Review Sessions Research Articles

Development and interobserver reliability of a rating scale for lung ultrasound pathology in lower respiratory tract infection

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to develop a severity rating scale for lung ultrasound pathology in lower respiratory tract infection based on multicenter expert consensus, and to test inter-rater reliability. MethodsTen point-of-care ultrasound experts from three academic institutions developed the scale iteratively through literature review, expert opinion, and pilot testing. Clips were prospectively collected from adults suspected of COVID-19 using a 14-zone scanning protocol. Blinded reviewers independently rated four data subsets. The rating scale was refined through eight consensus-building discussions reviewing challenging cases from the first three subsets. The final scale consisted of a set of ordinal scores from 0 to 4, for five sonographic findings: B-lines, pleural line abnormalities, consolidations, pleural effusions, and overall lung aeration. Ratings from the fourth subset were analyzed to determine reliability based on intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). A total of 11,126 cine clips from 220 patients were acquired. DiscussionAfter excluding uninterpretable clips, the test dataset contained 81 clips and yielded an average ICC of 0.70 across the five sonographic findings (0.76 for B-lines, 0.52 for pleural line abnormalities, 0.71 for consolidations, 0.80 for pleural effusions, and 0.70 for overall lung aeration). Improvements in agreement were observed with each successive review session and dataset rating. ConclusionThe lung ultrasound severity scale established by multicenter expert consensus achieved moderate to good inter-rater reliability. The scale could be used clinically to standardize assessment of lower respiratory tract infection and in future studies to develop methods for automated interpretation of lung ultrasound pathology.

International health initiative: Development and pilot testing of a molecular diagnostics training program in Romania.

The implementation of nucleic acid testing in laboratory medicine has revolutionized clinical diagnosis. Unfortunately, incorporation of these technologies in less developed countries remains a challenge. Despite Romania's recent economic growth, the country is in dire need of medical and laboratory staff trained in modern technologies. The aim of the study was to develop a curriculum that could easily be delivered to laboratory professionals in Romania and to pilot test the effectiveness of the training in increasing their understanding of molecular tests. The program was developed in accordance with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) quality training standards. It was offered to 50 laboratory professionals and consisted of online, asynchronous lectures and optional synchronous review sessions. Training effectiveness was evaluated using CDC guidelines based on pre- and postassessment questions answered anonymously. Forty-two people participated in the program, and 32 (81%) completed the training successfully. Based on 16 participants' self-assessment, the course was successful in improving learners' overall knowledge of molecular diagnostics-specifically, their understanding of molecular techniques and how to interpret results. Those participants were highly satisfied with the overall training. The piloted platform presented here is promising and can be a foundation for future larger-scale studies in countries with developing health systems.

NCCN Highlights Best Practices for Challenges in Oncology

NCCN Highlights Best Practices for Challenges in Oncology

Case study: Assessing the impact of concept mapping during an exam review on exam performance in a large-enrollment human physiology course

A typical college-level human physiology course surveys a breadth of physiological topics. Students are expected to demonstrate an understanding of organ system functions from the molecular to the organismal scale as well as an understanding of how interactions between organ systems produce integrated functions. Concept maps are learning tools that help students make connections between seemingly disparate concepts, like physiological processes occurring at different scales and interactions between different organ systems. The purpose of this study was to compare exam scores of students who attended a review session with concept mapping to those who attended a review session without concept mapping, as well as to assess the perceived exam preparedness of students who attended an exam review and those who did not attend an exam review. We hypothesized that the addition of concept mapping during an exam review session would improve average student exam scores and that students who attended a review session would report that they were better prepared for the exam.The concept map intervention was implemented as part of each exam review session for two in-person offerings of a large enrollment intermediate level human physiology course (n=747 students) in 2021–22 at a large public research university. Control exam performance data was collected in the same course without the concept map intervention as part of the exam review sessions for two in-person offerings (n=807 students) during 2017-18. The intervention groups’ exam review sessions consisted of 30 minutes of concept mapping followed by 20 minutes of a student question and answer session. The control groups’ exam review sessions consisted of 50 minutes of a student question and answer session. After each exam, students were asked to report the grade they expected to earn on the exam (A, B, C, D or F) as a measure of their level of exam preparedness. A student’s t-test was used to determine significant differences between exam scores of students in the intervention and control group. Data are presented as mean exam score (%)±SD.Overall exam scores in the control group (80.4±11.7) were significantly higher than the experimental group (78.75±11.8, p=0.007). Of the students who participated in the survey, 2,228 participated in the exam review and 543 did not. Perceived exam preparedness are as follows for groups that attended the exam review (expecting A:25%, B:55%, C:18%, D:2%, F:0%) and those who did not attend (expecting A:20%, B:49%, C:23%, D:4%, F:2%).The overall exam scores from the control group were higher than the experimental group. This suggests that adding concept maps to the review session did not improve exam scores. There may be confounding factors affecting exam scores (ex: transitioning to an in-person setting after the global pandemic). More research needs to be done to understand the impact of including concept map exercises in exam review sessions on student exam performance. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2023 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Interactive review sessions using polling provide real-time formative feedback and faculty-modeled MCQ practice in pre-clerkship medical school courses: evolution through a major curricular revision

The Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University annually welcomes a class of 220 students to the MD program across two campuses. Our goal is to create an interactive, collaborative, and comparable experience, and to promote deeper levels of learning for learners with diverse background experiences. A challenge with large class sizes is providing valuable feedback as to which concepts students struggle with and to address learners’ misconceptions. Faculty obtain most feedback from summative assessments. Participation in pre-exam review sessions, including lecture-style and Q&A reviews, has declined. Facilitators seek methods to provide meaningful review of many topics while increasing buy-in and engagement of our students. We hypothesized that by using a more scaffolded active learning approach, we could increase the participation in and value of these sessions. Five years ago, we piloted a format which incorporated case-based learning with real-time formative assessment using polling in Echo360. Goals were to increase student engagement in the large class setting and to offer students and faculty real-time insight into students’ conceptual understanding. Faculty designed sessions to build on cases previously introduced in lectures/workshops to integrate structure-function relationships of disease, allowing faculty to address big picture, high-yield concepts while modeling how to differentiate disease states and approach board-style multiple choice questions. Sessions have since been continuously revised to focus on core basic science content and case-based questions in three courses covering the cardiovascular, pulmonary, and renal systems. This contributed to the development of the new courses which resulted from the shift from a two-pass pre-clerkship curriculum to a single-pass curriculum which began in the Fall 2020 semester. The format allows for integration and spaced repetition of content and core concepts which carry through the systems-based component of the curriculum. The new curriculum also resulted in an increase in the number of board-style questions in curricular summative exams. Students appreciate how much material can be covered in a meaningful way, that they can practice board-style MCQ questions and cases with immediate faculty feedback, and that they can refine their study plan and improve time management in their exam preparation. Faculty note that students who attend are enthusiastic and ask thoughtful follow-up questions and appreciate that they can quickly identify challenging topics for further discussion and review. The percentage of students who attend these optional sessions has markedly increased from the more passive sessions used in the past. In addition, this format allows students and faculty to attend virtually using Zoom, which allows for faculty across both campuses to work together with students in real-time. Both students and faculty support the use of these interactive review sessions. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2023 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Questioning the validity and reliability of using a video-based test to assess decision making among female and male water polo players

This study aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of a water polo video-based test to assess decision making. Ninety-five female and male elite/tier 4 (T4) or highly trained/tier 3 (T3) athletes participated using their smartphones. Males repeated the test one week later for reliability analyses. Coaches assessed males’ in-water decision making and females were noted as selected or nonselected for the national team. Although response accuracy was significantly different between T3 and T4 athletes ( p < .001) and correlated with age (rs(88) = 0.43), sex-specific analyses identified that the only significant differences in accuracy were between T3 females and the other three groups (T4 females, T3 males, and T4 males). There was no correlation between males’ accuracy and coach-rated decision making skill, and no difference in accuracy between selected and nonselected females. Reliability analyses comparing performance between weeks revealed an ICC of 0.75, a standard error of measurement of 3.41%, and a significant improvement from week 1 to week 2 among T4 males ( p = .018). Despite associations between accuracy and age, the test was not able to distinguish between more similar groups of athletes. Considering the nonrepresentative design of the test, the construct assessed was declarative game knowledge rather than decision making skill, with the results suggesting that the former is not critical for evaluating elite players. The performance improvement between weeks among T4 males reinforces that video-based designs should be used cautiously in high-performance sport. However, there may still be practical applications for video-based designs, such as in video review sessions or as a pedagogical tool.

