Current Level Of Knowledge Research Articles

Research Review Inquisitive on Indoor Air Quality Monitoring System Facilitate with Internet of Things

In recent days, Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) has become a matter of interest for researchers from both scientific and industrial community. During pandemic situation public settle more time at indoor in place of outdoor environment. With rapid growth in science and technology people have progressive necessity for active facility parameters with respect to indoor temperature, humidity and wind movement etc. Asthma, lung cancer, hypertension, cardiovascular issues, and respiratory illnesses are just a few of the chronic health issues that have been linked to frequent exposure to hazardous material in enclosed spaces. However, real-time monitoring technologies are being adopted in smart city projects to identify and remedy such unfavourable conditions, ultimately improving the general quality of life. This paper surveyed the current proposed IAQ monitoring systems in terms of Internet of Things (IoT). In addition, the research work highlights composition of diverse monitoring systems, research summary, challenges together implying future directions for the researchers. The current level of knowledge on the close relationship between IoT and IAQ is presented in this research.

Copyright knowledge of library staff and students in an academic library

The study aims to assess the level of copyright knowledge among library staff and law students at the University of Venda (UNIVEN) library in Thohoyandou, Limpopo province, South Africa. The study used a quantitative research approach using a survey to gather data on understanding and awareness of copyright laws on campus. Google Forms was used to collect data. The population consisted of 38 library staff selected using a census sampling method and 112 final-year and postgraduate law students selected using a stratified random sampling method. The results of the study show that UNIVEN law students are more knowledgeable about basic copyright matters such as policies, copyright protection, public domain, copyright limitations, and fair dealing, copyright ownership than library staff. The research findings provided insight into the current level of copyright knowledge among library staff and law students and suggested strategies to improve copyright education and training in libraries. The results of this study will be useful to librarians, academics, and policymakers interested in promoting copyright literacy and compliance in academic libraries.

Awareness and Perception Towards Carpal Tunnel Syndrome by Citizens of Saudi Arabia

Background and Aims: Little is known about the current level of knowledge of the public in Saudi Arabia about carpal tunnel syndrome. Therefore, the aim of the current study is to assess the level of awareness and knowledge about carpal tunnel syndrome among residents of Riyadh City, Saudi Arabia. Methods: An electronic questionnaire was used to target the population that lives in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We collected data from October 2022 to December 2022. We stored the data in an Excel datasheet and exported it to SPSS (IBM) for further analysis upon completion of the data collection. Results: In the current study, arthritis was the most known cause of carpal tunnel syndrome among the participants (56.3%). Still, one-third of the sample reported that they did not know if those were symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. Furthermore, the results indicated that 63.9% of the participants reported that carpal tunnel syndrome affects their writing. In general, 38.8% of the participants had previously heard of CTS, and its prevalence among them was 15.7%. The results of our study showed that males, older populations, non-Saudis, those with higher incomes, and some occupations were associated with a greater level of CTS awareness and prevalence. Conclusions: The current study found a similar prevalence of CTS in the public population in the Riyadh region to previous studies, but it also significantly revealed a low awareness level.

Heart Failure Awareness Survey in a Turkish Population: HFAS-TR.

Heart failure is a leading cause of death and the most common diagnosis leading to hospitalization. Its awareness is lower than that of other cardiovascular diseases, both in the general population and among patients with heart failure (HF). This study aimed to establish the current level of knowledge about HF in patients with HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF) in Türkiye. This questionnaire-based survey study is multicenter, conducted across 34 centers from December 2021 to July 2022. We performed a survey consisting of two sets of questions focusing on individual characteristics of the patients and HF-related knowledge. The study included a total of 2,307 outpatient HF patients, comprising 70.5% males and 29.5% females with a mean age of 64.58 ± 13 (56-74) years and a mean body mass index value of 32.5 ± 10 kg/m2. HFrEF and HFmrEF were determined in 74.7% and 25.3% of patients, respectively. Thirty percent of the patients were unaware that they had HF. While 28.7% of the patients thought that they had sufficient information about HF, 71.3% believed they lacked adequate knowledge. In the study, 25.2% of the participants identified dyspnea, 22% identified tiredness, and 25.4% identified leg edema as the most common symptoms of HF. Only 27.4% of patients recognized all three typical symptoms of HF. We found that the study population's knowledge about HF symptoms and the nature of the disease was poor. Educational and awareness activitiesare necessary to optimize outcomes and benefits.

