Lack Of Acceptance Research Articles

Evaluasi Program Tebar Qurban Dengan The CIPP Evaluation Model (Context, Input, Process, Product)

One of the STAI As-sunnah community service programs is Tebar Qurban, where in this activity students are sent to areas to preach while bringing sacrificial animals to be slaughtered and distributed to the community on Eid al-Adha. Among the problems that arise is the lack of students' ability to socialize and coordinate with the community, so that it often causes minor polemics such as: misperceptions, and lack of acceptance from the community. Another thing that is also an obstacle is that the management ability of students is still relatively low, as can be seen from activity reports and financial reports assessed by field supervisors. This study aims to evaluate the STAI As-sunnah Spread Qurban program so that it can be maximized in the future. To carry out an objective, systematic, and measurable evaluation, the CIPP model is used, which stands for Context, Input, Process, Product. This evaluation model views the evaluated program as a system, and a system can be measured through the 4 things above. From the results of the research data analysis, it was found that each part of the CIPP evaluation, namely Context, Input, Process, Product. Worth….%. In accordance with the CIPP evaluation method, it can be concluded that the Spreading Qurban activity is worth (good/bad/moderate/etc).

Increasing clinical awareness of obesity as a serious, chronic, relapsing, and treatable disease

The American Medical Association recognized obesity as a disease in 2013. Obesity is influenced by genetic, environmental, physiologic, behavioral, and sleep factors and is associated with approximately 200 health conditions. Assessed using body mass index, body composition, and evaluation of weight-related complications, obesity is treated with lifestyle interventions, anti-obesity medications, and metabolic and bariatric surgery. The age-adjusted prevalence of overweight and obesity in US adults has increased substantially in the 21st century, from an estimated 56% in 1988-1994 to approximately 73.1% in 2017-2018. Nevertheless, there are substantial barriers to successful obesity treatment in the United States, including inadequate treatment coverage; a lack of acceptance by providers, patients, and employers that obesity is a disease; the perception that treatment is ineffective; and the belief that obesity is a behavioral concern related to a lack of willpower. Obesity is a serious, chronic, relapsing, and treatable disease associated with many related conditions; it requires long-term medical management and multimodal care strategies.

Barriers to Practice of Pharmaceutical Care in a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria

Pharmaceutical care continues to gain worldwide acceptance since its introduction over two decades ago. In Nigeria, a variety of forces is slowing down the implementation of pharmaceutical care in healthcare institutions. This study was carried out to determine the barriers to implementation of pharmaceutical care in a tertiary hospital in Nigeria. These were achieved through the use of a prospective, cross-sectional study using a structured, pretested and self-administered questionnaire to 55 hospital pharmacists in Asaba in July 2018. The four-part Questionnaire evaluated demographics of respondents, knowledge of and reasons for not implementing pharmaceutical care and willingness to practice pharmaceutical care if perceived barriers were removed. Data obtained were analyzed using SPSS Version 22. Descriptive and chi square statistics were obtained. A P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 55 questionnaires were administered to hospital pharmacists practicing at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, in 2018. Fifty questionnaires were returned, giving a response rate of 90.9%. Majority (80.0%) were aged 21-30 years, there were more females (56.0%) than males, most were single (74.0%), a third (34.0%) were holders of the Doctor of Pharmacy degree, nearly half (42.0%) were in practice for less than one year. Barriers identified were difficulty in accessing patients clinical and laboratory data, lack of acceptance by physicians and nurses, lack of space, inadequate number of pharmacists, pharmaceutical care is not feasible without financial incentives, pharmaceutical care required too much time, lack of clinical knowledge, Pharmaceutical care required too much effort, and lack of communication skills. Analysis of sex versus respondents was significant for those who felt pharmaceutical care was not feasible without financial incentives. (c2 = 12.236, *P = 0.022) with female respondents taking the lead (56.0%). This study revealed barriers that are militating against the practice of pharmaceutical care in the study area. Concerted efforts to address these challenges that will involve the management of the hospital, update lectures, attitudinal change by pharmacists and introduction of remuneration for additional services rendered by pharmacists are recommended.

The role of trust in the acceptance of adjuvant endocrine therapy in breast cancer patients.

