Retraining Program Research Articles

Forfeiture and refund on public expenditure: A model for effective financial management in Nigeria

The study examined forfeiture and refund on public expenditure: A model for effective financial management in Nigeria. the specific objectives of the study were to: establish the effect of forfeiture and refund in improving actual revenue collected, examine the effect of forfeiture and refund in improving actual public expenditure and determine the effect of forfeiture and refund in improving public borrowing in Nigeria. Three research questions guided the study. It employed a documentary research design. The finding showed that forfeiture and refunds in improved actual revenue collected, that forfeiture and refunds in improved actual public expenditure and that forfeiture and refunds will reduce public borrowing in Nigeria. The study concluded that forfeiture and refund on public expenditure is a good model for effective financial management in Nigeria. Forfeiture and recovery of proceeds of corruption are vital aspects of the anticorruption efforts of the present government in Nigeria. The study among others recommended that Building anti-corruption agencies' capacities through continuous training and re-training programs and international cooperation will block a haven to corruption and its assets, and it will enhance global combat against corruption. The effectiveness of any recovery, confiscation and asset forfeiture legal regime depends on institutional capacity and funding.

Forfeiture and Refund on Public Expenditure: A Model for Effective Financial Management in Nigeria

The study examined forfeiture and refund on public expenditure: A model for effective financial management in Nigeria. the specific objectives of the study were to: establish the effect of forfeiture and refund in improving actual revenue collected, examine the effect of forfeiture and refund in improving actual public expenditure and determine the effect of forfeiture and refund in improving publicborrowing in Nigeria. Three research questions guided the study. It employed a documentary research design. The finding showed that forfeiture and refunds in improved actual revenue collected, that forfeiture and refunds in improved actual public expenditure and that forfeiture and refunds will reduce public borrowing in Nigeria. The study concluded that forfeiture and refund on publicexpenditure is a good model for effective financial management in Nigeria. Forfeiture and recovery of proceeds of corruption are vital aspects of the anticorruption efforts of the present government in Nigeria. The study among others recommended that Building anti-corruption agencies' capacities through continuous training and re-training programs and international cooperation will block ahaven to corruption and its assets, and it will enhance global combat against corruption. The effectiveness of any recovery, confiscation and asset forfeiture legal regime depends on institutional capacity and funding.

Психические состояния, сопровождающие студента при первичном и повторном профессиональном самоопределении

The article discusses the mental states that arise in students during the initial and repeated professional self-determination (on the example of asthenia and anxiety states). At present, the global automation of the processes used in society is leading to a dynamic change in the areas of human activity. A person is in a state of uncertainty, “changeability” of his professional path, experiences anxiety and the inability to predict, which forms certain mental states that affect the mental health of a person and affect the socio-economic aspects of the country's development. There is a need to consider mental states in the process of professional self-determination and tools for their self-regulation. The respondents of our study were 43 undergraduate students and 50 students of master's and retraining programs. The age of the respondents ranges from 18 to 50 years. To identify mental states and the level of awareness of students, a clinical questionnaire was used to identify and evaluate neurotic states (K. K.Yakhin, D. M.Mendelevich) and a five-factor questionnaire of awareness (FFMQ). The results were processed using the method of univariate analysis of variance. As a result of the study, it was determined that undergraduate students have an increased level of asthenia and anxiety regarding graduate students and professional retraining students. Students of professional retraining show the ability to describe their experience and the ability to reflect. After testing themselves in professional activities, students of professional retraining understand their further professional path of development and do not doubt the correctness of their choice, unlike bachelor's and master's students.

