Unexpected Setbacks Research Articles

Delimitation and Mitigation of Selected Gaps in Learning and Teaching

This paper explores the complex challenges, persistent problems, and unexpected setbacks within the educational ecosystem that inevitably lead to teaching and learning gaps. It analyzes the entire extent of their occurrence chain, examining what causes these weaknesses and what measures can be taken to prevent them. The paper briefl y presents learning theories, followed by contributions from major educational thinkers, notably David Paul Ausubel (1918-2008) with his concept of meaningful learning, and some teaching and learning models, with emphasis on William G. Huitt’s (1995) “A systems framework of the teaching/learning process.” On the other hand, it discusses the constructs of teaching, highlighting that the process refers to the fl ow of knowledge from teacher to student, or broadly, from the educator to the learner. It features John Dewey (1859-1952), the educator who advocated for contextualized teaching tailored to individual student interests. The paper concludes by considering the main drivers of 21st-century education and proposes some initiatives to mitigate the identifi ed problems.

The Value of Employee Trust During Turbulent Times: Exploring Vigilant Leadership Communication and Employee Psychological Well-Being

ABSTRACT Vigilant leadership communication has emerged as an important strategy to help organizations navigate unexpected change or turbulent times, such as recently experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Vigilant leadership communication is marked by a leader’s preventative focused communication, encouragement of diverse ideas across the organization, alertness to unexpected setbacks, and vigilance for latent opportunities within an organization. This study builds theoretically upon vigilant leadership communication by further conceptualizing potential impacts on employee outcomes, specifically employee psychological well-being. Additionally, this study highlights the importance of trust by proposing a theoretical model in which vigilant leadership communication’s impact on employee’s psychological well-being is fully mediated by employee perceptions of organizational trust and leader trust. Results suggest that effective vigilant leadership communication cannot be successful in a vacuum and that the trust employees have for both the leader and the organization will mediate the relationship between vigilant leadership communication and employee psychological well-being.

How to Develop a Rare Disease Treatment

How to Develop a Rare Disease Treatment

Near, far: the beginning of a twenty-first century Progressive Era in the US?

Representatives of American progressives and their policy propositions suffered unexpected setbacks in the early stages of the 2020 US presidential election. Unlike progressives during the Progressive Era in the early twentieth century, progressives in the US today have been directly confronted by those they intend to challenge and have failed to win over middle- and lower-class white Americans in inland towns and villages. Despite an enthusiastic response from younger generations and extensive support among the suburban middle class and ethnic minorities, they have been unable to foster synergy due to subtle differences in their reformist agendas. Adverse factors, such as the inherent deficiencies of the American political system in dealing with the challenges of globalization, the fragmentation of public opinion caused by the development of new technologies, and a growing sentiment among Americans to stay out of the trends in world politics, also hinder progressive propositions. Achieving a political revitalization like the one over a hundred years ago will be no easy task.

The Unexpected Setback to Bengaluru - COVID-19 Disaster Management Review

Negative impact of COVID-19 exist in every place of the Indian1 subcontinent. Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi were affected so badly in Quarter 2 with a huge number of cases; however, Kolkata and Bangalore were doing good with a smaller number of cases. At Bangalore, as on 15 June 2020, the situation was good2 and by end of June 2020, the COVID19 situation of Bangalore started towards the negative side as the number of cases is increasing more. By the last week of October, the number of confirmed cases came down. Aim: The primary objective of the research paper is to explore the current state of COVID-19 pandemic of Bangalore by comparing the previous months. We attempt to explain how the condition was good till June and how badly it was affected by the huge number of cases (4-5 times) from June end onwards. Further, we predict the confirmed cases and death rates for the forthcoming days for Bangalore. Technique, Sample and method: For this research work, we have used the data from 15 June 2020 to 26 October 2020 from the government of Karnataka and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike3 (BBMP). To forecast the COVID-19 cumulative confirmed and death cases for Bangalore and Other major cities (for comparison), we have used FORECAST.ETS function in Microsoft Excel. The forecasting is estimated till 31 December 2020. Results: By 15 Nov 2020, the forecasted cumulative cases would be 368264 in the Bangalore city. By 30 Nov 2020, the forecasted cumulative cases would be 398929. By 15 Dec 2020, the forecasted cumulative cases would be 429594 and by 31 Dec 2020, the forecasted cumulative cases would be 462303. If the situation goes bad due to various reasons, the number of cumulative cases may go up to 634462. The average COVID-19 case growth of Bangalore is 141% (Average from June to Oct 2020). Conclusion: When Major cities of India were doing bad in terms of COVID-19, Bangalore was doing well for the first few months. From June end onwards, the covid-19 cases increased in Bangalore by 4-5 times which is unexpected. By the end of October, the rate of COVID-19 increase is comparatively less than the previous months. For now, COVID-19 situation may be under control to some extent, however, that does not mean that this scenario will continue. At any point in time, the situation may go back to the worst condition as similar to the second wave of COVID-19 is being encountered by the European countries. Proactive approaches and pandemic management strategies should be in place to manage the worst situation. People and the economy affected badly due to COVID-19 already and it may not be feasible to suffer once again.

