Statistical Package For Social Sciences Research Articles

Influence of Principals’ Promotion of Professional Development of Teachers on Learners’ Academic Performance in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education in Kisii County, Kenya

Effective professional development should take cognisance of the needs of teachers, learners and school context. It has been established by research studies that divergent and overlapping policies as well as dysfunctional schooling cultures have frustrated impact of professional development of teachers on good quality learning outcomes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the Influence of Principals’ promotion of teachers’ professional development on learners’ academic performance in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (K.C.S.E.) in Public Schools in Kisii County, Kenya The objective of this study was to: explore the influence of Principals’ promotion of professional development of teachers on learners’ academic performance in K.C.S.E.in Kisii County. This study was anchored on Karl Ludwig von Bertalanffy General Systems Theory. Mixed method research design of explanatory sequential type with a prioritized quantitative approach in phase one followed by qualitative approach in phase two was applied in the study. The target population was 4,691 participants which included: 340 Principals, 1360 Heads of Departments (H.O.Ds) and 2,991 teachers. A sample of 451 respondents participated in the study. The researcher used proportionate stratified random sampling technique to select 85 schools, 114 H.O.Ds and 252 teachers. Census sampling to select national and special schools while 85 Principals of the selected schools were purposefully sampled. Questionnaires and interview guides were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data respectively. Content validity, Criterion validity, Construct validity and Face validity, of the research instruments were ensured through evaluation by the University supervisors and other experts while internal consistency reliability was estimated by using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient formula which yielded alpha coefficient of over 0.7 which was considered adequate. Quantitative data were analysed using Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 29 while qualitative data were analysed thematically and presented using word verbatim from the respondents and integrated with the findings of phase one. Descriptive statistics were presented in tables and graphs while inferential statistics were presented in terms of Pearson’s correlation coefficients, Anova and Regression coefficients. The study found out a weak positive insignificant influence between promotion of professional development of teachers (r=.011, p≤.05; 2 tailed) and learners’ academic performance in K.C.S.E. Therefore, the null hypothesis were upheld. These results were supported by Principals’ interviews which indicated that professional development programmes are not context specific. It is hoped that the findings of this study would provide information that would form a base for corrective measures towards the unexpected low academic performance in the study locale. The study recommended that further research should be done on influence of principals’ leadership skills development on academic performance in K.C.S.E.

Determinants of Classroom Management as Perceived by Female Students at the Secondary Level

Effective classroom management is directly associated with a positive class environment and positive outcomes. In this study, we examined the different determinants of the classroom management. This study was conducted in four secondary schools (private) in the District of Faisalabad in Punjab province. Students from class 10th were considered as the population, thus from each selected school, the total number of students was 350 which served as the population of this study. All the participants were female students. Of the total population, 25 students were chosen from each selected school, thereby the total sample size of the study was 100 female students. A questionnaire was administered for the data collection and was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results revealed that perceived challenges faced by students in the classroom, with mental illness, lack of self-confidence, personal issues, and poor listening emerging as the most prominent concerns. Whereas, factors perceived to significantly affect classroom management, highlighting disabilities, lack of interest, and self-esteem as primary considerations for educators and administrators. Investing in teacher training programs that focus on aspects of classroom management can enhance their ability to create a positive and conducive learning environment.

The Effect of E-service Quality and Customer Satisfaction and Trust to Customer Online Shopping Behavior

