Awareness about sexually transmitted diseases in women related to their age, education and income

Objective: To assess the level of awareness about sexually transmitted diseases in females coming from different age groups and to investigate the role that education and social status may play on their knowledge. Methods: Study design: Cross Sectional Setting: CMH Lahore Gynaecology Out Patient Department Time frame: June 2019 till July 2019. Sample size: 337 Inclusion criteria: Patients included in this study presented to the CMH Gynaecology OPD during June to July 2019 and gave an informed consent about participation in the research. Exclusion criteria: Anyone who did not give consent. Data collection: Patients were given a hard copy of the questionnaire to fill. Any queries were answered on the spot. Data Analysis: SPSS version 23. Results: Of the 337 patients interviewed, 158 were aged 26-35 years. 71 patients were undergraduates and 99 had completed post graduate studies. 205 patients belonged to families with an income of less than RS.50, 000. 229 females had presented for a routine pregnancy checkup. 244 of the 337 patients had attested to know about STD’s. The most common source of their knowledge was through TV (142), followed by the internet (137). 251 of the 337 patients were familiar with limited STDs such as AIDS and Hepatitis B. Conclusion: Age, level of education and income had a profound effect on the knowledge regarding Sexually transmitted diseases amongst the women in Pakistan. Keywords: Sexually transmitted diseases, sexual and reproductive health, STD’s, STI’s, venereal diseases.

Virtual field trip to the Esla Nappe (Cantabrian Zone, NW Spain): delivering traditional geological mapping skills remotely using real data

The restrictions implemented to contain the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic during 2020 and 2021 have forced university-level educators from around the world to seek alternatives to the residential physical field trips that constitute a fundamental pillar of Geoscience programmes. The field-mapping course for second-year Geology BSc students from Cardiff University was replaced with a virtual mapping course set in the same area as previous years, the Esla Nappe (Cantabrian Zone, NW Spain). The course was designed with the aim of providing the students with the same methodology employed in physical mapping, including such skills as gathering discrete data at stops located along five daily itineraries. Data included bedding attitude, outcrop descriptions with a certain degree of ambiguity, photographs and/or sketches, panoramic photos, and fossil images. Data were provided to the students through georeferenced KMZ files in Google Earth. Students were asked to keep a field notebook, define lithological units of mappable scale, identify large structures such as thrust faults and folds with the aid of age estimations from fossils, construct a geological map on a hard-copy topographic map, draw a stratigraphic column and cross sections, and plot the data in a stereonet to perform structural analysis. The exercise allowed for successful training of diverse geological field skills. In light of the assessment of reports and student surveys, a series of improvements for the future is considered. Though incapable of replacing a physical field course, the virtual exercise could be used in preparation for the residential field trip.

New software package for archival of synoptic And upper air meteorological data

The functions of a software package of 6 programmes developed for retrieving, decoding quality control and formatting of surface and upper air coded data have been presented here in brief. Intelligent use has been made of Fortran- 77 fact1ltles to make these programmes extremely efficient. Global data for surface and upper air received on GTS for an entire day is sorted, decoded & formatted after quality control in about three and a half minutes (CPU time) on VAX 8810 system. The programmes do the management of files and can also be used for decoding the monthly data files of hard copy data. For coding of data, FGGE code has been used with very minor modifications. The results of quality control checks and number of reports received hour wise for each synoptic hour for each WMO block are monitored. Information from both is displayed on the terminal in tabular form and also recorded in disk for monthly archival.

Inflammatory Odontogenic Cysts

Cystic conditions of the jaw cause bony destruction and may cause resorption or displacement of adjacent teeth. Odontogenic cysts have developmental or inflammatory origins. To describe in detail the inflammatory odontogenic cysts, a manual search was done in hard copy books of oral and maxillofacial pathology, and an electronic search was done in the google website, oral and maxillofacial pathology E-books, PubMed, Research Gate, Academia, and Google scholar using the keywords "odontogenic cysts," "classification of the odontogenic cysts," "radicular cyst," "periapical cyst," "lateral inflammatory cyst," "residual cyst," "paradental cyst," "collateral inflammatory cyst," "treatment of inflammatory odontogenic cysts," and matching each odontogenic inflammatory cyst subtype with these words "gross description," "pathogenesis," "microscopical," clinical," "radiographical" appearance. Articles published till February 2021 were included in this review. In conclusion, an accurate diagnosis of an inflammatory odontogenic cyst requires information relative to its clinical, radiographical, macro- and microscopical findings. In many instances, two cysts that are classified differently may exhibit similar histopathological features. In such cases, clinical and radiographic findings are necessary to make a precise diagnosis.

