Program Strategies Research Articles

The Principal's Strategy in Implementing the Value of Religious Moderation in the Pancasila Student Profile Strengthening Project

The issue of intolerance and radicalism among students must be taken seriously by school principals, who play a crucial role in managing the learning process, including in the P5 program. This research analyses the principal’s strategy in implementing the value of religious moderation in P5 and its implications for student character and school culture. This study is a qualitative research project using a case study method. Data collection methods included interviews, observations, and documentation, and the data were analyzed through reduction, presentation, and conclusion. Data verification was achieved through triangulation of sources and methods. The research results show that the principal's strategy for implementing the value of religious moderation in P5 involves three main approaches: process, program, and culture strategies. The process strategy includes planning, implementation, evaluation, and follow-up. The program strategy encompasses structuring P5 activities based on teamwork and partnerships with external parties. Meanwhile, the cultural strategy utilizes habituation activities to support the values and meaning of moderation within P5. The strategy implemented has had implications for student character, fostering awareness, tolerance, care, love for the country, and teamwork. Additionally, they have promoted a disciplined and collaborative school culture.

Psychocutaneous Medicine: Current Global Understanding and Imperatives for Continuing Medical Education and Training Opportunities: A Systematic Review

Abstract The intersection of dermatology and psychiatry has gained significant attention in recent years. Psychocutaneous disease affect patient population, who have undiagnosed and undertreated ailments related to the body and mind. These patients suffer a reduce quality of life due to knowledge gaps and reduce awareness about psycho dermatology. This review aims to assess the integration of psychopharmacology topics in continuing medical education programs (CME) and its relevance in clinical practice, it's impact on healthcare professionals’ quality of care, and existing knowledge gaps among trainees and young dermatologists. To identify data from inception up to December 2023, a systematic literature review and search was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Pubmed, Cochrane, and Embase databases were searched using predefined terms including “continuing medical education”, “dermatology”, “psychology”, “psychodermatology”, “psychocutaneous”, “awareness” and “practice patterns”. Inclusion criteria comprised studies evaluating CME programs, clinical studies and reviews published in English language. Studies were excluded if they were single case reports. A total of 93 studies were identified and 12 were included in this review following screening, removal of duplicates, and application of inclusion criteria. Studies revealed lower level of confidence among professionals in handling psycho cutaneous conditions, limited awareness of available resources and high interest in CME programs. Initiatives like video mentoring and clinical skills lessons showed promise but are currently scarce. Examined data from selected studies demonstrate that current CME programs in psychodermatology lack depth, leaving practitioners feeling ill equipped and unaware of available resources. There is substantial global interest in enhancing these programs. Given the breadth of conditions covered, educating dermatologists is crucial for enhanced patient outcomes and satisfaction. Addressing resource scarcity and patient stigma is imperative to develop specialized programs. Improvement to education can drive stronger outcomes and holistic patient care. Future efforts should prioritize refining program strategies and conducting thorough assessments to maximize impact.

Application of an implementation premortem: A novel qualitative approach leveraging prospective hindsight to enhance barbershop health interventions for Black men.

Barbershop-based efforts to promote health among Black men have been uniquely successful. Despite the success of these efforts, the emphasis on outcomes as opposed to how these outcomes can be achieved has created a gap in the literature. The present study addresses this gap by describing implementation-related program priorities that Black men identify for barbershop-based interventions. Twenty-three Black men participated in implementation premortem activities. Participants were: (i) given details about a barbershop-based health promotion effort, (ii) told that the effort had failed, and (iii) were asked to identify potential sources of program failure and strategies to overcome those challenges. The frequency of program priorities was calculated based on the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment (EPIS) Framework, and focus group data were analyzed using an inductive thematic qualitative data analytic approach. Data analyses occurred in three phases: (i) excerpts were grouped by Phase, Domain, and Construct of the EPIS Framework; (ii) themes within each excerpt were then identified using an inductive approach; and (iii) themes were organized into conceptually similar and parsimonious categories. Participants suggested that the biggest source of program failure was that more attention needed to be paid to Program Fit during the Implementation Phase. Participants reported concerns with the accessibility and convenience of the effort. Additional participant concerns included economic issues, community ownership, climate, staffing processes, cultural sensitivity, engagement, and trust. The implementation of health promotion programs for Black men should pay particular attention to how the intervention fits the needs, lives, and contexts of potential participants.