Assessment of knowledge, attitude, and practice of artificial intelligence among medical students in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) is gaining prominence in the field of medicine with potential benefits in diagnosis, treatment, and medical education. However, the extent to which medical students are informed about AI, their attitudes toward the integration of AI with medicine, and their engagement in AI-related practices remains an essential aspect yet to be explored. Aims and Objectives: This study aims at assessing the knowledge, attitude, and practice of AI among medical students in a tertiary care hospital and understanding the perspectives of students toward AI as a teaching tool and in medical practice. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study using an online survey consisting of closedended questions under categories of demographical data, knowledge, attitude, practice, and discussion among medical students of a government medical college and hospital in Kallakurichi. Results: Among 150 participants of the study, 74.16% were found to have a basic knowledge of AI cumulatively. 49.33% of the participants reported that they expected a positive impact of AI in health care; 14.0% shared that AI could have a negative impact on existing health-care practices; and the remaining 36.67% were impartial toward the outcome of AI integration. 10.67% of participants were extremely confident in their AI skills in medical practice; 26% reported that they were somewhat confident; 45.33% believed that they could adapt if needed; and 18% were uncertain of it. Finally, 17.33% were accepting toward AI evaluating their clinical skills, 36.0% were in strong denial of AI-based evaluation, and 46.67% agreed that it could be useful in some specific cases. Conclusion: In conclusion, the study highlights the current level of knowledge and attitudes of medical students toward AI. Incorporating AI tools and knowledge into medical education may lead to more informed and positively inclined future health-care professionals who can harness the potential benefits of AI in health care and advance medical knowledge.

Assessment of Farmworker’s Level of Knowledge in Banana Cultivation and its Implication on Productivity Improvement in the Lower Shabelle Region of Somalia

Somalia was the largest banana producer and exporter in Africa in early 1990, but both production and export collapsed due to improper use of good agricultural practices and post-harvesting constraints. The government and its partners tried to recover the banana sector, but nothing changed. Researchers hypothesized that studying and improving farmworkers’ knowledge of banana cultivation could contribute to recovering the country’s banana sector. Therefore, the study objective is to study the current knowledge level of banana farm workers on banana cultivation and contributing factors influencing farm workers’ knowledge of banana cultivation in the Lower Shabelle region of Somalia. A cross-sectional study participating 400 farmworkers was implemented in the selected six large-scale banana farms which are the largest production area of the Lower Shabelle region of Somalia by using a well-structured questionnaire. Bloom’s cut-of-point classification was used to categorize knowledge scores into three knowledge levels and data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and Multiple linear regression at a p-value of <0.05, <0.10, and <0.01. Most of the farm workers (80.2%) were male with 31.57 mean age (SD=8.53) and 167.48 mean income age (SD=81.27). This study reported that 194 (48.5%) farm workers have low knowledge of banana cultivation, 127 (31.8%) have moderate knowledge, and only 79 (19.8%) have good knowledge. The Mean knowledge was 18.54 (SD=6.51) out of 30 maximum expected scores. The weakest knowledge section is pesticide management while the strongest is harvesting. The coefficient of farmworkers’ age, education, training participation, and banana farming experience are significantly associated with their knowledge of banana cultivation activities at p-value <0.05 while the total land size they cultivate has a significant association at p-value <0.10. This study reported almost half of the banana farm workers have a low level of knowledge of banana cultivation. To enhance farmworkers’ cultivation knowledge, agricultural extension and education programs must enhance pesticide management relating knowledge by specifically focusing on older and low-experience farmworkers, rural farmworkers that are far away from training centres, and those who do not have large land sizes. In addition, improving training quality by providing advanced training materials and mentors, increasing training frequency, and improving training effectiveness is highly recommended.

