Conceptual Modelling of Emerging Technologies - The Use of Novel Electric Aircraft for Emergency Medical Services

Implementation of new technologies in operations systems sets specific requirements on simulation conceptual modelling, relating to uncertainties with respect to their specifications, changes implied for operations systems and regulatory frameworks restricting their operation. Furthermore, modellingobjectives may have to be tailored to innovation agendas made by potential adopters of technologies. In this paper, we explore the needs for extending current frameworks to facilitate conceptual modelling of new technologies, using a case study on the introduction of novel electric aircraft (eVTOLs) for Emergency Medical Services. Extensions proposed concern the choice of modelling objectives – which should be aligned with an innovation agenda, technology representation as model content, inputs and outputs – accounting for various uncertainties, and the modelling process – requiring a careful concerting with engineering efforts

Employing open/hidden administration in psychotherapy research: A randomized-controlled trial of expressive writing

Psychotherapy has been shown to be effective, but efforts to prove specific effects by placebo-controlled trials have been practically and conceptually hampered. We propose that adopting open/hidden designs from placebo research would offer a possible way to establish specificity in psychotherapy. Therefore, we tested the effects of providing opposing treatment rationales in an online expressive writing intervention on affect in healthy subjects. Results indicate that it was possible to conduct the expressive writing intervention both covertly and openly, but that participants in the hidden administration condition did not fully benefit from the otherwise effective expressive writing intervention in the long-run. Effect sizes between open and hidden administration groups were comparable to pre-post effect sizes of the intervention. While this finding is important for the understanding of psychotherapy's effects per se, it also proves that alternative research approaches to establish specificity are feasible and informative in psychotherapy research. TRIAL REGISTRATION: German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00009428

Comparison of linguistic content of written text between intervention groups.

<p>Comparison of linguistic content of written text between intervention groups.</p

Changes in PANAS positive and negative affect scale scores over time in all experimental groups (Causality group: ○, Reversed causality group: □, Control group: △).

<p>Please note the differences in scaling between positive and negative affects scores and that the minimum score for both scales is 10.</p

PANAS scores before and after the expressive writing intervention during the three intervention days and for the mid- and long-term follow-up assessments.

<p>PANAS scores before and after the expressive writing intervention during the three intervention days and for the mid- and long-term follow-up assessments.</p

Flow of participants through the study (ITT: Intention to treat, TAS: Toronto Alexithymia Scale).

<p>Flow of participants through the study (ITT: Intention to treat, TAS: Toronto Alexithymia Scale).</p