Beyond the interruption: tools for the evaluation and re-signification of unfinished public works

The paper focuses on unfinished public constructions that represent an anomaly and an urgency with environmental, economic and even social consequences. The prerequisite of the research is the possibility that unfinished buildings can be considered opportunities to start new building processes consistently with the renewed needs of the contemporary situation, and not as a shared set of disvalues. The use of a specific methodological framework and programmatic strategies can direct the interventions, evaluating the suggested potential performance, and trigger virtuous and accessible cycles of signification and actualisation. The paper derives from a doctoral research and has been developed within the activities of the cross-border cooperation project CUBÂTI.

Association of park renovation with park use in New York City

Abstract Background Equity-driven citywide park redesign and renovation, such as the Community Parks Initiative (CPI), has the potential to increase park use and opportunities for physical activity in underserved communities. The objective of this study was to evaluate changes in patterns of park use following park redesign and renovation in low-income New York City (NYC) neighborhoods. Methods The Physical Activity and Redesigned Community Spaces study was a prospective quality improvement pre-post intervention study design with 33 intervention and 21 matched control neighborhood parks. Data were collected at baseline (prerenovation) and 2 follow-up points (3 months and 1-year post renovation) between 2016 to 2022 summers. Main outcomes encompassed park use and physical activity levels assessed using the well-validated System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities. Park use was quantified by total number of park users, categorized by age group (≤20 years vs ≥ 21 years), sex, and physical activity level (sitting or standing vs walking or vigorous activity). Changes in outcomes between groups were compared via the generalized estimation equation. Results A total of 28,322 park users were observed across 1,458 scans. At baseline, 59.7% were 20 years or younger, 46.3% were female, and 43.8% were sitting or standing. Intervention parks showed more net park users compared with control parks from baseline to the final follow-up (difference-in-difference relative rate ratio, 1.69 [95% CI, 1.22-2.35] users/scan). The association was driven by a significant increase in adult users at intervention parks and an overall decrease in all users at control parks. Conclusions In this quality improvement study, park redesign and renovation were positively associated with park use in low-income neighborhoods. However, park renovations may need to be accompanied by other programmatic strategies to increase physical activity.

Delivering insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) through a digitized single-phase door-to-door strategy: lessons from Ondo state, Nigeria

BackgroundThe use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) is a strategy recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for malaria prevention. In Nigeria, ITNs have been periodically distributed since 2007 through campaigns. Campaign activities and assets are typically tracked using either a paper-based or digital system. In 2017, a digital approach was introduced in Ondo state for tracking attendance at training sessions as part of the ITN campaign. Following the success of the 2017 introduction, subsequent campaigns planned to digitise other aspects of the campaign to improve accountability and efficiency of the ITN distribution. The COVID-19 pandemic posed additional challenges for the ITN distribution planned for 2021 and adaptations were made to the programme strategy to ensure the campaign could go ahead safely. This article presents lessons and experiences from the 2021 ITN distribution campaign in Ondo state, Nigeria.MethodsThe campaign used RedRose, a customised mobile application, to monitor the planning and delivery of the campaign, collect household information including training personnel and tracking the transfer of ITNs between distribution hubs and households. ITNs were delivered through a single-phase door-to-door distribution strategy.ResultsThe campaign distributed 2,965,125 ITNs covering 1,057,577 households across Ondo state. The digital application was beneficial for monitoring the quality of implementation and tracking assets and staff to ensure safety.. The single-phase door-to-door approach was more convenient for households compared to fixed-point distribution but increased the workload for mobilization and distribution teams.ConclusionsSingle phase door-to-door strategy using digital tools was an effective method to increase coverage of ITNs while closely tracking the progress of distribution campaigns. High-quality population data are needed to further improve the planning and implementation of ITN campaigns and other health interventions.