Knowledge and Practice of Infection Prevention and Control among Healthcare Workers in Secondary Healthcare Facilities in Southern Cross River State Nigeria

Abstract Background: Globally, millions of people are affected annually by health-care-associated infections, many of which could be avoided by strict compliance with standard infection prevention and control (IPC) protocols. Aim: This study assessed the knowledge and practice of IPC among secondary health-care workers (HCWs) in Southern Cross River State. Materials and methods: A structured questionnaire was used in conjunction with a descriptive cross-sectional design to collect data from 336 health-care personnel. IBM SPSS Statistics version 25 was used to analyse the generated data. Results: The results show that 58% of the respondents had a high knowledge level of IPC and 52.4% exhibited a high level of standard IPC practice. About 53% reported that IPC protocols were available in their facility. No association was found between sociodemographic characteristics of HCWs and their practice of standard IPC practice except for sex. A significant association was found between sex and level of IPC practice (P = 0.015), the male HCWs had higher practice of IPC than their female counterparts. Although no association was found between knowledge and practice of IPC among the HCWs, the level of practice was, however, higher among the doctors than the nurses who had a higher level of knowledge on IPC. A logistic regression analysis further showed that only sex was significant (P = 0.021) in influencing a high level of IPC practice among the HCWs in this study. Conclusion: It is, therefore, imperative for health-care facility leadership to organise training and retraining programs on IPC to improve knowledge and compliance among HCWs, especially in the face of emerging infectious diseases in Nigeria.

Pedagogical Skills, Self-Efficacy and Content Knowledge Need For Shorthand Instructional Delivery of Lecturers in Public Tertiary Institutions in Niger State, Nigeria

This study assessed the pedagogical skills, self-efficacy and content knowledge need for shorthand instructional delivery of lecturers in public tertiary institutions in Niger State, Nigeria. Three specific objectives and three research questions guided the study. Similarly, three null hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The study covered shorthand lecturers from sixty public tertiary institution offering shorthand in Northern Nigeria. The design for the study was descriptive survey and the population was 125 shorthand lecturers. The entire 125 shorthand lecturers were used for the study. The instrument for data collection was a 4-points structured questionnaire developed by the researcher titled “Pedagogical Skills, Self-Efficacy and Content Knowledge Need for shorthand instructional Delivery” (PSSECNSID). The instrument was validated by 4 experts. Pilot study was conducted using tertiary institutions in Osun state who were not part of the subjects. The data collected from pilot study was analyzed using Cronbach Alpha method for reliability test and reliability co-efficient of 0.70 was obtained. The instrument was administered to the target respondents using direct approach and the researcher was assisted by 18 research assistants. Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, while Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to test the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The study concluded that shorthand lecturers need pedagogical skills, self-efficacy and content knowledge for effective shorthand instructional delivery in public tertiary institutions in Niger State, Nigeria. Based on the findings, the study recommended, among others, that government and professional organizations should organize workshops and seminars that will improve the pedagogical skills, self-efficacy and content knowledge of shorthand lecturers in Niger State, Nigeria. Implication of these findings, among others, is that pedagogical skills need of shorthand lecturers for effective instructional delivery may not improve if training and re-training programme are not organized in public tertiary institutions offering shorthand in Niger State, Nigeria.

Satisfaction and readiness for professional activity of students of the Institute of Osteopathy (Saint-Petersburg): a study using the DREEM questionnaire

Introduction. The educational program is an important factor of the training quality of a future specialist in the modern system of medical personnel training. The most important indicator of the educational program quality is the educational environment that influences the formation of competencies and the students′ success. Measurements of the educational environment with the help of developed and validated tools make it possible to change it in many ways, which will eventually improve the quality of medical education. To date, the rapid educational environment assessment system developed at the University of Dundee (Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure, DREEM questionnaire) is considered as a valid and reliable tool that is universally accepted for measuring the medical educational environment, assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the educational environment according to the educational program under study and determining the direction of improving the educational environment. The aim of the study is to evaluate the perception of the educational environment by students of the Institute of Osteopathy (Saint-Petersburg) using the DREEM questionnaire. Materials and methods. The study involved 80 students of the Institute of Osteopathy (Saint-Petersburg), studying in residency or professional retraining programs. Participants were surveyed using the DREEM questionnaire, consisting of 50 closed-ended statements, which are grouped into 5 subcategories. I. Students′ perception of the learning process (12 statements). II. Students′ perception of the role of lecturers in the educational process (11 statements). III. Students′ perceptions of their own academic performance (8 statements). IV. Students′ perceptions of the educational atmosphere (12 statements). V. Social self-perception and interaction with the environment (7 statements). Each of the 50 statements is rated on a 5-point scale: «Strongly agree» (4), «Agree» (3), «Not sure» (2), «Disagree» (1) and «Strongly disagree» (0). Satisfaction analysis was also carried out for individual statements. Results. The analysis of information obtained using the DREEM questionnaire showed that the educational environment created at the Institute of Osteopathy (Saint-Petersburg) was rated by students as ideal — 165,2 points; doctors studying in the residency educational program rate the educational environment statistically significantly (p < 0,05) higher than those studying in the professional retraining program. Among the students studying in a residency program, the indicators of confidence in their readiness for professional activity are at a fairly high level — 3,5–3,7 points, while among the students studying in a professional training program, the indicators of confidence in their readiness for professional activity are at the level of 2–3,3 points. There are some indicators of the educational environment that require improvement. Conclusion. A detailed study of the level of the educational environment perception among students of the Institute of Osteopathy (Saint-Petersburg), studying in various educational programs, made it possible to identify the most problematic areas in the educational process implemented at the Institute, which makes it possible to develop proposals for improving the current educational environment. The issues of organizing social support for students and building confidence in their preparedness for practical activities deserve the greatest attention. It is also recommended to regularly conduct a study of the educational environment satisfaction among students of the Institute of Osteopathy to assess the dynamics of the indicators.

