bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perceptions and Practices of Health Care Professionals Regarding Coronavirus Disease-19 Pandemic
Authors: Ali Khawla F. , Buzaid Najat , Basher Momna , Bisheya Tawfeek A. , Hafidh Khadija A. , Beshyah Salem A.
Published: October 2021

Background/Aims:

Healthcare professionals (HCPs) are among the frontlines of the battle against the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Adequate knowledge of prevention and treatment practices, alongside a positive and forward attitude, are all essential for the success of the defense against COVID-19. We aimed to scope the knowledge, attitude, and practices of HCPs toward the COVID-19 pandemic at its peak time from 2 developing regions: the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

Materials and Methods:

We utilized an online, electronic survey consisting of a multiple-choice questionnaire including three domains: Knowledge, attitudes, and practices, targeting a convenience sample of HCPs from the MENA region.

Results:

Three hundred and seventy-four respondents were included in the analysis; 68.7% resided and practiced in the Middle East, while 31.3% were from North Africa. The majority (71.2%) had postgraduate degrees and were either hospital or non-hospital doctors. Regarding basic knowledge, the majority recognized the main clinical symptoms of COVID-19 and that there was no effective antiviral treatment at the time. The majority also recognized the role of supportive measures, social distancing, isolation, and treating those infected as effective ways to reduce the spread of the virus. In addition, respondents reported that through a general curfew, social distancing was either very effective (65.8%) or effective (31.9%). Respondents were mainly worried about the health of their family members, the risk of contracting the coronavirus, and the economic situation of their family. Two-thirds considered the government's reaction to the current pandemic appropriate, while about one-fifth (21.2%) reported it somewhat insufficient. However, high levels of confidence were reported in countries' abilities to control the pandemic successfully. Regarding practices, 18.5% reported having been too crowded recently, and 16.5% admitted having not worn a mask when leaving the house. Preventative measures varied widely; the best was reported for washing hands more frequently than before (80.3%), while the worst was for the likelihood of informing people around an individual if he/she developed symptoms of sickness (56.1%).

Conclusions:

HCPs exhibited a reasonably high level of basic knowledge about the COVID-19 pandemic in its early months. Despite a reportedly positive attitude toward the preventative measures, these were not matched by equally strict individual behaviors.
Management of olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients
Authors: Swain Santosh Kumar
Published: October 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a highly contagious infection of the respiratory tract by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The symptomatology of COVID-19 varies from mild symptoms such as fever and dry cough to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). There is an increasing number of patients with anosmia and hyposmia as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Currently, loss of smell is a well-recognized symptom of the COVID-19 infection, and some of the patients develop long-lasting olfactory dysfunction. Some COVID-19 patients may present with olfactory dysfunction as the only symptom or with other symptoms. The exact pathogenesis of olfactory dysfunctions is still not clear. The clinical evolution of the olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients is still unclear as the recovery reports vary significantly. There is no recommended standard treatment protocol to reduce anosmia or hyposmia due to COVID-19 infection. A short course of oral corticosteroids and olfactory training (OT) is a safe and effective option for managing post-COVID olfactory dysfunction. The efficacy of intranasal corticosteroid spray is still in doubt for treating olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients. Currently, OT is a useful treatment option for anosmia or hyposmia in COVID-19 patients. However, there is a crucial need for further studies to get better and more effective treatment options for a complete cure of the post-COVID-19 olfactory dysfunction. This review article discusses the details of the management of olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients. The literature sources included PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Medline databases and searched with word management of olfactory dysfunction in COVID-19 patients, smell disturbances, COVID-19 infections, olfactory dysfunction, and medical treatment of olfactory dysfunction.
Analysis on discard of blood and blood components in a tertiary care center
Authors: Dhote Shweta Wasudeo , Srivastava Abhiniti Rahul , Singh Iqbal
Published: October 2021

Introduction:

In contemporary medicine management, it is evident that transfusion of blood and blood components has become an integral part of the patient. Human blood has no complete substitute to date. Blood is a perishable product and hence proper management of blood inventory is very crucial. Blood being a perishable commodity, efficient management of inventories is pivotal. The challenge that blood centers are facing is to keep sufficient stock to ensure an adequate supply of blood while minimizing losses.

Aims and Objectives:

The present study is designed to analyze various causes of discard of blood and blood components.

Settings and Design:

This is an analytical and retrospective type of study, carried out in the Department of Transfusion Medicine, from January 2019 to December 2019.

Materials and Methods:

Data were collected from blood bank records and confirmed from the master register. Data were then tabulated and analyzed. Statistical analysis used is as follows: Microsoft Excel database sheet was used for analyzing the results for the calculation of percentage and the χ2 test was used.

