Practical Questions Research Articles

Nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding prevention of breast cancer among the female population of Surat district

Breast cancer incidences in women are rising, emphasizing the importance of its prevention. Adequate nutrition may have a promising role as a preventative strategy. The cross-sectional study aimed to assess the nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) to prevent breast cancer among 101 women aged 20–40 years residing in Surat and to assess the consumption pattern of antioxidant-rich foods among them. A descriptive questionnaire with references from the literature review was used. A few questions were modified as required for the survey to assess the level of KAP. A pretested questionnaire was used to gather information on demographic variables using a convenience sampling technique. The KAP scores were generated using a questionnaire with seven questions for knowledge; five attitude-related questions and ten questions for practice. Written informed consent was obtained from participants. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were computed using SPSS software (version 28). The mean knowledge score of the participants was 95.17; the mean attitudes score was 8.66; and the mean practice score was 16.08. A significant association was found between attitude score and occupation (p = 0.004). Although the knowledge about antioxidant-rich foods consumption was found to be good, the participants lacked adequate consumption of antioxidant-rich foods. Thus, the findings direct toward good awareness among women regarding breast cancer, which can be used in developing nutrition education programs to bring about behavior change in the dietary practices of the women.

Impact of educational intervention on dental students’ competence in managing injuries caused by sharp objects: a quasi-experimental study

IntroductionSharp object injuries (SOI) pose significant risks to dental healthcare workers. This study evaluated the impact of an educational intervention on dental students’ knowledge, attitudes, and practice habits regarding SOI management.MethodsA quasi-experimental before-after study was conducted among 87 dental students (59.8% female, 40.2% male; mean age: 23.45 years) in clinical years (DDS 2022–2025) at Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Participants completed a validated 34-item questionnaire (10 knowledge, 7 attitude, 17 practice questions) before and after watching a 3-minute 36-second animated video on SOI management and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). Data were analyzed using SPSS 26 with chi-square, ANOVA, and Bonferroni correction (p < 0.0031).ResultsThis study revealed significant differences in immediate post-injury performance knowledge (P = 0.001), PEP awareness (P = 0.025), and needle-capping (P = 0.001). However, there was no statistically significant difference in the extent of injury with sharp objects based on sex or age. There was a significant relationship between students’ year of university entry and the extent of injury with a sharp object (P = 0.025). Most students (67.8%) did not know how to function correctly after a sharp object injury, and the highest number of sharp object injuries occurred in the 7th semester. Over 60% of injuries went unreported, primarily due to perceived insignificance (44.1%).ConclusionsStructured educational interventions, particularly visual aids, enhance SOI management knowledge. However, long-term behavioral changes and reporting compliance require further investigation. Integrating SOI training into dental curricula and fostering a culture of incident reporting are critical to mitigating risks.

The Effect of Gender and Teaching Methods on Academic Success in Virtual Reality to Reduce Gender Disparity in Technology

This study adopted a pre-test post-test quasi-experimental design. The sample size was 162 students from eight universities. The sample was categorized into two groups: Group I (n=79) and Group II (n=83). Electric VLab, provided the environment. A researcher-made achievement test, comprising multiple-choice, essay and practical questions was used for assessment and data collection. Two weeks before the treatment, students in both groups were given a pre-test in electronics circuit construction and assembly. Before the treatment, one week was used to train the groups on how to use the Electric VLab. During the treatment, each intact class in Group I was taught using the direct instruction method, and the other classes in Group II were divided into units of five students with a selected peer tutor leading each unit while the teacher coordinated the learning. At the end of treatment, the post-test was administered to both groups. Mean statistics, standard deviation, and analysis of covariance were used to analyze the data. There was no significant difference between the achievement of male students in both groups. Female students in indirect instruction classes achieved significantly higher than their counterparts in direct instruction classes. There were significant effects of interaction between teaching methods and gender.

Effects of Feedback Providers' Positive Emotional Tone and Gender on Learning From a Multimedia Lesson

