Specific Goals Research Articles

Management of professional communication skill training for primary school teachers in Duong Kinh District, Hai Phong City

This study investigates the management of professional communication skill training for primary school teachers in Duong Kinh District, Hai Phong City, with the aim of fostering a happier school environment. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the research combines quantitative data from structured questionnaires and qualitative insights from interviews and focus groups. The results show that 78% of participants attend communication skill training at least annually, but only 45% of teachers engage in these sessions more frequently, indicating a gap in training regularity. The effectiveness of the training programs varies, with principals and subject heads generally reporting higher effectiveness compared to teachers. Although 72% of respondents recognize a positive impact on the school environment, including improved classroom management and staff relations, 20% find the training to be of limited relevance or impact. Qualitative findings reveal challenges such as limited resources, insufficient time for training, and inconsistent staff commitment. The study identifies the need for more interactive and context-specific training to address these issues. Recommendations for improving training effectiveness include increasing awareness of the importance of communication skills, enhancing needs assessments, setting specific and relevant training goals, improving content and delivery methods, and creating supportive working conditions.

Grand Strategies of Russia and China: common trends and potential confrontation

The article focuses on the grand strategies of Russia and China, including both common and specific goals of two states. The current system of international relations is undergoing drastic changes as the status of the United States as a superpower and its global power are eroding. More regional poles of power appear, including Russia and China. Through the implementation of their grand strategies, they seek for their place in a changing world order. Both share the desire to form a more just, multipolar world order based on the supremacy of international law and norms, as well as advocate strengthening the role of the United Nations as the basis and guarantee of following the principles of international relations. Both countries oppose hegemony and the imposition of the norms of the “collective West” on other participants of the world order, interference in internal affairs and undermining the national security. At the same time, it is obvious that Russia and China also have differences in their geopolitical aspirations. China today is increasingly obtaining the features of a superpower, and some researchers believe that she may become one in the future. That is why there is a need to take into account the potential risks of China’s rising for Russian grand strategy and place in the world system in general. As a result, the article concludes that although the current Russian-Chinese relations are beneficial and provide broad support for both countries, it is necessary to analyse potential conflicts when building relations with a rising China.

Developing a Machine Learning 'Smart' Polymerase Chain Reaction Thermocycler Part 2: Putting the Theoretical Framework into Practice.

The introduction of PCR into forensic science and the rapid increases in the sensitivity, specificity and discrimination power of DNA profiling that followed have been fundamental in shaping the field of forensic biology. Despite these developments, the challenges associated with the DNA profiling of trace, inhibited and degraded samples remain. Thus, any improvement to the performance of sub-optimal samples in DNA profiling would be of great value to the forensic community. The potential exists to optimise the PCR performance of samples by altering the cycling conditions used. If the effects of changing cycling conditions upon the quality of a DNA profile can be well understood, then the PCR process can be manipulated to achieve a specific goal. This work is a proof-of-concept study for the development of a smart PCR system, the theoretical foundations of which are outlined in part 1 of this publication. The first steps needed to demonstrate the performance of our smart PCR goal involved the manual alteration of cycling conditions and assessment of the DNA profiles produced. In this study, the timing and temperature of the denaturation and annealing stages of the PCR were manually altered to achieve the goal of reducing PCR runtime while maintaining an acceptable quality and quantity of DNA product. A real-time feedback system was also trialled using an STR PCR and qPCR reaction mix, and the DNA profiles generated were compared to profiles produced using the standard STR PCR kits. The aim of this work was to leverage machine learning to enable real-time adjustments during a PCR, allowing optimisation of cycling conditions towards predefined user goals. A set of parameters was found that yielded similar results to the standard endpoint PCR methodology but was completed 30 min faster. The development of an intelligent system would have significant implications for the various biological disciplines that are reliant on PCR technology.

The effects of the Daily Behavior Report Cards (DBRC) on the disruptive behavior and specific goal behavior of elementary school children: a multiple baseline design study

This study used a single-case design to investigate the effectiveness of Daily Behavior Report Cards (DBRC) in addressing elementary school children’s disruptive behavior. The study, conducted in a German elementary school, involved ten second-grade students identified by their teachers as exhibiting disruptive behaviors. The procedures included training teachers in the implementation of DBRC, setting specific behavioral goals for each student, and using the Direct Behavior Rating (DBR) to assess General Disruptive Behavior (GDB) and Specific Goal Behavior (SGB). The DBRC was implemented over 120 days, with daily monitoring and feedback provided to students. The results demonstrated a significant reduction in both variables. The data analysis was conducted using regression-based analyses and the Non-Overlap of All Pairs (NAP). This study confirms the effectiveness of DBRC in mitigating disruptive behaviors and achieving specific behavioral goals, thereby contributing valuable insights into the application of this evidence-based intervention within the German elementary school system. It also highlights the utility of the single-case design in educational research.

