Background: Adult learning theories play a pivotal role in the design and implementation of education programs, including healthcare professional programs. There is a variation in the use of theories in healthcare professional education programs and this is may be in part due to a lack of understanding of the range of learning theories available and paucity of specific, in-context examples, to help educators in considering alternative theories relevant to their teaching setting. This article seeks to synthesize key learning theories applicable in the learning and teaching of healthcare professionals and to provide examples of their use in context. Method and results: A literature review was conducted in 2015 and 2016 using PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and ERIC academic databases. Search terms used identified a range of relevant literature about learning theories, and their utilization in different healthcare professional education programs. The findings were synthesized and presented in a table format, illustrating the learning theory, specific examples from health and medical education, and a very brief critique of the theory. Outcome: The literature synthesis provides a quick and easy-to-use summary of key theories and examples of their use to help healthcare professional educators access a wider range of learning theories to inform their instructional strategies, learning objectives, and evaluation approaches. This will ultimately result in educational program enhancement and improvement in student learning experiences.
This article is written to discuss the currently low quality of Indonesian education. In fact, education is something that is agreed upon to be the main thing in any nation. The quality of education in a nation is one of the determinants of the nation's progress. In other words, the progress of a nation or country can be seen from the quality of education in that nation and country. Therefore, this paper describes what problems Indonesia faces that can hinder the realization of a good quality education. Then it also describes how solutions can be made as an effort to overcome the problems of education in Indonesia. This study the authors used a qualitative method, namely by conducting a literature review. The author collects data and information from trusted journals and books and is in accordance with the discussion of this article. With this paper, it is hoped that it will raise awareness from each individual to build a better and more advanced Indonesia in order to prepare quality humans
Md. Adil Faizan, V. Murali Krishna, Tialam Gautham
et al.
Background:
Mental illness continues to be a significant public health challenge, with stigma acting as a barrier to seeking care and improving outcomes. Healthcare students, particularly medical and nursing students, play an influential role in shaping future societal attitudes toward mental health. Their attitudes and perceptions toward mental illness can directly impact the care patients receive and influence how mental health issues are addressed within the healthcare system. Stigma among healthcare students can undermine the quality of patient care, discourage individuals from seeking help, and perpetuate harmful stereotypes that affect wider societal views. This study compares the stigma toward mental illness between medical and nursing students from two educational institutions in Khammam and Warangal, located in Telangana. Telangana was chosen as the study location due to its unique cultural and educational context, which may provide valuable insights into regional variations in stigma and perceptions of mental health.
Materials and Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 827 students from private medical college (Khammam) and government medical college (Warangal). The Mental Illness Clinicians’ Attitudes-2 (MICA-2) scale was used for medical students, while the modified MICA-4 scale was employed for nursing students to measure attitudes toward mental illness. In addition, sociodemographic data, including gender, previous contact with individuals with mental illness, and academic semester, were collected.
Results:
A total of 827 students participated in the study, with 57.4% of medical students and 42.6% of nursing students. Medical students exhibited significantly higher stigma scores (41.07 ± 6.74) compared to nursing students (38.07 ± 7.44, P < 0.001). Male students had higher stigma levels (41.37 ± 7.06) than female students (36.57 ± 7.33, P < 0.001). Students with prior contact with individuals suffering from mental illness showed lower stigma scores (35.42 ± 8.91) compared to those without prior contact (39.35 ± 6.14, P < 0.001). Students from Warangal had lower stigma scores (38.13 ± 7.03) compared to those from Khammam (39.15 ± 6.54, P < 0.05). Post hoc analysis revealed that medical students from private medical college, Khammam (MedKh) had the highest stigma, followed by nursing students from the same institution. Students from government medical college, Warangal (MedWar) exhibited intermediate stigma, with Government nursing college, Warangal (NurWar) showing the lowest stigma levels.
