Exploring Awareness and Attitude on Plagiarism among Research Scholars: A Case Study of Panjab University, Chandigarh (India)

The purpose of the study is to explore the awareness and attitude on plagiarism among research scholars of Panjab University, Chandigarh (India). A structured questionnaire was designed and distributed among research scholars from various academic disciplines at Panjab University, Chandigarh (India). The survey examines level of awareness and attitudes of respondents on various aspects of plagiarism based on a five point Likert Scale. A total of 152 valid questionnaires were analysed with the help of Excel and SPSS. Results of the study revealed that research scholars were aware about plagiarism issues in academia. “Cut copy paste of text” was top ranked awareness statement with 4.2 ± 1.28 as Mean ± SD value whereas, the lowest awareness (3.42 ± 1.33) was observed with regards to the statement “Collusion is helping someone else to plagiarise”. Overall, the poor attitude was observed among the respondents. Accurate referencing, plagiarism checking before submission of paper or thesis and discussion with guide and fellow researchers were found the top most steps which can be helpful to research scholars in diminishing plagiarism. The survey findings will certainly help university authorities to work out a strong action plan and its implementation to combat prevalent academic plagiarism and related issues

Exploring Awareness and Attitude on Plagiarism among Research Scholars: A Case Study of Panjab University, Chandigarh (India)

The purpose of the study is to explore the awareness and attitude on plagiarism among research scholars of Panjab University, Chandigarh (India). A structured questionnaire was designed and distributed among research scholars from various academic disciplines at Panjab University, Chandigarh (India). The survey examines level of awareness and attitudes of respondents on various aspects of plagiarism based on a five point Likert Scale. A total of 152 valid questionnaires were analysed with the help of Excel and SPSS. Results of the study revealed that research scholars were aware about plagiarism issues in academia. “Cut copy paste of text” was top ranked awareness statement with 4.2 ± 1.28 as Mean ± SD value whereas, the lowest awareness (3.42 ± 1.33) was observed with regards to the statement “Collusion is helping someone else to plagiarise”. Overall, the poor attitude was observed among the respondents. Accurate referencing, plagiarism checking before submission of paper or thesis and discussion with guide and fellow researchers were found the top most steps which can be helpful to research scholars in diminishing plagiarism. The survey findings will certainly help university authorities to work out a strong action plan and its implementation to combat prevalent academic plagiarism and related issues

KEPEMIMPINAN ADAT SEMENDE TUNGGU TUBANG DALAM MENINGKATKAN SILATURAMI DI DESA PULAU PANGGUNG KECAMATAN SEMENDE DARAT LAUT KABUPATEN MUARA ENIN SUMSEL

Kepemimpinan adat Semende Tunggu Tubang sudah sering dilupakan oleh masyarakat Semende seiring dengan perkembangan zaman padahal kepemimpinan adat Semende Tunggu Tubang ialah kearipan lokal suatu suku yang dapat menjadi pegangan suatu suku yang dianggap sebuah kebaikan, namun ini sudah tergerus oleh perkembangan zaman maka atas dasar inilah penulis mengangkat judul “Kepemimpinan Adat Semende Tunggu Tubang Dalam Meningkatkan Silaturahmi Di Desa Pulau Panggung Kecamatan Semende Darat Laut Kabupaten Muara Enim Sumsel”. Kepemimpinan dalam adat Semende disebut dengan Meraje yang sangat berpengaruh dalam meningkatkan tali silatuhrahmi pada Tunggu Tubang. Kepemimpinan merupakan suatu amanah yang diberikan untuk membimbing anggotanya kepada hal-hal kebaikan. Penelitian ini berangkat dari rumusan masalah penelitian yakni bagaimana kepemipinan adat Semende Tunggu Tubang dalam meningkatkan silaturahmi di Desa Pulau Panggung Kecamatan Semende Darat Laut Kabupaten Muara Enim Sumsel dan bagaimana hak dan kewajiban serta sifat yang harus dimiliki sebagai Tunggu Tubang. Tujuan penelitian untuk mengetahui bagaimana kepemimpinan adat Semende Tunggu Tubang dalam meningkatkan silaturahmi di Desa Pulau Panggung Kecamatan Semende Darat Laut Kabupaten Muara Enim Sumsel. Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian lapangan dengan pendekatan kualitatif dan pengumpulan data dalam penelitian ini dengan menggunakan tehnik interview, observasi dan dokumentasi. Data primer atau utama di peroleh dengan wawancara dengan tokoh adat Semende, sedangkan data skunder di peroleh dari buku, jurnal, dan lain-lain. Temuan dari hasil penelitian ini dalam kepemimpinan adat Semende Meraje adalah pemimpin keluarga atau Jurai dalam masyarakat adat Semende yang memiliki hak dan kewajiban tertentu. Dan Tunggu Tubang sebagai pelaksana adat yang bertugas menjaga dan mengurus harta pusaka keluarga, juga memiliki hak-hak dan kewajiban

