This webinar is jointly organized by CEN and CENELEC,and Ernst&Young(EY),with the participation of the European Commission Desk Officer,who will deliver the opening remarks.This session will focus specifically on ...This webinar is jointly organized by CEN and CENELEC,and Ernst&Young(EY),with the participation of the European Commission Desk Officer,who will deliver the opening remarks.This session will focus specifically on the Toy Safety Directive and General Product Safety Regulation.Additional sector-specific webinars will follow in the coming months.展开更多
Background:Research on therapeutic processes has explored the elements that enhance psychotherapy’s effectiveness,particularly the role of common factors across various models.The therapist’s use of directiveness an...Background:Research on therapeutic processes has explored the elements that enhance psychotherapy’s effectiveness,particularly the role of common factors across various models.The therapist’s use of directiveness and support,as common variables,is crucial for effective treatment.Effective therapists adapt their level of directiveness and support according to the treatment phase,the issue being addressed,and the patient’s characteristics.This study examines the importance therapists attribute to directiveness and support,as well as its relationship with theoretical orientation,access to research publications,and stance on the similar effectiveness of different psychotherapeutic models.It aims to determine whether therapists’attributions regarding this variable are in line with the importance it is given in process research.Methods:Responses from 69 psychotherapists to the Psychotherapeutic Effectiveness Attribution Questionnaire(PEAQ-12),which assesses the importance therapists place on key psychotherapeutic process variables,including the directiveness and support provided,were analyzed.Theoretical orientations,ages,and experience levels were considered.Non-parametric tests,contingency tables,χ^(2)tests,t-tests,and ANOVAs were used to assess the variation in responses.Results:Common factors were often identified as key contributors to therapeutic healing,though these differences were not statistically significant(χ^(2)(2,N=67)=3.701,p=0.157).For the“directiveness and support from the therapist”variable,significant differences were observed:Cognitive-behavioral therapists valued directiveness and support more than psychodynamic therapists(t(20)=−3.569,p=0.002;Cohen’s d=1.18).Therapists who view cognitive-behavioral therapies as most effective also rated this variable higher(t(38)=3.816,p<0.001;Cohen’s d=1.21).Those regularly accessing specialized psychotherapy research publications valued this variable less than those who do so occasionally(t(64)=−2.693,p=0.009;Cohen’s d=0.65).Therapists who support the similar effectiveness of different models tend to favor common factors,including directiveness and support(χ^(2)(2,N=66)=12.522,p=0.002).Conclusions:Therapists express doubts about the factors influencing psychotherapy’s effectiveness,reflecting the ongoing debate.They align their views on the importance of directiveness and support with their theoretical orientation and positioning on the similar effectiveness of psychotherapies.The importance of analyzing therapists’attributions about the factors responsible for therapeutic change is emphasized,which will impact clinical practice.Advocacy for therapist flexibility and adaptation of therapy to the patient’s needs,including the level of directiveness and support provided,has been shown to be essential for effective psychotherapy.展开更多
Objectives:This study aims to develop the Directive and Nondirective Support Scale for Patients with Type 2 Diabetes(DNSS-T2DM)to measure diabetes-specific support and patients’preference as well as evaluate the cons...Objectives:This study aims to develop the Directive and Nondirective Support Scale for Patients with Type 2 Diabetes(DNSS-T2DM)to measure diabetes-specific support and patients’preference as well as evaluate the construct validity and reliability of the DNSS-T2DM.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted in Tongzhou District,Beijing,China from July to September 2015.A total of 474 participants who had been diagnosed as type 2 diabetes by physicians and completed the DNSS-T2DM were included.The original 11-item DNSS-T2DM contains five items on nondirective support(Items 1-5)and six items on directive support(Items 6-11).There were two parallel questions for each item with one to measure the preference for support(Preference part)and the other to measure the perception of support in reality(Reality part).The final DNSS-T2DM was determined based on the results of the exploratory factor analysis(EFA).The construct validity of the final DNSS-T2DM was evaluated by the confirmatory factor analysis(CFA).The reliability was evaluated by internal consistency with Cronbach’sαcoefficients.Results:A final 7-item DNSS-T2DM loaded on 2 factors with four items representing nondirective support and three items representing directive support was determined based on the EFA.The CFA indicated a satisfactory construct validity.The internal consistency of the 7-item DNSS-T2DM as well as the nondirective support items was satisfactory with Cronbach’sα≥7.00.70.Conclusions:Our study supported the validity and reliability of the 7-item DNSS-T2DM.Further studies on the application of the DNSS-T2DM in different settings and population are needed.展开更多
Directive(EU)2017/164 establishes a fourth list of indicative occupational exposure limit values(IOELVs)to protect workers from risks of exposure to hazardous chemicals.It states that in underground mining and tunnell...Directive(EU)2017/164 establishes a fourth list of indicative occupational exposure limit values(IOELVs)to protect workers from risks of exposure to hazardous chemicals.It states that in underground mining and tunnelling,Member States may benefit from a transitional period regarding IOELVs for nitrogen monoxide,nitrogen dioxide,and carbon monoxide,during which the existing established IOELVs may be applied.The European Advisory Committee on Health and Safety at Work questions the technical feasibility of the proposed IOELVs in underground mining(CO,NO and NO2)and tunnelling(NO and NO2).Challenges arise concerning the availability of measurement methodologies for compliance with proposed IOELVs(NO2)in underground mining and tunnelling environments.展开更多