Conclusion:
This study highlights significant differences in stigma levels between students from various institutions and regions, emphasizing the importance of addressing stigma in healthcare education. To reduce stigma, it is crucial to integrate anti-stigma programs into medical and nursing curricula, with a focus on mental health awareness. In addition, increasing clinical exposure to mental health settings and fostering direct interaction with individuals experiencing mental illness can help reduce prejudice and promote more compassionate care. These actionable steps can support the development of a more empathetic and stigma-free healthcare workforce.
Serhii Petrukha, Nina Petrukha, Sergii Gasanov
et al.
O estudo analisa a transformação do financiamento da educação e da ciência na Ucrânia, que passou de um modelo soviético de manutenção para um sistema competitivo de subsídios, enfrentando os desafios da guerra. O objetivo é examinar a formação e o desenvolvimento desses mecanismos em tempos de conflito e propor direções para sua adaptação à economia pós-guerra. Metodologicamente, baseia-se em análise sistemática e comparativa de relatórios oficiais, documentos internacionais e dados estatísticos, complementada por cálculos econômicos e análise institucional. Os resultados indicam que a criação da Fundação Nacional de Pesquisa da Ucrânia marcou uma transição decisiva para o modelo competitivo. Mesmo durante a guerra, programas como Ciência para a Reconstrução da Ucrânia e Ciência para a Segurança e o Desenvolvimento Sustentável mantêm o apoio científico. Iniciativas internacionais compensam perdas financeiras e fortalecem a integração global, tornando os subsídios instrumento estratégico de modernização e reconstrução.
This text is based on a postdoctoral research entitled "O protagonismo das mulheres no curso de Licenciatura em Educação do Campo (LEDOC) da Universidade Federal de Rondônia (UNIR)". The objectives were: to historicize the context of research in Rural Education in Brazil; and to understand the process of constitution the Bachelor's Degree in Rural Education course in different Brazilian institutions, with attention to the challenges faced by female teachers in the Northern Region. Historical-Dialectical Materialism was the method that answered the research objectives. The methodology used was bibliographic research, with search terms in Brazilian digital repositories, without a specific period, and subsequent analysis based on the research objectives. As results, we have the categories of Rural Education, Rural Education Public Policy, and Bachelor's Degree in Rural Education. Rural Education has been present in the spaces of struggle of rural people since 1998, achieving the right of rural people to study at all levels of education, with specific legislation that determines who are the subjects and schools of the rural area and, for a teacher training policy, it is the LEDOC that brings several constructions and makes formal spaces accessible, welcoming, and dialogical.
Introduction: Gamma Knife Perfexion™ delivers 192 Cobalt-60 sources to the focal point (isocenter), and the patient is fixed using a stereotactic frame. In conformal techniques, the width of the penumbra resulting in an out-of-field dose of normal tissue adjacent to the tumor must be accurately determined. The purpose of this study was to calculate the penumbra widths of a single beam and 192 beams for different collimator sizes of the Gamma Knife Perfexion™ using the BEAMNRC/DOSXYZNRC Monte Carlo simulation code and compare the results with EBT3 film dosimetry data.
Material and Methods: To investigate the physical penumbra width (80-20%), the single beam and 192 beam profiles were obtained using the DOSXYZNRC code and EBT3 films located at the isocenter point in a spherical solid water phantom with a diameter of 160 mm.
Results: The results showed that the Gamma Passing Rate (GPR) value for all collimator sizes has a value above 97%. The single-beam penumbra widths obtained from simulation data for 4, 8, and 16 mm collimator sizes along the X-axis were 0.75, 0.77, and 0.87 mm, respectively. The data for 192 beams obtained from the simulation were 2.60, 4.80, and 8.70 mm along the X-axis.
Conclusion: The differences between measured and simulated penumbra widths are in an acceptable range. However, for more precise measurement in the penumbra region with a high dose gradient, a Monte Carlo simulation is recommended.
