Sustainability of Higher Education Students’ Loan Scheme (HESLS) in Tanzania

This this study attempt to examine the financial sustainability of higher education students’ loans scheme (HESLS) operating in Tanzania via HESLB. The government established higher education students’ loans board (HESLB) through Act No 9 of 2004 (CAP 178) as amended. HESLB was set up to provide financial facilitation in terms of loans to eligible and needy students to help them to cover the cost of their education. After its launch in 2005, the scheme had been facing lots of challenges such as a continuous rise in student’s financial requirements over and above government budget. It also faces hardship in identifying the poor needy students and low rate of the repayment recovery mainly due to strategic deferred debts. In view of that, education stakeholders claimed that the implementation of the HESLS in Tanzania is not only moves out of efficient track but also moved out of being self-sustainable. This study, therefore, employ a mix method approach, use both secondary and primary data in the analysis. It applied a regression model to evaluate the level of financial Sustainability of HESLS in Tanzania. The results found that, despite the fact that there is decreasing trend of Operating self-Sufficiency (OSS), the set of the independent variable tested correlate with the dependent variable. The study suggests that HESLB should expand its revenue base so as to avoid the adverse trend of OSS. Finally, although the present results will contribute to existing knowledge, but knowledge alone is not enough. Therefore, it is anticipated that it will also be a useful other education stakeholders. Keywords: Higher Education, Students’ Loans scheme, financial sustainability, cost sharing, Tanzani

Effects Of Water Table Management Practices On The Transport Of Nitrates In Sandy Underground Environment

Enhancing the degradation of agrochemical pollutants by managing the water table has introduced a new horizon in agricultural pollution control. Experimental work in this area shows that the degradation of agrochemicals such as nitrate is dependent on the soil water content. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of water table fluctuations on the nitrate and chloride transport. A set of laboratory column experiments was conducted to investigate the transport of two non-sorptive chemicals nitrate and chloride (N03, CI) to underground environment as effected by water table fluctuation. Three-controlled water table depths set at 0.25 m, 0.50 m, 0.75 m from the surface and free drainage treatment were used. The concentration curves for nitrate measured at different water table depths were not similar. The difference in the mean and the peak nitrate concentrations indicates highly significant difference in nitrate concentration among the water table depths. Through the values of mean and peak nitrate concentrations, the 0.25 m and 0.50 m water table depths gave the lowest mean and peak nitrate concentrations compared to the free drainage water table treatment. Descriptive statistical analysis indicates that there was highl

Word Sense Disambiguation on English Translation of Holy Quran

This article proposes a system based on the interpretation on the Quranic text that has been translated into English language using word sense disambiguation. This system is based on a combination of three traditional semantic similarity measurements, which are Wu-Palmer (WUP), Lin (LIN), and Jiang-Conrath (JCN) for word sense disambiguation on the English Al-Quran. The experiment was performed to obtain the best overall similarity score. The empirical results demonstrate that the combination of the three mentioned semantic similarity techniques obtained competitive results when compared with using individual similarity measurements

Switchable Dual-Band Bandpass Filter Based On Stepped Impedance Resonator With U-Shaped Defected Microstrip Structure For Wireless Applications

This paper presents a new technique in designing the switchable dual-band bandpass filter at 2.4 GHz and 3.5 GHz for WLAN and WiMAX applications. Wideband bandpass filter designed based on stepped impedance resonator at frequency of 3 GHz. To eliminate the interference from existing system that operates in the same frequency band, a defected microstrip structure applied and implemented to produce the notch response. In order to generate the switchable characteristic, the PIN diode was introduced at the dual-band filter. It exhibits that the measured results for switchable attributes when the diode is at OFF state, the wide passband is produced with the fractional bandwidth of 62.1 % centered at 2.9 GHz. Meanwhile, for the diode in ON state, the dual-passband has produced which centered at 2.5 GHz and 3.45 GHz. The experimental results showed good agreement with the simulation results. This structure is very useful for wireless communication systems and its applications

Five Years of Antimalarial Resistance Marker Surveillance in Gaza Province, Mozambique, Following Artemisinin-Based Combination Therapy Roll Out