Dopamine agonists in the treatment of Parkinson's disease: the show must go on.

Dopamine agonists (DA) have proven very successful in the treatment of Parkinson's disease for a good many years now. In the 1990's they experienced a high level of acceptance particularly in the European countries because their efficacy was in fact established, their tolerability was improved on and, in addition, several preparations were available with longer effect durations. But the discovery of cardiac fibroses led to a substantial setback and even rejection of therapy using ergoline DA. In recent years, impulse control disturbances have been observed increasingly with the result that higher doses have been reduced and the previously popular use of non-ergoline DA was discontinued. In addition, newer data on levodopa were published which clearly relativized the occurrence of late complications under levodopa and led to a differentiated use. Thus the importance of their use has waned over the years. But we should rather avoid repeating the mistakes of the past. DA serve us well and reliably so. The pendulum apparently thrives of the extremes but in the case of DA we should keep from falling back into the other extreme: We can and in fact must further make use of the DA, but with a clear view of specific goals and in a differentiated way. DA constitute the second-most important substance class after levodopa. Their optimized application can only be recommended for the good of our patients.

An exploratory study of pre-college piano students’ practice habits and their teachers’ perceptions in Eastern China

The purpose of this study was to examine pre-college piano students’ practice habits and their teachers’ perceptions of their practice performance in Eastern China. Data collected for this qualitative descriptive study included video recordings of five students’ individual practice sessions. Additionally, students ( n = 5) and their teachers ( n = 3) completed questionnaires and accepted semi-structured interviews. Findings indicated that pre-college piano students organized their habitual practice routines with task-oriented principles. Moreover, practicing hands separately was the most frequently applied strategies used by student participants. Given the intense peer competition within the Chinese education system, students not only learned practice strategies from their teachers but also acquired support from their parents and other external resources, such as practice tutors and apps, to improve their practice efficiency. However, noticeable differences were perceived between teachers’ expectations and their students’ performance. Teacher participants expected their students to apply practice strategies with flexibility, actively solve problems, and set specific practice goals during at-home practice. The findings can help piano instructors gain a better understanding of their students and use specific teaching approaches to address individual issues.

Green Belt Legislation Regulation: Comparative Legal Research

Recently, legislative acts on the protection of the green belt have been increasingly adopted in various states. Using the legislation examples of the United Kingdom, the Canadian province of Ontario, and Russia, we have identified public relations that can be the subject of regulation of such legislation. Based on the analysis of typical legal conflicts, the problem areas which need the most attention of the legislator have been identified. The methods of differentiation of the legal regime for various areas within the green belt are investigated, taking into account their geographical features and specific management goals. The most promising areas for legal regulation that require the increased attention of legislators speak to the establishment of the procedures and criteria for excluding land plots from the green belt, the regulation of village development processes within the green belt, the establishment of a comprehensive list of agricultural types of permitted use, and the establishment of the procedure for the development of specialized plans or strategies for the use and protection of the green belt. The article offers solutions to these issues. The methodology of comparative law, including the functional method, was used in the study.

Principal’s Leadership in Improving Teacher’s Performance in Elementary Schools

This study aims at analyzing principal’s leadership in improving teacher’s performance. Leadership is the ability to encourage a group to achieve a specific goal. Leadership has a great influence on the progress of the organization, and the qualities shown by the leaders. Leaders are often considered the most important element that determines the success of an organization. This study uses qualitative descriptive that aims to analyze the circumstances, conditions, or other things, and the results are documented in the research report. The results stated that the principal has a leadership function as an educator, manager, administrator, supervisor, leader, innovator, and motivator (EMASLIM). Based on observations in schools, the problem found by the researcher is that the principal’s efforts to improve teacher’s performance have not been fully resolved. For example, it still looks low in attendance. Teachers face difficulties in preparing learning plans.

An Evaluation Of The Treasury Single Account (TSA) As An Instrument Of Financial Prudence and Management In Nigeria: Methodology Analysis (OAGF) 2015-2024.

