Substance use among street children in the city of Yaounde, Cameroon

Background Substance use is known to be more common among street children. Sometimes responsible for the runaway and repeated run-away behavior. To be able to reinsert these children, the reasons why there joined the streets, why they use substance and their pattern of substance use need to be understood. Methods We conducted a descriptive cross-sectional mix method study in February 2021 in the streets of Yaounde. We did a semi-structured interview of 159 street children using a sociodemographic questionnaire made of open questions and, the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test, version 3.0. The data were analyzed using R 4.1.0 for Windows. Results All street children were male. The most common reason for joining the streets was, questing for money, reported by one-quarter of the children. 60% of them used a substance, of which half used a substance because of peer pressure. The most commonly used substance was cannabis (36.48%), followed by Tobacco (35.85%). 14.47% were dependent on tobacco and 11.32% on cannabis. Conclusion Substance use and substance use disorders are highly common among street children of Yaounde. This needs to be addressed to facilitate their reinsertion as shown in other studies. The mechanisms that lead to the absences of girls in the streets should also be explored to see if they can be applied to boys.

Suppressing Grid-Point Storms in a Numerical Forecasting Model

The convective parameterization scheme of the Korean Integrated Model (KIM) is tentatively modified to suppress grid-point storms in the Western Pacific Ocean. The KIM v3.2.11 suffers from the numerical problem that grid-point storms degrade forecasts in the tropical oceans and around the Korean Peninsula. Another convective parameterization scheme, the new Tiedtke scheme, is implemented in the KIM. The artificial storms are suppressed in the test version because the heating and drying tendencies of the new Tiedtke scheme are stronger than those of the default KIM Simplified Arakawa-Schubert (KSAS) scheme. Based on this comparison, the KSAS scheme is modified to strengthen its heating and drying tendencies by reducing the entrainment and detrainment rates. The modified KSAS scheme suppresses grid-point storms and thus decreases grid-scale precipitation in a summertime case simulation. Twenty 10-day forecasts with the default convection scheme (KSAS) and twenty forecasts with the modified scheme are conducted and compared with each other, confirming that the modified KSAS scheme successfully suppresses grid-point storms.

Pengaruh Pemahaman Peraturan Perpajakan, Kualitas Layanan Fiskus, Tarif Pajak dan Sanksi Perpajakan terhadap Kepatuhan Wajib Pajak Orang Pribadi

The problem in this study is whether the understanding of tax regulations, quality of tax services, tax rates and tax sanctions affect individual taxpayer compliance. This study aims to determine the effect of understanding tax regulations, quality of tax services, tax rates and tax sanctions on taxpayer compliance at the Kebayoran Baru Tiga Tax Office, South Jakarta. This type of research is a quantitative method that uses the Slovin formula as a sample, so that the sample obtained is 100 individual taxpayers. Methods of data collection using survey methods, namely the authors distribute questionnaires directly and using google form. This study can explain the independent variables (tax regulations, quality of tax services, tax rates and tax sanctions) that strengthen or weaken the dependent variable (taxpayer compliance). Based on the results of the SPSS test version 25 of the tests that have been carried out, the t test results indicate that understanding of tax regulations and service quality tax authorities have a positive and significant effect on taxpayer compliance. Meanwhile, tax rates and tax sanctions have no significant effect on taxpayer compliance.AbstrakPermasalahan dalam penelitian ini adalah apakah pemahaman peraturan perpajakan, kualitas layanan fiskus, tarif pajak dan sanksi perpajakan berpengaruh terhadap kepatuhan wajib pajak orang pribadi. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh pemahaman peraturan perpajakan, kualitas layanan fiskus, tarif pajak dan sanksi perpajakan terhadap kepatuhan wajib pajak orang pribadi pada Kantor Pelayanan Pajak Pratama Kebayoran Baru Tiga, Jakarta Selatan. Jenis Penelitian ini merupakan metode kuantitatif yang menggunakan rumus slovin sebagai penentuan sampel, sehingga sampel yang didapat yaitu 100 wajib pajak orang pribadi. Metode pengumpulan data menggunakan metode survey, yaitu penulis menyebarkan kuesioner secara langsung dan menggunakan google form. Penelitian ini dapat menjelaskan variabel independen (pemahaman peraturan perpajakan, kualitas layanan fiskus, tarif pajak dan sanksi perpajakan) yang memperkuat atau memperlemah variabel dependen (kepatuhan wajib pajak). Berdasarkan hasil uji SPSS versi 25 dari pengujian yang telah dilakukan, hasil uji t menunjukkan bahwa pemahaman peraturan perpajakan dan kualitas layanan fiskus berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap kepatuhan wajib pajak. Sedangkan tarif pajak dan sanksi perpajakan tidak berpengaruh signifikan terhadap kepatuhan wajib pajak.Kata Kunci: Pemahaman Peraturan Perpajakan; Kualitas Layanan Fiskus; Tarif Pajak; Sanksi Perpajakan; Kepatuhan Wajib Pajak

An Interactive Computer Game for Improving Selective Voluntary Motor Control in Children With Upper Motor Neuron Lesions: Development and Preliminary Feasibility Study

