Design-Based Research in CALL

The purpose of this volume is to expand and refine our understanding of the use of design-based research (DBR) in CALL by contributing to the growing body of literature in this area. We have tried our best to strike a balance between theoretical considerations and concrete examples of DBR. The first section of this volume focuses on theoretical perspectives and ideas that can inform the use of DBR in CALL. The second section contains studies that illustrate DBR through concrete instances of its operationalization. We hope this volume will be a useful source of information and inspiration for those considering to further explore DBR in CALL. For updates on DBR in CALL, please visit the companion site to this volume: https://sites.google.com/site/designbasedresearch/https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/language_books/1006/thumbnail.jp

Clinical efficacy of eplerenone versus placebo for central serous chorioretinopathy:study protocol for the VICI randomised controlled trial

Chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR) is poorly understood. Fluid accumulates in the subretinal space and retinal pigment epitheliopathy and neurosensory atrophy may develop. Permanent vision loss occurs in approximately one third of cases. There are no effective treatments for CSCR. Recent studies have shown the mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, eplerenone, to be effective in resolving subretinal fluid and improving visual acuity. This trial aims to compare the safety and efficacy of eplerenone in patients with CSCR in a double-masked randomised placebo-controlled trial. Patients are randomised 1:1 to receive eplerenone with usual care or placebo with usual care for 12 months; 25 mg per day for 1 week, then 50 mg per day up to 12 months (unless discontinued for safety or resolution of CSCR). Key eligibility criteria are: age 18-60 years, one eye with CSCR for ≥4 months duration, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) >53 and <86 letters and no previous treatment. The primary outcome is BCVA at 12 months. Secondary outcomes include resolution of subretinal fluid, development of macular atrophy, subfoveal choroidal thickness, changes in low luminance visual acuity, health-related quality of life and safety. Recruitment is complete but was slower than expected. We maintained the eligibility criteria to ensure participants had 'true' CSCR and recruited additional centres. Effective distribution of the investigational medicinal product (IMP) was achieved by implementing a database to manage ordering and accountability of IMP packs. The results will provide adequately powered evidence to inform clinical decisions about using eplerenone to treat patients with CSCR

Nonequilibrium clumped isotope signals in microbial methane

Methane is a key component in the global carbon cycle with a wide range of anthropogenic and natural sources. Although isotopic compositions of methane have traditionally aided source identification, the abundance of its multiply-substituted “clumped” isotopologues, e.g., 13CH3D, has recently emerged as a proxy for determining methane-formation temperatures; however, the impact of biological processes on methane’s clumped isotopologue signature is poorly constrained. We show that methanogenesis proceeding at relatively high rates in cattle, surface environments, and laboratory cultures exerts kinetic control on 13CH3D abundances and results in anomalously elevated formation temperature estimates. We demonstrate quantitatively that H2 availability accounts for this effect. Clumped methane thermometry can therefore provide constraints on the generation of methane in diverse settings, including continental serpentinization sites and ancient, deep groundwaters.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (EAR-1250394)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (EAR-1322805)Deep Carbon Observatory (Program)Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of CanadaDeutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Program)United States. Dept. of Defense (National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship)Neil & Anna Rasmussen FoundationGrayce B. Kerr Fund, Inc. (Fellowship)MIT Energy Initiative (Shell-MITEI Graduate Fellowship)Shell International Exploration and Production B.V. (N. Braunsdorf and D. Smit of Shell PTI/EG grant

Importance of reactive halogens in the tropical marine atmosphere: A regional modelling study using WRF-Chem

