Tracking Individual Assistive Technology Interventions and Measuring Their Outcomes

Taking conflict personally (TCP) has been defined as a negative emotional reaction to participating in a conflict. This paper locates the notions of affective climate in general, and TCP in particular, within a Lewinian frame. The theoretical connections among field theory, defensiveness, attributions, and TCP are described. Earlier work has generated a multidimensional scale for measurement of TCP, and has shown the subscales’ associations with argumentativeness, verbal aggressiveness, communication apprehension, own conflict style, superior's conflict style, arguing behaviors, communication competence, and organizational climate. The present investigation responds to some psychometric and conceptual difficulties with the original version of the TCP scales by revising the measurement instrument. This paper proposes items for the measurement of six TCP subscales: direct personalization, persecution feelings, stress reaction, positive relational effects, negative relational effects, and like/dislike valenc...

Cognitive impairments, and particularly memory deficits, are a defining feature of the early stages of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Interventions that target these cognitive deficits and the associated difficulties with activities of daily living are the subject of ever-growing interest. Cognitive training and cognitive rehabilitation are specific forms of non-pharmacological intervention to address cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes. The present review is an abridged version of a Cochrane Review and aims to systematically evaluate the evidence for these forms of intervention in people with mild Alzheimer's disease or vascular dementia. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), published in English, comparing cognitive rehabilitation or cognitive training interventions with control conditions and reporting relevant outcomes for the person with dementia or the family caregiver (or both), were considered for inclusion. Eleven RCTs reporting cognitive training interventions were included in the review. A large number of measures were used in the different studies, and meta-analysis could be conducted for several primary and secondary outcomes of interest. Several outcomes were not measured in any of the studies. Overall estimates of the treatment effect were calculated by using a fixed-effects model, and statistical heterogeneity was measured by using a standard chi-squared statistic. One RCT of cognitive rehabilitation was identified, allowing the examination of effect sizes, but no meta-analysis could be conducted. Cognitive training was not associated with positive or negative effects in relation to any of the reported outcomes. The overall quality of the trials was low to moderate. The single RCT of cognitive rehabilitation found promising results in relation to some patient and caregiver outcomes and was generally of high quality. The available evidence regarding cognitive training remains limited, and the quality of the evidence needs to improve. However, there is still no indication of any significant benefits from cognitive training. Trial reports indicate that some gains resulting from intervention may not be captured adequately by available standardized outcome measures. The results of the single RCT of cognitive rehabilitation show promise but are preliminary in nature. Further well-designed studies of cognitive training and cognitive rehabilitation are required to provide more definitive evidence. Researchers should describe and classify their interventions appropriately by using the available terminology.

The operation of chemical reactors, particularly those for producing benzene, is associated with the generation of a large amount of heat. Inaccurately chosen thermal regimes of performance in the reaction columns at large temperature gradients can be responsible for the occurrence of high thermal stresses that decrease the endurance of equipment elements. Therefore, it is quite topical to reveal, using the mathematical simulation approach, both positive and negative effects in relation to stress deformed state of equipment elements under different regimes of heat removal from the outside surface of the reaction columns.

Purpose Assistive technology (AT) is an effective tool to promote social connectedness among older adults affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; however, its role in reducing loneliness and health inequities is not well understood. The goal of this scoping review was to construct a model for how technologies may be deployed to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social isolation, loneliness and health inequities for older adults. Methods PubMed, SCOPUS and PsychINFO were searched from 2010 to 2020 for the following keywords: “social isolation,” “loneliness,” “social support,” “resilience,” “technology,” “pandemic” and “health inequit*.” Articles selected for full analysis attempted to understand how technology alleviates social isolation and/or loneliness among older adults. Results Eighteen articles met the criteria for selection and data extraction. Six were review-type studies, seven were observational, three were randomized control trials, one opinion piece and one case study. ATs have been shown to reduce loneliness and social isolation, strengthen social support, and promote resilience among older adults. AT reduces loneliness both directly and indirectly, by affecting social isolation. There is insufficient evidence to determine technology’s relationship to health inequities experienced by older adults. Conclusions The model we have proposed should help advance research on the relationship between ATs and health inequities among older adults that may be aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We hypothesize that AT interventions for social support and functional competence should be sequenced to reduce health disparities. Implications for rehabilitation The social distancing and quarantine measures as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic can be linked to adverse health outcomes among older adult populations. Technology is an effective tool to promote social connectedness among older adults affected by the pandemic. Assistive technology (AT) interventions for social support and functional competence should be sequenced in order to have best effects on reducing health disparities.

