An Evaluation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Substance Use: An Application of Tolin’s Criteria for Empirically Supported Treatments

This document includes a formal evaluation of cognitive behavioral therapy for substance use disorder per the Tolin et al., (2015) criteria.

Evaluation of Contingency Management (CM) for Substance Use Disorder (SUD)

This document includes a formal evaluation of contingency management for substance use disorder per the Tolin et al., (2015) criteria.

Domain Usability Evaluation

Contemporary software systems focus on usability and accessibility from the point of view of effectiveness and ergonomics. However, the correct usage of the domain dictionary and the description of domain relations and properties via their user interfaces are often neglected. We use the term domain usability (DU) to describe the aspects of the user interface related to the terminology and domain. Our experience showed that poor domain usability reduces the memorability and effectiveness of user interfaces. To address this problem, we describe a method called ADUE (Automatic Domain Usability Evaluation) for the automated evaluation of selected DU properties on existing user interfaces. As a prerequisite to the method, metrics for formal evaluation of domain usability, a form stereotype recognition algorithm, and general application terms filtering algorithm have been proposed. We executed ADUE on several real-world Java applications and report our findings. We also provide proposals to modify existing manual usability evaluation techniques for the purpose of domain usability evaluation.

O show matemática do milhão: divulgando e promovendo conhecimento

RESUMO Esse artigo trata da apresentação de um jogo intitulado “Show Matemática do Milhão”, um jogo de perguntas que segue o formato do jogo televisivo “Show do Milhão” apresentado pela emissora de televisão SBT. O intuito do jogo foi despertar o interesse dos alunos por conteúdos matemáticos, visto que o jogo trata de diversos conteúdos de diversos níveis. O aluno acertando sente-se motivado a continuar os estudos e errado sente-se motivado a buscar o conhecimento para que o erro não se repita. Além de despertar o interesse dos alunos, o jogo também é interessante para professores que podem substituir uma avaliação formal de perguntar e respostas por essa avaliação mais dinâmica e divertida. ABSTRACT This paper is about the presentation of a game called "Show Math do Milhão", a quiz game that follows the format of the TV game "Show do Milhão", presented by SBT television network. The purpose of the game was to awaken the students' interest for mathematical contents, since the game deals with several contents at different levels. When the student gets it right, he/she feels motivated to continue studying, and when he/she gets it wrong, he/she feels motivated to seek knowledge so that the mistake will not be repeated. Besides arousing the students' interest, the game is also interesting for teachers, who can replace a formal evaluation of questions and answers by this more dynamic and fun evaluation.

A Simple Approach to Relating the Optimal Learning and the Meaningful Learning Experience in Students Age 14–16

Using a questionnaire applied in real time to students in stages 14–16 during a distance class, the authors appraise whether they experience feelings that lead to a central experience of flow, according to the flow theory of positive psychology. Students are exposed to a planned session that considers the moments of the training sequence and consciously integrates technological tools to support learning. A formal evaluation system, which includes formative and summative evaluations, determines if students build meaningful learning. This research contributes to understanding that an optimal learning experience characterized by the pedagogical principles of curiosity, concentration, challenge, and enjoyment, favor the construction of meaningful learning. Furthermore, the simplicity of the proposed experimental design suggests a direct way to replicate the study in later learning stages and assess the efficiency of new technology-based pedagogies within the distance education paradigm imposed by the 2020 pandemic crisis.

Circular Economy at the Firm Level: A New Tool for Assessing Maturity and Circularity

Although the circular economy (CE) concept is gaining traction and methods to assess companies’ CE-related aspects exist, there is no established CE assessment tool. In many cases, it is not clear how metrics or indicators included in extant CE assessment methods have been selected. To fill this gap, this paper presents a new instrument named Circularity and Maturity Firm-Level Assessment tool (CM-FLAT). The CM-FLAT has been developed starting from a transparent scientific basis, i.e., a recent systematic literature review and comprehensive collection of CE metrics. In addition, it targets the separate assessment of CE maturity, i.e., the presence of documented activities and practices laying the foundations for CE introduction, and circularity, i.e., attained CE-related performances. The development of the CM-FLAT has foreseen its formal evaluation by experts in the field of CE and sustainability, and its testing by a pilot group of companies from South Tyrol, Italy. The multiple verification activities have confirmed its usefulness and usability. Therefore, companies can now benefit from a tool capable of providing a comprehensive framework of factors and organizational areas affecting the introduction of the CE. This will be fostered by a computer-supported tool implementing the CM-FLAT, which represents the authors’ future work.