Despite adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) considerably reducing mortality and recurrence in hormonal receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer (BC) patients, acceptance of AET remains an issue. The reasoning behind the lack of acceptance is complex and multifactorial, and some associated risk factors have been previously analyzed. Our study aims to assess women's beliefs and concerns toward AET and women's trust in the treating physician, focusing on determining the importance of these factors in the acceptance of AET. Out of n=539, n=269 women with HR+BC participated in a cross-sectional online survey. The main study variables were AET necessity beliefs and concerns (Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire) and the trust in treating physicians. A binary hierarchical logistic regression was applied to predict AET acceptance. We did not observe a meaningful mean difference in the necessity beliefs between women who accepted versus refused AET by the time of study conduct. Women with ongoing AET intake indicated significantly higher trust in their treating physician (d=0.57) and have lower concerns (d=-1.65) regarding AET than women who had declined or discontinued AET prematurely. Results of the logistic regression demonstrated that after adjusting for clinical factors (e.g., prognosis, age), higher trust and lower concerns significantly increased the likelihood of accepting AET treatment. Our results demonstrate the importance of discussing potential concerns regarding AET and establishing a trustful patient-physician relationship, which outweighs non-modifiable factors such as cancer prognosis.

It's a gift – Samuel Pepys and Sir William Warren, an account of gifts, bribes and kickbacks

PurposeThis study aims to investigate an individual’s boundary crossing with regard to bribery, gifts and favouritism in rewarding contracts. Samuel Pepys’s diary was written in the 17th century and through detailed accounts gives insight into his inherent professionalism and his negative opinions around bribery but also his acceptance of “gifts” and awarding of contracts to “friends”.Design/methodology/approachThe research uses a narrative approach to study a detailed and reflective personal diary identifying the diarist’s self-exploration and attitudes around the receipt of gifts and the awarding of contracts. This microhistory is presented with a narrative account of a case study of the relationship between the diarist, Pepys and a supplier, Sir W. Warren.FindingsThe diary illustrates how Pepys crosses these boundaries and how the lack of accountability within his role enables him to do this. This detailed study enables answers to questions that with time, legislation and lack of acceptability, have become more difficult to ask and to answer, about the crossing of boundaries and ethical decisions around the acceptance of bribes and kickbacks.Originality/valueA contribution of this paper is the use of a diary, at least a diary as self-reflective as Pepys’s written up as a narrative account. The use of a detailed diary in an accounting microhistory of this nature gives insight and assists in answering difficult to ask questions around personal motivations for bribery and corruption and contributes in this area. The research contributes in developing research around boundaries and the corruption equation using the insight gleaned from this narrative account.

The Implication of Misinformation and Stigma in Age-Related Quality of Life, Depression, and Coping Mechanisms of Adult Patients with Psoriasis.

Background and Objectives: Stigma and lack of acceptance in society might have detrimental effects on the quality of life of patients with psoriasis, sometimes being comparable with other chronic diseases and conditions that affect the appearance of a patient, such as burns. Therefore, we surveyed our patients diagnosed with psoriasis to determine the implications of misinformation and stigma for their quality of life, depression, and coping strategies stratified by different age categories. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed for a sample size of a minimum of 45 patients considering a prevalence of psoriasis of 2–3% in the general population. The study participants (patients and controls) were given both a paper-based unstandardized questionnaire and an online version of three standardized surveys. The cohort of patients was further split into three age groups to determine their age-related quality of life and coping mechanisms. Results: The proportion of patients with a history of depression and depressive symptoms among patients with psoriasis was significantly higher. Multiple discrepancies were observed between patients and controls regarding questions that targeted stigma and misinformation. On the Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced Inventory (COPE-60) questionnaire, older patients were more likely to use positive coping mechanisms such as engagement and problem-focused coping, while the young patients were using more emotion-focused coping mechanisms. However, patients in the 30–50 age range group scored the highest on physical and mental health among all participants who filled the 12-Item Short Form Survey (SF-12) survey. The Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) results showed significantly more patients answering “a lot and very much” concerning embarrassment and social activities, while sexual difficulties affected the older patients. The strongest correlations with depression were observed in the young patient group, who believed that psoriasis can cause skin cancer (rho = 0.418) and who had sexual difficulties (rho = 0.414) and embarrassment (rho = 0.359) as evaluated by the DLQI survey. In the 30- to 50-year-old group, the strongest correlations were with the feeling of being stigmatized (rho = 0.376), having sexual difficulties (rho = 0.367) and disengagement coping style (rho = 273). Conclusions: While the respondents are reasonably well-informed regarding psoriasis, a degree of stigma remains, likely due to involuntary emotional responses such as repulsion and embarrassment. It is essential to establish initiatives aimed at educating the general public, raising awareness, and establishing a more tolerant social environment for psoriasis patients.