Medical physics. Medical radiology. Nuclear medicine
Abstract Particle assembly at liquid–liquid interfaces presents a promising bottom‐up strategy for creating supramolecular materials with advanced functionalities. However, the significantly lower interfacial tension observed in immiscible organic phases compared to traditional oil–water systems has hindered the effective adsorption and assembly of particles at oil–oil interfaces. In this work, a versatile and effective strategy is presented that utilizes the assembly and jamming of microgels and polymer ligands at non‐aqueous liquid–liquid interfaces to create non‐aqueous Pickering emulsions and reconfigurable droplet networks. The resulting microgel‐polymer complexes form an asymmetric interfacial bilayer with high surface coverage, which effectively minimizes interfacial energy and improves interfacial elasticity. Through a combination of systematic interfacial measurements and molecular dynamics simulations, the underlying mechanisms governing interfacial self‐assembly are elucidated. Notably, the stimuli‐responsive nature of the microgel‐polymer complexes allows for precise control over the interfacial assembly and disassembly by introducing competitive molecules. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that these non‐aqueous Pickering emulsions serve as excellent templates for the fabrication of heterogeneous organogels and microgel‐based colloidosomes through both covalent and non‐covalent crosslinking strategies. This work underscores the potential of non‐aqueous interfaces in advancing materials science and opens new avenues for developing multifunctional materials.
Burnout is the leading cause of the special education teacher shortage. A burnout intervention adapted for teachers was tested in two studies. Study 1 used a randomized design; Study 2 was a pre-post design. In Study 1, 44 teachers were randomized into the intervention or an active control. To enhance impact, for Study 2, personal goal-setting was added, and the intervention was renamed BREATHE-EASE (Burnout Reduction: Enhanced Awareness, Tools, Handouts, and Education–Evidence-Based Activities for Educators) Goals and evaluated with a different cohort of 42 teachers. Teachers completed assessments of social support, coping, and mindfulness. For Study 1, a medium to large nonsignificant effect for reduced emotional exhaustion (η2 = .087) was found based on a per-protocol analysis of attending at least two sessions. For Study 2, emotional exhaustion was reduced ( d = 0.45), and mindfulness ( d = 0.39) and coping ( d = 0.78) skills were improved. The findings offer a promising approach for special education teacher burnout and intrapersonal skills.
Mai T. H. Nguyen, Yuki Sakamoto, Toshiki Maeda
et al.
Background This review aimed to quantify the impact of socioeconomic status on functional outcomes from stroke and identify the socioeconomic status indicators that exhibit the highest magnitude of association. Methods and Results We performed a systematic literature search across Medline and Embase from inception to May 2022, to identify observational studies (n≥100, and in English). Risk of bias was assessed using the modified Newcastle Ottawa Scale. Random effects meta‐analysis was used to pool data. We included 19 studies (157 715 patients, 47.7% women) reporting functional outcomes measured with modified Rankin Scale or Barthel index, with 10 assessed as low risk of bias. Measures of socioeconomic status reported were education (11 studies), income (8), occupation (4), health insurance status (3), and neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation (3). Pooled data suggested that low socioeconomic status was significantly associated with poor functional outcomes, including incomplete education or below high school level versus high school attainment and above (odds ratio [OR], 1.66 [95% CI, 1.40–1.95]), lowest income versus highest income (OR, 1.36 [95% CI, 1.02–1.83]), a manual job/being unemployed versus a nonmanual job/working (OR, 1.62 [95% CI, 1.29–2.02]), and living in the most disadvantaged socioeconomic neighborhood versus the least disadvantaged (OR, 1.55 [95% CI, 1.25–1.92]). Low health insurance status was also associated with an increased risk of poor functional outcomes (OR, 1.32 [95% CI, 0.95–1.84]), although this was association was not statistically significant. Conclusions Despite great strides in stroke treatment in the past decades, social disadvantage remains a risk factor for poor functional outcome after an acute stroke. Further research is needed to better understand causal mechanisms and disparities.