Results:

A total of 5,753 units were collected during the study period. A total of 13,913 components were prepared. Out of which, packed red cells (PRCs) were 5691, fresh frozen plasmas (FFPs) 5592, platelet concentrate (PC) 2531, and cryoprecipitate 99. The average discard rate for PRC, FFP, PC, and cryoprecipitate was 4.95%, 2.46%, 19.12%, and 3.03%, respectively. The most common reason for PRC and platelets discard was expiry followed by positivity for transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs), whereas discard of FFPs was due to breakage in the case.

Conclusion:

The most common reason for the discard of PRCs and platelets in our study was expiry and positivity for TTI, whereas FFPs were mostly discarded due to breakage/leakage.
To compare the efficacy of oral terbinafine alone against the combination of oral terbinafine and intense pulsed light (IPL) in difficult to treat tinea patients
Authors: Pawar Suraj , Deshmukh Ashish R.
Published: October 2021

Background:

Dermatophytosis is a major health problem in developing countries, with their increase in resistance patterns toward various antifungals being the main reason for concern.

Aim:

To compare the efficacy of oral terbinafine alone against the combination of oral terbinafine and intense pulsed light (IPL) in difficult-to-treat patients with tinea.

Materials and Methods:

Patients were divided into two groups, A and B. Group A was given oral terbinafine  mg twice a day for two months. Group B was given oral terbinafine  mg twice a day and IPL once every 15 days for a total of two months. Patients were assessed every 15 days till two months and every one month for three months after the completion of treatment for any recurrences.

Results:

Among group A, out of 40 patients, 32 patients showed complete cure while only 8 showed a partial cure. Among group B, out of 40 patients, 28 patients showed complete cure while 12 showed a partial cure. Recurrence among group A was 9 patients at the end of 5 months while it was 11 in group B.

Conclusion:

Even though there is no statistically significant difference between the cure rate of both the groups, terbinafine alone is found to be superior clinically.
Androgenetic Alopecia
Authors: Oiwoh Sebastine Oseghae , Akinboro Adeolu Oladayo , Olasode Olayinka Abimbola , Onayemi Emmanuel Olaniyi
Published: October 2021

Introduction:

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a type of nonscarring alopecia with prevalence, pattern, and severity that have not been documented extensively in Nigeria and Africa. This study aimed to document AGA's prevalence and clinical characteristics among adults in Ogbomoso, Southwestern Nigeria.

Methods:

A community-based cross-sectional study of 260 consenting adults with AGA and 260 age- and sex-matched controls through a multistage sampling method. The survey for AGA was done using a pretested questionnaire. Data were analyzed with IBM SPSS version 20.

Results:

The overall prevalence of AGA was 29.95%, with a gender prevalence of 24.88% and 5.06% for men and women, respectively. The mean age of AGA was 51.32 ± 16.31 years, with a range of 24–90 years and male-to-female ratio of 4.9:1. The prevalence of premature AGA was 0.38%. Grade II vertex (13.8%) and VI (10.4%) were the most frequent male androgenetic alopecia severity grades, while grade IVa was the least common. Ludwig I was the most frequent female androgenetic alopecia severity grade (7.7%), followed by Ludwig II (6.9%) and III (2.3%). The mixed type of baldness was the most common (73.6%) phenotype, followed by frontal (20.8%), and vertex (4.2%) in men.

Conclusion:

Overall prevalence of AGA was 29.95%. The prevalence varies with location, age and gender with paternal family history as a significant risk factor. The mixed type of baldness is the most common phenotype.
Substance Use and Associated Factors among Junior Students in a Public Secondary School in an Urban Local Government area in Rivers State, Nigeria
Authors: Azi Esther Ibinabo , Maduka Omosivie
Published: October 2021

Background:

Adolescents (aged 10–19 years) are at risk of using substances, as they are known to be impressionable and eager to please. This study set out to investigate the prevalence of substance use and associated factors among junior secondary students (JSSs) in Obio-Akpor Local Government Area (LGA), Rivers State, Nigeria.

Methods:

A descriptive cross-sectional study employing two-stage sampling was used in this survey to select 398 JSSs in a public secondary school in Obio Akpor LGA. Data were collected using an adapted self-administered WHO Students' Drug Use Questionnaire, analyzed using IBM SPSS version 21.0 software, and statistical significance was set at P < 0.05.

Results:

The mean age of the respondents was 12.9 (standard deviation = 1.6) years with males accounting for 179 (45%) of respondents. The lifetime prevalence for substance use was 37 (9.4%), while those currently using substances were 4 (1.0%). Alcohol ranked the highest with 17 (45.9%) as the most frequently used substance. Eight (50%) respondents cited street vendors as their main source of getting substances. Of those who used substances, 4 (50%) did so to boost their intelligence. More males reported substance use and this was significant (χ2 = 5.1, P = 0.02; adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =2.08, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03–4.21) and being in Class 2 and 3 (AOR = 2.33, 95% CI = 1.11–4.88) predicted the likelihood of ever using substances.

