Resources Information Center Research Articles

Ecosystem Climate and Digital Library Transformation at Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Standardization (IAAS)

Libraries as information resource centers certainly have librarians/library managers who can manage and serve the community in a valid and up-to-date manner. Librarians in the era of the digital ecosystem are expected to be able to accelerate themselves to become an integral part of providing optimal service to users. The purpose of the study is to determine the ecosystem climate and digital library transformation at the Indonesian Agency for Agricultural Standardization (IAAS). The study was designed in a qualitative descriptive manner using a survey method of librarians/library managers totaling 39 respondents. Data were collected and analyzed using the standard deviation in Microsoft Office Excel 2010 with the implementation of the July 2022 – June 2023 study. The results of the study found that the characteristics of librarians/library managers were mostly male aged 25-50 years with strata 1 education level. The level of understanding of librarians/managers library towards digital knowledge is high but the level of embedded knowledge is low. The climate for the digital transformation ecosystem is still in processing activities with the development stage on websites, mobile apps, databases and cloud computing. For technological advances, it is hoped that librarians/library managers will be more literate and more innovative in the future development of digital libraries.

Using respondent-driven sampling to identify key players in Georgia farm to school: An innovative application of a narrative inquiry approach

Farm to School is a program that teaches children about healthy practices around agriculture, food, nutrition, and the environment. Organizations such as the National Farm to School Network (NFSN) serve as information resource centers for those looking to champion Farm to School in their area. In Georgia, Georgia Organics is listed as the lead organization for Farm to School and its related programs, yet no account exists detailing Farm to School’s start in Georgia, which is complicated by different participants applying Farm to School in diverse ways. This article is the first in a series and aims to name the early champions of the program. The study used a qualitative narrative inquiry approach. A semi-structured appreciative inquiry-framed interview protocol guided data collection. Researchers used respondent-driven sampling to recruit participants. Results are presented as a reader’s theater dialogue in podcast form. In total, six participants held a director role, three a CEO role, two a specialist role, and one an educator role. Future research should seek to build upon this study: This study represents a sampling of some key players in Farm to School in [STATE], some of whom indicated they were directly involved in the early days of Farm to School and others who were only aware of the early days tangentially. Future research should explore other ways to identify key players in Farm to School and how they are related to the individuals in this article. Educators can use this information to identify whom they should include in their programs.

The challenge of managing threatened invasive species at a continental scale.

The European Union's (EU) environmental legislation establishes common measures to prevent the entry and spread of invasive non-native species and to minimize their impacts. However, species that are native to at least one member state but non-native and potentially invasive in others (NPIS) are in limbo because they are neither legally regulated at the EU level nor in most member states. We used the Communication and Information Resource Centre for Administrations, Businesses and Citizens (CIRCABC) raw data on NPIS (317 taxa) to analyze their distribution across the EU and identify which biogeographical regions are the main sources of invasions. We additionally evaluated the conservation challenge posed by NPIS that are threatened within their native ranges. We performed a pairwise analysis summarizing the number of species that are native to a given member state but non-native to another and vice versa. Although distribution patterns of NPIS varied across taxa groups, overall, southern and central EU countries were both donors and recipients of NPIS. Eastern countries were mainly a source, and western and northern countries mostly received NPIS. Around 27% of NPIS were threatened in some of their EU native ranges, which is a challenge for conservation and management because some of them have serious negative effects on European biodiversity, but hitherto remain outside the scope of the EU regulation of invasive non-native species. This highlights an unresolved paradox because efforts to manage species as invasive conflict with efforts to protect them as threatened within the same territory.

Addressing the Maternal Mental Health Crisis Through a Novel Tech-Enabled Peer-to-Peer Driven Perinatal Collaborative Care Model

Addressing the Maternal Mental Health Crisis Through a Novel Tech-Enabled Peer-to-Peer Driven Perinatal Collaborative Care Model