Background:Information on the possibility of drawing up Advance Directives(AD)is a necessity,and represents a major medical,ethical,and legal challenge.The difficulties are numerous,both organizational and cultural,an...Background:Information on the possibility of drawing up Advance Directives(AD)is a necessity,and represents a major medical,ethical,and legal challenge.The difficulties are numerous,both organizational and cultural,and this is also true in the context of oncology,where ADs(and more broadly,advanced palliative care)are of critical importance.As an eminently sensitive subject,dealing with ADs(and therefore with end-of-life issues)requires both societal and medical/health-care acculturation.An institutional approach has therefore been developed,to deploy information tools,training professionals,and formalize the collection of AD.Such an approach cannot be implemented without an assessment not only of its objective results but also above all of its psychological effects,on both users(patients,family caregivers)and professionals.Methods:This longitudinal study,based on a mixed-method,interdisciplinary approach,will assess the impact of this information dissemination on AD,in terms of both potential positive and negative effects,using validated measurement methods.Thus,this study follows the 5 criteria of the RE-AIM model,designed to analyze the interest and impact of a device intended for users of the healthcare system;we will use a mixed methodology,relying on both a quantitative component(counting the number of people benefiting from the scheme,and those requesting support in drawing up their DA...,administering questionnaires),as well as a qualitative component(focus groups)which will enable us to study the subjective experiences of users,their relatives and the professionals involved in the scheme.Results:The results of this study will make it possible to determine the effects of this system of assistance in the drafting of ADs,which is currently being promoted by the legislator,but which is struggling to be implemented.展开更多
This study aimed to examine the effects of empowerment and education intervention to promote Advance Care Planning (ACP) for residents in a highly aged and depopulated region. The study utilized a single-group pre- an...This study aimed to examine the effects of empowerment and education intervention to promote Advance Care Planning (ACP) for residents in a highly aged and depopulated region. The study utilized a single-group pre- and post-test design and was conducted in Osakikamijima, Hiroshima, Japan. The researchers and town officials together formed an ACP committee and created an intervention framework. An ACP workshop was held for the participants and a self-administered questionnaire was carried out before, immediately after, and 3 months after the workshop. A total of 125 residents participated in the workshop and 87 of them completed more than 80% of the questionnaire items, whose responses were analyzed as valid responses. The number of participants who completed the AD increased significantly three months after the workshop (p = 0.008). There was a slight increase in the frequency of consultation with the family, but no change was observed in terms of consultation with healthcare providers. The educational intervention in-creased the respondents’ awareness and knowledge of ACP but did not affect the autonomous decision-making process regarding end-of-life care. This strategic process of ACP empowered the residents’ awareness and attitude towards end-of-life care with an increased completion rate of AD. On the other hand, cognitive barriers remained toward communication and decision-making shared with healthcare providers. Insufficient consultation with family members also became evident. Therefore, a new intervention strategy which helps increase communication with healthcare providers needs to be formulated and guidelines for consultation with the family and others need to be prepared.展开更多
The study reports the habitats of Directive 92/43/EEC in National Park of Alta Murgia （Apulia Region, southem Italy）. The habitats have been identified based on phytosociological analysis. New records are presented ...The study reports the habitats of Directive 92/43/EEC in National Park of Alta Murgia （Apulia Region, southem Italy）. The habitats have been identified based on phytosociological analysis. New records are presented of rocky, meadow, woodlands and temporary ponds habitats, such as： Stipo bromoidis-Quercetum dalechampii （habitat： eastern white oak woods, 91AA＊）; Verbenion supinae （habitat： Mediterranean temporary ponds, 3170＊）; Campanulo versicoloris-Dianthion japigici （habitat： calcareous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation, 8210）; Acino suaveolentis-Stipetum austroitalicae （habitat： eastern sub-mediterranean dry grasslands （Scorzoneretalia villosae）, 62A0）. Other information on their extension, major threat and suggestions of actions for their conservation are provided.展开更多
This report documents the findings of a mixed-methods study focused on the advanced directives of 182 residents of three LTC facilities in southern Ontario, Canada. Although almost all had a completed advance directiv...This report documents the findings of a mixed-methods study focused on the advanced directives of 182 residents of three LTC facilities in southern Ontario, Canada. Although almost all had a completed advance directive within 3 months of death, most did not have a palliative designation or directive until a few days before they died. Each facility’s written Progress Notes revealed staff members usually sought additional confirmation of care preferences from residents’ substitute decision-makers within a few days of the death. It was thus common for advance directives to change from a more interventionist approach to the least interventionist approach near death. This change indicates that the meaning and significance of advance care planning and resulting advance directives must be considered in light of the processes and temporal factors involved in their completion and use within this distinct population. The relational nature of advance care planning and concern about ageism as a factor for withholding or withdrawing life support for LTC residents are considered as possible explanatory factors. These findings and their implications are described in relation to end-of-life care policies and practices in LTC facilities.展开更多