Challenges, difficulties and barriers for engineering higher education

Higher education in general, and in engineering higher education in particular, is constantly under pressure to introduce reforms that improve the employability of graduates. Among the most common claims is the development of a more active and competency-based teaching oriented to the development of professional and personal skills. The university institution responds to these claims, sometimes in a timid way, but others by embarking on great transformation projects. A good example of this is the project to build the European Higher Education Area.However, the challenge of developing a more active and competency-based teaching faces numerous difficulties and barriers because many of the necessary changes are in sharp contrast with a status quo that has been consolidated over centuries. Difficulties and barriers include a lack of deep understanding (and even lack of acceptance) of some of the implications of the challenges we are facing, the learning of new techniques and tools that are not easy to use or unsuitable organizational structures.In this paper, we explore the nature of some of the challenges and review the difficulties and barriers most mentioned most often by those who dare to try. Anyone who wants to address the challenges or has a responsibility to facilitate changes should be aware of all these difficulties and barriers.

Women Faculty in Higher Education

Introduction: Women's participation in the higher education sector, globally and in India, has seen a steep increase over the past two decades. Despite this increase, women still have several challenges to face in the workplace. The aim of this study was to try and understand the issues faced by women in higher education. Methods: This qualitative study uses focus group discussions to open dialog with Indian women who are eligible to occupy/currently occupy administrative positions in higher education to understand their issues, struggles, and realities within the realm of higher education. The study uses the social identity theory to contextualize the experiences of women in higher education and divides the analysis into the broad themes of social categorization, social identification, and social comparison. Results: The study finds that women face specific bias in the sector, deal with the dual responsibilities of caregiving and work duties, and also face stereotyping and lack of acceptance in the workplace. Women have mentioned that they need to alter their team management style and leadership styles since, often, men did not seem to be comfortable with being managed by women. Conclusions: The study indicates the need for training for all members of higher education on gender issues, especially issues with the management of both home and workplace duties, the need to have mentors and individuals to look up to, and the need for supportive policies for women to be able to succeed in higher education.

Perceived Facilitators and Barriers for Actual Arm Use during Everyday Activities in Community Dwelling Individuals with Chronic Stroke.

Background: Our aim was to gain a deeper understanding of perceived predictors for actual arm use during daily functional activities. Methods: Qualitative study. Semi-structured interview data collected from individuals with chronic stroke living in the community. Codebook thematic analysis used for the data analysis. Results: Six participants 5–18 years post stroke with moderate to severe UE impairment. Three domains were identified: Person, Context, and Task. Themes for the Person domain included mental (cognitive effort, lack of acceptance), behavioral (routines/habits, self-evaluation), and physical (stiffness/fatigue). Themes for the Context domain included social environment (being in public, presence, and actions of others) and time constraints (being in a hurry). Themes for the task domain included necessity to complete bilateral and unilateral tasks, and safety (increased risk of accidents). Conclusion: Actual arm use is a complex construct related to the characteristics of the person, contextual environment, and the nature of the task. Facilitators included cognitive effort, routines/habits, self-evaluation, and the perceived necessity. Barriers included in lack of acceptance, stiffness/fatigue, being in public, being in a hurry, and risk of ac-cidents. Social support was both a facilitator and a barrier. Our results support the growing call to adopt a broader biopsychosocial framework into rehabilitation delivery.

The Influence of Mobile App and Media, Towards Entomophagy Awareness and Acceptability

The speedy development of technology in the use of smartphones and their mobile applications (apps) have become momentous and influential in today’s consumer perceptions. Accordingly, the media has in recent years advocated the nutritional, environmental, and economic benefits of edible insects. However, there is still a lacklustre aggressive multipronged approach to filling the awareness and acceptability gap of entomophagy through mobile apps and media. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the contribution of a developed and designed Mobile App in comparison with Other-Media Platforms in creating awareness and lack of acceptability. A total of 200 questionnaires were purposively distributed, 100 to each group and retained a 92% response rate. PLS-SEM was employed to simultaneously explain and predict the structural relationships among the (Insefood Mobile App and Other Media Platforms) and (Awareness and Acceptability). The reliability and validity of the measurement model were assessed using the four recommended procedural remedies; Factor loadings, Average Variance Extracted (AVE), Composite Reliability (CR), and Discriminant Validity. The structural model assessment and bootstrap resampling procedure was conducted to ascertain the statistical significance of path coefficients after running the PLS algorithm. The findings indicated high coefficients of determination for Insefood App, about 80% on awareness and 83% on acceptability, while Other Media Platforms’ coefficient of determination was 28% on awareness and 35% on acceptability. Predictive relevance of Insefood values 0.562 on acceptability and 0.535 on awareness, and other media platforms recorded 0.061 on acceptability and 0.081 on awareness at (p˂ 0.05). Thus, Insefood Mobile App contributed highly to awareness and acceptability than Other-Media Platforms. Affirmed the higher efficiency of the Insefood Mobile App in driving awareness and acceptability at a larger scale than Other Media Platforms. This informs the need to Engage in robust and more technological yet, vigorous insect-product marketing.

