General College Research Articles

Public understanding of preprints: How audiences make sense of unreviewed research in the news.

News reporting of preprints became commonplace during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet the extent to which the public understands what preprints are is unclear. We sought to fill this gap by conducting a content analysis of 1702 definitions of the term "preprint" that were generated by the US general population and college students. We found that only about two in five people were able to define preprints in ways that align with scholarly conceptualizations of the term, although participants provided a wide array of "other" definitions of preprints that suggest at least a partial understanding of the term. Providing participants with a definition of preprints in a news article helped improve preprint understanding for the student sample, but not for the general population. Our findings shed light on misperceptions that the public has about preprints, underscoring the importance of better education about the nature of preprint research.

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF KNOWLEDGE AND PREVENTIVE PRACTICES AMONG ADULTS REGARDING DENGUE IN SELECTED RURAL AND URBAN AREAS OF KHURDA DISTRICT, ODISHA

A comparative study to assess the knowledge and preventive practices among adults regarding dengue in selected rural and urban areas of khurda district, odisha. The objective of the study was to assess and compare the knowledge and practices of adults regarding dengue and its prevention in selected rural and urban areas of Khurda, and to correlate knowledge with practices in both settings. The investigator utilized a descriptive survey research approach, incorporating both correlational and comparative designs. She selected adults 50 from rural and 50 from urban area of khurda district by non-probability convenience sampling technique. Data were gathered using a valid and reliable checklist along with a semi-structured interview schedule. The study revealed that urban residents have better mean knowledge and practices regarding dengue prevention compared to rural residents. While the majority of both rural (98%) and urban (100%) participants recognized fever and rash as signs of dengue, few were aware that headache, muscle pain, joint pain, and pain behind the eyes are also symptoms. A significant difference in knowledge was observed between rural and urban participants (z = 2.3), but no significant difference in practice (z = 1.9). There was a moderately positive correlation between knowledge and practice for both rural (r = 0.78) and urban (r = 0.42) residents, indicating that increased knowledge leads to better practices. his study has potential applications across various areas of nursing, including education, practice, research, and administration. It could be expanded by replicating it with a larger randomized sample in a different setting. Additionally, a comparative study could be carried out to examine the knowledge of dengue and its prevention between nursing students and general college students.

Emotional Intelligence And Its Impacts On Academic Achievement Of General Degree College Students

Emotional Intelligence is a significant characteristics of any human being. Which can play a role to improve the academic achievement among students of general degree colleges in North 24 Parganas and Howrah district of West Bengal. The aim of the was to identify the male & female relations respect to emotional intelligence, rural & urban relations respect to emotional intelligence and relationship between emotional intelligence and its impacts on academic achievement. The present study was Normative Survey research. For collect the data researcher used Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS) was developed by Shailendra Singh (2004) edited and modified by Roy & Mahato, 2023 from 100 general degree college students West Bengal (North 24 Parganas & Howrah). The 100 sample distributed as 53 male and 47 female, who had been selected purposely. The researcher used Mean & Standard Deviation (S.D.) as Descriptive Statistics, Scatterplot, Pearson’s Product-Moment Correlation (r) and Independent ‘t’-test as Inferential Statistics applied to analyze the data. The result showed that, there is significant difference between college students male & female, there is a significant difference between college students in rural & urban areas and the emotional intelligence as independent variables is negatively correlated with academic achievement, which mean EI is not significantly related to academic achievement.

