented IIT concepts, 60 (88%) received consortium approval a median of 30 days (interquartile range [IQR] 31-59 days) after submission. Concepts submitted by junior faculty were more likely to be approved than those from full professors (P=0.003). Of the 60 concepts subsequently submitted to pharmaceutical sponsors, 15 (25%) were approved, 43 (72%) were disapproved, and 2 (3%) remain under review. The median time between concept submission to a sponsor and the sponsor's decision was 61 days (IQR 31-183 days). Concepts with shorter projected durations were more likely to be approved by the pharmaceutical sponsor (P=0.05). For sponsor-approved IIT concepts, median overall time from initial submission to trial activation was 18 months. Only a small proportion of proposed investigator-initiated cancer clinical trials are successfully activated following a prolonged development process. Given the importance of IITs in addressing real-world, practical questions and the growing professional challenges facing clinical research physician faculty, further attention to IIT development facilitators and barriers is warranted.

Robust public health evidence should concede multifactorial causation

The recent controversy surrounding Covishield vaccine and its rare side effects reported by AstraZeneca raises an important ethical question in public health practice. Public health ethics has not been perceived as distinct from medical ethics and by default, evidence in medicine is at times interpreted as being the same as public health evidence, when the context of practice of the two disciplines is distinct. There is a tendency in public health practice to opt for those interventions with maximum benefit to the maximum number, guided by utilitarian ethics, whereas in medical ethics the focus is on benefits vs risks. It is important to examine whether the side effects of any public health intervention can be justified against the risk it can pose to even a single healthy individual?

Innovation of Writing Skills Assessment Instrument at the Creating Level in Arabic Language Textbooks

The form of writing skills questions has the same pattern so that students easily and comfortably search for answers on the internet with instant alternatives. Even though practice questions are very important to measure students' abilities and creativity levels. Therefore, this study aims to examine and innovate the instrument for assessing writing skills at the creation level in Arabic textbooks for class VIII MTs published by the Ministry of Religious Affairs. This research uses library research. Primary data sources come from Arabic textbooks and secondary data sources come from articles, proceedings, and books that have the theory of Arabic writing skills assessment and HOTS creation level. The results of this study indicate that the writing skills assessment instruments used in Arabic textbooks for class VIII MTs do not yet contain HOTS elements, thus it requires innovation in the creation level thinking skills instruments and seven new creation level instruments are available, namely: make perfect sentences, describe serialized pictures, compose procedure texts, compose paragraphs based on questions, compose invitation letters, and compose descriptive essays. The assessment instrument is explained with an overview of the implementation by containing the cognitive domain of the creation level so that it can be understood and used in the development of Arabic writing skills assessment instruments.

The Signaling Effect of Biophilic Job Posts: Do Applicants Trade Green for Green?

ABSTRACTContemporary job postings increasingly rely on visual content to attract applicants through social media platforms, calling for scholarly attention to organizational aesthetics in recruitment. This study accordingly examines the signaling function of biophilic workspace design conveyed in job posts. We integrate theorizing on organizational aesthetics and biophilia with signaling theory to posit that biophilic job posts serve a dual signaling role as both a stimulus of signal attention by eliciting a visceral response and as a signaled source of credible information by evoking an evolutionary disposed cognitive interpretation. More specifically, we model pleasure and arousal as an indicator of stimulated attention, organizational attraction and the willingness to trade pay as evaluated responses to the signal, and attributions of communal organizational traits as an intervening interpretation of the signal—consistent with the role of symbolic attributes in prospective applicant evaluation of organizations. Three primary experiments largely support our predictions. Overall, this research extends the function of aesthetic signals to organizational signaling, validates organizational aesthetics as a stimulus of directed evaluation, and expands the scope of biophilic theory in organizational research. Findings also inform the practical question of whether biophilic job posts function as a non‐pecuniary differentiator in recruitment.

Taking pleasure seriously: Should alcohol research say more about fun?

