Resource Center Research Articles

The Who, What, and How of Interagency Criminal Justice–Behavioral Health Teams: Developing and Sustaining Collaborations

Interagency teams are considered an evidence-based change practice, but there is a paucity of research examining them in criminal justice (CJ) and behavioral health (BH) reform contexts. This study draws on qualitative interviews ( n = 52) and survey data ( n = 791) from BH and CJ leaders across the United States to examine who is on them, what they do, and effective strategies for building and sustaining them. Findings indicated that CJ–BH interagency teams often incorporate agencies from a range of CJ, BH, social service, and health agencies. Teamwork focused on connecting clients to resources or contributing to CJ–BH coalitions and resource centers. Although the team-building strategies learning about/from other agencies and system integration were significantly associated with developing more collaborations, consensus-building activities were not. These findings suggest that interagency teams need not necessarily reach consensus on goals and vision prior to working together, as this can be built through collaboration.

A Retrospective Study of the Profiles of Outpatients Attending the State Adolescent Friendly Health Resource Center, Andhra Pradesh, South India.

Adolescents compose a significantly large age group, and attention to their health needs is lacking due to insufficient data and policy implementation globally and in India. India, having 268 million adolescents, faces the world's largest adolescent population, which highlights the importance of addressing their health requirements. The aim of this study was to describe the morbidity profiles of adolescent patients attending the State Adolescent Friendly Health Resource Centre at a tertiary-level healthcare institution in South India. A retrospective secondary data analysis was conducted at the State Adolescent Friendly Health Resource Center from 2022 to 2023. Data on adolescent health were collected from this center's OPD using a structured questionnaire, which included information on demographics, immunization status, chief complaints, and dietary intake. Diagnosis coding was done using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10), with estimated energy and protein intake. The study analyzed 4,000 adolescent patients, with a nearly equal gender distribution across physical OPD and telemedicine services. Adolescent females between 15 and 16 years had more visits for consultation. Most patients were within the normal BMI range, and telemedicine was popular among females with normal BMI. Obesity was more common in males, while overweight was prevalent in females. Energy and protein intake varied across BMI categories, with obese individuals having the highest intake. The morbidity profiles revealed significant gender differences in healthcare utilization and disease patterns. Gender differences in adolescent morbidity and the underutilization of telemedicine highlight the need for tailored healthcare interventions and further research based on socioeconomic factors.

Re-Establishment of Vascular Access After Superior Vena Cava Occlusion in Hemodialysis Patients

To evaluate the application of percutaneous right atrial puncture and tunneled cuffed catheter insertion and the establishment of peripheral arteriovenous (AV) access in hemodialysis patients with superior vena cava occlusion (SVCO), and to provide evidence-based support for the re-establishment of vascular access in patients with limited vascular resources. Patients with SVCO were enrolled. Then, either right neck percutaneous puncture catheterization or peripheral AV access construction was performed on the patients according to their personal preference. The patients were divided into the catheter group and the AV access group accordingly. Under the guidance of double C-arm digital subtraction angiography, a puncture was made in the right brachiocephalic vein or the stump of superior vena cava. Portal venous shunt instrument RUPS100 was then inserted through the guide wire, and the hard end of the guide wire was used to puncture the right atrium to achieve sharp recanalization of the occlusive superior vena cava. Afterwards, balloon expansion of the obstructive superior vena cava lesion and the subsequent implantation of the tunneled-cuffed catheter were performed. In AV access group, after evaluating the collateral veins by venougraphy and the peripheral vessel by ultrasound, autologous AV fistula or graft was established according to the vascular conditions of the patient and their personal preferences. The demographic information and clinical outcomes, such primary and primary assisted patency of access, were documented and the incidence of complications was monitored. With the duration of patent access defined as the survival time, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to compare the patency rates of the two groups. A total of 45 SVCO patients were enrolled and underwent re-establishment of vascular access. Among them, 21 cases were in the catheter group and 24 cases were in the AV access group. All patients had their vascular access successfully constructed and received hemodialysis, and no relevant complications or deaths occurred during the procedure. Over the mean follow-up period of (471.22±125.94) days, the primary patency rates in the catheter group 95.2% and 85.7% at 6 and 12 months, respectively, and the primary assisted patency rates were 100% and 95.2%, respectively. The primary patency rates of the AV access group were 79.2% and 62.5% at 6 and 12 months, and the primary assisted patency rates were 95.8% and 87.5%, respectively. No significant difference was observed between the two groups. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the median survival time (defined as the duration of patent access) was 670.00 (468.99, 871.01) days in the catheter group and 450.00 (339.24, 560.76) days in the AV access group, with the catheter group outperforming the AV access group. The primary patency rate of the catheter group was better than that of the AV access group (P=0.049). On the other hand, no significant difference was observed in the primary assisted patency rates of the two groups. Long-term vascular access can be established for SVCO patients by either percutaneous catheterization through the right atrium of superior vena cava stump or the establishment of peripheral AV access. The comprehensive plan, which includes the establishment of AV access first and the subsequent catheterization, is expected to improve the total duration of long-term vascular access and prolong the overall survival of dialysis patients, which provides new ideas for re-establishing dialysis access in patients with exhausted central venous resources.