Comparison of pulmonary rehabilitation and chest physiotherapy's outcomes among elder patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has become the third foremost cause of mortality by 2020. Due to the high incidence rate of COPD among the population, it has become a major social and health burden. This meta-analysis was designed to appraise the long-term effect of the pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program among elder COPD patients in terms of improvements in exercise capacity and quality of life.EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: Research papers were extracted from different databases including MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Resources Information Center. For data extraction, MeSH keywords of “Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR)” “COPD elder patients” “Short term outcomes” “long-term outcomes” “improvements in quality of life” and “reduced physical activity” were used. The time duration of the study was limited from January 2010 to April 2022. PRISMA standards were followed in the meta-analysis.EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Approximately, 1852 elder COPD patients (66.8±7.8 years) were examined from 18 randomized control trials (RCT)-based studies. The standard mean difference of 7 RCT studies of Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) Score was 0.54 (0.39-0.70) at I2=71%, CI=95%, Z=6.83, (P<0.00001). Difference between the PR and without PR groups showed slight improvements in the 6MWT Score. The CRQ Score assessed through the questionnaire showed improvements from baseline values after receiving the PR program. The standard deviation measured was 0.30 (0.54-0.5) CI=95%, Z=2.36.CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant difference in 6MWT value when measured among COPD patients receiving PR as compared to patients without PR. PR has a significant role in the improvement of exercise capacity and quality of life. This intervention should be sustained long duration to avoid asthmatic attacks and airflow blockage.

Issues and Perspectives of Public Libraries in Pakistan: A Review

Abstract Public libraries (PLs) aim to meet the information needs of their local communities and play a vital role in the development of a nation. Comprehensive published literature is available on PLs in Pakistan and could explore the challenges encountered by these PLs in the country through literature review. Thus, to fill this gap in existing literature, a review of literature was conducted to explore the status, issues, and perspectives of the PLs in Pakistan since its partition in 1947. The researchers reviewed library and information science (LIS) literature published on the subject topics. Various electronic data sources were searched such as Taylor and Francis, Emerald Insight, EBSCOhost, Science Direct, Web of Science (WoS), Scopus, Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA), Library, Information Science &amp; Technology Abstracts (LISTA), and Google Scholar. Similarly, the profiles of prominent Pakistani LIS scholars were also consulted for the said purpose. A search string was formulated to get precise results with some limitations on extracting required data. Peer-reviewed studies published from 1947 to 2021 in the English language were included in present study, which extracted 74 citations. After deleting duplicates from titles and abstracts, a full-text assessment was done. Finally, 27 studies were included, which matched the search criteria and explored various issues of the PLs in Pakistan. The findings of this study reveal that PLs in Pakistan are facing several challenges such as nonexistence of appropriate planning, absence of library legislation, lack of ICT application in libraries, absence of policy regarding public relations and publicity (PRP) of library resources and services. Other issues are lack of proper service structure for LIS professionals, as a deficiency in providing proper LIS continuing education and training opportunities to LIS professionals, insufficient human resources, the bureaucratic administrative structure of public libraries, shortage of sufficient funds and financial independence. The highlighted issues and challenges may serve as a guide for public library policy and decision-makers in reforming their present policies, or in articulating a modern public library system in Pakistan. This study suggests several recommendations which would help the competent authorities and policymakers to transform the PLs in Pakistan from neglected to indispensable community learning and information resource centers. This is a first study of its kind in Pakistan, and it is hoped that the findings will serve as a springboard for future research in the LIS field and contribute to the literature on the PLs in Pakistan.

Hubungan Manajemen Perpustakaan dan Peran Guru Terhadap Minat Baca Siswa di MAN 1 Pangandaran

A high interest in reading will affect a person's skills. Each skill is interrelated with each other and is related to the processes that underlie language skills. Seeing the importance of reading interest, efforts are needed to foster reading interest in a person. Therefore, the school library must be utilized as much as possible as an information resource center and a center for fun educational recreation facilities for its users, especially students, so that it is hoped that the school library can foster students' interest and love of reading. The purpose of this study is how library management, how the role of teachers on reading interest, how student reading interest, is there a relationship between library management and student reading interest, is there a relationship between the role of teachers on student reading interest, is there a relationship between library management and the role of teachers on student reading interest. This study only focuses on the relationship between library management and the role of teachers on student reading interest. The type of approach used is qualitative method with naturalistic research method because the research is conducted in natural conditions (natural environment). The relationship between the library and the role of the teacher is quite good, while the role of the teacher in improving student reading is very instrumental. Therefore, all teachers must understand the role of what it takes to improve student skills at MAN 1 Pangandaran. This research is expected to contribute to related parties such as principals, teachers, committee administrators to add insight or knowledge about the importance of library management and teacher motivation in fostering students' interest in reading.