Therapy preference of 131 parents confronted with a pediatric femoral fracture

BackgroundThe management of femoral fractures in children between 3 and 5 years of age is still vividly debated. Therefore, we aimed to assess the basic attitude of parents if confronted with a hypothetical femoral fracture of their toddler.Materials and methodsParents of children aged between 12 and 36 months were asked for their preference after receiving detailed information on conservative and surgical treatment of femoral shaft fractures. Furthermore, we obtained information regarding the parents’ gender, marital status, medical background, highest level of education and profession in a leading or non-leading position and if any of their children already had undergone any operations. The Freiburg Personality Inventory (FPI-R) questionnaire was used to assess parents’ personality traits.ResultsIn total, 131 participants were included in this study. The vast majority (n = 116, 88.5%) preferred surgical treatment. The most frequently mentioned reasons for this decision were lack of acceptance, followed by faster reconvalescence, shorter hospital stay, less deformity or growth disorders and less stress on the child. The only reason stated against surgical treatment was the need of general anesthesia. A significantly higher rate of conservative procedures was noticed in self-employed participants and stress was found to significantly influence the treatment decision of the parents toward conservative treatment.ConclusionThe majority of parents confronted with a hypothetical femoral fracture of their child questioned in this study opted for a surgical approach with elastic stable intramedullary nailing (ESIN). This corresponds with trends toward surgery in these cases in major trauma centers in Europe.

Study-based evaluation of accuracy and usability of wearable devices in manual assembly

ABSTRACT The fourth industrial revolution shapes today’s private and industrial environments, implying increased digitalization, connectivity, and artificial intelligence. Wearable devices support digital communication by displaying information and monitoring health-related aspects by measuring vital signs. Even though various wearables for measuring vital signs are already used in private life, they have not yet found their way into the production environment. This could be due to poor data quality or a lack of acceptance among employees regarding the usability of wearables during work activities. This paper aims to evaluate the accuracy and usability of selected wearable devices in manual assembly. Therefore, two user studies were conducted in a rebuilt production environment. The first study focuses on the data accuracy of the heart rate measurement of different wearables during manual assembly. In the second study, the usability of the selected wearables is evaluated with the thinking-aloud method during a manual assembly task and questionnaires.

Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Pediatric Distal Radius Fractures: Does it Really Change the Treatment Policy? An Orthopedic View.

Distal radius fractures are the most common pediatric fractures, increasing in number in recent decades. Although simple bi-planar radiographs are sufficient for diagnosis, wrist ultrasonography has been popularized in recent years for fracture detection, mostly because of the concern about children's radiation exposure. Despite its availability and diagnostic accuracy, ultrasound has not gained widespread acceptance and popularity among orthopedic surgeons. We asked about the reasons for its lack of acceptance as a diagnostic tool by orthopedic surgeons, and its failure to be incorporated into diagnostic algorithms. We reviewed the latest articles concerning the use of ultrasound in the diagnosis of pediatric distal radius fracture. Data extraction was performed from each study with a focus on the following items: the specialty field of the authors, number of patients, number of fractures, mean age of the patients, and the gold standard method of diagnosis. Nine studies concerning the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound in detecting distal radius fractures in children were included in the review. The most common field of practice of the authors was emergency medicine. Only two studies had an orthopedic surgeon among their authors. All studies employed X-ray imaging as the gold standard method. All studies were designed as prospective trials without randomization of patients. Generally, there was no independent blinded reviewer for the interpretation of ultrasound and X-ray images. Most studies were completed by emergency medicine physicians, without involving an orthopedic surgeon. Ultrasound evaluation was undertaken primarily by emergency medicine physicians with little experience. These studies were not randomized controlled trials, and knowledge of the history and clinical presentation of the subjects could have led to information bias. The relatively low number of included patients and lack of follow-up examinations were other limitations. As a result, we believe that ultrasound has not proven to be a suitable substitute for conventional X-ray imaging in the detection of pediatric distal radius fractures. We propose X-ray evaluation as the clinical gold standard method for pediatric wrist fractures.

