scholarly journals "The brain can't cope": Insights about reading from people with chronic aphasia

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet Webster ◽  
Amy Samouelle ◽  
Julie Morris
Keyword(s):  
Reading Ability ◽  
Reading Difficulties ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
World Health ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Reading Activities ◽  
The Impact

Background: Reading difficulties are a common feature of aphasia. There has been limited in-depth investigation of how individuals perceive their difficulties and the impact of their reading difficulties on everyday activities.Aims: This study explored the reading experiences of people with aphasia, asking them to describe pre- and post-morbid reading, considering aspects relevant to the different components of the International Classification of Disability and Functioning (ICF) (World Health Organisation (WHO), 2002). It also considered the relationship between use of technology (computers and mobile phones) and reading.Methods & Procedures: Ten people with chronic, mild to moderate aphasia participated in the study. A semi-structured interview was carried out. Responses were transcribed verbatim and then analysed using the framework method. Themes were identified for pre-morbid reading, current (post-morbid) reading and for questions related to technology.Outcomes: The results highlight the complexity of factors influencing reading and the individual variation in reading ability, the importance and frequency of reading and reading activities. Post-morbidly, there was a perceived decline in reading ability, with multi-faceted reading difficulties reported. Importantly, changes in reading activity reflected changes in role (for example, employment status) as well as change due to the reading difficulties. It was difficult to determine the influence of reading difficulties on the use of technology.Conclusions: The implications for the assessment and treatment of reading in aphasia are explored.

scholarly journals Development of an Automated Pain Facial Expression Detection System for Sheep (Ovis Aries)

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krista McLennan ◽  
Marwa Mahmoud
Keyword(s):  
Facial Expression ◽  
Detection System ◽  
Ovis Aries ◽  
Expression Recognition ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Individual Farm ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Impact

The use of technology to optimize the production and management of each individual animal is becoming key to good farming. There is a need for the real-time systematic detection and control of disease in animals in order to limit the impact on animal welfare and food supply. Diseases such as footrot and mastitis cause significant pain in sheep, and so early detection is vital to ensuring effective treatment and preventing the spread across the flock. Facial expression scoring to assess pain in humans and non-humans is now well utilized, and the Sheep Pain Facial Expression Scale (SPFES) is a tool that can reliably detect pain in this species. The SPFES currently requires manual scoring, leaving it open to observer bias, and it is also time-consuming. The ability of a computer to automatically detect and direct a producer as to where assessment and treatment are needed would increase the chances of controlling the spread of disease. It would also aid in the prevention of resistance across the individual, farm, and landscape at both national and international levels. In this paper, we present our framework for an integrated novel system based on techniques originally applied for human facial expression recognition that could be implemented at the farm level. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time that this technology has been applied to sheep to assess pain.

scholarly journals A Qualitative Exploration Of Parents’ Experience And Perceptions Comparing Individual To Group Sports In Young People With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Vella Fondacaro ◽  
Nigel Camilleri
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Young People ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Young Person ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
World Health ◽  
Retrospective Case ◽  
Use Of Technology

Abstract Background: Young people (YP) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may prefer individual to group physical activity (PA). Levels of PA may differ with disorder severity and age. This study explores parents’ experiences with YP suffering from ASD when choosing between group and individual PA.Method: Retrospective case note reviews identified 701 new referrals received by the National Child and Young People’s Services, Malta, between 2016 to 2017. Of them, 24 received a diagnosis of ASD without co-morbidities and 10 were chosen via purposive random sampling. An 11-component semi-structured interview guide was created specifically for use in this study. Parents were interviewed and a thematic analysis was carried out.Results: Only one young person carried out PA which met the World Health Organisation recommendations. More parents (group only: n=3; 30%, both: n=6 ; 60%) preferred group PA for their children, while more YP (individual only: n=4; 40%, both: n=4 ; 40%) preferred individual PA. Parents described both group and individual PA having benefits. Most parents felt ‘misrepresented' and wanted to have more ASD-friendly sports facilities developed in for YP in Malta. Long hours of screen time was also a major parental concern. Younger age and more severe ASD were associated with higher levels of PA. Lower levels of PA, older age and milder ASD were associated with higher use of technology.Conclusion: This study reported on the parents’ perceptions on PA and discusses a possible link between ASD severity, PA, age and technological devices. The recommendations from this study are aimed at informing the development of sport services to be outsized as a form of therapy in Malta.

scholarly journals The Impact of Ultraviolet Radiation on the Aetiology and Development of Uveal Melanoma