Social Marketing Strategy for Social Care Programs for Victims of Human Trafficking Crimes

This study aimed to determine the social marketing strategy for social care programs for victims of human trafficking crimes by identifying the reality, mechanisms, challenges, and proposals for activating social marketing for social care programs for victims of human trafficking crimes. The research is descriptive research that aims to describe the social marketing strategy for social care programs for victims of human trafficking crimes. In line with the type of research, the researcher relied on the social survey method with a sample, which is one of the most appropriate methods for descriptive research. The research community was represented by officials in the department of combating human trafficking crimes at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and in shelter centers in the kingdom's regions. The research sample was determined by a simple random sample of officials in the Department of Combating Human Trafficking Crimes at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and shelter centers in the kingdom's regions, consisting of 121 individuals. The research results confirmed that The challenges of social marketing for social care programs for victims of human trafficking crimes were represented in: interest in superficial advertising aspects of social marketing, lack of marketing skills among those in charge of social marketing programs, lack of good planning for social marketing programs, and poor training of workers in the field of social marketing. The proposals to activate social marketing for social care programs for victims of human trafficking crimes represented: interest in conducting social surveys to determine the needs of victims, building a specialized department in social marketing for social care programs for victims of human trafficking crimes, interest in realistic advertising aspects of social marketing, and measuring victims’ satisfaction with the programs scientifically provided to them.

Coordinator and Young Adult Perceptions in Attracting and Retaining Chicago Youth in Out-of-School Time Programming

Youth from families with greater economic means have seen an increase in their participation in extracurricular activities, while the participation levels of youth from working class families have decreased. Knowing the benefits to youth participation in extracurricular activities, communities where youth of marginalized backgrounds reside have an obligation to engage their youth in activities offered through school and community out-of-school time programs. Interviews and focus groups with program coordinators and young adults were conducted to identify how youth in Chicago have been attracted, engaged, recruited, and retained in out-of-school time programs. Program aspects and strategies used to connect with youth and their families emerged, some of which have been previously found in the relevant literature to be positively related to youth outcomes, and some of which are specific to youth who identify as Latine and youth who identify as male. Practical implications and suggestions for future research are further discussed.

Implementation lessons learned from the University of California’s Diabetes Prevention Program Initiative

BackgroundThe University of California’s Diabetes Prevention Program (UC DPP) Initiative was implemented systemwide to address diabetes and obesity risk on all 10 campuses. As little is known about implementing lifestyle change programs in university settings, we examined implementation partners’ (i.e., UC DPP leaders and campus leads) perceptions of factors influencing program success on UC campuses.MethodsWe conducted qualitative interviews with UC DPP leaders and campus leads to examine challenges and opportunities with university-based DPP delivery models. Interviews were recorded, professionally transcribed, and reviewed in detail by the research team. Transcripts were analyzed using rapid qualitative analysis (RQA). The study was approved by the UCLA Institutional Review Board. All implementation partners provided verbal informed consent.ResultsTwenty-six implementation partners (8 UC DPP leaders and 18 campus leads) completed interviews in 2021. Seven themes were identified as critical for implementation, including (1) marketing and recruitment (i.e., market and recruit broadly through established channels as well as target at-risk populations); (2) enrollment (i.e., offer the program during convenient times and let participants know what to expect); (3) use an adaptable, evidence-based program; (4) secure funding for the program, participants, lifestyle coaches, and space; (5) hire experienced and dedicated staff and lifestyle coaches; (6) ensure leadership support; and (7) utilize campus linkages and resources. Perceptions of challenges faced with respect to these themes are also described.ConclusionsThis is one of the first studies to examine the challenges and opportunities of delivering an intensive lifestyle change program across 10 university sites. Understanding factors that enhance success of university-based diabetes prevention programs can facilitate UC DPP efforts and help inform delivery strategies of health and wellness programs across other university settings more broadly.

