Search results for: risky sexual practice

Authors: Anette Hay, Zama Simamane

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Capacity-building and integration of practical activities is one of the key SDGs of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This paper will focus on SDG# 17 – “the means of implementation” - and the role of systems thinking in practice (STiP) in supporting both competence and SDG implementation capability in teacher education curricula at North-West University, South Africa. The “Environmental Management for Sustainability” module (EDTM 312), which is compulsory for all students enrolled in the education program at North-West University, will be used as a case study. There is a need for higher education to implement and practically integrate SDG goals into their curricula, and one way to achieve this is through the development of competencies. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) has the potential to offer approaches that can be useful in the development of capacity-building activities to foster sustainability. The methodological approach adopted is based on a participatory paradigm followed by two cycles and reflection. This paper focuses on systems thinking in practice demonstrating how students apply and reflect on competencies to situations and how praxis captures the actual experiences. The results of this research indicated how to re-orientate the EDTM 312 curriculum to include an environmental justice focus. This research shares practical knowledge of systems thinking as a sustainability competency.

Keywords: education for sustainable development, environmental justice competencies, sustainable development goals, systems thinking in practice

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Authors: Su Yen Chen

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ChatGPT has shown both strengths and limitations in clinical, educational, and research settings, raising important concerns about accuracy, transparency, and ethical use. Despite an improved understanding of user acceptance and satisfaction, there is still a gap in how general AI perceptions translate into practical applications within healthcare. This study focuses on examining the perceptions of ChatGPT's impact among 266 healthcare majors in Taiwan, exploring its implications for their career development, as well as its utility in clinical practice, medical education, and research. By employing a structured survey with precisely defined subscales, this research aims to probe the breadth of ChatGPT's applications within healthcare, assessing both the perceived benefits and the challenges it presents. Additionally, to further enhance the comprehensiveness of our methodology, we have incorporated qualitative data collection methods, which provide complementary insights to the quantitative findings. The findings from the survey reveal that perceptions and usage of ChatGPT among healthcare majors vary significantly, influenced by factors such as its perceived utility, risk, novelty, and trustworthiness. Graduate students and those who perceive ChatGPT as more beneficial and less risky are particularly inclined to use it more frequently. This increased usage is closely linked to significant impacts on personal career development. Furthermore, ChatGPT's perceived usefulness and novelty contribute to its broader impact within the healthcare domain, suggesting that both innovation and practical utility are key drivers of acceptance and perceived effectiveness in professional healthcare settings. Trust emerges as an important factor, especially in clinical settings where the stakes are high. The trust that healthcare professionals place in ChatGPT significantly affects its integration into clinical practice and influences outcomes in medical education and research. The reliability and practical value of ChatGPT are thus critical for its successful adoption in these areas. However, an interesting paradox arises with regard to the ease of use. While making ChatGPT more user-friendly is generally seen as beneficial, it also raises concerns among users who have lower levels of trust and perceive higher risks associated with its use. This complex interplay between ease of use and safety concerns necessitates a careful balance, highlighting the need for robust security measures and clear, transparent communication about how AI systems work and their limitations. The study suggests several strategic approaches to enhance the adoption and integration of AI in healthcare. These include targeted training programs for healthcare professionals to increase familiarity with AI technologies, reduce perceived risks, and build trust. Ensuring transparency and conducting rigorous testing are also vital to foster trust and reliability. Moreover, comprehensive policy frameworks are needed to guide the implementation of AI technologies, ensuring high standards of patient safety, privacy, and ethical use. These measures are crucial for fostering broader acceptance of AI in healthcare, as the study contributes to enriching the discourse on AI's role by detailing how various factors affect its adoption and impact.

Keywords: ChatGPT, healthcare, survey study, IT adoption, behaviour, applcation, concerns

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Authors: Shabnam

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The purpose of this study was to see importance of successful intelligence in education which can enhance achievement. There are a number of researches which have tried to apply psychological theories of education and many researches emphasized the role of thinking and intelligence. While going through the various researches, it was found that many students could learn more effectively than they do, if they were taught in a way that better matched their patterns of abilities. Attempts to apply psychological theories to education can falter on the translation of the theory into educational practice. Often, this translation is not clear. Therefore, when a program does not succeed, it is not clear whether the lack of success was due to the inadequacy of the theory or the inadequacy of the implementation of the theory. A set of basic principles for translating a theory into practice can help clarify just what an educational implementation should (and should not) look like. Sternberg’s theory of successful intelligence; analytical, creative and practical intelligence provides a way to create such a match. The results suggest that theory of successful intelligence provides successful interventions in classrooms and provides a proven model for gifted education. This article presents principles for translating a triarchic theory of successful intelligence into educational practice.

Keywords: successful intelligence, analytical, creative and practical intelligence, achievement, success, resilience

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Authors: Xinchen Zhu

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The rapid fame of the renowned female film star Tang Wei has made her a typical subject (or object) entangled with sensitive issues involving the official ideology, sexuality, and patriarchal values of contemporary China. In 2008, Tang Wei’s official ban has triggered the wave of debates concerning state power and censorship, actor’s rights, sexual ethics, and feminism in the public sphere. Her ban implies that Chinese film censorship acts as a key factor in reconstructing Chinese film stardom. Following the ban, as sensational media texts are re-interpreting the official discourses, the texts also functioned as a crucial vehicle in reconstructing Tang's female image. Therefore, the case study of Tang's film stardom allows us to further explore how female stardom has been entangled with the issues involving official ideology, female sexual ethics, and patriarchal values in contemporary China. This paper argues that Chinese female film stars shoulder the responsibility of film acting which would conform to the official male-dominated values. However, with the development of the Internet, the state no longer remains an absolute control over the new venues. The netizens’ discussion about her ban reshaped Tang’s image as a victim and scapegoat under the unfair oppression of the official authority. Additionally, this paper argues that similar to State’s discourse, netizens’ discourse did not reject patriarchal values, and in turn emphasized Tang Wei’s female chastity.