EFFORTS TO IMPROVE CHILDREN'S INTEREST IN READING THROUGH COMMUNITY READING PARK IN UJAN MAS DISTRICT, KEPAHIANG REGENCY

The condition of Indonesian people's interest in reading is still apprehensive. The love of reading has not been well entrenched in society. The purpose of this study was to analyze how to increase children's interest in reading through community reading gardens in Ujan Mas District, Kepahiang Regency. The approach used in this research is a qualitative approach and the research method used is a qualitative descriptive research method. Data were collected by observation, interviews and documentation. The results of the study show that 1) The formation of reading habits should start as early as possible in life, namely from childhood. Cultivating a love of reading should be a shared responsibility. The benefits of reading for the community are very important to add and enrich thinking and broaden knowledge. The public can use the library as a suggestion to get various information and knowledge needed. Libraries as information resource centers and learning resource centers can take various practical and applicable steps to cultivate people's love of reading. In this way, the hope of realizing an intelligent and quality society will be realized; 2) Efforts by the Management of Community Reading Parks in fostering interest in reading are carried out by planning programs by identifying needs, implementing programs, integrating learning with reading activities in Community Reading Parks, and improving the facilities and infrastructure owned by Community Reading Parks so that they can be utilized effectively. directly by the community.

International internships and skill development: A systematic review

AbstractAn increasing number of students complete an internship during their higher education studies in a country different from that of their home institution. A main advantage of this type of mobility is that it responds to employers' need for graduates with both hands‐on experience and global skills. In this paper, we attempt to review existing research on the types of skills higher education students gain through their participation in international internships. While there are several systematic reviews on study abroad programmes, this is, to the best of our knowledge, the first focusing on internship programmes abroad. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) approaches were used to explore four electronic databases (Scopus, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect and Resources Information Center). From these, 31 relevant studies were identified, and data were examined using a combination of thematic and content analysis. Intrapersonal skills (e.g., open mindedness, self‐confidence) are found to be the most frequently cited skills learned by participants. Many of the reviewed studies also report learning gains in terms of practical knowledge and language proficiency. On the other hand, there is less evidence suggesting that international internships enhance cognitive skills and leadership skills. The large majority of the reviewed studies, however, have methodological problems. A future research agenda is outlined, along with suggestions for improving the research methodology. Context and implicationsRationale for this studyDespite the growing popularity of international internships, there is no systematic review that sums up the evidence on the learning gains from this specific type of mobility experience.Why the new findings matterThe findings highlight the large breadth of skills higher education students can acquire during international internships. They also outline the important role that this type of mobility experience may play in supporting the development of intrapersonal skills.Implications for educators and researchersThis article explores international internship programmes' potential in terms of enhancing participants' skills. The results of such an exercise may provide educators with insights about how to develop these programmes so that they can best support students in their learning. Additionally, this review provides researchers with suggestions on sound methodologies to be used to evaluate the effect of international internships. Several potential directions for future research are also identified.

International Cooperation of Library and Information Institutions in the Republic of Uzbekistan

Globalization is closely connected with the process of transition to a common information space. Libraries take an active part in this process. They, thanks to the development of cooperation, can use international experience, evaluate their activities and achievements, identify problems, improve the professional level of library specialists and participate in the development of new concepts for the development of library and information business and culture in general, intensify interaction with state and interstate coordination bodies. The article summarizes the experience of organization of work on the development of international cooperation between the libraries of the Republic of Uzbekistan with libraries and leading information, educational and scientific institutions, publishing houses of foreign countries, diplomatic missions, funds, representative offices of international organizations. It includes international document exchange, readers service within the framework of international interlibrary loan; project activities, preparation and holding of international scientific and practical conferences, symposiums, seminars, exhibitions, etc. The main directions of international activities of the National Library of the Republic of Uzbekistan named after A. Navoi and information resource centers of universities are also described. The author comes to the conclusion that for a fruitful solution of problems, it is necessary to create a legal framework, attract grant funds and organize joint commercial international projects.