Эмиграция молодежи из Таджикистана в страны Организации экономического сотрудничества и развития: история и современные тренды

Introduction. Being a country with a young age structure, Tajikistan has become a prominent participant of various migration flows in recent years. A large number of labor migrants from Tajikistan to the member countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) have been reported since 2014, which is associated with a fall in the ruble’s exchange rate and a decrease in incomes of migrants to Russia in currency equivalent. At the same time, traditionally Tajik youth used to to study in Russia and Kazakhstan, but in recent decades the flow to OECD member countries has also increased significantly. Goals. The study aims to identify the causes and features underlying the reorientation of the flows of educational migrants from Tajikistan toward new geographical directions, namely the OECD member countries. Materials and methods. The work basically employs two research methods. Firstly, the statistical method processes data on the scope and structure of educational emigration from Tajikistan. Secondly, the sociological method provides insights into outcomes of sociological surveys and expert interviews (secondary analysis of sociological data). The key sources of information are OECD-related data from the OECD.Stat reports, and the author’s survey (conducted online via Facebook social network — banned in Russia — accounts of several associations of Tajik citizens abroad) among young individuals from Tajikistan who study in OECD member countries. The questionnaire contained 17 questions about adaptation and integration of migrants, educational levels of migrants, age-sex structure, migration channels, reasons for the reorientation of labor migrants toward OECD member countries, resettlement, and sectoral employment in host countries. The convenience sampling yielded a total of was 417 individuals who were then undertaking training programs in Austria, Germany, the U.S., and Canada. The survey was primarily seeking to identify adaptation strategies selected by young emigrants from Tajikistan in OECD member countries. Results. So, the article presents the outcomes of the survey. Half of Tajik university graduates try to continue their studies and/or find a job abroad via the Internet. Actually, many tend to view educational migration as an emigration channel. This process is accompanied by that Tajik citizens take additional training or retraining programs, seek to receive acknowledgement certificates for diplomas of Tajikistan, and undergo corresponding courses in the receiving countries. As a rule, they quickly adapt to labor markets in OECD member countries: it takes ‘less than a month’ (or ‘from 1 to 3 months’) to get a job. The working language for most Tajik migrants is English and German, and they get jobs in the fields of education and medicine, which attests to somewhat increased educational levels of theirs.