AdPisika: an adaptive e-learning system utilizing k-means clustering, decision tree, and bayesian network based on felder-silverman model to enhance physics academic performance

Amid the shift to online learning during the COVID-19 outbreak, the academic performance of students has become a concern. To address this, Adaptive Learning Systems (ALS) have emerged, these help in assessing students and delivering personalized content. This study develops an ALS incorporating K-means Clustering, Decision Tree, and Bayesian Network techniques, based on the Felder-Silverman Learning Style Model (FSLSM). The aim is to optimize learning materials based on students' current Knowledge Level (KL) and their Learning Style (LS). The students who utilized the proposed system showed substantial improvements in their performance across the Electromagnetic Spectrum, Light, Electricity, and Magnetism modules, with increases of 28.8%, 41.4%, 31.9%, and 32.9%, respectively. These findings provide strong evidence that the adaptive e-learning system had a significant positive impact on post-test scores compared to pre-test scores, surpassing the outcomes achieved with the traditional learning approach. With a silhouette score of 0.7 for K-Means clustering, an accuracy of 87.5% for Decision Tree, and a 95.1% acceptance value for the distribution of learning objects using the Bayesian Network, the proposed adaptive system demonstrated successful implementation of these machine learning algorithms. Furthermore, the proposed system received "excellent" ratings for functional stability, performance efficiency, compatibility, and reliability, with mean values of 4.49, 4.43, 4.43, 4.8, and 4.47 respectively.

Developing digital competencies of controllers: Evidence from the Netherlands

Prior research foresees that advancing digital technologies call for increasing competency levels of controllers. Competency theory predicts that achieving this will require increasing knowledge of these technologies and the ability to task-specifically use it. Empirical evidence of the recognition of these necessary conditions is missing. Drawing on competency literature and extant research on influences of nine technologies, we survey 453 senior controllers. We find for all technologies that they perceive their current knowledge and competency levels lower than required and that their expectations of the required competency growth correlate positively with perceived current knowledge at any current competency level, even for task-specific technologies that have the highest current and future competency scores (big data, analytics, visualization). However, their expectations may underestimate the future digital competency levels required for staying relevant. Our evidence urges controllers to work on their digital competencies and put task-specific knowledge first for each new competency.

Evaluation of The Current Level of Knowledge of The Residents of Dhaka City Regarding Earthquake Hazard

An earthquake is a sudden disaster that is not possible to predict. This impulsive behavior makes it very dangerous for humankind. Precautionary measures are immense for reducing damage. The first step of preventive measures for an earthquake is raising awareness. Dhaka City has a high earthquake risk due to its large population and urbanization. Researchers have said that an earthquake in this zone can be fatal, resulting in heavy casualties with structural damage. For this reason, proper awareness is essential for the residents of this area. The aim of this study is to find out the current knowledge level of the residents of Dhaka City about Earthquake risk of this city. Online questionnaire was used to collect data from random residents of Dhaka. Survey data indicates that many people lack Knowledge of what to do before and during an earthquake. Especially school and college-going students are unaware of the essential things to do during an earthquake incident. Many people still don’t know the importance of a seismic-resistant building system and are unprepared for a seismic event. This study brings these aspects together to learn about the knowledge level, which can help policymakers raise awareness among this city's residents.