Online Broadcasting and Video Recording of Classes as An Effective Tool for Organizing E-Learning

Relevance. Online broadcasting and video recording of classes as a method of organizing e-learning and transferring knowledge using distance learning technologies today are of increasing interest to students and lecturers. However, most researchers distinguish the high labor intensity and the presence of additional skills on the part of the lecturer as a prerequisite for the implementation of a successful video lecture. At the same time, lecturers continue to conduct traditional classes in the “pre-pandemic” mode and the placement of additional material in the electronic information-educational environment (EIEE) for students on an individual schedule continues. Often, for remote participants in the educational process, an individual educational trajectory of learning is developed and the load on the lecturer increases, who is forced to use different methods and forms of education to ensure equal educational opportunities for all students. As an alternative for optimization, the authors propose the introduction of online broadcasting of classes as the most effective method and form of online learning.The purpose of the study is to develop a balanced model for the use of online broadcasting and video recording of classes in the organization of e-learning with the possibility of fixing the progress of the educational process and controlling knowledge.Materials and methods. Using a keyword search in the Russian Science Citation Index (RSCI) system, the authors found that researchers do not use the concept of “Online broadcasting of classes”. However, the analysis of publication activity in the RSCI system for 2017-2021 showed a positive trend in the use of the terms “Online lesson”, “Synchronous learning”, which are the closest in meaning to the concept of “Online broadcast of classes”. The publication proposes criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of the use of online broadcasting of classes in the organization of training at a university. As an example of the implementation of a solution for organizing online broadcasting, recording classes, the system “Information Resource Center” used in the Volga State University of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism was described and compared with the proposed performance criteria.Results. As a result of the analysis, it was found that this type of systems (online broadcast systems) do not provide for the possibility of fixing the assimilation of the material and do not allow to fully fix the progress of the educational process and control knowledge when organizing e-learning.Conclusions. The authors propose the integration of online broadcast systems with the e-learning system as a working model for the use of online broadcast and video recording of classes in the organization of e-learning, which will satisfy all the criteria established in the study. The model designed in the course of the study is universal and can be used applying any methodological techniques, including the use of the “flipped class” model, when material for preliminary acquaintance is placed in advance of the lesson, and it is analyzed during the lesson itself.

User gratification with NMIMS (Deemed to be University) Prof Y.K. Bhushan information and knowledge resource centre resources and services, Mumbai, India: An academic students perspectives

The main function of any academic library and information centre is to fulfil the needs of the users and achieve goals and objectives of the parent organisation. Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS) is one the renowned deemed to be a university in India. The management is investing crores of rupees in library resources every year. It is the prime responsibility of the library and information science professionals to evaluate library sources and services at regular intervals to get a better return on investment and depends on their feedback improve the library services and resources. The present study explores the students’ feedback with reference to library sources and services of Prof. Y.K. Bhushan Information and Knowledge Resource Centre, Mumbai. The study used a well-designed questionnaire to collect data from the students. Purpose of this study is to analyse the user's awareness and usage of library various resources and services available in the Prof. Y.K. Bhushan Information and Knowledge Resource Centre and recommend suggestions to improve the usage and awareness among the student community.

Pedagogy of Emerging Technologies in Chemical Education during the Era of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence: A Systematic Review

The technological advancement and rapid development of artificial intelligence have led to a growing number of studies investigating pedagogical innovations incorporated with emerging technologies in this digital era. An increasing amount of empirical evidence has suggested the potential benefits of incorporating digital technologies and artificial intelligence in various educational contexts, such as the K-12 education, and a change in learning modality in the unprecedented period of COVID-19. In chemical education, various types of emerging technologies, such as eye-tracking techniques, learning analytics, robotics, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR), have seen wide applications and promising prospects. In this paper, a systematic review of emerging technologies adopted in chemical education during this era of digitalization and artificial intelligence is presented. The current study aims to identify the major types of technologies adopted in chemical education and analyze the empirical findings from relevant studies. A total of 45 studies between 2010 and 2021 were analyzed through a literature search in three inter-disciplinary databases: Web of Science, Scopus, and the Educational Information Resource Center. Full-text retrieval and analysis of the included studies were conducted. The present study finds that AR and VR applications were most extensively investigated among the identified types of technologies adopted in chemical education, while the major focus areas were associated with virtual chemistry laboratories, visualization and interaction with chemical structures, and classroom hands-on activities. The evidence presented in this study also indicates the promising applications of artificial intelligence and learning analytics in the analysis of students’ feedback and behavior, assessment of students’ understanding of chemical concepts, and investigations of students’ reasoning and cognitive processes during chemical tasks such as spectral interpretation. Furthermore, areas requiring more research, investigations, potential future applications, as well as pedagogical implications of education for sustainable development will be identified based on the evidence presented in this study. The findings of this study are expected to give insight on the evolving areas of chemical education research and technology-enhanced teaching and learning.

