Collecting quantitative experimental data from a non-WEIRD population: challenges and practical recommendations from a field experiment in rural Sierra Leone

Objective Standardized pretest–posttest experimental designs with quantitative surveys are frequently applied to evaluate the effectiveness of health programs. However, this method is strongly informed by research on samples from Western, Educated, Industralized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) societies and may not produce meaningful results in a distinct cultural, educational and socioeconomic context. Results This paper reports several methodological challenges encountered along the research process of collecting quantitative survey data (i.e., during recruitment, obtaining informed consent, matching pretest–posttest data and data collection) for a mixed-methods field experiment on domestic handwashing in Sierra Leone. Ethical dilemmas of certain research practices are pointed out and potential solutions or alternatives are recommended for each challenge. Analysis of these challenges highlights the importance of reflecting on the aptness of research methodologies for non-WEIRD samples. While this is not to say that quantitative surveys are not suitable in a non-WEIRD context, their employment require considerable time for extensive pilot testing, involving local interviewers and participants in designing research projects and the modification of data collection strategies.

Europa als mentales Modell in den Köpfen von Lernenden

The paper discusses concept maps as an instrument for the collection and reconstruction of lexical-semantic coded knowledge and demonstrates to what extent the elicited data can be interpreted as representations of mental models using onomosiological and framesemantic approaches. To this end, a theoretical framework is presented that discusses and legitimizes the use of concept maps due to their similarity to the ordering principles and structures of the mental lexicon. Finally, the application of thise tool, i. e. the concept maps, will be illustrated and discussed using one example from a more extensive pilot project conducted by the international EurEd research network.

Bacteriological water quality changes in parallel pilot distribution systems

In a component of an extensive pilot distribution system (PDS) study, the effects of four different water qualities on biological stability in distributed water were investigated through identical (parallel) single-pass pipe arrangements. Through 24 months of monitoring, a number of key observations were made. Incorporation of a biological treatment step reduced the overall dissolved organic carbon (DOC) loss through the PDS by reducing biodegradable DOC (BDOC) within the water prior to distribution. In the absence of chlorine residuals, the proliferation of culturable organisms was favoured with considerably higher heterotrophic plate counts in samples at the outlet of the PDS. Despite different bacterial cell counts (measured by flow cytometry) entering each PDS from the four treatment streams, equivalent outlet cell numbers were achieved in all systems after 8 months' operation; however multi-step treatment streams took longer to reach equilibrium.

Appraisal of the IEC Technical Specification for Assessment of Wave Energy Resources

This article describes and presents results from research focused on appraising the new technical specification (TS) for the assessment of wave energy resources developed by technical committee 114 of the International Electro-technical Commission (IEC-TC-114). The new IEC TS is appraised through an extensive pilot application to the waters off the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. A series of wave models are developed and used to simulate the wave conditions and estimate the wave energy resource over the study area. The accuracy of the various resource estimates derived from the model outputs is assessed through comparison with measurements from a directional wave buoy. Furthermore, sensitivity analyses are conducted to determine the main sources of error and uncertainty impacting the precision of resource assessments obtained following the IEC methodology. Preliminary results indicate that the IEC TS can be applied to the estimation of wave energy resources with a reasonable level of effort and accuracy.

Creation of a sustainable water resource through reclamation of municipal and industrial wastewater in the Gippsland Water Factory

The Gippsland Water Factory (GWF) is being implemented to reclaim domestic and industrial (pulp and paper) wastewater to provide a reliable and sustainable industrial water supply, replacing the high quality raw water currently provided by Gippsland Water. A grassroots facility, the GWF will process domestic wastewater by preliminary treatment, primary sedimentation, membrane bioreactor (MBR) nutrient removal activated sludge, and reverse osmosis (RO). Domestic primary and waste activated sludge and industrial wastewater is treated in anaerobic reactors (ARs) (lagoons) prior to biological treatment via MBR. Significant H2S is produced in the ARs and is oxidized to elemental sulfur in the aerobic MBR by controlled oxidation. In Stage 2 of the GWF the industrial wastewater will be reclaimed using nanofiltration and RO. Extensive pilot testing supported design of the ARs and industrial MBR. Development of the GWF was based on multi-criteria analysis to create an innovative and sustainable solution. Innovative features in addition to those already mentioned include biological sulfur removal from the AR biogas and odor control which includes treatment of off-gases in the biological reactor followed by two-stage biological treatment.