Conclusion:

Substance use is present among JSSs though the prevalence is low. This presents an opportunity for primary prevention activities to address future substance use in this age cohort.
COVID-19 Risks and Extra-Protective Measures Practised among Nigerian Orthodontists and Orthodontic Residents
Authors: Adekoya Monica N. , Adeyemi Tope Emmanuel , Aikins Elfleda Angelina
Published: October 2021

Background and Aims:

There is a high possibility of transmitting the coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) in the orthodontic clinic because orthodontists and their patients are in very close contact when orthodontic care is being given. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and perception of Nigerian orthodontists and orthodontic residents about the risks of COVID-19 as well as the extra-protective infection control measures that need to be taken.

Materials and Methods:

This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study. The questionnaires were distributed and retrieved from consenting participants through an online platform. The questionnaires were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software version 23. The results were presented in tables and charts.

Results:

Out of a total of 90 members on the association's WhatsApp group as at the time the study was being conducted, a total of 48 respondents participated in this study. There were more females (60.4%) than males. Majority (97.9%) of the respondents agreed/strongly agreed that an infected patient could infect the orthodontic clinic staff members with COVID-19 while most were of the view that debonding (95.8%) and retainer delivery (70.8%) posed a risk for spread of the virus. More than half of the respondents (52.1%) considered it necessary to change N95 masks after each patient as an extra-protective measure against COVID-19.

Conclusions:

Majority of the respondents knew about the risks that COVID-19 posed to different aspects of orthodontic practice and were also knowledgeable about some of the extra-protective measures that they should take. There is a need to improve the knowledge of the participants concerning the use of appropriate mouth rinses to reduce the risks of transmission of COVID-19 in the dental/orthodontic clinic.
Case Report: An Eyelid Nodule Caused by Candidatus Dirofilaria hongkongensis Diagnosed by Mitochondrial 12S rRNA Sequence
Authors: Tirakunwichcha Suppapong , Sansopha Lalana , Putaporntip Chaturong , Jongwutiwes Somchai
Published: October 2021

A 59-year-old female living in Rayong Province, eastern Thailand, presented with painless, right upper eyelid nodule for 3 months. Upon removal of the eyelid mass, a well-circumscribed, firm globular mass with diameter about 1 cm was found. Histopathological examination revealed an immature female dirofilarial worm reminiscent of Dirofilaria repens, characterized by prominent sharp longitudinal ridges at external surface of the cuticle. Analysis of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA sequence showed that the worm belongs to Candidatus Dirofilaria hongkongensis. It is likely that some infections previously reported as D. repens based on histological examination may have actually been due to Candidatus D. hongkongensis.
Elevated Extracellular Levels of Granzymes in Patients with Scrub Typhus
Authors: Hwang Joo-Hee , Hwang Jeong-Hwan , Lee Chang-Seop
Published: October 2021

Scrub typhus is an acute febrile disease caused by Orientia tsutsugamushi, which is transmitted through chigger mites. Delayed treatment results in various complications and, in severe cases, death. Granzymes are secreted by cytotoxic T lymphocytes or natural killer cells and are known to play an important role in controlling intracellular pathogens. To date, few studies have been done on granzymes in patients with scrub typhus. In this study, granzymes A and B showed a significant increase during the acute stage of scrub typhus compared with healthy control subjects, and decreased sharply after treatment. In addition, granzymes A and B were significantly high in the moderately elevated liver enzyme group. In conclusion, it appears that the host during the acute phase of scrub typhus increases cytotoxic T-cell activity to control infection.
Real World Analysis of Response Rate and Efficacy of Oral Ketoconazole in Patients with Recalcitrant Tinea Corporis and Cruris
Authors: Arora Pooja , Sardana Kabir , Kulhari Anita , Kaur Ravinder , Rawat Deepti , Panesar Sanjeet
Published: October 2021