China's e-commerce sector is experiencing rapid growth. Among Chinese cities, Beijing stands out with its robust development, consistently ranking among the top three in the nation. Nonetheless, Beijing's e-commerce enterprises encounter various challenges. This research endeavors to examine the interplay between e-service quality, customer satisfaction, trust, and online shopping behavior within the Beijing e-commerce landscape. Descriptive method was considered by the researchers. The respondents of the study are the users of online shopping platforms that operates in Beijing China who have experience using major online consumption platforms. The sample size is 385 people which was calculated by Raosoft software. The respondents of the study were chosen using the simple random sampling design. Moreover, constructed survey questionnaires served as a tool with five-key point Likert scale. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was employed in the statistical analysis of data. The following statistical tools were used in the study: frequency and percentage, mean, reliability and validity analysis, Analysis of Variance and Multiple Linear Regression. The study resulted in a strong positive relationship between customer satisfaction, trust and over-all e-service quality. Specifically, customer satisfaction and trust resulted in a very strong relationship to customer behaviors. For the comparison of means when grouped according to profile variables, customer satisfaction level and over-all e-service quality have a significant difference when grouped to frequency of purchase. Based on the results of the study, the researchers proposed a development program to help improve the quality of e-services and thus increase customer re-purchase rates.

Socio-cultural practices and improved cooking stove technology choices among agro-pastoral communities in Arumeru District, Tanzania

This study assessed the socio-cultural factors influencing the choice of improved cooking stove technology among agro-pastoral communities in Arumeru District, Arusha region. The study used a cross-sectional research design and was conducted in four villages. Two categories of respondents were involved in the study. The first category consisted of 37 participants interviewed as Key Informants (KIs) and through focus group discussions (FGDs). The second category who responded to the questionnaire involved 92 respondents who had benefited from the alternative cooking energy technologies programme. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected, with a greater emphasis on qualitative data. Content analysis was used to analyse the qualitative data, while the quantitative data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer software. The study found the persistence of certain socio-cultural practices that encourage the use of traditional three-stone stoves over improved stoves. These practices include preferences for food cooked using traditional three-stone stoves and the tradition of formally handing over the traditional cooking stoves to a newly married woman in the household, among others. It is concluded that while some community members consider these practices positive and valuable, they largely contribute to high biomass consumption and, therefore, the likelihood of environmental degradation. It is recommended that serious sensitisation and training programmes, among other recommendations detailed in this study, be conducted.

Socio-Demographic and Clinical Profile of Patients Attending Geriatric Clinic Over Five Years: A Retrospective, Hospital Based Study

Background: Population ageing is an inescapable and irreversible phenomenon, increasing the burden on the health care system. Mental illnesses in the geriatric population are unique and identification of the same amidst the co-morbidities is a challenging task. Objectives: To assess the difference in the clinical and sociodemographic profile of patients attending Geriatric Clinic in a tertiary care centre over five years. Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients, who attended the Geriatric Clinic of a tertiary care centre in 2012 and 2016 was conducted. The psychiatric diagnoses were made according to the ICD-10 diagnostic guidelines. Sociodemographic variables and clinical variables including social support were assessed. Data were analysed by Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) 16 version and Microsoft Excel Version 2007. Results: The total number of patients attending Geriatric clinics were 31 and 147 in 2012 and 2016 respectively. The mean age of patients attending the geriatric clinic was 74.32±7.89 in 2012 and 71.88±6.76 in 2012. The difference between the study group was statistically significant with regard to religion, marital status, socio-economic status and location of residence.64.52% of the study population had average social support in 2012 and a statistically significant decline was noticed in 2016.The most common psychiatric diagnoses were organic mental disorders (93.55%) in 2012 and mood disorders (40.82%) in 2016. Cardiovascular diseases were most common medical co-morbidity seen among the geriatric patients in both the years. Conclusions: Psychiatric illness in geriatric population is often associated with medical co-morbidities. With the increase in longevity, awareness and identification of symptoms can decrease significant morbidity and improve the quality of life. Keywords: Ageing, psychiatric disorders, medical comorbidity

Year Five Pupils’ Perception Towards Higher Order Thinking Skills in Learning Mathematics

Higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) are the cognitive skills that mathematics should apply to fulfil current needs. Unfortunately, Mathematics achievement in Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) has shown that the thinking ability of Malaysian pupils still needs improvement. Identifying pupils' perceptions of implementing HOTS in mathematics is essential. Thus, this study was conducted to determine Year Five pupils' perception towards implementing HOTS in terms of attitude, readiness and belief in Mathematics learning, as well as the differences in these three aspects based on gender. The survey study involved 142 Year Five pupils at a Sekolah Jenis Kebangsaan Cina (SJKC) in Johor Bahru district. The instrument used in this study is a questionnaire. The data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 27. The descriptive statistical analysis results found that pupils’ perception towards HOTS in Mathematics in terms of Attitude and readiness are moderate. At the same time, pupils' perception towards HOTS in mathematics in terms of belief is high. The Mann-Whitney U test results found a significant difference in pupils’ attitudes towards HOTS in Mathematics based on gender. However, this study showed no significant difference in student’s readiness and belief towards HOTS in Mathematics based on gender. This study brings implications for educators in schools to realise the importance of modifying HOTS teaching practices by considering pupils’ perceptions.

Effect of Community Building on Church Spiritual Growth

Purpose: This study investigates the relationship between community building and spiritual growth within Pentecostal Churches in the Nairobi metropolitan counties of Kenya, focusing on the Pentecostal Evangelical Fellowship of Africa (PEFA), Kenya Assemblies of God (KAG), and Full Gospel Churches of Kenya (FGCK) under the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK). Grounded in servant leadership, empowerment, and spiritual leadership theories, the research combines quantitative and qualitative methods to explore how servant leaders facilitate community building and its impact on church growth. Methodology: The study was guided by servant leadership, empowerment and spiritual leadership theories. The study was conducted across multiple Pentecostal denominations within the Nairobi Metropolitan counties, including Nairobi, Kajiado, Muranga, Kiambu, and Machakos in Kenya. Data collection involved 333 church leaders and members, with 173 from PEFA, 80 from KAG, and 80 from FGCK, resulting in a response rate of 91%. Additionally, two discussion groups comprising pastors and elders from PEFA and KAG churches in Kajiado County were interviewed using an interview guide, totaling 17 members. The total response rate of church leaders and members was 304 (91%). The descriptive cross-sectional survey research design and exploratory designs were adopted for data collection and analysis where respondents provided relevant data. The research was anchored on the pragmatism philosophy. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analysis, where Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29 was used. Thematic analysis was employed in analyzing qualitative type of data. Purposive and stratified random sampling techniques were employed to select the sample, ensuring representation of subgroups within the population. This approach facilitated efficient and cost-effective data collection while maintaining the integrity of the study's findings Findings: Data collected from 304 respondents, including pastors, elders, and members, reveals a significant positive association between community building and spiritual growth, with volunteer services rating relatively low. The results showed a positive significance of community building in affecting church spiritual growth. The study findings in all the three models: Model summary, ANOVA and Coefficient confirm the significance of community building in church spiritual growth. The correlation coefficient results yielded a positive relationship of 0.580. However, descriptive statistics on mean scores of how respondents views the practice of community building in their churches, the sub variable of voluntary community services was ranked the lowest (3.7) amongst the other constructs. Nevertheless, there is a need for enhancement of voluntary services by the Pentecostal churches in areas such as health, free cleaning and training services to give back to the community. When church leadership participate in welfare activities such as helping the vulnerable in society, this positively affects church growth both spiritually and numerically. The findings emphasize the importance of enhancing volunteer engagement to foster both spiritual and numerical church growth. This study contributes to theoretical understanding and practical implications for Pentecostal church settings, addressing research gaps and advocating for servant leadership practices that empower church members and promote community building for holistic church growth.Contribution to Theory, Policy and Practice: The study supported servant leadership, empowerment and spiritual leadership theories. Servant leaders play a crucial role in empowering of church members through community building causing effect on church growth. The study revealed and filled a number of conceptual, theoretical, contextual and empirical glaring research gaps in area of servant leadership attribute of community building and church spiritual growth. The most noticeable gap is the contextual gap where many studies on church growth only delved on numerical growth and leaving out spiritual growth of which this study addressed. The study also revealed a gap in volunteer services with a mean of 4.1. Pentecostal churches therefore need to put more efforts to improve volunteer services as well as promotion of spiritual formation so as to enhance church spiritual growth.

