A method for analyzing retrospective pretest/posttest designs: II. Application

To control for response-shift bias (RSB) in pretest/posttest designs, G. S. Howard et al (1979, 1980, 1981) proposed the use of retrospective pretests ("thentests"). If an RSB is present, thentest/posttest difference scores will yield better estimates of a treatment effect than will the usual pretest/posttest difference scores. In this article, a method is presented that is aimed at detecting RSB in retrospective pretest/posttest designs. This hierarchical model fitting procedure is easy to apply, prevents capitalization on chance, and makes optimal use of information supplied by the control group

Workplace mentoring of residents in generic competencies by an independent coach

INTRODUCTION: During postgraduate education in pulmonology, supervisors are responsible for training residents in generic competencies such as communication, professionalism and collaboration, but their focus commonly lies more on medical-technical competencies. As an alternative approach to supporting residents to develop generic skills, we developed a personal mentoring program with a non-medical professional as mentor. In this study, the residents' experiences with the mentoring program were evaluated. METHODS: After an introductory session in which individual learning goals were established, pulmonology residents received at least six, 60-90-minute, individual, mentoring sessions largely consisting of feedback after being observed during daily clinical activities, over a period of 9 months. The residents' experiences with mentoring were explored through in-depth interviews followed by a qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: From March to November 2016, ten residents in pulmonology completed the program. Despite initial scepticism, mentoring encouraged residents to reflect deeply on their professional interactions. This caused an increased awareness of the effects of their communication and behaviour on patients. Experimenting with communication and different behaviours in subsequent interactions felt rewarding and contributed to further development, resulting in increased self-confidence and job satisfaction. DISCUSSION: Mentoring residents by non-medical coaching was associated with improved residents' proficiency in generic competencies

Global fire emissions buffered by the production of pyrogenic carbon

Landscape fires burn 3–5 million km2 of the Earth’s surface annually. They emit 2.2 Pg of carbon per year to the atmosphere, but also convert a significant fraction of the burned vegetation biomass into pyrogenic carbon. Pyrogenic carbon can be stored in terrestrial and marine pools for centuries to millennia and therefore its production can be considered a mechanism for long-term carbon sequestration. Pyrogenic carbon stocks and dynamics are not considered in global carbon cycle models, which leads to systematic errors in carbon accounting. Here we present a comprehensive dataset of pyrogenic carbon production factors from field and experimental fires and merge this with the Global Fire Emissions Database to quantify the global pyrogenic carbon production flux. We found that 256 (uncertainty range: 196–340) Tg of biomass carbon was converted annually into pyrogenic carbon between 1997 and 2016. Our central estimate equates to 12% of the annual carbon emitted globally by landscape fires, which indicates that their emissions are buffered by pyrogenic carbon production. We further estimate that cumulative pyrogenic carbon production is 60 Pg since 1750, or 33–40% of the global biomass carbon lost through land use change in this period. Our results demonstrate that pyrogenic carbon production by landscape fires could be a significant, but overlooked, sink for atmospheric CO2

Rationeel beslissingen nemen, kan dat?

Er wordt een overzicht gegeven van een besliskundig procedure (de Multi-Attribute Utility Technique, kortweg maut ) die beoogt behulpzaam te zijn bij het kiezen van de optimale optie (een sollicitant, behandeling, huishoudelijk apparaat, of wat dan ook) uit een verzameling opties die beschreven zijn in termen van hun eigenschappen op een aantal relevante attributen. Als voorbeeld wordt daarbij de aanschaf van een staafmixer gebruikt. Daarna wordt één aspect van de procedure nader uitgelicht aan de hand van een tandheelkundig voorbeeld, de geschiktheid van edentate patiënten voor een implantatenbehandeling. Ten slotte wordt het begrip rationaliteit nader besproken