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]ARENES DERIVATIVES: FROM SELF-ASSEMBY TO FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS

This work was supported by the by Russian Science Foundation, project # 19-13-00095

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

Business planning in the sphere of handicraft activities in the Republic of Belarus

This article considers the key points of business planning in handicraft activity — a dynamically developing area of small business in the Republic of Belarus. The feasibility of business planning in handicraft activity is justified by the state interest and support of craftsmen in providing the non-re-fundable subsidies. Besides, according to the data provided by the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Belarus, 75% of those engaged in handicraft activities of the total number across the country are concentrated in the regions, and the total number of individuals across the Republic, who paid the fee for the implementation of crafts for the period 2017-2021, has almost doubled or increased by 72.8%. The information presented in the article serves to assist in creating a business plan for the selected type of handicraft activity from those listed in subparagraph 1.2 of paragraph 1 of Decree of the Pres-ident of the Republic of Belarus dated October 9, 2017 N 364 "On the implementation by individuals of handicraft activities"

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

Coordination Polymers based on calixarene derivatives: Structures and properties

© 2017 Elsevier B.V. The solid-state structures of 1D–3D Coordination Polymers based on the macrocyclic calixarene backbone have been reviewed, based on the chemical nature of appended substituents on the macrocycle platform. The coordination propensity of this class of ligands is analysed, taking into account the different coordinating atoms/groups that can be located on the macrocyclic ligand: (1) the unmodified inherently coordinating thiacalix[4]arene with the S bridges as donor atoms; (2) different conformations of calix[n] arene units, with appended O donor atoms; (3) the chemical modification of the upper rim of calix[n]arenes and thiacalix[n] arenes, with coordinating groups, in particular the use of the sulfonate groups; (4) calix[4]arenes, thiacalix[4] arenes and tetramercaptothiacalix[4]rene that have been modified at their lower rim (mono, di and tetra substitution) with coordinating groups like cyano, carboxylate, pyridyl and pyrazolyl groups. All the formed coordination networks have been described. A special attention has been drawn to the structural and functional properties of these extended networks: magnetic, luminescence, adsorption and catalytic properties. Perspectives and future challenges in this emerging field are also discussed

Wiring surface loss of a superconducting transmon qubit

Quantum processors using superconducting qubits suffer from dielectric loss leading to noise and dissipation. Qubits are usually designed as large capacitor pads connected to a non-linear Josephson junction (or SQUID) by a superconducting thin metal wiring. Here, we report on finite-element simulation and experimental results confirming that more than 50% of surface loss in transmon qubits can originated from Josephson junctions wiring and can limit qubit relaxation time. Extracting dielectric loss tangents capacitor pads and wiring based on their participation ratios, we show dominant surface loss of wiring can occur for real qubits designs. Then, we simulate a qubit coupled to a bath of individual TLS defects and show that only a small fraction (~18%) of coupled defects is located within the wiring interfaces, however, their coupling strength is much higher due to stronger electromagnetic field. Finally, we fabricate six tunable floating transmon qubits and experimentally demonstrate up to 20% improvement in qubit quality factor by wiring design optimization.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figure

Calixarene-based supramolecular systems: a platform for nanomaterials design by self-assembly

Lower rim thiacalix[4]arenes derivatives in cone and 1,3-alternate conformations have many advantages to create a wide range of precursors for the design of very sophisticated supramolecular architectures. These compounds can be considered as technological platform for nanomaterials design by self-assembly method. Particular attention will be paid to the application of calixarene derivatives for the construction of various supramolecular and nanosystems, devices and smart materials: colloid nanoparticles, catalytic systems, metalcoordinated networks, Langmuir-Blodgett nanolayers, molecular magnets etc.The authors gratefully acknowledge of the RSF (19-13-00095 and 18-73-10033) for the financial support

Mobile applications for anxiety and stress reduction: potential for preventing noncommunicable diseases

The article discusses using mobile applications for smartphones as tools to reduce anxiety and stress. The modern views on pathogenesis of the relationship between stress, anxiety disorders and cardiovascular disease are considered. Based on a review of some representative studies, a methodology for evaluating the characteristics and functions of mobile applications for managing anxiety and stress symptoms is proposed. The applications selected for analysis were tested according to this methodology. There are following key features of the Russianlanguage field of mobile applications for anxiety and stress reduction: a small number of applications, high prevalence of using breathing exercises, meditations and sound therapy, an extremely low disease specificity and focus mainly on helping with general symptoms of anxiety