Association of dyskalemias with short-term health care utilization in patients with advanced CKD.

BACKGROUND: Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at high risk for dyskalemias, which may induce arrhythmias that require immediate emergent or hospital care. The association of dyskalemias with short-term hospital/emergency room (ER) visits in advanced CKD is understudied. OBJECTIVE: To assess the association of dyskalemias with short-term hospital/ER visits in an advanced CKD population. METHODS: From among 102,477 US veterans transitioning to dialysis from 2007 to 2015, we identified 21,366 patients with 2 predialysis outpatient eGFR < 30 ml/min/1.73m2 90-365 days apart (with the second eGFR serving as the index date) and at least 1 potassium (K) in the baseline period (1 year before index) and 1 outpatient K (oK) in the follow-up (1 year after the index but before dialysis initiation). We examined the association of time-varying hypokalemia (K < 3.5 mEq/L) and hyperkalemia (K > 5.5 mEq/L) vs referent (3.5-5.5 mEq/L) with separate hospital and ER visits within 2 calendar days following each oK value over the 1-year follow-up period from the index. We used generalized estimating equations with binary distribution and logit link to model the exposure-outcome relationship adjusted for various confounders. We conducted various subgroup and sensitivity analyses to test the robustness of our results. RESULTS: Over the 1-year follow-up, 125,266 oK measurements were observed, of which 6.8% and 3.7% were classified as hyper- and hypokalemia, respectively. In the multivariable-adjusted model, hyperkalemia (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.04; 95% CI = 1.88-2.21) and hypokalemia (aOR = 1.66; 95% CI = 1.48-1.86) were associated with significantly higher odds of hospital visits. Similarly, hyperkalemia (aOR = 1.83; 95% CI = 1.65-2.03) and hypokalemia (aOR = 1.24; 95% CI = 1.07-1.44) were associated with significantly higher odds of ER visits. Results were robust to subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with advanced CKD, dyskalemias are associated with higher risk of hospital/ER visits. Interventions targeted at lowering the risk of dyskalemias might help in reducing the health care utilization and associated economic burden among patients with advanced CKD experiencing dyskalemias. DISCLOSURES: This study was supported by grant 5U01DK102163 from the National Institute of Health (NIH) to Kamyar Kalantar-Zadeh and Csaba P. Kovesdy and by resources from the US Department of Veterans Affairs. The data reported here have been supplied in part by the United States Renal Data System (USRDS). Support for VA/CMS data were provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration, Office of Research and Development, Health Services Research and Development, VA Information Resource Center (project numbers SDR 02-237 and 98-004). Opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Department of Veterans Affairs or the funding institution. Kovesdy has received honoraria from Akebia, Ardelyx, Astra Zeneca, Bayer, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Cara Therapeutics, Reata, and Tricida unrelated to this study. Kalantar-Zadeh has received honoraria and/or support from Abbott, Abbvie, ACI Clinical (Cara Therapeutics), Akebia, Alexion, Amgen, American Society of Nephrology, Astra-Zeneca, Aveo, BBraun, Chugai, Cytokinetics, Daiichi, DaVita, Fresenius, Genentech, Haymarket Media, Hofstra Medical School, International Federation of Kidney Foundations, International Society of Hemodialysis, International Society of Renal Nutrition & Metabolism, Japanese Society of Dialysis Therapy, Hospira, Kabi, Keryx, Kissei, Novartis, OPKO, National Institutes of Health, National Kidney Foundations, Pfizer, Regulus, Relypsa, Resverlogix, Dr Schaer, Sandoz, Sanofi, Shire, Veterans Affairs, Vifor, UpToDate, and ZS-Pharma, unrelated to this study. Gatwood has received research support from AstraZeneca, Merck & Co., and GlaxoSmithKline unrelated to this study. Obi has received research support from Relypsa/Vifor Pharma Inc. The remaining authors declare that they have no relevant financial interests.