Abstract. This study investigates the impact of halogens on atmospheric chemistry in the tropical troposphere and explores the sensitivity of this to uncertainties in the fluxes of halogens to the atmosphere and the chemical processing. To do this the regional chemistry transport model WRF-Chem has been extended, for the first time, to include halogen chemistry (bromine, chlorine and iodine chemistry), including heterogeneous recycling reactions involving sea-salt aerosol and other particles, reactions of Br with volatile organic compounds (VOCs), along with oceanic emissions of halocarbons, VOCs and inorganic iodine. The study focuses on the tropical East Pacific using field observations from the TORERO campaign (Januaryndash;February 2012) to evaluate the model performance. Including all the new processes, the model does a reasonable job reproducing the observed mixing ratios of BrO and IO, albeit with some discrepancies, some of which can be attributed to difficulties in the model's ability to reproduce the observed halocarbons. This is somewhat expected given the large uncertainties in the air-sea fluxes of the halocarbons in a region where there are few observations of seawater concentrations. We see a considerable impact on the Bry partitioning when heterogeneous chemistry is included, with a greater proportion of the Bry in active forms such as BrO, HOBr and dihalogens. Including debromination of sea-salt increases BrO slightly throughout the free troposphere, but in the tropical marine boundary layer, where the sea-salt particles are plentiful and relatively acidic, debromination leads to overestimation of the observed BrO. However, it should be noted that the modelled BrO was extremely sensitive to the inclusion of reactions between Br and the VOCs, which convert Br to HBr, a far less reactive form of Bry. Excluding these reactions leads to modelled BrO mixing ratios greater than observed. The reactions between Br and aldehydes were found to be particularly important, despite the model underestimating the amount of aldehydes observed in the atmosphere. There are only small changes to Iy partitioning and IO when the heterogeneous reactions, primarly on sea-salt, are included. Our model results show that the tropospheric Ox loss due to halogens is 31%. This loss is mostly due to I (16%) and Br (14%) and it is in good agreement with other estimates from state-of-the-art atmospheric chemistry models

ROBINS-I: a tool for assessing risk of bias in non-randomized studies of interventions

Non-randomised studies of the effects of interventions are critical to many areas of healthcare evaluation, but their results may be biased. It is therefore important to understand and appraise their strengths and weaknesses. We developed ROBINS-I ("Risk Of Bias In Non-randomised Studies-of Interventions"), a new tool for evaluating risk of bias in estimates of the comparative effectiveness (harm or benefit) of interventions from studies that did not use randomisation to allocate units (individuals or clusters of individuals) to comparison groups. The tool will be particularly useful to those undertaking systematic reviews that include non-randomised studies

Isokinetic eccentric exercise substantially improves mobility, muscle strength and size, but not postural sway metrics in older adults, with limited regression observed following a detraining period

© 2020, The Author(s). Introduction: Eccentric exercise can reverse age-related decreases in muscle strength and mass; however, no data exist describing its effects on postural sway. As the ankle may be more important for postural sway than hip and knee joints, and with older adults prone to periods of inactivity, the effects of two 6-week seated isokinetic eccentric exercise programmes, and an 8-week detraining period, were examined in 27 older adults (67.1 ± 6.0 years). Methods: Neuromuscular parameters were measured before and after training and detraining periods with subjects assigned to ECC (twice-weekly eccentric-only hip and knee extensor contractions) or ECCPF (identical training with additional eccentric-only plantarflexor contractions) training programmes. Results: Significant (P \u3c 0.05) increases in mobility (decreased timed-up-and-go time [− 7.7 to − 12.0%]), eccentric strength (39.4–58.8%) and vastus lateralis thickness (9.8–9.9%) occurred after both training programmes, with low-to-moderate weekly rate of perceived exertion (3.3–4.5/10) reported. No significant change in any postural sway metric occurred after either training programme. After 8 weeks of detraining, mobility (− 8.2 to − 11.3%), eccentric strength (30.5–50.4%) and vastus lateralis thickness (6.1–7.1%) remained significantly greater than baseline in both groups. Conclusion: Despite improvements in functional mobility, muscle strength and size, lower-limb eccentric training targeting hip, knee and ankle extensor muscle groups was not sufficient to influence static balance. Nonetheless, as the beneficial functional and structural adaptations were largely maintained through an 8-week detraining period, these findings have important implications for clinical exercise prescription as the exercise modality, low perceived training intensity, and adaptive profile are well suited to the needs of older adults

Diagnostic and therapeutic medical devices for safer blood management in cardiac surgery : systematic reviews, observational studies and randomised controlled trials

Funding: This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Programme Grants for Applied Research programme and will be published in full in Programme Grants for Applied Research; Vol. 5, No. 17. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.Peer reviewedPublisher PD