Primary Source Of Information Research Articles

It’s hard to be loved by idiots.Fred Perry’s troubled relationship with the Proud Boys

Research methodology For the design of this case study, the authors used primary sources of information from the shops visited by them in preparation of the case and website of Fred Perry and secondary sources of information from both academic and journalistic publications. Case overview/synopsis Fred Perry is a premium clothing brand, well-known for its polo shirts. It was created by Mr Fred Perry, a British tennis player. The brand’s stated values are integrity, personality and individuality. Throughout its history, the brand has been adopted by different British subcultures but recently it has faced a challenge because of the brand appropriation by the Proud Boys, a US far-right white supremacy group and other extremist groups as Antifa and hooligans. The nature and actions of the group mean that Fred Perry runs the risk of losing control over its brand equity. This brand hijack means that Fred Perry risks alienating some of its customers by openly opposing the group but also by embracing this subculture’s appropriation. Practically, the brand opposed the appropriation in a press release and by putting an end to the sale of the black and yellow polo shirts in the USA and Canada. Fred Perry has also made a lot of efforts to reposition the brand away from extremist groups while maintaining its strong historical and cultural roots. Through this case study, students will have the opportunity to discuss this topic and explore solutions for brands that face this type of dilemma. Complexity academic level This case is designed to be used in a marketing management, brand strategy or consumer behavior/culture course, especially in the subfield of market segmentation in the telecommunications sector. Specifically, this case is designed for college seniors or master students with basic strategic marketing training. This case will help students understand the difference between the brand identity that the brand owners intend and the brand image that consumers actually perceive. It provides the basis of discussions on the topics of brand management, consumer culture, consumers-brands relationships, brand architecture, brand equity, brand appropriation and repositioning strategy.

From womb to world: mapping gut microbiota-related health literacy among Italian mothers, a cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe gut microbiota is a key determinant of long-term health. Promoting maternal health literacy may enhance children well-being. Aim of the present study was to assess gut microbiota-related health literacy of Italian women and identify potential gaps in awareness.MethodsA cross-sectional survey study was conducted using an online questionnaire (17 questions) on determinants and long-term impact of infant gut microbiota. The survey targeted Italian pregnant women and mothers of children under 2 years old, and was distributed through various social media channels between September 28th and November 15th, 2022. A total score was calculated as the sum of positive answers. Data on demographics, pregnancy status, and pre-existing knowledge of the infant gut microbiota were also collected. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied.ResultsThe questionnaire was completed by 1076 women. Median total score was 9 [7–11]. The 81.7% of respondents declared prior knowledge of the gut microbiota. The internet was among the most commonly cited primary sources of information. Independent predictors of total score were having a university degree (B = 0.656, p = 0.002) and prior knowledge (B = 2.246, p < 0.001). Conversely, older age was associated with lower total scores (B = -0.092, p < 0.001). The least known determinants of infant gut microbiota were gestational BMI, prematurity, mode of delivery and NICU stay. Pregnant women failed to recognize the role of breastfeeding in the development of infant gut microbiota more frequently than non-pregnant women. The 97.5% of participants reported increased interest in the gut microbiota, with heightened interest associated with prior knowledge.ConclusionsOur study revealed a moderate level of knowledge about infant gut microbiota among respondents, emphasizing the positive impact of prior knowledge on understanding and interest. Targeted educational interventions are needed to address awareness gaps, especially concerning the influence of breastfeeding on infant gut microbiota. Healthcare providers have the potential to enhance women's knowledge and awareness of this topic.

Content validity of the electronic faces thermometer scale for pain in children: is a picture worth more than a thousand words?

