Urology Residency Training During the Pandemic: A Review of the Current Literature

Background Since COVID–19 was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020, health care systems worldwide have been under significant strain. Although urology is not on the frontline of care for patients with COVID-19, every practicing urologist has been affected by the global outbreak. The objective of this review is to evaluate the impact of COVID–19 pandemic on urology residency training programs. Methods We reviewed the current evidence on urology residency training during the COVID-19 pandemic. Relevant databases (MEDLINE, Scopus, Cochrane Library) were searched for articles published to June 2021 that included residents’ or directors’ opinions on their residency training programs during the COVID-19 crisis. Results The literature search identified 72 articles. Fifteen studies including more than 2500 residents were eligible for inclusion in the analysis. During the pandemic, learning activities carried out by urology residents have been extensively affected. Worldwide, operation volume has decreased, especially for procedures in which residents were directly involved. Similarly, there has been a decline in most academic activities, and many studies have reported the negative impact on residents’ mental well-being and lifestyle. On the other hand, the lockdown provided an opportunity to review the current training system and to increase the implementation of tools such as telemedicine and smart-learning surgical skill training programs. Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in significant changes in urology residency programs worldwide, which have had a negative impact on surgical training and academic activities. Residents’ well-being and mental health have also been put at risk. However, this unprecedented situation has also generated new online learning modalities and technological innovations in the field of training in urology.

The content and load of preseason field-based training in a championship-winning professional rugby league team: A case study

This study reports on the content and periodisation of the preseason field-based training for a professional rugby league team. Thirty professional male rugby league players (26 ± 5 years, 180.9 ± 6.5 cm, 94 ± 9 kg) completed an 8-week preseason. Global positioning system devices and heart rate were used to monitor physical and physiological responses of different field-based training components (speed, conditioning, rugby skill and game-based training). Rugby skill training contributed the most to the total distance covered, conditioning was the greatest contributor to high-speed running (>15 km/h) and game-based training provided the greatest high metabolic distance (>20 W/kg) and overall external load. Game-based training provided the greatest time with heart rate ≥80% estimated maximum. The weekly preseason cycle had lower loads on Monday and Thursday whereas Tuesday and Friday produced the highest loads. The preseason described herein adopted a progressive overload comprising a weekly undulating cycle. This study emphasises how skill and games-based training contributes significantly to the overall load of a professional rugby league team's preseason with more traditional conditioning promoting high-speed running load and high metabolic load.

Rethinking of The Zone of Proximal Development: The Role of Parental Engagement in Children's Language Learning Skills

The present research investigated the efficacy of parent engagement in children's learning and achievement in the English language. It is emphasized that adult guidance in foreign language learning cannot necessarily play an influential role in children's zone of proximal development (ZPD). It seems that parents or adults should enjoy relative linguistic skills, while in Vygotsky's theory, there is ambiguity over some concepts such as adult guidance characteristics.The statistical society consisted of sixty Iranian children ranging from 9 to 10, divided randomly into three groups of experimental 1, experimental 2, and control. Children received face-to-face education while Telegram was used for their parents. The research results showed significantly more learning, skill training, parent involvement, and shared activities between children and parents in the experimental1 and experimental 2 groups compared to the control group. Moreover, a positive correlation is found between parent involvement and children's achievement in all three groups. The results also showed that parents' involvement and teaching involvement, and language skills had the most influence on parents' involvement. Furthermore, teaching engagement to parents had the most significant influence on children's activities. In addition, children's activities and language skill training had the most influence on their learning.

Application of artificial intelligence in cataract management: current and future directions

The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has brought breakthroughs in many areas of medicine. In ophthalmology, AI has delivered robust results in the screening and detection of diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and retinopathy of prematurity. Cataract management is another field that can benefit from greater AI application. Cataract is the leading cause of reversible visual impairment with a rising global clinical burden. Improved diagnosis, monitoring, and surgical management are necessary to address this challenge. In addition, patients in large developing countries often suffer from limited access to tertiary care, a problem further exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. AI on the other hand, can help transform cataract management by improving automation, efficacy and overcoming geographical barriers. First, AI can be applied as a telediagnostic platform to screen and diagnose patients with cataract using slit-lamp and fundus photographs. This utilizes a deep-learning, convolutional neural network (CNN) to detect and classify referable cataracts appropriately. Second, some of the latest intraocular lens formulas have used AI to enhance prediction accuracy, achieving superior postoperative refractive results compared to traditional formulas. Third, AI can be used to augment cataract surgical skill training by identifying different phases of cataract surgery on video and to optimize operating theater workflows by accurately predicting the duration of surgical procedures. Fourth, some AI CNN models are able to effectively predict the progression of posterior capsule opacification and eventual need for YAG laser capsulotomy. These advances in AI could transform cataract management and enable delivery of efficient ophthalmic services. The key challenges include ethical management of data, ensuring data security and privacy, demonstrating clinically acceptable performance, improving the generalizability of AI models across heterogeneous populations, and improving the trust of end-users.