Diseases of the circulatory (Cardiovascular) system
Purpose: This study explores interactive poetry therapy as a method for empathetic reading in holistic, emotional literature education. Design: Five experienced teachers participated in a descriptive case study by attending interactive empathetic reading sessions during in-service education. The participants, inspired by an extract from a novel, wrote personal stories and presented them for group discussions. Methodology: The data, consisting of audio recordings of the dialogues and the researchers’ associated notes, were analysed via thematic content analysis. Three main themes, which are presented under the headings: Story level; narrative meanings; Individual level; emotions relating to storytelling moments; and Communal level; issues of welfare and self-care. Findings: The results indicated that the writers’ personal stories and the group dialogues based on them prompted the participants to reflect on their own experiences and emotions, and prompted them to examine ethically challenging issues in the teaching profession. Originality: The study of empathetic reading in teachers’ in-service education provide more understanding of possibilities for teachers to increase their knowledge of the value of stories and narratives.
In this paper, in order to reduce the energy leakage caused by the discretized representation in sparse channel estimation for Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) systems, we systematically have analyzed the optimal locations of atoms with discrete delays for each path reconstruction from the perspective of linear fitting theory. Then, we have investigated the adverse effects of the non-ideal inner product function on the iteration in one of the most widely used channel estimation method, Orthogonal Matching Pursuit (OMP). The study shows that the distance between the selected atoms for each path in OMP can be larger than the sampling interval, which prevents OMP-based methods from achieving better performance. To overcome this drawback, the image deblurring-based channel estimation method, in which the channel estimation problem is analogized to one-dimensional image deblurring, was proposed to improve the large compensation distance of traditional OMP. The advantage of the proposed method was validated by the results of numerical simulation and sea trial data decoding.
While system identification methods have developed rapidly, modeling the process of batch polymerization reactors still poses challenges. Therefore, designing an intelligent modeling approach for these reactors is important. This paper focuses on identifying actual models for batch polymerization reactors, proposing a novel recursive approach based on the expectation-maximization algorithm. The proposed method pays special attention to unknown inputs (UIs), which may represent modeling errors or process faults. To estimate the UIs of the model, the recursive expectation-maximization (EM) technique is used. The proposed algorithm consists of two steps: the E-step and the M-step. In the E-step, a Q-function is recursively computed based on the maximum likelihood framework, using the UI estimates from the previous time step. The Kalman filter is utilized to calculate the estimates of the states using the measurements from sensor data. In the M-step, analytical solutions for the UIs are found through local optimization of the recursive Q-function. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, a practical application of modeling batch polymerization reactors is presented. The performance of the proposed recursive EM algorithm is compared to that of the augmented state Kalman filter (ASKF) using root mean squared errors (RMSEs). The RMSEs obtained from the proposed method are at least <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mrow><mn>6.52</mn><mo>%</mo></mrow></semantics></math></inline-formula> lower than those from the ASKF method, indicating superior performance.
Md. Jamal Hossain, Foyez Ahmmed, Md. Robin Khan
et al.