Level of Preparedness and Confidence of Graduating Education Students to Licensure Examination

This study aimed to investigate the level of preparedness and confidence of third- and fourth-year education students in taking the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) and its relationship to their commitment to taking the exam. The data was gathered through a survey questionnaire and analyzed using the descriptive correlational method. Results showed that the respondents strongly agreed to attend review sessions, go with people who motivate them, and push through despite difficulties. They also had positive attitudes toward learning, note-taking, and self-evaluation. Moreover, a significant relationship between confidence and commitment was found. These findings suggest that educators can enhance student preparedness and commitment to taking the LET by providing review sessions and support from peers and significant others. Additionally, promoting a growth mindset that views failures as opportunities for growth and learning may improve student confidence in taking licensure exams.

Guía en redes sociales de radiología. ¿Hacia un nuevo paradigma en educación médica?

The universally accepted system for the transmission of scientific knowledge in the field of medicine has long been grounded in scientific publications. Social networks can be a useful alternative or complementary method of transmitting this knowledge.Social networks (e.g., Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and TikTok) generate educational contents that enable quality training, despite their informality. Each of these networks has strengths and weaknesses that users should know about.These platforms are free and allow for real-time discussion. They make it easy to incorporate content and to contact experts or access sources of knowledge directly. Aware of their influence, publishers have incorporated metrics to measure the impact of their articles in social networks (Altmetrics).These networks should be incorporated into departmental training programs immediately. Nevertheless, navigating through social networks is complex, and the hashtag-based system of searching is inefficient, limiting their use in education.Despite the informality of the knowledge generated on social networks, the importance of these networks as a source of knowledge is growing. Radiology departments must design a strategy for using social networks for education rather than for propaganda, creating well-organized focal groups that search for contents through systematic, filtered review of information, digital repositories, and review sessions and for sharing this knowledge both inside and outside the department. Departments must also implement a strategy for communicating through these networks.

PD40-03 PRACTICE AND SURGEON-LEVEL VARIATION IN THE SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF T1A RENAL MASSES: RESULTS FROM A STATEWIDE COLLABORATIVE

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023PD40-03 PRACTICE AND SURGEON-LEVEL VARIATION IN THE SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF T1A RENAL MASSES: RESULTS FROM A STATEWIDE COLLABORATIVE Samantha Wilder, Mahmoud Hijazi, Ananya Vittal, Ji Qi, Mahin Mirza, Mohammad Jafri, Brian Lane, Craig Rogers, and for the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative Samantha WilderSamantha Wilder More articles by this author , Mahmoud HijaziMahmoud Hijazi More articles by this author , Ananya VittalAnanya Vittal More articles by this author , Ji QiJi Qi More articles by this author , Mahin MirzaMahin Mirza More articles by this author , Mohammad JafriMohammad Jafri More articles by this author , Brian LaneBrian Lane More articles by this author , Craig RogersCraig Rogers More articles by this author , and for the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003345.03AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Current guidelines recommend prioritizing partial nephrectomy (PN) over radical nephrectomy (RN) in the management of cT1a renal masses (T1aRM). We examined variation in PN use for surgically treated T1aRM and identified factors associated with PN use in the MUSIC-KIDNEY collaborative. METHODS: All patients in the MUSIC-KIDNEY registry undergoing surgery for T1aRM between 5/2017 and 5/2022 were included. Practice- and surgeon-level variation in use of PN (vs RN) were evaluated among those who treated at least 5 patients surgically. Multivariable mixed-effects logistic regression model was performed to identify factors associated with PN use. Rates of prolonged hospitalization (>3 days for minimally invasive, >5 days for open), 30-day emergency department (ED) visits, and 30-day readmissions were compared between patients undergoing PN and RN, using Chi-squared test or Fisher’s exact test. RESULTS: 1014 surgically treated T1aRM patients from 14 practices and 68 surgeons were included. Among these, 843 (83%) underwent PN and 171 (17%) underwent RN. Rates of utilization of PN ranged from 50-93% across practices and 38-100% across surgeons (Figure 1). Low patient comorbidity, preoperative GFR>60, and low nephrometry score (RENL 4-6) were associated with increased use of PN (p<0.05). Postoperative ED visit rates were low for both RN and PN (3.5% vs 2.6%) and did not differ significantly (p>0.05). RN was associated with higher rates of prolonged hospitalization (19% vs 7.7%, p<0.05) and readmission (5.9% vs 2.9%, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Over 80% of surgically treated T1aRM underwent PN in MUSIC-KIDNEY with variation across practices and surgeons. Association of high preoperative GFR with PN may be related to the high rates of surveillance (>50%) for T1aRM in MUSIC-KIDNEY for masses that may have otherwise undergone PN. Higher rates of prolonged hospitalization and readmission for RN may be related to higher baseline comorbidity. Quality improvement initiatives within MUSIC-KIDNEY include a PN video library and live peer-to-peer review sessions with the goal of increasing surgeon comfort and skill in PN. Source of Funding: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e1052 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Samantha Wilder More articles by this author Mahmoud Hijazi More articles by this author Ananya Vittal More articles by this author Ji Qi More articles by this author Mahin Mirza More articles by this author Mohammad Jafri More articles by this author Brian Lane More articles by this author Craig Rogers More articles by this author for the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