This paper invites discussion on whether pleasure should receive more attention in public health-oriented research on alcohol. While there is a history of sociological and anthropological literature exploring alcohol and pleasure, this is much less common in public health-oriented alcohol research, and associated advocacy. We propose three broad reasons why more extensive engagement with issues of pleasure may be important for public health-oriented research. The first is epistemological: because overlooking pleasure risks leaving a gap in knowledge of a key component of, and motive for, drinking. The second is ethical: because the prioritisation of long-term health over shorter-term pleasures is not uncontested, and needs to be explicitly justified. The third is pragmatic: because ceding the discourse on pleasure to other actors (including commercial ones) risks undermining effective engagement with target populations. There is strong case for more attention to pleasure in public health-oriented alcohol research. Key to this is the further development of interdisciplinary perspectives and mixed-methods research. This brings both conceptual and methodological challenges, many of which remain unresolved; however, bringing these issues to the surface may enable greater clarity on both normative principles (including arguments against research engaging with pleasure) and practical questions concerning the design of research and analysis in this area.

Equity-Related Ethical Questions in Evaluation Practice: Examples From Interviews With Evaluators in New England, U.S.

Amid calls for evaluations to advance equity, there are ongoing debates, varied guidance, and limited empirical research on how evaluators practically attend to equity in their work. This article identifies ethical questions—about the right thing to do when there are multiple options—that arise when evaluators attend to equity and factors that influence how evaluators interpret and address these questions. Our identification of questions and factors comes from a qualitative analysis of semi-structured individual interviews with 21 evaluators based in New England, U.S., predominantly White women representing multiple practice areas. Ethical questions address evaluators’ expertise, negotiation with funders, methodological norms, use of data about disparities, and influence of evaluators’ worldviews in cross-cultural settings. The ways evaluators navigate these questions are influenced by their workplace, professional roles, interpersonal relationships, power differences, and available time. Findings pose implications for evaluator training and future directions for research on equity and ethics.

소크라테스의 선의 추구와 선험적 정당화

In the dialogue Laches, Plato addresses the issue of justification of Educational content in the language of today’s curriculum researchers. Plato’s view on the issue can be summarized as follows: the value of educational content should be judged not from the perspective of utility, but in light of whether or not it helps to care for the soul. Here, ‘care for the soul’ is possible through the ‘life of reflection’, which Socrates recommended throughout his life. In his view, human life is a process of purifying the soul through reflection. And for him, the life of reflection and purification of the soul is a command from God and the destiny of humans, and no one can be an exception to it. In the researcher’s view, this view of Plato reappears in R. S. Peters’ discussion of the transcendental justification. According to Peters, humans are born into a civilized life in which it is valuable to use reason to ask questions about the current situation and find answers. Of course, this question also includes the practical question of why we should do this and not that. Education is an activity that initiates children into a civilized life by using the accumulated results as educational content. Therefore, the demand to justify educational content is meaningful only when its value is already accepted. Peters’ discussion of the transcendental justification can be more fully formed by Plato’s view on the problem of the source of knowledge, which is implied in ‘the purification of the soul’.

Pengembangan Lembar Kerja Peserta Didik Pada Materi Virus Untuk Kelas X SMA/MA

The use of appropriate teaching materials is a very important factor in improving students' ability to understand a lesson. However, there are still lessons that use LKPD which only contain a collection of questions, so they are not able to increase student activity in learning activities. Therefore, teaching materials such as LKPD are needed that can meet students' needs. The aim of this research is to create an LKPD accompanied by practice questions on Class X SMA/MA virus material that is valid and practical. This type of research is research and development with a 4D development model. At the development stage, validation is carried out by validators and questionnaires regarding readability and practicality are given to teachers and students. The research instruments used were validity questionnaires, readability questionnaires and practicality questionnaires. The results of the study showed that the resulting LKPD has very valid criteria with a validity score of 95.66%, very readable with a readability score of 96.69% and very practical with practicality scores obtained from teachers and students of 90.19% and 94, respectively. 47%. Thus it can be concluded that the LKPD developed can be used in learning.

