Package For Social Sciences Software Research Articles

The psychometric properties of the Iranian version of Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) in children with autism spectrum disorder

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the psychometric properties of the social communication questionnaire (SCQ) in Iran by identifying children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who had Persian-speaking parents.Design/methodology/approachA case–control study was performed from June to August 2021 in Hamadan, Iran. The case group consisted of children who were examined by clinicians who used a coding scheme based on the DSM-V criteria for ASD by a psychiatrist. The control group consisted of non-ASD children who were asked to participate in the study. This study conducted the reliability, content and face validity to evaluate the psychometric properties of the tool. In the first step, Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin and Bartlett’s test were used to determine sampling adequacy and appropriateness of correlation matrix. In the second step, the exploratory factor analysis approach was used. The method of extracting the factors is done by using the varimax rotation method and selecting the number of factors using an eigenvalue and scree plot. Statistical analysis was performed using Software Package for Social Sciences 21 with the statistical significance set at level less than 0.05.FindingsThe quantitative content validity analysis revealed that the mean of content validity ratio and content validity index were 0.92 and 0.91, respectively. Mean score ± standard deviation in the two groups of ASD and control were 14.23 ± 3.84 and 7.83 ± 4.80, respectively. With cut-off point >12.5, sensitivity, specificity and misclassification error values were 73.33%, 80.0% and 23%, respectively.Research limitations/implicationsThe results showed that the internal consistency of the SCQ is desirable. Also, the internal consistency of its five subscales was obtained between 0.700 and 0.87. The findings showed that SCQ questionnaire is highly reliable in reciprocal social interaction (Factor 1) and the total score, while other factors were relatively reliable.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper on psychometric properties of SCQ in ASD children in Iran.

Patient safety culture in the operating room: a cross-sectional study using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) Instrument

BackgroundCredible evidence has established a link between the level of patient safety culture in healthcare environments and patient outcomes. Patient safety culture in the operating room has received scant attention despite the burden of adverse events among surgical patients. We aimed to evaluate the safety culture in our operating rooms and compare with existing data from other operating room settings.MethodsWe investigated the patient safety culture in the operating rooms of our hospital as perceived by the surgeons, nurse anaesthetists and perioperative nurses using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC) instrument. IBM Statistical Package for Social Science software, version 25, was used for data entry and analysis. Differences were considered significant when p < 0.05.ResultsOnly 122 completed surveys were returned out of a survey population of 132 frontline staff, yielding a response rate of 92.4%. The overall average composite score was 47%. The average composite scores ranged from 17–79.6% across the 12 dimensions of the HSOPSC, with teamwork within units being the only dimension with demonstrable strength. Non-punitive response to error, communication openness, feedback and communication about error”, frequency of events reported”, handoffs and transition and staffing need improvement. The perceived safety culture varied according to work areas and professional roles with nurse anaesthetists having the highest perception and the surgeons the least.ConclusionPatient safety culture in our operating rooms is adjudged to be weak, with only one of the twelve dimensions of HSOPSC demonstrating strength. This is notwithstanding its comparative strengths relative to other operating room settings.

Positive Relationship Between Physical Activity and Emotional Mental Health In Housewives

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between physical activity and emotional mental health in housewives. This research is correlational with a cross-sectional study approach. A total of 35 women with criteria, namely being housewives, aged 20-30 years, living with their husbands, having children at least 2 years old, domiciled in Malang Regency, East Java, Indonesia voluntarily participated as respondents in this study by filling out and signing informed consent. The level of physical activity in this study was measured using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) and emotional mental health levels were measured using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS42). Measurements of the level of physical activity and the level of emotional mental health were carried out simultaneously. The data analysis technique used the Chi-Square test with a statistical software package for social sciences (SPSS) version 21.0 with a significance level of 5%. The results of the analysis of the average level of physical activity of housewives in the medium category were 45.72% (16 people), the low category was 25.71% (9 people) and the high category was 28.57% (10 people). The average emotional-mental health of housewives in the normal category was 45.72% (16 people), mild 17.14% (6 people), moderate 20.00% (7 people), and heavy 17.14% ( 6 people). The results of the Chi-Square test show that there is a positive relationship between physical activity and emotional-mental health with the Pearson Chi-Square value of 55.222 and p-value=0.000. Based on the results of the study, it was concluded that there was a positive relationship between physical activity and emotional-mental health in housewives.