A mentorship and incubation program using project-based learning to build a professional bioinformatics pipeline in Kenya.

The demand for well-trained bioinformaticians to support genomics research continues to rise. Unfortunately, undergraduate training in Kenya does not prepare students for specialization in bioinformatics. Graduates are often unaware of the career opportunities in bioinformatics, and those who are may lack mentors to help them choose a specialization. The Bioinformatics Mentorship and Incubation Program seeks to bridge the gap by laying the foundation for a bioinformatics training pipeline using project-based learning. The program selects six participants through an intensive open recruitment exercise for highly competitive students to join the program for four months. The six interns undergo intensive training within the first one and a half months before being assigned to mini-projects. We track the progress of the interns weekly through code review sessions and a final presentation at the end of the four months. We have trained five cohorts, most of whom have secured master's scholarships within and outside the country and job opportunities. We demonstrate the benefit of structured mentorship using project-based learning in filling the training gap after undergraduate programs to generate well-trained bioinformaticians who are competitive in graduate programs and bioinformatics jobs.

Design and Development of the e-Review

Requirements review is a formal review process in which several reviewers read all or part of software requirement specification (SRS) and search for defects. In order to ensure that the system requirements have been completely and clearly identified, reviewers use many different review techniques. Despite of the availability of many reading techniques such as perspective-based reading techniques, checklist-based reading techniques and a few more, we could not find any existing tool to support two or more reading techniques in order to guide reviewer while reviewing a document. Besides, currently, in order for the reviewers to review an SRS document, they need to gather physically, make a session and give their review feedback during the session. In such cases, the requirement engineers need to schedule the review session based on the availability of the reviewers. The review leader needs to manually organize the session and review outcomes also need to be manually consolidated. Thus, the objectives of this project are to develop a web-based tool in order to; (1) enable reviewers to review SRS document using two different reviewing techniques such as checklist-based reading (CBR) and perspective-based reading (PBR); (2) enable review leader to assign reviewer for requirement review; and (3) allow compilation of the review feedback to be generated. The project applied Iterative process model to manage the software development process. The implementation of the project is using PHP JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Bootstrap, JQuery, and Ajax

Implementation of distance learning IMCI training in rural districts of Tanzania

BackgroundThe standard face-to-face training for the integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI) continues to be plagued by concerns of low coverage of trainees, the prolonged absence of trainees from the health facility to attend training and the high cost of training. Consequently, the distance learning IMCI training model is increasingly being promoted to address some of these challenges in resource-limited settings. This paper examines participants’ accounts of the paper-based IMCI distance learning training programme in three district councils in Mbeya region, Tanzania.MethodsA cross-sectional qualitative descriptive design was employed as part of an endline evaluation study of the management of possible serious bacterial infection in Busokelo, Kyela and Mbarali district councils of Mbeya Region in Tanzania. Key informant interviews were conducted with purposefully selected policymakers, partners, programme managers and healthcare workers, including beneficiaries and training facilitators.ResultsAbout 60 key informant interviews were conducted, of which 53% of participants were healthcare workers, including nurses, clinicians and pharmacists, and 22% were healthcare administrators, including district medical officers, reproductive and child health coordinators and programme officers. The findings indicate that the distance learning IMCI training model (DIMCI) was designed to address concerns about the standard IMCI model by enhancing efficiency, increasing outputs and reducing training costs. DIMCI included a mix of brief face-to-face orientation sessions, several weeks of self-directed learning, group discussions and brief face-to-face review sessions with facilitators. The DIMCI course covered topics related to management of sick newborns, referral decisions and reporting with nurses and clinicians as the main beneficiaries of the training. The problems with DIMCI included technological challenges related to limited access to proper learning technology (e.g., computers) and unfriendly learning materials. Personal challenges included work-study-family demands, and design and coordination challenges, including low financial incentives, which contributed to participants defaulting, and limited mentorship and follow-up due to limited funding and transport.ConclusionDIMCI was implemented successfully in rural Tanzania. It facilitated the training of many healthcare workers at low cost and resulted in improved knowledge, competence and confidence among healthcare workers in managing sick newborns. However, technological, personal, and design and coordination challenges continue to face learners in rural areas; these will need to be addressed to maximize the success of DIMCI.