Tourism Status and Sources of Income to Local Communities Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Implications in Biodiversity Conservation in Burunge Wildlife Management Area in Tanzania

BACKGROUNDThe COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in various negative repercussions worldwide in terms of biological conservation, the tourism sector and socioeconomic welfare. The purpose of this study was to assess and understand the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on socio-economic activities, income from the tourism sector, alternative sources of income adapted by the local communities adjacent to the Burunge Wildlife Management Area (WMA) as a means of survival, and its implications for biodiversity conservation. To assess tourism status, socio-economic activities and alternative livelihoods, interviews, semi-structured questionnaires, focus group discussions (FGDs), and key informants’ consultations were conducted on 264 respondents, of whom 53% (n = 140) were men and 47% (n = 124) were women. Secondary data were synthesized from soft and hard copy reports through an extensive literature search in order to comprehend the implications of COVID-19 and alternative livelihoods in biodiversity conservation. RESULTSThe results showed that 90.5% (239) of respondents reported being seriously affected by the emergence of COVID-19, while 9.5% (n = 25) were not affected by it. Some of the impacts of the COVID-19 as pointed out by the respondents included deflation 91.7% (n = 242), a decline in the number of customers 91.7% (n = 242), whereas others lost jobs 5.7% (n = 15). In the case of the Burunge WMA authority, revenue collection (mainly from the tourism sector) declined by 32.5% and 76.4% for the years 2019/20 and 2020/21, respectively, as compared to the revenue obtained in the year 2018/19 before COVID-19. During the pandemic, local communities adapted to several alternative sources of income, including fishing 9.5% (n = 25), Boda-Boda (motorcycle taxis) 3.4% (n = 9), agriculture 22.3% (n = 59), and livestock keeping 27.3% (n = 72).CONCLUSIONBased on the findings of this study, it is important for local communities, especially those adjacent to protected areas, to have diversified means of income that are environmentally and socially sustainable, such as fish farming and beekeeping, to reduce the impacts of unanticipated crises such as COVID-19.

Penerapan Model Algoritma Pemrograman Dalam Kehidupan Sehari-hari

Kemajuan inovatif yang cepat saat ini membuatnya sangat mudah bagi kami untuk menangani berbagai masalah. Salah satu perangkat yang digunakan untuk menangani masalah tersebut adalah PC atau komputer. Bagaimana PC bisa menangani masalah kita? Karena tentunya PC tidak bisa bekerja secara alami tanpa ada yang menggerakkan dan mengisi PC tersebut. Cara penggunaan PC cenderung digunakan untuk menangani masalah dengan perhitungan dan bahasa pemrograman. Masalah itu bisa kita atasi dengan mengikuti langkah-langkah teratur membuat program yang berisi perhitungan di dalamnya. Perhitungan adalah premis rekayasa perangkat lunak yang berkonsentrasi pada metode yang paling mahir untuk mengatasi masalah dengan memiliki pilihan untuk mencari dan menggunakan dialek pemrograman. Setiap masalah yang diselesaikan menggunakan PC harus menggunakan perhitungan sebagai bahasa pemrograman. Alat-alat ini dapat dibuat dengan dokumentasi apa pun asalkan sederhana karena tidak ada dokumentasi standar yang direkam sebagai bahasa pemrograman hard copy. Setiap orang dapat membuat dan memuat bahasa pemrograman sendiri, namun agar bahasa pemrograman tersebut dapat diuraikan, ada baiknya jika bahasa pemrograman yang digunakan adalah melalui dokumentasi pemrograman secara keseluruhan. Standar untuk membuat perhitungan adalah memiliki judul, referensi kata, dan perhitungan yang sebenarnya. Ada 3 cara umum yang dikenal untuk menunjukkan dialek pemrograman, yaitu kalimat khusus yang jelas, diagram alur, dan penggunaan program Pascal (pseudocode).

Remote Mentoring Optimizes Virtual Collection of Patient-Reported Data: A Prospective Cohort Study with Adaptive Design Conducted in COVID-19 Era.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, patients attending ambulatory clinics at cancer centers in Ontario completed the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) at each visit. At our center, completion was via touch pad, with assistance by clinic volunteers. As of March 2020, clinic appointments were conducted virtually when possible and touch pads removed. We anticipated a negative impact on the collection of patient-reported outcomes (PROs), and the recognition of severe symptoms. Methods: We performed a prospective cross-sectional cohort study to test the feasibility of remote ESAS completion by patients with appointments at a weekly surgical oncology clinic. Patients in the initial study cohort were asked to complete and return the ESAS virtually(V). Given low completion rates, the ensuing cohort was asked to complete a hard-copy(HC) ESAS. For the final cohort, we used an adaptive approach, providing remote, personal mentorship by a member of the care team to support virtual electronic ESAS completion (virtual-mentored(VM) cohort). Results: Between May-July 2020, a total of 174 patient encounters were included in the study. For the V cohort, 20/46 patients (44%) successfully completed and returned the electronic ESAS, compared to 49/50 (98%) for the HC cohort. For the VM cohort (n=78), the completion rate was 74%. Questionnaire completion was not predicted by age, sex or tumor site, although patients who completed the ESAS were more likely to be in active management rather than surveillance(p=0.04). Of all completed forms, 42% revealed a depression score ³2, and 27% an anxiety score ³4. Conclusions: We identified significant barriers to the virtual completion of ESAS forms, with a lack of predictive variables. The severe degree of psychological distress reported by ~50% of respondents demonstrates the need for ongoing regular collection/review of these data. Innovative solutions are required to overcome barriers to virtual collection of PROs.