Nurses′ knowledge and practice about neonatal pain management in public hospitals in West Oromia, Ethiopia, 2022: multi-centered cross-sectional study

BackgroundIn low-and middle-income countries inadequate neonatal pain management persists as a significant public health issue despite the availability of guidelines. Newborns often experience pain from routine medical and surgical procedures, with limited nurses’ knowledge and suboptimal practices posing common obstacles to effective neonatal pain management in hospital settings. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate nurses’ knowledge and practices related to neonatal pain management and the factors influencing them in public hospitals in West Oromia, Ethiopia, in 2022.MethodsA multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted among 203 nurses working in public hospitals in West Oromia from 8th May-6th June 2022. Data was gathered using structured, self-administered questionnaire and sampled through simple random sampling. The collected data were coded and entered into a computer using Epi-Data version 4.6 Statistical Software. They were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS; IBM Corporation) version 26. Binary logistic regression was used to identify significant independent variables at p < 0.05.FindingsIn this study, 127 (62.6%) exhibited adequate knowledge, while 33 (16.3%) nurses demonstrated good practice in neonatal pain management. Attending lectures or receiving training about neonatal pain management was found to be significantly associated with nurses’ knowledge of neonatal pain management [AOR, 2.31, 95%CI; 1.29–4.27]. On the other, having adequate knowledge of neonatal pain management [AOR, 3.3, 95%CI; 1.14–9.32]; the presence of a pain management policy in place [AOR, 5.44, 95% CI; 1.92–15.37] and attending lectures on neonatal pain management [AOR, 2.55, 95% CI; 1.09–5.97] were found to be significantly associated to nurses’ practices.ConclusionGiven the substandard level of nurses’ practice in neonatal pain management. It is suggested to enhance the nurses’ knowledge and practice about neonatal pain management by providing refreshment courses, training sessions, or facilitating nurses’ opportunity access to reading resources about neonatal pain management.

Retrospective Review and Analysis on Outcome of Cranioplasty: A Series of 38 Cases

Background: Cranioplasty (CP) is a straightforward procedure, it may result in a significant number of complications. These include infections, seizures, intracranial hematomas, and others. Objective: This was a retrospective study on outcome of Cranioplasty. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included patients who underwent decompressive craniectomy due to traumatic brain injury with raised ICP, acute subdural hematoma, compound comminuted skull fracture &amp; ICH, between January January 2019 to December 2020 at Enam Medical College &amp; Hospital, Savar, Dhaka. Data were collected in pre-designed data collection sheet and were analyzed using computerbased programme statistical package for social science (SPSS) windows version 25. Results: This study showed maximum patients (34.2%) were between 21-30 years age. Majority were male (89.5%) and only 5.9% were female. Overall rate of complications was 10.5%. Among them new onset seizure (n = 4), indrawing of skin through bone gap (n=4), hemorrhage (n=2), infection (n = 1), HCP (n = 1), and exposed implant (n=1). Conclusion: We have found the outcome of cranioplasty was better with titanium mesh plate and screw than conventional fixation of bone with polyglactin, polypropylene suture and titanium miniplate and screw. With polypropylene and polyglactin there is more chance of inward displacement of bone fragment and with miniplate and screw there is still chance of indrawing of bone fragment through the bone gap. Bang. J Neurosurgery 2023; 13(1): 20-23

Effectiveness of Structured Intervention Module on Video Game Addiction among Adolescents in Nepal