ObjectivesThis current study aims to assess the prevalence and factors associated with body mass index (BMI), dietary patterns, and the extent of physical activities among university students following the prolonged coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown in Bangladesh.MethodsA cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted between July 10 to August 10, 2021, through a pre-designed Google Form to collect the data from Bangladeshi university students (age: ≥18 years). Informed consent was electronically obtained from each participant, and a simple snowball technique was employed during the sampling. Frequency and percentage distribution, paired t-test, chi-square [χ2] test, and multinomial and binary logistic regression analyses were consecutively applied to analyze the collected data.ResultsAmong the total participants (n = 1,602), 45.1% were female and 55.6% were 22–25 years' age group students. The BMI (mean ± standard deviation, SD) during the COVID-19 lockdown was 23.52 ± 7.68 kg/m2, which was 22.77 ± 4.11 kg/m2 during the pre-lockdown period (mean difference = 0.753; p < 0.001). The multinomial logistic regression analysis found a significant impact of gender [male vs. female: adjusted relative risk ratio (RRR) = 1.448; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.022, 2.053; p = 0.037], age (years) (<22 vs. >25: RRR =0.389, 95% CI = 0.213,0.710; p = 0.002, and 22–25 vs. >25: RRR = 0.473, 95% CI = 0.290, 0.772; p = 0.003), monthly family income (BDT) (<25,000 vs. >50,000: RRR = 0.525, 95% CI = 0.334,0.826; p = 0.005), university type (public vs. private: RRR = 0.540, 95% CI = 0.369, 0.791; p = 0.002), eating larger meals/snacks (increased vs. unchanged: RRR = 2.401, 95% CI = 1.597, 3.610; p < 0.001 and decreased vs. unchanged: RRR = 1.893, 95% CI = 1.218, 2.942; p = 0.005), and verbally or physically abuse (yes vs. no: RRR = 1.438, 95% CI = 0.977, 2.116; p = 0.066) on obesity during COVID-19 pandemic. Besides, the female students and those who have constant eating habits, were more likely to be underweight. Additionally, the binary logistic regression analysis found that the students from private universities [others vs. private: adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.461, 95% CI = 0.313, 0.680; p < 0.001], urban areas (urban vs. rural: AOR = 1.451, 95% CI = 1.165, 1.806; p = 0.001), wealthier families (<25,000 BDT vs. >50,000 BDT: AOR = 0.727, 95% CI = 0.540, 0.979; p = 0.036), and who were taking larger meals/snacks (increased vs. unchanged: AOR = 2.806, 95% CI = 2.190, 3.596; p < 0.001) and had conflicts/arguments with others (no vs. yes: AOR = 0.524, 95% CI = 0.418, 0.657; p < 0.001), were significantly more physically inactive. Finally, the level of education and smoking habits significantly influenced the eating habits of university students during the extended strict lockdown in Bangladesh.ConclusionThe current findings would be helpful tools and evidence for local and international public health experts and policymakers to reverse these worsening effects on students mediated by the prolonged lockdown. Several effective plans, programs, and combined attempts must be earnestly implemented to promote a smooth academic and daily life.
En el contexto mundial de la pandemia del COVID-19, las enfermeras/os han estado presente en el cuidado de enfermería, por tanto, se ha hecho imprescindible las estrategias de afrontamiento para lidiar con la situación. Esta investigación, identifica las estrategias de afrontamiento utilizadas por las enfermeras y los beneficios de dichas estrategias, durante la pandemia COVID-19. Se trata de una revisión integrativa de estudios originales publicados de marzo 2020 a junio de 2022 en idioma español e inglés. Partimos de la pregunta estructurada ¿Cuáles son las estrategias de afrontamiento utilizadas por las enfermeras durante la pandemia del COVID-19 y qué beneficios aportaron? La línea de investigación: Práctica en Enfermería. Bases de datos utilizadas, PUBMED, EBSCO Host, LILACS, SCIENCE DIRECT, BVS, SCIELO, MENDELEY y REDALYC. La estrategia que más beneficios aportó a las enfermeras fue la autoeficacia, ya que les permitía evaluar la capacidad con la que contaban para enfrentar los altos niveles de estrés, luego, las centradas en el problema (PFC), centradas en la emoción (EFC) y el desarrollo de la resiliencia.
The research described in this article focuses on determining the effectiveness of Bongo in promoting student retention of concepts in online learning. This study used both quantitative and qualitative measures to examine the effectiveness of student video presentation assignments on student retention of learning and perceptions of the assignment’s contributions to learning. The quantitative methods compared the effects of three treatment conditions (independent reading, Bongo video presentation, and Bongo video presentation with Auto Analysis) on retention of concepts (quizzes administered two weeks after the presentation recordings). Qualitative analysis of student perceptions of the perceived value of Bongo in general, and specifically the Auto Analysis tool, were accomplished through video surveys, transcription, and analysis. Analysis of the data provided strong support for the use of Bongo to increase student retention of concepts, and also revealed that students held favorable perceptions of the value and utility of the tool.