Knowledge and awareness on pneumoconiosis among dental technicians and senior dental technology students in Saudi Arabia.

Dental technicians' pneumoconiosis is a condition that causes interstitial inflammation and fibrosis as a result of complex drug exposure. Therefore, it is of interest to assess and evaluate the knowledge and awareness about pneumoconiosis and other respiratory disorders among dental technicians and dental technology students in Saudi Arabia. A cross sectional survey was conducted on convenient sample of 300 senior dental technician students and dental technicians from Saudi Arabia and informed consent was obtained. The participants were approached through online questionnaire using Google forms. Questions were related to the socio-demographic data, knowledge and awareness of the students and the practicing dental technicians and their willingness to learn about pneumoconiosis. Final year undergraduate, interns and Dental technicians were included, undergraduate students without practical knowledge and experience and participants with history of respiratory disease were excluded from the study. Questions were assessed by face validity. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences software. Descriptive statistics was calculated. 34.8% of the study group were not aware of the term and don't know about the etiology of pneumoconiosis. Pearson correlation was significant in terms of awareness difference between males and females and females had less awareness compared to males.

Isolation and identification of fluoride sensitive and fluoride resistant Streptococcus mutans strains from dental carries of diabetic patients using conventional methods in Sudan.

Background Dental caries also known as cavities are the most predominant disease today. Streptococcus mutans can form a biofilm on the tooth surface, produce high levels of lactic acid following fermentation of dietary sugars, and are resistant to the adverse effects of low pH, properties which are essential for oral micro biota. The aim of this study was to isolate S. mutans and characterize their antimicrobial properties against sodium fluoride. Fresh dental caries samples were collected from diabetic patients. The isolates were identified based on their acidogenic, biochemical test, and antimicrobial properties. Methods The socio-demographic data collected through a structure designated questionnaire and the biological data collected through sterile cotton swabs. For analysis of data, Statistical Package for Social Sciences software, version 23.0 (IBM SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL) was used. Results Only 32 of the 80 samples (40%) gave a positive growth for S. mutans on MSBA (mitis salivarius bacitracin agar). The sensitivity of the isolates against sodium fluoride was tested by preparing NaF of four different concentrations (80, 125, 250, and 500) mg\L. Fifty percent of isolates were found to be resistant to NaF at a concentration of 80 mg/L, while 28% were resistant to 125 mg/L NaF, 16% to 250 mg/L and 3% to 500mg/L NaF. The majority of the participants were aged between 51–60 years (33%), were female (54%), had type II diabetes mellitus (64%), and the duration of their diabetes was less than five years (35%). Conclusions By using the information in this study, we were able to discover strains of S. mutans that are resistant to fluoride. This study can be used as an essential key to study the genetic mutation that occurred.

Correlation of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms of PRM1, PRM2, PYGO2, and DAZL Genes with Male Infertility in North West of Iran.