Introduction: Online gaming addiction has been associated with several detrimental effects in teenagers, such as worsening mental health, elevated levels of psychoticism, anxiety, and depression, strained family relationships, reduced quality of life, an increase in social anxiety, subpar academic performance, and enhanced sleep deprivation. Objective: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a structured intervention module on video game addiction among adolescents. Methods: A true experimental investigation was conducted among 348 adolescents from the control and 348 adolescents from the experimental group. The questionnaire was developed using the Gaming Addiction Scale. Data were coded, entered, and analysed using the Software Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (t-test). Results: The mean age of the participants in the control group and experimental group were 17.3, and 18.3 respectively. The majority of the participants were male in both the control and experimental groups (52.6% and 55.7%). About 39.7% of adolescents from the control group and 29.6% of the adolescents from the intervention group were studying in twelve standards. The majority of the participants in both the control and experimental groups started playing video games at the age of 7 to 8 years. The most popular mode of video game play among the participants in the control (61.5%) and experimental groups (60.3%), was online. Multi-player was highly preferred by study participants in both the control group (71.6%) and the experimental group (74.1%). After receiving interventions, video game addiction reduced significantly among the experimental group, from 42% to 25% during the post-test. However, the status of video game addiction remained constant among the control group at 46.3%. During post-tests, the study found that there was a significant difference in the mean scores between the control group (3.7±0.6) and the experimental group (1.9±0.7). The difference was found to be statistically significant (p&lt;0.0001). Conclusion: The study showed that the structured intervention module was effective in reducing gaming addiction among adolescents in the experimental group. This study highlights that intervention modules can help reduce gaming addiction levels among adolescents.

Entrepreneurial Creative Thinking and Venture Performance: Reviewing the Influence of Psychomotor Education on the Profitability of Small and Medium Scale Firms in Port Harcourt Metropolis

The significance of small and medium enterprises to an economic development of a country cannot be overemphasized. The growth of a business depends on the development of abilities needed to execute a smooth running of day business activities. Research has established the fact that fast economic growth of regions lies on the extent of trade activities in the area. Given this established importance of enterprise, this present study aims at empirically developing the relationship between entrepreneurial creative thinking and venture performance with specific reference to small and medium scale firms in Port Harcourt metropolis. Descriptive survey design was adopted and primary data were used. The data collected were analyzed using mean, aggregate mean, and Spearman rank correlation with the aid of statistical package for social sciences, version 25. Findings shows that there is a significant and positive relationship between psychomotor education (our proxy for creative thinking) and profitability, as indicated by p-value of at 0.05 level of significance. We conclude that entrepreneurial creative thinking is an ingredient that managers of small and medium enterprises deploy to achieve maximum profit. Based on the empirical findings and conclusion, we recommend that there should be a need for policymakers to consider developing small and medium enterprises, not only through the provision of social amenities but also development of public agenda for the acknowledgement of creative thinking, skill development, and prioritization of skills improvement for both expert and non-expert business owners.

The Observation at Mean Oedema Index Variations with Location and Histological subtypes in Supratentorial WHO G-I Meningiomas

Background: The term meningioma is the noncommittal, all-encompassing name coined by Harvey Cushing for this tumor of meninges which is usually benign. The severity and variety of the peritumoral brain oedema may limit operative exposure and increase the difficulties of intraoperative procedures; however, its pathogenesis is not clearly documented. Several factors, such as tumor size, location and histology, mechanical compression of draining vein by the tumor have been proposed as mechanism of peritumoral brain oedema Aims: The objective of this study was to determination of mean oedema index in different locations and histological subtypes in patients with supratentorial WHO GI meningiomas Methods: The study was conducted in the Department of Neurosurgery, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh from September, 2016 to March, 2018. This study was a cross sectional study. Data collection sheets were used to collect necessary information. Total 75 cases were selected consistent with inclusion and exclusion criteria. Tumor volume and localization and the presence of peritumoral brain oedema (PTBOe) were determined by MRI (Magnetic Resonance Image). All patients underwent microsurgical removal of tumor. Surgically resected meningiomas were classified histopathologically based on criteria of the new World Health Organization (WHO) classification. Regarding location and histological subtypes of tumor the study population were divided into 6 groups and 8 groups respectively.Statistical analyses were done by Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS-v.25). Results: A total 75 cases were selected consistent with inclusion and exclusion criteria from September, 2016 to March, 2018. Regarding location; the mean oedema index for each of the six groups was calculated and recorded. The F value was 5.97 and the P-value was 0.0001 which was less than 0.05. This result signifies that there was association between perilesional oedema in supratentorial meningioma to its location. So, Mean Oedema Index in Intracranial Supratentorial Meningiomas vary with its location. On the other hand, regarding histopathological subtypes, meningiomaswere divided into eight groups-the mean oedema index of each of the eight groups was calculated and recorded. The F value was 1.62 and P-value was 0.145 which was more than 0.05. This result signifies that there was no association between perilesional oedema in supratentorial meningioma to its histological subtypes. So mean oedema index in intracranial supratentorial meningiomas does not vary with its histological subtypes. Conclusion: Mean Oedema Index in Intracranial Supratentorial Meningiomas vary with its location but does not vary with histological subtypes Bang. J Neurosurgery 2023; 13(1): 10-13

