From Tech Skills to Life Skills: Google Online Marketing Challenge and Experiential Learning

The Google Online Marketing Challenge (GOMC) is a global, online student competition sponsored by Google. It is a prime example of an experiential learning activity that includes using real money ($250 sponsored by Google) with a real client. The GOMC has yielded compelling results in student engagement and learning objectives related to the direct digital marketing skills addressed. However, few studies have systematically scrutinized the broader personal and life skills inherent in experience-based learning. The current study explores learning outcomes of the GOMC from a student perspective including both the direct technical skills as well as broader, multidisciplinary life skills that are developed or enhanced. The study takes an inductive approach to examine the life skills endorsed by a pilot group of GOMC participants and subsequently examines these learning outcomes in a preliminary quantitative survey of 15 GOMC participants from an undergraduate Information Systems course. Study findings yielded perceived learning outcomes in the following areas: interpersonal life skills, digital technical skills directly related to course and challenge content, intrapersonal life skills (self-awareness, reflection, and strategic planning), and adaptive applied skills. The students’ overall perceptions, challenges experienced, and reported implementation preferences are also discussed

COVID-19's Impact Upon Labor and Value Chains in the Agrifood Industry: A case study

We explore the impact of automation and digitalization on labor in the US agrifood system during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study considers each of the primary nodes in the system stretching from consumer through grocery stores and restaurants to last-mile delivery, distribution, food processing, farming, and agri-inputs. Not only automation and digitalization, but also the role of platforms such as Amazon, and food delivery firms such as GrubHub, Instacart, and Uber Eats are discussed. For restaurants, we consider not only dine-in restaurants, but also “ghost kitchens”. Furthermore, the possibility that farmers or distributors could disintermediate other nodes and deal directly with consumers is discussed. We conclude that, as a generalization, the further upstream one goes from the consumer, the less immediate and disruptive automation is likely to be for labor. However, our overall conclusion is that, given the current trajectories, labor is becoming increasingly precarious. If the current labor shortages continue, then automation is likely to accelerate. Platformization, while rampant in the relationships with final consumers, is likely to be less rapidly adopted further upstream where relationships are B-to-B and thus composed of actors that are wary of sharing data

Patients with Severe Poststroke Fatigue Show a Psychosocial Profile Comparable to Patients with Other Chronic Disease: Implications for Diagnosis and Treatment

Objective. To obtain a psychosocial profile of patients with poststroke fatigue (PSF), which could aid in optimizing treatment strategies. Methods. Eighty-eight outpatients with severe PSF measured with the Checklist Individual Strength-fatigue subscale (CIS-f) and the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) were selected. Depression and anxiety, psychological distress, coping, social support, and self-efficacy of this group were compared to reference groups of healthy controls and patients with other chronic diseases. Associations between psychosocial characteristics and fatigue were calculated. Results. Compared to healthy controls, patients with PSF reported more psychological distress, less problem-focused coping, and more positive social support. Minor or no differences were found in comparison with other chronic patients. The CIS-f correlated with somatic complaints and the FSS with cognitive complaints. Conclusion. Patients with PSF show a psychosocial profile comparable to patients with other chronic disease. Implications for diagnosis and treatment are discussed

Optical Remote Sensing of Submerged Aquatic Vegetation: Opportunities for Shallow Clearwater Streams

Remote sensing has rarely been used as a tool to map and monitor submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in rivers, due to a combination of insufficient spatial resolution of available image data and strong attenuation of light in water through absorption and scattering. The latter process reduces the possibility to use spectral reflectance information to accurately classify submerged species. However, increasing availability of very high resolution (VHR) image data may enable the use of shape and texture features to help discriminate between species by taking an object based image analysis (OBIA) approach, and overcome some of the present limitations. This study aimed to investigate the possibility of using optical remote sensing for the detection and mapping of SAV. It firstly looked at the possibilities to discriminate submerged macrophyte species based on spectral information only. Reflectance spectra of three macrophyte species were measured in situ across a range of submergence depths. The results showed that water depth will be a limiting factor for the classification of species from remote sensing images. Only Spiked Water Milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) was indicated as spectrally distinct through ANOVA analysis, but subsequent Jeffries–Matusita distance analysis did not confirm this. In particular Water Crowfoot (Ranunculus fluitans) and Pondweed (Potamogeton pectinatus) could not be discriminated at 95% significance level. Spectral separability of these two species was also not possible without the effect of an overlying water column. Secondly, the possibility to improve species discrimination, using spatial and textural information was investigated for the same SAV species. VHR image data was acquired with a Near Infrared (NIR) sensitive DSLR camera from four different heights including a telescopic pole and a Helikite UAS. The results show that shape and texture information can improve the detection of the spectrally similar Pondweed and Water Crowfoot from VHR image data. The best performing feature ‘length/width ratio of sub-objects’ was obtained through expert knowledge. All of the shape and texture based features performed better at species differentiation than the spectrally based features. In conclusion this study has shown that there is considerable potential for the combination of VHR data and OBIA to map SAV in shallow stream environments, which can benefit species monitoring and management

Appraisals and coping mediate the relationship between resilience and distress among significant others of persons with spinal cord injury or acquired brain injury: a cross-sectional study