Keywords: film censorship, Chinese female film stardom, party-state’s power, national discourses, Tang Wei

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Authors: Marine Nozadze, George Japoshvili, George Melika

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In 2020-2021 we studied oaks gall wasps of different oak species in Georgia at 7 locations of their natural distribution: 1. Quercuse petrea subsp. iberica - Mtskheta municipality, village. Mukhattskaro; 2. Quercus subsp. pendunculifloria - Kvareli municipality, village. Gramy;3. Quercus robur subsp. imeretina -Baghdati Municipality, Ajameti Reserve; 4. Quercus pontica -Chokhatauri municipality, village. Tskhratskaro; 5. Quercus macranthera -Tetritskaro Municipality, Algeti National Park; 6. Quercuse petrea subsp. iberica - Shuakhevi municipality, village. Uchamba 7. Quercus hartwissiana - Baghdatis municipality, village. Dimi. Samples were collected from early spring to late autumn. As a result, 7 forms of galls were collected and described wich caused by different species of oak gall wasps: 1. Neuroterus numismalis asexual gall 2. Neuroterus quercusbaccarum asexual galls 3. Cynips korsakovi asexual gall 4. Biorhiza pallida sexual gall 5. Neuroterus quercusbaccarum asexual galls 6. Neuroterus numismalis sexual gall 7. Cynips quercusfolii. Neuroterus quercusbaccarum asexual galls form the most represented of them: In Algeti National Park; In Mtskheta municipality; In Shuakhevi municipality and Ajameti reserve. The most damaged locations by oak gall wasps were Algeti National Park and Mtskheta Municipality, whereas the most biodiversity according to galls form was represented In Algeti National Park.

Keywords: gall wasps, oak, cynipidae, species

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Authors: Hamid Reza Khodaei, Behnaz Mahdavi, Alireza Banitaba

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Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in all sexual activities of animals. It is made in body from NO syntheses enzyme and L-arginin molecule. NO can make band with sulfur-iron complexes and due to production of steroid sexual hormones related to enzymes which have this complex, NO can change the activity of these enzymes. NO affects many cells including endothelial cells of veins, macrophages and mast cells. These cells are found in testis leydig cells and therefore are important source of NO in testis tissue. Minimizing damages to sperm at the time of sperm freezing and thawing is really important. The goal of this study was to determine the function of NO before freezing and its effects on quality and viability of sperms after thawing and incubation. 4 Holstein bulls were selected from the age of 4, and artificial insemination was done for 3 weeks (2 times a week). Treatments were 0, 10, 50 and 100 nm of sodium nitroprusside (SNP). Data analysis was performed by SAS98 program. Also, mean comparison was done using Duncan's multiple ranges test (P<0.05). Concentrations used were found to increase motility and viability of spermatozoa at 1, 2 and 3 hours after thawing significantly (P<0.05) but there was no significant difference at zero time. SNP levels reduced the amount of lipid peroxidation in sperm membrane, increased acrosome health and improved samples membranes especially in 50 and 100 nm treatments. According to results, adding SNP to semen diluents increases motility and viability of spermatozoa. Also, it reduces lipid peroxidation in sperm membrane and improves sperm function.

Keywords: sperm motility, nitric oxide, lipid peroxidation, spermatozoa

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Authors: Rosemary R. Carlton, Roxane Caron

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Almost three decades ago, bell hooks (1994) identified the classroom as “the most radical space of possibility in the academy”. A feminist scholar, educator, and activist, hooks urged educators to transgress the boundaries of what might be customary or considered acceptable in teaching, thus encouraging the pursuit of new ways of knowing and different strategies for sharing knowledge. This paper reflects upon a particular response to hooks’ still relevant call for transgression in teaching. Specifically, this paper reports on the design, implementation, and preliminary analysis of a social work course integrating active pedagogy and transnational exchange to encourage students’ critical thinking and autonomous learning in their development as social workers in a global context. The bachelor’s level course, Pratiques spécifiques: Projet international, was developed collaboratively across three francophone institutions of higher learning in Belgium, Canada, and France: the Haute École de Namur-Liège-Luxembourg (Hénallux); the Université de Montréal; and, the Institut d’enseignement supérieur et professionnel, l’IRTS Paris Île-de-France. The driving aims of the course are to promote autonomous learning and critical thinking through a lens of transnational understandings of social problems -competencies indispensable to students’ development as social workers. The course is offered to two paired cohorts, one addressing the subject of “migrations” (Canada/France) and the other the subject of “sexual exploitation” (Canada/Belgium). Through the adaptation of a critical pedagogy of problem-based learning, students are called upon to actively engage in acquiring and applying knowledge to respond to “real life” social issues relating to migration or sexual exploitation. At the conclusion of the course, each cohort of students is brought together for a week-long intensive period of transnational exchange either at the Université de Montréal in Canada or at Hénallux in Belgium. Extending the bounds of the classroom across international borders allows students novel opportunities to deepen and expand their understandings of issues relating to predefined social issues and to critically examine associated social work practices. The paper opens with a presentation of the social work course. Specifically, the authors will outline their adaptation of a pedagogy of problem-based learning integrating transnational exchange in the design and implementation of the course. Returning to hooks’ notion of transgression in teaching, the paper offers a preliminary analysis of how and with what effect the course provides opportunities to transgress hierarchical student-teacher relationships; transgress conventional modes of learning to explore diverse sources of knowledge and transgress the walls of the university to engage with and learn from local and global partners. The paper concludes with a consideration of the potential influence of such transgressions in teaching for students’ development of critical thinking in their practice of social work in global context.

Keywords: active learning, critical pedagogy, social work intervention, transnational learning

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Authors: Melissa C. LaDuke

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The purpose of this literature review was to identify the use of online communities of practice (CoPs) within e-learning environments as a method to build social interaction and student-centered educational experiences. A literature review was conducted to survey and collect scholarly thoughts concerning CoPs from a variety of sources. Data collected included best practices, ties to educational theories, and examples of online CoPs. Social interaction has been identified as a critical piece of the learning infrastructure, specifically for adult learners. CoPs are an effective way to help students connect to each other and the material of interest. The use of CoPs falls in line with many educational theories, including situated learning theory, social constructivism, connectivism, adult learning theory, and motivation. New literacies such as social media and gamification can help increase social interaction in online environments and provide methods to host CoPs. Steps to build and sustain a CoP were discussed in addition to CoP considerations and best practices.