Background and Aims Patients monitored in the cardiovascular risk (CVR) consultation usually present overweight/obesity, metabolic syndrome, tendency to hypertension (HT), poor eating habits and sedentary lifestyle, with great resistance to change, great influence of the environment and, frequently, psychosocial limitations. We asked whether home confinement for COVID-19 (March-May 2020) could have negative effects in relation to CVR in these patients. The main objective of this work is to assess this hypothesis with respect to HTN and the use of antihypertensive drugs in these patients. As a secondary objective, we assessed changes in other parameters: body mass index (BMI), level of physical activity and diet. Method Retrospective cohort study with review of 738 ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) between 2019-2022 obtaining, after applying the exclusion criteria (no overweight/obesity, poor therapeutic compliance, underlying renal pathology or failure to perform two ABPM in the study period), a final cohort of 46 patients divided into two groups (23 each): one group exposed to home confinement (G1) with one ABPM before and after home confinement and another group not exposed to confinement (G2) with two ABPM in different periods between 2021-2022. Blood pressure (BP) percentile values, dipper pattern, variability and blood pressure load, as well as the rest of the CVR parameters were compared in both periods. Results The mean age was 13 years (13.8 G1/13.2 G2) with a mean time between the 1st and 2nd ABPM of 11 months (11.08 G1/10.95 G2) and a greater reduction in BMI in G2 than in G1 (1.05 G1/1.21 G2). Despite this, the results were not statistically significant. Nor were the results significant in terms of differences in AT or worsening of the dipper pattern (30.4% in G1 and 21.7% in G2). We did observe differences (p<0.022) in the use of antihypertensive drugs, although contrary to our initial hypothesis, with greater use of drugs in G2. Conclusion Although the low sample size, the biases inherent in the design and the lack of previous studies make the interpretability and statistical significance of some results difficult, they reinforce that the measures during confinement did not contemplate all spheres of health and the need to implement specific CVR consultations. Obesity and its associated pathologies are an important public health problem that pediatricians have the responsibility to address.

The effects of overall similarity regarding the customer-to-customer-relationship in a service context

The systematic review investigates the effect of various educational technologies on the learning outcomes of diverse student populations, particularly focusing on assistive technology interventions for students with disabilities. The comprehensive analysis covers literature from 2012 to 2023. The study highlights the potential of AR and assistive technologies in fostering inclusive and engaging learning environments. Despite positive findings, the review emphasizes the imperative for further research to refine the implementation of these technologies and enhance their effectiveness. The systematic review of five databases provides crucial insights into the effectiveness of various assistive technologies. Mobile devices, iPads, and AR interventions emerge as frequently utilized tools. Research activity peaked in 2013 and 2018 and subsequently declined. Twelve studies focus on Autism Spectrum Disorder and emphasize the prioritization of ASD in assistive technology interventions. The research highlights the importance of adopting a holistic perspective on educational inclusion, emphasizing collaborative efforts among teachers, diverse teaching methods, and technology integration. Despite the promise shown by assistive technologies, the review acknowledges their limitations and advocates for ongoing research and innovation to refine their application across diverse educational contexts. The findings stress the importance of a nuanced interpretation of evidence, considering the challenges posed by the limited number of eligible studies. The review calls for careful consideration of future research directions to bolster the comprehensiveness and reliability of evidence synthesis in assistive technology interventions for students with disabilities.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of an assistive technology (AT) intervention to improve the use of available computers as assistive technology in educational tasks for students with physical disabilities during an ongoing school year. Methods: Fifteen students (aged 12–18) with physical disabilities, included in mainstream classrooms in Sweden, and their teachers took part in the intervention. Pre-, post-, and follow-up data were collected with Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS), a computer usage diary, and with the Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale (PIADS). Teachers' opinions of goal setting were collected at follow-up. Results: The intervention improved the goal-related computer usage in educational tasks and teachers reported they would use goal setting again when appropriate. At baseline, students reported a positive impact from computer usage with no differences over time regarding the PIADS subscales independence, adaptability, or self-esteem. Discussion: The AT intervention showed a positive effect on computer usage as AT in mainstream schools. Some additional support to teachers is recommended as not all students improved in all goal-related computer usage. A clinical implication is that students' computer usage can be improved and collaboratively established computer-based strategies can be carried out by teachers in mainstream schools.

The study reported in this paper developed criteria and guidelines for writing up a good-quality AT Assessment Report - a document which is often required to activate an assistive technology intervention for an individual client. The Report should provide precise recommendations about the assistive solutions that best meet the client's needs, explain the underlying reasoning, provide evidence of appropriateness for the funding agency and set the baseline for later measurement of the outcomes of the intervention. Within this study, forty-eight clients with severe disability conditions were recruited in nine rehabilitation Centers in various regions of Italy. They were assessed for assistive solutions by their rehabilitation teams according to a common protocol; assessment Reports were produced for each client according to the same template, and individual AT interventions were activated following the recommendations. Then the Reports underwent a blind peer-review exercise involving over fifty professionals, who evaluated their quality against ten criteria; based on the findings, the template of the AT Assessment Report was revised and good-practice guidelines were inferred for the contents of each field. Now the final version is freely downloadable and is being used routinely in the Centers that participated in the study.

Preventing falls in older people: the evidence for environmental interventions and why history matters.