Positive Planning with The Happy Planner Company

How do you rise from adversity? Do you have a strategy in place? It’s not easy to plan for the unknown, nor is it a simple process to recover from unexpected setbacks! Looking after your mental and physical wellbeing is fundamental to personal resilience development and helping you deal with uncomfortable, painful or traumatic experiences.

Navigating liminality in new venture internationalization

Prior research describes international expansion as a series of discrete steps and notes that taking them threatens new ventures' survival, especially due to unexpected setbacks. Seen through the lens of social science, the source of such threat becomes clearer. In this paper, we argue that internationalization in new ventures involves what social anthropologists call a liminal transition – a betwixt-and-between period lying between the intent to internationalize and the realization of a stable internationalized state. The ambiguous and transitory nature of this liminal transition has the potential to increase the odds of overreach (e.g. a high-cost market entry without sufficient resources). Avoiding the negative influence of liminality – and instead harnessing its positive effect – relies on three sources of support that we refer to as opportunity scaffolding: self-reflective learning, peer learning and consultative learning. We argue that entrepreneurs with personality profiles high in levels of core self-evaluation (CSE) are more likely to utilize the scaffolding like that available in business incubators effectively. This leads to the development of a more reflective mindset, making capability learning more likely, preventing decisions that lead to overreach and reducing the threat to INV survival. However we also strike a note of caution in that at excessive (hyper) levels of CSE, the internationalizing new venture could become the victim of hubris. Emboldened with unrealistically high self-confidence, hubristic entrepreneurs are more likely to rebuff use of scaffolding, leading to a more reactive mindset, increasing the probability of liminal overreach and threatening INV survival. Executive summaryInternationalization represents an important pathway to growth for new ventures. At the same time, the burden of internationalization is considerable since new ventures must learn new capabilities under severe resource constraints to succeed in international markets. Thus we have a tension: internationalization increases the odds of growing rapidly and lowers the odds of survival for new ventures. Therefore, it is important for new ventures' capability learning process to be effective through harnessing network ties and entrepreneurial cognition.However, although we know a lot about what makes international new ventures (INVs) successful, there is a surprising lack of detailed understanding of the transition that these firms make during the internationalization process. Becoming a stable INV involves making sense of new environments and improvising in the face of unexpected setbacks. Previous work has focused more on how INVs fare while pursuing identified opportunities during initial or post-entry internationalization but not as much on how they cope in the transition to becoming a stable INV over time.To address this deficiency we draw upon an underutilized theoretical lens from social anthropology: liminality. Liminality describes the “betwixt-and-between” condition that is experienced during a transition when one is no longer in the original state but hasn't quite reached the new one. This perspective draws attention to both a vulnerability and an opportunity that are simultaneously heightened during transitions: the novelty of the situation can be cognitively confounding and liberating. If a new venture's entrepreneur is overwhelmed by distorted thinking during this liminal period, he or she may lead the INV to take fatal missteps, including overreaching. On the other hand, if the confusion inherent in this process can be contained and the potential creativity of this stage harnessed, then new capabilities can be learned and the potentially treacherous liminal period successfully navigated. Thus liminality theory helps to distinguish between measured and reckless improvisation.Liminal theory also helps us to identify opportunity scaffolding as an important way of avoiding liminality's negative effects by facilitating reflective learning, peer learning and consultative learning in conjunction with mentors. A practical manifestation of such support is the use of business incubators. Where these are not available, entrepreneurs may avail of mentors and peers through other means such as advisory boards or education. Furthermore, entrepreneurial personality in influences entrepreneurs' propensity for using such scaffolding: those with high levels of core self-evaluation (CSE) – confident of their abilities – are more likely to use scaffolding whereas those with low or excessive levels of CSE will tend to rebuff the use of scaffolding.Overall, our conceptualization complements previous work on capability learning with the notion of “transitioning capability” – which is the ability to harness the creativity of liminality while avoiding its confounding potential. This is a theoretical advance over how INV research views the capability learning process. And it has strong practical implications for how international entrepreneurs can thoughtfully navigate liminality, by taking advantage of opportunity scaffolding, being self-aware of limitations and strengths and avoiding overreach.