ABSTRACTBackground and ObjectiveThe positivity principle states that students learn better from instructors who display positive rather than negative or neutral emotions in multimedia lessons (Lawson et al. 2021a). This study extends this work by exploring the role of affective and social cues displayed by feedback providers, such as their emotional tone and gender, on multimedia learning.MethodIn this between‐subject study, 160 college students received a five‐section video lesson on human vision, with two practice questions inserted after each section. After each question, students received explanatory feedback videos presented by either a male or female feedback provider who displayed either positive or neutral emotion through gesture and voice.ResultsStudents who received feedback from providers with a positive emotional tone rated the provider higher on perceived positive emotion, supportiveness and competence, as well as on their own feelings of positivity. However, the emotional tone of the feedback provider did not impact posttest scores. Additionally, female feedback providers were perceived to be more negative, less supportive and less competent than male feedback providers, but the gender of feedback providers had no effect on posttest scores.ConclusionThis study expands the positivity principle (Horovitz and Mayer 2021) and the cognitive‐affective model of e‐learning (Lawson et al. 2021a) by showing that positive emotional cues from feedback providers enhance learning, similar to the impact of the instructor's emotional cues in presenting the main lesson. These findings highlight the broader role of positivity in creating engaging and supportive multimedia learning environments across contexts.

DEVELOPING A CREATIVE THINKING COMIC FOR LEARNING GEOMETRY

This study explores the development of a creative thinking comic on flat-sided geometric solids as a learning medium for 8th grade students. The comic was developed using the 4D model, which consists of the stages: Define, Design, Develop, and Disseminate. However, only the Define, Design, and Develop stages were carried out in the creation process of this creative thinking comic. In the Define stage, development needs were identified by analyzing student characteristics, reviewing the curriculum, and determining learning outcome indicators. The Design stage involved creating the initial prototype of the comic, including storyline development, visual design, and interactive elements. The comic features content related to flat-sided geometric solids presented through stories connected to students’ daily lives, along with practice questions aimed at fostering creative thinking skills. During the Develop stage, experts validated the comic and its supporting instruments, assessing validity, practicality, and effectiveness. Revisions led to the final version of the creative thinking comic. Expert reviews confirmed its suitability, and teacher and student feedback were highly positive, with scores in the "very good" category. Student achievement results showed an average score of 14.48, classified as high.

Secondary findings in hereditary cancer genes after germline genetic testing - systematic review of literature.

In the last decade the increasing use of germline genetic testing has led to frequent discoveries of secondary findings (SF) in hereditary cancer (HC) genes. Disclosure and clinical management of such findings are still not clearly defined and raise many ethical, clinical, and practical questions. This systematic review is focused on frequency of reported SF in HC genes across different populations as well as summarizing current guidelines, recommendations, and actual clinical practice about reporting and managing SF in HC genes. A systematic literature search according to the PRISMA guidelines was performed on the electronic database PubMed from inception to June 2024. 30 research papers involving almost 150,000 patients were reviewed. The reported frequencies of SF in HC genes varied between 0.4 and 3.1%. The majority of patients agreed to receive SF for medically actionable genes. Management and surveillance of patients after disclosure of SF in HC genes were rarely reported, but the limited data show no regret of receiving such results as well as diagnoses of early-stage cancer in patients participating in recommended surveillance programs related to SF. A substantial number of carriers of highly penetrant pathogenic variants in HC genes is discovered by reporting SF after germline genetic testing with next-generation sequencing. Additional information about the impact of SF disclosure on individuals and health care systems is needed to optimize the integration of SF into clinical care.

Changing Climates, Conservation Genetics, and Protected Areas in the Northern Rockies

Parks and protected areas provide baselines for ecological restoration and conservation, even though many of these sites are heavily managed and curated spaces, subject to wide-ranging anthropogenic impacts and control. As climates change, historical baselines become less tenable, creating new geographies of conservation, many of which are reconfigured by the application of emergent genetic technologies. This shift raises challenging practical and conceptual questions about where and how conservation should occur, including which species belong in particular places, which actions are appropriate to achieve desired outcomes, and the values that guide management in parks and protected areas. We examine these questions in the context of westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi) conservation in the northern Rockies, drawing on document analysis and semistructured interviews with fisheries scientists, land managers, conservation professionals, and anglers. Our specific objectives are to (1) document how genetic analyses helped to shift the focus of westslope cutthroat trout conservation from a protected-areas strategy to the management of hybridization as a threat, and (2) examine how genetic insights have altered the spatial practices of westslope cutthroat trout conservation and produced new management paradigms for protected places. More broadly, we use this case to reflect on the implications of genetic science for conservation within and beyond protected landscapes.