Laying a Foundation for Digital Collections at the Property Information Resource Center

ABSTRACT Over a decade ago, the Harvard University Property Information Resource Center (PIRC) began digitizing its entire collection of more than a hundred thousand architectural drawings documenting the construction of the oldest university in the United States. Challenges and successes materialized throughout the project relating to the PIRC's mission, service level, and collection dependencies. Continuing to meet users' demanding needs while learning and revising best practices was ambitious yet ultimately achievable. In addition to producing high-quality images for digital preservation, secondary positive outcomes of the project were the conservation of drawings, improvements to the reference process, and the ability to expand these services beyond the traditional user group. To achieve the project goals, staff created a flexible workflow that ameliorated the condition of physical drawings in the collection while allowing them to uphold an established user service level agreement.

Роль информационно-ресурсных центров в развитии мировоззрения общества

The article reveals the predominance of university libraries, which took on an educational function and played a significant role in the dissemination of knowledge and the development of society. The author lists the history and sequence of the creation of university libraries in the world and in Uzbekistan, where he also points to the library of the Turkestan People’s University, which became the ancestor of higher education in Middle Asia and Kazakhstan. About the current stage of development of information resource centers in the country and abroad, and also indicates the main directions that contribute to the full implementation of the role and tasks of information resource centers

PTSD, Risk of Suicide, and Unintended Death by Overdose in Mid- to Late-Life

<h3>Introduction</h3> Although posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may increase risk of suicide in mid- to late-life, findings have been controversial, in large part, because studies have not accounted for comorbid disorders. Moreover, little is known about association between mid- to late-life PTSD and apparent accidental death by overdose, which could be due to suicidal intent. Thus, we conducted a comprehensive study to examine PTSD and risk of death by suicide, suicide attempt, and unintended death by overdose among veterans in mid- to late-life. <h3>Methods</h3> This nationwide cohort study included all veterans ≥50 years (N=1,038,980) seen in the Veterans Health Administration starting 2012-2013 (baseline) and followed through December 31, 2017. Veterans with a PTSD diagnosis were propensity-matched 1:1 with patients without PTSD. They were matched on age, gender, race/ethnicity, income, education, homelessness, service connection, Charlson comorbidity index, and neuropsychiatric disorders. Dates of suicide attempt and cause-specific mortality at follow up were defined using the National Suicide Prevention Applications Network and the Mortality Data Repository, respectively. PTSD was identified by two or more ICD-9 codes in electronic medical records at baseline. PTSD and risk of suicide-related outcomes were assessed using multivariable models. Fine-Gray proportional hazards regression was used to examine time to outcome event at follow up. Models were next adjusted in steps, with the final adjustment accounting for sociodemographics, Charlson comorbidity index, and neuropsychiatric diagnoses. Other outcomes examined using similar methods included death by drug overdose (i.e., antiepileptics/sedative-hypnotics, narcotics, and unspecified/other cause-specific drug categories) for suicide, unintentional, and undetermined death. <h3>Results</h3> Of 1,038,980 patients in our study, 519,490 had PTSD. The mean participant age was 63.56, 59,542 (5.73%) were women, and 765,572 (73.68%) were non-Hispanic White. Although firearms were by far the leading method of suicide death for those with and without PTSD, there was no significant between-group difference related to firearms. However, veterans with PTSD were significantly more likely to die by suicide by drug overdose compared with those without a PTSD diagnosis. As shown in Table 1, after adjusting for sociodemographics, Charlson comorbidities, and neuropsychiatric diagnoses, the hazard ratio for risk of suicide in veterans with PTSD was 1.57 (95% CI, 1.51, 1.63) for any suicide attempt; 1.09 (95% CI, 1.01, 1.19) for death by suicide; 1.43 (95% CI, 1.32, 1.56) for drug overdose death overall; 1.53 (95% CI, 1.21, 1.94) for suicide death by drug overdose. Further analyses explored type of drug involved in overdose and demonstrated that veterans with PTSD had hazard ratios of 1.44 (95% CI, 1.26, 1.65) for narcotics and 1.48 (1.31-1.68) for other /unspecified drugs (Figure 1). We also found that having PTSD increased unintentional death, suicide death, and undetermined intent for narcotics by 1.4 to 2.4 times, and for other/unspecified drugs by 1.4 to 1.8 times. <h3>Conclusions</h3> The findings suggest that veterans with PTSD aged ≥50 years in VA healthcare, have persistently elevated risk for suicide attempts and suicide death, particularly by drug overdose. This current work may inform clinical practice targeting late-life suicide prevention efforts by promoting improved prescribing and drug-monitoring. Future medication recommendations to treat PTSD may need to consider less risky drugs than narcotics, as well as emphasize inquiring about potential illicit drug use and access, for older adults. More research is needed to elucidate the relationship of PTSD to increased risk of mid- to late-life death by suicide and unintended drug overdose, exploring what other and unspecific drugs do and do not exacerbate this risk. <h3>Funding</h3> This work was supported by Award Number I01 CX001119 from the Clinical Science Research & Development Service of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Office of Research and Development (PI: Dr. Byers). Support for the Mortality Data Repository (MDR; previously known as the Suicide Data Repository or SDR) and Suicide Prevention Applications Network (SPAN) is provided by the VA Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention. Support for VA/CMS data is provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Health Services Research and Development Service, VA Information Resource Center (Project Numbers SDR 02-237 and 98-004).