Culture as a Vector of Intercultural Communication in Times of Crisis

Abstract Culture and communication are two tightly intertwined concepts. The process of communication, seen as social interaction, facilitates the transmission of messages between individuals of the same culture or belonging to different cultures. The process as a whole is influenced by the culture both the speaker and the listener/receptor belong to. When both participants in the communication process belong to different cultures, they automatically bring perceptual elements to the situation, as well as social and cultural traits and (verbal as well as non-verbal) means of communication characteristic of their respective cultures. Thus, differences between these elements, their recognition or the lack of acceptance towards them are often cause of difficulties or even conflicts which are the result of inefficient communication. The present paper examines, based on relevant secondary literature, the cultural variables which influence the communication between members of different cultural groups. In order to fulfil the desired objective, empirical research will be conducted based on observation and analysis. The research solution advanced in view of achieving efficient and authentic intercultural communication is based on an approach to situational subculture, namely the construction referred to as “third culture”.

Kombucha drink enriched with sea grapes (Caulerpa racemosa) as potential functional beverage to contrast obesity: An invivo and invitro approach.

Obesity is currently a global issue and is a major cause of the metabolic disorder, including dyslipidemia. However, currently approved treatments have various limitations including serious side effects, numerous contraindications, and lack of acceptance. Caulerpa racemosa, also referred as Sea grapes, is a seaweed known for its various benefits. C.racemosa extract has the potential to improve lipid profile and role as an anti-obese agent. In order to maximize its health benefits, C.racemosa was made using kombucha drink as a carrier medium. This study aims to assess the effect of Sea grapes kombucha drink on lipase activity invitro and lipid profile invivo. A lipase inhibition test was carried out by incubating Sea grapes kombucha drink compared with orlistat as the control in porcine pancreatic lipase and p-nitrophenyl butyrate in reaction buffer. A total of four groups were made, each containing 10 male swiss webster albino mice; group A received standard dry pellet diet as control, group B received cholesterol and fat-enriched diets (CFED), group C and D received CFED and 150 and 300 mg/kgBW of kombucha drink from Sea grapes respectively for 4 weeks. Sea grapes kombucha drink improved lipid profiles in the way of reducing total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL, and increasing HDL levels compared to CFED and normal groups. The effect was more robust following the incrementing dose of the Sea grapes excluding total cholesterol. The lipase inhibitory activity of Sea grapes kombucha drink was similar to orlistat at a dose of 250μg/mL, otherwise, orlistat was superior in the lower doses. Sea grapes kombucha drink treatment also induced weight loss and increased level of liver SOD. Kombucha drink from C.racemosa has good potential as a functional beverage with anti-obese and lipid improving activity.

Coping with ill-health while lacking access to health care: Acceptability of health service provision in rural Malawi – a qualitative study

ABSTRACT Background Large parts of Malawi`s population lack access to health care. A high burden of disease, chronic poverty, and a growing population accelerate the need for extending and improving health care. One region that is struggling with service provision is Malawi´s rural district Phalombe. In addition to adequate resources, acceptability of service provision and productive patient-provider engagements are crucial determinants of health-seeking behaviour. Objective This study aimed to better understand the interdependencies between acceptability, patient-provider engagement, and health-seeking behaviour in Phalombe. By targeting health care providers and community members, different perspectives were assessed and triangulated. Methods Following a qualitative approach, group interviews were conducted with community members of three rural villages (n = 21) in Phalombe. Semi-structured interviews (n = 2) and a group interview among management staff (n = 3) provided insight into experiences of health care providers. Results Community members perceived health care providers’ behaviour as disrespectful, resulting in power gaps between patients and providers. Providers blamed community members’ cultural beliefs and lack of awareness regarding health care as barriers to seek formal services. Systemic shortcomings diminished community members’ trust in service provision, while increasing frustration among providers and thus impacting patient-provider engagement. Due to insufficient resources, lack of acceptability and trust in receiving adequate services, potential patients turned into non-users of health care. Conclusions A patient-centred approach is needed that empowers communities by involving them in health care planning, in facility management, and by raising awareness towards health issues. Trainings for providers need to focus on improving communication and building trustful patient-provider interactions. Yet, without addressing systemic constraints, providers’ frustration and patients’ lack of trust in service provision will remain and impact their health-seeking behaviour. Thus, further budget needs to be allocated to Malawi’s health care sector in order to provide resources needed.