IntroductionEarly recognition of pain in children is crucial, and their self-report is the primary source of information. However, communication about pain in healthcare settings can be challenging. For non-verbal communication regarding different symptoms, children prefer digital tools. The electronic Faces Thermometer Scale (eFTS) utilizes a universal design with colors, face emojis, and numbers on an 11-point scale (0–10) for pain assessment. The aim of this study was to establish content validity of the eFTS for pain assessments in children.MethodsA mixed methods design was used. The study took place at a university hospital in eastern Sweden, involving 102 children aged 8–17 years who visited outpatient clinics. Participants were presented with 17 pictures representing varying pain levels and asked to assess hypothetical pain using the eFTS. A think-aloud approach was employed, prompting children to verbalize their thoughts about assessments and the eFTS. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and comparative statistics, together with a qualitative approach for analysis of think-aloud conversations.ResultsA total of 1,734 assessments of hypothetical pain using the eFTS were conducted. The eFTS differentiated between no pain (level 0–1) and pain (level 2–10). However, no clear agreement was found in the differentiation between hypothetical pain intensity levels (level 2–10). The analysis revealed that children utilized the entire scale, ranging from no pain to high pain, incorporating numbers, colors, and face emojis in their assessments.DiscussionThe variability in assessments was influenced by prior experiences, which had an impact on the statistical outcome in our study. However, employing the think-aloud method enhances our understanding of how children utilize the scale and perceive its design, including the incorporation of emotion-laden anchors. Children express a preference for using the eFTS to assess their pain during hospital visits.

Uncovering the Past Through Voices: Exploring Oral History as a Primary Source: A Case Study of the National Archives of Republic Indonesia [ANRI]

This research explains the use of the oral history collection of the National Archives of the Republic of Indonesia (ANRI) to optimize historical information as a primary source. Sources of information with this primary category relate to information from historical actors or eyewitnesses and witnesses to an event. Oral history archives are the main content of this research. The method used is descriptive qualitative, focusing on observing the content of oral history information published on websites and various social media platforms affiliated with ANRI. This research aims to analyze the oral history collection owned by ANRI and the historical information content contained in the collection. The results of this paper describe the content of oral history, which has primary information specifications based on the information needs in the archives. This information is helpful to complement information originating from textual sources. Open access to ANRI’s oral history collection helps fulfill information needs that primary textual information sources cannot fully meet.&#x0D; Keywords: ANRI, archives, information services, oral history, primary sources, website

The correlation between the need for continuing care services, influencing factors, and social support and discharge readiness among discharged patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in China: A cross-sectional study

ObjectiveTo understand the relationship between the need for continuing care services and influencing factors, social support, readiness for discharge among discharged pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 170 patients from a database of discharged patients with PTB from September 2023 to January 2024. A demographic and disease characteristics questionnaire, continuing care services basic modality questionnaire, continuing care services need questionnaire, the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), and the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale (RHDS) were used for this investigation. Univariate analysis and multiple linear regression analysis were used to analyze the associated factors. ResultsThe mean total score for the need for continuing care services among patients with PTB discharged from the hospital was (121.61 ± 22.98). The dimension with the highest score was health education guidance need. Compared to the the original hospital medical personnel, the primary source of care information after discharge was the local medical institutions was statistically significant and negatively correlated with continuing care service need (P = 0.005). Social support was positively associated with demand for extended care services (P = 0.042). ConclusionDischarged PTB patients had a high degree of continuing care service need. Factors influencing the need for continuing care services are the primary source of care information after discharge was the local medical institutions, the social support. Medical staff need to provide targeted continuing care services based on relevant influencing factors to meet the discharge needs of patients.

A Weighted Stacking Ensemble Model With Sampling for Fake Reviews Detection

Customers use reviews as a primary source of information to judge a product or service. Positive reviews help boost companies’ reputations, increasing their revenue by attracting new clients, and increasing the purchasing order size. On the other hand, negative reviews significantly reduce sales, which might be the case due to competitive advantage. Organizations can use fake (i.e., misleading or fraudulent) reviews to generate fast profits by deceiving customers into buying their products. Recently, various methods to assess the legitimacy of reviews have been introduced using advances in machine learning. However, existing methods fall short of achieving highly accurate detection results for unbalanced classes. We aimed to create a spam review identification model using ensemble-based learning while balancing classes using sampling techniques. This article proposes a weighted stacking ensemble model with sampling (WSEM-S) for efficient fake reviews detection. We used <inline-formula xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$n$</tex-math> </inline-formula> -gram models to effectively model language data for feature retrieval. The experimental results on three customer reviews datasets: YELPNYC, Deceptive Opinion Spam Corpus (DOSC) v1.4, and Deception datasets show that the proposed model outperforms the conventional machine learning techniques Naïve Bayes, logistic regression, K-nearest neighbor (KNN), random forest, extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and convolutional neural network (CNN) as well as the state-of-the-art ensemble models.