With the Directive No. 2013/34/EU dated June 26, 2013, the Parliament and the European Council have decreed a new era for the financial statements of companies in the EU member countries. The introduction of the new d...With the Directive No. 2013/34/EU dated June 26, 2013, the Parliament and the European Council have decreed a new era for the financial statements of companies in the EU member countries. The introduction of the new directive aims to improve the coverage information of the accounting document and to begin a process of simplification of administrative burdens and standards for the preparation and publication of the financial statements. In Italy, the directive must be transposed by July 20, 2015 for which the associations of accountants are evaluating the specific contents of the new rules to make applications for Italian companies. Some of the new rules and above all part of the new structures of the schemes of the financial statements are quite different from the approaches currently in use for which very heated discussions are taking place.展开更多
Oil hydrotreating units in refineries are aimed at reducing the sulfur content of fuels to accomplish standard par-ticular specifications. However, this process is currently one of the best available technologies to p...Oil hydrotreating units in refineries are aimed at reducing the sulfur content of fuels to accomplish standard par-ticular specifications. However, this process is currently one of the best available technologies to produce biofuels from vegetable oil in a refinery. Vegetable oils can be processed or co-processed in these units if several adaptations are performed, so some properties could be improved in comparison with conventional fuel such as density and cetane number. This study highlights the theoretical greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions (using a life cycle assessment–LCA-approach) of a hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) from bibliographical data. Results were compared with other biofuel production processes, such as those obtained by transesterification of vegetable oil (FAME, fatty acid methyl ester). It has also been included the comparison with conventional fossil diesel as a benchmark in order to assess the theoretical compliance with GHG savings proposed in European Directive 2009/28/EC. Finally, ongoing projects and future perspectives in Spain are mentioned.展开更多
Psychiatric advance directives(PADs)represent a significant stride towards self-determination in mental healthcare.These legal documents allow individuals with mental illness to articulate their treatment preferences ...Psychiatric advance directives(PADs)represent a significant stride towards self-determination in mental healthcare.These legal documents allow individuals with mental illness to articulate their treatment preferences for future psychiatric crises when decision-making capacity may be impaired.Designed to empower individuals and reduce coercive interventions,PADs hold the poten-tial to transform patient-clinician dynamics.展开更多
Recent explorations and advancements in communications systems have sparked a renewed fascination with beamsteerable high-gain antennas.While conventional active phased arrays have been long seen as a feasible solutio...Recent explorations and advancements in communications systems have sparked a renewed fascination with beamsteerable high-gain antennas.While conventional active phased arrays have been long seen as a feasible solution,the associated cost is a major impediment for electrically large millimeter-wave apertures.In this paper,we present an all-metal metamaterial-loaded Huygens box antenna that facilitates independent steering of radiation in azimuth and elevation directions and a dramatic reduction in the number of phased elements.The antenna encloses an artificial dielectric medium with an active Huygens metasurface arranged around the enclosure’s periphery.We present simulation and experiment results for a representative square aperture,where is the free-space wavelength.The results show that the antenna radiates similarly to a phased array of similar aperture size,with a quadratic-to-linear reduction ratio in the number of required elements,leading to over 10-fold reduction for large-aperture antennas.The tremendous reduction in the number of excited elements positions the antenna as a cost-saving alternative,especially in large aperture millimeter-wave regime.展开更多
The use of directives in communicating the nature of the pandemic and reference to social experiences were promoted using images on social media platforms.The images or memes are used to create awareness and reinforce...The use of directives in communicating the nature of the pandemic and reference to social experiences were promoted using images on social media platforms.The images or memes are used to create awareness and reinforce the criteria for safety during the pandemic.Previous studies on internet memes have concentrated on humor generation,speaker-hearer shared knowledge,neologism,and multimodality among others,with insufficient attention paid to the use of directives and references in such coronavirus-motivated memes.This paper,therefore,examines how directives and references are employed in conveying expected social responsibilities through coronavirus-motivated internet memes in Nigeria and other socio-cultural contexts.For data,one hundred coronavirus-motivated memes were purposively selected from Facebook,and eight representative memes were subjected to pragmatic analysis using aspects of Jacob Mey’s(2001.Pragmatics:An introduction,2nd edn.USA:Blackwell Publishing)pragmatic acts theory to unearth insights from them.The paper observes that the various spheres of life that are relatable to an online audience help to express what the pandemic is about and enhance the meaning of the pandemic with the context of the use of the memes,giving clearer perspectives on the pandemic.Directives and references are useful tools for conveying social responsibilities to online audience.展开更多