As persons age with developmental disabilities, they experience life long disability and age-related issues at the impairment, activity, participation and environment levels. Assistive technology and environmental interventions (AT-EI) can serve as potential mediators in delaying or preventing functional decline, health conditions, and dependent care placements only if they are considered within the dynamic interaction of the person, activities, and the facilitators and barriers within the social and physical environment. This paper summarizes AT-EI needs, research results, and implications for practice specific to persons with developmental disabilities, and important others in their lives, as they age in place. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1–800-342–9678. E-mail address. <getinfo@haworth pressinc.com> Website: <http://www.HawortizPress.com>]

Clinical tests were carried out in the representative group of patients with focal left-sided pneumonia (5 men and 7 women aged 18–41). Special-use product was included in in-patient department patients’ diet: 2 tablets in the first intake, then 1 tablet 4 times a day. Course of treatment was 21 days. Biologically active dietary supplement was prescribed together with general therapeutic treatment according to generally accepted standards of care. Control group included 15 patients randomized depending on sex and age who took only medicine. The author measured body temperature, studied the results of general blood tests, determined the level of C-reactive protein and seromucoids, performed R-graphy of lungs, electrocardiogram before and after treatment, analyzed clinical symptoms (cough, type of expectoration, shortness of breath). Composition of the special-use product was scientifically justified taking pharmacological characteristics of its ingredients and their active agents into account. Introduction of the biologically active dietary supplement in addition to the prescribed therapeutic treatment gave positive effect in relation to the inflammatory process: the patients could easier clear their throats from expectoration, coughed less frequently, and had less intense shortness of breath. It was evident that symptoms of disease recrudescence decreased. It appeared in the decreased intensity and length of fever. In case of acute respiratory viral infection the biologically active dietary supplement had antipyretic activity due to the anti-exudative effect of its ingredients. The author determined the anti-inflammatory effect and reduction of acute intoxication symptoms taking the results of general blood analysis into account. Patients who took special-use product had lower values of an inflammatory process marker – seromucoids. Tissues restored easily. The tested product has anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic properties. It can be used in complex treatment of acute inflammatory diseases and recrudescence of chronic inflammatory processes.

This document presents the results of the development of a learning program on computational thinking through programming challenges with robots oriented to early childhood. The methodological approach used was quantitative, using a quasi-experimental design, taking pretest/posttest measures, with experimental and control groups. The sample of participating students was 46. They belonged to a group of first grade of primary education, aged between 6 and 7 years, in a Spanish educational center. The learning of computational thinking was measured through the following dimensions: algorithmic thinking-sequences, abstraction-patterns and debugging. The learning activities used were an adaptation of the activities proposed in the “TangibleK” robotics curriculum. The results generated show positive effects in relation to the level of achievement reached by the students in the proposed challenges; in other words, there is a significant effect on the mastery of skills related to computational thinking. Differences were found between the pretest and posttest measures of the experimental group. Those of the latter group were statistically significant and higher than those of the control group. Therefore, we can statistically attribute the mastery of computational thinking skills to the participation in the training activities.

Two types of carbon‐based materials, i.e., mesoporous carbon and HNO3‐oxidized carbon nanotubes, with nearly the same specific surface area and abundant in surface oxygen‐containing functional groups were selected in order to examine their effect on the hydration of tricalcium silicate (C3S), the main portland cement component, in early stages. Different methods, including XPS and TG‐MS analyses, electrokinetic potential measurements, as well as determination of adsorption capacity for calcium ions from aqueous solutions, were used to investigate the physicochemical surface properties of the selected carbon‐based materials. It was found that the carbon‐based materials with high specific surface area and rich in oxygen‐containing functional groups on their surfaces have a catalytic effect on early C3S hydration. It was observed that the modification of C3S paste with the selected materials added in high concentrations (1 wt% and higher) led to an increase in the rate and degree of C3S hydration in the early stages. The mechanism of early C3S hydration accelerated by carbon‐based materials rich in surface functional groups was clarified by the example of the mesoporous carbon. It was found that the oxygen‐containing functional groups present on the carbon surface have both an influence on the content of calcium ions in the aqueous phase of the C3S paste and an indirect positive effect in relation to the specific surface of C3S.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explain a possible relationship between the country brand and internationalization topics, searching in the literature the possible connections between them.Design/methodology/approachAn integrative literature review of the past 15 years of research (2003–2017) was acquired using the well-known databases Web of Science and Scopus.FindingsStudies linking country brand and internationalization are new, often quantitative, descriptive and focused on emerging markets. In terms of content, it was shown first that a country brand, when well-managed, is not only essential to attract foreign direct investment into the country, but it can also help the outflows of investments. Referring specifically to outflows of foreign investment, internationalization affects the country brand, generating positive attitudes toward the brand in international markets. However, it is also affected by the country brand because the country image influences the entry modes of business and the country of origin affects the performance of multinationals abroad.Research limitations/implicationsWith the strengths and deficiencies of a body of literature exposed in this paper, a better understanding of the topic through synthesis can be provided.Practical implicationsFindings show that internationalization can influence country brand and country image. The internationalization process might positively affect the attitude toward a place brand. In terms of country image, when a company rebranding is entering international markets, it can integrate the brand of its products with the country brand and its image, generating positive effects in relation to brand in the new market. However, this relationship is not clear and should be explored by new studies.Originality/valueThis paper contributes both to the literature through an overview of the relationship between the two topics and a research agenda for future studies; and to governments and companies by providing information that enables them to become more competitive in the international market.