Almost half of infertility is related to male factors. Although the effect of genetic factors on male infertility is identified, about 30%-50% still has no proven cause and is classified as idiopathic infertility. This study was performed to investigate the correlation of some single nucleotide polymorphisms of PYGO2, DAZL, PRM1, and PRM2 genes with male infertility in idiopathic cases among the Iranian population. In this case-control study, 120 idiopathic azoospermia or severe oligospermia patients in the range of 25-45 years and 120 fertile men in the same age range were recruited as case and control groups, respectively. Eight different single nucleotide polymorphisms including PRM1 rs737008, PRM1 rs423668, PRM2 rs1646022, PRM2 rs11645592, PYGO2 rs141722381, PYGO2rs61758741, DAZL rs75931701, and DAZL rs188506466 were genotyped by using ampli ficat ion-r efrac tory mutation system polymerase chain reaction methods. Hardy-Weinberg was calculated by using online website. Statistical Package for Social Sciences software was applied for statistical analysis. P value <.05 was considered significant. Thirty percent of the samples were regenotyped to confirm the obtained results. The obtained results showed a significant correlation between PYGO2 rs141722381 in the heterozygote form (odds ratio: 2.803, 95% CI: 1.397-5.626). Heterozygote over-dominance was also observed in this variant (odds ratio: 2.637, 95%CI: 1.321-5.264). There was no significant association between other studied single nucleotide polymorphisms and male infertility. This study proposed a novel single nucleotide polymorphism as a predisposition of male infertility among the Iranian population, but more studies in larger populations are needed to confirm the results.

Comparative evaluation of fracture resistance of posterior teeth restored with recent composite resins

Aim: Comparative evaluation of the fracture resistance of maxillary molar teeth restored with recent composite resins. Materials and Methods: Fifty freshly extracted molar teeth were selected. Ten specimens served as control –unrestored, unprepared, intact (Group 1). Mesio-occluso-distal cavity preparation was prepared on the rest of the specimens. These specimens were further divided into four groups: prepared but unrestored (Group 2), teeth restored with with Nano hybrid composite (Tetric N-Ceram, Ivoclar Vivadent). (Group 3), teeth restored with Micro hybrid composite (Polofil supra). (Group 4), and teeth restored with Nano filled composite (Filtek Z-350). (Group 5). The specimens were then subjected to compressive axial load using universal testing machine. Data were analyzed using data were analyzed using Statistical package for social sciences software (SPSS v 20.0, IBM Corp.) Results: The positive control group exhibited highest fracture load (377±63.8 Kg-force). There was less difference seen in between the all recent composite resins (P &gt; 0.05). There is significant difference noted in fracture load between control group and treatment groups Conclusion: Type of the composite restoration makes little difference in the fracture toughness while restoring MOD cavities.

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Biomedical Waste Management among Health Care Personnel at El-Mak Nimer University Hospital 2021

Introduction: Medical waste is generated by healthcare facilities such as hospitals, clinics, blood banks, and laboratories, which may cause infection to any person coming into contact with it. therefore, medical waste can be considered as being of the greatest environmental concern since it can harbor potentially harmful microorganisms and carries the risk of transmission of infections from healthcare facilities to healthcare workers, patients, and general public. Method: This cross sectional descriptive study was carried out in Almak Nimer University Hospitals - River Nile state -Sudan during the year 2021 with the aim to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices among the health care personnel towards medical waste management. Total 125 respondents were participated in the study; the study uses questionnaires, interviews and observations as tools for data collection. The collected data were analyzed by Software Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) and the result was presented in figures and tables. Result: A total of 125 subjects participated in this study which included ( 34 doctors, 56 nurse, 18 lab technician, 17 class IV employees). The study revealed that (96.8%) of the respondents have good knowledge about hazardous waste. (94.4 % )of the respondents have good knowledge concerning waste transmitting diseases. ( 84.08%) have good attitudes towards BMW ,the study most of participant want to upgrade knowledge of BMW management. about practices (77.6%) wearing personal protective measure while handling BMW during the work .( 96%) wash their hands after the work, but only (61%) use drugs for cleaning the hand if injured. Conclusion: The study revealed that level of knowledge over all (73.5%), there is good knowledge among health worker except class IV which is found to be reasonable. There are reasonable level of knowledge by class IV regarding define color-coding system. The attitude support BMW management is a team work which is found to be good as well as attitude of upgrading knowledge is found to be good. Some of participant had not received vaccination , there is good practice toward handling of BMW as well as have good practice about using special container for disposal.