Uniform circular arrays(UCAs)provide both omnidirectional(360°)and directive(sector)coverage of the azimuthal plane.Superdirective versions with unidirectional,high front-to-back ratio(FTBR)properties could provi...Uniform circular arrays(UCAs)provide both omnidirectional(360°)and directive(sector)coverage of the azimuthal plane.Superdirective versions with unidirectional,high front-to-back ratio(FTBR)properties could provide the radiated field char-acteristics being pursued for NextG wireless networks and their perceived applications.Typical UCA configurations–full,semi-circular,and sector–that radiate vertically-polarized(VP)fields and are composed of either omnidirectional electric dipole ele-ments or unidirectional Huygens dipole elements are analyzed first with conventional methods as reference cases.These omni-and uni-directional element configurations are then treated with several optimization techniques:the classic Rayleigh-quotient(RQ)method and its unidirectional-constrained version;the eigenbeam decomposition and synthesis(EBDS)technique used to design su-perdirective acoustic receiving arrays;and the Bessel-azimuthal multipole(BEAM)approach developed herein.Several arrays are identified as being superdirective with extremely high FTBR values.The performance characteristics of the arrays of unidirectional elements are demonstrated to be superior in general.Moreover,it is shown that larger radius arrays with RQ-specified excitation amplitudes are robust to changes in them whereas the outcomes of the corresponding small radius versions are not.On the other hand,the BEAM-optimized densely-packed small-radius superdirective arrays are quite tolerant to those variations while generating unidirectional pseudo-needle beams.展开更多
The efficiency and stability of catalysts for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution(PHE)are largely governed by the charge transfer behaviors across the heterojunction interfaces.In this study,CuO,a typical semiconductor ...The efficiency and stability of catalysts for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution(PHE)are largely governed by the charge transfer behaviors across the heterojunction interfaces.In this study,CuO,a typical semiconductor featuring a broad spectral absorption range,is successfully employed as the electron acceptor to combine with CdS for constructing a S-scheme heterojunction.The optimized photocatalyst(CdSCuO2∶1)delivers an exceptional hydrogen evolution rate of 18.89 mmol/(g·h),4.15-fold higher compared with bare CdS.X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflection absorption spectroscopy(UV-vis DRS)confirmed the S-scheme band structure of the composites.Moreover,the surface photovoltage(SPV)and electron paramagnetic resonance(EPR)indicated that the photogenerated electrons and photogenerated holes of CdS-CuO2∶1 were respectively transferred to the conduction band(CB)of CdS with a higher reduction potential and the valence band(VB)of CuO with a higher oxidation potential under illumination,as expected for the S-scheme mechanism.Density-functional-theory calculations of the electron density difference(EDD)disclose an interfacial electric field oriented from CdS to CuO.This built-in field suppresses charge recombination and accelerates carrier migration,rationalizing the markedly enhanced PHE activity.This study offers a novel strategy for designing S-scheme heterojunctions with high light harvesting and charge utilization toward sustainable solar-tohydrogen conversion.展开更多
在相干信号波达方向(direction of arrival,DOA)估计中,当阵列接收到的相干信号处于低信噪比时,DOA估计性能会大大降低。针对该问题,提出一种增强的时空平滑(enhanced spatio-temporal smoothing,ESTS)算法,在使用时空相关矩阵重构接收...在相干信号波达方向(direction of arrival,DOA)估计中,当阵列接收到的相干信号处于低信噪比时,DOA估计性能会大大降低。针对该问题,提出一种增强的时空平滑(enhanced spatio-temporal smoothing,ESTS)算法,在使用时空相关矩阵重构接收数据矩阵的时空平滑(spatio-temporal smoothing,STS)方法的基础上进行了改进。首先对子阵列时空相关矩阵进行平方预处理,然后通过充分利用子阵列时空相关矩阵的协方差和互协方差信息解相干,提高了相干信号的分辨率以及对噪声扰动的鲁棒性。理论分析和统计结果均表明,与其他空间平滑类解相干方法相比,该方法提高了在低信噪比、少快拍数、小角度分离情况下的相干信号DOA估计的去相关性能。展开更多
How can the concrete meaning of the ambiguous and theoretical concept of sustainable development(SD) be defined and implemented, without losing sight of its fundamental principles? This study introduces a theoretical ...How can the concrete meaning of the ambiguous and theoretical concept of sustainable development(SD) be defined and implemented, without losing sight of its fundamental principles? This study introduces a theoretical framework that supports studies of SD implementation in the context of strategic disaster risk management, by defining what SD implies with regard to planning procedures. The framework is based on the procedural SD principles of participation and integration. It was originally developed for,and has shown great value in, the field of water resource management. In-depth interviews with senior risk management researchers indicate that the framework is also applicable to and valuable for disaster risk management studies.To illustrate the application of the framework, a study of the EU Floods Directive in Sweden is summarized with the framework as the basis for the analysis.展开更多