Keywords: community of practice, knowledge sharing, social interaction, online course design, new literacies

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Authors: Shairn Hollis-Turner

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The changing demands of workplace practice in the field of business information and administration have placed considerable pressure on educators to prepare students for the world of work. In this paper, we argue that appropriate forms of work-integrated learning (WIL) could enhance learning experiences in higher education and support educators to meet industry needs for changing times. The study aims to enhance business information and administration education from a practice perspective. The guiding research question is: How can a systematic understanding of work-integrated learning practices enhance learning experiences in higher education? The research design comprised comparative case studies across three countries and was framed by Activity Theory. Analysis of the findings highlighted the similarities across WIL systems for higher education practices and the differences within the activity systems. The findings showed similarities in program practice, content, placement, and in the struggles of students to find placements. The findings also showed misalignments between WIL preparation, delivery, and future focus of WIL at these institutions. The findings suggest that employment requirements vary across countries and that systems could be improved to meet the demands of workplace practice for changing times for the benefit of students’ learning and employability.

Keywords: business administration, business information, knowledge, post graduate diploma

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Authors: Rebecca Heron, Julie Karsten, Lena Schweikert

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Adverse consequences of stigma towards pedophilia can, among other things, increase dynamic risk factors for sexual offending. Decreasing stigma, therefore, is a plausible approach in the attempt to prevent child sexual abuse. Stigma research suggests that providing direct contact to a stigmatized individual is the most efficient way of reducing stigma. The present study involved an educational intervention, followed by direct contact to a pedophile, to maximize effectiveness. It aimed at finding out whether a dichotomous anti-stigma intervention can change psychology students' attitudes towards pedophiles regarding perceived dangerousness, intentionality, deviance, and punitive attitudes. In a one sample pre-post design, 162 students of the University of Groningen attended a lecture about pedophilia, which was held by a psychology master’s student. Participants learned about child sex offending and pedophilia in addition to the importance of distinguishing between pedophiles and child sex offenders (CSOs). The guest lecturer Gabriel, shared his experiences about growing up, coping, and living with pedophilia. Results of the Wilcoxon signed-rank test revealed significantly diminished negative attitudes towards pedophiles after the intervention. Students perceived pedophiles as less dangerous, having less intent, and being less psychologically deviant. Additionally, students' punitive attitudes towards pedophiles diminished significantly. Also, a thematic analysis revealed that students were highly interested in the topic of pedophilia and greatly appreciative of Gabriel sharing his story. This study was the first to provide direct contact with a pedophile within an anti-stigma intervention.

Keywords: pedophilia, anti-stigma intervention, punitive attitudes, attitude change

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Authors: W. L. Tsang, H. Y. Li, S. L. Wong, T. Y. Kwok, S. C. Yuen, S. S. Kwok, P. S. Ko, S. Y. Lau

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Introduction: Palliative care is no doubt necessary in surgery. When one looks at studies of what patients with life-threatening illness want and compares to what they experience in surgical units, the gap is huge. Surgical nurses, being patient advocates, should engage with patients and families sooner rather than later in their illness trajectories to consider how to manage the illness, not just their capacity to survive. Objective: This clinical practice guide aims to fill the service gap of palliative care in surgery by producing a quality-driven, evidence-based yet straightforward clinical practice guide based on a focus strategy. Methodology: In line with Guide to Good Nursing Practice: End-of-Life Care recommended by Nursing Council of Hong Kong and the strategic goal of improving quality of palliative care proposed in HA Strategic Plan 2017-2022, multiple phases of work were undertaken from July 2015 to December 2017. A pragmatic clinical practice guide for surgical patients facing life-threatening conditions was developed based on assessments on knowledge of and attitudes towards end-of-life care of surgical nurses. Key domains, including preparation for bereavement, nursing care for imminently dying patients and at the dying scene were crystallized according to the results of the assessments and the palliative care checklist formulated by UCH Palliative Care Team. After a year of rollout, its content was refined through analyses of implementation in routine practice and consensus opinions from frontline nurses. Results and Outcomes: This clinical practice guide inspires surgical nurses with the art of care to provide for patients’ comfort, function, and longevity. It provides practical directions and assists nurses to master the skills on advance care planning and learn how to be clear with patients, families and themselves about the realities of the disease pictures. Through the implementation, patients and families are included in the decision process, and their wishes are honored. The delivery of explicit and high-quality palliative care maintains good nurse-to-patient relations and enhances satisfaction of hospital care of patients and families. Conclusion: Surgical nursing has always been up to the unique challenges of the era. This clinical practice guide has become an island of credibility for our nurses as they traverse the often stormy waters of life-limiting illness.

Keywords: palliative care delivery, palliative care in surgery, hospice care, end-of-life care

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Authors: Chinyama Lukama, Million Phiri, Namuunda Mutombo