Cyber Security Awareness Model Based on NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) for Secondary School Students in Malaysia

As cybersecurity issues surge, it highlights the pressing need for increased awareness. In our digitally interconnected world, where information technology underpins the lives of individuals, businesses, and even national security, the threat of cyberattacks looms large. To enhance national cybersecurity preparedness, there is a critical call to action: we must promote public awareness of cybersecurity issues and bolster the ranks of trained cybersecurity professionals. This research introduces a novel cybersecurity awareness model based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Its primary goal is to make NIST accessible to secondary school students pursuing ICT courses and their invaluable resource, the school counselling units. The model aims to instil cybersecurity awareness in secondary school students and guide them in choosing the most suitable higher education paths, particularly in the ICT and cybersecurity fields. The study comprises three phases. In the first phase, a systematic literature review (SLR) examines globally applicable cybersecurity education models. The second phase investigates the implementation of cybersecurity education for secondary school students in Malaysia. This includes interviews with school counselling units responsible for guiding students toward higher education and surveys of students in grades four and five enrolled in ICT courses. The third and pivotal phase focuses on developing the proposed model. It involves analysing and implementing the results of the SLR, mapping them to the NIST framework, and incorporating themes from interviews and surveys. As a tangible representation of the model, a mobile application prototype has been developed. The Cybersecurity Awareness Model empowers school counselling units to seamlessly integrate career exploration with career decision-making for secondary students at any stage of their development. Moreover, it offers a means to create strategies for after-school programs, particularly in the dynamic field of cybersecurity. This model is expected to guide students in exploring academic majors and careers, preparing for higher education post-high school, initiating internships or job searches, and adapting to a world in constant flux. In doing so, it not only empowers individuals but also strengthens the nation's resilience in the face of cybersecurity challenges.

Perspectives on Childhood Lead Exposure Prevention: Looking Back and Looking Ahead.

Lead's neurotoxic properties and potential harmful effects to humans, particularly young children, have been recognized for decades, influencing public health policies to reduce its admixture in house paint and passenger car gasoline. We signal 3 emergent trends: firearm proliferation, complex international food supply chains, and equally complex product marketing strategies, which have opened opportunities for lead exposure to children from guns and ammunition, and lead contamination in children's food and consumer goods. Readers will also be apprised of Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program and education strategies cultivated and advanced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its lead prevention partners. A national governmental policy update is included, as are future considerations.

Virtual Education is the Need of the Hour for the Global Gastroenterology Community: A Survey of Leaders of Professional Gastroenterology Organizations.

Since the onset of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there has been a significant opportunity to leverage virtual platforms for communication and dissemination of knowledge. An online survey was conducted to examine the viewpoints of World Gastroenterology Organization (WGO) leaders concerning the necessity, primary priority areas, and implementation strategies for a virtual global gastroenterology educational program. We conducted a survey of leaders of WGO member societies to assess their opinions on creating opportunities for global education using virtual platforms, identifying practical implementation steps and priority educational areas. Responses were obtained from 57/117 (48.7%) contacted leaders with 56/57 (98.2%) identifying such a need. Five mutually exclusive priority educational topics were proposed in the survey: clinical gastroenterology, endoscopy, nutritional support, research methodology, and professional development. Overall, most participants prioritized clinical gastroenterology (45/57; 78.9%) and endoscopy/hand skills (27/57; 47.3%) as educational topics to be addressed by the virtual global gastroenterology educational program. A majority of WGO member society leaders surveyed favored monthly teaching activities (33/57; 57.8%), ideally carried out between 1500-2100 local time (31/57; 54.3%), ideally with no administrative fees (47/57; 82.4%). This truly global survey of WGO member societies achieved a good response rate and provides important insights into the need for and scope of future virtual education programs under the aegis of the WGO.

OPTIMIZING PROGRAMMATIC ADVERTISING: A MACHINE LEARNING APPROACH TO PREDICTIVE AD TARGETING

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital advertising, programmatic advertising has emerged as a pivotal tool for automating ad placement and targeting audiences at scale. However, traditional methods often fall short in accurately predicting user behavior and delivering relevant ads to the right audiences. This study explores the potential of machine learning (ML) techniques to enhance predictive ad targeting within the programmatic advertising ecosystem. By applying a range of supervised and unsupervised ML models, including decision trees, neural networks, and clustering algorithms, we assess the ability of these models to improve ad relevance and engagement while optimizing budget allocation. Our findings reveal that ML-driven predictive targeting significantly increases click-through rates (CTR) and conversion rates compared to conventional targeting strategies. This research highlights the implications of using ML to improve ad targeting precision, reduce ad spend wastage, and enhance user experience. These insights contribute to the advancement of programmatic advertising strategies by demonstrating the transformative impact of AI and ML on audience segmentation and predictive ad delivery.