This paper examines the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and the relationship between the Nigerian economy and the Treasury Single Account Policy (2015-2024). The Nigerian economy has developed slowly over the years, which has led to little to no improvement in the country's residents' standard of living. The study's overall goal was to determine how the Treasury Single Account Policy affected Nigeria's economic developments between 2015 and 2024. Its specific goals were to determine whether the human development index, Gini coefficient, and poverty rate of the country's economy differed significantly between the pre-and post-implementation periods. The research utilized the design of the quantitative study. Nigerian citizens make up the study's population, while the citizens of Nigeria for the years 2015–2024 make up the sample size. The study employed secondary data that came from the World Bank's National Accounts Data, the National Bureau of Statistics, and the Central Bank of Nigeria's Statistical Bulletin. The paired sample t-test was used to assess the data. The outcome showed that, except the variable of human development index, which showed a significant difference between the periods before and after the implementation of the treasury single account policy, economic development indicators (gini coefficient and poverty rate) did not differ significantly between the periods before and after the policy. Consequently, the analysis found that the Treasury Single Using the poverty rate and Gini coefficient as stand-ins for economic development, account policy had no discernible effect on the Nigerian economy. Additionally, it was determined that the Treasury Single Account Policy had a major influence on Nigeria's economic development using the Human Development Index as a proxy for economic progress. Therefore, it was advised that government programs for human development be maintained and improved, particularly in the fields of health and education.

SOCIALIZATION OF BENEFITS OF ULTRASOUND, FE, AND HEALTHY FOOD FOR PREGNANT WOMEN AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN

The objectives of the KKN Stikes Muhammadiyah Cirebon activity are 1. To find out the knowledge of pregnant women about ultrasound examinations and compliance with the use of Fe 2 tablets. To increase the knowledge of pregnant women about the fetus about the importance of ultrasound examination and its consumption of Fe. The importance of a healthy and nutritious diet. The specific goals to be achieved include increasing public knowledge, understanding and awareness, especially pregnant women and children, about healthy diets. The results that Salam Village, Sarewu Village RW 03, Pancalang District, Kuningan Regency, especially pregnant women with ultrasound knowledge and agricultural counseling, were held on February 13 and 15, 2023 at the Sarewu Village Health Center and Sarewu Elementary School, targeting pregnant women and elementary school children. The enthusiasm of pregnant women and students is quite good, some pregnant women have had ultrasounds and take Fe tablets. Primary school students also responded quite positively, showing optimal cognitive development and most had a stable weight despite experiencing growth. Family participation plays a very important role in caring for and assisting pregnant women and children in meeting the nutritional needs and development of pregnancy.

Disrupted self, therapy, and the limits of conversational AI

ABSTRACT Conversational agents (CA) are thought to be promising for psychotherapy because they give the impression of being able to engage in conversations with human users. However, given the high risk for therapy patients who are already in a vulnerable situation, there is a need to investigate the extent to which CA are able to contribute to therapy goals and to discuss CA’s limitations, especially in complex cases. In this paper, we understand psychotherapy as a way of dealing with existential situations and position CAs in the context of the therapeutic experience of patients. This experience is determined by the patient’s unique personal context and specific therapy goals. We suggest that psychotherapy is a fundamentally dialogical activity, because it crucially involves work on the self and one’s self-narrative. This brings us to our central question: is it possible for CAs to engage in a productive therapeutic dialogue, given their limitations as epistemic agents? We will discuss several of those limitations, show how these undermine the possibility of engaging in a therapeutic dialogue, and illustrate those limitations through discussions of the cases of grief and abuse.

Managerial Blurring of Employee Goals

Many researchers and practitioners believe that the lack of specificity of employee goals is detrimental to the effectiveness of performance management in firms. Using an inductive grounded theory approach, this study identifies two managerial factors that could impact negatively goal specificity in real-life corporate environments. First, ‘goal blurring’ is a counterintuitive purposeful managerial behavior that results in blurred employee goals being set during annual reviews. Second, ‘specifying capability’ incorporates factors that can result in a lower level of specificity of employee goals with no purposeful intent. The findings reveal two main reasons managers set less specific goals: (1) limited capability and (2) choice to purposefully blur employee goals to maintain flexibility in evaluating their subordinates. While non-purposeful blurring occurs because of circumstances that make setting specific goals difficult and limit the capabilities of managers to do so, purposeful blurring of goals occurs with the main aim of maintaining flexibility in evaluating employees. As a result, blurred goals are set for employees despite managers’ awareness of the benefits of setting specific goals, which is supported by extensive research and management practice. Our work reveals the purposeful managerial blurring of employee goals, a phenomenon that has a significant impact on firm performance, though it has not been previously identified as such, or explained.