Психологическое сопровождение социокультурной адаптации иностранных студентов в системе высшего образования: итоги проектно-аналитической сессии

The paper analyzes the experience of psychological support for the socio-cultural adaptation of foreign students at universities of the Russian Federation. The relevance of the work is due to the significant socio-cultural, psychological, and academic difficulties that foreign students face when studying at Russian universities and, in this regard, the need to replicate the successful experience of organizing measures to adapt this target group of students in the higher education system. The results of a monitoring survey of psychological services specialists conducted at the sites of 13 universities participating in the pilot testing of the psychological service model in the higher education system in terms of psychological support for foreign students are presented. The results of the design and analytical session organized by the Federal Resource Center for Psychological Services in the Higher Education System of the Russian Academy of Education are presented in order to further replicate successful practices of psychological support for foreign students at the university. A comprehensive program of measures for psychological support of foreign students at the university is proposed. Conclusions are drawn about the expediency of integrating individual measures to accompany and support foreign students into the overall structure of the psychological service of the university.

Sumber Daya Pendukung Pelaksanaan Kurikulum Untuk Anak Berkebutuhan Khusus di Sekolah Inklusi

Children with special needs need more attention in education, because they also have potential within themselves. Parents, teachers and the government are resources that are expected to support the implementation of the curriculum for children with special needs. This research seeks to explore the role of parents, schools and government in implementing the curriculum for children with special needs, as well as any weaknesses in its implementation. Data was obtained from resource room observations, interviews with school principals and special support teachers and documentation. The results of the research show that parents, schools and the government have supported the implementation of the curriculum for children with special needs well, although there are several weaknesses in its implementation. From these results it can be concluded that parents and schools play an active role in implementing the curriculum for children with special needs, while the government is still not optimal for several reasons. Therefore, government policies must be properly enforced in their implementation.

Reading Practices with Multilingual Children in Norwegian Kindergartens

One in five children in Norwegian kindergartens are multilingual, and reading practices that encourage the use of multilinguals’ entire linguistic repertoire can serve as important opportunities for language sharing, which is also encouraged by the Norwegian education authorities. In this study, we initially aimed to explore kindergarten reading practices involving languages other than Norwegian. When it became clear that such practices are rare, we expanded our investigation to include early childhood teachers’ experiences of reading with multilingual children more broadly. Our data sources consist of both self-reported data from a nationwide survey on reading practices in Norwegian kindergartens and six semi-structured focus group interviews with kindergarten staff. As reading in Norwegian kindergartens appears to occur in a space between kindergarten children’s right to meaningful experiences in different languages and their need to learn Norwegian, we shed light on what early childhood teachers highlight as central resources for reading with multilinguals. The key resources that emerge in the analyses encompass different forms of expression, hence multimodality is used as the overarching theoretical perspective in the study. Additionally, we discuss how good opportunities for promoting diverse reading practices become evident when kindergarten staff demonstrate curiosity, creativity, and a problem-solving approach to reading with multilinguals.

