This quasi-experimental study used a cancer prevention program delivered by community health workers (CHWs) as an intervention to improve health literacy and increase screening uptake. The ...intervention group was educated by trained CHWs and received information about the nearby hospitals. After education, participants received telephone counseling once a month for 6 months. In the intervention group, CHWs met the participants individually and delivered the CD-ROM containing conversation scenarios with voice during the cancer screening test. The control group was provided educational materials related to breast and cervical cancers and a booklet containing information on mammography and Pap test. This study assessed the difference in mammography and Pap tests between the intervention and control groups. The results showed that the participants' knowledge improved, and the rate of cancer screening tests did not decrease in the intervention group. Therefore, it is necessary to develop and apply various programs that train CHWs and apply them to immigrant women to promote health-related behaviors under the health system that they are not familiar with while living in another country.
HIV/AIDS-related stigma (HIV stigma) affects every aspect of adolescents' HIV management. Adolescents living with HIV (ALWH) are particularly vulnerable in schools where they have described ...experiencing HIV stigma. Teachers play a significant role in their students' lives. Stigmatizing attitudes or behaviors by teachers not only impact ALWH directly, but may influence the attitudes and behaviors of their peers. There is a dearth of literature exploring interventions to address HIV stigma in school-based settings. The objective of this review is to examine interventions to reduce HIV stigma among teachers globally. To conduct this systematic review, we used the PRISMA guidelines. Two articles met the inclusion criteria. Both eligible studies aimed to reduce HIV stigma among teachers or teachers in training through teacher training interventions in sub-Saharan Africa. The interventions included an interactive CD-ROM, a 2-day workshop, and peer facilitated workshops. Both studies demonstrated a significant decrease in HIV stigma in at least one study measure. Findings from this review are inconclusive. There is evidence to suggest that interventions can successfully decrease HIV stigma among teachers, but it is very limited. More research is needed in order to develop, implement, and evaluate stigma reducing interventions in the classroom.
Databases are electronic filing systems that have been set up to capture patient data in a variety of clinical and administrative settings. While randomised controlled trials are the gold standard ...for the evaluation of healthcare interventions, electronic databases are valuable research options for studies of aetiology and prognosis, or where trials are too expensive/not logistically feasible. However, databases exist in many different settings and formats (often developed for administrative or financial reimbursement purposes rather than clinical research), and researchers need to put careful thought into identifying and acquiring relevant data sets. Accuracy of records and validation of diagnoses are key issues when planning a database study. High-quality databases can readily capture outcome data (as part of routine clinical care) without the costs and burden of additional trial-related follow-up, and there are promising hybrid models which combine the benefits of randomisation with the efficiency of outcome ascertainment using existing databases.
After migrating to Ex Libris’s Alma and Primo for its integrated library system (ILS) and discovery layer, library staff at Simon Fraser University (SFU) maintained duplicate database information in ...a locally developed electronic resources management (ERM) system known as the CUFTS ERM for fifteen months. The CUFTS ERM provided the data for the library’s public-facing database list known as the CUFTS resource database (CRDB). A database search function had been on Ex Libris’s Primo roadmap for product development and was announced six months after the library went live with Alma and Primo. However, the new Primo database search function lacked the ability to replace the CRDB. Members of the library’s ILS Steering Committee who managed Alma and Primo were concerned about significant negative impacts on end-users if the library adopted the Primo database search function to replace the CRDB. The steering committee formed a task group to investigate options for creating a database list from Alma records to reduce duplication of staff time and effort, and systems resources, and to replicate the main functions of the existing CRDB for end-user discovery and access.
