Using Experimental Research to Test Instructional Effectiveness: A Case Study

Cross-cultural competence is now regarded as a critical student learning outcome by many U.S. higher educational institutions. It requires in part that students be able to empathize with people whose ethno-cultural, economic, political, and/or geographic backgrounds are different from their own—a quality that we are labeling global empathy. Yet colleges and universities frequently find it difficult to develop global empathy among their students. We conducted an experiment to investigate whether different instructional techniques—traditional lecture, video news reports, and an online game—or undergraduate students’ academic majors are associated with variations in indicators of global empathy. Statistically significant variations in survey data were found only among students majoring in psychology and in responses to two survey questions. Two behavioral measures did not reveal any statistically significant variation. A larger sample, longer exposure to treatment condition, or other changes to the experimental design might elucidate stronger evidence that instructional method or undergraduate academic major affects the development of global empathy, but this type of research may not be feasible at colleges and universities where enrollments are small and faculty lack necessary resources.     

Teaching Experience: How to Make and Use PowerPoint-Based Interactive Simulations for Undergraduate IR Teaching

This article is about designing and implementing PowerPoint-based interactive simulations for use in International Relations (IR) introductory undergraduate classes based on core pedagogical literature, models of human skill acquisition, and previous research on simulations in IR teaching. We argue that simulations can be usefully employed at the early transition from “novice” to “advanced beginner” in a learning process, where the student begins to leave behind rational rules in favor of an own situational experience. However, currently available IR simulations for teaching purposes are often high-cost/high-tech and especially time-intensive: if they do not require custom-made software packages with difficult interfaces and expensive licensing fees, they are often targeted at course-long or at least day-long activities that demand extensive preparation of both teachers and students, with book-length manuals, intricate rules, integrated assessment tools, and specific secondary literature, and conventionally target more experienced students. This article explains how teachers can create an easily accessible and class-long (50 minutes) interactive experience for undergraduate IR students to encourage theoretical linkage with own in-class experience at a very low cost. We do this by employing PowerPoint, specifically in-built features such as hyperlinks, interactive pathways, or audio or video integration that can be used interactively rather than passively (as in a standard presentation).     

公安机关办理短信诈骗案件的工作难点及其对策

利用手机短信实施诈骗犯罪是当前经济领域犯罪的新动向。这类诈骗案件呈现出与传统诈骗不同的特点,给公安机关的侦查工作带来许多新的难点。为了有效遏制短信诈骗案件高发的势头,侦查人员必须掌握手机短信诈骗案件的规律和特点,强化侦查手段,同时加强与社会各界的协作配合。     

通督调神针法结合夹脊穴治疗脑卒中后痉挛性瘫痪

目的 观察比较通督调神针法结合夹脊穴与单纯通督调神针法治疗脑卒中后痉挛性瘫痪的疗效差异。方法 将61例患者随机分为观察组（通督调神针法结合夹脊穴）31例和对照组（单纯通督调神针法）30例,两组患者均给予康复治疗,对照组针刺取督脉穴百会、风府、水沟、大椎、至阳、腰阳关为主穴;观察组在对照组基础上结合夹脊穴针刺,取颈2—7、腰1—5夹脊穴,双侧交替针刺,每日针刺1次,每次40 min,每周6次,共治疗4周。两组患者均采用简易Fugl- Meyer运动功能量表和修订的Barthel指数（Barthel index,BI）量表评定运动功能,比较两组的疗效差异。结果 治疗4周后,观察组肢体痉挛改善程度与对照组相当,差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）;两组治疗后Fugl- Meyer和BI评分均较治疗前显著升高（P<0.05）,观察组治疗后Fugl- Meyer和BI评分较对照组升高更为显著（P＜0.05）。结论 通督调神针法结合夹脊穴在改善脑卒中后痉挛性瘫痪患者的痉挛状态方面与单纯通督调神针法疗效相当,但在提高肢体运动功能和日常生活活动能力方面,通督调神针法结合夹脊穴均优于单纯通督调神针法。     

头皮埋针联合耳穴压籽治疗脑卒中后认知障碍40例

目的 观察头皮埋针联合耳穴压籽治疗脑卒中后认知功能障碍（post- stroke cognitive impairment,PSCI）的临床疗效。方法 将80例脑卒中后认知功能障碍患者按照随机数字表法分组成对照组、治疗组,每组40例。对照组予尼莫地平片、吡拉西坦片治疗,治疗组在对照组疗法基础上予头皮埋针联合耳穴压籽治疗,共治疗4周。〖JP2〗治疗前后和随访时分别采用简易精神状态检查量表(mini- mental state evaluation, MMSE)、蒙特利尔认知功能评估量表(Montreal cognitive assessment, MoCA)和Barthel指数（Barthel index,BI）评估患者的认知功能。结果 治疗4周后及随访时,两组患者MMSE、MoCA、BI评分均显著升高（P<0.05）。治疗后4周和随访时,治疗组患者MMSE、MoCA评分显著高于对照组（P<0.05）,而两组患者BI评分的差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。结论 头皮埋针联合耳穴压籽可以明显改善PSCI患者的认知功能。     