INFLUENCE OF MASS MEDIA ON THE RESIDENTS OF GAINDAKOT, NEPAL DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Background: Effective communication during health crises is vital, yet the widespread distribution of information via diverse channels has led to an “infodemic,” propagating misinformation and malpractices adoption. This study aimed to examine the influence of mass media in the adoption of precautionary behavior, and the spreading of fear and panic during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken in Gaindakot, Nepal, encompassing individuals aged 18-59. Face-to-face interviews employing a structured questionnaire were employed to collect data from 380 participants selected through a multistage systematic random sampling method. The collected data underwent through SPSS version 20, for descriptive statistics, and bivariate and multivariate analyses. Results: More than two-thirds (69.2%) of the respondents demonstrated a high level of adopting precautionary measures, while 43.2% of participants reported feeling fear and panic due to information from mass media. Social media (61.6%) and television (32.9%) were identified as the primary sources of information during the COVID-19 pandemic. Precautionary behavior adoption was significantly associated with ethnicity, income, and access to mass media while the spreading of fear and panic was significantly associated with sex, marital status, and employment status of the respondent. Conclusions: Mass media plays a significant role in shaping public perceptions and behaviors during public health emergencies. This study recommends that accurate and targeted media messaging is crucial to promoting desirable health behaviors and reducing misinformation.

Exploring Jalaluddin Rumi's Philosophy of Love through YouTube Content ‘Ngaji Filsafat’ on MJS Channel

Currently, the YouTube platform has become the primary source of information and entertainment for many people. The YouTube platform offers a variety of engaging educational content, including content related to the study of philosophy. ‘Ngaji Filsafat’ is a segment that has been around for 10 years on the MJS Channel and has consistently presented philosophy discussions in a light and engaging manner. Episode 144, which explores the philosophy of love by Jalaluddin Rumi, became the most popular episode with 1.6 million viewers. This article aims to uncover how delivering content through this platform can influence the audience's perception and understanding of Rumi's philosophy of love. This research utilizes a qualitative approach, with data collection methods involving observation and document analysis. The collected data will be analyzed descriptively and analytically using the Miles and Huberman analysis model. The study indicates that delivering the concepts of Jalaluddin Rumi’s philosophy of love through the ‘ngaji filsafat’ content can enhance and deepen the viewers insights on the MJS Channel YouTube platform.

Pharmacological articles in the German magazine DIE ZEIT (THE TIME)-content, adequacy, and comprehensibility.

The German weekly magazine DIE ZEIT (THE TIME) reaches more than one million readers per issue, mainly from high-income social classes. Pharmacological content is frequent in DIE ZEIT. As it therefore reaches many people who generally have no in-depth knowledge of pharmacology, it can be assumed that DIE ZEIT is an important primary source of information. It should be its task to depict the drugs widely used by the population and to present them correctly and comprehensibly. This study analyzes 71 articles from 2012 to 2022 in terms of form, content, and comprehensibility. The analysis shows that in DIE ZEIT, drug groups largely correspond to the prescription figures and disease prevalence in Germany, with cardiovascular, neuropsychiatric, and pain medications being frequently discussed. There are deviations in the case of oncological drugs, for example, which are discussed more frequently than prescribed. New drug approvals are reported less frequently, and when they are, it is usually about the research phase. DIE ZEIT often reports on findings that are less than a week old and frequently quotes trustworthy experts, but no scientific sources can be found in around a quarter of the articles. A COVID-19 effect can also be identified in the years 2020 to 2022, as reporting on drugs for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) predominated. An important point of criticism was identified with regard to comprehensibility. Less than half of the articles achieved the cut-off value for general comprehensibility specified by the Textlab analysis program, and only one article achieved the value for target group-oriented comprehensibility. This analysis confirms the problem that science communication is often too complicated and incomprehensible. It discusses the tension between the prescribed drugs and the mission of DIE ZEIT to entertain and should serve as a basis for analyzing other newspapers. Finally, we make specific suggestions how presentation of pharmacological topics in lay media can be improved in the future.

AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF DENGUE MOSQUITO DYNAMICS IN LAHORE: UNRAVELING THE IMPACT OF DENGUE OUTBREAKS AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

Dengue fever, caused by the Aedes mosquito-borne dengue virus, is still a major public health concern in many parts of the world, including Lahore, Pakistan. Lahore region is regarded as a dengue fever hotspot due to the large number of cases reported each year. The purpose of this research is to give an in-depth analysis of dengue mosquito dynamics in Lahore, with a particular emphasis on determining the influence of dengue epidemics and environmental factors. The current study was based on survey comprising 240 individuals from Lahore. In the study findings, 82.08% were positive cases and 17.91% were negative cases. The majority of respondents, were aware of the symptoms of dengue infection (62.33%), its transmission (90.83%), the cause of dengue (61%), safety precautions (73.33%), and the organ infected by the dengue virus (66.25). However, the majority of people are still clueless. 70% of participants indicate that television is their primary information source. Dengue fever cases have been found to have a seasonal pattern, peaking during the monsoon season (45.41%) when mosquito breeding conditions are perfect. The study's findings revealed that Aedes mosquitos, particularly Aedes aegypti, were widespread and identified as the primary vectors (61.66%) of dengue transmission in Lahore. It was revealed that temperature (49.58%), and rainfall all affected the number of Aedes mosquitoes. Overall, 81.6% were satisfied with Governmental efforts against the spread of dengue fever. Improved public knowledge is necessary to reduce dengue virus incidence. The findings of this study can assist public health professionals and legislators in developing targeted measures to mitigate the consequences of dengue epidemics and protect the public from this terrible infection.

The Public Budget’ Coverage of the Electoral Campaigns and Elections (2017-2024) and the Prevention of the Abuse of State Resources for Free and Fair Elections in Albania

This paper aims to analyze the use of public budgets to finance the electoral process, including electoral campaigns and elections of the political parties, candidates and other electoral subjects. The focus in this paper is in organizing free and fair elections, by preventing the abuse of the state resources, considered as one of the main deficiencies of the new democracies, including Albania from the year 1991- onward. The abuse of state resources, as an important feature of political finance, focuses on the problems resulting from the undue influence of the incumbent political party that wants to stay in power as long as possible. It is related with the funds or other resources, gained by political parties and candidates that benefit the incumbent party, and it results in undue influence of the later, and prevents other political parties and candidates from having a fair electoral contest. The main research question of this paper is: what are the programs and activities that are funded by the public (national) budgets related with the parliamentary and local elections and what are the financing’ regulations and their effects? Also, does the government create a fair starting point for all of the political parties and candidates, as a mean to preventing the abuse of state resources? As a result, this paper will study the approved budgets and the differences that arise from year 2017- until now, and it will analyze the total spending or expenditures for the elections, given to CEC and to the electoral subjects. The methodology used here is the combination of qualitative methods, and by using primary and secondary sources of information from different international and national relevant institutions and the analysis of the public budgets, for the budgetary years of 2017-2024.&#x0D;  &#x0D; Received: 12 February 2024 / Accepted: 17 March 2024 / Published: 23 March 2024