Environmental Surveillance for Potential Human Exposure to Burkholderia Pseudomallei Causing Melioidosis in Changing Land Use in East Malaysia

Melioidosis is a potentially fatal disease caused by saprophytic bacteria, B. pseudomallei that are present in soil environment in tropical countries especially in South East Asia. The study was to determine the distribution of B. pseudomallei in changing land use in East Malaysia and the exposure among the communities. The soil samples were taken from school compound; Gedong Paddy Estate, villages and logging areas of Kakus in Bintulu were screened by culture methods and confirmed by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Blood sample from various occupational groups were taken for seroepidemiological exposure to B.pseudomallei by using Indirect Hemagglutination Antibody Test (IHAT). There were isolation of 23 sites for B. pseudomallei from the quadrants in football field and other playing ground in the one school compound in Kuching, Sarawak, East Malaysia

Evaluation of the Workplace Environment in the UK, and the Impact on Users’ Levels of Stimulation

The purpose of this study is to evaluate a number of recently completed workplaces in the UK. The first aim is to assess the impact of various aspects of the workplace environment on users’ levels of stimulation. The body of previous research undertaken into the workplace environment, identified the aspects to be investigated. Samples of employees from the sixteen businesses were surveyed to determine their perceptions of the workplaces. The results were entered into a regression analysis, and the most significant predictors of perceived stimulation identified. The data also revealed a dramatic reduction in staff arousal levels from mornings to afternoons. Thus, there is a second aim to determine whether changes to significant aspects of the workplace environment during the day can counteract the reduction in users’ stimulation. Two further workplaces were studied to enable changes to be made over a 12-week period. A sample of employees completed questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews revealed the reasons behind the results. It was found that provision of artwork, personal control of temperature and ventilation and regular breaks were the most significant contributions to increasing stimulation after lunch; while user choice of layout, and design and décor of workspaces and break areas, were the most significant aspects at design stage

Pain assessment for people with dementia: a systematic review of systematic reviews of pain assessment tools.

BACKGROUND: There is evidence of under-detection and poor management of pain in patients with dementia, in both long-term and acute care. Accurate assessment of pain in people with dementia is challenging and pain assessment tools have received considerable attention over the years, with an increasing number of tools made available. Systematic reviews on the evidence of their validity and utility mostly compare different sets of tools. This review of systematic reviews analyses and summarises evidence concerning the psychometric properties and clinical utility of pain assessment tools in adults with dementia or cognitive impairment. METHODS: We searched for systematic reviews of pain assessment tools providing evidence of reliability, validity and clinical utility. Two reviewers independently assessed each review and extracted data from them, with a third reviewer mediating when consensus was not reached. Analysis of the data was carried out collaboratively. The reviews were synthesised using a narrative synthesis approach. RESULTS: We retrieved 441 potentially eligible reviews, 23 met the criteria for inclusion and 8 provided data for extraction. Each review evaluated between 8 and 13 tools, in aggregate providing evidence on a total of 28 tools. The quality of the reviews varied and the reporting often lacked sufficient methodological detail for quality assessment. The 28 tools appear to have been studied in a variety of settings and with varied types of patients. The reviews identified several methodological limitations across the original studies. The lack of a 'gold standard' significantly hinders the evaluation of tools' validity. Most importantly, the samples were small providing limited evidence for use of any of the tools across settings or populations. CONCLUSIONS: There are a considerable number of pain assessment tools available for use with the elderly cognitive impaired population. However there is limited evidence about their reliability, validity and clinical utility. On the basis of this review no one tool can be recommended given the existing evidence

Climate change and climate variability: personal motivation for adaptation and mitigation