The semi-scholars

The semi-scholars

The Magic of Melwick Orchard by Rebecca Caprara

Reviewed by: The Magic of Melwick Orchard by Rebecca Caprara Karen Coats Caprara, Rebecca The Magic of Melwick Orchard. Carolrhoda, 2018 376p ISBN 978-1-5124-6687-4 $17.99 R Gr. 4-7 Isa has a deep bond with her spunky, language-loving little sister, Junie, so when Junie's bulging "dessert belly" is revealed to be a tumor on her kidney, Isa's world falls apart. Now her father is working long hours, her mother collapses into bed after being with Junie all day, and Isa is feeling completely neglected and invisible. Fortunately, she chances upon a magical tree in a nearby orchard that seems to want to help Isa, and she makes friends with neighbor girl Kira, with whom she shares the magical fruits of the tree. Then Isa's father loses his job and Junie suffers an unexpected setback, pushing Isa to desperate measures and an emotional breaking point. A community of likable and well-drawn major and minor characters provides support for Isa as she negotiates raw emotion with little help from her credibly distracted parents. The emotional responsiveness of the magical tree is a perfect foil for Isa, highlighting the difference between things that can be easily fixed and things that are more complicated. Junie's characterization teeters right on the edge of twee, but it is saved by her genuine linguistic cleverness and her awareness of the show she must put on for her parents if not her sister. Readers who appreciate magical realism will find the premise of the tree intriguing, and they'll enjoy a solid story about the family's emotional rollercoaster and the sisters' love. Copyright © 2018 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Setbacks, pleasant surprises and the simply unexpected: brainwave responses in a language comprehension task

This event-related potential (ERP) study explored the behaviour of N400 and post-N400 frontal positivities (pN400FP) during the processing of emotionally biased and unbiased sentences that randomly led to highly expected or unexpected word outcomes. Unexpected outcomes (as determined by sentence completion written tests) elicited significantly larger N400 and pN400FP responses than did highly expected outcomes. Emotionally neutral outcomes triggered a significant N400 expectancy effect across all scalp locations, including frontal sites, whereas emotionally biased outcomes elicited a significant N400 effect localized to posterior scalp regions. The subsequent pN400FP effect was significant only when emotional expectations were violated and not when emotionally neutral sentences led to unexpected outcomes. This frontal effect, linked to the processing of lexically unexpected but plausible words, showed larger amplitudes for unexpected pleasant surprises than for unexpected setbacks. Our results support the view that the pN400FP response to unexpected verbal outcomes entails more than a generic reaction to a lexical 'misprediction'. Rather, they favour the hypothesis that the affective content of the sentence being processed influences the effort needed to override a lexical prediction, such that more effort is needed to override a pessimistic prediction than an optimistic one.

FDA treads carefully with PrEP

The immediate prospects of antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) suffered an unexpected setback this week, just days before the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was due to issue its ruling on a once-daily combination pill of tenofovir and emtricitabine (TDF–FTC, marketed as Truvada by Gilead Sciences, Foster City, CA, USA) to reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV infection in high-risk, seronegative individuals. As the journal was going to press, the FDA pushed back the deadline for a decision from June 15 until mid-September, to give itself more time to assess Gilead's revised risk-management plan for the drug combination—the first to be assessed by the FDA for use as PrEP.