Identifying issues in adoption of AI practices in construction supply chains: towards managing sustainability

The fragmented nature of construction industry coupled with its complex and dynamic nature demands for innovative technologies to record better performance in project execution. In this respect, Artificial Intelligence (AI) based techniques posit a viable means to attain requisite efficiency in performance and alleviate the productivity of construction organizations. The adoption of sustainable practices in Construction Supply Chains (CSCs) lowers the environmental impact, lowers the risk of failure, and boosts competitiveness. The present study attempts to unearth potential issues in the adoption of AI practices in CSCs. Initially, the study identifies potential issues in the implementation of AI-based frameworks in CSCs by performing an extensive literature review and brainstorming sessions with industry experts. The exercise results in identifying 17 critical issues confronting the adoption of AI in CSCs which were subsequently subjected to fuzzy Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) approach. The findings from the study reveal that “Lack of trust in AI outcomes”, “Exploitation by hackers, cybercrimes and privacy intrusion”, “Risk and cost associated with construction projects”, “Uncertain processing and functions of AI algorithms”, and “Unclear profits and advantages” were the top five influential causal issues that affect the adoption of AI in CSCs. This study is a novel attempt in the direction to identify and prioritize the potential issues in the adoption of AI-based frameworks in the Indian CSCs.

Building a student learning-focused assessment and grading system in dental school: One school's experience.

As health professions education moves toward competency-based education, there has been increased focus on the structure of assessment systems that support student competency development and learning. This has been buoyed by a growing body of research supporting assessment for learning processes to promote student growth and learning rather than relying on assessment systems primarily to measure performance. This paper presents the rationale and evidence for moving to an assessment for learning system and the results of a quasi-experimental interrupted time series study using data from 2015 to 2022 to evaluate the impacts of these changes. Columbia University College of Dental Medicine faculty voted to implement assessment for learning system changes beginning in 2017 with the graduating class of 2021. These changes included moving from using a grading system for didactic courses with Honors, Pass, and Fail as available grades to a grading system with only Pass and Fail as available grades, as well as creating synthesis and assessment weeks, weekly problem sets, post-exam review sessions, exam remediation opportunities, and formative progress exams throughout the curriculum. The revised assessment and grading system changes were communicated to residency program directors, and programmatic competency data about student performance across the curriculum were shared with programs in Dean's Letters. Once assessment system changes were implemented, it was found that student exam failure rates were lower, course exam scores were the same or higher, and performance on board exams improved compared to the national average. Students reported positive perceptions with regard to well-being and learning climate that they associated with the adoption of Pass/Fail grading. Match outcomes, including student satisfaction and program director ratings, have remained consistently positive. As dental educators, our goal is to nurture students to become life-long learners. Adopting a grading structure that is Pass/Fail and an assessment system that fosters learning allows students to shape learning practices that favor long-term retention and application of information, also enhancing the learning environment and student well-being. These system changes may also facilitate the inclusion and support of students whose backgrounds are underrepresented in dentistry.