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Background: Improving access and utilization to high-quality sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and services, including family planning (FP) commodities, is central to the global developmental agenda of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Despite the importance of family planning use in enhancing maternal health outcomes and fertility reduction, the prevalence of adolescents and young women using modern contraception is generally low in SSA. Zambia is one of the countries in Southern Africa with a high prevalence of teenage pregnancies and fertility rates. Despite many initiatives that have been implemented to improve access and demand for family planning commodities, utilization of FP, especially among adolescents and young women, has generally been low. The objective of this research agenda was to better understand the determinants of modern contraceptive use in adolescents and young women in Zambia. This analysis produced findings that will be critical for informing the strengthening of sexual and reproductive health policy strategies aimed at bolstering the provision and use of maternal health services in order to further improve maternal health outcomes in the country. Method: The study used the recent data from the Demographic and Health Survey of 2018. A sample of 3,513 adolescents and young women (ADYW) were included in the analysis. Multilevel logistic regression models were employed to examine the association of individual and contextual factors with modern contraceptive use among adolescents and young women. Results: The prevalence of modern contraception among sexually active ADYW in Zambia was 38.1% [95% CI, 35.9, 40.4]. ADYW who had secondary or higher level education [aOR = 2.16, 95% CI=1.35–3.47], those with exposure to listening to the radio or watching television [aOR = 1.26, 95% CI=1.01–1.57], and those who had decision-making power at household level [aOR = 2.18, 95% CI=1.71–2.77] were more likely to use modern contraceptives. Conversely, strong neighborhood desire for large family size among ADYW [aOR = 0.65 95% CI = 0.47–0.88] was associated with less likelihood to use modern contraceptives. Community access to family planning information through community health worker visits increased the likelihood [aOR = 1.48, 95% CI=1.16–1.91] of using modern contraception among ADYW. Conclusion: The study found that both individual and community factors were key in influencing modern contraceptive use among adolescents and young women in Zambia. Therefore, when designing family planning interventions, the Government of Zambia, through its policymakers and sexual reproductive health program implementers at the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with stakeholders, should consider the community context. There should also be deliberate actions to encourage family planning education through the media.

Keywords: adolescents, young women, modern contraception use, fertility, family planning

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Authors: Sopian Brahim, Mohd Suhaimi Mohamad, Ezarina Zakaria, Norulhuda Sarnon

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This study aims to explore the practical experience of child welfare case workers and professionalism in the child case management in Malaysia. This paper discusses the specific social work practice competency and challenges faced by child caseworkers in the fieldwork. This research is qualitative with Grounded Theory approach. Four sessions of Focused Group Discussion (FGD) have been conducted involving a total of 27 caseworkers (child protector and probation officers) in the Klang Valley. The study found that the four basic principles of knowledge in child case management namely: 1. Knowledge in child case management, 2. Professional values of caseworkers towards children, 3. skills in managing cases, and 4. Culturally competence practice in child case managemenr. In addition, major challenges faced in the child case management are the capacity and commitment of the family in children's rehabilitation program, the credibility of the case worker are being challenge and challenges in support system from intra and inter-agency. This study is important for policy makers to take into account the capacity and needs of the child's case worker in accordance with national social work competency framework thereby improving case management services for children more systematically in line with national standards.

Keywords: social work practice, child case management, competency-based knowledge, professionalism

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Authors: Sarah Saad Alamer, Shujon Mohammed Alazzam, Amjad Khater Alanazi, Mohamed Ahmed Sankari, Jana Sameer Sendy, Saleh Al-Khaldi, Khaled Allam, Amani Badawi

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Background: Self-medication is defined as the selection of medicines by individuals to treat self-diagnosed. There are a lot of concerns about the safety of long-term use of nonprescription ophthalmic drugs, which may lead to a variety of serious ocular complications. Topical steroids can produce severe eye-threatening complications, including the elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP) with possible development of glaucoma and infrequent optic nerve damage. In recent times, many OTC ophthalmic preparations have been possible without a prescription. Objective: In our study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of self-medication ocular topical steroid practice and associated factors among adult ophthalmic patients attending King Saud medical city. Methods: This study was conducted as a cross-sectional study, targeting participants aged 18 years old or above who had used topical steroids eye drops to determine the prevalence of self-medication ocular topical steroid practice and associated factors among adult patients attending ophthalmology clinic in King Saud Medical City (KSMC) in the central region. Results: A total of 308 responses, 92(29.8%) were using ocular topical, 58(18.8%) with prescription, 5(1.6%) without prescription, 29(9.4%) with and without prescription while 216(70.1%) did not use it. The frequency of using ocular topical steroids without a prescription among participants was 11(12%) once and 33 (35%) many times. 26(28.3%) were having complication, mostly 11(12.4%) eye infection, 8(9%) Glaucoma, 6 (6.7%) Cataracts. Reasons for self-medication ocular topical steroid practice among participants were 14 (15.2%) repeated symptoms, 11(15.2%) had heard an advice from a friend, 11 (15.2%) thought they had enough knowledge. Conclusion: Our study reveals that, even though detecting a high level of knowledge and acceptable practices and attitudes among participants, the incidence of self-medication with steroid eye drops was observed. This practice is mainly due to participants having repeated symptoms and thinking they have enough knowledge. Increasing the education level of patients on self-medication steroid eye drops practice and it is associated complications would help reduce the incidence of self-medication steroid eye drops practice.

Keywords: self-medication, ophthalmic medicine, steroid eye drop, over the counter

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Authors: Aoife Prendergast

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The synergy between theory and practice can be considered elusive, the touchstone for the development of successful undergraduate programmes particularly in allied health professions such as social care. A 'pracademic' is a person who spans both the somewhat ethereal world of academia as a scholar and the pragmatic world of practice. This paper examines the concept of 'pracademia' in relation to the role of the social care practitioner and continuing professional development. It also assists in the understanding of the synergy between social care professionals and higher education. A consideration of the identity and position in terms of approach to regulation is explored as well as an acknowledgement of the strengths and opportunities for sharing power in hierarchical positions. The world of practice serves as the centre point of the academic compass for most professional programs. Just as schools of engineering and law are disciplined by the marketplace, which seeks well-trained students, so our social care programmes must perennially find ways to address the fast changing needs of practitioners, whether they be government, not-for-profit organizations, consulting firms or contractors. We may not expect such traditional academic disciplines as history, sociology, or political science to cater to the needs of external audiences or practitioners— indeed, these disciplines' insulation from public concerns and issues is considered a strength by some. This paper aims to explore the integration of academic teaching and research with the communities of practice in social care. This appears to be a fundamental aspiration of the social care profession. While building and integrating an important body of academic theory and concepts from a variety of disciplines, social care as a field has embraced a professional orientation by seeking to be relevant to practitioners at various levels. While teaching theory, social care programmes, and faculty are often acutely aware that their academic content and credibility, in part, rest on a deep connection with practitioners. While theory can be self-contained, the impact of our research and teaching arguably finds its most compelling and highest audience when it addresses the agenda items and concerns of practitioners.