COVID-19 Dysautonomia

Objective: To report a case series of dysautonomia associated with COVID-19 infection.Methods: This is a retrospective review of patients evaluated in the autonomic clinic at our institution with suspected signs and symptoms of dysautonomia who underwent formal evaluation, including autonomic testing.Results: Six patients were identified with signs and symptoms suggestive of dysautonomia who underwent autonomic testing. All patients had symptoms typical of COVID-19 infection, though none were hospitalized for these or other symptoms. All patients reported symptoms of postural lightheadedness and near-syncope, fatigue, and activity intolerance. Five patients reported the onset of autonomic symptoms concomitant with other COVID-19 symptoms, with the other patient reporting symptom onset 6 weeks following initial COVID-19 symptoms. Autonomic testing demonstrated an excessive postural tachycardia in 4 patients, a hypertensive response with head-up tilt in 3 patients, orthostatic hypotension in 1 patient, and sudomotor impairment in 1 of the patients with excessive postural tachycardia.Conclusions: We present clinical features and results of autonomic testing in 6 patients with a history COVID-19 infection. While all patients reported typical features of orthostatic intolerance, fatigue, and activity intolerance, the results of autonomic testing were heterogenous, with orthostatic hypotension in 1 patient, excessive postural tachycardia typical of postural tachycardia syndrome in 4 patients, and postural hypertension in 3 patients.

Using Handwriting Evaluation Software to Predict and Increase Diagnosis for Parkinson’s

Around the world, there currently exists a problem when it comes to the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Unfortunately, nearly half of all Americans who have PD remain undiagnosed, which is problematic when one considers the implications of such ignorance. People who continue to be undiagnosed do not have access to special treatments, therapies, and medications that would help alleviate the symptoms of PD and decrease the burden of it altogether. Fortunately, amidst recent technological advancements in computing and the contemporary paradigm shift to using handwriting as a diagnosis method for PD, a shimmer of hope reveals itself. By using a machine learning software program that predicts a user’s likelihood of having PD through their handwriting alone, people might feel more inclined to seek a formal evaluation for the disease. Since it is rather inexpensive, based on concrete, quantitative kinematics of an individual’s handwriting, and holds legitimacy due to the existence of similar evaluation programs, the software could help increase the amount of people that seek a formal PD evaluation and diagnosis.

Analysis of second opinion programs provided by German statutory and private health insurance – a survey of statutory and private health insurers

Background Second medical opinions can give patients confidence when choosing among treatment options and help them understand their diagnosis. Health insurers in several countries, including Germany, offer formal second opinion programs (SecOPs). We systematically collected and analyzed information on German health insurers’ approach to SecOPs, how the SecOPs are structured, and to what extent they are evaluated. Methods In April 2019, we sent a questionnaire by post to all German statutory (n = 109) and private health insurers (n = 52). In September 2019, we contacted the nonresponders by email. The results were analyzed descriptively. They are presented overall and grouped by type of insurance (statutory/private health insurer). Results Thirty one of One hundred sixty one health insurers (response rate 19%) agreed to participate. The participating insurers covered approximately 40% of the statutory and 34% of the private health insured people. A total of 44 SecOPs were identified with a median of 1 SecOP (interquartile range (IQR) 1–2) offered by a health insurer. SecOPs were in place mainly for orthopedic (21/28 insurers with SecOPs; 75%) and oncologic indications (20/28; 71%). Indications were chosen principally based on their potential impact on a patient (22/28; 79%). The key qualification criterion for second opinion providers was their expertise (30/44 SecOPs; 68%). Second opinions were usually provided based on submitted documents only (21/44; 48%) or on direct contact between a patient and a doctor (20/44; 45%). They were delivered after a median of 9 days (IQR 5–15). A median of 31 (IQR 7–85) insured persons per year used SecOPs. Only 12 of 44 SecOPs were confirmed to have conducted a formal evaluation process (27%) or, if not, plan such a process in the future (10/22; 45%). Conclusion Health insurers’ SecOPs focus on orthopedic and oncologic indications and are based on submitted documents or on direct patient-physician contact. The formal evaluation of SecOPs needs to be expanded and the results should be published. This can allow the evaluation of the impact of SecOPs on insured persons’ health status and satisfaction, as well as on the number of interventions performed. Our results should be interpreted with caution due to the low participation rate.