Application programming interface(API)libraries are extensively used by developers.To correctly program with APIs and avoid bugs,developers shall pay attention to API directives,which illustrate the constraints of API...Application programming interface(API)libraries are extensively used by developers.To correctly program with APIs and avoid bugs,developers shall pay attention to API directives,which illustrate the constraints of APIs.Unfortunately,API directives usually have diverse morphologies,making it time-consuming and error-prone for developers to discover all the relevant API directives.In this paper,we propose an approach leveraging text classification to discover API directives from API specifications.Specifically,given a set of training sentences in API specifications,our approach first characterizes each sentence by three groups of features.Then,to deal with the unequal distribution between API directives and non-directives,our approach employs an under-sampling strategy to split the imbalanced training set into several subsets and trains several classifiers.Given a new sentence in an API specification,our approach synthesizes the trained classifiers to predict whether it is an API directive.We have evaluated our approach over a publicly available annotated API directive corpus.The experimental results reveal that our approach achieves an F-measure value of up to 82.08%.In addition,our approach statistically outperforms the state-of-the-art approach by up to 29.67%in terms of F-measure.展开更多
BACKGROUND Drug utilization research has an important role in assisting the healthcare administration to know,compute,and refine the prescription whose principal objective is to enable the rational use of drugs.Resear...BACKGROUND Drug utilization research has an important role in assisting the healthcare administration to know,compute,and refine the prescription whose principal objective is to enable the rational use of drugs.Research in developing nations relating to the cost of treatment is scarce when compared with developed countries.Thus,the drug utilization research studies from developing nations are most needed,and their number has been growing.AIM To evaluate patterns of utilization of antipsychotic drugs and direct medical cost analysis in patients newly diagnosed with schizophrenia.METHODS The present study was observational in type and based on a retrospective cohort to evaluate patterns of utilization of antipsychotic drugs using World Health Organization(WHO)core prescribing indicators and anatomical therapeutic chemical/defined daily dose indicators.We also calculated direct medical costs for a period of 6 months.RESULTS This study has found that atypical antipsychotics are the mainstay of treatment for schizophrenia in every age group and subcategories of schizophrenia.The evaluation based on WHO prescribing indicators showed a low average number of drugs per prescription and low prescribing frequency of antipsychotics from the National List of Essential Medicines 2015 and the WHO Essential Medicines List 2019.The total mean drug cost of our study was 1396 Indian rupees.The total mean cost due to the investigation in our study was 1017.34 Indian rupees.Therefore,the total mean direct medical cost incurred on patients in our study was 4337.28 Indian rupees.CONCLUSION The information from the present study can be used for reviewing and updating treatment policy at the institutional level.展开更多
文摘This webinar is jointly organized by CEN and CENELEC,and Ernst&Young(EY),with the participation of the European Commission Desk Officer,who will deliver the opening remarks.This session will focus specifically on the Toy Safety Directive and General Product Safety Regulation.Additional sector-specific webinars will follow in the coming months.
文摘Background:Research on therapeutic processes has explored the elements that enhance psychotherapy’s effectiveness,particularly the role of common factors across various models.The therapist’s use of directiveness and support,as common variables,is crucial for effective treatment.Effective therapists adapt their level of directiveness and support according to the treatment phase,the issue being addressed,and the patient’s characteristics.This study examines the importance therapists attribute to directiveness and support,as well as its relationship with theoretical orientation,access to research publications,and stance on the similar effectiveness of different psychotherapeutic models.It aims to determine whether therapists’attributions regarding this variable are in line with the importance it is given in process research.Methods:Responses from 69 psychotherapists to the Psychotherapeutic Effectiveness Attribution Questionnaire(PEAQ-12),which assesses the importance therapists place on key psychotherapeutic process variables,including the directiveness and support provided,were analyzed.Theoretical orientations,ages,and experience levels were considered.Non-parametric tests,contingency tables,χ^(2)tests,t-tests,and ANOVAs were used to assess the variation in responses.Results:Common factors were often identified as key contributors to therapeutic healing,though these differences were not statistically significant(χ^(2)(2,N=67)=3.701,p=0.157).For the“directiveness and support from the therapist”variable,significant differences were observed:Cognitive-behavioral therapists valued directiveness and support more than psychodynamic therapists(t(20)=−3.569,p=0.002;Cohen’s d=1.18).Therapists who view cognitive-behavioral therapies as most effective also rated this variable higher(t(38)=3.816,p<0.001;Cohen’s d=1.21).Those regularly accessing specialized psychotherapy research publications valued this variable less than those who do so occasionally(t(64)=−2.693,p=0.009;Cohen’s d=0.65).Therapists who support the similar effectiveness of different models tend to favor common factors,including directiveness and support(χ^(2)(2,N=66)=12.522,p=0.002).Conclusions:Therapists express doubts about the factors influencing psychotherapy’s effectiveness,reflecting the ongoing debate.They align their views on the importance of directiveness and support with their theoretical orientation and positioning on the similar effectiveness of psychotherapies.The importance of analyzing therapists’attributions about the factors responsible for therapeutic change is emphasized,which will impact clinical practice.Advocacy for therapist flexibility and adaptation of therapy to the patient’s needs,including the level of directiveness and support provided,has been shown to be essential for effective psychotherapy.