Keywords: social care, pracademia, supervision, practice education

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Authors: Atucungwiire Rwebiita

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Introduction: In Uganda, provision of adolescent sexual reproductive health and rights (SRHR) services for key population is still hindered by negative attitudes, stigma and discrimination (S&D) at both the community and facility levels. To address this barrier, Integrated Community Based Initiatives (ICOBI) with support from SIDA is currently implementing a quality improvement (QI) innovative approach for strengthening the capacity of key population (KP) peer leaders and health workers to deliver friendly SRHR services without S&D. Methods: Our innovative approach involves continuous mentorship and coaching of 8 QI teams at 8 health facilities and their catchment areas. Each of the 8 teams (comprised of 5 health workers and 5 KP peer leaders) are facilitated twice a month by two QI Mentors in a 2-hour mentorship session over a period of 4 months. The QI mentors were provided a 2-weeks training on QI approaches for reducing S&D against young key populations in the delivery of SRHR Services. The mentorship sessions are guided by a manual where teams base to analyse root causes of S&D and develop key performance indicators (KPIs) in the 1st and 2nd second sessions respectively. The teams then develop action plans in the 3rd session and review implementation progress on KPIs at the end of subsequent sessions. The KPIs capture information on the attitude of health workers and peer leaders and the general service delivery setting as well as clients’ experience. A dashboard is developed to routinely track the KPIs for S&D across all the supported health facilities and catchment areas. After 4 months, QI teams share documented QI best practices and tested change packages on S&D in a learning and exchange session involving all the teams. Findings: The implementation of this approach is showing positive results. So far, QI teams have already identified the root causes of S&D against key populations including: poor information among health workers, fear of a perceived risk of infection, perceived links between HIV and disreputable behaviour. Others are perceptions that HIV & STIs are divine punishment, sex work and homosexuality are against religion and cultural values. They have also noted the perception that MSM are mentally sick and a danger to everyone. Eight QI teams have developed action plans to address the root causes of S&D. Conclusion: This approach is promising, offers a novel and scalable means to implement stigma-reduction interventions in facility and community settings.

Keywords: key populations, sexual reproductive health and rights, stigma and discrimination , quality improvement approach

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Authors: Petcharat Lovichakorntikul, John Walsh

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Meditation is in the process of becoming a globalized practice and its benefits have been widely acknowledged. The first wave of internationalized meditation techniques and practices was represented by Chan and Zen Buddhism and a new wave of practice has arisen in Thailand as part of the Phra Dhammakaya temple movement. This form of meditation is intended to be simple and straightforward so that it can easily be taught to people unfamiliar with the basic procedures and philosophy. This has made Phra Dhammakaya an important means of outreach to the international community. One notable aspect is to encourage adults to become like children to perform it – that is, to return to a naïve state prior to the adoption of ideology as a means of understanding the world. It is said that the Lord Buddha achieved the point of awakening at the age of seven and Phra Dhammakaya has a program to teach meditation to both children and adults. This brings about the research question of how practitioners respond to the practice of meditation and how should they be taught? If a careful understanding of how children behave can be achieved, then it will help in teaching adults how to become like children (albeit idealized children) in their approach to meditation. This paper reports on action research in this regard. Personal interviews and focus groups are held with a view to understanding self-learning methods with respect to Buddhist meditation and understanding and appreciation of the practices involved. The findings are considered in the context of existing knowledge about different learning techniques among people of different ages. The implications for pedagogical practice are discussed and learning methods are outlined.

Keywords: Buddhist meditation, Dhammakaya, meditation technique, pedagogy, self-learning

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Authors: Deanna Ruano-Meas, Laura Shenkman

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Variances are seen in the way healthcare personnel (HCP) don and doff PPE risking contamination to self and others. By standardizing practice, variances in technique decrease, and so does the risk of contamination. To implement this change, the Model for Improvement will be used. A system change will be developed that will outline the role of the organizational leader’s support of HCP in the proper donning and doffing of PPE. Interventions will include environmental surveys to assess the safety and work situation ensuring a permissible environment, plan audits to confirm consistency, and the assessment of PPE wear for standardization. The change will also include an educational plan that will involve instruction of the current guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to all pertinent HCP, and the incorporation of PPE education in yearly educational training. The goal is a standardized practice and a reduced risk of contamination through education and organizational support. Personal protective equipment has had recent attention with the coming of the SARS-CoV-2. The realization that proper technique is important to decreasing contamination of pathogens has led to the revising of current processes.

Keywords: donning and doffing, HAI, infection control, PPE

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Authors: A van Onselen, C. M. Walsh, F. J. Veldman, C. Brand

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Objectives: To determine the nutritional status and risk factors associated with women practicing geophagia in QwaQwa, South Africa. Materials and Methods: An observational epidemiological study design was adopted which included an exposed (geophagia) and non-exposed (control) group. A food frequency questionnaire, anthropometric measurements and blood sampling were applied to determine nutritional status of participants. Logistic regression analysis was performed in order to identify factors that were likely to be associated with the practice of geophagia. Results: The mean total energy intake for the geophagia group (G) and control group(C) were 10324.31 ± 2755.00 kJ and 10763.94 ± 2556.30 kJ respectively. Both groups fell within the overweight category according to the mean body mass index (BMI) of each group (G= 25.59 kg/m2; C= 25.14 kg/m2). The mean serum iron levels of the geophagia group (6.929 μmol/l) were significantly lower than that of the control group (13.75 μmol/l) (p = 0.000). Serum transferrin (G=3.23g/l; C=2.7054g/l) and serum transferrin saturation (G=8.05%; C=18.74%) levels also differed significantly between groups (p=0.00). Factors that were associated with the practice of geophagia included haemoglobin (Odds ratio (OR):14.50), serum-iron (OR: 9.80), serum-ferritin (OR: 3.75), serum-transferrin (OR: 6.92) and transferrin saturation (OR: 14.50). A significant negative association (p=0.014) was found between women who were wage-earners and those who were not wage-earners and the practice of geophagia (OR: 0.143; CI: 0.027; 0.755). These findings seem to indicate that a permanent income may decrease the likelihood of practising geophagia. Key findings: Geophagia was confirmed to be a risk factor for iron deficiency in this community. The significantly strong association between geophagia and iron deficiency emphasizes the importance of identifying the practice of geophagia in women, especially during their child bearing years. Further research to establish whether the practice of geophagia is a cause of iron-deficiency, or whether it is the consequence thereof, would give a clearer view on how to recognise and treat the condition.