The battle of question formats: a comparative study of retrieval practice using very short answer questions and multiple choice questions

BackgroundRetrieval practice is a highly effective learning strategy that enhances long-term retention by encouraging the active recall of information. However, the optimal question format for maximizing knowledge retention remains uncertain. In this study, we compared the effect of very short answer (VSAQ) versus multiple-choice question (MCQ) practice tests on students’ knowledge retention. By analyzing these two formats, we aim to identify the most effective approach to retrieval practice, thereby helping to optimize its implementation and improve learning outcomes.MethodsIn this randomized within-subjects study, students (n = 45) practiced with both VSAQs and MCQs in an extracurricular lifestyle course, without receiving feedback. The final retention test consisted of identical questions in both formats. A 2 × 2 repeated measures ANOVA was used to determine the effect of question format in practice testing and final test on final test score. Additionally, digital questionnaires were used to explore students’ test-taking experiences.ResultsThe VSAQs were answered incorrectly more frequently on the practice tests and final test. There was no main effect of practice question format on final test performance, and no interaction effect between question format on the practice and final test. Regardless of question format, most students thought the practice tests were beneficial for learning.ConclusionsWe found no evidence indicating that either MCQ or VSAQ is more effective for knowledge retention during retrieval practice. The lower initial retrieval success in the VSAQs, indicated by the higher degree of incorrect answers on the practice tests, might have limited their effectiveness during retrieval practice. To optimize the use of VSAQs in retrieval practice, it seems important to improve initial retrieval success to maximize learning outcomes.Clinical trial numberNot applicable.

The Contributions of Strategic Knowledge Partnerships in Enhancing Knowledge Marketing: A Case Study at the University of Mosul

Universities are markets of knowledge; they are social organizations that are influenced by society and, in turn, influence it, as they are products of society and tools for creating scientific, technical, professional, and political leadership, responsible for driving change and progress. Thus, they open their doors to everyone, allowing them to find knowledge, culture, and scientific solutions to problems within their halls. One way to open these doors is through establishing knowledge partnerships, which enhances their performance quality first, strengthens their relationships with other parties second, and activates the marketing of their knowledge to beneficiaries in particular and society in general, as it is one of their most valuable assets third. Hence, the problem of the study emerges, represented by a number of theoretical and practical questions. The study aims to answer these questions by clarifying the intellectual implications, as it is considered one of the important topics in the Iraqi environment. Therefore, correlation and influence relationships were tested using statistical programs (SPSS) and (Amos). The study was conducted on a purposive sample of (administrative leaders and senior academic ranks), which was set at (262) individuals, using a checklist as the primary tool for collecting data and information from the study sample. The study reached a number of conclusions, based on which the researcher proposed important recommendations for the organization under investigation.

What's Left of Moral Bioenhancement? Reviewing a 15-Year Debate.

Should we implement biomedical interventions like psychopharmaceuticals or brain stimulation that aim to improve morality in society? Since 2008, moral bioenhancement (MBE) has received considerable attention in bioethics, generating wide scholarly disagreement. However, reviews on the subject are few and either outdated or not structured in method. This paper addresses this gap by providing a scoping review of the last 15years of debate on MBE (from 2008 to 2022). To enhance clarity, we map the debate into three key areas: the conceptual foundations of MBE (foundational questions), the practical feasibility of MBE (practical questions), and the normative legitimacy of MBE (normative questions). Beyond identifying specific research gaps within these domains, our analysis reveals a general lack of empirical evidence either supporting or opposing MBE, as well as a shift in the literature from a universal interpretation of MBE to a more pragmatic one, targeting specific groups.