Recalcitrant dermatophytosis has had an alarming rise in India with concomitant decreased effectiveness of conventional antifungal agents. This has prompted the use of second-line agents for treatment. In this retrospective study, we aimed to analyze the response rate, efficacy, relapse rate, and side effects of oral ketoconazole (KZ) in the treatment of recalcitrant tinea corporis and cruris. Institutional records were reviewed for patients presenting with tinea cruris or corporis who had failed treatment with conventional antifungal drugs and treated with oral KZ. Potassium hydroxide (KOH) findings, culture reports, and response to treatment was noted based on the percentage improvement in lesions and reduction in itching compared with baseline. Fourty-three patients (mean age 31.3 years) with tinea corporis/cruris who had taken prior treatment with antifungals were recruited in the study. KOH mount and culture were positive in 76.7% patients. Trichophyton mentagrophytes was the commonest species, isolated in 62.8% of patients. Ketoconazole showed the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration on antifungal susceptibility tests with various antifungals. With a dose of 400 mg daily, 67.4% of patients were cured of disease with mean duration of 9.4 weeks. Patients having less than 40% clearance at 2 weeks had a 68.9% less probability of getting cured of disease. Of the 29 patients cured, 37.9% relapsed because of various predisposing factors. Two patients developed increase in liver enzymes on treatment. Our analysis suggests that KZ can be used as alternative drug in cases with failure to conventional antifungal drugs. Though there are relapses, these can be partially explained by various predisposing factors that support fungal survival and transmission.
Case Report: Atypical Cutaneous Presentation of Human T-cell Lymphotropic Virus Type 1-Related Adult T-cell Lymphoma
Authors: Avallone Gianluca , Trunfio Mattia , Mastorino Luca , Agostini Andrea , Merli Martina , Rubatto Marco , Caracciolo Daniele , Calcagno Andrea , Senetta Rebecca , Fierro Maria Teresa , Quaglino Pietro , Ribero Simone
Published: October 2021

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a retrovirus endemic in many parts of the world. Because of migration, cases of HTLV-1 in non-HTLV-1 endemic countries have been increasingly reported. Clinical presentation of HTLV-1 infection is highly variable, with a significant risk of diagnostic delays. Skin can be the first site affected by HTLV-1-related manifestations such as cutaneous involvement of adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) and infective dermatitis associated with HTLV-1. A 32-year-old Nigerian man was admitted to the infectious disease department for high fever, asthenia, lymphocytosis, and vesicular bullous lesions on both hand palms and lower limbs. After clinical work-up was performed, bacterial superinfected herpes simplex viurs-2 ulcers were the presenting sign of HTLV-1-related chronic type ATLL. Standard treatment based on interferon-α plus zidovudine was started, but it was poorly tolerated; therefore, switching to an off-label dual antiretroviral regimen was attempted. The increasing prevalence of HTLV-1 in nonendemic areas may enhance the development of alternative treatments with better efficacy and tolerability profiles.
Ocular Dirofilariasis Case in Thailand Confirmed by Molecular Analysis to Be Caused by Dirofilaria immitis
Authors: Somsap Yuwadee , Boonroumkaew Patcharaporn , Somsap Attawit , Rodpai Rutchanee , Sadaow Lakkhana , Sanpool Oranuch , Maleewong Wanchai , Intapan Pewpan M.
Published: October 2021

A rare ocular dirofilariasis case along with the clinical characteristics, treatment, and outcome is reported. A whitish roundworm (10.6 cm long and 0.5 mm width) emerged from the pterygium, a triangular tissue growth on the cornea of the eye, of a male patient. The worm had a rounded anterior part, mouth without lips, smooth cuticular surface, and short rounded posterior tail with spicules: these features suggested that it was a male Dirofilaria sp. Molecular identification confirmed that the worm belonged to Dirofilaria immitis. This is the first molecular confirmation that D. immitis is a causative agent of ocular dirofilariasis in Thailand: dirofilariasis is a newly emerging zoonotic disease. Physicians should be alert to zoonotic filarial worms and knowledgeable about treatment of this disease.
Incidence of Adult-Onset Epilepsy and the Contributory Role of Neurocysticercosis in a Five-Year, Population-Based, Prospective Study in Rural Ecuador
Authors: Del Brutto Oscar H. , Recalde Bettsy Y. , Mera Robertino M.
Published: October 2021

This prospective cohort study aimed to assess incidence and etiology of adult-onset epilepsy in previously seizure-free Atahualpa residents aged ≥ 20 years. Persons with adult-onset epilepsy occurring over 5 years were identified from annual door-to-door surveys and other overlapping sources. Those who emigrated or declined consent were excluded at the administrative censoring date of the last survey when these subjects were interviewed. Persons who died and those who developed incident epilepsy were censored at the time of these outcomes. Poisson regression models adjusted for demographics, education, alcohol intake, and the length of observation time, were used to estimate annual adult-onset epilepsy incidence rate ratio and cumulative incidence. Systematic neuroimaging screening was offered to participants to get insights on the etiology of epilepsy. Individuals enrolled in this cohort (N = 1,480) contributed to 6,811.6 years of follow-up. Seventeen developed incident adult-onset epilepsy, for an annual incident rate of 249.2 per 100,000 persons-year (95% CI: 130.7–367.7). Cumulative incidence was 1,245.9 per 100,000 persons (95% CI: 653.7–1,838.3) after a mean of 4.6 (SE: 0.06) years of follow-up. Six persons with incident epilepsy had neurocysticercosis (35%). Individuals with neurocysticercosis were six times more likely to develop adult-onset epilepsy than those without this disease (IRR: 6.01; 95% CI: 2.16–16.7), after adjusting for relevant covariates. The attributable fraction of incident adult-onset epilepsy due to neurocysticercosis was 30.9% (95% CI: 25.6–46.2%). This rural Ecuadorian population has a high incidence of adult-onset epilepsy, with neurocysticercosis being an important contributory cause.
Constitution as Social Contract in Contemporary Ethiopia: The Need to Re-construct Political Arrangements
Authors: Bekele Henok Kebede
Published: October 2021