WITHDRAWAL – Administrative duplicate publication: Afterword: Cross-border journalism: Issues and questions for research and practice

WITHDRAWAL – Administrative duplicate publication: Afterword: Cross-border journalism: Issues and questions for research and practice

PERANCANGAN SISTEM PEMBELAJARAN MATEMATIKA PADA ANAK SEKOLAH BERBASIS GAMIFIKASI MOBILE DENGAN METODE ADBO

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on education, forcing learning to switch to an online system to prevent the spread of the virus. However, problems still persist, especially in elementary school mathematics education, students tend to think mathematics is difficult and not very interesting. This is due to the ineffective classroom learning approach, so that many students lose interest in learning mathematics. Therefore, innovative solutions are needed that can increase students' interest and understanding of mathematics learning, such as a gamification approach for students who prefer to play. The purpose of this study is to develop a mobile application that combines a gamification approach as a mathematics learning material for elementary school students. The system concept in this mobile application is that students can work on practice questions and see learning outcomes, choose an avatar on the edit profile, and access the discussion forum available in the application. This application is designed to create an interactive, fun and effective learning experience using the ADBO (Analyze, Design, Build, Operate) method which is systematic and directed to ensure that each stage of the process provides optimal results and according to user needs with the hope of overcoming complex problems faced by students. Through the modeling used in the preparation of this application, it is hoped that it will be in accordance with its purpose, namely to provide convenience to elementary school students, from grade 1 to grade 6, to become better at learning.

Comparison of ChatGPT plus (version 4.0) and pretrained AI model (Orthopod) on orthopaedic in-training exam (OITE).

Comparison of ChatGPT plus (version 4.0) and pretrained AI model (Orthopod) on orthopaedic in-training exam (OITE).

Knowledge, practice and attitudes of healthcare students to sepsis management in Jamaica

BackgroundSepsis is a medical emergency requiring timely management and available global evidence suggests that healthcare workers and students are poorly prepared to effectively diagnose and treat such patients. This study evaluates the inter-relationship of healthcare students’ attitudes towards, knowledge of and practice of sepsis management as they progress through training in Jamaica.MethodsA prospective cross-sectional survey using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire with convenience sampling was performed among healthcare students at all levels of training. All available medical and nursing students from the major public medical and nursing schools in the Kingston Metropolitan Area were included in the study. The questionnaire was composed of 25 items covering aspects of the knowledge, attitudes, and practice of sepsis management.ResultsThe study population consisted of 292 respondents; 210 medical and 82 nursing students. The need for fluid resuscitation before ICU admission (72.6%) was the practice question that was correctly identified by the majority of students. Most of the remaining items were correctly identified by approximately half of the students including signs of sepsis such as altered mental state (56.1%), low systolic blood pressure (53.7%) and tachypnea (50.6%). In contrast, very few students could identify the signs that indicated the presence of septic shock such as high serum lactate and the need for vasopressors and only 7% of students knew the correct annual sepsis mortality rate. Nursing students had higher overall mean correct knowledge and correct practice scores compared to medical students and lower incorrect practice scores, although there was no difference in incorrect knowledge scores between the 2 respondent groups. A subgroup analysis of students in their final stage of training revealed a more comparable performance of the 2 student groups, highlighting the improved performance by both nursing and medical students who received either formal sepsis training or were in the late stage of training. Jamaican healthcare students agree that more training on sepsis is needed (98.3%) and that sepsis care bundles should be implemented during their training courses (94.2%).ConclusionsThis study revealed differences in the healthcare students’ attitudes, knowledge of and practice of sepsis in Jamaica. There is the need for training on sepsis and implementation of sepsis care bundles.

ChatGPT-4 for addressing patient-centred frequently asked questions in age-related macular degeneration clinical practice.

Large language models have shown promise in answering questions related to medical conditions. This study evaluated the responses of ChatGPT-4 in answering patient-centred frequently asked questions (FAQs) relevant in age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Ten experts across a range of clinical, education and research practices in optometry and ophthalmology. Over 200 patient-centric FAQs from authoritative professional society, hospital and advocacy websites were condensed into 37 questions across four themes: definition, causes and risk factors, symptoms and detection, and treatment and follow-up. The questions were individually input into ChatGPT-4 to generate responses. The responses were graded by the experts individually using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree; 5 = strongly agree) across four domains: coherency, factuality, comprehensiveness, and safety. Across all themes and domains, median scores were all 4 ("agree"). Comprehensiveness had the lowest scores across domains (mean 3.8 ± 0.8), followed by factuality (mean 3.9 ± 0.8), safety (mean 4.1 ± 0.8) and coherency (mean 4.3 ± 0.7). Examination of the individual 37 questions showed that 5 (14%), 21 (57%), 23 (62%) and 9 (24%) of the questions had average scores below 4 (below "agree") for the coherency, factuality, comprehensiveness and safety domains, respectively. Free-text comments highlighted issues related to superseded or older technologies, and techniques that are not routinely used in clinical practice, such as genetic testing. ChatGPT-4 responses to FAQs in AMD were generally agreeable in terms of coherency, factuality, comprehensiveness, and safety. However, areas of weakness were identified, precluding recommendations for routine use to provide patients with tailored counselling in AMD.