Keywords: geophagia, iron deficiency anaemia, dietary intake, anthropometry

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Authors: Jessica Wood, Serge Desmarais

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There has been recent resurgence in the popular and academic interest of consensual non-monogamous (CNM) relationships- an umbrella term that defines relationships in which each partner has openly agreed to engage in additional romantic and/or sexual relationships outside of their primary partnership. Despite an increase in the academic study of CNM, little psychological attention has been paid to the study of CNM, with the consideration of these relationships commonly occurring within related social science disciplines such as sociology or anthropology. As a discipline, psychology has a history of conducting research in the area of intimate relationships, and psychologists have amassed a wealth of theoretical knowledge in this field. However, historically individuals who engage in "alternative" sexual and romantic behaviours, such as non-heterosexual sex or sex with multiple partners have been pathologized within psychological research. Individuals in CNM relationships or individuals identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or queer have often been excluded from research or “othered” in psychological interpretations of what healthy relationships entail. Thus, our current theoretical understandings of romantic relationships are limited to heterosexual, monogamous relationships. The goal of this presentation is to examine commonly cited components of relationship satisfaction (e.g., commitment, communication) and to critically assess how CNM experiences are presented in, or missing from, the psychological literature on romantic relationships. Additionally, the presentation will also consider how CNM relationships may add to our understanding or enhancement of traditional psychological theories and address issues related to heteronormativity and mononormativity within the discipline. Finally, we will close with a consideration of additional theoretical perspectives that may aid in our understanding of CNM relationships and suggest directions for future research.

Keywords: heteronormativity, mononormativity, psychological research, diverse relationships, gender, sexuality, feminism, queer theory

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Authors: Anum Rafiq

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Adolescence is a vulnerable period for youth across the world. It is a period of new learning with opportunities to understand and develop perspectives on health and well-being. With youth beginning to engage in intimate relationships at an earlier age in the 21st century, concentrating on the learning opportunity they have in school is paramount. The nature of what has been deemed important to teach in schools has changed throughout history, and the focus has shifted from home/family skills to teaching youth how to be competitive in the job market. Amidst this emphasis, opportunities for them exist to learn about building healthy intimate relationships, one of the foundational elements of most people’s lives. Using an Institutional Ethnography (IE), the lived experiences of youth in how they understand intimate relationships and how their learning experience is organized through the high school Health and Physical Education (H&PE) course is explored. An empirical inquiry into how the actual work of teachers and youth are socially organized by a biomedical, employment-related, and efficiency-based discourse is provided. Through thirty-two qualitative interviews with teachers and youth, a control of ruling relations such as institutional accountability circuits, performance reports, and timetabling over the experience of teachers and youth is found. One of the facets of the institutional accountability circuit is through the social organization of teaching and learning about healthy intimate relationships being framed through a biomedical discourse. In addition, the role of a hyper-focus on performance and evaluation is found as paramount in situating healthy intimacy discussions as inferior to neoliberally charged productivity measures such as employment skills. Lastly, due to the nature of institutional policies such as regulatory guidelines, teachers are largely influenced to avoid diving into discussions deemed risky or taboo by society, such as healthy intimacy in adolescence. The findings show how texts such as the H&PE curriculum, the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) guidelines, Ministry of Education Performance Reports, and the timetable organize the day-to-day activities of teachers and students and reproduce different disjunctures for youth. This disjuncture includes some of their experiences being subordinated, difficulty relating to curriculum, and an experience of healthy living discussions being skimmed over across sites. The findings detail that the experience of youth in learning about healthy intimate relationships is not akin to the espoused vision outlined in policy documents such as the H&PE (2015) curriculum policy. These findings have implications for policymakers, activists, and school administration alike, which call for an investigation into who is in power when it comes to youth’s learning needs, as a pivotal period where youth can be equipped with life-changing knowledge is largely underutilized. A restructuring of existing institutional practices that allow for the social and institutional flexibility required to broach the topic of healthy intimacy in a comprehensive manner is required.

Keywords: health policy, intimate relationships, youth, education, ruling relations, sexual education, violence prevention

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Authors: Samiah H. Ghounaim

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The topic of this paper is significant because of the increasing need for intercultural training for foreign language teachers due to the continuous challenges they face in their diverse classrooms. First, the structure of the intercultural training program designed will be briefly described, and the structure of a 3D vignette and its intended purposes will be elaborated on. This was the first stage where the program was designed and implemented on the period of three months with a group of local and expatriate foreign language teachers/practitioners at a university in the Middle East. After that, a set of primary data collected during the first stage of this research on the design and co-construction process of a 3D vignette will be reviewed and analysed in depth. Each practitioner designed a personal incident into a 3D vignette where each dimension of the vignette viewed the same incident from a totally different perspective. Finally, the results and the implications of having participant construct their personal incidents into a 3D vignette as a reflective practice will be discussed in detail as well as possible extensions for the research. This process proved itself to be an effective reflective practice where the participants were stimulated to view their incidents in a different light. Co-constructing one’s own critical incidents –be it a positive experience or not– into a structured 3D vignette encouraged participants to decentralise themselves from the incidents and, thus, creating a personal reflective space where they had the opportunity to see different potential outcomes for each incident, as well as prepare for the reflective discussion of their vignette with their peers. This provides implications for future developments in reflective writing practices and possibilities for educators’ continuous professional development (CPD).