Background Computer game–based interventions are emerging in pediatric neurorehabilitation, as they can provide two key elements for motor learning—motivating environments that enable long-term compliance, which is particularly relevant for children, and augmented feedback for improving movement performance. Objective The overall aim of this study is to develop an interactive computer play for children with upper motor neuron lesions to train selective voluntary motor control and give particular attention to motivation and feedback. We also aim to determine features that make games engaging, investigate which sensory feedback modality is noticed the fastest during play, develop an interactive game, and evaluate its feasibility. Methods We identified engaging game features by interviewing 19 children and adolescents undergoing rehabilitation. By using a test version of the game, we determined the response times of 10 patients who had to react to visual, auditory, or combined feedback signals. On the basis of the results of these two subprojects, we developed and designed a game environment. Feasibility was studied in terms of the practicability and acceptability of the intervention among 5 children with upper motor neuron lesions. Results The game features deemed the most important by pediatric patients were strategic gameplay (13/29, 45% of answers) and choice (6/29, 21%). While playing the game, an acoustic alarm signal (reaction time: median 2.8 seconds) was detected significantly faster (P=.01) than conditions with other feedback modalities (avatar velocity reduction: median 7.8 seconds; color desaturation: median 5.7 seconds). Most children enjoyed playing the game, despite some technical issues. Conclusions The careful identification of game features that increase motivation and feedback modalities that inform children quickly led to the development of an interactive computer play for training selective voluntary motor control in children and adolescents with upper motor neuron lesions.

The importance of increased processing demands in the design of Elicited Imitation tests

This study is a conceptual replication of Ellis’ ‘Measuring implicit and explicit knowledge of a second language: A psychometric study’, published in Studies in Second Language Acquisition (2005), aiming to establish the importance of including belief statements (hypothesized to increase processing demands) in the design of Elicited Imitation (EI) tests. In a between-groups comparison, 103 participants completed one of two versions of Erlam’s EI test (2006), one which required participants to make a ‘belief’ judgement, and one which did not. Both contained ungrammatical stimuli. Participants were scored for repetition of grammatical stimuli and correction of ungrammatical stimuli. An Exit questionnaire aimed to establish how aware they were of ungrammatical stimuli. Participants also completed a timed grammaticality judgement test (TGJT), an untimed grammaticality judgement test (UGJT), a metalinguistic knowledge test (MKT), and another Elicited Imitation (EI) test designed as a measure of global proficiency. Performance on each EI version was examined in relationship to performance on these measures. There was no variation between performance on either EI test version. The article underscores the need for ongoing research investigating design features of EI tests.

Contribution of the classical polymerase chain reaction in the diagnosis of a HIV-1 infected patient in Benin: a case report

Background First ambitious target by 2020 of UNAIDS is that 90% of people living with HIV know their HIV status. In people older than 18 months of age, serological confirmation test is recommended to confirm HIV infection. Case presentation Here we report the case of a patient tested positive with HIV-1, ELISA, Murex® Ag⁄Ab Combination assay (OD450 = 0.802 and cutoff-OD = 0.279) and negative by using FIRST RESPONSE HIV1-2.O CARD TEST (version 2.0) RAPID HIV CARD TEST. Viral load performed with Cobas® TaqMan® 96/Cobas® Ampliprep® was 6.49log10. The virus could be sequenced in partial gag and pol genes and belonged to CRF02_AG clade. Conclusion Conventional PCR is a complementary method for the diagnosis of inconclusive HIV-1 serologies by antibodies.

The Effectiveness of Self-Management Techniques in Group Counseling Through Google Meet To Increase Students' Interest in Online Learning During the Covid-19 Pandemic At Dr. High School. Soetomo Surabaya

The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of cell-management techniques in group counseling through google meet to increase student interest in online learning during the covid-19 pandemic at Dr. Soetomo Surabaya. The experimental method with the One Group Pretest-Postest Design is the method in this study. This study selected five subjects from class X IPS 1 who experienced low and very low category of interest in learning. In this study, it was found that 5 people experienced a very low and very low interest in learning, after the subject went through the treatment into a high and very high category, who experienced a high interest in learning, using the SPSS For Windows T test version 26.0 obtained T test or f = 11.824 on significance level of 0.001 which means significance. Based on the results of this study, self-management techniques in group counseling through Google meet to increase student interest in online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic at Dr. Soetomo Surabaya.

Scale Evaluation and Eligibility Determination of a Field-Test Version of the Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System Third Edition

Rasch and classification analyses on a field-test version of the Assessment, Evaluation, and Programming System Test—Third Edition (AEPS-3), a curriculum-based assessment used to assess young children birth to age 6 years, were conducted. First, an evaluation of the psychometric properties of data from each developmental area of an AEPS-3 field-test version was conducted. Next, cutoff scores at 6-month age intervals were created and then the validity of the cutoff scores was evaluated. Results using Rasch modeling indicated acceptable model fit statistics with reasonable reliability estimates within each developmental area. Classification results showed cutoff scores accurately classified a high percentage of eligible children. Findings suggest that scores from a field-test version of the AEPS-3 are reliable within developmental areas. To the extent allowed by state criteria, early childhood interventionists could possibly use a new field-test version of the AEPS-3 to determine or corroborate eligibility for special education services.