Background: Many significant others of persons with serious conditions like spinal cord injury (SCI) and acquired brain injury (ABI) report high levels of psychological distress. In line with the stress-coping model, the aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between personal resource resilience and psychological distress, and whether appraisals of threat and loss, and passive coping mediate this relationship. Methods: Significant others (n = 228) of persons with SCI or ABI completed questionnaires shortly after admission to first inpatient rehabilitation after onset of the condition. The questionnaire included measures to assess psychological distress (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), resilience (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-10), appraisals (Appraisals of Life Events scale, threat and loss) and passive coping (Utrecht Coping List). The PROCESS tool was used to test the presence of mediation. Confounding and differences between SCI and ABI were investigated. Results: High levels of psychological distress among significant others were found (34-41%). Fifty-five percent of the variance in psychological distress was explained by the relationship between resilience and psychological distress. This relationship was mediated by appraisals of threat and loss, and passive coping. The relationship between resilience and psychological distress was similar in the SCI and ABI groups. Conclusions: The results of our study indicate that appraisals of threat and loss and passive coping are mediating factors in the relationship between resilience and psychological distress. It seems useful to investigate if interventions focussing on psychological factors like resilience, appraisal and coping are effective to prevent or reduce psychological distress among significant others of persons with SCI or ABI

a pooled analysis of four longitudinal aging cohorts

© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society for Nutrition.BACKGROUND: Dietary protein may slow the decline in muscle mass and function with aging, making it a sensible candidate to prevent or modulate disability progression. At present, studies providing reliable estimates of the association between protein intake and physical function, and its interaction with physical activity (PA), in community-dwelling older adults are lacking. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the longitudinal relation between protein intake and physical function, and the interaction with PA. METHODS: We undertook a pooled analysis of individual participant data from cohorts in the PROMISS (PRevention Of Malnutrition In Senior Subjects in the European Union) consortium (the Health Aging and Body Composition Study, Quebec Longitudinal Study on Nutrition and Successful Aging, Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam, and Newcastle 85+) in which 5725 community-dwelling older adults were followed up to 8.5 y. The relation between protein intake and walking speed was determined using joint models (linear mixed-effects and Cox proportional hazards models) and the relation with mobility limitation was investigated using multistate models. RESULTS: Higher protein intake was modestly protective of decline in walking speed in a dose-dependent manner [e.g., protein intake ≥1.2 compared with 0.8 g/kg adjusted body weight (aBW)/d: β = 0.024, 95% CI: 0.009, 0.032 SD/y], with no clear indication of interaction with PA. Participants with protein intake ≥0.8 g/kg aBW/d had also a lower likelihood of incident mobility limitation, which was observed for each level of PA. This association seemed to be dose-dependent for difficulty walking but not for difficulty climbing stairs. No associations between protein intake and other mobility limitations transitions were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Higher daily protein intake can reduce physical function decline not only in older adults with protein intake below the current RDA of 0.8 g/kg BW/d, but also in those with a protein intake that is already considered sufficient. This dose-dependent association was observed for each level of PA, suggesting no clear synergistic association between protein intake and PA in relation to physical function.publishersversionpublishe

A Structured Assessment to Decrease the Amount of Inconclusive Endometrial Biopsies in Women with Postmenopausal Bleeding

Objective. To determine whether structured assessment of outpatient endometrial biopsies decreases the number of inconclusive samples. Design. Retrospective cohort study. Setting. Single hospital pathology laboratory. Population. Endometrial biopsy samples of 66 women with postmenopausal bleeding, collected during the usual diagnostic work-up an

Novel mutations expand the clinical spectrum of DYNC1H1-associated spinal muscular atrophy

OBJECTIVE To expand the clinical phenotype of autosomal dominant congenital spinal muscular atrophy with lower extremity predominance (SMA-LED) due to mutations in the dynein, cytoplasmic 1, heavy chain 1 (DYNC1H1) gene. METHODS Patients with a phenotype suggestive of a motor, non-length-dependent neuronopathy predominantly affecting the lower limbs were identified at participating neuromuscular centers and referred for targeted sequencing of DYNC1H1. RESULTS We report a cohort of 30 cases of SMA-LED from 16 families, carrying mutations in the tail and motor domains of DYNC1H1, including 10 novel mutations. These patients are characterized by congenital or childhood-onset lower limb wasting and weakness frequently associated with cognitive impairment. The clinical severity is variable, ranging from generalized arthrogryposis and inability to ambulate to exclusive and mild lower limb weakness. In many individuals with cognitive impairment (9/30 had cognitive impairment) who underwent brain MRI, there was an underlying structural malformation resulting in polymicrogyric appearance. The lower limb muscle MRI shows a distinctive pattern suggestive of denervation characterized by sparing and relative hypertrophy of the adductor longus and semitendinosus muscles at the thigh level, and diffuse involvement with relative sparing of the anterior-medial muscles at the calf level. Proximal muscle histopathology did not always show classic neurogenic features. CONCLUSION Our report expands the clinical spectrum of DYNC1H1-related SMA-LED to include generalized arthrogryposis. In addition, we report that the neurogenic peripheral pathology and the CNS neuronal migration defects are often associated, reinforcing the importance of DYNC1H1 in both central and peripheral neuronal functions

HANDLEIDING VORMGEVING van DASHBOARDS met kwaliteitsinformatie

De doelstelling van het onderzoek luidde: het onderzoeken van een effectieve actiegerichte presentatie van ziekenhuisbrede kwaliteitsindicatoren op een executive dashboard voor de Raad van Bestuur (en haar ondersteuners), ten behoeve van signaleren, controleren, verantwoorden, dialoog voeren, verbeteren of benchmark vergelijking tussen ziekenhuizen. Het onderzoek bouwde voort op eerder uitgevoerd onderzoek in het programma Sturen op Kwaliteit en de daarin ontwikkelde indicatoren uit de deelprojecten