Positive Youth Development at Sea: A Case Study of the Shenandoah Model

Background: Tall ship sail training, a form of outdoor adventure education, has historically been used with youth to build competency in seamanship and social and emotional skills. However, there is a void in the literature documenting precise program models connected to specific goals. Purpose: This paper presents a case study of the Shenandoah Model of sail training. It details its Positive Youth Development (PYD) framework and mean changes in PYD assets reported by participants. Methodology/Approach: Participants were surveyed using a one-group retrospective pretest-posttest pre-experimental design to assess the impact of participation. Findings/Conclusions: The participants reported significant mean increases across all PYD assets (Caring, Connection, Contribution, Competence, Character, Confidence, and Happiness), including moderate effect sizes for all measures except Happiness. In addition, over 70% of the participants would recommend the program and/or do it again, suggesting program satisfaction. Implications: Connecting different PYD assets to various program activities allows future program designs to intentionally develop sail training voyages to build competencies. Future follow-up research is needed, including qualitative methods to capture the impact of these programs from the participants’ viewpoint.

A Self‐Regulating Academic Community in Turbulent Times: Ethical Dilemmas in the History of Turkic Studies in Leningrad in the 1930s

AbstractOn February 1931, Russian linguist Sergei Malov sent a complaint to the Union of Education Workers’ Disputes Commission regarding one of his colleagues, Alexander Samoilovich, who was one of the leading Soviet scholars of the time. According to Malov, Samoilovich had used his position and influence to obstruct Malov’s appointment to a professorship for the sole purpose of revenge. Malov demanded an official apology from Samoilovich, certified by the union, for his actions. Scholars who study the history of Oriental Studies in Russia usually focus on the evolution of ideas and approaches within the field, or on the relationship within the profession between knowledge and power. But they have not paid sufficient attention to the self‐regulatory mechanisms that operated within the Soviet Orientologist community. This article argues that during the 1920s and 1930s, a period of great social and political uncertainty, Soviet scholars used “ethics” for specific goals, one of which was to try to limit the scale of intervention by state and party officials in academic life and thereby shelter their community from the unpredictable effects such intervention might have. Malov and Smoilovich, however, attached different meanings to this notion, which consequently played a major role in the collision between the two scholars who previously had been allies.

The Status of Canadian Radiology Mentorship Programs, Where We Stand and Where to Improve.

Background: The importance of mentorship in medicine is well-established. Access to mentors is pivotal in enhancing career opportunities and networking, increasing research productivity, and overall wellness and resilience at all career stages. Our study aims to assess the current status of radiology mentorship programs for Canadian medical students and radiology residents. Methods: We distributed an anonymous survey to Canadian radiology program directors in December 2022. The questions pertained to the existing mentorship programs' specific goals, structure, and success. Our null hypothesis was that medical students and residents have similar mentorship opportunities. Results: We have received 12 responses (a response rate of 12/16 = 75%), 9 of which had formal mentorship programs and 3 (25%) did not. Comparing the mentorship program for medical students and residents yielded a P-value = .11 > .05. This result does not reject our null hypothesis, indicating there is no significant difference between these 2 groups. Using qualitative analysis, we categorized the responses into 4 main themes: mentorship programs' goals, structures, evaluation methods, and their results. Conclusion: Although our result did not reach statistical significance (P-value = .11 > .05), the observed trend shows that one third of Canadian medical schools do not offer a radiology mentorship program for medical students, highlighting a potentially significant opportunity for improvement. Qualitative analysis shows that despite various methods for assigning mentees to mentors, developing formalized yet flexible mentorship models that allow students and residents to self-select their mentors might be more beneficial than randomly assigning mentors to them.

Antioxidant activity, physico-chemical properties, and bioactive compounds of Nigella sativa seeds and oil impacted by microwave processing technique

Strongly anti-oxidant and medicinal, Nigella sativa L (NS) is utilized in conventional medicine to address a range of illnesses, including gastrointestinal, inflammatory and rheumatic illnesses. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of microwave processing on the physico-chemical properties of Moroccan-grown Nigella sativa seeds and oils, as well as to investigate the antioxidant qualities of black cumin oils under conditions of accelerated oxidation. The study's specific goal was to ascertain the effects of varying microwave power levels (500 and 750 W) and roasting times (5, 10, and 15 min) on the black cumin oils' quality indices, fatty acid and sterol content, carotenoid and chlorophyll levels, mineral profile, tocopherol amount, and overall antioxidant activity. To this end, the seeds of black cumin were roasted at two power levels (500 and 750 W) and for three different periods (5, 10, and 15 min) in a microwave oven. The obtained results show that the duration and the processing power did not significantly influence the amount of sterols and fatty acids. In contrast, the quality indices, physico-chemical properties, carotenoid and chlorophyll contents, mineral profile, and tocopherol amount were influenced by the microwave processing. A significant decline in the antioxidant activity was recorded from 45.01 ± 0.81 % (unroasted cumin seeds) to 4.32 ± 0.91 % (750 W/5 min). Based on these findings, the black cumin oil preparations should be handled carefully and the oil must be protected once extracted. The stability and preservation of antioxidants are crucial steps against pro-oxidant and inflammatory conditions that could favour cellular senescence and accelerate aging processes.

