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Background: Normative feedback (NF), or receiving information about one's drinking compared to peer drinking norms, is one of the most widely used brief interventions for prevention and intervention for hazardous alcohol use. NF has demonstrated predominantly small but significant effect sizes for intention to change and other drinking related outcomes. Identifying mechanisms of action may improve the effectiveness of NF; however, few studies have examined NF's mechanisms of action, particularly among adults. Objective: This study is an exploratory analysis of two theorized mechanisms of NF: discrepancy (specifically personal dissonance-the affective response to feedback) and belief in the accuracy of feedback. Method: Using Amazon's Mechanical Turk, 87 men (n=56) and women (n=31) completed an online survey during which they were asked about their perceptions about their drinking and actual drinking behaviors. Then participants were provided tailored NF and evaluated for their reactions. Severity of discrepancy was measured by the difference between one's estimated percentile ranking of drinking compared to peers and actual percentile ranking. Surprise and worry reported due to the discrepancy were proxies for personal dissonance. Participants were also asked if they believed the feedback and if they had any plans to change their drinking. Mediation analyses were implemented, exploring whether surprise, worry, or belief in the accuracy of feedback mediated severity of discrepancy's impact on plan for change. Results: Among this sample of adult drinkers, severity of discrepancy did not predict plan for change, and personal dissonance did not mediate severity of discrepancy. Severity of discrepancy was mediated by belief in the accuracy of feedback. In addition, viewing one's drinking as a problem prior to feedback and post-NF worry both predicted plan for change independently. Conclusions: Results revealed that NF may not work to create personal dissonance through discrepancy, but belief in the accuracy of feedback may be important. It appears the more one believes the feedback, the more one makes a plan for change, suggesting practitioners should be mindful of how information within feedback is presented. Findings also indicate NF may work by validating a preexisting perception that drinking is a problem instead of creating concern related to discrepancy where none existed. Limitations regarding generalizability are discussed. PeerJ Preprints | https://doi.org/10.7287/peerj.preprints.2030v1 | CC-BY 4.0 Open Access | rec Abstract word count: 360 3 Word count: 4,569 4 Tables: 4 5 Figures: 0 6 Number of references: 7 An exploratory pilot study of mechanisms of action within normative feedback for adult drinkers Abstract 31 Background: Normative feedback (NF), or receiving information about one's drinking 32 compared to peer drinking norms, is one of the most widely used brief interventions for 33 prevention and intervention for hazardous alcohol use. NF has demonstrated predominantly 34 small but significant effect...

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify critical non-value adding (NVA) building information modeling (BIM) implementation activities in current building project delivery process, develop a BIM implementation readiness (BIMIR) evaluation model, and assess BIMIR statuses in building projects in Singapore. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire survey and four post-survey interviews were conducted in Singapore. A fuzzy synthetic evaluation approach was adopted in the model development. Findings In total, 38 out of 44 NVA BIM implementation activities were deemed critical and used in the proposed model, among which “lack of involvement by contractors to contribute site knowledge” in the design development phase was ranked top. This model was validated in five projects. It was found that most of 73 surveyed building projects were in a low BIMIR status and the assessment results were consistent with current industry practices of BIM implementation in Singapore. Research limitations/implications There may be geographical limitation on the identification of the critical NVA BIM implementation activities. However, because BIM mandate spreads globally, the findings can help overseas project teams customize their own NVA activities and evaluation models. Practical implications As BIM implementation is mandated in Singapore, BIMIR evaluation helps local project teams identify weak areas of their BIM implementation activities and prioritize resources to enhance those areas. Originality/value No tool has been developed for evaluating BIMIR at the project level in the construction industry in Singapore or at large in Asia. Four BIMIR statuses are defined, which are consistent with Singapore’s BIM guidelines and standards.

Similarly to the unipolar SiC Schottky diodes, AlGaN/GaN Schottky devices have been suggested to have a negligible reverse recovery current during turn-off and can therefore be switched at very high frequencies with low power losses [1-2]. This study aims to investigate this claim by comparing the reverse recovery characteristic of an AlGaN/GaN diode with that of a SiC diode and a fast recovery Si P-N diode for the same current (4 A) and voltage rating (700 V). TCAD models of a SiC Schottky diode and an AlGaN/GaN diode have been developed and calibrated against fabricated devices for a better physical understanding of the experimentally observed results. The analysis is based on the trade-off between on-state and reverse recovery parameters at both room and high temperatures. Experimental and TCAD results show that while the AlGaN/GaN heterostructure Schottky diode is expected to provide a significant improvement in switching performance when compared to the conventional bipolar Si P-N diodes, the SiC diode offers a more favourable trade-off between on-state and reverse recovery.

Purpose Despite recognition of its importance to Singapore’s economy, the construction industry is plagued by poor safety and productivity performance. Improvement efforts by the government and industry have yielded little results. The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework for developing a productivity and safety monitoring system using Building Information Modelling (BIM). Design/methodology/approach The framework, Intelligent Productivity and Safety System (IPASS), takes advantage of mandatory requirements for building plans to be submitted for approval in Singapore in BIM format. IPASS is based on a study comprising interviews and a questionnaire-based survey. It uses BIM to integrate buildable design, prevention and control of hazards, and safety assessment. Findings The authors illustrate a development of IPASS capable of generating productivity and safety scores for construction projects by analysing BIM model information. Research limitations/implications The paper demonstrates that BIM can be used to monitor productivity and safety as a project progresses, and help to enhance performance under the two parameters. Practical implications IPASS enables collaboration among project stakeholders as they can base their work on analysis of productivity and safety performance before projects start, and as they progress. It is suggested that the BIM model submitted to the authorities should be used for the IPASS application. Originality/value IPASS has rule-checking, hazards identification and quality checking capabilities. It is able to identify hazards and risks with the rule-checking capabilities. IPASS enables practitioners to check mistakes and the rationality of a design. It helps to mitigate risks as there are built-in safety measures/controls rules to overcome the problems caused by design deficiency, wrong-material-choice, and more.