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 1700
Author(s):  
Melissa Chalada ◽  
Charmaine A. Ramlogan-Steel ◽  
Bijay P. Dhungel ◽  
Christopher J. Layton ◽  
Jason C. Steel
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Ultraviolet Radiation ◽  
Uveal Melanoma ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Genetic Mutations ◽  
High Incidence ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

Uveal melanoma (UM) is currently classified by the World Health Organisation as a melanoma caused by risk factors other than cumulative solar damage. However, factors relating to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) susceptibility such as light-coloured skin and eyes, propensity to burn, and proximity to the equator, frequently correlate with higher risk of UM. These risk factors echo those of the far more common cutaneous melanoma (CM), which is widely accepted to be caused by excessive UVR exposure, suggesting a role of UVR in the development and progression of a proportion of UM. Indeed, this could mean that countries, such as Australia, with high UVR exposure and the highest incidences of CM would represent a similarly high incidence of UM if UVR exposure is truly involved. Most cases of UM lack the typical genetic mutations that are related to UVR damage, although recent evidence in a small minority of cases has shown otherwise. This review therefore reassesses statistical, environmental, anatomical, and physiological evidence for and against the role of UVR in the aetiology of UM.

scholarly journals Riding the waves: the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on a national surgical training cohort

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Orla Hennessy ◽  
Amy Lee Fowler ◽  
Conor Hennessy ◽  
David Brinkman ◽  
Aisling Hogan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surgical Training ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Training Methods ◽  
Viral Spread ◽  
Surgical Services ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Surgical Trainees ◽  
Secondary Survey ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The World Health Organisation declared a global pandemic on the 11 March 2020 resulting in implementation of methods to contain viral spread, including curtailment of all elective and non-emergent interventions. Many institutions have experienced changes in rostering practices and redeployment of trainees to non-surgical services. Examinations, study days, courses, and conferences have been cancelled. These changes have the potential to significantly impact the education and training of surgical trainees. Aim To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on training, educational, and operative experiences of Irish surgical trainees. Methods Surgical trainees were surveyed anonymously regarding changes in working and educational practices since the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic on 11 March 2020. The survey was circulated in May 2020 to both core and higher RCSI surgical trainees, when restrictions were at level five. Questions included previous and current access to operative sessions as well as operative cases, previous and current educational activities, access to senior-led training, and access to simulation-/practical-based training methods. A repeat survey was carried out in October 2020 when restrictions were at level two. Results Overall, primary and secondary survey response rates were 29% (n = 98/340) and 19.1% (n = 65/340), respectively. At the time of circulation of the second survey, the number of operative sessions attended and cases performed had significantly improved to numbers experienced pre-pandemic (p < 0.0001). Exposure to formal teaching and education sessions returned to pre-COVID levels (p < 0.0001). Initially, 23% of trainees had an examination cancelled; 53% of these trainees have subsequently sat these examinations. Of note 27.7% had courses cancelled, and 97% of these had not been rescheduled. Conclusion Surgical training and education have been significantly impacted in light of COVID-19. This is likely to continue to fluctuate in line with subsequent waves. Significant efforts have to be made to enable trainees to meet educational and operative targets.

“Air pollution arrested not imprisoned”: The impact of laws invoked on Covid-19 city lockdowns

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Mensah Aboagye ◽  
◽  
Nana Osei Owusu ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Environmental Problem ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
World Health ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Depth Study ◽  
The Government ◽  
The Impact

Air pollution continues to be an environmental problem that poses a lot of health risks to the young and aged. Developed countries have invested heavily to curb this environmental problem, causing severe threats to human lives, yet the results do not look convincing. In developing countries, the situation is difficult than they can imagine, resulting in governments borrowing to fight what looks like a lost battle [1-3]. The in-depth study of this environmental menace - air pollution, suggests that the government enacts stringent measures to help fight this battle. This is because air pollution has natural (volcanic eruption) and anthropogenic (human activities) causes. In December 2019, the deadly Coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak was soon declared as a global pandemic by the World Health Organisation (WHO) [4]. Majority of countries have had their share of the impact of this outbreak. Many countries resorted to city lockdown to strictly control the movement of people and economic activities as recommended by WHO.

scholarly journals Live wildlife trade in markets - a scoping review to inform risk assessment of emerging infectious diseases

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victoria J Brookes ◽  
Okta Wismandanu ◽  
Etih Sudarnika ◽  
Justin A Roby ◽  
Lynne Hayes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Infectious Diseases ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Epistemic Uncertainty ◽  
Mammalian Species ◽  
Emerging Infectious Diseases ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Wildlife Trade ◽  
The Impact