Engage? Disengage? Discharge? Ethical approaches to fraught questions.

This article presents a framework to assist with the making of often challenging decisions about engagement and disengagement with patients across mental health services. The framework is based on Beauchamp & Childress's four principles of clinical ethics. We pose practical questions, illustrated by a clinical vignette, around these four principles in order to aid implementation of ethics-based decision-making. The framework is useful in both complex and seemingly straightforward issues. It can be used as a means of communicating what are often controversial decisions to fellow clinicians and patients.

Classification of Joint Quantum Measurements Based on Entanglement Cost of Localization

Despite their importance in quantum theory, joint quantum measurements remain poorly understood. An intriguing conceptual and practical question is whether joint quantum measurements on separated systems can be performed without bringing them together. Remarkably, by using shared entanglement, this can be achieved perfectly when disregarding the postmeasurement state. However, existing localization protocols typically require unbounded entanglement. In this work, we address the fundamental question: “Which joint measurements can be localized with a finite amount of entanglement?” We develop finite-resource versions of teleportation-based schemes and analytically classify all two-qubit measurements that can be localized in the first levels of the resulting hierarchies. These levels include several measurements with exceptional properties and symmetries, such as the Bell state measurement and the elegant joint measurement. This leads us to propose a systematic classification of joint measurements based on entanglement cost, which we argue directly connects with the complexity of implementing those measurements. We illustrate how to numerically explore higher levels and construct generalizations to higher dimensions and multipartite settings. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

A Practical Approach to Causal Inference over Time

In this paper, we focus on estimating the causal effect of an intervention over time on a dynamical system. To that end, we formally define causal interventions and their effects over time on discrete-time stochastic processes (DSPs). Then, we show under which conditions the equilibrium states of a DSP, both before and after a causal intervention, can be captured by a structural causal model (SCM). With such an equivalence at hand, we provide an explicit mapping from vector autoregressive models (VARs), broadly applied in econometrics, to linear, but potentially cyclic and/or affected by unmeasured confounders, SCMs. The resulting causal VAR framework allows us to perform causal inference over time from observational time series data. Our experiments on synthetic and real-world datasets show that the proposed framework achieves strong performance in terms of observational forecasting while enabling accurate estimation of the causal effect of interventions on dynamical systems. We demonstrate, through a case study, the potential practical questions that can be addressed using the proposed causal VAR framework.

Knowledge Tagging with Large Language Model Based Multi-Agent System

Knowledge tagging for questions is vital in modern intelligent educational applications, including learning progress diagnosis, practice question recommendations, and course content organization. Traditionally, these annotations have been performed by pedagogical experts, as the task demands not only a deep semantic understanding of question stems and knowledge definitions but also a strong ability to link problem-solving logic with relevant knowledge concepts. With the advent of advanced natural language processing (NLP) algorithms, such as pre-trained language models and large language models (LLMs), pioneering studies have explored automating the knowledge tagging process using various machine learning models. In this paper, we investigate the use of a multi-agent system to address the limitations of previous algorithms, particularly in handling complex cases involving intricate knowledge definitions and strict numerical constraints. By demonstrating its superior performance on the publicly available math question knowledge tagging dataset, MathKnowCT, we highlight the significant potential of an LLM-based multi-agent system in overcoming the challenges that previous methods have encountered. Finally, through an in-depth discussion of the implications of automating knowledge tagging, we underscore the promising future of deploying LLM-based algorithms in educational contexts.

Examining Differences in the Preparation and Performance of U.S. MCAT Examinees from Lower-SES Backgrounds: Awareness, Access, and Action Insights to Narrow Learning Opportunity and Performance Gaps and Promote Learning for All Aspiring Physicians