Role of Ethical Products in Enhancing Customer’s Satisfaction: An Assessments of Yobe Microfinance Products and Services in Nigeria

This study investigates customer satisfaction based on ethical products and services developed by Yobe Microfinance and customers' accessibility to banking services at ease and affordable access to funds. The research adopted a qualitative approach using a random sample through a survey questionnaire. The data was collected from Yobe Microfinance customers in Northern Nigeria who benefitted from the fund. The study used Structural Equation Modelling, the sample size was determined based on available customers. A total of 360 respondents completed the survey, using a Likert scale ranging from a strongly disagree of 1 to 5 strongly agree, using Structural Equation Modeling and Statistical Package for Social Science software to analyze and test reliability and validity to provide richness and accuracy of information from respondents from various perspectives. The finding indicates the positive relationship between ethical banking products and customer satisfaction. The research provided insights and developed a model that indicates the relationship between ethical products and customer satisfaction through service quality.

Knowledge and Incidence of Gender-Based Violence among Young Adults in the South-South Region of Nigeria: A Comparative Study

Background: Gender-Based Violence (GBV) entails fundamental violation of human rights and a violence that occurs due to normative role expectations attributable to one’s gender. It also includes all activities that facilitate an unbalanced power distribution between genders. These acts are likely to result in physical, sexual or emotional suffering which is usually meted out directly or indirectly through deceit, seduction, threat, coercion or any other means on the victim with the aim of intimidating, punishing or humiliating them. Methodology: The study was carried out in Cross River and Akwa Ibom States, South-South Region of Nigeria. A communitybased cross sectional and descriptive approach was used, incorporating qualitative and quantitative techniques. A total number of 426 copies of the questionnaire were administered to respondents by the research team. Analysis was performed on the received data from the questionnaires, using Statistical Package for Social Sciences software (SPSS). Results and Discussion: Majority of the respondents 343(83.1%) have heard about gender-based violence, with Radio/TV 214(51.8%) being the highest source of information. A greater population, 325(78.7%) accepted that maltreatment to a person on the basis of gender which can cause harm to him or her describes gender-based violence. The study further showed that 72.9% young adults could identify the various forms of gender-based violence. Analysis of responses revealed that 198(47.9%) young adults in the study area have experienced at least, one form of gender-based violence in their lifetime. Further analysis showed that physical violence 140(33.9%) and sexual violence 108(26.2%) were the most reported forms of gender-based violence experienced by respondents. Conclusion: The study showed a significant knowledge of gender-based violence among young adults, since 72.9% could clearly describe the subject matter. Despite this good knowledge, there was a high 47.9% occurrence of gender-based violence in the study area. Our findings and recommendations could impact GBV programming and policy decisions at the individual, community and national levels. Communities should be encouraged to work towards changing various narratives including the domineering attitude of men and encouraging female empowerment as these were linked to reducing incidences of genderbased violence. Campaigns to increase female education should be incorporated into the policies at the national level, as lower levels of education were associated with occurrence of GBV

Reasons for Extraction of Permanent Teeth in Tertiary Care Hospital of Nepal

Introduction: Many studies conducted in different countries or geographic locations had reported different reasons as a major cause for permanent teeth extractions. Many patients report to our OPD for extraction and refuse other treatment options. This had led to early edentulism and decreased quality of life in our population.&#x0D; Methods: A sample size of 1000 who had tooth extracted in Nepalgunj Medical College Teaching Hospital, Kohalpur and consented to take part were included in this study from April 2019 to March 2022. Collected data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences software (SPSS) Version 25 and Chi-square test was used to compare between different variables.&#x0D; Results: A total of 1000 (male 346(34.6%) and female 654(65.4%)) patients underwent extractions of 1306 teeth. The mean age of the patient was 44.27±17.488. Teeth were extracted most commonly in 4th decade of life and third molars were the most commonly extracted teeth. The most common reason for tooth loss is dental caries 939(71.9%). The most common cause for preventable tooth loss were Patient unwillingness to save the tooth 104(37.54%). Complications occurred in 61(4.7%) of cases intra-operatively and 21 (1.6%) cases postoperatively.&#x0D; Conclusions: Dental caries and its sequelae is the most common reason for extraction of all teeth and in all age group. Most patient visited clinic at the advanced stage where teeth cannot be saved. Failed endodontic treatment had also contributed for negative attitude towards teeth conservation among which majority of treatment has been performed by practitioner not registered in Nepal Medical Council.