Registers of Educational Programmes as a Tool for Developing the Industry’s Human Resources Potential

The purpose of the article is to present a toolkit for analyzing changes in the system of library training, its subsequent adjustment and transformation into an effective tool for the development of the industry. The basis of this work is the monitoring of the functioning of the system of university and additional professional education (APE) in the field of “Library and Information Activities”.To solve this task the specialists of the Russian State Library have developed and created two registers: The Register of basic educational programmes of higher education, implemented in the direction of “Library and Information Activity”, and the Register of existing educational programmes of advanced training and professional retraining for library specialists. The registers are placed in the “Library Professionals” section of the federal state information system “National Electronic Library”. A study of these registers has been carried out and their expert evaluation has been made. The result of this work may be the creation of a “map” of higher and additional professional education of Russian library professionals.The register of basic educational programmes of higher education implemented in the field of “Library and Information Activity” contains details about 73 educational programmes of higher education of institutions from 32 subjects of the Russian Federation. The register of educational programmes of professional development and professional retraining for library specialists includes information about 241 educational programmes of additional professional development (29 professional retraining programmes and 212 professional development programmes). These programmes are implemented in 34 subjects of the Russian Federation.The programmes of APE are analyzed. The author’s methodology of evaluation of professional retraining programmes is presented. The minimum number of points that a professional retraining programme received according to the results of the examination was 6, the maximum number of points was 43.33 (out of 50 possible).Conclusions on the results of the expert evaluation are given. The prepared registers are presented as one of the elements of the information and educational platform of Russian libraries.

The effectiveness of a 6-week biofeedback gait retraining programme in people with knee osteoarthritis: protocol for a randomised controlled trial

BackgroundGait retraining is a common therapeutic intervention that can alter gait characteristics to reduce knee loading in knee osteoarthritis populations. It can be enhanced when combined with biofeedback that provides real-time information about the users’ gait, either directly (i.e. knee moment feedback) or indirectly (i.e. gait pattern feedback). However, it is unknown which types of biofeedback are more effective at reducing knee loading, and also how the changes in gait affect pain during different activities of daily living. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the acute (6 weeks of training) and chronic (1 month post training) effects of biofeedback based on personalised gait patterns to reduce knee loading and pain in people with knee osteoarthritis, as well as examine if more than one session of knee moment feedback is needed to optimise the gait patterns.MethodsThis is a parallel group, randomised controlled trial in a symptomatic knee osteoarthritis population in which participants will be randomised into either a knee moment biofeedback group (n = 20), a gait pattern biofeedback group (n = 20) or a control group (n = 10). Supervised training sessions will be carried out weekly for six continuous weeks, with real-time biofeedback provided using marker-based motion capture and an instrumented treadmill. Baseline, post-intervention and 1-month follow-up assessments will be performed to measure knee loading parameters, gait pattern parameters, muscle activation, knee pain and functional ability.DiscussionThis study will identify the optimal gait patterns for participants’ gait retraining and compare the effectiveness of gait pattern biofeedback to a control group in reducing knee loading and index knee pain. Additionally, this study will explore how many sessions are needed to identify the optimal gait pattern with knee moment feedback. Results will be disseminated in future peer-reviewed journal articles, conference presentations and internet media to a wide audience of clinicians, physiotherapists, researchers and individuals with knee osteoarthritis.Trial registrationThis study was retrospectively registered under the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number registry on 7th March 2023 (ISRCTN28045513).

The Analytics of Additional Professional Education for Teachers in Pre-Professional Classes in Moscow Schools