Current level of knowledge about Parkinson’s disease cognitive impairment: review

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) affects more than 1% of the population aged over 65 years and manifests with both motor symptoms – bradykinesia, rest tremor, rigidity, and non-motor symptoms. Cognitive impairment and dementia are recognized non-motor symptoms that can significantly affect the quality of life of both the patient and caregivers and are a risk factor for institutionalization in nursing homes and a risk factor for early mortality. Cognitive impairment is frequent in Parkinson’s disease (PD) that can develop even before the diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease based on its motor features. Conclusions: There are several clinical, molecular, and imaging factors that constitute risk factors for the development of Parkinson’s disease dementia, in which basal cholinergic and prefrontal dopaminergic systems are involved. Histological changes are Lewy-body, Alzheimer, but also vascular pathology. Clinically can be distinguished subjective cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment and, subsequently, Parkinson’s disease dementia. There are no remedies with a proven effect to prevent the occurrence of cognitive decline in PD. The only approved drug for already developed D-PD is the cholinesterase inhibitor – donepezil. Non-pharmacological interventions are thought to be beneficial. A multidisciplinary approach to cognitive impairment is recommended, with specific pharmaceutical treatment of the cognitive disorder and comorbidities, and appropriate rehabilitation.

Patient advisory board for dementia research (Part‐Beirat): survey on knowledge on participatory research

AbstractBackgroundParticipatory research refer to the process of actively involving people with lived experience of a condition into the research process to improve its relevance, quality, and impact. Evidence indicates that engaging patients in research increases recruitment rates and supports researchers in obtaining funding, developing study protocols, and selecting appropriate outcome measures. The challenge is to establish a sustainable structure to include patient groups which are underrepresented yet, such as patients with neurodegenerative diseases.ObjectiveTo develop, implement, and evaluate a patient advisory board (the “PART‐Beirat”) facilitating involvement in research at the Rostock University Medical Center. As part of the project, we examine the prior knowledge and attitudes toward participatory research.MethodThe project consists of three phases over three years and is supported by the Robert Bosch Stiftung. The first phase involves establishing the PART‐project’s organizational structure, developing key documents and procedures, collecting knowledge (e. g. systematic reviews, survey) and raising awareness. In the second phase, we will connect people with lived experience with researchers to establish topic‐specific (neurodegenerative diseases) PART‐advisory boards. In the third phase, we will increase the number of projects within the PART‐Beirat, monitor their progress and share best practices across the research landscape. In phase one, we conduct a standardized survey on the current knowledge on participatory research among older adults. The questionnaire is based on a previous study conducted at the University of Zurich in 2020.ResultThe survey covers participants’ prior knowledge and attitude towards participatory research, willingness to engage as well as time they would want to invest into participatory research. Data collection of the survey will begin in January 2023. Descriptive results of the survey will be presented.ConclusionAt present, we are underway to develop the organizational structure of the patient advisory board to involve hard‐to‐reach patients and caregivers (PART project). The results of the survey will help us to identify the current level of knowledge on participatory research as well as attitudes towards and willingness to contribute to participatory research. This will provide us with a baseline which we hope to improve in the next three years with the establishment of the PART‐Beirat.

Can Orthopaedic Surgeons adequately assess an Electrocardiogram (ECG) trace paper? A cross sectional study

ObjectivesThe primary objective was to evaluate the ECG trace paper evaluation current knowledge level in a group of Orthopaedic surgeons divided into juniors and seniors according to M.D. degree possession. MethodsA cross sectional study through self-administered questionnaires at a university hospital Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery Department. The questionnaire included five sections: 1-Basic participants' characteristics, 2-Participants' perception of their ECG evaluation current knowledge level, 3-The main body of the questionnaire was an ECG quiz (seven); the participant was asked to determine if it was normal and the possible diagnosis, 4-Participants' desired ECG evaluation knowledge level, and 5-Willingness to attend ECG evaluation workshops. ResultsOf the 121 actively working individuals in the department, 96 (97.3 %) finished the questionnaire, and 85 (77.3 %) were valid for final evaluation. The participants' mean age was 30.4 ± 6.92 years, 76.5 % juniors and 23.5 % seniors. 83.5 % of the participants perceived their current ECG evaluation knowledge as none or limited. For participants' ability to evaluate an ECG, higher scores were achieved when determining if the ECG was normal or abnormal, with a mean score percentage of 79.32 % ± 23.27. However, the scores were lower when trying to reach the diagnosis, with a mean score percentage of 43.02 % ± 27.48. There was a significant negative correlation between the participant's age and answering the normality question correctly (r = −0.277, p = 0.01); and a significant positive correlation between answering the diagnosis question correctly and the desired level of knowledge and the intention to attend a workshop about ECG evaluation, r = 0.355 (p = 0.001), and r = 0.223 (p = 0.04), respectively. Only 56.5 % of the participants desired to get more knowledge, and 81.2 % were interested in attending ECG evaluation workshops. ConclusionOrthopaedic surgeons showed sufficient knowledge when determining the normality of ECG trace papers; however, they could not reach the proper diagnosis, and Junior surgeons performed slightly better than their senior peers. Most surgeons are willing to attend ECG evaluation and interpretation workshops to improve their knowledge level.