The prevalence of sexual compulsivity and its correlates among adults living with HIV/AIDS attending antiretroviral therapy clinic in Gambella town, Southwest Ethiopia, 2020

Introduction Sexual compulsivity is a concealed psychiatric disease marked by intrusive thoughts followed by ritualized sexual acts. In Ethiopia, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS has recently increased. Furthermore, sexual compulsivity among adults living with HIV/AIDS receives less attention, particularly in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence of sexual compulsivity and its correlates among adults living with HIV/AIDS attending ART clinic in Gambella town, Southwest Ethiopia, 2020. Method A hospital-based study employing cross-sectional design and simple random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. Data were collected by using interview technique. A 10 item Sexual Compulsivity Scale (SCS) questionnaire was used to assess sexual compulsivity. The translated version of the questionnaire was used for data collection. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression was conducted to determine factors associated with the outcome variable at p-value < 0.05 with a 95% confidence interval. Result Out of 300 respondents, 27% (24.3, 29.2) of them were scored above the mean score of the Sexual Compulsivity Scale. Age less than 31 years old, widowed, involving in risky sexual behaviors, current substance use, not received any skill training about safer sex behaviors, and not attending support group discussion on HIV prevention were significantly associated with sexual compulsivity. Conclusion Almost one fourth of the respondents have high score for Sexual Compulsivity Scale score. Therefore, there is a need of routine sexual behavior screening program and collaboration with mental health workers for addressing the problem. Furthermore, the emphasis should be given on the identified high-risk categories.

Analysis of determinants of youth self-employment career choices

PurposeGiven the different manifestations of the unemployment crisis, the main purpose of this study was to identify what characteristics influence the participation of youth in key self-employment business options.Design/methodology/approachThe study has used both probability and nonprobability sampling techniques. Purposive sampling methods were used to identify target study areas (districts and Kebeles) while the systematic random sampling method was used to locate sample respondents. A total of 424 sample respondents were interviewed through interview scheduled questionnaires. Statistical data analysis was carried out using STATA 14 software.FindingsAgriculture, local value-added business activities, food-related services, petty trade and local transportation were common business choices where unemployed youths were engaged in. The findings of the study also showed that sex, loan size, loan repayment period and training gap were predictors of youth engagement in various self-employment career choices.Practical implicationsIncreasing loan size has a positive and significant influence on youth engagement in all self-employment business choices and has reminded us the need to revise or lift up loan size celling to assist youths in engaging in productive sectors. Similarly, the favourable correlation between female youths and value-added activities necessitates a well-designed female-specific intervention.Originality/valueAn understanding of the key determinants of youth preference to engage in specific self-employment career choices enables practitioners to intervene where necessary in supporting youth self-employment engagement. A combination of skill training, relaxed loan size and relaxed repayment is likely to gain sustainable business, which would benefit the local economy by transforming small businesses to a higher level and creating more job opportunities.

Impact of Farmer FIRST Project on Livelihood of Farmers

Under the farmer FIRST project about 400 beneficiary farmers were provided access toimproved agricultural technologies in Khordha district. Skill training and demonstration ofmodules on improved technologies on Crop, Horticulture, Livestock and Fishery wereconducted. Following the DFID framework (1999) the impact on livelihoods of farmerswas measured through finding a comparative position of physical, social, financial, humanand natural assets of the farmers before and after the adoption of the interventions. Astructured interview schedule was developed and data was collected from 87 randomlyselected beneficiaries by personal interview method twice (before i.e., in 2016-17 and afterthe intervention i.e., in 2019-20). The mean value of overall standard of living of adoptedfarmers derived through the addition of the index values of five assets was worked out tobe 2.84 in the post-adoption period against 2.41 in the pre-adoption period. Paired samplet-test indicates the positive and significant impact of the project on the livelihood of thebeneficiaries.