Unlocking the Potential of Drug Delivery Systems: A Comprehensive Review of Formulation Strategies and Technologies in the Field of Pharmaceutics

: The creation of innovative drug delivery systems to enhance therapeutic effectiveness, safety, and patient compliance has resulted in considerable developments in pharmaceutics in recent years. The most recent formulation techniques and technologies are reviewed in this article to improve medication distribution and accomplish specific therapeutic goals. : This article thoroughly summarizes the most recent formulation techniques and technologies used to enhance medication delivery and provide specific therapeutic effects. It discusses the variety of medication delivery methods, including nanoparticles, liposomes, micelles, and dendrimers, and explores the application of nanotechnology and biotechnology in drug delivery. Additionally, the paper emphasizes the significance of targeted drug delivery systems and their capacity to cross biological barriers including the blood-brain barrier and tumor microenvironment. : The review also addresses the challenges faced in developing and commercializing drug delivery systems and suggests potential solutions to overcome them. Furthermore, the article emphasizes the role of computational modeling and simulation in designing and optimizing drug delivery systems. : Overall, this review paper offers insightful information for pharmaceutics researchers, scientists, and practitioners that will help in the creation of novel drug delivery systems that improve patient outcomes and quality of life.

Mass reduction method for topology optimisation of a Ti6Al4V part for additive manufacturing

Abstract Additive manufacturing and topology optimization provide new possibilities to produce complex parts. They can be used separately but with joint applications as a mutually reinforcing solution in component development tasks. The results obtained using the design software can be refined even further depending on the specific goal set. This paper deals with mass reduction with stiffness-based topology optimization of a structural component. The effect of different design spaces, load cases, and design parameters were examined. Then, the new part was validated with FEA simulation. After the validation, the part was prepared for 3D metal printing. Based on the research results, we present a methodology that can be used as a solution considering the software’s limitations and the development of the specific component. Applying the methodology developed in the research makes it possible to achieve mass minimization on other parts with a similar method.

May urban digital twins spur the New Urban Agenda? The Spanish case study

The New Urban Agenda was conceived as a global endeavor to transpose the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda into urban areas. Both initiatives were merged into the Spanish Urban Agenda (SUA), which includes 10 strategic and 30 specific goals, among which leading and promoting digital innovation toward the development of smart cities stand out. As Urban Digital Twins (UDTs) are a technology that arises to enhance smart cities, this research aims at assessing how they may contribute to the achievement of the SUA. A framework was accordingly built to associate UDTs with the SUA to then be applied to the Barcelona digital twin as case study. A combination of an in-depth literature review on UDTs and the Delphi technique was used as methodological approach. More than 70 % of the strategic and specific goals included in the SUA, as well as the four sustainability dimensions are represented in the new instrument. The case study reflected a limited contribution in pursuing the SUA. Nevertheless, the proposed framework offers potential lines of action to reinforce the role of the Barcelona digital twin towards the SUA.

The effect of performance contingent reward prospects flexibly adapts to more versus less specific task goals.

In some situations, for example, when we expect to gain a reward in case of good performance, goal-driven top-down attention is particularly strong. Little is known about the task specificity of such increases of top-down attention due to environmental factors. To understand to what extent performance-contingent reward prospects can result in specific and unspecific changes in cognitive processing, we here investigate reward effects under different levels of task specification. Thirty-two participants performed a visual or an auditory discrimination task cued by two consecutive visual stimuli: First, a reward cue indicated if good performance was rewarded. Second, a task cue announced either which of the two tasks would follow (precise cue) or that both tasks would follow equally likely (imprecise cue). Reward and task cue preciseness both significantly improved performance. Moreover, the response time difference between precisely and imprecisely cued trials was significantly stronger in rewarded than in unrewarded trials. These effects were reflected in event-related potential (ERP) slow wave amplitudes: Reward and preciseness both significantly enhanced the contingent negative variation (CNV) prior to the task stimulus. In an early CNV time interval, both factors also showed an interaction. A negative slow wave prior to the task cue was also significantly enhanced for rewarded trials. This effect correlated with the reward difference in response times. These results indicate that reward prospects trigger task-specific changes in preparatory top-down attention which can flexibly adapt over time and across different task requirements. This highlights that a reward-induced increase of cognitive control can occur on different specificity levels.