Evidences on sustainability issues in the Fashion Supply Chain: An empirical study in Italy

The fashion industry is among the most polluting in the world, consuming large quantities of resources, hydric above all, and is responsible for massive harmful emissions and wastewaters. Moreover, demand for new products is currently extremely high, thus determining more sources to be managed, waste, a greater impact of production systems. Several studies have been proposed in literature addressing sustainability issues, but companies' perspective is rarely included and empirical research was highly recommended from researchers. In response, the will to collect evidences of some selected aspects related to drivers encouraging sustainable actions, practices, and performances reached. To this end, a survey was developed and sent to some Northern Italian companies operating in the fashion field. Descriptive, factor, cluster and discriminant analyses were performed on the sample using Statistical Package for Social Science software package. The companies surveyed show awareness and information about the issues related to sustainability and they are also willing to support actions for greening their supply chain. However, they are also hesitant towards the concrete adoption of green practices (both at present and in the future). Among the main findings, unexpectedly, the topic of Reverse Logistics turned out to be of scarce interest, while the quality of garments is perceived not to be affected by the usage of recycled or alternative raw materials. The same survey was also sent to 253 academics for comparing the two perspectives; overall, they turned out to be aligned regarding the issues investigated. This work contributes to enrich research about sustainability on the Italian fashion context, in which a similar investigation actually lacks.

Assessment of Awareness and Preparedness About COVID-19 for Oncology Nurses in Saudi Arabia.

Background: As is widely known, preparing nurses to deal with patients infected with COVID-19 is crucial, and knowledge about COVID-19 is needed. However, few researchers have discussed concerns about the overall healthcare system’s preparedness for COVID-19 or oncology nurses’ awareness and preparedness (A&P) regarding the disease, especially in Saudi Arabia.Objective: Provide a broader understanding of oncology nurses’ A&P regarding the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia.Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study to assess the oncology nurses’ awareness and preparedness regarding the COVID-19 pandemic at King Khaled University Hospital in Riyadh (KKUH) and King Salman Armed Forces Hospital Tabuk (KSAFHT). The population of the study was oncology nurses who were working in day-case, clinic, and inpatient stations in these two hospitals, as well as oncology-certified nurses who were not working in oncology but volunteered to be part of the study. The calculated sample size was 146 nurses. These nurses were selected via convenience sampling. The data were collected with the help of a predesigned questionnaire that was used to assess Libyan hospitals’ preparation for the COVID-19 pandemic and the preparedness of healthcare workers survey. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences Software (SPSS) version 23.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL) was used to enter and analyze data.Results: According to the data collected from 146 oncology nurses, as per the study’s knowledge score criteria, 136 participants (93.15%) had a high level of awareness regarding COVID-19, and only 10 participants (6.85%) had a low level of awareness. The nurses’ level of awareness did not show significant association with the age (p = 0.394), gender (p = 0.582), experience (p = 0.566), or education (p = 0.062) of the study participants. Furthermore, the p-value showed no statistically significant difference among awareness scores in relation to the designation of nurses. On the other hand, 135 study participants (92.47%) had adequate preparedness and only 11 participants (7.53%) had inadequate preparedness. The level of preparedness was associated with the age, gender, experience, and educational status of study participants with the help of the chi-square test.Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that the nurses working in the oncology departments in two key Saudi hospitals have sufficient awareness and are prepared to deal with COVID-19 patients. Although nurses working in oncology departments are not primarily responsible for taking care of COVID-19 patients, they may still encounter COVID-19 patients, and they must take all possible protective measures to minimize the spread of COVID-19, as well as provide proper diagnosis and care for these patients.