Experience of regret is unaffected by concurrent working memory load

Background When facing the consequences of decisions, people often experience evaluative emotions such as regret. The experience of regret is the result of the comparison between the actual outcome of one’s actions and a better counterfactual outcome that could have occurred had one acted differently in the past. Despite increasing interest in counterfactual thinking and regret, little is known about the type of cognitive processes involved with regret –whether it is underpinned by reflective or intuitive processes. The extant literature provides contradictory evidence: theoretical assertions and developmental work point towards reflective processes, requiring access to capacity-limited cognitive resources whereas, some experimental and neuroscientific evidence point towards intuitive processes. Methods In the current study, adults (N = 20) completed a commonly used gambling task known to elicit regret under high or low working memory load. Results Ratings of regret were not affected by concurrent working memory load (Bayes Factors provided strong evidence for the null hypothesis). Conclusions We conclude that the experience of regret in a commonly used gambling task is unaffected by concurrent working memory load. This suggests that, in adults, regret is not always reliant on reflective cognitive processes and does not require access to central cognitive resources.

EP186 - Blood transfusion documentation in surgical patients - are we doing it correctly? An audit on the blood transfusion documentation in surgical patients at a district general hospital in the United Kingdom

Abstract Aim Transfusion of blood products is commonly indicated in surgical patients, especially in patients with gastro-intestinal bleeding, gastro-intestinal cancers, and trauma patients. However, the documentation regarding blood transfusion in these patients often does not meet the guidelines. The aim of this clinical audit was to improve the blood transfusion (BT) related documentation in patients of general surgery (GS) at a district general hospital (DGH) in the United Kingdom, in accordance with the national guidelines (Administration of blood components: a British Society for Haematology Guideline) and the local trust guidelines. Method For the 1st-cycle of the audit, we did retrospective study of all adult patients admitted under GS in our DGH from 1st July 2023 to 15th August 2023 (6weeks) who received BT, and their electronic records were assessed with regards to documentation regarding the following criteria: decision to transfuse, patient's consent and understanding, post-transfusion effect and discharge notes. Following this, we had a discussion with the junior doctors in the department, who do these documentation, to make them aware of the BT guidelines, and to improve adherence. The 2nd-cycle included retrospective data collection from 1st September 2023 to 15th October 2023 (6 weeks). Results BT-documentation during the 2nd-cycle showed significant improvement to adherence above 80% in most of the criteria where it needed improvement in the 1st-cycle. Conclusion This clinical audit successfully improved the BT-documentation adherence to the guidelines, showing that through simple educational methods, the documentation practices could be improved significantly. Our plans for subsequent improvement includes posters in the departmental resource room to increase the awareness, and to re-audit in December 2023.

Detailed Analysis of Responses from Older Adults through Natural Speech: Comparison of Questions by AI Agents and Humans.

In recent years, an increasing number of studies have begun to use conversational data in spontaneous speech to estimate cognitive function in older people. The providers of spontaneous speech with older people used to be physicians and licensed psychologists, but it is now possible to have conversations with fully automatic AI agents. However, it has not yet been clarified what differences exist in conversational communication with older people when the examiner is either a human or an AI agent. In this study, elderly people living in the community and attending a silver human resource center and a day service center were the subjects. Dialogues were conducted using generic interview items for estimating cognitive function through daily conversation, which were developed through research on estimation methods for cognitive function. From the data obtained from the dialogues, we compared the effects of human-AI interaction on the number of utterances, speaking time, and silence time. This study was conducted at a facility in Japan and included 32 subjects (12 males and 20 females). The results showed significant differences between human and AI dialogue in the number of utterances and silent time. This study suggests the effectiveness of AI in communication with older people and explores the possibility of using AI in social welfare.