Self-efficacy of Menstrual Hygiene Management and Menstrual Absenteeism Among Students of a College in Kolkata

Background: Gender inequality, cultural taboos, poverty and lack of proper information can cause menstrual health needs to go unmet. It restricts mobility, personal choices, work participation and well-being. Nevertheless, self-efficacy in the menstrual hygiene management of college students has been relatively unexplored. Objectives: We aimed to assess the self-efficacy of menstrual hygiene management and its association with college absenteeism, demographic and academic profiles. The study also aimed to explore concerns and beliefs related to menstruation. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive mixed-method study was conducted to assess the self-efficacy of the menstrual hygiene management (using a novel scale) of students from a general college in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The study also explored concerns and beliefs related to menstruation among the study subjects. The sample size was calculated to be 96. For the qualitative part, 30 willing students were purposively chosen. Results: The mean age of participants was 19.38 years (SD ± 1.23). Predominantly they belonged to nuclear families (65.6%) with a median family income of ₹12,000. Absenteeism for menstrual reasons was 12 (12.5%). There were 50 (52.1%) participants who reported facing religious restrictions. Self-efficacy had a mean score of 29.90 (standard error of mean = 0.513) and a median score of 31. The presence of religious restrictions, any restrictions and type of family were significantly associated with college absenteeism by the chi-square test ( P < .05). The logistic regression model showed a significant association with religious restriction. Conclusion: The study revealed multiple concerns of college-going students regarding menstrual hygiene despite reported high self-efficacy for menstrual hygiene management.

Religious Analysis of Negative Brand Name Product Purchasing Decisions among State General College Students and Students at Islamic Religious Colleges in Surabaya

Religious Analysis of Negative Brand Name Product Purchasing Decisions among State General College Students and Students at Islamic Religious Colleges in Surabaya

Alcohol Use and Deaf and Hard of Hearing College Students

<i>Alcohol misuse on college campuses has been shown to be the cause of physical, socio-emotional, and academic harms. Alcohol is also an issue at Gallaudet University but there is a gap in the literature describing this phenomenon. Using the social ecological model, this qualitative case study explored student perceptions and experiences with alcohol use through interviews with 24 deaf and hard of hearing college students at Gallaudet University. The main themes included: something to do, isolation, coping, communication, “playing catch up with life,” belonging, peer pressure, and university dynamics. The results of this study supported the research on alcohol use in the college environment, showing these themes to also be true at Gallaudet University. As a result, researchers recommend for Gallaudet University and other institutions use the education and interventions shown to be effective in the College Alcohol Intervention Matrix with deaf and hard of hearing students. Researchers also identified themes that were divergent from general college students and specific to the experience of being deaf and hard of hearing. This study highlighted the interpersonal level impact and importance of communication with alcohol and related harms. Researchers recommend further research on the spectrum of communication isolation on alcohol use, related harms, and the social-ecological impact of these experiences. In addition, researchers recommend programming and services to specifically address the issues that occur as a result of isolation, coping challenges, desire to belong, susceptibility to peer pressure, and wanting to catch up on life. It is hoped that the insights gained from this study will be used to inform interventions for deaf and hard of hearing college students, to reduce alcohol misuse, and thus to impact positive change.</i>

An Investigation Into EFL Learners’ Electronic Feedback Practices During the Coronavirus Pandemic: Support and Challenges

Previous research has suggested that e-feedback mechanisms are widely misunderstood, difficult to perform efficiently, and often need to fulfill expectations to affect student performance substantially (Carless & Boud, 2018). To better understand EFL learners’ e-feedback practices, this study aimed to provide a comprehensive picture of EFL learners’ e-feedback practices throughout the pandemic in the general preparatory year college at Majmaah University. This paper employed a quantitative method. More specifically, this study reports student responses to the e-questionnaire, which investigated the impact of e-feedback on students’ academic performance and the challenges these EFL learners face typically caused by e-feedback practices. The findings suggest that the EFL students received considerable technical support from the university through Blackboard training sessions. Also, they had instructors’ support regarding immediate, timely, and detailed e-feedback on all tasks, quizzes, and tests via various electronic tools. The study revealed the most important factors affecting students’ performance, such as engaging in discussions, comprehending feedback, utilizing e-feedback, aligning e-feedback with learning goals, using the instructor’s expertise in delivering suitable feedback, and employing effective learning strategies. Furthermore, the data showed that the students have the following challenges: difficulties logging into the Blackboard platform regularly due to network issues, needing to be informed about the importance of e-feedback, and lack of motivation to use e-feedback.