Multi-environment evaluation of Clary sage (Salvia sclarea L.) selections for yield and essential oil traits under Western Himalayan conditions

Clary sage is an important aromatic herb that has a high potential for commercial cultivation under the diversified climates of the Western Himalayas. The present study was carried out to understand the performance of genotypes and their interaction with the varied environments prevalent in the Western Himalayas and to identify stable and best-performing genotypes. In the present experiment, ten superior selections were evaluated in four different environments as multi-location trials in a randomized block design with three replications during 2021 and 2022. The pooled analysis of variance revealed significant variations for genotypes, environments, and genotype × environment interaction for all the studied traits. The highest mean performance suggests that Env-1 has the most suitable conditions for clary sage cultivation. The genotypes CSIR-IHBT-SS-07 and CSIR-IHBT-SS-09 were found to be the best performers for fresh inflorescence weight (418.73 g/plant) and essential oil content (428.91 mg/Kg), respectively. The results of Eberhart and Russell’s regression-based model confirm that the genotype CSIR-IHBT-SS-07 is a stable and superior genotype for the economically important traits. Further, the gas-chromatography mass spectroscopic characterization of essential oil disclosed that CSIR-IHBT-SS-07 was unique in terms of the highest sclareol content (23.39–45.17 %) across all the test environments. Genotype + Genotype × Environment biplot analysis confirmed that all the test environments form a single mega-environment. The study is a pioneer in unraveling the stability response of clary sage in Western Himalaya and provides a strong base for the identification of superior genotypes and selection strategy for future genetic improvement programs of clary sage.

Implementation strategies for decentralized management of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis: insights from community health systems in Zambia

BackgroundDecentralized management approaches for multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) have shown improved treatment outcomes in patients. However, challenges remain in the delivery of decentralized MDR TB services. Further, implementation strategies for effectively delivering the services in community health systems (CHSs) in low-resource settings have not been fully described, as most strategies are known and effective in high-income settings. Our research aimed to delineate the specific implementation strategies employed in managing MDR TB in Zambia.MethodsOur qualitative case study involved 112 in-depth interviews with a diverse group of participants, including healthcare workers, community health workers, patients, caregivers, and health managers in nine districts. We categorized implementation strategies using the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) compilation and later grouped them into three CHS lenses: programmatic, relational, and collective action.ResultsThe programmatic lens comprised four implementation strategies: (1) changing infrastructure through refurbishing and expanding health facilities to accommodate management of MDR TB, (2) adapting and tailoring clinical and diagnostic services to the context through implementing tailored strategies, (3) training and educating health providers through ongoing training, and (4) using evaluative and iterative strategies to review program performance, which involved development and organization of quality monitoring systems, as well as audits. Relational lens strategies were (1) providing interactive assistance through offering local technical assistance in clinical expert committees and (2) providing support to clinicians through developing health worker and community health worker outreach teams. Finally, the main collective action lens strategy was engaging consumers; the discrete strategies were increasing demand using community networks and events and involving patients and family members.ConclusionThis study builds on the ERIC implementation strategies by stressing the need to fully consider interrelations or embeddedness of CHS strategies during implementation processes. For example, to work effectively, the programmatic lens strategies need to be supported by strategies that promote meaningful community engagement (the relational lens) and should be attuned to strategies that promote community mobilization (collective action lens).

Implementation and Evaluation Strategies for Pharmacogenetic Testing in Hospital Settings: A Scoping Review.