Nursing instructors' clinical education competencies: An integrated review.

To identify nursing instructors' clinical education competencies. The integrative review comprised research articles published between 2008 and 2018 on Medline, Scopus, Web of Science and Education Information Resource Centre databases searched through relevant key words. All the short listed papers were reviewed and quality assessment was done. Data was analysed using content analysis method. Nursing instructors' clinical education competencies were extracted from the original texts in the form of initial codes which were categorised into subcategories and categories based on comparisons of their similarities and differences. Finally, themes were extracted as expression of content hidden in the data to generate new insights. Of the 17 studies selected, 6(35.3%) were quantitative, 4(23.5%) qualitative, 3(17.6%) review studies and 4(23.5%) were mixed-methods studies. Three overarching themes identified were clinical teaching process competencies, students' supervision competencies in clinical settings and nursing instructors' professional ethics. The review provides insightful information on nursing instructors' clinical education competencies. Nursing educational institutions need to be encouraged to incorporate these concepts into educational curricula to empower nursing instructors and to enhance the quality of clinical education.

An Assessment of Health Information Resource Center and Supportive Program Needs

Objective:No practical method or assessment tool for identifying patients' and their families' health information resource needs in a resource center exists. We sought to assess the health information and resource preferences of patients and their families to guide the planning of a health information resource center (HIRC).Methods:A needs assessment was conducted using convenience sample of patients and families drawn from the National Cancer Centre in Singapore. A survey was conducted to gather data from April 23, 2018, to May 11, 2018, at the Specialist Oncology Clinics (SOCs) and the Ambulatory Treatment Unit.Results:A total of 778 surveys were analyzed, and the majority of the respondents were Chinese (79.8%). There were 449 (57.7%) patients and 317 (40.7%) family members. Among the 778 respondents, the overall top item chosen for facilities, resources, and equipment were a quiet and comfortable area for reading and reflection (77.2%), information about education and support services offered by the center (71.6%), and computers with internet access (63.6%), respectively. The overall top three services needed in the resource center were advice on useful resources (70.6%); announcements on newly received materials, programs, and support services (64.8%); and resource personnel to assist with identifying materials/navigating through resources (53.2%). Written education pamphlets/brochures were rated as the most useful material (74.6%), followed by consumer health books (74.2%) and newsletter (59.6%). The top overall three supportive programs required were nutrition talks and cooking demonstrations (76.7%), counseling (individual, couples, family, and bereavement) (74.3%), and exercise (e.g., Tai Chi, yoga) (68.5%).Conclusions:The findings obtained from this assessment provide guidance to the development of a user-friendly, patient- and family-centric HIRC.

Second higher education as an important form of training competitive personnel in Uzbekistan

The country's higher education is designed to train highly qualified personnel with subsequent employment in various spheres of social and economic activity. An innovative approach to the process of reforming the second higher education showed that the most important form of expanding the admission of creative youth to study is the awareness of the need to obtain a second higher education. The country has created a legal framework for representatives of all social groups wishing to enter universities to receive education in a second specialty. In order to provide social support for students studying in a second specialty, the use of the services of the information resource center, the issuance of textbooks and teaching aids is free of charge. This is also due to the fact that the country's entry into the world community has shown the shortcomings of higher education and, all the more, it makes new demands on the quality of the higher educational process in the country.