Purpose of research. Teacher professional development (TPD) is a key issue of education policies globally. The solution of the issue is relevant for teachers of pre-professional classes in Moscow, since it is pre-professional classes that are assigned the role of effective tools for fulfilling the task of developing the innovative economy of the city.The objective of this study was to analyze the data on professional development and professional retraining of teachers in pre-professional classes in Moscow schools and find answers to the following questions:– What is the percentage of teachers engaged in additional professional education?– What is the intensity and dynamics of mastering programmes of additional professional education by teachers?– Where do teachers receive additional professional education?– Do the number of teachers in a school, the school’s ranking, the overall experience of teachers and the length of time of teachers in a given organization influence the additional professional education of teachers?Materials and methods. The study encompassed 2,215 teachers of pre-professional classes of 30 Moscow schools. The research methods included collection of data from the schools’ websites, processing data for statistical analysis, data analysis, and comparative analysis of different school indexes according to the selected parameters. Results. 72.8% of teachers of pre-professional classes were involved in professional development programmes, 21.8% of teachers – professional retraining programmes during the period of their work at school. 24% of teachers are continuously engaged in professional development. Mostly engaged in TPD are teachers who work at schools top-rated by “The Ranking of schools’ contribution to the quality education of Moscow students”. In addition, teachers with professional experience of less than 5 years are very actively engaged in teacher professional development. The number of school staff and prevalence of teachers with long record of service do not influence the scale of TPD engagement at schools. Additional professional education is not limited by the form of ownership, territorial affiliation, or the number of educational organizations in the region, and affects the positive dynamics in the diversification of teacher education, which is an important element of modern educational policy, the advantage of which is to improve the accessibility of education. The data of this research state that teachers were engaged in professional development programmes at 622 various organizations, of which 50.3% are state, and 49.7% - private organizations. Teachers were trained in 67 regions of Russia and 6 countries (the UK, the Netherlands, the Republic of Moldova, Switzerland, Ukraine, Estonia). The list of regions of the Russian Federation with the largest number of organizations in which teachers have mastered programs of additional professional education includes Moscow, the Moscow region, Saint Petersburg, Novosibirsk region, Krasnodar region, the Republic of Tatarstan, Stavropol region and the Udmurt Republic.Conclusion. The data obtained can contribute to the adoption of management decisions on the formation of professional development programs for teachers. The prospect of the study is the analysis of data on the impact of additional professional education of teachers on the educational results of students.

Mpact of SDGs Retraining Workshops on Pedagogical Competencies of Primary School Teachers

The qualities of a teacher are the essential factors that influence learners’ academic performance. Most of these qualities are acquired through retraining programmes. As a result of this, many in-service training programme have been on-going. This study was undertaken to ascertain the impact of SDGs retraining workshop on pedagogical competencies of primary school teachers. It is a descriptive survey design guided by four research questions. The population of the study consisted of 3,115 primary school teachers who participated in SDGs retraining workshops. Multistage sampling technique was used to select 360 teachers. The researchers developed a structured questionnaire titled primary school teachers’ pedagogical competence questionnaire (PSTPCQ, r=0.86). Mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions. The results of the data analysis revealed that the SDGs retraining workshops impacted basic science and technology teachers’ pedagogical competencies positively in areas of teaching methods, construction of instructional materials and assessment of learning outcomes but negatively on the out-of-class science teaching strategy. It was recommended among others that all primary school teachers should be given opportunity to attend the SDGs retraining workshop and that adequate fund should be made available for regular and consistent retraining programmes to ensure greater and effective instructional delivery of BST lessons.

Аспекты профессионального самоопределения студенческой молодежи в Арктическом регионе (на примере Архангельской области)

The article presents the main results of the pilot study devoted to the issues of professional self-determination of student youth in the Arctic region on the example of the Arkhangelsk region. The article characterizes the key aspects of professional self-determination of young people, including the assessment of vocational guidance counseling, determination of the awareness level of the choice of profession, identification of ways to search for places of possible employment, and prospects for professional development in the Arctic region. The direc-tions of improving the research tools are outlined. Proposals to promote professional self-determination of stu-dents in the Arctic region are formulated, including the establishment of guidance counseling work, organiza-tion of psychodiagnostic work, providing opportunities for students to receive additional professional education under advanced training and retraining programs, organization of internships, development of the institute of mentoring, involvement of representatives of the professional community in work with students in various for-mats of interaction.

172. Impact of a quality improvement re-training program on the blood culture volume, yield and contamination rates; experience from South India