文摘Objectives:This study aims to develop the Directive and Nondirective Support Scale for Patients with Type 2 Diabetes(DNSS-T2DM)to measure diabetes-specific support and patients’preference as well as evaluate the construct validity and reliability of the DNSS-T2DM.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted in Tongzhou District,Beijing,China from July to September 2015.A total of 474 participants who had been diagnosed as type 2 diabetes by physicians and completed the DNSS-T2DM were included.The original 11-item DNSS-T2DM contains five items on nondirective support(Items 1-5)and six items on directive support(Items 6-11).There were two parallel questions for each item with one to measure the preference for support(Preference part)and the other to measure the perception of support in reality(Reality part).The final DNSS-T2DM was determined based on the results of the exploratory factor analysis(EFA).The construct validity of the final DNSS-T2DM was evaluated by the confirmatory factor analysis(CFA).The reliability was evaluated by internal consistency with Cronbach’sαcoefficients.Results:A final 7-item DNSS-T2DM loaded on 2 factors with four items representing nondirective support and three items representing directive support was determined based on the EFA.The CFA indicated a satisfactory construct validity.The internal consistency of the 7-item DNSS-T2DM as well as the nondirective support items was satisfactory with Cronbach’sα≥7.00.70.Conclusions:Our study supported the validity and reliability of the 7-item DNSS-T2DM.Further studies on the application of the DNSS-T2DM in different settings and population are needed.
文摘Directive(EU)2017/164 establishes a fourth list of indicative occupational exposure limit values(IOELVs)to protect workers from risks of exposure to hazardous chemicals.It states that in underground mining and tunnelling,Member States may benefit from a transitional period regarding IOELVs for nitrogen monoxide,nitrogen dioxide,and carbon monoxide,during which the existing established IOELVs may be applied.The European Advisory Committee on Health and Safety at Work questions the technical feasibility of the proposed IOELVs in underground mining(CO,NO and NO2)and tunnelling(NO and NO2).Challenges arise concerning the availability of measurement methodologies for compliance with proposed IOELVs(NO2)in underground mining and tunnelling environments.
文摘Background:Information on the possibility of drawing up Advance Directives(AD)is a necessity,and represents a major medical,ethical,and legal challenge.The difficulties are numerous,both organizational and cultural,and this is also true in the context of oncology,where ADs(and more broadly,advanced palliative care)are of critical importance.As an eminently sensitive subject,dealing with ADs(and therefore with end-of-life issues)requires both societal and medical/health-care acculturation.An institutional approach has therefore been developed,to deploy information tools,training professionals,and formalize the collection of AD.Such an approach cannot be implemented without an assessment not only of its objective results but also above all of its psychological effects,on both users(patients,family caregivers)and professionals.Methods:This longitudinal study,based on a mixed-method,interdisciplinary approach,will assess the impact of this information dissemination on AD,in terms of both potential positive and negative effects,using validated measurement methods.Thus,this study follows the 5 criteria of the RE-AIM model,designed to analyze the interest and impact of a device intended for users of the healthcare system;we will use a mixed methodology,relying on both a quantitative component(counting the number of people benefiting from the scheme,and those requesting support in drawing up their DA...,administering questionnaires),as well as a qualitative component(focus groups)which will enable us to study the subjective experiences of users,their relatives and the professionals involved in the scheme.Results:The results of this study will make it possible to determine the effects of this system of assistance in the drafting of ADs,which is currently being promoted by the legislator,but which is struggling to be implemented.
文摘This study aimed to examine the effects of empowerment and education intervention to promote Advance Care Planning (ACP) for residents in a highly aged and depopulated region. The study utilized a single-group pre- and post-test design and was conducted in Osakikamijima, Hiroshima, Japan. The researchers and town officials together formed an ACP committee and created an intervention framework. An ACP workshop was held for the participants and a self-administered questionnaire was carried out before, immediately after, and 3 months after the workshop. A total of 125 residents participated in the workshop and 87 of them completed more than 80% of the questionnaire items, whose responses were analyzed as valid responses. The number of participants who completed the AD increased significantly three months after the workshop (p = 0.008). There was a slight increase in the frequency of consultation with the family, but no change was observed in terms of consultation with healthcare providers. The educational intervention in-creased the respondents’ awareness and knowledge of ACP but did not affect the autonomous decision-making process regarding end-of-life care. This strategic process of ACP empowered the residents’ awareness and attitude towards end-of-life care with an increased completion rate of AD. On the other hand, cognitive barriers remained toward communication and decision-making shared with healthcare providers. Insufficient consultation with family members also became evident. Therefore, a new intervention strategy which helps increase communication with healthcare providers needs to be formulated and guidelines for consultation with the family and others need to be prepared.
文摘The study reports the habitats of Directive 92/43/EEC in National Park of Alta Murgia （Apulia Region, southem Italy）. The habitats have been identified based on phytosociological analysis. New records are presented of rocky, meadow, woodlands and temporary ponds habitats, such as： Stipo bromoidis-Quercetum dalechampii （habitat： eastern white oak woods, 91AA＊）; Verbenion supinae （habitat： Mediterranean temporary ponds, 3170＊）; Campanulo versicoloris-Dianthion japigici （habitat： calcareous rocky slopes with chasmophytic vegetation, 8210）; Acino suaveolentis-Stipetum austroitalicae （habitat： eastern sub-mediterranean dry grasslands （Scorzoneretalia villosae）, 62A0）. Other information on their extension, major threat and suggestions of actions for their conservation are provided.