Attitude of Students Affecting Their Interest on Physical Education Activities in a Selected University, China

The study aimed to comprehend the attitudes and interest of students at Zhangjiajie University towards Physical Education Activities. The study utilized a descriptive-comparative-correlational research method, employing a survey questionnaire. Descriptive research was centered on numerical and unchanging data as well as detailed, convergent reasoning. The study was carried out in an independent general undergraduate college in Zhangjiajie, China. A stratified random sample was taken from 8,404 undergraduate students who were enrolled during the current semester. 368 students were selected using stratified random sampling with the help of the Qualtrics Calculator for Samples. The questionnaire was divided into three parts: the demographic profile, the assessment of students' attitudes towards Physical Education activities, and the assessment of respondents' interests. The results were utilized to create a motivational strategic program aimed at improving students' interest and attitude towards participating in Physical Education activities.

Exploring Best Practices of University Table Tennis Teams in China: Basis for Improving Table Tennis Sports Training

This article is a qualitative research, using interview method to investigate the table tennis teams of six Chinese universities to understand the development of Chinese university table tennis teams from the perspective of their management structure, enrollment process, cultural learning, team training, source of funding, team's budget, and assisting organizations to the teams. Through the interviews, it was learned that the table tennis teams of these universities are mainly divided into three types, the first one is independent enrollment, which requires that the students applying for the exams have a Level 2 Athlete Certificate, and the table tennis exams and the cultural learning exams are both conducted independently. The second type is for students who are admitted to the university by the general college entrance examination, they will participate in the school's selection competition after entering the university, and the winners will be selected to join the school's table tennis team. The third type is a combination of a high-level enrollment test and a college entrance exam. After passing the school's table tennis test, the student will take the college entrance exam and be admitted on merit after reaching the school's admission line. Coaches and athletes generally believe that nowadays the examination system for college athletes is getting better and fairer, and that coaches and athletes have high recognition of their school table tennis teams, and that each school has a good atmosphere for training and competition with perfect training, teaching, and medical facilities and security, and participates in regular competitions in the province or the whole country. By understanding the different development models of university table tennis teams in China, we hope to help university table tennis teams to summarize their experiences and find a better development direction.

No association between history of psychiatric treatment and postoperative weight reduction after bariatric surgery

PurposeThe objective of the study was to assess whether the history of psychiatric treatment was associated with (1) body weight and BMI on admission for bariatric surgery, (2) weight loss > 5 kg prior to bariatric surgery, and (3) postoperative body weight reduction.MethodsData from medical records of all consecutive patients admitted for surgical treatment of obesity in the 2nd Department of General Surgery Jagiellonian University Medical College were obtained. There were 1452 records of patients who underwent bariatric surgery between 2009 and 2021 included in the study.ResultsHistory of psychiatric treatment was found in 177 (12%) of the sample and was inversely associated with body weight and BMI on admission for surgery in women. Men with history of psychiatric treatment were 54% less likely to lose > 5 kg before the surgery (OR = 0.46 95% CI = 0.24–0.88). Both in men and women %TWL did not differ significantly by history of psychiatric treatment (Me: 40.7 vs. 45.9; p = 0.130 and Me: 27.0 vs. 23.9; p = 0.383, respectively). After adjustment for covariates no association was found between history of psychiatric treatment and body weight reduction one year after surgery.ConclusionAlthough men with preoperative history of psychiatric treatment had lower odds of losing weight before the surgery, psychiatric treatment did not differentiate the effectiveness of bariatric treatment in 1 year of observation. Bariatric surgery appears to be an effective obesity care for people treated for mental disorders.Level of evidence: III Evidence obtained from cohort or case-control analytic studies.