ENGAGING MUSIC-PEDAGOGY STUDENTS IN ONLINE COURSE

The article examines the current problems of providing learning online for music teacher students studying at pedagogical universities in the speciality 014 Secondary Education (Musical art). A review of the latest research in the context of the adopted educational standards and the implementation of the ideas of the New Ukrainian School requires the search for effective ways of working with students through digital education. The training of music teacher students based on the principles of integrated learning takes into account the didactic skills associated with the involvement of specialists of musical specialities in artistic and creative activities based on the didactic module (perception-performance, creation and evaluation of the results of artistic activity). The work presents the method of teaching students online based on modular structure. The methodology was implemented in the conditions of online learning on the example of students mastering the integrated course “Methodology of teaching “Art” at school”. Taking into account the specifics of this educational discipline, which reveals modern integrated approaches to teaching art at school, we structured the stages of its study according to the levels of student involvement in working with digital tools (cognitive- developmental, constructive and creative). An attempt was made to offer students at each stage of education the performance of professionally oriented situations. “Lecture-consilium” is defined as an effective form of working with a student audience in synchronous mode, using ICT for the presentation of creative projects in integrated “Art” lessons. A separate place is given to examples of conducting a review and advisory session, in the form of a flex model. The method of teaching students through the means of telecommunication with the use of graphic and symbolic means is presented. It included working with electronic textbooks, using the tools “Саnva”, “LearningApps”, “Сubase 12”. According to the goals of the work, the effectiveness of the methodology of learning online during the assimilation of integrated course using criteria that determine the level of integration and pedagogical skills of future music teachers has been proved. Also, a preliminary analysis of the impact of the online method on motivation of music-pedagogy students and the increase of creative motivation in the performance of art (instrumental, vocal, choral creativity) using innovative learning technologies has been done. Learning outcomes were studied through successful completion of professionally-based tasks, which included designing art lessons, creating art projects, and digital tools. In order to obtain preliminary results and check the effectiveness of the method of teaching online students of pedagogical universities majoring in 014 Secondary Education (Musical Art), the study was conducted in groups of the full-time and part-time students of the H.S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University in the Department of Musical Art. Three criteria were selected: informational and motivational demonstrated a degree of awareness in the information environment, the ability to perceive artistic information on the Internet, complete professionally-based assignments via online resources. Analytical and active criterion is students’ ability to create art projects and conducting lessons during pedagogical practice online. Active-transformative, which reflected the manifestations of the creative motives of the applicants during artistic and creative activities (perception-performance-creation-evaluation of work) in online education. The results show that online learning method for music-pedagogy students described here is likely to be provided as a basis for modern methods of online learning.

Improved management practice and process hazard analysis techniques for minimizing likelihood of process safety incidents in Taiwan

In Taiwan, process safety accidents often occur despite the prior implementation of process hazard analysis (PHA). One of the main reasons for this is the poor quality of the PHA process; with the main hazards not being properly identified, or properly controlled. Accordingly, based on the findings of 86 process safety management (PSM) audits, dozens of post-accident site resumption review meetings, and hundreds of PSM review sessions, this study examines the main deficiencies of management practice and PHA implementation in Taiwan, and presents several recommendations for improved PHA assessment techniques and procedures. The study additionally examines the feasibility for using PSM-related information, such as process safety information and process incident information, as a tool for further enhancing the PHA quality. Overall, the study suggests that, in addition to following the basic rules of PHA and requirements of OSHA (1992),management in Taiwan should also provide training in the enhanced assessment techniques proposed herein and take active steps to incorporate PSM information into the PHA framework in order to improve the general quality of PHA and reduce the likelihood of process safety accidents accordingly.

Poised for Parkinson's: Retention of Benefits 6-7 Months After Alexander Technique Synchronous Online Group Course

<h3>Research Objectives</h3> To test retention of symptom-management success for people living with Parkinson's (PWP) after participation in an online Alexander technique (AT) group course that showed benefits post-course. AT is a cognitive embodiment training combining inhibition, body schema, and goal awareness to enhance daily activity. In-person one-to-one and group AT training has shown benefits retained at 1-12 months. <h3>Design</h3> Feasibility study. Pre-course, post-course, and 6-7 month follow-up data collection. <h3>Setting</h3> Participants' homes via Zoom. <h3>Participants</h3> Three courses recruited participants from North and South Carolina. Care partners (CP) were included to increase follow-through. 16 PWP (H&Y Stages 1-3)/14 CP began course; 14 PWP/12 CP completed course. Funding allowed only 8 PWP/6 CP for survey/interviews and only 6 PWP for functional assessments follow up. <h3>Interventions</h3> Classes met for 105 minutes via Zoom 2x/week x 9 weeks. Coursework included functional anatomy and self-management strategies taught through verbal instruction, physical demonstration, visual aids, and activities. Embodiment-enhancing approaches were embedded in everyday movement, including gait, sit-to-stand, and functional IADLs. Review handouts and session recordings were provided. <h3>Main Outcome Measures</h3> Functional reach, one-leg stance, TUG, and 7-item Physical Performance Test (PPT), administered via Zoom in-home with care partner assistance. Symptom-management self-report. Anonymous evaluations. Audio interviews. <h3>Results</h3> At 6-7 months, simulated eating, book-lift, jacket, penny-pickup, right-leg balance, TUG, 50-foot walk, and forward reach were better than pre-course. Simulated eating, book-lift, and forward reach maintained post-course improvements. Penny-pickup, right-leg balance, and TUG were better than post-course. Numerically, all scores were closer to post-course than pre-course (PPT: 2.69 pre; 2.85 post; 2.81 follow-up. BriefBEST: 1.92 pre; 2.13 post; 2.08 follow-up), though N is too small for significance. PWP and CP both reported symptom-management improvement from pre-course in shuffling, festination, balance, falls, pain, fine motor, handwriting, mumbling, apathy, depression, and physical control. Both agreed pain management even better at follow-up than post-course. CP reported continued vocal volume improvement. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Alexander technique shows strong potential for long-term symptom-management retention for PWP with increased benefits after 6-7 months in some areas. Large RCTs are justified. <h3>Author(s) Disclosures</h3> None.