Designing Interactive Learning Media Using Mobile Augmented Reality for Electrical Circuit Education

This research aims to develop interactive Augmented Reality (AR)-based learning media for electrical circuit courses. The method used is prototype development, with three stages: user needs analysis, prototype development, and pilot testing. In the first stage, the needs of users such as students and lecturers were identified through interviews and questionnaires, which showed 90.9% of students supported the use of AR to improve their understanding. The second stage involved designing 3D objects and their integration into the AR application using Blender and Unity. Testing was conducted through the black box method to assess the functionality of the application. The results showed that the application functioned well, especially in visualizing the concept of electrical circuits interactively. This application facilitates understanding through 3D simulations, videos, and practice questions, and can be accessed through mobile devices. In conclusion, this AR-based learning media is effective in supporting the teaching and learning process of electrical circuit courses.

Designing e-Book of Basic Physics Fluid Series with Assistant of Virtual Laboratory to Improve Critical Thinking Skills

This study aims to develop the e-book Basic Physics Fluid Series design assisted by virtual laboratory Tracker Video Analysis (TVA) that effectively improves students' critical thinking skills. The method used in this study is Research and Development. The graphic design developed, including illustrations and visual elements, was identified as necessary for improving critical thinking skills. At the same time, practice questions with varying difficulty levels allowed students to apply knowledge. The validation process, including the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) test, underlined high agreement and validity, with suggestions for improvement, including contextual design, material optimization, interactive elements, accessibility considerations, student feedback collection, and curriculum alignment. The test results showed that learning with this e-book effectively improved students' critical thinking skills. The results obtained in the indicator provided a simple explanation, concluding that it shows a high N-gain value. In contrast, several other indicators show moderate values. This e-book design can be a role model for developing similar media, especially related efforts to improve students' Critical Thinking Skills (CTS).

Kemampuan Pemecahan Masalah Matematika Ditinjau dari Disposisi Matematis Siswa Kelas VII SMPN 7 Bukittinggi

This research is based on the low mathematical problem-solving ability of students, one of which is because during the learning process students tend to be silent and not confident when answering the practice questions given, there is no courage to answer every question given. The purpose of this study is to find out students' mathematical problem-solving ability reviewed from mathematical disposition. This type of research is a qualitative description research. The research subjects were selected 3 students out of 29 students, namely, one student for each category of mathematical disposition, including high, medium, and low mathematical disposition categories. The instruments used are questionnaire instruments, mathematical problem-solving ability tests, and interview guidelines. The data analysis techniques used are data reduction, data presentation and conclusion drawn. The data validity technique used is triangulation technique. Based on the results of this study, students with a high category of mathematical disposition have a level of mathematical problem-solving ability with a very good category. Then students with a moderate category of mathematical disposition have a level of mathematical problem-solving ability with a sufficient category. Furthermore, students with a low category of mathematical disposition have a different level of mathematical problem-solving ability, which is less and less

Ischemic Stroke Prevention in Patients Atrial Fibrillation and a Recent Ischemic Stroke, TIA, or Intracranial Hemorrhage; a World Stroke Organisation (WSO) Scientific Statement.

Background. Secondary stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the fastest growing areas in the field of cerebrovascular diseases. This Scientific statement from the World Stroke Organization Brain & Heart Task Force provides a critical analysis of the strength of current evidence this topic, highlights areas of current controversy, identifies knowledge gaps, and proposes priorities for future research. Methods. We select topics with the highest clinical relevance and perform a systematic search to answer specific practical questions. Based on the strength of available evidence and knowledge gaps, we identify topics that need to be prioritized in future research. For this purpose, we adopt a novel classification of evidence strength based on the availability of publications in which the primary population is patients with recent (<6 months) cerebrovascular events, whether the primary study endpoint is a recurrent ischemic stroke, and the quality of the studies (e.g., observational vs. randomized controlled trial). Summary. Priority areas include AF screening, molecular biomarkers, AF subtype classification, anticoagulation in device-detected AF, timing of anticoagulation initiation, effective management of breakthrough strokes on existing anticoagulant therapy, the role of left atrial appendage closure, novel approaches, and antithrombotic therapy post-intracranial hemorrhage. Strength of currently available evidence varies across the selected topics, with early anticoagulation being the one showing more consistent data. Conclusion. Several knowledge gaps persist in most areas related to secondary stroke prevention in AF. Prioritizing research in this field is crucial to advance current knowledge and improve clinical care.