Ethiopian Early Grade English Teachers’ Preparedness to Teach Basic Reading Skills

Ethiopian children in early grades were found to be significantly nonreaders after 2–3 years of schooling regardless of linguistic variation. This is mainly attributed to the way children are taught basic literacy skills, which is attributed to teacher preparation and training. This research aimed to examine Ethiopian early grade teachers’ preparedness to teach basic reading skills. Five schools were randomly selected out of 44 public primary schools in the research site. Among 40 teachers of English in the selected schools, 32 teachers were willing to take knowledge assessment test and fill in the questionnaire. Two of knowledge test papers and two pieces of questionnaire were rejected because the responses were incomplete. The data were gathered from (n = 30) randomly selected primary schools English teachers by using a questionnaire and knowledge assessment test. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 25.0). Descriptive statistics were calculated for the responses to knowledge test and questionnaire. Pearson’s correlation was calculated for the relationship among teacher preparation coursework emphasis, practicum attention, and teachers’ felt preparedness to teach basic reading after categorical data were transformed into scale. The results have shown that primary school English teacher preparation designated only certain lecture sessions of coursework and few of activities of practicum to teaching early reading. The average knowledge assessment test score of teachers was 43.4%; 21 (70%) of the teachers achieved below 50% while 9 (30%) of them achieved 50% and above. There is a statistically significant relationship among teacher preparation coursework emphasis, practicum attention, and teachers’ felt preparedness to help Ethiopian children learn to read. It can be concluded from the results that teacher preparation both in its courses and practicum activities did not place due emphasis on teaching teachers to teach basic reading skills. Participant English teachers also had knowledge gap about early reading instruction. Thus, participant English teachers were not adequately prepared to teach early grade reading. Teacher preparation coursework emphasis, practicum attention, and teachers’ felt preparedness to teach early grade reading have a strong positive relationship.

Sexual violence amongst female undergraduate students in institution of higher learning in Enugu: Prevalence and awareness

Background: The rising cases of domestic violence has been a great concern to the general public. Objective: The prevalence and awareness of sexual violence on female undergraduates attending Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu was evaluated. Method: The study was a cross-sectional study that involved 400 female students, self-administered questionnaires was employed. Data was analysed using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0. Associations were tested using Chi square and p&lt; 0.05, at 95% CI. Data was summarized as frequency distribution and chart. Result: Mean age of participants was 23.2 ±1.8. 354(88.5%) participants head about sexual violence prior to this study with one hundred and eighteen respondents (29.5%) being victims of sexual violence in one way or the other. 32.2% of them knew people who had suffered sexual violence. Commonest age of awareness was between 20-24 years(p=0.001). The source of sexual violence awareness was largely from friends (26%), face book (23.2%) and whatsap (20.3%) with least awareness from school teachers and newspaper (4.5%). Close relatives 52.6% were noted to be the commonest perpetrators of sexual violence, followed by family friends 31.6% and unknown persons 15.8%. Conclusion: There is high prevalence of sexual violence with little or no institutional based awareness program on sexual violence that is a threat to the general public.