Evaluating Data from A Work Engagement Intervention among Nigerian History Lecturers

History lecturers who approach their work positively are more likely to be more engaged in their work than those who do not. Nigerian history lecturers have not been examined in terms of how psychological interventions can improve their work engagement. The present research examined the research dataset of an online rational emotive behavior therapy (online REBT) on work engagement among Nigerian history lecturers at higher education institutions. The sample consisted of 31 history lecturers, 16 of whom were randomly assigned to the online REBT group and 15 to a waiting-list control group. A repeated measures ANOVA was conducted at a level of 0.05 probability using IBM Statistical Package for Social Sciences software. Comparing the two groups, the dataset shows that history lecturers in the online intervention group exhibited significantly higher work engagement scores than those in the waiting list control group (p=.000). The one-month follow up dataset reveal that history lecturers who participated in the online REBT intervention continued to feel engaged at work compared to those in the waiting list control group (p=.000). Thus, a significant improvement in work engagement scores of history lecturers was associated with the online REBT intervention. Future studies with a larger sample size are needed.

Assessment of Outcome of and Factors Associated with Gangrenous Small Bowel Obstruction

1.1. Background: small bowel obstructions account for 15% of hospital admissions for acute abdominal complaints and up to 30% of these patients will require operative intervention. Ethiopia is one of the countries where intestinal obstruction is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. 1.2. Objectives: To assess outcomeand factors associated with gangrenous small bowel obstruction among patients admitted to surgical ward of Hiwot Fana Specialized University Hospital from January 1, 2016-December 31, 2020. 1.3. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on all patients with gangrenous small bowel obstruction admitted to surgical ward of Hiwot Fana Specialized University Hospital from January1, 2016-December 31,2020. For this study, a customized data abstraction form was developed for data capturing from medical records of the patients. The captured data was coded, entered to EpiINFo and exported to statistical package for social sciences software, version 22.0. for analysis. To summarize demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients considered for this study, descriptive statistics such as percent and frequency was employed. All variables with P-value &lt; 0.3, during bi-variable analyses were considered for multivariable logistic regression analyses. Odds ratio along with 95% Confidence interval were estimated to measure the strength of the association. Level of statistical significance was declared at p value less or equal to 0.05. 1.4. Results: A total of 91patiens were included and finally analyzed in this study. From these 52 (57.1%) patients have un favorable surgical outcomes of gangrenous Small bowel obstruction. Of the 52 patients with unfavorable outcome, the most common postoperative complication occurred was anastomotic leak (29.5) followed by surgical site infection (25.5%) and pneumonia (23.6%) . A total of 15 postoperative deaths were also documented as unfavorable surgical management outcomes of gangrenous Small bowel obstruction. Three factors including duration of illness before surgery, length of hospital stay after surgery and shock at presentation were significantly associated withthe surgical management outcome of gangrenous Small Bowel Obstruction. 1.5. Conclusion: In this study, the majority of patients had unfavorable surgical management outcomes of gangrenous Small Bowel Obstruction, however the proportion of patients with favorable outcomes was considerable. Thus, designing a strategy that address the factors associated with unfavorable outcomes could be helpful to further increase the likelihood of favorable surgical management outcomes of gangrenous Small Bowel Obstruction.