Constitutions represent social contracts that accommodate subjective interests of groups within the framework of impersonal shared interests among citizens of the society at large.  This article examines the contemporary social contract theory in relation to the constitutional making process in Ethiopia. The lawmaking process of Ethiopia’s 1995 Constitution does not fulfil the procedural legitimacy of social contract because important sections of the society were neglected. The institutions created by the FDRE Constitution denote the subjectivist approaches to social contract theory thereby ignoring the impersonal interests of the society. To accommodate both the subjective ends and impersonal interests of the society, the Constitution should be reconstructed in light of the dualist contemporary social contract theory. This article argues that Ethiopia's contracting actors should consider both the subjective and impersonal interests of society. The article examines the conditions that make constitution a social contract. It also discusses the controversies concerning Ethiopia's Constitution in light of the theory of social contract, and tries to show what the Constitution should fulfil as a social contract in contemporary Ethiopia.
Cybercrime Lawmaking and Human Rights in Ethiopia
Authors: Yilma Kinfe Micheal
Published: October 2021

Ethiopia has embarked upon an ambitious project of revising a number of laws with a view to entrench human rights and democratic governance. Part of this legal reform program has been the revision of Computer Crime Proclamation No 958/2016. This article examines key aspects of the Draft Computer Crime Proclamation prepared by the Media Law Working Group from a human rights perspective. As it shall be shown in this article, making the cybercrime legal regime human rights friendly has been the overarching objective of the revision project. Most human rights concerns associated with the current cybercrime legislation are, as a result, rectified in the cybercrime Bill. However, the Bill goes overboard in embracing themes that go well beyond the scope of cybercrime legislation. With respect to the overall revision process, the article submits that the process has not been sufficiently inclusive.
Development of Blended Learning Type and Flipped Classroom-Based Cultural Arts Subjects
Authors: Nurhayati Nurhayati , Ampera Dina , Chalid Surniati , Farihah Farihah , Baharuddin Baharuddin
Published: October 2021

This research development is motivated by low learning outcomes Art Culture students of class XI software engineering 1 SMK Negeri 14 Medan. This study aims to (1) describe the design of blended learning development, (2) to describe the validity of the blended learning development result, and (3) to know the effectiveness of the use of blended learning on the subjects of Art Culture. The type of this research is development research using ADDIE model. Data in the study was collected using document recording method, questionnaire, and test. Instruments used in data collection are document recording reports, questionnaire sheets, and multiple-choice objectives. The collected data were analyzed by qualitative descriptive analysis technique, quantitative descriptive analysis technique, and inferential statistical analysis technique/inductive t-test. The results of the research show that (1) the design of blended learning development through ADDIE model consisting of analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation, (2) validation product validated from expert and user review with (a) subjects showed excellent predicated blended learning (90.53%); (b) the results of the design review indicated that blended learning was very good (93%); (c) the results of the media review indicated that blended learning was very good (95%); (d) individual trial results, small group trials, and field trials showed that blended learning predicate very good (98.82%), good (87.84%), and very good (92.55%), (3) on the efficacy test of blended learning shows that the result of t-count (22.07) t-table (2.007). This means, there are significant differences in student learning outcomes between before and after using blended. Thus blended learning is developed effectively to improve Art Culture learning outcomes.
A Study on the Development of Map and Globe Reading and Interpretation Skills in Early Childhood Education
Authors: Tarman Ilknur , Erkan Nefise Semra
Published: October 2021

In this study, the impact of the Map and Globe Use Training Program on the map and globe reading and interpretation skills of five-year-olds continuing to a preschool program was examined. A semi-experimental model with a pre-test/post-test control group was used to assess the impact of a 10-week map and globe use-training program in the preschools of three educational institutions in Turkey. In addition to the daily life experiences of the children selected for the experimental group in the study, the researchers applied the Education Program on the Use of Map and Globe, while the children in the control group continued to be given regular daily education programs by their teachers. The data were collected using the “Map and Globe Reading and Interpretation Skills Assessment Test for Children Aged Five.” As a result of the study, a statistically significant difference at the level of 0.05 was observed between the mean scores of the experimental and control group members’ map and globe reading and interpretation skills. The result reveals that the applied program is effective and permanent in providing children with map and globe reading and interpretation skills.
"Excuse my Misunderstanding": Using Intercultural Approach to teach English as a Foreign Language in France
Authors: Achieng Stella Anne
Published: October 2021