Affective Politics and Alliances in ‘Queering the Gypsy’ and Facing Antigypsyism in the LGBT Milieu

This essay engages with issues of homophobia, lesbophobia, biphobia, and transphobia in Romani/Gypsy/Traveller (RGT) communities. A lack of acceptance, marginalization, and at times expulsion of Queer people from RGT communities is a source of suffering for individuals and their families – with political consequences in terms of solidarity and alliances. Sexual minorities within marginalized ethnic and non-ethnic RGT minorities, when excluded, can be regarded as a threat to the social cohesion of the group and to internal social ties based on common struggles for economic and cultural justice. Acceptance for Queer people in RGT communities may also improve relations with social movements’ alliances, a sensible and necessary step –primarily in the anti-racist and feminist arenas, movements for social rights, i.e., jobs and housing.The paper discusses social (mis)representations of the ‘Gypsy Queer’ vs. self-representations emerging from activists’ experiences. In light of ‘affective politics’ – s conceptualized by Sara Ahmed – experiences of Homo-Lesbo-Bi-Trans-phobia in the RGT communities and ‘soft’ anti-gypsyism in Queer communities are addressed. In conclusion, affective politics are viewed in the frame suggested by Judith Okely around Roma-Gypsy-Traveller cultural identity “constructed through opposition, not isolation”; through the mirror of Jasbir Puar’s theory of identity created in the constant and aware, individual and collective, assemblage of parts of self; and as an element of ‘travelling activism’ – practice of “mobilizing hybrid forms of expertise and knowledge across space and difference” contesting both territorialization and ethnicization, as in Van Baar.

Catholic Seminarians on “Real Men”, Sexuality, and Essential Male Inclusivity

This paper is based on an empirical study using in-depth qualitative interviews that examines how Roman Catholic undergraduate seminarians in the United States understand gender, sexuality and masculinity. The findings describe how seminarians reject interactionist and social constructionist models of gender, and rely on a strict biological based model where sex/gender are seen as a unified concept. This leads them to adopt an “essential male inclusivity”, where they argue that all people assigned male at birth have equal claim to “manhood”, which eases pressures on them to act in gender normative ways. The social-psychological and identity-based motivations of these beliefs are examined in connection to their life in the seminary and other anticipated occupational characteristics. In contrast, the seminary’s mandates around both celibacy and compulsory heterosexuality, make sexuality more fraught than gender for seminarians. The larger consequences of these perspectives are also explored in regard to gender inequality, homophobia, and the lack of acceptance for the LGBTIQ+ community.

Study of bullying behavior and its risk factors among primary school students in Sohag Governorate

Background and aim Bullying is one of the most serious problems that children face in the education system. Several other studies have found that bullying represents a standard problem in schools worldwide. This study aims to assess the incidence of school bullying as well as its suspected risk factors among primary school students. Patients and methods The study included 280 primary school students (146 males and 134 females) aged from 10 to 12 years old in the first stage of the study for screening for bullying behavior. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data about the bullying behavior among the selected students. The questionnaire was adopted from the validated Arabic version of Bullying Behavior Scale for children and adolescents. Results The incidence of significant bullying among the included students was found to be 12.5%, with males showing higher degrees of bullying. There was a significant association between involvement of the student in the bullying behavior and the risk factors such as student exposure to frequent punishment and negative attitude by the teacher, lack of acceptance from colleagues, and exposure to previous bullying. Conclusion Male students in primary schools showing higher degrees of bullying with significant association were found between bullying behavior and its risk factors.

Reliability Assessment Approach for the Quality of Railroad Subgrade.

The static load plate test is the standard subgrade acceptance test for new or modernised railway lines. Examinations are performed at regular spacings on the track section and a lack of acceptance for even a single test disqualifies a section, forcing remedial treatments on the whole section. In this paper, a nondeterministic description of stiffness related to the spatial characteristics of acceptance measurement results is proposed for a more rational assessment of substructure quality. The concept is based on geostatistical analysis and one-dimensional distributions of stiffness values. The paper also proposes a new concept of rail infrastructure acceptance based on a reliability index already codified in European standards. The functioning of the postulated criterion is presented on the example of an existing railway line and the actual test results.