Knowledge, attitude, and awareness of parents regarding their children’s oral health in Bathinda, Punjab

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the knowledge, attitude, and practical behavior of parents regarding their children’s oral health in Bathinda, Punjab. Methodology: A cross sectional study was conducted among 500 parents who reported in outpatient department of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bathinda, Punjab. Data were collected through a self‑administered questionnaire. The statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences software (21.0 version; Inc., Chicago IL, USA) for descriptive and multivariate analysis, and the level of statistical significance used in this study was chosen at P &lt; 0.005. Results: The results showed that parents have satisfactory knowledge regarding the oral hygiene maintenance of their children. Lack of knowledge regarding fluoridated tooth paste were found. Moreover, many people don’t have any idea about ideal time for first dental visit. Otherwise, parents knew well about different type of brushes, importance of brushing, and food substances that may cause tooth decay etc. Conclusion: The present study indicates satisfactory results regarding knowledge of parents regarding their child’s oral health in Bathinda. Even though the knowledge and awareness is good, the caries status in children are found to be high in this region.

Assessment of Microbial Load in Regional Hospitals in Albania

Background&#x0D; Contaminated hospital indoor environments can expose patients to microorganisms and different infections. The aimed study was to assess the microbial load in hospital facilities inside Albania Regional Hospitals during the period 2017-2019.&#x0D; Methods&#x0D; A cross-sectional study was conducted during the period 2017-2019 for the assessment of microbial contamination in operating rooms, resuscitation, and delivery rooms in 12 regional hospitals in Albania. One thousand and three hundred microbiological specimens were collected from air and surfaces using 5% sheep blood agar (Oxoid, UK) and processed at IPH microbiology laboratory following the standard bacteriological procedures Data were analyzed using Statistical Software Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.&#x0D; Results&#x0D; Out of the total number of samples, 1148 (88.3%) were collected from surfaces and 152 (11.7%) were from the air. Bacterial growth was identified in 314 (24.2%) out of 1300 samples (95% CI 21.89–26.62). From the total site samples processed during the study period, bacterial growth showed 282 (89.8%) samples from surfaces and 32 (10.2%) air samples. There was found a significant association p-value =0.035. Regarding the sampling place collection, the largest number were collected in operating rooms (60.3%) followed by emergency rooms (28.2%), ICUs (7.7%), and maternity units (3.8%). Gram-negative isolates were predominant at 235 (74.8%), while the Gram-positive were at 60 (19.1%). E. coli was the most frequent bacterial isolate (50%) followed by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (23.6%), Staphylococcus aureus (19.1%), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (1.3%). Also, we found a fungal agent such as Aspergillus in 19 (6.1%) samples. The isolated bacteria's overall drug resistance profile revealed that 66.8% of gram-positive bacteria were resistant to two or more antimicrobial drugs tested.&#x0D; Conclusion&#x0D; This study revealed that the surface and air and air within different wards of the hospitals studied were contaminated with different types of bacteria. Bacterial loads on the surface and air exceeded normal limits. Additionally, the study pointed out high levels of antimicrobial resistance to the drugs commonly prescribed for isolates. Therefore, intervention strategies need to be strengthened to expand infection prevention practices in hospitals. Continuous monitoring and monitoring of in-hospital pathogen types and susceptibility patterns should be performed on a very regular basis.

Pre-anaesthetic sonographic assessment of gastric antrum in parturient scheduled for elective caesarean section - A prospective cross-sectional study.

Background and Aims:Point-of-care ultrasonography (USG) of the gastric antrum can help to evaluate the aspiration risk and improve the safety of anaesthesia. The aim was to assess the gastric antrum in term parturients scheduled for elective caesarean section using bedside USG.Methods:After obtaining institutional ethics committee approval and written informed consent, 250 term parturients (≥36 weeks gestational age) with body mass index 18.5–30 kg/m2, and scheduled for elective caesarean delivery were included in this study. The parturients were instructed to follow standard fasting guidelines. In the preoperative area, ultrasonographic examinations were performed 15 min before the scheduled time of the caesarean section. The primary outcome was the qualitative assessment (grade 0–2) of the gastric antrum, and the secondary outcome was the quantitative assessment (antral cross-sectional area [CSA]) of gastric antrum in supine and right lateral decubitus (RLD) position. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences Software (version 19).Results:Among the 234 parturients who completed the study, 191 exhibited grade 0 antrum, 42 had grade 1 antrum, and one parturient had grade 2 antrum. Overall, 83% of participants had an antral CSA ≤4.25 cm2 [95% confidence interval (CI), 2.52–5.67 cm2] in the RLD position, equivalent to an estimated gastric volume of ≤43 ml (95% CI, 32–68 mL) or ≤1.5 ml/kg (95% CI, 0.49–1.23 ml/kg).Conclusion:Majority of fasted term parturients scheduled for elective caesarean section had a grade 1 gastric antrum on bedside USG. This study also establishes cutoff values of antral CSA and gastric volume in both supine and RLD position for fasted term parturients.