Vaccine Knowledge, Awareness and Hesitancy: A Cross Sectional Survey among Parents Residing at Sandakan District, Sabah

Background: Incomplete childhood immunization against communicable diseases is a major concern and vaccine hesitancy remains a hurdle to overcome in primary vaccination programs. This study was to examine the parents’ vaccine knowledge, awareness and hesitancy in relation to their children’s immunization status. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire study design was used. The parents who brought their children for immunization visit or follow-up at four public health clinics located in Sandakan district were invited to participate in this survey. Informed consent was obtained before each participant completed a hard copy of self-administered questionnaire in either English or Malay versions. Results: Of 405 parents responded, they generally had good knowledge and awareness of vaccines, only a small percentage (6.8%) of parents were found vaccine hesitant. There were significant differences in vaccine knowledge and awareness in those from different education levels and employment status; similarly, these two factors also significantly affected the vaccine hesitancy among the parents. The parents’ knowledge score was found to be moderately associated with their awareness (r = 0.551, p < 0.01) and inversely correlated to vaccine hesitancy (r = −0.397, p < 0.01). Most of the children (n = 376, 92.8%) in the study were immunized. The children’s immunization status was significantly associated with the parents’ education level (p = 0.025). There was also a significant difference in the total vaccine knowledge scores between the groups of parents with different child immunization status (p = 0.05). Conclusion: This study revealed that parents with higher education had a better knowledge of vaccinations, were less vaccine hesitant and were more likely to ensure that their children complete the recommended course of immunization. It is crucial to ensure parents are well-informed about the safety and efficacy of vaccines so that the children are protected from communicable diseases by the child vaccination program.

Children’s Engagement with their Learning using E-portfolios

<p>Narrative approaches to documentation and assessment in early childhood education (ECE) encourages children to be active contributors in their own learning journey. With the growing emphasis of technology in society it is natural that this shift has transformed assessment practices with the introduction of e-portfolios. E-portfolios are seen in tertiary, secondary and primary settings nationwide and most recently have been introduced into ECE as a way to extend traditional documentation methods. As a result, documentation and the role children have in their own learning has shifted. Despite their growing popularity in early childhood settings there is very little research into the effect that e-portfolios have on teachers, parents, and most importantly, children and their learning. Given this limited research this study sought to understand the ways in which children are engaging with their learning through e-portfolios. This mixed methodology study used a national online survey as well as case studies to develop an understanding of this topic. Participants included early childhood centre educators, parents and children from settings across New Zealand. Findings revealed a distinct variation in the ways that centres are using e-portfolios to engage children with their learning. A large number of centres are maintaining both hard-copy and online versions of a child's portfolio to ensure that children are not removed from contributing to and revisiting their learning. Whilst results showed examples of children's in-depth engagement with e-portfolios, they also highlighted that many centres are not yet harnessing their full potential. These findings suggest implications for teacher practice, including the need for greater support and training for teachers. As e-portfolios are still a new phenomenon in ECE this study suggests areas of future research to investigate this topic further to improve learning outcomes for children.</p>

Children’s Engagement with their Learning using E-portfolios

<p>Narrative approaches to documentation and assessment in early childhood education (ECE) encourages children to be active contributors in their own learning journey. With the growing emphasis of technology in society it is natural that this shift has transformed assessment practices with the introduction of e-portfolios. E-portfolios are seen in tertiary, secondary and primary settings nationwide and most recently have been introduced into ECE as a way to extend traditional documentation methods. As a result, documentation and the role children have in their own learning has shifted. Despite their growing popularity in early childhood settings there is very little research into the effect that e-portfolios have on teachers, parents, and most importantly, children and their learning. Given this limited research this study sought to understand the ways in which children are engaging with their learning through e-portfolios. This mixed methodology study used a national online survey as well as case studies to develop an understanding of this topic. Participants included early childhood centre educators, parents and children from settings across New Zealand. Findings revealed a distinct variation in the ways that centres are using e-portfolios to engage children with their learning. A large number of centres are maintaining both hard-copy and online versions of a child's portfolio to ensure that children are not removed from contributing to and revisiting their learning. Whilst results showed examples of children's in-depth engagement with e-portfolios, they also highlighted that many centres are not yet harnessing their full potential. These findings suggest implications for teacher practice, including the need for greater support and training for teachers. As e-portfolios are still a new phenomenon in ECE this study suggests areas of future research to investigate this topic further to improve learning outcomes for children.</p>