Myths about COVID-19 among Sindh Population: A Survey based Study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges globally, with misinformation significantly impacting public health responses. The rapid spread of myths and misconceptions, particularly through social media, has necessitated a deeper understanding of the factors influencing public perception and behavior towards COVID-19 preventive measures, transmission, and treatment options. Objective: This study aimed to quantify the prevalence of COVID-19 related myths among the Sindh population, explore associations with sociodemographic characteristics, and assess the impact of misinformation on public health practices. Methods: Employing a cross-sectional survey design, we recruited 400 participants using convenience sampling. The survey comprised two parts: demographic information and a structured questionnaire assessing beliefs about COVID-19. Questions were designed to capture myths related to transmission, prevention, treatment, and vaccination. Responses were analyzed using SPSS software version 25, employing descriptive statistics, t-tests, and ANOVA to identify significant associations between demographic factors and susceptibility to myths. Ethical approval was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee of Liaquat University of Medical &amp; Health Sciences. Results: The study found that 60% of participants harbored high levels of myths about COVID-19. Misconceptions were significantly associated with age, education, occupation, and marital status. Notably, 85% of respondents reported social media as their primary information source. Misconceptions included the efficacy of disinfecting groceries (62%), the risk posed by non-vegetarian food (12%), and misinformation about COVID-19 transmission through mosquitoes (5%). Additionally, there was a widespread belief in ineffective preventive measures and treatments, such as the use of home remedies (55%) and the misconception that vaccines cause COVID-19 (7%). Conclusion: The high prevalence of COVID-19 myths among the Sindh population highlights the critical role of social media in spreading misinformation. The study underscores the need for targeted interventions to address misinformation and enhance the public's ability to discern reliable information, particularly on digital platforms.

Abstract 4493: Protein structure inspired drug discovery

Abstract Introduction: Drug action is mediated by a small molecule therapeutic binding to a specific structural motif on a protein. As structure determines function, it follows that unique structural motifs are enriched for sites of unique function and high therapeutic target value. We hypothesized that protein structure constitutes high value primary information that can drive the discovery of novel therapeutic agents. Method: We developed a unique physics-based protein structure analysis platform scaled to run on a supercomputer, allowing us to consider dynamic protein flexibility and the influence of solvent upon protein structure, and to probe large protein libraries as a primary source of structure information that can support up-front structure-based screens. We developed and then probed a high resolution protein x-ray crystallographic library, created and curated by us. From a 60 million compound library, we conducted virtual screens for docking to identified sites. 8-day colony formation assays were conducted on a panel of 8 human breast, prostate, lung and colon cancer cell lines, as well as 8- and 14-day trilineage hematopoietic colony formation assays on human cord blood stem cells. Findings: From the first 180 deposited protein structures, we screened for unique protein surface structure. Structures were deemed unique if they were not otherwise known to be associated with any particular functional roles and were not the binding site of known therapeutics. Further selection included those that were clefts and possessed physical characteristics compatible with binding small chemicals whose properties have been linked to effective therapeutics. For each of 8 sites on 6 different proteins, a suite of analytics probed docking solutions from the compound library, generating a ranked list of 100 compounds for each site. Based on factors inclusive of availability and low potential for toxicity, compounds were acquired and used in in-parallel selection and de-selection functional assays. Cancer cell growth inhibition was a positive selection criterion, with additional ranking based on greater potency and broader efficacy. Bone marrow toxicity is limiting for most drugs, and inhibition of bone marrow stem cell growth was as a deselection criterion. Multiple compounds clustered around 2 sites on 2 different proteins. One compound, Dxr2-017, exhibited very high relative efficacy against colon and breast cancer cells. Evaluation of Dxr2-017 in the NCI-60 panel corroborated these findings, and showed even higher efficacy against melanoma. We demonstrated that Dxr2-017 inhibited melanoma growth with low nanomolar efficacy, while concentrations of over 2300-fold higher had only limited inhibitory effects on bone marrow stem cells. Conclusions: This study provides proof-of-principle that protein structure constitutes high value primary information that can support identification of novel therapeutics. This approach is widely applicable and expandable. Citation Format: Fangfang Qiao, T. Andrew Binkowski, Wayne Anderson, Weining Chen, Gray Schiltz, Karl Scheidt, Amarnath Natarajan, Raymond Bergan. Protein structure inspired drug discovery [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 4493.