Influencing Corporate Culture On Internal Control In Commercial Firms

Objective: Corporate culture is the perception, behavior, communication style, and qualities that are unique to a firm. One of the core factors that makes a firm successful is its corporate culture. The article aims to determine the corporate culture factors and their influence on internal control in commercial firms in Hanoi. Method: The major method of study used by the author is a combination of quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Scale adjustments are made via qualitative research. The model is examined, measured, and tested using quantitative research. We use primary data from a survey of commercial enterprises in Vietnam. The research sample is 225 and is analyzed using regression models. Results: Research results have determined that corporate culture factors, including collaborative culture, hierarchical culture, and competitive culture (sig. = 0.000 &lt; 0.05), affect positive internal control in commercial enterprises in Hanoi. Conclusions: The article is based on the empirical data collected from various types of participants, including accountants (for information provision), managers (for decision-making), sales staff (for work), and lecturers (for research) in Vietnam. By drawing the concept from previous research, the study explores corporate culture as an internal control determinant. The study contributed to a theoretical enhancement of the current level of knowledge on the factors that affect internal control and developed a reliable scale for measuring the corporate culture and internal control of commercial firms in Hanoi, Vietnam. Besides, our study emphasizes that the corporate culture in commercial enterprises in Hanoi needs improvement to support internal control. Policymakers are required to make strategic efforts for internal control system reform in firms to increase the likelihood of business performance. The value of the study is that it provides an expansion of the corporate culture factors that influence internal control in commercial firms in Hanoi, thereby proposing governance implications for the business leaders of these firms to improve internal control. Besides, research results provide useful references for research on related issues.

Transformer-based convolutional forgetting knowledge tracking

Knowledge tracking is to analyze the mastery of students' knowledge through the learning track. This is very important for online education, since it can determine a learner’s current knowledge level by analyzing the learning history and then make recommendations for future learning. In the past, the commonly used model for knowledge tracking is the convolutional neural network, but it has long-term sequence dependencies. With the invention of Transformer, it has excellent performance in long-sequence modeling by virtue of the attention mechanism, and is gradually introduced into the field of knowledge tracking. However, through our research, some knowledge tracking data sets have a large number of continuous and repetitive training, which will cause Transformer model to ignore the potential connections between some knowledge points. To overcome this problem, we introduce a convolutional attention mechanism to help the model perceive contextual information better. In addition, we simulate the forgetting phenomenon of students during the learning process by calculating the forgetting factor, and fuse it with the weight matrix generated by the model to improve the accuracy of the model. As a result, a Transformer-based Convolutional Forgetting Knowledge Tracking (TCFKT) model is presented in this paper. According to the experimental results conducted on the real world ASSITments2012, ASSISTments2017, KDD a, STATIC datasets, the TCFKT model outperforms other knowledge tracking models.

Attentive Simple Recurrent Unit Knowledge Tracing Based on Learning Ability

Knowledge tracing can analyze the current knowledge level of students through the data of students’ previous learning activities. However, the existing models usually consider the features of exercises, ignoring the individual differences of students. It is difficult to accurately predict students’ mastery. In this paper, we propose an attentive simple recurrent unit knowledge tracing (SRU-MAKT) based on learning ability. The experimental results show that our model is superior to the existing models, and the AUC increases by 1.6%. We also conduct visualization experiments, which show that SRU-MAKT has interpretability.