Wet markets are important for food security in many regions worldwide but have come under scrutiny due to their potential role in the emergence of infectious diseases. The sale of live wildlife has been highlighted as a particular risk, and the World Health Organisation has called for the banning of live, wild-caught mammalian species in markets unless risk assessment and effective regulations are in place. Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a global scoping review of peer-reviewed information about the sale of live, terrestrial wildlife in markets that are likely to sell fresh food, and collated data about the characteristics of such markets, activities involving live wildlife, the species sold, their purpose, and animal, human, and environmental health risks that were identified. Of the 59 peer-reviewed records within scope, only 25% (n = 14) focussed on disease risks; the rest focused on the impact of wildlife sale on conservation. Although there were some global patterns (for example, the types of markets and purpose of sale of wildlife), there was wide diversity and huge epistemic uncertainty in all aspects associated with live, terrestrial wildlife sale in markets such that the feasibility of accurate assessment of the risk of emerging infectious disease associated with live wildlife trade in markets is limited. Given the value of both wet markets and wildlife trade and the need to support food affordability and accessibility, conservation, public health, and the social and economic aspects of livelihoods of often vulnerable people, there are major information gaps that need to be addressed to develop evidence-based policy in this environment. This review identifies these gaps and provides a foundation from which information for risk assessments can be collected.

scholarly journals The Impact of Covid-19 Public Health Policies on Persons with Disability and their Caregivers in Malta

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-37
Author(s):  
Andrew Camilleri ◽  
Samantha Pace Gasan ◽  
Andrew Azzopardi
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Persons With Disabilities ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Essential Services ◽  
Public Health Authorities ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Restrictive Measures ◽  
The Impact

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared a global health pandemic, due to the spread of a novel coronavirus, later named “Covid-19”. The spread of Covid-19 led to social isolation, distancing and a number of restrictive measures in Malta.  The aim of this paper is to analyse the impact of Covid-19 and the subsequent restrictive measures on persons with disability and their caregivers and families in Malta. Using thematic analysis, the study found that a variety of impacts ranging from a sense of isolation, lack of essential services being provided, additional difficulties encountered at the place of work and education and measures that were not sufficiently tailored for persons with disability issued by public health authorities. Underlying the additional difficulties brought about by Covid-19, structural difficulties to access essential services as well as ignorance from policy makers and politicians and the added “vulnerable-ization” of persons with disabilities were found to be highly impacting factors that pervade the experience of persons with disabilities and their caregivers.

29 September, International Day of Otolaryngologist

2020 ◽  
pp. 75-79
Author(s):  
Oksana Rybachok
Keyword(s):  
Injury Risk ◽  
18Th Century ◽  
Genetic Diseases ◽  
Medical Science ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Medical Practitioners ◽  
The World ◽  
Injury Risk Factor ◽  
The Impact

According to the World Health Organisation, deafness is one of the most widely spread sensory disorders in the world affecting about 360 million people worldwide. The causes of deafness can be very diverse, from genetic diseases, the impact of injury-risk factor and infectious agents to the administration of ototoxic drugs. Moreover, otolaryngologists believe that about half of deafness and hearing loss cases could have been prevented. Though otolaryngology was separated as an independent medical science in the mid-18th century, the decision to celebrate the Otolaryngologist Day on September 29 as a professional holiday for medical practitioners in this speciality was made not so long ago. This date at the end of September was chosen on purpose: the influx of patients to medical practitioners in this speciality is observed closer to the mid-autumn, after the first cold snap.

scholarly journals Using technology in teaching English at the S.S.C. level

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 142-152
Author(s):  
Sifat Ullah ◽  
Quazi Farzana
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods Research ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
English Language ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Teaching English ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Technology In Teaching ◽  
Negative Impacts ◽  
The Impact

In this an era of technology, new technologies particularly computer, multimedia, mobile phone and the internet offer possibilities for overcoming geographical and cost barriers in teaching and learning. This study attempts to trace the use of technology in teaching English at the S.S.C. (Secondary School Certificate) level in Bangladesh. It also focuses on the impact of using technology in teaching and learning English. Eight teachers and 60 students from four private schools in Dhaka city were selected to survey the use of technology in teaching the English Language. The researchers employed the mixed methods research to carry out the study where two sets of questionnaires for the teachers and the students and a semi-structured interview only for the teachers were used to collect data. The findings showed that using technology in teaching has both the positive and the negative impacts. Teachers like to use technology in their classroom but limited time and lack of training and technical support from the authority hamper the mode of teaching. The students also feel comfortable in technology affiliated classroom, but sometimes they fail to catch the concept clearly as they become inattentive due to the lack of proper engagement of the teachers in the classroom.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document