Long-term assessment of social amplification of risk during COVID-19: challenges to public health agencies amid misinformation and vaccine stance

AbstractThis study employs the Social Amplification of Risk Framework to investigate the stance on COVID-19 vaccines and the spread of misinformation on Twitter in Finland. Analyzing over 1.6 million tweets and manually annotating 4150 samples, the research highlights the challenges faced by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) in steering online vaccination communication. Using BERT models, Botometer, and additional computational methods, the study classifies text, identifies bot-like accounts, and detects malicious bots. Social network analysis further uncovers the underlying social structures and key actors in Twitter discussions during the pandemic. The THL remained a primary source of COVID-19 information throughout the pandemic, maintaining its influence despite challenges posed by malicious bots spreading misinformation and adopting negative vaccine stances. However, THL ceased its Twitter activity at the end of 2022 because its posts were being exploited to gain visibility and traction for misinformation and negative vaccine stance. The study also identifies key influencers in online vaccine discussions, suggesting avenues for improving public health communication. Overall, the research underscores the need to understand social media dynamics to counter misinformation and foster accurate public communication on COVID-19 and vaccination.

Social media usage and pyschosocial as contributing factor towards the formation of ideology: A preliminary study

Social media platforms have become the primary source of information, especially among young people. The reason is that the information shared on social media is quicker and more current. Exposure to social media information helps shape how they think and build their character and personality. Similarly, society, family, ideology, and media, grouped as psychosocial factors, influence ideological formation by contributing towards character building and strengthening worldview. However, excessive social media usage may negatively influence young people and the way they think, whereas psychosocial factors influence an individual's personality and thinking. Therefore, this study examines social media usage and psychosocial factors and their influence on young people's ideological formation. Using the quantitative methodology with a set of self-reporting questionnaires, about 128 respondents took part in the pilot study. It is found that ideological influence, social media influence, and socialization agents' influence positively correlate to ideological formation. These constructs positively impact and influence the formation of ideology, character-building, and rational thinking. Thus, the findings of this study are expected to help authorities apply positive values ​​from social media influence and psychosocial factors to the thinking process and ideological formation of young generation leaders today.

Machine learning analysis of patients’ perceptions towards generic medication in Greece: a survey-based study

Introduction:This survey-based study investigates Greek patients’ perceptions and attitudes towards generic drugs, aiming to identify factors influencing the acceptance and market penetration of generics in Greece. Despite the acknowledged cost-saving potential of generic medication, skepticism among patients remains a barrier to their widespread adoption.Methods:Between February 2017 and June 2021, a mixed-methods approach was employed, combining descriptive statistics with advanced machine learning models (Logistic Regression, Support Vector Machine, Random Forest, Gradient Boosting, and XGBoost) to analyze responses from 2,617 adult participants. The study focused on optimizing these models through extensive hyperparameter tuning to predict patient willingness to switch to a generic medication.Results:The analysis revealed healthcare providers as the primary information source about generics for patients. Significant differences in perceptions were observed across demographic groups, with machine learning models successfully identifying key predictors for the acceptance of generic drugs, including patient knowledge and healthcare professional influence. The Random Forest model demonstrated the highest accuracy and was selected as the most suitable for this dataset.Discussion:The findings underscore the critical role of informed healthcare providers in influencing patient attitudes towards generics. Despite the study’s focus on Greece, the insights have broader implications for enhancing generic drug acceptance globally. Limitations include reliance on convenience sampling and self-reported data, suggesting caution in generalizing results.

Experience analysis of automation and robotization of the container terminal operation

The paper reviews the existing approaches to automation of both transshipment equipment and technological operations performed at container terminals. It is pointed out that automation and robotization of warehousing and port operational processes is one of the current global trends in the development of cargo transshipment and temporary storage technologies at seaport berths. Therefore, the search, accumulation and systematization of a lot of information about practical developments in this area of transport industry is one of the scientific tasks in choosing the direction of the dissertation research "Technology, arrangement and management of transshipment processes in ports". On the basis of the studied domestic and foreign experience in the field of arrangement of the management system of the sea container terminal the operational processes in which the object of automation was transshipment technology were classified. The unification of individual methods of automation of operational processes into groups (levels of automation) was made on the basis of the classification criteria "the number of automated equipment units ". Unstructured data presented as primary source information on the websites of manufacturers of transshipment equipment, as well as secondary open scientific data were the sources of information for the scientific research.