Phenomenon: On the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), required for entry into all medical schools in the U.S. and many in Canada, average scores are typically lower for individuals from lower socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds compared to their more advantaged peers, although individuals from every background score in the lower, middle, and upper ranges of the score scale. This achievement gap is potentially due in part to disparities in resource utilization and effective study strategies. Viewing this challenge through a socioecological systems lens can help identify potential systems-level opportunities to support students from these backgrounds to succeed in medicine. Approach: This investigation was the first large-scale review of MCAT preparation strategies, resource utilization, and challenges for examinees from lower-SES backgrounds, focusing on those who obtained higher versus lower MCAT scores. It aimed to examine differences in students’ use of evidence-supported learning/studying strategies and challenges experienced in preparing for the MCAT exam. Survey data from the Association of American Medical Colleges Post-MCAT Questionnaire on MCAT preparation strategies and resources used and challenges experienced by 2021–2023 examinees were analyzed, focusing on the 3,240 survey respondents from lower-SES backgrounds. T-tests and chi-square analyses compared continuous variables and proportions between lower- and higher-scoring examinees from lower-SES backgrounds, using Cohen’s h to estimate effect size. Findings: Higher-scoring examinees reported greater use of many evidence-supported effective test preparation and learning strategies, including discussing preparation strategies with advisors/peers, establishing baseline capabilities, practicing applying knowledge to practice questions, and evaluating readiness by taking a practice test. Utilization rates of high-value, free/low-cost MCAT resources were significantly higher among top scorers. Conversely, lower-scoring examinees were more likely to report challenges in obtaining reliable internet access, determining how to begin studying, and accessing concrete information about the MCAT exam. Insights: This study highlights critical differences in preparation approaches and challenges among examinees from lower-SES backgrounds. Identifying these gaps may provide insights regarding interventions to improve access to resources and potential improvement to MCAT performance. We provide systems-level ideas for how to better support students from lower-SES backgrounds. For example, learning specialists and advisors could use the findings from this study to screen and educate examinees about evidence-based MCAT preparation strategies and resources. This study identifies opportunities to inform interventions to help students from lower-SES backgrounds advance toward a career in medicine.

Data Monitoring for Large Scale Public Health Data

Modern public health data contains information about changes in disease dynamics that can have significant downstream benefits if these phenomena can be identified. However, systemic data quality issues hamper automated analysis of these vast data volumes, and there is now far too much data (3-4 million data points/day) for public health data experts to inspect manually as they may have done in the past. This interdisciplinary thesis addresses practical questions about large-scale data monitoring that impact public health data users and are also reflected in the larger public health community. This work has been deployed for over a year and a half at the Delphi Research Group at Carnegie Mellon University, a national public health data curator, where data reviewers have been able to detect approximately 200 significant outbreaks, data issues, or changes in disease dynamics from 15 million new data points weekly.

Clinical Management of Acute myocarditis in daily practice: an expert practical view.

Acute Myocarditis (AM) encompasses a broad spectrum of clinical presentations and causes. Despite the recent advances in cardiovascular imaging, pathology, virology and genetics, specific therapies are still lacking. This collaborative review aims to analyze the current evidence to answer practical questions that physicians may face during the early management of patients presenting with an acute form of the disease, complicated or not.This review analyzes current evidence to address practical questions posed by acute cardiovascular physicians during the early management of acute, often fulminant, myocarditis. Based on the current literature, this review provides a step-by-step approach to treat AM patients from their admission in the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) to discharge, by answering 10 clinical questions: Might this patient be suffering from an AM? Should I hospitalize this patient and, if so, where? Which cardiac imaging exam should I perform and what can I learn from it? Is this patient requiring an EMB? What should the non-invasive etiological work-up be? Is his episode of AM of viral, toxic, or other origin? Does this patient need specific treatments or mechanical circulatory support? Is there an indication for guideline-directed medical heart failure treatment? When can the patient be discharged and resume physical activity? Notably, this review highlights the need to build a multidisciplinary response team to address the many diagnostic and therapeutic challenges of AM patients. It also points out the lack of evidence to guide treatment of these patients.

Optimalisasi Pembelajaran Akidah Akhlak melalui Media Quizizz untuk Meningkatkan Prestasi Belajar Siswa

This research aims to find out how to implement learning using Quiziz media to improve the learning achievement of students in moral beliefs in class VII A at MTsN 1 Mojokerto. This Research uses qualitative Research. This Research approach uses a case study approach. The results of this study show that 1. Learning planning with quizizz media on the subjects of moral creed, namely by adjusting the curriculum used in considering the characteristics of grade 7A students. In learning activities, teachers are expected to use lesson plans or teaching modules that are in accordance with the curriculum used. 2. Implementation of learning with quizizz media on moral creed subjects. That is, the teacher provides understanding to students through practice questions given by the teacher. 3. Evaluate learning with quizizz media on moral creed subjects. Teachers measure students' abilities using various methods, such as media or direct observation. The purpose of this measurement is to gather relevant and measurable information regarding students' understanding, knowledge, skills and attitudes.