Pharmacogenetic testing in clinical settings has improved the safety and efficacy of drug treatment. There is a growing number of studies evaluating pharmacogenetic implementation and identifying barriers and facilitators. However, no review has focused on bridging the gap between identifying barriers and facilitators of testing and the clinical strategies adopted in response. This review was conducted to understand the implementation and evaluation strategies of pharmacogenetic testing programs. A PRISMA-compliant scoping review was conducted. The included studies discussed pharmacogenetic testing programs implemented in a hospital setting. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed design methods were included. A total of 232 of the 7043 articles that described clinical pharmacogenetic programs were included. The most common specialties that described pharmacogenetic implementation were psychiatry (26%) and oncology (16%), although many studies described institutional programs implemented across multiple specialties (19%). Different specialties reported different clinical outcomes, but all reported similar program performance indicators, such as test uptake and the number of times the test recommendations were followed. There were benefits and drawbacks to delivering test results through research personnel, pharmacists, and electronic alerts, but active engagement of physicians was necessary for the incorporation of pharmacogenetic results into clinical decision making. Further research is required on the maintenance and sustainability of pharmacogenetic testing initiatives. These findings provide an overview of the implementation and evaluation strategies of different specialties that can be used to improve pharmacogenetic testing.

Genomic selection strategies for the German Merino sheep breeding programme - A simulation study.

Genomic selection is widely implemented in livestock breeding programmes across species. Its potential is also evident for sheep breeding; however, it has several limitations, particularly because of the high genetic diversity across and within sheep breeds. In Germany, the predominant sheep breed is the Merino sheep. Until now, there has been no use of genomic selection in the German Merino sheep breeding programme. In this simulation study, different genomic selection strategies were compared with a reference scenario with a breeding value estimation based on pedigree BLUP. A simplified version of the German Merino sheep breeding programme, including a health and a production trait in the breeding goal, was simulated via the R package Modular Breeding Program Simulator (MoBPS). Real genotype data were used to create a population specific simulation. The reference scenario was compared with several alternative scenarios in which selection was based on single-step GBLUP (ssGBLUP) breeding value estimation with varying genotyping strategies. In addition to scenarios in which all male and all male plus all female lambs were genotyped, scenarios with a preselection of lambs, that is only a certain proportion (top 25%, top 50%) genotyped, were simulated. The results revealed that genetic gain increased with increasing numbers of available genotypes. However, marginal gains decreased with increasing numbers of genotypes. Compared with the reference scenario, genotyping the top 25% of male lambs increased the genetic gain for the breeding ram population by 13% for both traits whereas genotyping the top 50% of male lambs or all male lambs led to increases of 18% (17%) or 26% (21%) for the health (production) trait, respectively. The potential of genotyping females in addition to male lambs was less evident on the male side with no significant differences between the scenarios with different proportions of genotyped females. The results have shown that genomic selection can be a valuable tool to increase genetic gain in the German Merino sheep population and that the genotyping of a certain proportion of animals might lead to substantial improvement over pedigree-based breeding value estimation. Nevertheless, further studies, especially economic evaluations, are needed before practical implementation.

Determinants of exclusive breastfeeding among infants under six months in Nepal: multilevel analysis of nationally representative household survey data