Assessment of community knowledge, attitude, and practice towards rabies and its determinants in Kersa District, East Hararghe Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Despite the prevention and control efforts against rabies, it remains a health problem for humans and animals in Ethiopia. A cross- sectional study design was employed from February to July 2022 to assess community knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards rabies  and associated factors in the Keresa district of Oromia regional state, Ethiopia. Face-to-face interviews were used to collect data from 384  households, and logistic regression was employed in the data analysis. Fifty-three percent (95% CI= 47.9-58.1%), 62% (95% CI= 57.3- 66.9%), and 50% (95% CI= 45.1-54.9%) had adequate knowledge, a desirable attitude and good preventative practices towards rabies,  respectively. 92.7% (95% CI= 90.1-95.3%) of participants had heard of rabies before, and 52.9% (95% CI= 47.9-58.1) of their primary source  of information was the community. Nearly all respondents, 95% (95%CI= 93.8-97.7%), admitted to eating rabid animal flesh, and 56.3%  (95%CI= 51-61.5%) believed that eating rabid animal meat may transmit the disease. One-fourth, 25.5% (95%CI=21.1-29.9%) of study  participants believed that rabies is related to spirits, and 27.9% (95%CI= 23.4-32.6) claimed that holy water might treat rabies. Sex, level of  education, occupation, and training status affect the knowledge of study participants. Age, family size, occupation type, and source of  information were all linked to preventive practice, but sex and age were the only variables associated with attitude. Respondents having  good knowledge and desirable attitudes had better preventive practices against rabies. Therefore, further awareness and disease-related  training are needed for the district population and beyond to improve their knowledge of rabies prevention and control.  

A Survey of Knowledge and Use of Academic Library Services at a Pseudo-Satellite Location

Objective – Following a rapid increase in student population over a five-year period, Cape Breton University leased additional teaching space from a nearby cinema chain but did not account for students’ library needs. The local nature of the venue, combined with issues in transit to the main campus, created “local-distance” students. These students were surveyed on awareness and use of library resources and services to inform future services. Methods – Students whose classes were primarily located at the cinema chain were engaged in an anonymous survey regarding their knowledge and use of library services. These data were then analyzed for common themes and recommendations. Results – There were notable gaps in student knowledge and use of library resources and services, perhaps owing to the primary source of information regarding these – namely, friends, professors, and the website. The need for further outreach and onsite library workers was highlighted, as was the importance of library as space. Conclusion – While the library handled the new venue as well as possible, it is crucial for administrators involved in change management to remember that student learning involves more than individuals in a classroom seat.

EXPLORING INFORMATION MEDIA PREFERENCES AMONG GOAT AND SHEEP FARMERS : A CASE STUDY IN DAERAH ISTIMEWA YOGYAKARTA PROVINCE

Goats and sheep are small ruminants with positive growth values in Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta Province (DIY). Goats and sheep development in DIY is necessary since these two livestock might be profitable to farmers. Information media have a significant role in disseminating knowledge and innovation to farmers quickly and effectively. However, information access fulfillment for the farmers is the weakness of livestock development. The aims of this research are to analyze farmers’ information media preferences and the factors influencing them. The information media in this study are dummy, namely person media with code zero (0) and ICT media with code one (1). The data was collected through a survey method that involved face-to-face structured questionnaire interviews to goat and sheep farmers in DIY who have at least one year of experience raising goat and or sheep. Farmers in DIY used personal media as their primary information source (86.42%), with fellow farmers being the most popular choice among farmers. Only 13.58% of farmers choose ICTs, with mobile phones being the preferred ICT over computers, radio, and television. The preference for using ICT is influenced by farmer characteristics: age (p &lt; 0.01), livestock experience (p &lt; 0.05), costs (p &lt; 0.1), and ICT number (p &lt; 0.05).  Information dissemination using ICT media will be more appropriate for young farmers who are just starting their business.