文摘This report documents the findings of a mixed-methods study focused on the advanced directives of 182 residents of three LTC facilities in southern Ontario, Canada. Although almost all had a completed advance directive within 3 months of death, most did not have a palliative designation or directive until a few days before they died. Each facility’s written Progress Notes revealed staff members usually sought additional confirmation of care preferences from residents’ substitute decision-makers within a few days of the death. It was thus common for advance directives to change from a more interventionist approach to the least interventionist approach near death. This change indicates that the meaning and significance of advance care planning and resulting advance directives must be considered in light of the processes and temporal factors involved in their completion and use within this distinct population. The relational nature of advance care planning and concern about ageism as a factor for withholding or withdrawing life support for LTC residents are considered as possible explanatory factors. These findings and their implications are described in relation to end-of-life care policies and practices in LTC facilities.
文摘With the Directive No. 2013/34/EU dated June 26, 2013, the Parliament and the European Council have decreed a new era for the financial statements of companies in the EU member countries. The introduction of the new directive aims to improve the coverage information of the accounting document and to begin a process of simplification of administrative burdens and standards for the preparation and publication of the financial statements. In Italy, the directive must be transposed by July 20, 2015 for which the associations of accountants are evaluating the specific contents of the new rules to make applications for Italian companies. Some of the new rules and above all part of the new structures of the schemes of the financial statements are quite different from the approaches currently in use for which very heated discussions are taking place.
文摘Oil hydrotreating units in refineries are aimed at reducing the sulfur content of fuels to accomplish standard par-ticular specifications. However, this process is currently one of the best available technologies to produce biofuels from vegetable oil in a refinery. Vegetable oils can be processed or co-processed in these units if several adaptations are performed, so some properties could be improved in comparison with conventional fuel such as density and cetane number. This study highlights the theoretical greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions (using a life cycle assessment–LCA-approach) of a hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) from bibliographical data. Results were compared with other biofuel production processes, such as those obtained by transesterification of vegetable oil (FAME, fatty acid methyl ester). It has also been included the comparison with conventional fossil diesel as a benchmark in order to assess the theoretical compliance with GHG savings proposed in European Directive 2009/28/EC. Finally, ongoing projects and future perspectives in Spain are mentioned.
文摘Psychiatric advance directives(PADs)represent a significant stride towards self-determination in mental healthcare.These legal documents allow individuals with mental illness to articulate their treatment preferences for future psychiatric crises when decision-making capacity may be impaired.Designed to empower individuals and reduce coercive interventions,PADs hold the poten-tial to transform patient-clinician dynamics.
基金supported by the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong(Grant Nos.CityU 21211619 and AoE/E-101/23-N)the CityU Strategic Resaerch Grant Fund(Grant No.7006088).
文摘Recent explorations and advancements in communications systems have sparked a renewed fascination with beamsteerable high-gain antennas.While conventional active phased arrays have been long seen as a feasible solution,the associated cost is a major impediment for electrically large millimeter-wave apertures.In this paper,we present an all-metal metamaterial-loaded Huygens box antenna that facilitates independent steering of radiation in azimuth and elevation directions and a dramatic reduction in the number of phased elements.The antenna encloses an artificial dielectric medium with an active Huygens metasurface arranged around the enclosure’s periphery.We present simulation and experiment results for a representative square aperture,where is the free-space wavelength.The results show that the antenna radiates similarly to a phased array of similar aperture size,with a quadratic-to-linear reduction ratio in the number of required elements,leading to over 10-fold reduction for large-aperture antennas.The tremendous reduction in the number of excited elements positions the antenna as a cost-saving alternative,especially in large aperture millimeter-wave regime.
文摘The use of directives in communicating the nature of the pandemic and reference to social experiences were promoted using images on social media platforms.The images or memes are used to create awareness and reinforce the criteria for safety during the pandemic.Previous studies on internet memes have concentrated on humor generation,speaker-hearer shared knowledge,neologism,and multimodality among others,with insufficient attention paid to the use of directives and references in such coronavirus-motivated memes.This paper,therefore,examines how directives and references are employed in conveying expected social responsibilities through coronavirus-motivated internet memes in Nigeria and other socio-cultural contexts.For data,one hundred coronavirus-motivated memes were purposively selected from Facebook,and eight representative memes were subjected to pragmatic analysis using aspects of Jacob Mey’s(2001.Pragmatics:An introduction,2nd edn.USA:Blackwell Publishing)pragmatic acts theory to unearth insights from them.The paper observes that the various spheres of life that are relatable to an online audience help to express what the pandemic is about and enhance the meaning of the pandemic with the context of the use of the memes,giving clearer perspectives on the pandemic.Directives and references are useful tools for conveying social responsibilities to online audience.
文摘Uniform circular arrays(UCAs)provide both omnidirectional(360°)and directive(sector)coverage of the azimuthal plane.Superdirective versions with unidirectional,high front-to-back ratio(FTBR)properties could provide the radiated field char-acteristics being pursued for NextG wireless networks and their perceived applications.Typical UCA configurations–full,semi-circular,and sector–that radiate vertically-polarized(VP)fields and are composed of either omnidirectional electric dipole ele-ments or unidirectional Huygens dipole elements are analyzed first with conventional methods as reference cases.These omni-and uni-directional element configurations are then treated with several optimization techniques:the classic Rayleigh-quotient(RQ)method and its unidirectional-constrained version;the eigenbeam decomposition and synthesis(EBDS)technique used to design su-perdirective acoustic receiving arrays;and the Bessel-azimuthal multipole(BEAM)approach developed herein.Several arrays are identified as being superdirective with extremely high FTBR values.The performance characteristics of the arrays of unidirectional elements are demonstrated to be superior in general.Moreover,it is shown that larger radius arrays with RQ-specified excitation amplitudes are robust to changes in them whereas the outcomes of the corresponding small radius versions are not.On the other hand,the BEAM-optimized densely-packed small-radius superdirective arrays are quite tolerant to those variations while generating unidirectional pseudo-needle beams.
