Assessing cyclists’ cognitive load : the influence of urban cycling infrastructure designs and traffic volumes

Urban planning strategies have a fundamental impact on people’s choice of transport. Many European cities are working to shift towards facilitating more sustainable modes of transport and reducing motorised traffic. Cognitive load can be considered the mental resources that are required to perform a variety of tasks, such as cycling in various traffic situations. Human factors, i.e., cognitive load, affect people's perceived safety and their choice of transport mode. There is a lack of naturalistic cycling data focusing on the influence of different traffic conditions on cognitive load. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the influence of different traffic situations on the cognitive load of cyclists. For that, people participate in a naturalistic study, cycling through the Austrian city of Vienna, in order to advance research regarding the effects of various built environment conditions and traffic volume on cognitive load. The effects of the different conditions are compared. Cognitive load can be assessed by physiological measurements (i.e., through Empatica E4 smartwatch) in the form of electrodermal activity (EDA). For this study, EDA has been normalised compared to people’s baseline physiological responses. A panel regression model is used to investigate the effect of different built environment conditions and traffic volume on cyclists’ cognitive load. The results confirm differences between the various traffic segments on cognitive load but are not in line with the hypothesis that higher traffic volume leads to increased cognitive load. Although not all results confirm the hypotheses, this study shows that cognitive load, measured through EDA can improve understanding of the effect of different built environment conditions on cyclists’ cognitive load in a dynamic traffic context

The nature of a nurse’s workplace and their attitude towards learning communicative competence — a representative study of Polish nurses’ population

Background: In the education of nurses and midwives, the greatest emphasis is put on practical skills asthe most important element of vocational competences. Education in the sphere of widely understoodinterpersonal communication and effective team interdisciplinary cooperation is getting equally important.It also accounts for important complementation of practical skills.Exploration of factors influencing the attitude towards learning communicative competence in a group ofnurses undertaking specialization training.Methods: In the cross-sectional survey study 969 professionally active nurses from various regions ofPoland took part. The respondents were divided into two groups, depending on the specialization trainingcompleted (“anaesthesiological, intensive care medicine and emergency medicine nursing” vs. “geriatrics,long-term and palliative care nursing”). The voluntary, anonymous survey was conducted with the use ofCSAS questionnaire. A comparative analysis of the results for the two examined groups of nurses wasperformed with the use of the t-Student test. The scale of the effect for the observed mean variation wasestimated with the use of d Cohen coefficient.Results: The examined nurses manifested a positive attitude towards learning communicative competence,however, a statistically significant difference in the context of the specificity of the ward was observed.The age of nurses had a negative influence on the analysed variables. Also, a correlation between highself-esteem of the possessed communicative skills and a high CSAS result was noted.Conclusions: The nature of the ward, time of hospitalization, as well as age and education of the personnelinfluence shaping the attitudes of the nursing personnel in the applicability of communicative competencein their professional practice

Controlled release of doxorubicin from the drug delivery formulation composed of single-walled carbon nanotubes and Congo red : a molecular dynamics study and dynamic light scattering analysis

The controlled delivery and release of drug molecules at specific targets increases the therapeutic efficacy of treatment. This paper presents a triple complex which is a new potential drug delivery system. Triple complex contains single-walled carbon nanotubes, Congo red, and doxorubicin. Nanotubes are built of a folded graphene layer providing a large surface for binding Congo red via “face-to-face” stacking which markedly increases the binding capacity of the carrier. Congo red is a compound that self-associates to form supramolecular ribbon-like structures, which are able to bind some drugs by intercalation. The nanotube–Congo red complex can bind the model drug doxorubicin. Thus, a new triple carrier system was obtained. The aim of this paper is to present studies on the controlled release of a model anticancer drug from a triple carrier system through pH changes. The specific aim of the study was to model the structure of the obtained experimental systems and to compare the changes in the average energy of interaction between its components induced by pH changes. The studies also aimed to compare the intensity of pH-dependent changes in hydrodynamic diameters of individual components of the triple carrier system. The effect of pH changes on the stability of the analyzed systems was examined using the molecular modeling method and dynamic light scattering. The decrease in pH influenced the structure and stability of the analyzed triple systems and ensured efficient drug release. The changes in hydrodynamic diameters of the obtained fractions were examined with the use of dynamic light scattering and were confirmed by computer simulation methods. The formulation presented in this paper shows potential for a therapeutic application owing to its high drug binding capacity and pH-dependent release. This ensures prolonged local action of the drug. The results reveal that the studied complex fulfills the basic requirements for its potential use as drug carrier, thus reducing side effects and enhancing pharmacological efficacy of drugs