Interpretation of the Evaluative Concept of “Integrity” as a Part of Judge Selection and Qualification Evaluation Practice

Analyzing the latest scientific and practical studies, the authors examine the interpretation of the evaluative concept of “integrity” in the judge selection and qualification assessment practice. The authors emphasize that the absence of a legislative definition of the evaluative term “integrity” in the selection and qualification assessment practice does not mean that it does not meet the requirements of legal certainty. Both legislators and judiciary bodies as well as court practice, build this concept. Numerous issues of its interpretation remain unresolved, which in some cases may indicate that the legal assessment of an applicant for a juridical vacancy or a judge during the relevant procedures is unclear and unpredictable. Approval of the united criteria of “integrity” definition will help to unify the practice of applicant selection for a juridical vacancy and make the application of this evaluative concept more understandable and transparent. The authors emphasize that only the approval of the united criteria of the “integrity” evaluative concept definition will not solve all the problems with its explicit application. To unify this practice, hundreds of practical questions of judges/applicants for juridical vacancies must get approved answers. Therefore, the High Council of Justice of Ukraine must provide answers to very specific questions regarding the term “integrity” and publish them in a handbook.

How Chatbots Respond to NCLEX-RN Practice Questions: Assessment of Google Gemini, GPT-3.5, and GPT-4.

ChatGPT often "hallucinates" or misleads, underscoring the need for formal validation at the professional level for reliable use in nursing education. We evaluated two free chatbots (Google Gemini and GPT-3.5) and a commercial version (GPT-4) on 250 standardized questions from a simulated nursing licensure exam, which closely matches the content and complexity of the actual exam. Gemini achieved 73.2 percent (183/250), GPT-3.5 achieved 72 percent (180/250), and GPT-4 reached a notably higher performance with 92.4 percent (231/250). GPT-4 exhibited its highest error rate (13.3%) in the psychosocial integrity category.

Unforgetting as a choreographic practice

Unforgetting as choreographic practice questions how artistic research can contribute to the remembering of dance histories and a re-contextualisation through performance. Opening the creation process of the performance Frå Form til Famling (2023), Holte shares experiences from the encounter with these dance historical archives, transforming a document into an artistic experience to create a space for a polyphonic remembering, an unforgetting that expands the initial narrative, and that creates a space for remembering several histories at once.

2022 개정 교과 교육과정에서 핵심가치 교육을 위한 학습자 태도 관련 핵심개념어 경향성 분석 연구

Objectives This study aimed to identify the connections and tendencies of learner attitude-related core conceptual words in each subject curriculum among the value-attitude areas newly introduced in the 2022 revised curriculum. Methods This study centered on nine attitude-related core conceptual words derived from the 2022 revised curriculum document by Yoo & Yang(2024) through text mining analysis. We aimed to analyze the connections that these keywords form in each curriculum. The NetworkX library of Python 3.6 was used to conduct the study, and the network analysis indicators of degree centrality, mediated centrality, proximity centrality, and eigenvector centrality were applied to conduct a comprehensive analysis. Results First, the frequency analysis confirmed that the core value attitude concept words emphasized by each course were different. Second, the contextual analysis revealed that the nine attitude-related core conceptual words are not organically integrated into the curriculum documents and are used sporadically. Third, the linkage network analysis of the nine core value conceptual words revealed that some value conceptual words were high in frequency but low in centrality, and others were low in frequency but high in centrality. Conclusions It was found that the current curriculum documents do not systematically and meaningfully address core values. Therefore, this study proposes a conceptual words system of core value education attitudes systematized in the direction of core value education, development of core questions for core value education practice in an integrated and convergent method, and application of various teaching and learning methods.

The untapped potential of camera traps for farmland biodiversity monitoring: current practice and outstanding agroecological questions

The untapped potential of camera traps for farmland biodiversity monitoring: current practice and outstanding agroecological questions