Abstract Background Blood cultures help to detect causative agents in bacteremia and are important for targeted therapy. Adequate blood culture volume is considered as 8-10ml in each bottle and at least 2 aerobic and 2 anaerobic blood culture bottles are recommended. Inadequate blood culture fills are common and may affect yield. Figure 1 Methods The study was done in our healthcare facility-KIMSHEALTH, Trivandrum, India. Pre-intervention period was between May 2021 and June 2021; post-intervention was between May 2022 and June 2022. The intervention was through plan/do/study/act (PDSA) cycles and included multiple training sessions to the phlebotomy team regarding adequate fill volume which is 8-10 ml in each blood culture bottle. Training for maintaining asepsis during collection was reinforced. All blood culture samples received in the hospital microbiology laboratory during the above period were included in this study and compared between the pre-intervention and post-intervention period. Pediatric blood culture samples were excluded. Results Blood culture samples studied during pre and post intervention period were 1428 and 1716 respectively. In the pre-intervention phase adequate fill volume was noted in 30.81% bottles (figure 1), while in the post intervention adequate fill volume was noted in 68.06% bottles (p < 0.01). Blood culture contamination rate was 3.01% in the pre-intervention period which improved to 2% in the post-intervention period and the difference was significant (p< 0.01). Blood culture yield of a pathogenic organism did not show significant difference after the intervention (11.2% in pre-intervention group Vs 11.45% in post intervention group). Conclusion In this study, an improvement was noted in the blood culture fills by 38% and contamination rate reduced by 1%. Though there was no significant increase in blood culture yield with intervention, the reduction in contamination was noted which will reduce unnecessary antibiotic initiation. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Just Transition Policies, Power Plant Workers and Green Entrepreneurs in Greece, Cyprus and Bulgaria: Can Education and Retraining Meet the Challenge?

This study seeks to shed light on the changes currently occurring in Greece, Cyprus and Bulgaria on the energy transition process by examining the relevant consequences for power plant workers in the green energy market. The main aim of this paper is to explore the impacts of the implemented policies on the labour force of electricity generation stations and to identify learning needs for new skills and competences. Thus, it explores the possibility to achieve a just transition by employing workers from the high-carbon energy sector to the renewable energy sector. Qualitative research was carried out to explore the views and expectancies of the above-mentioned people as well as to trace the perceptions of the stakeholders of the green energy industry. A total of 30 semi-structured interviews were conducted in the previously mentioned three countries, which also investigated relevant training and upskilling programmes. The findings revealed various types of educational needs and techniques that can be applied by training providers in accordance to the power plant worker’s views as well as the disciplines and specialities of the workforce that are suitable to receive the further fit for attending such programmes. Workers in Greece and Cyprus appeared more optimistic for this possibility compared to Bulgarian workers. Green entrepreneurs were also optimistic but worried for the rate of investments in the green sector. The current findings describe the backdrop that challenges future retraining programmes with regard to achieving just transition policies for this workforce.

Centres for Teaching and Learning of the World’s Leading Universities: Best Practices Review

Amid rapid digitalization, dynamic development of educational technologies, and changing demands to educator competencies, modern universities face the need to support the development of educational processes and teaching systematically. Special units, Centres for Teaching and Learning (CTL), are created for this purpose. The analysis of these Centres’ experience is valuable from the standpoint of organizational development of the universities in response to the challenges of modernity.The study examines the best practice cases of CTL in the world’s leading universities. Based on global rankings twenty CTLs were selected, and their goals, missions, directions, and the composition of the staff were analyzed. The authors applied thematic analysis, classification, and organizational growth in the teaching and learning framework. Three groups of CTL’s missions, related to the support and development of employees and students, of educational process and cooperation within and outside the university, have been allocated. Their activities include consulting, professional development, support of active learning, inclusive education, feedback, assessment, and partnership with students, as well as scientific research and analytical work. CTL’s activity is concentrated mainly at micro- and meso-levels, most intensively in the sphere of educational technologies and retraining programs. Leadership support in teaching and learning, building communities, and enhancement of microcultures are also important. CTL’s personnel consists of multi-level management, educational specialists, and others. As found, CTL’s personnel are enhanced with technicians. There is a variety of job names with similar functional responsibilities. CTL’s activity does not receive proper recognition in Russian-language research literature, so the results of this study can be used practically, in the foundation and development of such centers, as well as in further research of the universities’ organizational development in the sphere of teaching and learning support.