Experience of Nurses in Carrying Out the Main Duties and Functions of Nurses at UPT Puskesmas Panamas, Kapuas Regency, in 2023 / 2024

This research explores the experiences of nurses in carrying out their main duties and functions at the Panamas Community Health Center. Qualitative methods with a phenomenological approach are used to gain an in-depth understanding of this phenomenon. Data was collected through in-depth interviews with 12 nurses selected by purposive sampling. Data analysis using the Colaizzi method produced five main themes: (1) Nurses' activities in health services, (2) Tasks carried out by community health center nurses, (3) The importance of good health program management, (4) Management of duties and authority in health services, and (5) Shortage of health and non-health personnel and multifunctionality in health services. Research results show that nurses often have to take over the roles of doctors, administrative staff, and pharmacists due to limited human resources even though these tasks should not be their responsibility. This causes nurses to lose focus in carrying out their main duties, nurses feel that their main role as care providers is disturbed. Nurses also run various health programs and serve as physician assistants, although these roles often exceed their duties. The importance of good health program management was emphasized, as many participants experienced difficulties in achieving targets, reporting and patient monitoring. Management of tasks and authority includes handover of tasks, delegation of daily tasks, and delegation of authority, however socialization to staff has not been comprehensive. Lack of human resources causes nurses to carry out multiple roles which hinders their professional development. This research recommends strengthening competency and further training for nurses, increasing legal awareness regarding the delegation of authority, integrating health management education in the nursing curriculum, as well as increasing the number and qualifications of human resources in community health centers.

Diversity Scholarships for Plastic Surgery Subinternships: A National Review of US Residency Programs.

Residency programs have developed monetary initiatives for students underrepresented in medicine (URiM). Our team sought to provide a centralized resource for URiM students seeking plastic surgery subinternships with funded opportunities. A cross sectional analysis of URiM scholarships offered by US integrated plastic surgery programs (n = 91) between July and September 2023. The study used residency program web domains. Investigators collected information on the monetary value of scholarship, eligibility criteria, and required application documents. Inferential analyses were conducted to investigate whether programs' geographic region or Doximity ranking played a role in likelihood of scholarship existence. The study found that approximately 52.7% (n = 48) of programs have in place monetary support for underrepresented visiting medical students (eg, stipend or reimbursement). The average monetary support was $1670. A univariate test demonstrated that programs with lower rankings in both reputation and research were less likely to have a scholarship available than higher ranking programs (P = 0.002; P = 0.02, respectively). Programs located in the Midwest regions were 3.5 times more likely to have a diversity scholarship available (P = 0.034). In our multivariate analysis, reputation ranking and geographic region remained significant. A Pearson chi square test showed the greatest proportions of scholarships among geographically similar programs to be in the Midwest (70%), however, not statistically significant. This study provides a centralized resource for URiM students interested in completing away rotations. Further investigation into development of these scholarship opportunities would be of much benefit and could guide other programs in the funding their own diversity scholarships.

Relationship between bull signalment and testicular attributes in a Kenyan bull station.

Male fertility is essential to bovine reproduction, particularly when bulls are used for artificial insemination or single-sire breeding. Bull breeding and soundness examinations (BBSE) are routinely undertaken to identify potentially unfit bulls for breeding. Multiple criteria, including physical examination and determination of testicular and semen parameters, characterize BBSE. Knowledge interstices within this realm, especially in tropical African settings, necessitate pragmatic approaches to address the same. This study aimed to investigate the potential effects of bull parameters on testicular attributes in a tropical setting. The present study recruited healthy bulls (n = 96) aged >16 months with active semen collection used for artificial insemination at the Kenya Animal Genetic Resources Center. The breed breakdown was as follows: Ayrshire (n = 40), Boran (n = 3), Friesian (n = 36), Guernsey (n = 5), Jersey (n = 7), and Sahiwal (n = 5). Age, breed, body weight, scrotal circumference (SC), and testicular echotexture were collected, and the findings were analyzed using R statistical software. SC increased with age and body weight (p < 0.0001). SC varied from one breed to the others (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, as determined using trans-scrotal ultrasonography, hyperechoic testicular lesions were present in 30.21% of the bulls imaged, and the incidence was significantly related to age (p < 0.001). SC is significantly affected by age and body weight. The mean SC was higher in the Bos indicus, but this finding is only indicative because the Sahiwal and Boran sample sizes were small. Notably, the prevalence of hyperechoic testicular foci following trans-scrotal ultrasonography was common in older bulls. However, there is a need to further elucidate this phenomenon's pathophysiology with age as the etiology and possible sequelae of semen quality.