TO PREDICT THE NEED FOR AMPUTATION IN DIABETIC FOOT ULCER USING SVS - WIFI SCORING SYSTEM

Analysis of svs wifi scoring as a predictor for amputation in diabetic foot ulcer dr. Shibani chandiramani, dr lisha suraj department of general surgery mahatma gandhi medical college, navi mumbai introduction : Critical limb ishchemia in diabetic patients is defined as a clinical syndrome of ischemic pain at rest and/or ischemic tissue loss such as non healing ulcers or gangrene for more than 2 weeks with ankle pressure of < 40mmhg. It differs from acute limb ischemia which is sudden loss of perfusion typically due to embolus or in situ thrombus. The svs wifi scoring system stratifies cli on the basis of perfusion , extent of wound and superadded infection to provide a composite score wich guides further management and predicts final prognosis. Aim:- to predict the need for amputation in diabetic foot ulcer using svs wifi scoring. Objectives:- To study the predictive role of svs wifi scoring system in diabetic foot ulcers undergoing amputation material and methods :- the subjects were 30 patients with diabetic foot ulcers, gangrene, wound presenting to general surgery, diabetic clinic or vascular surgery at mgm medical college , navi mumbai. Wifi scring of diabetic foot ulcers were done at the time of presentation after obtaining consent from the patient/ relatives.the wifi categories according to risk of limb loss were identified with endpoint being major/ minor amputations. Result:- The composite wifi score (a summmation of wound , infection and ischemia sub-scores) was a good predictor of need for amputation in diabetic ulcer patients.

Alterations in white matter fiber tracts and their correlation with flying cadet behavior.

An increasing number of studies have shown that flight training alters the human brain structure; however, most studies have focused on gray matter, and the exploration of white matter structure has been largely neglected. This study aimed to investigate the changes in white matter structure induced by flight training and estimate the correlation between such changes and psychomotor and flight performance. Diffusion tensor imaging data were obtained from 25 flying cadets and 24 general college students. Data were collected in 2019 and 2022 and analyzed using automated fiber quantification. This study found no significant changes in the flight group in 2019. However, in 2022, the flight group exhibited significant alterations in the diffusion tensor imaging of the right anterior thalamic radiation, left cingulum cingulate, bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculus, and left arcuate fasciculus. These changes occurred within local nodes of the fiber tracts. In addition, we found that changes in fiber tracts in the 2022 flight group were correlated with the reaction time of the psychomotor test task and flight duration. These findings may help improve flight training programs and provide new ideas for the selection of excellent pilots.

A01: A Pilot Study of Student Cadres Mental Health at a Sport University During COVID-19

Purpose: Over 90% of college students have experienced negative mental health symptoms due to the pandemic, according to a survey from BestColleges.com. More than half (54%) of college students believe COVID-19 circumstances have impacted their mental health. Although the pandemic's influence on mental health expanded, not all students have felt its effects to the same degree. Physical activity has been reported to have many physical and mental health benefits. Students at sport universities tend to participate in more sport and physical activity. During the pandemic, student cadres are expected to take more responsibilities such as coordinating COVID-19 tests and interacting with more students. The purpose of this study was to examine the mental health of student cadres at a sport university in southwest China. Methods: Literature research, field observation and a survey questionnaire were used in this study. Forty college student cadres were surveyed from a sport university in Sichuan province. The Self-rating Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) scale was used to estimate the mental status of students. A total of 33 surveys were returned with 29 valid samples were analyzed. Among the samples there were 13 males and 16 females with an average age of 19.62. The results were compared with general college students’ mental health reported in the literature. Results: According to a recent systematic review by meta-analysis, the anxiety prevalence was 33% in Asia, 51% in Europe, and 56% in the USA. University students have a high prevalence of anxiety, indicating an increased mental health burden during this pandemic. Only 6.9% of student cadres in this study showed anxiety symptoms. According to the SLC-90 score, compared with the documented normal mental health rate (62.2%) in the literature, the survey found 79.31% of sport university student cadres are in a normal mental health status. Conclusion: COVID-19 pandemic has impacted college students’ mental health. However, the student cadres of the sport university had a higher rate of normal mental health than the average rate reported in the literature, even though they had more responsibility and risks of being exposed to positive cases. It indicates sport and physical activity may reduce the mental health impact caused by the pandemic.