In France, the intercultural approach has been largely associated with teaching French as a Foreign language due to the multicultural and multilingual nature of the classes. There is very little research on the use of such an approach in teaching English as a Foreign language. This is due to the fact that the majority, if not all the students,  share a similar culture and common linguistic codes.  The intercultural experience, in that case, is encountered through the English program as presented by the teacher, who in most cases is also French. This paper examines the use of the intercultural approach in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) to French learners (middle school /university students) by a foreign teacher and the consideration of social representations (stereotypes) as a strategy to develop classroom participation in verbal communication. It discusses theoretical understanding of the intercultural approach and how this approach could be used in practice by drawing examples from the teacher and the learners' experiences. Data was collected through participatory observations and questioning. The research findings will show that using social representations as a strategy in intercultural approach can be instrumental to the development of verbal communication.
Promoting Girls in Science - A Longitudinal Study of Self-Concept in Profile Classes
Authors: Schulte Alena , Wegner Claas
Published: October 2021

Previous studies show that girls have a lower scientific self-concept than boys. Since interest starts declining over the course of lower secondary school, this exacerbates the issue that fewer girls aspire to choose a scientific profession. In this article, we present the concept of scientific profile classes. Profile classes pursue the goal of promoting girls by way of supporting their scientific self-concept. A longitudinal study was conducted to examine the self-concept of students in profile classes (Sample I N=53; Sample II N=54). The development of girls in profile classes was compared to both boys in profile classes and girls in the regular classes. Our results show that there is no gender difference in self-concept between girls and boys in the profile class. This study provides initial indications of how girls in profile classes develop in terms of their self-concept.
Examining Personality Differences between Scientifically Gifted and Nongifted Students: Indications for Gifted Education and Teacher Trainings
Authors: Peperkorn Colin , Wegner Claas
Published: October 2021

Gifted education needs to be constantly improved and differentiated for various types of domain-specific giftedness, especially in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects. Therefore, teachers must be adequately trained in the field of giftedness. The aim of this study was to investigate (the Big Five) personality factors in scientifically gifted and nongifted students to find potential educational adjustments that should be considered during teacher trainings. The sample consisted of N = 372 students between 4th and 7th grade (mean age = 10.62 years, 38.7% female). Scientifically gifted students showed higher scores for Openness and lower scores for Agreeableness than nongifted students. This study provides initial findings about the personality of scientifically gifted students and supports that they should be promoted through problem and action-orientated teaching. More differentiated methods should be used in further research to substantiate the presented tendencies.
Addressing Mismatch between TVET Programs and Skill Needs in the Finance and Banking Sector – A Case Study from Qatar
Authors: Said Ziad , Alhares Aws
Published: October 2021

Links between Qatar’s labor market and post-secondary education are not fully effective and often result in neglected or duplicated development of human capital. Therefore, most development efforts occur in isolation involving outmoded programs with many complacent faculty unaware of new technologies and developments relevant to labor market sectors. Analyses of secondary data from government departments and international studies were combined with a survey on “Improving and enriching the Human Capital of the State of Qatar through Identification and Development of 21st Century Skills”. This explored perception of both employers and TVET program leaders toward the skills needed for economic and social development in a changing world by meeting human capital needs through 21st century skills. A total of 85 managers and professionals completed the survey, together with 35 TVET program leaders from one university and five government TVET institutions (the survey was adapted to fit the context of TVET institutions surveyed). Thirty-two of the industry managers and professionals were from Hydrocarbon and Energy, 26 from Built Environment and 27 from Banking Finance sectors. Subsequently, 32 semi-structured interviews were conducted. Descriptive statistics using T-test and effect size for comparison, showed a major mismatch between perceptions of TVET program leaders and business finance sector’ managers and professionals in many aspects of 21st century skills requirements. These were mainly in social skills and some specific technology skills. Significantly, the study indicated weak links between employers and TVET institutions. To address these issues, minimizing the skills’ mismatch can be achieved by placing greater emphasis on reforming the curricula of Qatar’s TVET institutions, to facilitate faster transitions into the workplace.
A Preliminary Evaluation of a Digital Token Economy to Increase Student Engagement during Group Teletherapy
Authors: King Hunter , Miller-Johnson Katerra , McCulla Keely , Fischer Aaron J. , Wu Shengtian , Miller Mikey
Published: October 2021

Shortly following the temporary nationwide school dismissal amid COVID-19, the current exploratory case-study evaluated the feasibility of two engagement strategies delivered during group teletherapy: Class Dojo and opportunities to respond (OTR). Three elementary students with emotional and behavioral difficulties participated. An A-B-A design was used to evaluate the effects of Class Dojo on student engagement with therapist-delivered OTRs. Due to one student’s poor response to the contingency, an A-B-C design was used to evaluate the additive effect of student-delivered OTRs on his engagement. Results indicated moderate to high rates of student attendance, and consistently high rates of engagement for two students. When students delivered OTRs, the student who initially struggled to engage demonstrated an increase in engagement. Practical issues are discussed and recommendations are considered for future research on increasing student engagement during online settings.
Flipped Classroom on Fifth Grades’ 21st Century Skills and Scientific Epistemological Beliefs
Authors: Murat Merve , Cam Aylin
Published: October 2021

