Summary of main findings. Consistent with our hypotheses, the main findings of this thesis are that meditators rate normatively negative images as significantly less unpleasant, and positive and negative images as less arousing than controls. However, contrary to our predictions, control participants did not show between-condition differences in arousal ratings. In terms of SCR, we observed reduced SCR to positive images in meditators in contrast to controls, however, this effect was not observed for negative images. In terms of memory recall, and consistent with our predictions, significantly more traits were recalled from the Judging condition in contrast to the Sensing and Other conditions. Lastly, meditators scored significantly higher on the Non-attachment scale (Xxxxxx et al., 2010), and the ‘non-reactivity’ and ‘non-judging’ subscales of the FFMQ but not on FFMQ subscales measuring ‘observing’, ‘acting with awareness’ and describing’ (Xxxx et al., 2006). Overall, these data demonstrate that experienced meditators show measurable changes in emotional responding. Self-reported Valence As predicted, meditators rated negative images as significantly less unpleasant than controls. This is consistent with previous studies that have observed reduced reactivity to negative stimuli (Xxxxxx & Xxxxx, 2010) and to a stressor after 8 weeks mindfulness training (Xxxxxxx et al., 2012), and reduced unpleasantness ratings to painful stimuli in experienced meditators (Xxxx et al., 2012; Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx, & Xxxx, 2010). These data are also consistent with accounts of processes of change in depression following MBCT which emphasise a key role of a person’s response to negative thoughts that occur after a sad mood induction (Xxxxxx et al., 2010). MBCT participants show evidence of non-reactivity to such thoughts, in contrast to those receiving anti-depressant medication, and this is mediated by self-compassion (Xxxxxx et al., 2008). Similarly, in the current dataset, participants with meditation experience showed evidence of less reactivity to normatively negative stimuli, by rating them as less unpleasant in contrast to controls. These data are also in line with the self-report questionnaire data collected which showed statistically significant differences between meditators and controls on the ‘non-reactivity’ and ‘non-judging’ subscales of the FFMQ, replicating findings from previous studies (Xxxx et al., 2006; Xxxxxxxxxx et al., 2011). Both these subscales also tap a common compon...
Summary of main findings of the economic evaluation The provision of DAAs by pharmacists is expected to cost $27,488 extra to supply DAAs to 30 community customers for one year, compared with supplying 30 community customers with OPs. The cost of DAA provision may be offset by some savings to the healthcare system due to the prevention of ADRs. A difference in the rate of ADRs and consequences in terms of service use translates to a potential saving for the DAA group of $5,040 in one year. However, consideration of a full range of service use (HIC and patient support services) failed to result in cost savings to offset the cost of DAA supply. The DAA group costs exceeded the OP group costs by over $45,040 in one year. DAAs were considered to have direct benefits to the customers using them that were measured through WTP. Community customers using DAAs were willing to pay a mean of $5.61 per DAA/per week in Phase 3 of the evaluation. This equates to a total of $8,752 per 30 customers per year. A closer investigation of costs and benefits to patients living in the community suggest a considerable reduction in additional costs of DAAs, a net social cost of $9,381 for 30 patients over 12 months. Sensitivity analyses confirmed that costs associated with DAAs were considerably higher than benefits to the health care system where benefits are measured by patient WTP for a service for which they have been traditionally undercharged (pharmacies charged an average of $3.50/week in Phase 2 despite average costs to the pharmacy of $17.62/week). The authors acknowledged a range of study limitation, including significant differences between the OP and DAA patient groups, patients lost to follow-up, lack of randomisation, and lack of baseline data to monitor improvements in health associated with using a DAA. DAA patients in this study were sicker, had higher health service utilisation rates and higher costs. From a quality use of medicine perspective, the fact that DAA patients were utilising health services more frequently than OP patients could suggest that DAA patients were more proactive in maintaining their health and were therefore more likely to frequent a health professional, or that better monitoring with appropriate action is taken. Other limitations included not using a health-related utility instrument (such as the EQ5D) at intermittent data collection intervals to enable change in health to be monitored.
Summary of main findings. After the given information, the main key results of the research are stated below. The leading references are described by choosing 14 institutes/universities all over the world concerning various continents, regions, and countries. The leading universities are placed in UK, Italy, Estonia, Denmark, Norway, Hong Kong, USA, Australia, China, Austria, Netherlands, and Spain. The leading universities are positioned between 50-500 by online ranking platforms based on some criteria. In addition to this, some universities are chosen to be representatives of their regions/continents instead of their ranking positions (even if they are placed out of range 50-500). Another finding of the leading universities in the durations of the programs. The program duration of these universities is highlighted averagely between 3 or 4 years. These durations can be extended if there are any necessities such as the Covid-19 pandemic, etc. The programs of the defined leading universities are mainly focusing on the topics of Internet of Things, Supply Chain, Logistics, Collaboration and Competition between Transport and Logistics Modes, Smart Transport and Logistics, Sustainable Transport and Logistics, Intelligent Transportation, Transport Network Modelling. In addition to these preferred topics, there are new trends such as Intelligent Transport and Infrastructures, Supply Chain Management, Connected Automated Cities with Smart Mobility, Designing-Constructing-Operating of Transportation, and Intelligent Logistics Services and Sustainability. The leading universities have common entry requirements that are dealing with previous academic qualifications and language requirements. The academic requirements are mainly expecting a good level of graduation from Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees (for some cases, with Honors), and at least B level of English Language knowledge and its certification. Moreover, the leading universities are also expecting some more requirements from candidates such as computer skills, a well-prepared research proposal, previous professional experiences, backgrounds (such as logistics-related, supply chain, transport network programming, etc.)
Summary of main findings. Out of five inspected universities in Ukraine and Georgia only 3 have the relevant Ph.D. Courses: 2(4)- years courses in NTU, NTUA, LPNU taught only in Ukrainian language containing 60 or 45 ECTS only. No Ph.D. course is taught in ZSTU and BSMA, however the course in BSMA is on the implementation stage. Existing programmes are covering both transport and logistics areas with obligatory topics studied as Transport logistics of cities, Modeling of transport systems, Theory of transport flows, Traffic management and control systems. However, the study programs are to be reinforced and supplemented with Road Safety section (transport infrastructure, ITS in cities, in management and in flow management, AI for traffic control, safety and environmental management issues), Traffic management (passenger and freight traffic flows management and regulation) and Logistics (Maritime Logistics, warehousing, cargo handling, order placement, and inventory). To build a sufficient Ph.D. program, universities need to increase the quality of existing programs, update them based on advanced research experience with overall objective to include studies of state- of-the-art world scientific approaches, methods, practices, and tools to conduct a complex research to solve transport and logistics problems of cities and assess the effectiveness of such solutions. All the interviewed universities are in need of the state-of-the-art software (simulations and study of traffic flows, e.g., professional version of PTV VISSIM, professional version of AnyLogic, StatGraphics software), equipment for monitoring and collecting statistical information on the road network and passenger flows. All the research is envisaged to be carried out using the modern software products and the state-of-the- art scientific activity approaches using the best practices not only within the same country but worldwide.