Effectiveness of an amygdala and insula retraining program combined with mindfulness training to improve the quality of life in patients with long COVID: a randomized controlled trial protocol

BackgroundThere has been growing clinical awareness in recent years of the long-term physical and psychological consequences of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, known as Long COVID. The prevalence of Long COVID is approximately 10% of those infected by the virus. Long COVID is associated with physical and neuropsychological symptoms, including those related to mental health, psychological wellbeing, and cognition. However, research on psychological interventions is still in its early stages, in which means that available results are still limited. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of a program based on amygdala and insula retraining (AIR) combined with mindfulness training (AIR + Mindfulness) on the improvement of quality of life, psychological well-being, and cognition in patients with Long COVID.MethodsThis study protocol presents a single-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) that encompasses baseline, post-treatment, and six-month follow-up assessment time points. A total of 100 patients diagnosed with Long COVID by the Spanish National Health Service will be randomly assigned to either AIR + Mindfulness (n = 50) or relaxation intervention (n = 50), the latter as a control group. The primary outcome will be quality of life assessed using the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36). Additional outcomes such as fatigue, pain, anxiety, memory, and sleep quality will also be evaluated. Mixed effects regression models will be used to estimate the effectiveness of the program, and effect size calculations will be made.DiscussionLong COVID syndrome is a clinical condition characterized by the persistence of symptoms for at least 12 weeks after the onset of COVID-19 that significantly affects people’s quality of life. This will be the first RCT conducted in Spain to apply a psychotherapy program for the management of symptoms derived from Long COVID. Positive results from this RCT may have a significant impact on the clinical context by confirming the beneficial effect of the intervention program being evaluated on improving the symptoms of Long COVID syndrome and aiding the development of better action strategies for these patients.Trial registrationClinical Trials.gov NCT05956405. Registered on July 20, 2023.

Vice Chancellors and University Education Sustainability in Nigeria: Challenges and Way Forward

The study examined Vice Chancellors and University Education Sustainability in Nigeria: Challenges and Way Forward. Vice Chancellors are major players and chief executive officers in the universities' administrations; hence their roles cannot be underestimated. The social and economic development of the universities depends on the job performance of the Vice-Chancellors. This paper critically looked at the concept of Vice-chancellors and the roles and functions of Vice-chancellors in the university system. The paper also examined factors that enhance the job performance of Vice-chancellors in the university system in Nigeria. This study attempts to provide an answer to the research question that says; how has the Vice Chancellors impacted University Education for Sustainability in Nigeria? The study employed an ex-post facto research method, using secondary data that were collected from print and online publications. Content analysis was the method of analysis. The paper established that the independence of Vice Chancellors, training and retraining, adequate funding, effective supervision and provisions of adequate working resources are the factors that will enhance Vice Chancellors' job performance and enable university education to be able to perform their roles in Nigerian society. Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations were made: The Federal Government of Nigeria and the state governments should provide adequate funds for university administrators, infrastructure facilities, adequate working resources, grant autonomy to universities and ensure effective training and retraining programmes and supervision. The suggested solution will enable the university administrators (Vice Chancellors among others) to be effective in the discharge of their roles in the universities and make university education perform its role of social and economic development.

Effects of a 12-week gait retraining program on the Achilles tendon adaptation of habitually shod runners.

This study investigated the effects of a 12-week gait retraining program on the morphological and mechanical properties of the Achilles tendon (AT) during running on the basis of real-time dynamic ultrasound imaging. A total of 30 male recreational runners who were used to wearing cushioned shoes with a rearfoot strike (RFS) pattern were recruited. They were randomized into a retraining group (RG, n = 15) and a control group (CG, n = 15). The RG group was asked to run in five-fingered minimalist shoes with a forefoot strike (FFS) pattern, and the CG group was asked to keep their strike pattern. Three training sessions were performed per week. All the participants in RG uploaded running tracks obtained through a mobile application (.jpg) after each session for training supervision. The ground reaction force, kinematics, and kinetics of the ankle joint at 10 km/h were collected using an instrumented split-belt treadmill and a motion capture system. The morphological (length and cross-sectional area) and mechanical characteristics (force, stress, strain, etc.) of AT invivo were recorded and calculated with a synchronous ultrasonic imaging instrument before and after the intervention. Repeated two-way ANOVA was used to compare the aforementioned parameters. A total of 28 participants completed the training. The strike angle of RG after training was significantly smaller than that before training and significantly smaller than that of CG after training (F (1, 13) = 23.068, p < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.640). The length (F (1, 13) = 10.086, p = 0.007, partial η2 = 0.437) and CSA (F (1, 13) = 7.475, p = 0.017, partial η2 = 0.365) of AT in RG increased after training. A significant main effect for time was observed for the time-to-peak AT force (F (1, 13) = 5.225, p = 0.040, partial η2 = 0.287), average (F (1, 13) = 7.228, p = 0.019, partial η2 = 0.357), and peak AT loading rate (F (1, 13) = 11.687, p = 0.005, partial η2 = 0.473). Preliminary evidence indicated that a 12-week gait retraining program could exert a beneficial effect on AT. 57% (8/14) runners in RG shifted from RFS to FFS pattern. Although not all runners were categorized as FFS pattern after the intervention, their foot strike angle was reduced. Retraining primarily positively promoted AT morphological properties (i.e., CSA and length) to strengthen AT capability for mechanical loading.