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of flipped classroom model on fifth grade students' 21st century skills and scientific epistemological beliefs. The sample of the study was consisted of 54 fifth grade students from a rural elementary school in Turkey. Quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test control group was used. As a data collection tool, “Scientific Epistemological Beliefs Scale” and “21st Century Learning Skills Scale” was used. For data analysis, independent t-test and dependent t-test were used. As a result of the study it was found that; at the beginning, there was no significant difference between the experimental and control group students’ pre-test scientific epistemological beliefs. After the implementation, there was no significant difference between the experimental and control group students’ post-test scientific epistemological beliefs mean scores. In addition, at the beginning of the study, there was no significant difference was found between experimental and control group students’ 21st century skills. After the implementation, there was no significant difference was found between experimental and control group students’ 21st century skills after the implementation.
Teacher Professional Development: Mobile and Limited Technology-enhanced Pedagogy
Authors: Barksdale Sarah , Upadhyay Bhaskar , Vernon Matthew
Published: October 2021

This qualitative case study seeks to document and understand the influence of technology integrated/supported professional development (PD) on preK-12 grade teachers in Nepal. The study focuses on the value of collaborative, university-school relationships to foster buy-in among teachers to integrate technology for increased student learning. We used the TPACK framework and sociocultural theory of learning to understand how and why technology integration at a rural school in a poor country would support more engaged pedagogy for learning. The PDs were co-designed by the researchers with teachers’ input, and further supported in its implementation when teachers tried out the new strategies in their classrooms. Data was collected utilizing methods of observations, self-reflective fieldnotes, informal interviews, and artifacts. Data analysis indicated that effective and locally suitable technology integration relies on building relationships with the teachers and school community; technology integration needs to be focused on the local needs of students and teachers based on their resources and curricular demands; and while limited (mobile) technology integration can support better learning, student-centered inquiry-based pedagogy needs to guide technology use in class. Furthermore, the study argues that recognizing and valuing local cultural and school contexts are central to successful PD in technology integration.
Impact of 3D Printing on Occupational Therapy Student Technology Efficacy
Authors: Davis Kimberly , Gurney Laura
Published: October 2021

This study examines a mixed methods experiment, evaluating the impact of 3D printing on Occupational Therapy student’s self-reported technology efficacy levels, before and after an educational module focused on 3D printing technology. Utilizing free and online software and university owned 3D printers, students were challenged to create client centered assistive devices. Software included free computer aided drafting software, slicing software, and an online design repository. Copyright and attribution licensing concepts were also addressed for design modification considerations and use in clinical settings. Participants explored adaptations of 3D designs to meet individualized client needs and integration of rehabilitative theories. Project-based implementation of 3D printing with ‘real world’ clients created increased student ‘buy-in’ and engagement. Participants were recruited from private, rural, higher education, occupational therapy students in pre-clinical lab courses. Comparisons between student groups exposed to 3D printing and a control group without exposure are assessed using quantitative and qualitative data. The control group expressed interest in further technology education in their field. Students show significant increases in technology focused self-efficacy between participant groups.
Determinants of Online Assessment Adoption in a Technical College
Authors: Or Caleb Chin Poh , Chapman Elaine
Published: October 2021

Higher education institutions have switched from the traditional paper-based assessment to online assessment in the last decade, and it is worthwhile to examine how the users have perceived such a change. While many technology acceptance studies focused on students as participants, this study examines the lecturers' perception of online assessment. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model (UTAUT) has been widely adapted for technology acceptance studies, and it is suitable for the study on online assessment systems. Unlike the findings from the original UTAUT model, performance expectancy did not have a significant effect on behavioral intention. A new relationship was found between Social Influence and Use Behavior. The UTAUT was extended with Usability, Learnability and Attitude as additional constructs. An essential aspect of this study ascertained that attitude, a construct that was absent in the original model, has a significant effect on behavioral intention.
The use of motivational interviewing skills for patient counselling in an interprofessional education learning simulation
Authors: Pouliot Jonathon , Givens Gabrielle , Morley Susan , Worley Kali , Lee Jeff , Lowery Anne , Marshall Autumn , Watson Katie , Campbell Thomas M.
Published: October 2021