The Impact of Talent Management Strategies and Entrepreneurial Orientation on Organizational Performance: The Mediating Role of Organizational Learning

The continual changes organizations face in today's inexorable marketplace necessitate constant scanning and analysis of the business environments to retain important resources that contribute to long-term competitive advantage and notable performance. This research examines the direct influence of talent management strategies and entrepreneurial orientation on the organizational performance of public universities in Jordan and their indirect role via organizational learning as a mediator. Data were collected from a random sample of 275 faculty members at the public universities in the south of Jordan using an online questionnaire. The study used the statistical package for social sciences software (SPSS.20) to conduct multiple regression and mediation testing to analyze the research data. The research results confirmed that from the viewpoint of the faculty members, talent management strategies and entrepreneurial orientation significantly impact organizational performance. Additionally, the results indicated that organizational learning mediates the influence of talent management strategies and entrepreneurial orientation on organizational performance. The novelty of this research stems from its focus on an under-researched context in the extant literature on organizational performance, namely in the higher education sector in a developing country in the Arab world. Additionally, this study investigates a potential mechanism through which talent management practices and entrepreneurial orientation could boost organizational performance.

A sustainable business strategy framework for small and medium enterprises

Orientation: Business sustainability in today’s world is primarily arduous owing to global economic and financial crises. In the first quarter of 2019, according to Statistics South Africa, the Gross Domestic Product deteriorated by 3.2%. Similarly, in KwaZulu-Natal, the state of sustainability of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) was on the decline and the majority (75%) of SMEs failed after operating for 3 years.Research purpose: To formulate a business strategy to assist SMEs achieve sustainability.Motivation for the study: Small and medium enterprises in KwaZulu-Natal do not sustain themselves for long-term periods, the underlying problem being poor strategy formulation and hence, the need for a strategy to achieve sustainability.Research design, approach and method: A mixed methodology approach was used in this empirical study. A target population of 488 000 SME’s were considered with a sample size of 384 expected respondents. A total of 200 responses ( 52% of the target sample size) were obtained from the questionnaire within a capped period of 30 days. The Social Package for Social Sciences software was used for the quantitative aspect. In particular cross tabulations, central tendencies, and group difference techniques were used to analyse the data. In addition, the grounded theory was employed on a target of 20 individuals who were interviewed to investigate opinions towards strategy development and sustainability in KZN and NVivo software was used for the qualitative aspect.Main findings: The core element of ‘Strategy’ and the sub-elements of ‘Change’, ‘Purpose’ and ‘Leadership’ were investigated. It was found that ‘Change’, ‘Purpose’ and ‘Leadership’ were the main contributors towards achieving sustainability. Furthermore, a systems thinking model was used successfully to indicate the interdependencies to purport the goal of achieving sustainability. Ultimately it was found that ‘Strategy’, ‘Change’, ‘Purpose’ and ‘Leadership’ were required to achieve a ‘sustainable business strategy’.Practical/managerial implications: Due cognisance should be taken by leaders, from the perspectives of ‘Change’, ‘Purpose’ and ‘Leadership’, to formulate a strategy that sustains the business.Contribution/value-add: A conceptual framework to achieve a sustainable business strategy was developed for small to medium enterprises.