TPACK Based: A Need Analysis for ELT Materials Development

Maintaining current levels of knowledge necessitates putting learning into daily life. Currently, the development of technology and information has been very rapid, so it is possible to carry out technology-based learning. The term "TPACK" refers to the integration of conceptual frameworks related to technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge. The aim of this study was to determine if one of Kalimantan Barat schools was prepared to use TPACK in its teaching methodology. Descriptive analysis is the research method that is implemented. The techniques used to collect the data are observation of the school's infrastructure and amenities, interviews with a number of students and one of the English teachers, and student questionnaire responses. The findings revealed that the school and teachers were not prepared to include TPACK in learning and teaching activities. Even though the students were prepared enough for TPACK-based teaching and learning, it could be difficult because the school and teachers were not prepared. The observation reveals a scarcity of learning resources. The interview findings revealed that there are impediments to the use of TPACK in teaching and learning activities, such as a lack of technological skills, difficulty adapting to existing technology, and student indiscipline while utilizing technology in learning activities. Based on the study's findings, it is possible to conclude that certain demands must still be satisfied in order to accomplish TPACK-based learning.

Myths, Fallacies and "Machismo" Prejudices in the Practice of Sex: A Study on Attitudes and Knowledge for Sexual Life in a Large Spanish Sample

Abstract Introduction Many of the sexual problems of the couples that come to psychology and sexology consultations are due to erroneous beliefs surrounding the topic of sex. Beliefs that have been turned into widespread sexual myths and fallacies in society. In this study, we conducted a survey on knowledge and fallacies related to sexual intercourse with a large Spanish random sample. Our aim was to evaluate the presence of these fallacies and myths in today's modern society. Methods A total of 1162 participants of different genders (female, male, and non-binary), different sexual orientation (mostly heterosexual) and different ages (from 14 –two cases- to 64 with mean of 24.62 and SD of 8.96), answered an online questionnaire, developed ad hoc for this study, during the years 2019, 2020 and 2021. This questionnaire or survey collects the different fallacies, myths and “machismo” attitudes collected in clinical practice (psychology/sexology) that have caused couples or individuals to request professional therapeutic help, as well as knowledge related to sexual practices. Results The results show that the current level of knowledge is in general good (between 99 and 73% of adequate responses, with some exceptions mainly related to anatomy), higher among women (reaching their highest percentage of correct answers at 99%) than men (reaching their highest percentage of correct answers at 97%), and independent of age. In addition, we observe the weight and relationship that certain myths and traditional cultural fallacies have, as well as the presence of false expectations and beliefs about what the "ideal" sexual relationship should be, which are still very present in modern Spanish society, and which are responsible for the majority of clinical consultations and alleged disorders related to couples’ sexual life. Conclusions These myths, false beliefs, and unrealistic expectations, as well as the subtle attitudes of "machismo" (that people are not aware that they possess), must be combated (information, campaigns) since they are responsible for many of the apparent disorders and dysfunctions in the human sexual response (which are mostly attributed to women), and in the sexual life, in general, of couples. Policy Implications This study presents the level that these fallacies and negative attitudes are present in a large sample in Spain, and the questionnaire developed will allow evaluating the level of presence of these fallacies and negative attitudes, both in different societies/ groups and in particular individuals. Information that will be of great help to professional therapists who treat dysfunctions and sexual problems in couple/marital life, which are based on these fallacies, on attitudes of “machismo” and/or on the lack of knowledge on the one's own sex and that of their partner.

Understanding olfactory dysfunction in the COVID-19 era: insights from a cross-sectional survey of the Saudi community.