Objective: Healthcare training has increasingly focused on interprofessional education (IPE) to provide students opportunities to gain competencies and learn accountability. IPE was incorporated into the curriculum by creating a course for all health science. Motivational interviewing (MI) training was added to enhance the IPE process. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of MI training in patient counselling simulations.
Methods: A cohort of students enrolled in an IPE course were evaluated on MI skills before and after receiving training. MI performance was coded using the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity (MITI) 4.2.1 scoring system. A student perception survey was also administered.
Results: A total of 210 students were included in the study. Results from the MITI indicate an improvement in the four global ratings after MI training in individual and group cohorts. For example, for the Cultivating global score, 0% reached at least a fair benchmark in the pre-training groups while 90% (individual) and 50% (group) reached the benchmark post-training. Student perceptions of IPE improved following MI training with more students strongly agreeing that working together was better for patients post-training (66.2% vs 75.5%).
Conclusion: The use of MI training in the setting of IPE setting appears to be beneficial. MI gives students a common language and approach to working with patients in an interprofessional setting.
Design and Assertion Based Verification of RISC-V Processor Subsystems
Authors: . Shruthi , S Jamuna
Published: October 2021

RISC-V is an open, free standard architecture. As its open-source architecture, it can be used in multiple applications like embedded processors, IoT, artificial intelligence, machine learning, military and defense applications. The parameters like throughput, performance, high speed etc., become essential in designing processor architecture. Pipelining is one such unique feature supported by RISC-V ISA, which basically involves the execution of multiple instructions in single cycle. This feature helps in improving the performance of the processor architecture. RISC-V ISA supports five stages of pipelining they are instruction fetch, instruction decode, execute, memory and write-back stage. The work covered in this paper involves the design and implementation of the subsystems of the RISC-V ISA which are present in different stages of pipeline architecture. The subsystems included in this work are Floating Point Unit (FPU) of Execute stage, Branch Prediction Unit (BPU) of instruction fetch stage, Forwarding Unit of execution stage, Operand Logic of decode stage and Floating-Point register file of Write-back stage. These subsystems are designed using Verilog Hardware Description Language in Xilinx ISE. Followed by the implementation the verification of the floating-point unit and the forwarding unit is performed using System Verilog Assertions in QuestaSim. The Assertion coverage report for the same is extracted.
A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Moringa Oleifera Powder on Level of Pain and the Level of Activity among Clients with Osteoarthritis in Selected Community Area at Vellore District
Authors: B Durga Devi. , . Gomathy , Devi Hemam Sangeeta
Published: October 2021

India is facing a grave public health; with the prevalence of Osteoarthritis is being greater than 40%. An experimental study was conducted to assess the effectiveness of Moringa Oleifera powder on level of pain and the level of activity among Osteoarthritis clients. Quantitative evaluative approach was used for this study and the researcher adopted a Quasi- experimental research design. The sample size of the study was 60 Osteoarthritis clients in selected community area at Vellore, in which 30 were in experimental group and 30 were in control group. According to samples convenient and availability, convenient sampling technique was used to select the samples. The researcher adopted Imogene king’s goal attainment theory as a conceptual framework. Eight different hypothesis were tested in this study. The Structured interview schedule was used to collect the demographic and clinical variables. KOOS scale was used to assess the level of pain and the level of activity. Experimental group received intervention of Moringa Oleifera powder for 21 days and control group advised to follow daily routine and no intervention was given. For both the groups, on 22nd day the researcher was conducted posttest by using same tool. The data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics in terms of frequency distribution, chi-square test. The study revealed that the mean posttest pain and activity score in experimental group was 20&17.37 respectively whereas in the control group, the mean posttest pain and activity score was 26.87&27.17. The mean difference was 6.07 &9.73. The obtained independent “t” value was 6.97 & 8.57 respectively, which is more than the table value (P<0.001) was highly significance. There is significant Association between levels of pain among Osteoarthritis clients Selected Demographic variable marital status in control group. No other demographic variables were shown any association with level of pain. The Frequency and percentage distribution
O ofício do historiador na Era Digital: entre os desafios e as potencialidades produzidas pelas tecnologias digitais
Authors: Medeiros Neta Olivia Morais de , Dantas Lidemberg Régis Santos
Published: October 2021

O presente trabalho se propõe a discutir como a virada digital traz implicações e possibilidades da aplicação das tecnologias digitais ao ofício do historiador. Se constituem como questões de pesquisa: quais são os desafios produzidos pela utilização das tecnologias digitais no ofício do historiador? Ou ainda, quais são as suas potencialidades? Metodologicamente, foi realizada uma pesquisa bibliográfica no Google Acadêmico com o uso dos descritores: “ofício do historiador”, “história digital e global” e “desafios do historiador na era digital”. A pesquisa foi realizada somente em Português, foram encontrados 4 (quatro) artigos, porém, incorporados 2 (dois) textos citados nos artigos mapeados com o uso dos descritores. Conclui-se que o desenvolvimento de pesquisas na área da História Digital e os seus desdobramentos acerca do que a cultura digital conduz aos historiadores, é fundamental para compreender as transformações que a "Era da conexão" possibilitará a esses profissionais.