Measuring Athlete Imagery Ability: The Sport Imagery Ability Questionnaire

This research aimed to develop and provide initial validation of the Sport Imagery Ability Questionnaire (SIAQ). The SIAQ assesses athletes’ ease of imaging different types of imagery content. Following an extensive pilot study, 375 athletes completed a 20-item SIAQ in Study 1. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a 4-factor model assessing skill, strategy, goal, and affect imagery ability. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) established this 4-factor structure in Study 2 (N = 363 athletes). In Study 3 (N = 438 athletes), additional items were added to create a fifth mastery imagery subscale that was confirmed through CFA. Study 4 (N = 220 athletes) compared the SIAQ to the Movement Imagery Questionnaire-3. Significant bivariate correlations (p < .05) confirmed the SIAQ’s concurrent validity but demonstrated differences in imagery ability of different content. Overall, the SIAQ demonstrates good factorial validity, internal and temporal reliability, invariance across gender, and an ability to distinguish among athletes of different competitive levels. Findings highlight the importance of separately assessing imagery ability of different content.

Thickness of the blood-gas barrier in premature and 1-day-old newborn rabbit lungs

The pulmonary capillaries of neonatal lungs are potentially vulnerable to stress failure because of the complex changes in the pulmonary circulation that occur at birth. We studied the ultrastructure of the blood-gas barrier (BGB) in premature and 1-day-old rabbit lungs and compared it with the ultrastructure of adult lungs. Normal gestation of rabbits is 30 days. After extensive pilot measurements, three premature (27 days gestation) and three newborn (1 day old) rabbit lungs were perfusion-fixed at arterial, venous, and airway pressures of 25, 0, and 10 cmH2O, respectively, and the measurements were compared with those of three adult lungs. The thickness of the capillary endothelium, alveolar epithelium, and interstitium of the BGB was measured at right angles to the barrier at random points. A striking finding was the large number of measurements of the interstitial thickness in 1-day-old lungs that were very thin (0–0.1 μm). The percentages of occurrence of very thin interstitium in premature, 1-day-old, and adult lungs were 35.3 ± 9.4, 71.7 ± 5.2, and 43.0 ± 2.6, respectively ( P < 0.02 for 1 day old vs. premature and adult). Given the previously found relationship between stress failure and interstitial thickness, this large proportion of very thin interstitial layers in the capillaries of 1-day-old lungs is a reasonable explanation for their previously demonstrated vulnerability to stress failure.

UKWIR initiatives for implementing expert group recommendations to minimise Cryptosporidium risk in water treatment—a summary review

The UK Expert Group on Cryptosporidium in Water Supplies provided recommendations to the Water Industry on optimising water treatment for the removal of oocysts. UK Water Industry Research Ltd (UKWIR), on behalf of the UK Water Utilities, commissioned research to facilitate the implementation of these recommendations. This involved extensive pilot plant trials, the results of which were disseminated through research reports and workshops. The findings of the research were also included in a water treatment manual which provided more detailed operational guidance to supplement the Expert Group recommendations. A brief overview of this research is provided, with examples of the findings to illustrate thenature of the operational guidance in the manual.

Combined Anaerobic/Aerobic Treatment of Peroxide Bleached TMP Mill Effluent

In this paper combined anaerobic/aerobic treatment is illustrated by two examples at integrated pulp and paper mills with peroxide bleached TMP pulp production. The concept of combined biological treatment is to treat the more polluted effluents from the TMP pulp mill in an anaerobic reactor and subsequently to mix them with the less concentrated effluent, for treatment by an aerobic process. Extensive pilot research was done to confirm the feasibility of anaerobic treatment of peroxide bleached TMP mill effluent COD removal efficiencies of 55-60% were achieved at volumetric loading rates of up to 20 kg/m3/d. Possible toxic effects from peroxide could easily be neutralized by removal in a preacidification tank. Long term full scale experience proved that combined anaerobic aerobic treatment is an attractive and reliable method for treatment of peroxide bleached TMP mill effluent.

New Developments in Complete Nitrogen Removal with Biological Aerated Filters

Biological aerated filters combine bacterial degradation of pollution by fixed biomass with physical filtration in a single reactor.Several full-size plants with the BIOCARBONE process have established the compactness, ease of operation and high removal rates achievable with this advanced treatment system. Based on large-scale industrial experiences, a new biofilter design offering simplified operation and increased performance is presented. Design data for carbon and nutrient removal were collected during extensive pilot tests. Hydraulic conditions and pollution loadings were varied in order to optimize the biological and operational parameters of the filter. Carbon and ammonia oxidation as well as denitrification and suspended solids retention could be achieved with an overall hydraulic retention time of two hours.