BackgroundThe benefits of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) have been universally documented, with evidence of positive impacts on a child’s optimal growth, development, and survival. However, EBF practices in Nepal have fluctuated and declined over the last 25 years. In addition to the individual factors of mothers and infants, EBF practices are affected by multiple community-level factors. Understanding these factors is essential for designing breastfeeding promotion programs to improve child nutritional status in Nepal. This study investigated the individual- and community-level determinants of EBF practices among young infants aged 0–5 months in Nepal.MethodWe used the dataset from the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2022. Information on EBF in the past 24 h was available for 540 infants aged 0–5 months. A multilevel mixed-effect logistic regression was used to identify individual- and community-level factors associated with EBF among infants aged 0–5 months in Nepal.ResultsThe 24-hour prevalence of EBF among infants aged 0–5 months was 57.46% (95% confidence interval (CI): 52.18, 62.57). The infant’s age was inversely associated with EBF prevalence at the individual level. Compared with infants aged < 1 month, infants aged three months (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 0.14, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.40), four months (AOR: 0.11, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.28), and five months (AOR: 0.07, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.20) were less likely to receive EBF. At the community level, community-level variables such as ≥ 4 ANC visits coverage, maternal employment status, and poverty level were generated by aggregating the individual characteristics in a cluster and were categorized using quartiles into low (“< 25%”), moderate (25–75%), and high (≥ 75%). Mothers from communities with moderate ≥ 4 ANC visits (AOR: 3.30, 95% CI: 1.65, 6.57) and high ≥ 4 ANC visits (AOR: 2.70, 95% CI: 1.40, 5.22) coverage had higher odds of EBF practices than did those from communities with low ≥ 4 ANC visits coverage. Similarly, communities with moderate (AOR: 2.67, 95% CI: 1.34, 5.30) and high (AOR: 2.34, 95% CI: 1.10, 4.99) levels of maternal employment status and moderate levels of poverty (AOR: 2.20, 95% CI: 1.13, 4.28) were associated with a higher likelihood of EBF practices. Subnational level variation was evident, with infants in Lumbini province having lower odds of EBF (AOR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.13, 0.77) relative to Koshi province. Approximately 9% of the variation in EBF practices was observed among mothers while mapping across clusters in this study.ConclusionVarious individual- and community-level factors influence the uptake of EBF in Nepal, underscoring the need to improve the approaches and strategies of EBF programs. This study highlighted the significant association of community-level factors (≥ 4 ANC visits coverage, poverty level, and maternal employment status) with EBF among infants under 6 months. It revealed approximately 9% variability in EBF across clusters. Future efforts to promote EBF should focus on older infants and communities with low poverty levels and low coverage of recommended ≥ 4 ANC visits. Furthermore, context-specific adaptation of such efforts might be required considering the variation observed between the communities in the present study.

Fully‐Optimized Quantum Metrology: Framework, Tools, and Applications

AbstractThis tutorial introduces a systematic approach for addressing the key question of quantum metrology: For a generic task of sensing an unknown parameter, what is the ultimate precision given a constrained set of admissible strategies. The approach outputs the maximal attainable precision (in terms of the maximum of quantum Fisher information) as a semidefinite program and optimal strategies as feasible solutions thereof. Remarkably, the approach can identify the optimal precision for different sets of strategies, including parallel, sequential, quantum SWITCH‐enhanced, causally superposed, and generic indefinite‐causal‐order strategies. The tutorial consists of a pedagogic introduction to the background and mathematical tools of optimal quantum metrology, a detailed derivation of the main approach, and various concrete examples. As shown in the tutorial, applications of the approach include, but are not limited to, strict hierarchy of strategies in noisy quantum metrology, memory effect in non‐Markovian metrology, and designing optimal strategies. Compared with traditional approaches, the approach here yields the exact value of the optimal precision, offering more accurate criteria for experiments and practical applications. It also allows for the comparison between conventional strategies and the recently discovered causally‐indefinite strategies, serving as a powerful tool for exploring this new area of quantum metrology.

Strategic investment and program effectiveness: a roadmap to ending AIDS in Bangladesh by 2030

ABSTRACT The journey towards ending AIDS epidemic in Bangladesh by 2030 is ambitious yet achievable. Although Bangladesh has always had a low rate of HIV among its general population, it remains one of seven countries in Asia and the Pacific where new HIV cases are rising. This study evaluates the effectiveness of HIV programmatic strategies and investment scenarios using the AIDS Epidemic Model (AEM) from 2023 to 2030, focusing on optimizing resource allocation and interventions. The findings indicate that without improved program effectiveness, new HIV infections will increase to 1,382 by 2030, failing to meet the targets of the Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026. If Bangladesh improves its HIV program effectiveness according to the Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026, the NSP and Global AIDS Strategy targets could significantly lower new infections and AIDS-related deaths and increase treatment coverage to meet Ending AIDS targets. The NSP targets could reduce new HIV infections to under 275 annually and achieve treatment goals by 2030. The study reveals that NSP targets are the most cost-effective, offering the highest benefit-cost ratio, highlighting the urgent need to enhance HIV prevention program effectiveness, particularly among key populations, to achieve both public health and economic benefits.