Exploring Knowledge, Attitudes and Perceptions of Young Women, Community Members and Health Care Providers on Legal Abortion in Lusaka District, Zambia

Background: In 1972, Zambia made abortion lawful on a broad basis. However, safe abortion services are still limited, and the necessary standards and requirements for executing an abortion remain stringent. Due to a lack of knowledge and understanding of abortion law, many women and girls continue to seek unsafe abortion methods outside of health facilities. Healthcare providers play a key role in the provision of safe abortion care to eligible girls and women, but little is known about how they handle it. The aim of this study was to Assess and Explore the Knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of adolescent girls and young women, and healthcare providers on abortion in the Lusaka district. Data was collected from Chawama, Chilenje, Chipata Kanyama, and Matero Level 1 Hospitals in Lusaka District. Method: To answer the research topic, the study used Exploratory mixed approaches. Statistical Package for Social Science, Versioni20.0 (SPSS) was used. The matic analysis was used to examine qualitative data by extracting themes from the responses. To see if there were any differences or correlations between the variables' knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes, cross-tabulations were used. This was demonstrated using Chi-square tests, which were all done at a 95ipercenticonfidenceiinterval with ai 0.05 significance level as the crucial level. For reporting, the SPSS frequencies were exported to Microsoft Word. Results: The study indicated that the knowledge levels on abortion among participants were high (93.25%). However, some participants on the other hand did not have sufficient information regarding the legality of abortion in Zambia. The theme analysis of reasons why they do not favor abortion revealed that one of them is religious, believing that abortion is comparable to murder. The findings also reveal that a person's religious affiliation influences their decision-making and thought process regarding abortion. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest.......

Bivalirudin Monitoring in Pediatric Ventricular Assist Device and Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: Analysis of Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Data 2018-2022.

The activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) is the most frequently used monitoring assay for bivalirudin in children and young adults on mechanical circulatory support including ventricular assist devices (VADs) and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). However, intrinsic variability of the aPTT complicates management and risks bleeding or thrombotic complications. We evaluated the utility and reliability of a bivalirudin-calibrated dilute thrombin time (Bival dTT) assay for bivalirudin monitoring in this population. Retrospective analysis of clinical data (including aPTT, dilute thrombin time [dTT]) and results of residual plasma samples from VAD patients were assessed in two drug-calibrated experimental assays. One assay (Bival dTT) was validated for clinical use in VAD patients, and subsequently used by clinicians in ECMO patients. Pearson correlation and simple linear regression were used to determine R2 correlation coefficients between the different laboratory parameters using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (Armonk, NY). ICUs at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. Children on VAD or ECMO support anticoagulated with bivalirudin. None. One hundred fifteen plasma samples from 11 VAD patients were analyzed. Both drug-calibrated experimental assays (anti-IIa and Bival dTT) showed excellent correlation with each other (R2 = 0.94) and with the dTT (R2 = 0.87), but poor correlation with aPTT (R2 = 0.1). Bival dTT was selected for validation in VAD patients. Subsequently, clinically ordered results (105) from 11 ECMO patients demonstrated excellent correlation between the Bival dTT and the standard dTT (R2 = 0.86) but very poor correlation with aPTT (R2 = 0.004). APTT is unreliable and correlates poorly with bivalirudin's anticoagulant effect in ECMO and VAD patients. A drug-calibrated Bival dTT offers superior reliability and opportunity to standardize results across institutions. Additional studies are needed to determine an appropriate therapeutic range and correlation with clinical outcomes.