Technology Focus: Enhanced Oil Recovery (June 2012)

Technology Focus Enhanced-oil-recovery (EOR) operations are what moves EOR processes from the laboratory to the field. They involve a series of activities, from a detailed planning stage to efficient application, consistent monitoring, and results analysis. When reviewing results from field pilots or full-field applications, it is noticeable that significant technical hurdles such as facilities, drilling and completion, and production-technology developments need to be overcome in order to deploy and run a successful EOR operation. Technology developments in water management, intelligent-well completions, and downhole innovation are key for EOR operations to achieve the expected increases in reserves. Over the past year and during the first quarter of 2012, SPE was host to several events focusing on EOR operations, and more than 400 papers were presented. Several of them explored topics related to enhancements associated with the three key areas mentioned. Emphasis in many papers concerns extending the use of smart-well completion technologies to EOR operations, targeting customization to set out an EOR process and provide more flexibility for the solution to unexpected setbacks during process startup. Also, several publications stress the importance of downhole innovation aiming at oil- and gasfield production maximization by continuous optimization of steam and CO2 downhole injection rates in heavy-oil recovery and CO2-EOR processes, respectively. Dealing with EOR operations adequately is a great challenge, and a broad and integrated set of competencies is required. Nevertheless, as some of the papers featured in this issue illustrate, success is attainable with the right use of technology and creativity. I hope that you enjoy reading these paper highlights and will search for additional interesting contributions available in the OnePetro online library. Recommended additional reading at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org. SPE 150477 SAGD Field Trial for a New Intelligent-Well Completions Strategy To Increase Thermal EOR Recoveries by Joel Shaw, Halliburton, et al. SPE 154318 The Design and Execution of an Alkaline/Surfactant/Polymer Pilot Test by A. Sharma, Rex Energy, et al. SPE 154122 Mobility and Conformance Control for CO2 EOR Via Thickeners, Foams, and Gels—A Literature Review of 40 Years of Research and Pilot Tests by R.M. Enick, University of Pittsburgh, et al. SPE 144893 Seventeen Years of Development of Artificial Lift Technology in ASP Flooding in Daqing Oil Field by Yang Yonghua, China University of Petroleum, et al.

Getting tough on pain

More than a decade after the discovery of nociceptors, physicians still have very few options for treating chronic pain. Recent research on pain perception might finally be leading to new therapeutic strategies and drugs.

China’s Financial Reforms: Why Dysfunctional Banking Survives

Summary There is a growing academic consensus critical of the progress of China’s banking reforms. This pessimism coincides with official alarm in 2011 about the considerable but unexpected setback to the reform process that has followed the global financial crisis. This paper investigates the mismatch between the ambitious goals set by repeated modernisation programmes for the financial sector since the 1970s and the limited progress in achieving a modern, market-driven, banking sector. The review identifies persistent political intervention in credit management as the fundamental threat to sound banking and investigates why the state has tolerated repeated surges in non-performing loans rather than conceding the autonomy that sound commercial banking requires. The paper shows that the reform process has been driven very much by the immediate banking requirements of high-speed growth through modernisation and globalisation of the manufacturing sector. This process involved first resurrecting conventional banking facilities abolished under the Soviet-style ‘command economy’ and then financing the nation’s investment drive undertaken by largely autonomous local governments and the burgeoning private sector. International financial services and foreign banking practices were not a priority, unlike former Soviet Bloc and many Third World nations, since China could rely on the major international financial centre provided by Hong Kong. Subsequently, the state felt unable to free banking from central control and political interference because it was the last government ‘paymaster’ to survive the retreat from central planning. Credit creation and allocation via the banking system has been the easiest source of funding to finance rural transformation, to counter global crises, to fund major social development projects and to enforce environmental and similar goals on business. Central bankers and financial regulators have lobbied unsuccessfully for competition to prevail. The political convenience of the current arrangements makes state involvement hard to surrender.