Objective Nursing regulators are important governance structures for nurses who are critical to the achievement of universal health coverage (UHC). This study examined the perspectives of the heads of nursing education institutions (NEIs) in Ghana and South Africa on the functioning and effectiveness of the respective nursing regulators.Design This was a cross-sectional survey.Setting This study was conducted in Ghana and South AfricaParticipants Heads of accredited NEIs in Ghana (n=65) and in South Africa (n=39).Results In South Africa, the mean score for overall functioning of the South African Nursing Council (SANC) was 4.6 (SD 1.97), whereas the mean score for overall functioning of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Ghana (N&MC) was 7.1 (SD 1.7) (p<0.0001). Similarly, the mean score for effectiveness of the SANC by NEIs was 5.1, compared with the mean effectiveness score of 7.2 for the N&MC (p<0.001).Compared to the SANC, the heads of NEIs scored the N&MC higher on each of the six functional areas of policy-making (Ghana=7.06; SA=4.56); accreditation (Ghana=7.40; SA=4.10) legal and disciplinary actions (Ghana=6.45; SA=5.52); examination (Ghana=7.84; SA=5.00); registration (Ghana=8.27; SA=5.96) and communication and transparency (Ghana=6.87; SA=6.05).Conclusion Both the N&MC and SANC are well-established regulators and are vital to ensure that the nursing workforce in each country is able to deliver quality healthcare, thereby contributing to UHC and population health improvements. However, the study findings suggest the need for concerted efforts to improve the functioning and effectiveness of the regulators, especially the SANC. The six functional areas could guide the necessary improvements in regulator functioning and effectiveness, in partnership with relevant stakeholders.
Francesca Alessio, Chiara de Fabritiis, Agnese Ilaria Telloni
This study concerns the design and implementation of a STEM literacy program for 11th to 13th-grade high achieving students, mainly females. The program, funded by the Italian Ministry of Equal Opportunities, aims at reducing the gender gap in the STEM disciplines and at orienting students towards university studies. We carried out a qualitative analysis of the students' perception in terms of (1) a-priori expectations about the STEM literacy program and (2) a-posteriori thoughts and reflections about the attended course. Our analysis shows that students aspiring to participate had strong motivations with respect to the program; moreover, most students who participated in the program displayed satisfaction and an increase of awareness about their learning. We put a specific focus on the mathematical sessions of the curriculum, involving students as designers of educational resources. Some differences between male and female students arose for what concerns the perception of the program and the awareness of the impact of the STEM literacy program on their own learning.
Abstract This study aimed to use artificial intelligence to determine whether biological and psychosocial factors, such as stress, socioeconomic status, and working conditions, were major risk factors for temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). Data were retrieved from the fourth Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey (2009), with information concerning 4744 participants’ TMDs, demographic factors, socioeconomic status, working conditions, and health-related determinants. Based on variable importance observed from the random forest, the top 20 determinants of self-reported TMDs were body mass index (BMI), household income (monthly), sleep (daily), obesity (subjective), health (subjective), working conditions (control, hygiene, respect, risks, and workload), occupation, education, region (metropolitan), residence type (apartment), stress, smoking status, marital status, and sex. The top 20 determinants of temporomandibular disorders determined via a doctor’s diagnosis were BMI, age, household income (monthly), sleep (daily), obesity (subjective), working conditions (control, hygiene, risks, and workload), household income (subjective), subjective health, education, smoking status, residence type (apartment), region (metropolitan), sex, marital status, and allergic rhinitis. This study supports the hypothesis, highlighting the importance of obesity, general health, stress, socioeconomic status, and working conditions in the management of TMDs.