Improving Fairness of Automated Chest Radiograph Diagnosis by Contrastive Learning.

Purpose To develop an artificial intelligence model that uses supervised contrastive learning (SCL) to minimize bias in chest radiograph diagnosis. Materials and Methods In this retrospective study, the proposed method was evaluated on two datasets: the Medical Imaging and Data Resource Center (MIDRC) dataset with 77 887 chest radiographs in 27 796 patients collected as of April 20, 2023, for COVID-19 diagnosis and the National Institutes of Health ChestX-ray14 dataset with 112 120 chest radiographs in 30 805 patients collected between 1992 and 2015. In the ChestX-ray14 dataset, thoracic abnormalities included atelectasis, cardiomegaly, effusion, infiltration, mass, nodule, pneumonia, pneumothorax, consolidation, edema, emphysema, fibrosis, pleural thickening, and hernia. The proposed method used SCL with carefully selected positive and negative samples to generate fair image embeddings, which were fine-tuned for subsequent tasks to reduce bias in chest radiograph diagnosis. The method was evaluated using the marginal area under the receiver operating characteristic curve difference (∆mAUC). Results The proposed model showed a significant decrease in bias across all subgroups compared with the baseline models, as evidenced by a paired t test (P < .001). The ∆mAUCs obtained by the proposed method were 0.01 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.01), 0.21 (95% CI: 0.21, 0.21), and 0.10 (95% CI: 0.10, 0.10) for sex, race, and age subgroups, respectively, on the MIDRC dataset and 0.01 (95% CI: 0.01, 0.01) and 0.05 (95% CI: 0.05, 0.05) for sex and age subgroups, respectively, on the ChestX-ray14 dataset. Conclusion Employing SCL can mitigate bias in chest radiograph diagnosis, addressing concerns of fairness and reliability in deep learning-based diagnostic methods. Keywords: Thorax, Diagnosis, Supervised Learning, Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), Computer-aided Diagnosis (CAD) Supplemental material is available for this article. © RSNA, 2024 See also the commentary by Johnson in this issue.

Special Issue on Dispossession and Resistance in India and Mexico: Introduction

As literature on forced land acquisition, land grab, and its integral relationship with capitalist accumulation grows, Hall et al. caution against anticipating resistance to forced land acquisition as the natural or logical response. Instead, they make a call to examine the particular conditions and context within which such processes take place to understand the variety of ways in which “local communities” respond to land acquisition in the name of development. Heeding such caution and carrying the discussion forward, in this special issue, we examine the myriad processes that are unleashed in the aftermath of dispossession from lands and resistance to it in two Global South countries—India and Mexico. While the two nations have divergent histories of colonialism and postcolonial economic trajectories, by examining processes of dispossession and resistance in two countries of the Global South, we hope to initiate a discussion on the heterogenous and diverse forms of capitalist accumulation and people’s responses to them through the medium of a central resource of natural capital and primary factor of production.

THE STATE OF THE ARCTIC PROBLEMS OF THE NENETS AUTONOMOUS OKRUG AND PROSPECTS OF THEIR SOLUTION

The article analyses the first stage of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug’s (NAO) implementation of the 7 tasks set out in the Strategy for Developing the Russian Arctic Zone and Ensuring National Security until 2035. Particular attention is paid to the study of the development of the project for the construction of the deep-water seaport of Indiga and the Sosnogorsk – Indiga railway, transport infrastructure development, including the reconstruction of the seaport and airports. The article analyses the activities on dredging on the Pechora River, construction of a highway, the development of oil and gas condensate mineral resource centers, based on the NAO fields, including the development of new ones. The problem of geological study and development of mineral resource base of solid minerals is considered. The article examines the population dynamics, the experience of Arctic residents, and their tax benefits. The author separately considers the construction of an agroindustrial park and the implementation of export-oriented projects involving deep processing of venison, as well as the issues of developing a tourism cluster in the region. It is concluded that, with the exception of the completion of the Naryan-Mar – Usinsk highway and the intensive development of tourism, the rest of the Arctic projects are at the initial stage, their development hampered by the lack or complete absence of funding.