Technology Focus: Drilling Management (September 2011)

Technology Focus Drilling management—management of the drilling process or the process of managing well-drilling operations. Much of this activity is not easily perceived by the outside viewer. Even though the final result of an operation is easily observed, what almost always goes unnoticed is the complexity of the issues involved in the planning and execution of a drilling operation and the number of topics involved in such a process. In recent years, I have been involved in several challenging deepwater-drilling operations, either as an operator or as a nonoperating partner. In all those cases, the planning phase required at least 1 year between the decision to drill on a certain location and the actual well spud-in. And that time frame was for well-established companies with most, or all, service and equipment contracts in place and all key personnel already hired. Off course, the time frame may double, or triple, if a company is initiating an operation in a new region or country where it never operated before. Well planning alone will require (as it must) several months. And this is done before you can even begin to apply for the necessary drilling permit, which in its turn may take several months to be obtained. Also, there is the need for internal reviews, budget approval (internally and with partners), and a necessary peer review, which will result in the need for additional time for implementation of associated recommended changes in the well program. Equally important is a well-prepared risk-analysis study in which risky aspects of the operation will be identified so that preventive measures can be taken to avoid or manage those risks. And then comes the most-visible part of the entire process, the drilling operation itself. Certainly, there must be good management during this phase, which includes the ability to make the necessary changes while dealing with the many aspects of the operation that may not develop exactly as initially planned. And most important, all this must be carried out within responsible and very-strict safety and environmental standards. Ideally, we want an operation to be concluded successfully without surprises or unexpected setbacks, or at least to keep those at a minimum. Careful planning certainly can help to achieve this task. As the famous Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen once said, “Adventure is just bad planning.” Drilling Management additional reading available at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org SPE 140023 • “Integrated Prewell-Planning Process Improves Service Quality and Decreases Risk Through Cooperation Between Drilling and Geosciences” by J.M. Aldawood, Baker Hughes, et al. SPE 139995 • “Can Safety Improvement Increase Drilling Efficiency?” by S.M. Boutalbi, SPE, Weatherford, et al. SPE 136296 • “Real-Time Data Management and Information Transfer as an Effective Drilling Technique” by Steve Vogel, SPE, National Oilwell Varco, et al. SPE 140145 • “Well-Construction Hydraulics in Challenging Environments” by A.L. Martins, Petrobras, et al.

Johnny Rocco

Johnny Rocco Stephen Dixon (bio) They were in bed, watching Key Largo on Maryland Public Television for the second time that year. She was laughing and said "The dialog really kills me. 'All right, you guys, I'm Johnny Rocco, see? See?'" and he said "I think the 'see' part of your impersonation is from another Edward G. Robinson movie. And the 'All right, you guys,' is James Cagney, if he ever said it in a movie. But let me watch it, will ya? It's a good picture, good acting, and some of the lines are classic." She sat up against the headboard and made as if she were chomping on a big cigar and then holding it and flicking its ashes to the floor and said "Listen, wise guy, nobody tells Johnny Rocco what to do, see? You think you're a big war hero, but you're nobody, a nobody compared to me. I'm Johnny Rocco, king of the rackets, once. That's who I am. But after my deal goes through I'm gonna be on top again, you wait and see." "Okay, Johnny, but the movie—" and she said "Okay, nothing, wise guy. Mess with Johnny Rocco and his boys and you'll get what's coming to you, or what's coming out of you, your last breath, see? See?" when the phone rang. "Late," he said, and got out of bed, lowered the television sound and picked up the receiver. "I'm sorry for calling at this hour," their real estate agent said, "but I have good news. The Hendricksons have taken your offer"—he raised his fist above his head and said to Gwen "They've taken our offer" and she yelled "Hurray"—"and if there are no unexpected setbacks," the agent said, "—mortgage, financing, deed; you know—the house is yours." "Oh, that's wonderful," he said. "Call anytime you want with such great news. My wife and I are very happy," and she said "Have a good weekend." He hung up and [End Page 153] said "That was Mrs. Blinkova, of course. They actually took our low offer. We're in," and she pretended to puff on a cigar and blow smoke out of her mouth and said "Know how we got the house, wise guy? Hey? Because Johnny Rocco told them to. Nobody says no to Johnny Rocco and lives to tell it. Nobody, you hear?, or they're dead meat." "Okay," he said, "we can see the movie anytime," and turned it off. He sat on the bed and put his arms out and they hugged. "You can be very funny sometimes," he said, "did you know that?" "Well, as my mother likes to remind me—" and he said "You've told me, but it just ain't true. You were always clever and had a great sense of humor and flair for mimicry. I had nothing to do with it. It's just, once you got rid of your suspicions about me—" and she said "And what were they?" "That I was a bit of an oddball or strange. Just the way I approached you the first night we met. 'You probably won't want to speak to me—' and she said "You keep saying you said that. I forget what you did say when you first spoke to me, but it wasn't that. I admit I was a little leery of you. First of all, the shirt you wore to the party," and he said "I've told you. I didn't know it was going to be a party. I thought—" and she said "I know, but it was such an ugly shirt. And the way you stared at me every chance you could, without coming over and introducing yourself. Or just coming over and standing there and saying nothing would have been better. And that you waited to speak to me till I was at the elevator. Strange, really; as you said, odd behavior. I'm surprised I didn't think you were a little creepy." "Then I'm lucky you even consented to meet me the first time," and she said...