文摘The efficiency and stability of catalysts for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution(PHE)are largely governed by the charge transfer behaviors across the heterojunction interfaces.In this study,CuO,a typical semiconductor featuring a broad spectral absorption range,is successfully employed as the electron acceptor to combine with CdS for constructing a S-scheme heterojunction.The optimized photocatalyst(CdSCuO2∶1)delivers an exceptional hydrogen evolution rate of 18.89 mmol/(g·h),4.15-fold higher compared with bare CdS.X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS)and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflection absorption spectroscopy(UV-vis DRS)confirmed the S-scheme band structure of the composites.Moreover,the surface photovoltage(SPV)and electron paramagnetic resonance(EPR)indicated that the photogenerated electrons and photogenerated holes of CdS-CuO2∶1 were respectively transferred to the conduction band(CB)of CdS with a higher reduction potential and the valence band(VB)of CuO with a higher oxidation potential under illumination,as expected for the S-scheme mechanism.Density-functional-theory calculations of the electron density difference(EDD)disclose an interfacial electric field oriented from CdS to CuO.This built-in field suppresses charge recombination and accelerates carrier migration,rationalizing the markedly enhanced PHE activity.This study offers a novel strategy for designing S-scheme heterojunctions with high light harvesting and charge utilization toward sustainable solar-tohydrogen conversion.
文摘How can the concrete meaning of the ambiguous and theoretical concept of sustainable development(SD) be defined and implemented, without losing sight of its fundamental principles? This study introduces a theoretical framework that supports studies of SD implementation in the context of strategic disaster risk management, by defining what SD implies with regard to planning procedures. The framework is based on the procedural SD principles of participation and integration. It was originally developed for,and has shown great value in, the field of water resource management. In-depth interviews with senior risk management researchers indicate that the framework is also applicable to and valuable for disaster risk management studies.To illustrate the application of the framework, a study of the EU Floods Directive in Sweden is summarized with the framework as the basis for the analysis.
基金the National Key Research and Development Plan of China under Grant No.2018YFB1003900the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No.61902181,the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation under Grant No.2020M671489the CCF-Tencent Open Research Fund under Grant No.RAGR20200106.
文摘Application programming interface(API)libraries are extensively used by developers.To correctly program with APIs and avoid bugs,developers shall pay attention to API directives,which illustrate the constraints of APIs.Unfortunately,API directives usually have diverse morphologies,making it time-consuming and error-prone for developers to discover all the relevant API directives.In this paper,we propose an approach leveraging text classification to discover API directives from API specifications.Specifically,given a set of training sentences in API specifications,our approach first characterizes each sentence by three groups of features.Then,to deal with the unequal distribution between API directives and non-directives,our approach employs an under-sampling strategy to split the imbalanced training set into several subsets and trains several classifiers.Given a new sentence in an API specification,our approach synthesizes the trained classifiers to predict whether it is an API directive.We have evaluated our approach over a publicly available annotated API directive corpus.The experimental results reveal that our approach achieves an F-measure value of up to 82.08%.In addition,our approach statistically outperforms the state-of-the-art approach by up to 29.67%in terms of F-measure.
文摘BACKGROUND Drug utilization research has an important role in assisting the healthcare administration to know,compute,and refine the prescription whose principal objective is to enable the rational use of drugs.Research in developing nations relating to the cost of treatment is scarce when compared with developed countries.Thus,the drug utilization research studies from developing nations are most needed,and their number has been growing.AIM To evaluate patterns of utilization of antipsychotic drugs and direct medical cost analysis in patients newly diagnosed with schizophrenia.METHODS The present study was observational in type and based on a retrospective cohort to evaluate patterns of utilization of antipsychotic drugs using World Health Organization(WHO)core prescribing indicators and anatomical therapeutic chemical/defined daily dose indicators.We also calculated direct medical costs for a period of 6 months.RESULTS This study has found that atypical antipsychotics are the mainstay of treatment for schizophrenia in every age group and subcategories of schizophrenia.The evaluation based on WHO prescribing indicators showed a low average number of drugs per prescription and low prescribing frequency of antipsychotics from the National List of Essential Medicines 2015 and the WHO Essential Medicines List 2019.The total mean drug cost of our study was 1396 Indian rupees.The total mean cost due to the investigation in our study was 1017.34 Indian rupees.Therefore,the total mean direct medical cost incurred on patients in our study was 4337.28 Indian rupees.CONCLUSION The information from the present study can be used for reviewing and updating treatment policy at the institutional level.