INEQUALIRY, ONLINE TEACHING AND QUALITY EDUCATION, “EXCLUDING THE EXCLUDED” IN INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEANING IN ZIMBABWE: HOW TO BUILD INCLUSIVE INSTITUTIONS?

The covid pandemic has been marked by negative outcomes locally, regionally and globally. The sudden closure of institutions of learning, copious teaching and learning dynamics emerged giving rise to dire demand for blended learning. The study explores the intersection of gender, socio-economic status, disability as well as online learning and how this impacted on vulnerable learners’ access to quality education during the pandemic and its aftermath. The paper was framed within the exclusion and social justice theoretical frameworks. The design was phenomenological, focusing on the lived experiences of vulnerable female, orphans, those living with disabilities and learners from low socio-economic status. Midlands State University and the vulnerable groups were purposively sampled. Key university informants were officers from information and technology services, the library, Quality Assurance and Professional Development, Disability Resource Centre, student affairs division respectively giving a total of 5 key informants. Focus group discussions were held with 6 orphans from child headed households, 5 male and 7 female students from low socio-economic status from both rural and urban areas and 14 students living with differing disabilities, giving a total of 32 participants. Selection from other vulnerable students beside those living with disabilities was based on voluntariness and the need for a gender matrix. Online teaching and learning created a digital access gap with the most vulnerable experiencing various types of exclusions. To achieve effective teaching and learning, the paper recommends inclusive pedagogies and sustainable learning frameworks that allow the achievement of SDG 4on equitable and inclusive education

The Observed T Cell Receptor Space database enables paired-chain repertoire mining, coherence analysis, and language modeling

T cell activation is governed through Tcell receptors (TCRs), heterodimers of two sequence-variable chains (often an α and β chain) that synergistically recognize antigen fragments presented on cell surfaces. Despite this, there only exist repositories dedicated to collecting single-chain, not paired-chain, TCR sequence data. We addressed this gap by creating the Observed TCR Space (OTS) database, a source of consistently processed and annotated, full-length, paired-chain TCR sequences. Currently, OTS contains 5.35 million redundant (1.63 million non-redundant), predominantly human sequences from across 50 studies and at least 75 individuals. Using OTS, we identify pairing biases, public TCRs, and distinct chain coherence patterns relative to antibodies. We also release a paired-chain TCR language model, providing paired embedding representations and a method for residue in-filling conditional on the partner chain. OTS will be updated as a central community resource and is freely downloadable and available as a web application.

Integrated Collection and Publication of Sample Metadata in JAMSTEC: A System Maximizing Sample Values and Assisting in Sample Management

The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) has collected a lot of samples (e.g., organisms, rocks, sediment cores) from the deep sea, seafloors and other extreme environments. These samples are difficult to collect again by JAMSTEC and other institutions because of their remoteness, so we thought it important to make them available to as many people as possible for a variety of purposes. JAMSTEC established the “Basic Policies on the Handling of Data and Samples” in 2007, and its data management office (DMO) has operated a centralized management and publication of metadata for almost all samples collected during research cruises (Tsuboi et al. 2014). While researchers who collected samples retain priority rights of use, publishing the metadata opens the door for third parties to apply for sample usage. To properly manage and publish those metadata of the samples, DMO has constructed and operates databases, including the JAMSTEC Sample Database for sample management and the DARWIN database for the publication of cruise data and sample metadata. Some biological sample metadata is also shared with JAMSTEC’s biogeographic database (BISMaL), and global databases such as Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS) and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) (Iseto et al. 2019; Fig. 1). Traditionally, researchers have deposited selected samples in museums or resource centers and made that information public through literature or via online databases. However, the samples accessible through these routes represent only a small portion of the total samples collected by researchers. What JAMSTEC does is different from this, in that JAMSTEC publishes metadata of most collected samples (Fig. 2). JAMSTEC manages sample metadata not only to respond to sample requests from third parties, but also for its own benefits. The sample management assists JAMSTEC’s research in collaborative opportunities, sample inheritances, and research compliance. Most notably, among recent global regulations, proper sample management has become essential to complying with diverse treaties and laws such as Security Export Control and Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing. Now that we have established this system, we are moving to the next stage, where each JAMSTEC researcher can register and update their own sample metadata, and control public settings of the sample metadata themselves on the database without relying heavily on DMO. We hope that the JAMSTEC initiative will become a revitalizing model for sample-based research.