Sci-Sat AM(2): Brachy - 04: Brachytherapy Air-Kerma Calibrations at Ionizing Radiation Standards, NRC

The majority of Canadian cancer clinics now offer brachytherapy treatments, but source calibrations currently require transfer chambers to be sent out of the country. The logistical difficulties involved in shipping delicate and crucial medical equipment internationally prompted the Canadian user committee to encourage the Ionizing Radiation Standards (IRS) group, Institute for National Measurement Standards, NRC, to develop brachytherapy standards in Canada and to provide brachytherapy calibrations to the Canadian radiation therapy community. The IRS group has undertaken the development of primary standards for brachytherapy. Using a technique similar to that employed by the French primary standards Laboratoire National Henri Becquerel (LNHB), the IRS version of the dosimetric standard realization for 192Ir will use a non-contact, indirect distance measuring method. The HDR calibration facility is under construction and should be operational in 2010. If there are no unexpected set-backs, HDR calibrations should be available in the beginning of 2011. In addition, IRS is actively searching for a Ph.D. candidate to begin development of an IRS LDR facility.

Update: A Difficult Time For Depression Devices

Brain stimulation devices for treating depression have faced unexpected setbacks. To serve the 40 million or so sufferers who fail to respond to antidepressant drugs, a few companies have tried to treat the disorder with electronic implants and electromagnets. This paper discusses updates of brain stimulation devices for treating mood disorders.

Vaginal microbicides: moving ahead after an unexpected setback

Vaginal microbicides: moving ahead after an unexpected setback

Middle English Romance as Prototype Genre

One of more fascinating histories in study of medieval literatures is history of scholarly attempts to define English as a genre.1 The polemical declarations of scholars, their dodges, embar rassments, sleights of hand, gestures of despair, have often been as compelling as adventures of knight as he overcomes for midable opponents, negotiates unexpected setbacks, puzzles out mar vels beyond scope of his prior experience, in a convoluted and bewildering quest whose object recedes constantly below a misty hori zon. And, since has proven itself inexhaustibly and infinitely expandable, I make no apologies for taking yet another run at mean ing of Middle English romance as a generic term. It will not be last attempt, especially if it is successful, for approach I describe here is intended not to be definitive but to be descriptive, not to provide clo sure but to open up further areas of exploration. At same time, I wish to suggest a system of ideas that may serve as a guide to explo ration, and to point out some implications of this approach for our understanding of medieval English literature. The framework for this approach is loosely based on prototype theory of categorization in cognitive linguistics, and so this paper may serve as a case study for application of prototype theory to literary genres more broadly. I have alluded already to figure of the knight himself, stereo typical protagonist of medieval chivalric romance, but of course problems that this paper addresses would not exist if essence of this medieval genre were so easily recognizable. The definition of English is difficult for a number of reasons. The first is that word itself has had a complex history of polysemy, so that Latin romanus, pertaining to Rome, eventually generated English romantic, with its associations of magic, escapist nostalgia, sexual adventure, and emotional intensity.2 As is well known, texts with which scholars of English are concerned were composed at a time when roman or romaunce could still mean a text in a Romance vernacular (such as French) but could also apply to a type of narrative in any language.