Keywords: 3D vignettes, intercultural competence training, reflective practice, teacher training

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Authors: Atitallah Sofien, Bouyahia Olfa, Romdhani Meriam, Missaoui Nada, Ben Rabeh Rania, Yahyaoui Salem, Mazigh Sonia, Boukthir Samir

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Introduction: Traditional medicine refers to a diverse range of therapeutic practices and knowledge systems that have been employed by different cultures over an extended period to uphold and rejuvenate health. These practices can involve herbal remedies, acupuncture, massage, and alternative healing methods that deviate from conventional medical approaches. In Tunisia, we often use unidentified utensils to scratch the oral cavity internally in infants in order to widen the oral cavity for better breathing and swallowing. However, these practices can be risky and may jeopardize the patients' prognosis or even their lives. Aim: This is the case of a nine-month-old infant, admitted to the pediatric department and subsequently to the intensive care unit due to a peritonsillar abscess following the utilization of an unidentifiable tool to scrape the interior of the oral cavity. Case Report: This is a 9-month-old infant with no particular medical history, admitted for high respiratory distress and a fever persisting for 4 days. On clinical examination, he had a respiratory rate of 70 cycles per minute with an oxygen saturation of 97% and subcostal retractions, along with a heart rate of 175 beats per minute. His white blood cell count was 40,960/mm³, and his C-reactive protein was 250 mg/L. Given the severity of the clinical presentation, the infant was transferred to the intensive care unit, intubated, and mechanically ventilated. A cervical-thoracic CT scan was performed, revealing a ruptured 18 mm left peritonsillar abscess in the oropharynx associated with cellulitis of the retropharyngeal space. The oto-rhino-laryngoscopic examination revealed an asymmetry involving the left lateral wall of the oropharynx with the presence of a fistula behind the posterior pillar. Dissection of the collection cavity was performed, allowing the drainage of 2 ml of pus. The culture was negative. The patient received cefotaxime in combination with metronidazole and gentamicin for a duration of 10 days, followed by a switch to amoxicillin-clavulanic acid for 7 days. The patient was extubated after 4 days of treatment, and the clinical and radiological progress was favorable. Conclusions: Traditional medicine remains risky due to the lack of scientific evidence and the potential for injuries and transmission of infectious diseases, especially in children, who constitute a vulnerable population. Therefore, parents should consult healthcare professionals and rely on evidence-based care.

Keywords: children, peritonsillar abscess, traditional medicine, respiratory distress

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Authors: István János Molnár

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Hungary has a legal system that is primarily based on statutory legislation, which means that statutes are the main source of law. However, in a surprising move, the Hungarian Parliament introduced a "limited" precedent system on 1 April 2020. This reform requires Hungarian courts to consider not only statutes but also the interpretation of those statutes in decisions made by the highest court in the country, the Curia. While judge-made customary law is not completely unfamiliar in Hungarian legal practice, the introduction of this new system presents several theoretical and practical challenges that may take time to resolve.

Keywords: civil procedure, hungary, judicial practice, precedent system, sources of law

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Authors: Shikuku Emmanuel Tsikhungu

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Theatre and religion have enjoyed a symbiotic relationship from time immemorial, each transforming in different epochs and into different forms of practice but gaining from each other’s growth. Despite the fact that religion has more or less looked at the theatre and its dramatic rituals with distaste, the two human engagements have had dynamic and reciprocal relationships. In Kenya, there is an emerging innovation and transformation of theatre for religion in which churches and sects are consciously developing a youth wing that is vibrant in theatre practice. The imagination that youth and children derive pleasure and vibrancy in theatre has led to a lively competition among churches that is now creating a new form of theatre in Kenya. This has given rise to a practice in which art engages the religious not at the spiritual level but at the social-cultural level. Thus theatre is finding itself in sanctums that it had been banished; not for its own sake but as a tool for keeping the youth nearer the church if not the church This article analyses findings of a study carried out in December of 2017 among theatre festivals for the Catholic Church held in Kitui School, KituiCounty, and the Methodist Church of Kenya festival held in Ntemwene Church, Nkubu, Meru County, Kenya. One of the findings of interest was that while they were not theatres of religion nor religious theatres since they did not fuse the religious rituals with the dramatic rituals, the festivals never the less qualify as theatres for religion for they link the former to the latter. Secondly, while they claimed to be youth or children theatre festivals, they lacked youth-centredness nor child-centredness associated with such. Thirdly and most importantly the style of dramatic execution ranged from bibliodramatic to secular drama with Christian messages. Fourthly, by this stroke of acceptance in formerly forbidden sanctums, theatre is re-inventing itself back to its ‘old’ nature and function. It may be argued conclusively that this sprouting movement of theatre for religion may be comparable to the Jesuit Theatre fronted by Ignatius Loyola but clothed in modern African theatre practice.

Keywords: theatre, religion, theatre for religion, social constructs, socio-cultural

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Authors: Mustapha Yakubu, Ahmed Usman, Hashim Ambursa

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This paper presents the findings of a research which sought to investigate techniques used to improve cost and time control of construction projects management practice in Nigeria. However, there is limited research on issues surrounding the practical usage of these techniques. Data were collected through a questionnaire distributed to construction experts through a survey conducted on the 100 construction organisations and 50 construction consultancy firms in the Nigeria aimed at identifying common project cost and time control practices and factors inhibiting effective project control in practice. The study reveals that despite the vast application of control techniques a high proportion of respondents still experienced cost and time overruns on a significant proportion of their projects. Analysis of the survey results concluded that more effort should be geared at the management of the identified top project control inhibiting factors. This paper has outlined some measures for mitigating these inhibiting factors so that the outcome of project time and cost control can be improved in practice.