COVID-19 has emerged as a public health emergency caused by the coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2). However, only a few studies have reported that anosmia is an early predictor of COVID-19. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the current level of knowledge regarding smell dysfunction in COVID-19 era in Saudi community. An online survey was conducted using Survey Monkeys in Saudi Arabia. The survey was distributed through Twitter and WhatsApp. The questionnaire included individuals' demographic information, such as sex, age, residence, income, and qualifications, as well as their knowledge of the early symptoms of COVID-19. ANOVA and Mann-Whitney U-test were conducted to analyze the data. There were twelve items on knowledge dimensions which were assessed through five-point Likert scale. In total, 809 respondents completed the questionnaire. Among them, 658 (81.3%) had no knowledge of how sudden loss of or change in the sense of smell can be the only symptom of COVID-19. However, most participants, 738 (91.2%), knew that fever was a symptom of COVID-19. Similarly, 707 (87.4%) and 772 (95.5%) participants knew that cough and shortness of breath were the major symptoms of COVID-19, respectively. In addition, 395 (48.3%) participants had no information regarding taste changes as a symptom of COVID-19. Notably, participants who were female, married, or diagnosed with COVID-19 had significantly greater knowledge of smell-related issues due to COVID-19 than males, unmarried, and healthy/those without COVID-19. This study revealed that the Saudi population has an fairly good level of knowledge regarding common COVID-19 symptoms as more than 90% of the participants understood symptoms of COVID-19, but less acceptable knowledge regarding smell and taste dysfunction as more than 80% had no knowledge of change in olfactory and taste function was due to COVID-19.

Freshwater fish as hosts for parasites in Australia: How much do we really know?

AbstractAustralia has a highly endemic freshwater fish fauna, but basic biological knowledge for most is lacking. This includes an understanding, and description, of their parasite fauna. Additionally, the impacts of introduced fish species, and their parasites which have transferred across to native species, are also mostly unknown. This review provides the current level of knowledge of parasitic infection of the freshwater fish in Australia, both introduced and native. Only about a third of the native freshwater fish, but almost two‐thirds of introduced fish, have been reported as a host for a parasite. The majority of records occur along the eastern coastline of Australia and throughout the Murray Darling Basin; two drainage regions were yet to record any parasite infections. Of the 124 fish species, across 43 families, found as hosts in Australia, only 11 species had more than 10 reports of infection, with 31% of fish species only having single reports. A total of 13 different types of parasites were reported, with digeneans, protozoans, nematodes and monogeneans the most commonly reported. Significant gaps in the knowledge of parasites, and their potential impacts, of Australian freshwater fish still exist, and the need for fish biologists and fish parasitologists to work together is highlighted to ensure that as much information about each group can be obtained.

Implementation of the recommendations for the psychological management of patients with spondyloarthritis and inflammatory bowel disease

ObjectiveTo assess and improve the level of implementation of the recommendations for the psychological management of patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA) and associated inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). MethodsQualitative study. We performed a narrative literature review to identify the recommendations for the psychological management of SpA and associated IBD and to explore their level of implementation. Based on the findings, we developed a national survey to assess: (1) current level of knowledge and implementation of the recommendations; (2) attitudes towards the recommendations; and (3) barriers and facilitators to their implementation. The results of the review and survey were discussed by a multidisciplinary group of 9 expert rheumatologists and gastroenterologists, who defined implementation strategies to increase the uptake of the recommendations. ResultsThe review included 4 articles, 2 of them included direct recommendations on the identification and management of psychological problems in patients with SpA and IBD. None assessed the level of implementation of the recommendations in routine clinical practice. Our survey showed a great lack of awareness and implementation of the recommendations, even though psychological issues are very relevant for health professionals. Lack of time, resources, and knowledge are considered the main barriers to adherence to the recommendations. We propose several implementation strategies related to educational activities, clinical practice, and others to increase the uptake of reported recommendations. ConclusionsFurther research and efforts are required to achieve behaviour changes in clinical practice to improve the identification and management of psychological problems and needs in patients with SpA and IBD.