A growing line of research has highlighted that e‐technologies may play a promising role in improving breastfeeding outcomes. The objective of this review was to synthesise the best of available ...evidence by conducting a meta‐analysis to evaluate whether e‐technologies have had any effect in improving breastfeeding outcomes among perinatal women. The review was conducted using nine electronic databases to search for English‐language research studies from 2007 to 2014. A ‘risk of bias’ table was used to assess methodological quality. Meta‐analysis was performed with the RevMan software. The Q test and I2 test was used to assess the heterogeneity. The test of overall effect was assessed using z‐statistics at P < 0.05. Of 1842 studies identified through electronic searches and reference lists, 16 experimental studies were selected after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Half of the selected studies had a low risk of bias, from which a total of 5505 women in six countries in these studies were included. Meta‐analyses revealed that e‐technologies significantly improved exclusive breastfeeding initiation (z = 6.90, P < 0.00001), exclusive breastfeeding at 4 weeks (z = 2.12, P = 0.03) and 6 months (z = 3.2, P = 0.001), breastfeeding attitude (z = 3.01, P = 0.003) and breastfeeding knowledge (z = 4.54, P = < 0.00001) in subgroup analyses. This review provides support for the development of web‐based, texting messaging, compact disc read‐only memory, electronic prompts and interactive computer agent interventions for promoting and supporting breastfeeding.
Many researchers have explored the use of active bearings, such as non-contact Active Magnetic Bearings (AMB), to control imbalance vibration in rotor systems. Meanwhile, the advantages of a passive ...Auto-balancer device (ABD) eliminating the imbalance effect of rotor without using other active means have been recently studied. This paper develops a new hybrid imbalance vibration control approach for an ABD-rotor system supported by a normal passive bearing in augmented with an AMB to enhance the balancing and vibration isolation capabilities. Essentially, an ABD consists of several freely moving eccentric balancing masses mounted on the rotor, which, at supercritical operating speeds, act to cancel the rotor's imbalance at steady-state. However, due to the inherent nonlinearity of the ABD, the potential for other, non-synchronous limit-cycle behavior exists resulting in increased rotor vibration. To address this, the algorithm of proposed hybrid control is designed to guarantee globally asymptotic stability of the synchronous balanced condition. This algorithm also incorporates with a “Luenberger-like” observer that continuously estimates the states of a balancer ball circulating around within ABD. In particular, it is shown that the balanced equilibrium can be made globally attractive under the hybrid control strategy, and that the control power levels of AMB are significantly reduced via the addition of the ABD because the control is designed such that it is only switched on for the abnormal operation of ABD and will be disengaged otherwise. Moreover, unlike other imbalance vibration control applications based upon ABD such as rotor speed regulator 21,22, this approach enables the controller to achieve the desirable performance without altering rotor speed once the rotor initially reaches the target speed. These applications are relevant to limited power applications such as in satellite reaction wheels, flywheel energy storage batteries or CD-ROM application.
The effect of reading an electronic storybook (e-book) on Israeli children’s language and literacy was examined in kindergarten children (N=40; age 5:2–6:3) compared to first graders (N=50; age ...6:3–7:4). The children in each age group were randomly assigned to two groups: an intervention group which read the e-book five times and a control group which was afforded the regular school program. Pre- and post-tests included vocabulary and word reading measures. Post-tests included story comprehension and production. Children who read the e-book exhibited significant progress in word meaning and word reading compared to the control group. Kindergarten children progressed in word reading more significantly than first graders across treatment groups. This could be explained by the ceiling effect of the first graders’ word reading level which did not leave much room for progress in this skill compared to the kindergarten children. No interaction was found between age and treatment groups. Kindergarten children exhibited a good level of story comprehension, similar to first graders, although their story production was lower. Implications for future research and education are discussed.
Abstract
Under the background of social and economic development, college enrollment expansion, constructivism learning theory and teaching technology development, A new teaching method of college ...English course is proposed and established. Compared with the traditional teaching method, this new teaching method has many advantages. In addition, its main purpose is to change the traditional single and boring classroom for teachers, make the classroom become free and active and personalized, and let students give full play to and express themselves. The operation mode of the new model is the combination of large class teaching and small class practice, classroom teaching and open independent learning, cd-ROM multimedia and network teaching, first-level classroom teaching and second-level classroom activities. The evaluation system under the new model is no longer a single summative evaluation, but a combination of summary and formation of the evaluation system. Under this new model, teachers pay more attention to the accumulation of their knowledge and the improvement of professional teaching skills, and students pay more attention to improve their learning methods and improve their learning ability.
PDF