An Experimental Study on Checklist-Based and Perspective-Based Requirements Reading Techniques Using E-Review Tool

Software Requirements Review (SRR) is a formal review process in which several reviewers read all or parts of the Software Requirements Specification (SRS) to look for defects in the requirements. During requirements review sessions, reviewers may employ various reading techniques to ensure that the requirements have been completely and clearly specified. To review an SRS document, the review leader must organise a review session, the reviewers must physically meet and provide their review feedback during the session. In these situations, the review leader must schedule the review session based on the reviewers' availability, which can be laborious and time-consuming to arrange. Additionally, the review leader needs to manually consolidate all the outcomes of the review session, which could also require a considerable amount of effort and time. However, there has been an insufficient research to identify the effectiveness of reading techniques for requirement reviews by employing a dedicated tool support for requirements review. Using a web-based application, called e-Review, the aim of this study is to experiment the effectiveness of Checklist-based Reading (CBR) and Perspective-based Reading (PBR) techniques during requirements review session.

Feasibility Study of Caregiver-Provided Life Review: Implementation, Adaptation, and Effects on Care Recipients’ Depressive Symptoms

ABSTRACT Objectives This study aimed to examine the feasibility of unpaid, family/friend caregivers conducting life reviews with people with dementia in long-term care and community settings and reported on how we adapted the intervention modality under the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Twenty-one caregiver-care recipient dyads completed 6 weekly life review sessions. The intervention format was modified to accommodate COVID-19 restrictions. Primary and secondary outcome measures were analyzed based on repeated measures at baseline and post-intervention. Results Due to the changing nature of the pandemic, we iterated the caregiver training intervention four times to accommodate caregivers’ needs while having faced multiple recruitment challenges with care facility residents. Care recipients’ depression appeared to have improved (p = .001). Conclusions Although the COVID-19 pandemic created unique recruitment challenges, all the care recipients seemed to enjoy the life review activities supported by the positive outcomes in gaining socialization opportunities. It may be beneficial to offer a more self-paced intervention modality to ease the burden on caregivers. Clinical implications It appears that unpaid family/friend caregivers can provide life reviews to their loved ones with dementia. Training the caregivers on how to provide life reviews can be an easy, low-risk activity that might ameliorate depressive symptoms in the care recipients.

The Testing Effect in the Lecture Hall: Does it Depend on Learner Prerequisites?

The benefits of practice testing for long-term learning are well established in many contexts. However, little is known about learner characteristics that might moderate its effectiveness. The effects of practice tests might depend on individual prerequisites for learning, especially in real-world educational settings. We explored whether the effects of practice testing in a regular university lecture would depend on cognitive (e.g., prior knowledge), motivational (e.g., learning motivation), or emotional (test anxiety) dispositions. We implemented an experimental intervention design in psychology courses for teacher students ( N = 208). One week before the lecture, focal learner characteristics were assessed. Immediately after the lecture, participants completed an online review session with short-answer questions (practice testing with corrective feedback) or summarizing statements (restudy), alternating within each participant. One week later, retention of learning contents was assessed with a criterial test containing short-answer and multiple-choice questions. A testing effect emerged (ηp² = .07), with better retention for the tested compared with the restudied contents. Some learner characteristics affected learning outcomes, but no interactions with testing vs. restudy occurred. These results suggest that the testing effect in the university classroom is a robust phenomenon that benefits learning irrespective of primary individual learning prerequisites.