Toe-in and toe-out gait retraining interventions to reduce proxy measures of medial knee joint load in people with medial knee osteoarthritis: Protocol for a randomised placebo-controlled trial

ObjectiveOur primary aim is to determine the effect of a six-week toe-in, toe-out and active placebo gait retraining program on proxy measures of medial knee joint load and varus thrust in people with medial knee osteoarthritis. Our secondary aim is to determine the intervention effects on patient reported outcomes and physical function and determine if changes are maintained at three-months follow-up. MethodsWe will conduct a three-arm randomised placebo-controlled trial. Ninety participants with medial knee osteoarthritis will be randomised and stratified via varus thrust status (presence/absence) to: toe-in, toe-out or placebo gait retraining (an intervention that does not change proxy measures of medial knee joint load). The intervention involves weekly clinician-supervised sessions with biofeedback, knee osteoarthritis education, motor learning and behaviour change principles, and daily gait retraining practice. Primary outcomes are proxy measures of medial knee joint load: knee adduction moment (early- and late-stance peaks and impulse), and varus thrust (presence/absence). Secondary outcomes include pain, physical function, medication and health care utilisation, quality of life, work ability, treatment blinding, intervention credibility and other biomechanical outcomes. Assessment timepoints are at baseline, six weeks (post intensive training), and three-months following the six-week intervention. ConclusionOur trial will determine whether toe-in or toe-out gait retraining is most effective at reducing proxy measures of medial knee joint load and varus thrust in people with medial knee osteoarthritis. This study will also evaluate if toe-in or toe-out gait retraining interventions are superior at improving pain, physical function and quality of life compared to placebo. Clinical trial registrationThis clinical trial protocol is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12621000414819).

Techers Perceived Problems Of New Curriculum Implementation In Secondary Schools In Fagge Local Government Areas, Kano State, Nigeria

The study investigated teachers’ perceived problems of new curriculum implementation in secondary schools in Fagge Local Government Area of Kano State Nigeria. To achieve the objectives of the study, three research questions guided the researchers. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The population of the study consist 116 secondary schools in the study area and 3,452 teachers in the study area. Purposeful random sampling techniques were used to sample the schools and the teachers for the study. Ten (10) secondary school and one hundred and forty (140) teachers were selected for the study. The instrument for data collection was constructed questionnaire. The instrument was validated by experts in curriculum studies, the instrument yielded reliability coefficient of 0.80 using Cronbach Alpha coefficient. The data collected were collated and analyzed according to how they related to the research questions. Research questions were answered using mean score and standard deviation. The findings revealed the problems, causes and possible solutions of the new curriculum implementation in secondary schools which include; inadequate funding of the educational system, poor learning conditions, and lack of adequate time to cover the curriculum. The causes of the problems of new curriculum implementation also are poor remuneration of teachers, insufficient motivation for teachers and inadequate monitory strategy. The possible solutions to the problems are proper monitoring of curriculum implementation, enhanced teachers’ remuneration, and teachers’ promotion should be based on students rating, regular retraining programmes for practicing teachers. Based on the results obtained from the study, it was recommended that, the importance of teacher involvement in decision-making and curriculum planning cannot be over emphasized. Therefore, government should involve teachers in curriculum planning and development to give them sense of recognition.