BACKGROUND: Global climate change impacts on human and natural systems are predicted to be severe, far reaching, and to affect the most physically and economically vulnerable disproportionately. Society can respond to these threats through two strategies: mitigation and adaptation. Industry, commerce, and government play indispensable roles in these actions but so do individuals, if they are receptive to behavior change. We explored whether the health frame can be used as a context to motivate behavioral reductions of greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation measures. METHODS: In 2008, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in the United States using random digit dialing. Personal relevance of climate change from health threats was explored with the Health Belief Model (HBM) as a conceptual frame and analyzed through logistic regressions and path analysis. RESULTS: Of 771 individuals surveyed, 81% (n = 622) acknowledged that climate change was occurring, and were aware of the associated ecologic and human health risks. Respondents reported reduced energy consumption if they believed climate change could affect their way of life (perceived susceptibility), Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.4 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.4-4.0), endanger their life (perceived severity), OR = 1.9 (95% CI: 1.1-3.1), or saw serious barriers to protecting themselves from climate change, OR = 2.1 (95% CI: 1.2-3.5). Perceived susceptibility had the strongest effect on reduced energy consumption, either directly or indirectly via perceived severity. Those that reported having the necessary information to prepare for climate change impacts were more likely to have an emergency kit OR = 2.1 (95% CI: 1.4-3.1) or plan, OR = 2.2 (95% CI: 1.5-3.2) for their household, but also saw serious barriers to protecting themselves from climate change or climate variability, either by having an emergency kit OR = 1.6 (95% CI: 1.1-2.4) or an emergency plan OR = 1.5 (95%CI: 1.0-2.2). CONCLUSIONS: Motivation for voluntary mitigation is mostly dependent on perceived susceptibility to threats and severity of climate change or climate variability impacts, whereas adaptation is largely dependent on the availability of information relevant to climate change. Thus, the climate change discourse could be framed from a health perspective to motivate behaviour change

Survivorship of Anopheles darlingi (Diptera: Culicidae) in Relation with Malaria Incidence in the Brazilian Amazon

We performed a longitudinal study of adult survival of Anopheles darlingi, the most important vector in the Amazon, in a malarigenous frontier zone of Brazil. Survival rates were determined from both parous rates and multiparous dissections. Anopheles darlingi human biting rates, daily survival rates and expectation of life where higher in the dry season, as compared to the rainy season, and were correlated with malaria incidence. The biting density of mosquitoes that had survived long enough for completing at least one sporogonic cycle was related with the number of malaria cases by linear regression. Survival rates were the limiting factor explaining longitudinal variations in Plasmodium vivax malaria incidence and the association between adult mosquito survival and malaria was statistically significant by logistic regression (P<0.05). Survival rates were better correlated with malaria incidence than adult mosquito biting density. Mathematical modeling showed that P. falciparum and P. malariae were more vulnerable to changes in mosquito survival rates because of longer sporogonic cycle duration, as compared to P. vivax, which could account for the low prevalence of the former parasites observed in the study area. Population modeling also showed that the observed decreases in human biting rates in the wet season could be entirely explained by decreases in survival rates, suggesting that decreased breeding did not occur in the wet season, at the sites where adult mosquitoes were collected. For the first time in the literature, multivariate methods detected a statistically significant inverse relation (P<0.05) between the number of rainy days per month and daily survival rates, suggesting that rainfall may cause adult mortality

Pain in elderly people with severe dementia: A systematic review of behavioural pain assessment tools

BACKGROUND: Pain is a common and major problem among nursing home residents. The prevalence of pain in elderly nursing home people is 40–80%, showing that they are at great risk of experiencing pain. Since assessment of pain is an important step towards the treatment of pain, there is a need for manageable, valid and reliable tools to assess pain in elderly people with dementia. METHODS: This systematic review identifies pain assessment scales for elderly people with severe dementia and evaluates the psychometric properties and clinical utility of these instruments. Relevant publications in English, German, French or Dutch, from 1988 to 2005, were identified by means of an extensive search strategy in Medline, Psychinfo and CINAHL, supplemented by screening citations and references. Quality judgement criteria were formulated and used to evaluate the psychometric aspects of the scales. RESULTS: Twenty-nine publications reporting on behavioural pain assessment instruments were selected for this review. Twelve observational pain assessment scales (DOLOPLUS2; ECPA; ECS; Observational Pain Behavior Tool; CNPI; PACSLAC; PAINAD; PADE; RaPID; Abbey Pain Scale; NOPPAIN; Pain assessment scale for use with cognitively impaired adults) were identified. Findings indicate that most observational scales are under development and show moderate psychometric qualities. CONCLUSION: Based on the psychometric qualities and criteria regarding sensitivity and clinical utility, we conclude that PACSLAC and DOLOPLUS2 are the most appropriate scales currently available. Further research should focus on improving these scales by further testing their validity, reliability and clinical utility