A Case Study of Experience-Based Liberal Arts Curriculum Converging Music Listening and Philosophical Thinking

For current college students and later generations, it was natural to communicate through digital network-based smart media from childhood. Furthermore, amid the COVID-19 era, they became more familiar with the non-face-to-face communication culture in their daily lives. In the future, when they act as the main contributors of society, the advanced AI technology will replace human work more than it has already. Thus, this future social environment makes us recognize the crisis of human dominance, competitiveness, and the loss of our humanity. It is no wonder then that there is a growing voice among educators to emphasize teaching students to strengthen their creativity, communication, and collaboration skills, and to enhance their human emotional intelligence. The purpose of this paper is to present a course example of how to cultivate feeling, intuition, insight, and thinking for ordinary college students in the university with the aim of fostering learners' humanity, emotions, and creativity. In other words, this study introduces examples of designing, operating, and improving a new convergent general elective college course that combines the experience of art appreciation through music listening and the conceptual learning of ideas in the fields of art and philosophy as a class model for holistic education. After operating the first semester in face-to-face lectures, the teaching method was revised to combine face-to-face and non-face-to-face lectures, otherwise known as “Blended Learning”. After running the second semester of a revised curriculum, analysis of this study was conducted to derive educational meaning and values out of the two courses by identifying and comparing the class reactivity, quality, and artistic characteristics of each semester. It is believed that some educational utility and teaching implications obtained in the process of improving and operating these subject designs will prove useful as a reference for course model design and experience-oriented evaluation of some experience-based art elective subjects.

Tzanaki’s Score Vs Modified Alvarado’s Score In Diagnosing Acute Appendicitis: A Comparative Study In A Tertiary Care Hospital

Introduction: Acute appendicitis is commonly diagnosed when a patient presents with pain in right iliac fossa. Various Scoring systems are used to diagnose acute appendicitis and mainly include the presenting signs and symptoms, but are not acceptable for patients. The purpose of this study was to assess effectiveness of modified Alvarado score and Tzanaki’s Score in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. Methods: A prospective observational study was done in department of General Surgery JLN Medical College Hospital, Ajmer which incorporated 200 patients presenting with the signs and symptoms of acute appendicitis. Patients were evaluated by Modified Alvarado score and Tzanaki’s Score during admission and based on the treating surgeon’s decision, were operated. Finally, the score was compared with the diagnosis done by histopathological examination of the operated specimen. Results: The sensitivity & specificity of Modified Alvarado Score was 84.26% & 72.7% respectively with a positive predictive value of 96.15% & negative predictive value of 36.3%. The sensitivity and specificity of Tzanaki’s score was 88.2% and 72.7% respectively with a positive predictive value of 96.31% and negative predictive value of 43.24%. The diagnostic accuracy of Alvarado score was 83% and that of Tzanaki’s score was 86.5%. Conclusion: Tzanaki’s scoring system can be used as an effective modality in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis. There is increased sensitivity and diagnostic accuracy in Tzanaki’s scoring when compared to modified Alvarado score.

Study On the Path To Improve the Leadership Of Sports Counselors And Students' Employability

Graduates "difficult employment" has become a prominent problem in the general college education, the so-called "graduation = unemployment" concept seriously affects the realization of the goal of talent training in colleges and universities. However, the employment channels of sports major itself are relatively narrow, and many students are engaged in jobs irrelevant to their major after graduation. Therefore, this paper aims to promote the improvement of college counselors' quality and employment rate by discussing the promotion path of sports counselors' leadership and students' employment ability. To sum up, in the face of increasingly complex computer application environment, the development of computer software has put forward more stringent and diversified requirements. Therefore, the introduction of layered technology to computer software development, constantly improve the computer software development environment, improve the development efficiency, shorten the software development cycle, save the cost of software development, so as to promote the sustainable and healthy development of computer software industry.