Quality Assessment of a Learning Resources Centers&amp;apos; Services at Omani Private Schools Using SERVQUAL Scale

The increasing role of learning resources, electronic publishing, and the emergence of new innovations in LRCs necessitate significant changes in educational schemes, systems, methods, and resources. Studies highlight the significance of a school resource center in aiding students and teachers in designing, producing, using, and delivering resource materials, improving classroom environments, and providing a diverse range of learning resources. This study examines the perceived and expected service quality at the Learning Resources Center of Seeb International School in Oman. As well as investigating the significant differences in service quality due to some variables (gender, job, and experience). Utilizing the SERVQUAL model, the research explores five dimensions of service quality: reliability, responsiveness, assurance, tangibility, and empathy. The sample group comprised 15 participants, including teachers and administrators. The findings indicate that participants at Seeb International School&amp;apos;s LRC perceive a higher level of service quality than predicted by the SERVQUAL model, with favorable opinions and high mean scores suggesting their expectations have been met or exceeded. The analysis reveals that gender does not significantly impact perceived service quality, but job category influences perceptions, with administrators rating service quality lower than teachers. Additionally, experience plays a significant role, as participants with more experience rate service quality higher than those with less experience. These results contribute to understanding service quality at the LRC of private schools in Oman and provide valuable insights for school administrators to enhance their learning resource services.

Genetic Diversity Assessment of Brinjal Germplasm for Varietal Improvement

Forty-one (41) brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) germplasm of were evaluated at the field of Plant Genetic Resources Centre, BARI, Gazipur to identify the salient features and to assess genetic divergence of germplasm in the time of rabi season 2021-22. Distinct variation was observed in qualitative characters among the germplasm except two characters i.e. fruit cross section and fruit position. For the characters length breath ratio and calyx prickles of fruit, the topmost variation was found. In case of quantitative characters, variation was noticed maximum in the length of fruit (CV-43.79%), afterwards individual weight of fruit (CV-32.91%) and yield plant-1 (CV-30.12%). The highest number of germplasm was dispersed into cluster I. Among the clusters, cluster II and cluster III were occupied by ten germplasm, respectively. Cluster mean value was noted maximum in cluster II for the characters days required for 50% flowering (67.90%), plant height (97.97 cm), individual fruit weight (107.35 g), and yield plant-1 (2.51%). Among the principal components, 27.28% of the total variation interpreted by the first PC and the second PC clarified 22.36% of the variation. In the biplot, germplasm NF-15, NF-20, NF-13, NF-7, NF-4, NF-25, NF-16, and NF-2 etc. were independently far away from the studied germplasm by keeping a distance from the centroid. These results displayed distinctiveness and divergence of germplasm as regards of the studied traits. Populations with high values for the first eigen vectors are individual fruit weight (0.642), yield plant-1 (0.564), and width of fruit (0.313), these characters were the utmost significant contributors towards the diversity of germplasm in PC1. The germplasm NF-4 (3.45 kg), NF-30 (3.38 kg), and NF-25 (3.08 kg) were higher yielders among the tested germplasm and may be used for future varietal improvement of brinjal. J. of Sci. and Tech. Res. 5(1): 21-29, 2023