针刺舌根部穴对人生理状态下吞咽功能影响的功能性核磁共振成像研究

目的通过对比健康成人舌根部穴针刺前后执行吞咽任务时脑功能区的激活差异,探讨针刺舌根部穴对吞咽功能影响的中枢机制。方法青年健康志愿者10名,分别于针刺舌根部穴前后运用功能磁共振技术进行吞咽任务(含静息状态、吞咽准备和吞咽任务)扫描,分析针刺前后数据集,获得针刺舌根部穴后执行吞咽任务的差异脑功能激活区。结果针刺前,脑激活区主要分布于左侧的颞上回和右侧的岛叶;针刺后,脑激活区主要分布于左侧小脑后叶、小脑叶、梭状回以及右侧舌状回,负激活区主要分布于左侧中央前回、中央后回以及右侧中央后回;针刺前后对比,差异脑激活区分布于左侧的梭状回、颞中回及额内侧回,负激活区位于左侧顶下小叶。结论针刺舌根部穴影响吞咽功能的原因可能是通过增强吞咽相关脑区参与任务执行的积极性,提高吞咽任务执行效率,以达到调节吞咽运动肌群的目的。     

超声引导下针刺八髎穴联合通督调神针法治疗脑卒中后尿失禁临床观察

目的 观察超声引导下针刺八髎穴联合通督调神针法治疗脑卒中后尿失禁的疗效。方法 将60例脑卒中后尿失禁患者随机分为试验组和对照组,每组30例,试验组采用通督调神针法联合超声引导下针刺八髎穴治疗,对照组采用通督调神针法联合传统方法针刺八髎穴治疗,每日1次,每周治疗6 d,共治疗4周。采用国际尿失禁咨询委员会尿失禁问卷简表(the International Consultation on incontinence questionnaire-short form,ICI-Q-SF)评价漏尿情况和排尿次数,采用排尿日记观察日间和夜间的尿失禁次数和排尿次数,基于治疗后ICI-Q-SF评分下降率判定临床疗效。结果 与治疗前比较,两组患者治疗后ICI-Q-SF评分,日间、夜间排尿次数和尿失禁次数均显著降低（P＜0.05）,且试验组上述指标下降程度显著大于对照组（P＜0.05）。试验组基于ICI-Q-SF评分的疗效显著优于对照组（P＜0.05）。结论 超声引导有助于八髎穴定位,提高八髎穴针刺联合通督调神针法治疗脑卒中后尿失禁的疗效。     

浅论曾国藩伦理道德对公共道德建设的积极意义

中国现代化建设需要相应道德体系的支撑，需要对传统伦理道德的重构。曾国藩家训中道德思想以孝为基本核心，包含居家美德、个人道德修养、交接之道等，形成了自己独特的伦理道德体系，这有助于形成一个公平正义、诚信互爱、简朴清廉、忠义有孝的社会环境。对现代化进程中公共道德建设有着积极的作用。     

Human height estimation from highly distorted surveillance image

Video surveillance camera (VSC) is an important source of information during investigations especially if used as a tool for the extraction of verified and reliable forensic measurements. In this study, some aspects of human height extraction from VSC video frames are analyzed with the aim of identifying and mitigating error sources that can strongly affect the measurement. More specifically, those introduced by lens distortion are present in wide-field-of-view lens such as VSCs. A weak model, which is not able to properly describe and correct the lens distortion, could introduce systematic errors. This study focuses on the aspect of camera calibration to verify human height extraction by Amped FIVE software, which is adopted by the Forensic science laboratories of Carabinieri Force (RaCIS), Italy. A stable and reliable approach of camera calibration is needed since investigators have to deal with different cameras while inspecting the crime scene. The performance of the software in correcting distorted images is compared with a technique of single view self-calibration. Both approaches were applied to several frames acquired by a fish-eye camera and then measuring the height of five different people. Moreover, two actual cases, both characterized by common low-resolution and distorted images, were also analyzed. The height of four known persons was measured and used as reference value for validation. Results show no significant difference between the two calibration approaches working with fish-eye camera in test field, while evidence of differences was found in the measurement on the actual cases.     

Applying an open systems public relations model to destination image development

Abstract

Public relations is essentially a communications function concerned with relationships, image and image development and it is from this perspective that the subject is viewed. A literature survey of the use of public relations in tourism indicated that no structural theoretical framework for its application in destination image development has been postulated. This was found to be the case in both tourism and public relations literature. In this article, such a framework is devised. Adapting an existing open-systems public relations model to represent the process of establishing a tourism relationship between a tourist-generating country and a tourist destination does this. This model was used as the foundation for formulating a public relations strategic framework.