Pre-COVID resting-state brain activity in the fusiform gyrus prospectively predicts social anxiety alterations during the pandemic

BackgroundSocial anxiety (SA) has been linked to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, but the neurobiopsychological mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the neurofunctional markers for COVID-induced SA development and the potential role of COVID-related posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in the brain-SA alterations link. MethodsBefore the COVID-19 pandemic (T1), 100 general college students underwent resting-state magnetic resonance imaging and behavioral tests. During the period of community-level outbreaks (T2), these students were re-contacted to undergo follow-up behavioral assessments. ResultsWhole-brain correlation and prediction analyses found that pre-pandemic spontaneous neural activity (measured by fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations) in the right fusiform gyrus (FG) was positively correlated to SA alterations (T2 - T1). Mediation analyses revealed that COVID-specific PTSS mediated the effects of right FG on SA alterations. LimitationsThe results should be interpreted carefully because only one-session neuroimaging data in a sample of normal adults were included. ConclusionsThe results provide evidence for neurofunctional markers of COVID-induced SA and may help develop targeted brain-based interventions that reduce SA.

General further education colleges: the continuing dilemma of organisational culture

ABSTRACT The role of organisational culture in supporting organisational outcomes is well documented in the further education (FE) sector within the UK. The benefits of a strong and unifying culture are recognised as having a positive impact on staff and students. However, a cultural institutional dichotomy has been acknowledged between the business and educational needs of colleges within the FE sector since the advent of incorporation in 1993. This paper utilised an interpretive, hermeneutical approach to analyse the perceptions of principals, middle leaders and teachers, within three general further education colleges (GFECs) in England to determine if that dichotomy exists in their current operating environment. The paper concludes that while there are elements of a clash of business and education ideals, general further education college (GFEC) culture has moved beyond the narrative of being corporate and driven solely by the concept of performativity. The article contributes to the ongoing debate on FE purpose and establishes the importance of aligning macro and subcultures into a set of professional working practices within GFECs to support positive student outcomes.

Distinct pre-COVID brain structural signatures in COVID-19-related post-traumatic stress symptoms and post-traumatic growth.

Post-traumatic stress symptoms and post-traumatic growth are common co-occurring psychological responses following exposure to traumatic events (such as COVID-19 pandemic), their mutual relationship remains unclear. To explore this relationship, structural magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired from 115 general college students before the COVID-19 pandemic, and follow-up post-traumatic stress symptoms and post-traumatic growth measurements were collected during the pandemic. Voxel-based morphometry was conducted and individual structural covariance networks based on gray matter volume were further analyzed using graph theory and partial least squares correlation. Behavioral correlation found no significant relationship between post-traumatic stress symptoms and post-traumatic growth. Voxel-based morphometry analyses showed that post-traumatic stress symptoms were positively correlated with gray matter volume in medial prefrontal cortex/dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and post-traumatic growth was negatively correlated with gray matter volume in left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Structural covariance network analyses found that post-traumatic stress symptoms were negatively correlated with the local efficiency and clustering coefficient of the network. Moreover, partial least squares correlation showed that post-traumatic stress symptoms were correlated with pronounced nodal properties patterns in default mode, sensory and motor regions, and a marginal correlation of post-traumatic growth with a nodal property pattern in emotion regulation-related regions. This study advances our understanding of the neurobiological substrates of post-traumatic stress symptoms and post-traumatic growth, and suggests that they may have different neuroanatomical features.

“Information is power:” Promoting a Safer Environment for College Students to Report Sexual Violence

ABSTRACT Most college students do not report sexual violence (SV) incidents reportable under Title IX to their universities. Several studies focus on Title IX in regard to gender equality in sports or SV survivors’ perceptions of their Title IX experience. However, few studies examine the knowledge and perceptions of Title IX of the general college student body using qualitative methods. This study expands upon this literature by exploring college students’ perspectives on Title IX, including the most recent amendments to Title IX regulations. Focus groups and interviews were conducted with 55 students with different levels of Title IX experience at one university. The results show that, with the exception of students with Title IX experience, most students lack knowledge about Title IX regulations and procedures, but all students had high expectations of the Title IX office. There is also skepticism and confusion surrounding changes to Title IX regulations.