A comparative in vitro sensitivity study of “cefepime-tazobactam” and other antibiotics against Gram-negative isolates from intensive care unit

A comparative <i>in vitro</i> sensitivity study of “cefepime-tazobactam” and other antibiotics against Gram-negative isolates from intensive care unit

Factors influencing consumer willingness to pay for rabbit meat in the Daveyton and Etwatwa areas of Gauteng province, South Africa

The purpose of the study was to determine the price point at which customers in the study locations are willing to pay for rabbit meat. The data was gathered by administering a semi-structured questionnaire through face-to-face interviews with a randomly selected sample of 382 respondents. The acquired data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), specifically version 28.0. The researchers utilized the contingent valuation approach to ascertain the consumers' willingness to pay (WTP). The results showed that 83% of the respondents were prepared to pay for rabbit meat if their local meat outlet introduced it. About 43.7% of the respondents rejected the initial bid of R45/kg but accepted the discounted bids; 21% of the respondents accepted both the initial and discounted bids; 16.5% of the respondents only accepted the initial bid; and 18.6% of the respondents rejected both the initial and discounted bids. Furthermore, the results revealed that as monthly income increases, so does the respondents’ willingness to pay for rabbit meat. Although respondents showed interest in the purchasing and consumption of rabbit meat, they were not willing to buy the meat at a price of more than R40/kg. This indicates that when the seller introduces the meat to the local meat market in the study areas, they should be price-conscious.

ASSESSING THE EFFECT OF ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE ON PERFORMANCE (SIERRA LEONE COMMERCIAL BANK) (SLCB)

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of organizational change on performance in the banking industry, specifically in Sierra Leone Commercial Bank (SLCB). The bank has been undergoing significant organizational changes due to the Covid-19 pandemic, competition, continuous value addition, and emphasis on customer satisfaction and profitability. The study found that the bank's current trends reflect a sense of urgency to revitalize its system to meet customer needs effectively. Employees are now expected to adapt their thinking and practices to meet the changing needs and expectations of customers, especially in the face of increased competition. The study aimed to understand employees' understandings of change management initiatives, their effectiveness, and their impact on the bank as a whole. Data was gathered from 50 randomly selected employees using questionnaires and interviews, and the data was processed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between organizational change and performance, with change having a positive relationship with employee performance, leading to improved organizational performance. The study also found that change management programs are effective. Employees' understandings of change and management are more apparent during times of change, helping them accept, facilitate, and support the change, making it lasting and improving employee and organizational performance.

A first trimester prediction model and nomogram for gestational diabetes mellitus based on maternal clinical risk factors in a resource-poor setting

BackgroundThe implementation of universal screening for Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is challenged by several factors key amongst which is limited resources, hence the continued reliance on risk factor-based screening. Effective identification of high-risk women early in pregnancy may enable preventive intervention. This study aimed at developing a GDM prediction model based on maternal clinical risk factors that are easily assessable in the first trimester of pregnancy in a population of Nigerian women.MethodsThis was a multi-hospital prospective observational cohort study of 253 consecutively selected pregnant women from which maternal clinical data was collected at 8–12 weeks gestational age. Diagnosis of GDM was made via a one-step 75-gram Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) at 24–28 weeks of gestation. A GDM prediction model and nomogram based on selected maternal clinical risk factors was developed using multiple logistic regression analysis, and its performance was assessed by Receiver Operator Curve (ROC) analysis. Data analysis was carried out using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 and Python programming language (version 3.0).ResultsIncreasing maternal age, higher body mass index (BMI), a family history of diabetes mellitus in first-degree relative and previous history of foetal macrosomia were the major predictors of GDM. The model equation was: LogitP = 6.358 − 0.066 × Age − 0.075 × First trimester BMI − 1.879 × First-degree relative with diabetes mellitus − 0.522 × History of foetal macrosomia. It had an area under the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of 0.814 (95% CI: 0.751–0.877; p-value < 0.001), and at a predicted probability threshold of 0.745, it had a sensitivity of 79.2% and specificity of 74.5%.ConclusionThis first trimester prediction model reliably identifies women at high risk for GDM development in the first trimester, and the nomogram enhances its practical applicability, contributing to improved clinical outcomes in the study population.