Learner satisfaction and learning performance in online courses on bioterrorism and weapons of mass destruction

This study examined the relationships between measures of (a) learner satisfaction with online courses on weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and bioterrorism intended to address the educational needs of responder Communities of Practice (CoP) and (b) degrees of accomplishment by the learner with those online courses. Provided that course design characteristics were similar between courses and that content was different, it was important to examine learner satisfaction with course common aspects in relation to learning outcomes and identify the predictors of effectiveness and relations between the learner satisfaction with the course characteristics and the learner achievement for potential design improvements in the future. Specifically, the investigator set out to explore multiple measures of learner satisfaction (Content, Accuracy, Navigation, Look, Flow, Assessment, and Value) in relation to multiple measures of learner achievement (Pre-Post Gain, Follow-up Personal Benefit, Follow-up Organizational Benefit, Follow-up Subject-Matter Retention, and Follow-up Simulation Scenarios).;The results from the 67 participants\u27 data analyses indicated that (1) navigation appeared to be a statistically significant predictor of learning achievement scores and (2) estimate of personal benefit was associated with value judgments placed on the course. Those participants who initially estimated that the courses were valuable later indicated that those courses had personal benefit to them. The learner\u27s initial satisfaction with navigation was related to the determination of personal benefit from the course. The study contributes to further understanding web-based, process-product, and satisfaction-learning interactions by emphasizing the importance of navigation quality in web-based courseware as it relates to learning achievement and personal benefit for adult learners. The findings heighten the designers\u27 awareness of the courseware aspects associated with learning effectiveness of exponentially growing web-based education on WMD and bioterrorism for responder communities

Thiacalix[4]arene’s lower rim derivatives: Synthesis and supramolecular properties

© ISUCT Publishing. A consolidated review on the synthesis of lower rim tetrasubstituted thiacalixarenes and their self-assembly on the soft surfaces contributed from our group is presented. The approaches for the synthesis of different types of tetra-O-substituted thiacalixarenes from the last 10 years are discussed. In addition, amphiphilic macrocycles in 1,3-alternate conformation form monolayers at the interface and are effectively embedded into the vesicles. Decorated by thiacalixarenes nanolayers and vesicles demonstrate a high selectivity towards specific analytes

Effectiveness of legislative changes obligating notification of prolonged sickness absence and assessment of remaining work ability on return to work and work participation : a natural experiment in Finland

Objectives Policies have been introduced to reduce sickness absence, but their effectiveness is largely unknown. In a natural experiment, we examined effects of legislative changes on return to work and work participation. Methods The source population consisted of up to 72164 Finnish public sector employees with a permanent job contract in 2008-2011 (before) and in 2013-2014 (after). We used employees with a continuous sickness absence of at least 30 calendar-days (n=5708-6393), 60 compensated days (n=1481-1655) and 90 compensated days (n=766-932). We examined sustainable return to work (a minimum of 28 consecutive working days) with survival analysis as well as monthly work participation after a sickness absence, and annual gain in work participation after the intervention, using trajectory analyses. Results Sustainable return to work after 60days of sickness absence occurred earlier after the legislative changes (p value 0.017), although the effect reduced towards the end of the follow-up. There were no differences in return to work after a 30 or 90days of sickness absence. The largest annual gain, postintervention versus preintervention, in monthly work participation was observed among employees with 60days of sickness absence and was 230.9 person-years/10000 employees. The corresponding annual gains among those with 30days and 90days of sickness absence were 51.8 and 39.6, respectively. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the legislative changes, obligating early notification of prolonged sickness absences as well as assessment of remaining work ability and possibilities to continue working, may enhance sustainable return to work in the short term. Other measures will be needed to enhance work participation, especially in the long term.Peer reviewe

Effectiveness of mindfulness-based therapy, stress reduction in hypertension and prehypertension: a systematic review

Aim. To collect and analyze currently available clinical studies on the effectiveness of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) for lowering blood pressure in individuals with normal, high normal blood pressure and hypertension.Material and methods. The systematic review was prepared according to the PRISMA algorithm with minor modifications. The search algorithm included articles in Russian and English, indexed in the Pubmed/MEDLINE and Cochrane Library databases. The study included studies on the impact of mindfulness interventions on blood pressure levels in individuals aged ≥18 years with an established diagnosis of hypertension, with normal (120-129/80-84 mm Hg) and high normal office blood pressure (130-139/85-89 mm Hg).Results. A total of 4785 publications were identified and included in the study, of which, after a multistage sampling, including screening of articles, 6 studies were included in a qualitative systematic review.Conclusion. Qualitative synthesis of the results of clinical studies revealed that the evidence currently available indicates a possible positive effect of mindfulness interventions on blood pressure levels in individuals with normal, high normal blood pressure and hypertension. However, further studies with larger samples and measurement of more primary and secondary endpoints are required

CLINICAL CLASSIFICATION OF TUBERCULOSIS WHEN ASSESSING THE PREVALENCE OF CAVERNOUS FORMS OF THE DISEASE

Cavernous form of tuberculosis being important in its clinical aspects is presented with the reference to pathogenesis, morphogenesis, structure of cavitary wall as acute pneumoniogenic cavity, bronchogenic cavity, cavity from the focus with pre-existing capsule, without expressed fibrosis, with perifocal changes and without them, with semination foci and without them.The statement of the long-lasting impropriety of official statistic rates received through current clinical classification of tuberculosis (ICD-10) explains the increase oftuberculosis prevalence and raises the need to review the classification oftuberculosis and points atthe urgency oftuberculosis control actions adequate for current unfavorable epidemic situation

Main Directions of Environmental Policy of Greenland at Beginning of XXI Century

The individual directions of Greenland’s environmental policy, which have the greatest impact on the modern ecological situation in the autonomy, are considered. The authors of the work referred to these areas as energy, water resources, waste disposal and pollution control. A description of the development of the selected ecological directions is given, an analysis of their current state is carried out. Greenland’s environmental cooperation with Denmark and the European Union is also analyzed. The basis of the source study base of the article is the Greenlandic legislation in the field of ecology. The main documents, programs and cases that influenced the development of the selected environmental directions are considered. The relevance of this article lies in a detailed examination of the environmental policy of Greenland and the construction of general conclusions about the environmental situation of the Danish Autonomous Territory based on the results obtained in the analysis of individual environmental areas. The novelty of the study is seen in an integrated approach to the analysis of the ongoing environmental policy of Greenland. The main positive and negative results in the selected environmental areas are noted. An assumption is made about the ambiguity of the environmental policy of Greenland, and possible outcomes in the implementation of this policy are considered