Keywords: construction project, cost control, Nigeria, time control

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Authors: Jawaher A. Alsultan, Allen Feldman

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With the rapid switch to remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, science teachers were suddenly required to teach their classes online. This breakneck shift to eLearning raised the question of how teacher educators could support science teachers who wanted to use reform-based methods of instruction while using virtual technologies. In this retrospective self-study, we, two science teacher educators, examined our practice as we worked with science teachers to implement inquiry, discussion, and argumentation [IDA] through eLearning. Ten high school science teachers from a large school district in the southeastern US participated virtually in the COVID-19 Community of Practice [COVID-19 CoP]. The CoP met six times from the end of April through May 2020 via Zoom. Its structure was based on a model of action research called enhanced normal practice [ENP], which includes exchanging stories, trying out ideas, and systematic inquiry. Data sources included teacher educators' meeting notes and reflective conversations, audio recordings of the CoP meetings, teachers' products, and post-interviews of the teachers. Findings included a new understanding of the role of existing relationships, shared goals, and similarities in the participants' situations, which helped build trust in the CoP, and the effects of our paying attention to the science teachers’ needs led to a well-functioning CoP. In addition, we became aware of the gaps in our knowledge of how the teachers already used apps in their practice, which they then shared with all of us about how they could be used for online teaching using IDA. We also identified the need to pay attention to feelings about tensions between the teachers and us around the expectations for final products and the project's primary goals. We found that if we are to establish relationships between us as facilitators and teachers that are honest, fair, and kind, we must express those feelings within the collective, dialogical processes that can lead to learning by all members of the CoP, whether virtual or face-to-face.

Keywords: community of practice, facilitators, self-study, action research

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Authors: A. ElZawam, D. McLean, A. Tibary

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In alpaca, age at puberty is variable and the factors regulating the pattern of puberty and sexual maturation are a subject of controversy. Plasma testosterone level is often used as an indicator of sexual maturity. Our hypothesis is that hCG treatment will cause an increase in testosterone level that is correlated with animal age. The specific aim was to investigate the testicular tissue response to a single hCG injection by monitoring the serum testosterone concentration. Eighty four (n=84) males ranging in age from 6 to 60 months were used. Alpacas were grouped based on their ages into 15 groups. Each group had three to five male animals. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein before treatment with hCG and 2 hours after intravenous administration of 3000 IU of hCG (Chorulon®). The serum was harvested and stored at -20ºC until the analysis. The effect of age on basal testosterone level and response to hCG treatment was evaluated by Analysis of Variance. As a result, basal serum testosterone concentrations were very low (<0.1ng/ml) until 9 months of age. Although basal serum testosterone concentrations increased steadily with age there was a significant variation amongst males within the same age group. Administration of 3000 IU of hCG, resulted in an average increase of 50% (P<0.05) in serum testosterone concentration after 2 hours. The percentage increase in serum testosterone in response to hCG stimulation varied from 51 to 81%. There was no correlation between the degree of response and age. However, the response to hCG injection presented two modes of increase depending on the age of animals. The first mode occurred at ages 9 to 14 months and the second mode was observed between 22 and 36 months. In conclusion, our results suggest that testicular growth and sensitivity to LH stimulation may be bimodal in the male alpaca with a rapid increase in growth and sensitivity between 9 and 14 months of age and a second phase of increased responsiveness after 21 months of ages.

Keywords: alpaca, testosterone, hCG, animal science

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Authors: Zidane Abderrezaq

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This paper’s primary objective is to identify the relative importance of various Islamic financial products, in theory and in practice, by examining the financing records of the Bank Islam Malaysia (Berhad) and the Algeria Islamic Bank. Currently, seven available Islamic financing products are considered viable alternatives to interest-based conventional contracts: mudarabah (trust financing), musharakah (equity financing), ijarah (lease financing), murabahah (trade financing), qard al-hassan (welfare loan), bay` bi al-thaman al-ajil (deferred payment financing), and istisna` (progressive payments). Among these financial products, mudarabah and musharakah are the most distinct. Their unique characteristics (at least in theory) make Islamic banks and Islamic financing viable alternatives to the conventional interest-based financial system. The question before us is to determine the extent of mudarabah and musharakah in Islamic financing in practice. The data are as follows: the average mudarabah is 5% of total financing, and the average musharakah is less than 3%. The combined average of mudarabah and musharakah for the two Islamic banks is less than 4% of the total finance and advances. The average qard al-hassan is about 4%, while istisna` does not yet exist in practice. Murabahah is the most popular and dominates all other modes of Islamic financing. The average use of murabahah is over 54%. When the bay` bi al-thaman al-ajil is added to the murabahah, the percentage of total financing is shown to be 82.68%. This paper also explores some possible reasons why these two Islamic banks appear to prefer murabahah to mudarabah and musharakah.

Keywords: Islamic banking, Islamic finance, Islamic banking rofitability, investment banking

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Authors: Renjith George, Preethy Mary Donald

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Use of internet sources to retrieve health care related information among health care professionals has increased tremendously as the accessibility to internet is made easier through smart phones and tablets. Though there are huge data available at a finger touch, it is doubtful whether all the sources providing health care information adhere to evidence based practice. The objective of this survey was to study the prevalence of use of internet sources to get health care information, to assess the mind-set towards the authenticity of health care information available via internet sources and to study the awareness about evidence based practice in health care among medical and dental students in Melaka-Manipal Medical College. The survey was proposed as there is limited number of studies reported in the literature and this is the first of its kind in Malaysia. A cross sectional survey was conducted among the medical and dental students of Melaka-Manipal Medical College. A total of 521 students including medical and dental students in their clinical years of undergraduate study participated in the survey. A questionnaire consisting of 14 questions were constructed based on data available from the published literature and focused group discussion and was pre-tested for validation. Data analysis was done using SPSS. The statistical analysis of the results of the survey proved that the use of internet resources for health care information are equally preferred over the conventional resources among health care students. Though majority of the participants verify the authenticity of information from internet sources, there was considerable percentage of candidates who feels that all the information from the internet can be utilised for clinical decision making or were not aware about the need of verification of authenticity of such information. 63.7 % of the participants rely on evidence based practice in health care for clinical decision making while 34.2 % were not aware about it. A minority of 2.1% did not agree with the concept of evidence based practice. The observations of the survey reveals the increasing use of internet resources for health care information among health care students. The results warrants the need to move towards evidence based practice in health care as all health care information available online may not be reliable. The health care person should be judicious while utilising the information from such resources for clinical decision making.

Keywords: authenticity, evidence based practice, health care information, internet

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