COMPARISON OF FOUR-AND FIVE-OPTION MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS IN NURSING ENTRANCE TESTS

Abstract Introduction: Most multiple-choice tests comprise questions with four options per item. However, a number of academic teachers believe that a larger number of options per question shall increase the scope of variability of test results. An increase in discrimination capability is particularly important with reference to selective examinations. In 2011 and 2013, Nursing Entrance Test at Medical University of Warsaw (MUW) comprised 5-option items tests, which was an exception from 4-option items tests used in 2009-2010 and 2012. Aim of study: Assessment of the impact of change of the number of options in multiple-choice questions (MCQs) on the quality of Nursing Entrance Exams for an MA programme at MUW between 2009-2013. Materials and Methods: A total of 250 multiple-choice exam questions, including 150 four-option items (2009-2010 and 2012) and 100 five-option items (2011 and 2013). In order to compare the quality of particular exams, the level of easiness, substitute differentiation power, and Pearson's linear correlation coefficient were established for each pool of questions. The comparison comprised the scope of variability of the results (coefficient of variation, scope of results, and quartile range) as well as the average easiness and capacity of differentiating particular questions in consecutive versions of the exam. A one-way analysis of ANOVA variance and post-hoc RIR Tukey honestly significant difference test were used. Results: In 2011 and 2013, when the 5-option items tests were introduced, the difficulty of the exam expressed as the mean score amounted to 24.3 and 25.7 points, respectively. These values are comparable to the results achieved in 2010 (25.6), but they are clearly different from those obtained in 2009 (30.2) and 2012 (31.5). Similar differences were observed in comparison of coefficients of variation that were similar in 2010, 2011, and 2013 (17.1, 17.9 and 18.4%, respectively) and significantly different from those obtained in 2009 and 2012 (14.3 and 14.1%, respectively). Moreover, a greater symmetry (skewness ≈ 0) in frequency distribution of test scores was observed in the case of 5-option items tests compared to 4-option items tests. The reliability of the exam was variable, Cronbach's α coefficient ranged between 0.429 and 0.559. No statistically significant differences were found in discrimination capability of the exams performed in the form of 4-or 5-option items tests (ANOVA test, P> 0.05). It was also demonstrated that the 2011 exam (5 options) was significantly more difficult than that of 2012 (4 options) (ANOVA test (P = 0.0025) and post-hoc RIR Tukey honestly significant difference test (P< 0.01)). Conclusions: The introduction of an additional option item to the test questions did not significantly improve the qualitative parameters of the Nursing Entrance Exams at MUW. Significant increase in selective capacity of the exam and reliability of assessment was not observed. It is recommended to use 4-option items tests and to develop a good test content outline for future editions of the exam

COMPARISON OF FOUR-AND FIVE-OPTION MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS IN NURSING ENTRANCE TESTS

Abstract Introduction: Most multiple-choice tests comprise questions with four options per item. However, a number of academic teachers believe that a larger number of options per question shall increase the scope of variability of test results. An increase in discrimination capability is particularly important with reference to selective examinations. In 2011 and 2013, Nursing Entrance Test at Medical University of Warsaw (MUW) comprised 5-option items tests, which was an exception from 4-option items tests used in 2009-2010 and 2012. Aim of study: Assessment of the impact of change of the number of options in multiple-choice questions (MCQs) on the quality of Nursing Entrance Exams for an MA programme at MUW between 2009-2013. Materials and Methods: A total of 250 multiple-choice exam questions, including 150 four-option items (2009-2010 and 2012) and 100 five-option items (2011 and 2013). In order to compare the quality of particular exams, the level of easiness, substitute differentiation power, and Pearson's linear correlation coefficient were established for each pool of questions. The comparison comprised the scope of variability of the results (coefficient of variation, scope of results, and quartile range) as well as the average easiness and capacity of differentiating particular questions in consecutive versions of the exam. A one-way analysis of ANOVA variance and post-hoc RIR Tukey honestly significant difference test were used. Results: In 2011 and 2013, when the 5-option items tests were introduced, the difficulty of the exam expressed as the mean score amounted to 24.3 and 25.7 points, respectively. These values are comparable to the results achieved in 2010 (25.6), but they are clearly different from those obtained in 2009 (30.2) and 2012 (31.5). Similar differences were observed in comparison of coefficients of variation that were similar in 2010, 2011, and 2013 (17.1, 17.9 and 18.4%, respectively) and significantly different from those obtained in 2009 and 2012 (14.3 and 14.1%, respectively). Moreover, a greater symmetry (skewness ≈ 0) in frequency distribution of test scores was observed in the case of 5-option items tests compared to 4-option items tests. The reliability of the exam was variable, Cronbach's α coefficient ranged between 0.429 and 0.559. No statistically significant differences were found in discrimination capability of the exams performed in the form of 4-or 5-option items tests (ANOVA test, P> 0.05). It was also demonstrated that the 2011 exam (5 options) was significantly more difficult than that of 2012 (4 options) (ANOVA test (P = 0.0025) and post-hoc RIR Tukey honestly significant difference test (P< 0.01)). Conclusions: The introduction of an additional option item to the test questions did not significantly improve the qualitative parameters of the Nursing Entrance Exams at MUW. Significant increase in selective capacity of the exam and reliability of assessment was not observed. It is recommended to use 4-option items tests and to develop a good test content outline for future editions of the exam