Antimalarial drug resistance is a major obstacle to malaria control and eventual elimination. The routine surveillance for molecular marker of resistance is an efficient way to assess drug efficacy, which remains feasible in areas where malaria control interventions have succeeded in substantially reducing malaria transmission. Community based asexual parasite prevalence surveys were conducted annually in sentinel sites in Gaza Province, Mozambique from 2006 until 2010, before, during and after antimalarial policy changes to artesunate plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine in 2006 and to artemether-lumefantrine in 2008. Genetic analysis of dhfr, dhps, crt, and mdr1 resistant genes was conducted on 3 331 (14.4%) Plasmodium falciparum PCR positive samples collected over the study period from 23 229 children aged 2 to 15 years. The quintuple dhfr/dhps mutation associated with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine resistance increased from 56.2% at baseline to 75.8% by 2010. At baseline the crt76T and mdr186Y mutants were approaching fixation, 96.1% and 74.7%, respectively. Following the deployment of artemisinin-based combination therapy, prevalence of both these chloroquine-resistance markers began declining, reaching 32.4% and 30.9%, respectively, by 2010. All samples analysed over the 5-year period possessed a single copy of the mdr1 gene. The high and increasing prevalence of the quintuple mutation supports the change in drug policy from artesunate plus sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine to artemether-lumefantrine in Mozambique. As chloroquine related drug pressure decreased in the region, so did the molecular markers associated with chloroquine resistance (crt76T and mdr186Y). However, this reversion to the wild-type mdr186N predisposes parasites towards developing lumefantrine resistance. Close monitoring of artemether-lumefantrine efficacy is therefore essential, particularly given the high drug pressure within the region where most countries now use artemether-lumefantrine as first line treatment

Analysing Technology Acceptance for Digital Learning in Islamic Education: The Role of Religious Perspective on ICT

Whether in general education or Islamic education, information and communication technologies (ICT) have shown to be effective in boosting learning and teaching processes. However, the optimal utilization of ICT in Islamic education is hardly observed, and its acceptance is rarely analysed. Therefore, the present study evaluated factors influencing individuals in Islamic education to adopt ICT based on the modified unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model by incorporating two external factors: personal innovativeness and a religious perspective on the ICT aspect. The study employed a survey method to collect data from 225 valid respondents from Indonesia and applied a partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) approach for analysis purposes. The study’s findings suggest that three factors significantly influenced behavioural intention to utilize ICT in Islamic education. These factors are the religious perspective on ICT, personal innovativeness, and social influence, with the religious perspective being more effective factor on behavioural intention than other factors. Moreover, religious perspective, facilitating conditions, and behavioural intention significantly affected actual ICT usage. Both effort and performance expectancies did not significantly affect behavioural intention to use ICT. Besides that, personal innovativeness was found insignificant in influencing usage behaviour, however, it significantly affected effort expectancy, while religious perspective significantly influenced performance expectancy. Finally, the study’s model explained 55.1% of behavioural intention and 54.0% of usage behaviour. The implications of the findings for practical and theoretical contributions are discussed in this paper

Developing and implementing mental health policy in Zanzibar, a low income country off the coast of East Africa

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Zanzibar Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, concerned about mental health in the country, requested technical assistance from WHO in 1997.</p> <p>Aims</p> <p>This article describes the facilitation over many years by a WHO Collaborating Centre, of sustainable mental health developments in Zanzibar, one of the poorest countries in the world, using systematic approaches to policy design and implementation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Based on intensive prior situation appraisal and consultation, a multi-faceted set of interventions combining situation appraisal to inform planning; sustained policy dialogue at Union and state levels; development of policy and legislation, development of strategic action plans, establishment of intersectoral national mental health implementation committee, establishment of national mental health coordination system, integration of mental health into primary care, strengthening of primary-secondary care liaison, rationalisation and strengthening of secondary care system, ensuring adequate supply of medicines, use of good practice guidelines and health information systems, development of services for people with intellectual disability, establishment of formal mechanism for close liaison between the mental health services and other governmental, non-governmental and traditional sectors, mental health promotion, suicide prevention, and research and development.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The policy and legislation introduced in 1999 have resulted in enhanced mental health activities over the ensuing decade, within a setting of extreme low resource. However, advances ebb and flow and continued efforts are required to maintain progress and continue mental health developments. Lessons learnt have informed the development of mental health policies in neighbouring countries.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A multi-faceted and comprehensive programme can be effective in achieving considerable strengthening of mental health programmes and services even in extremely low resource settings, but requires sustained input and advocacy if gains are to be maintained and enhanced.</p

Knowledge of healthcare workers to prevent methicillin‑resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection in hospitals of Thi‑Qar Governorate, Iraq

Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is considered one of the nosocomial infections that can infect patients and healthcare workers (HCWs) and negatively affect the quality of care provided in the hospital. Objective: Evaluate the knowledge of HCWs regarding the prevention of MRSA infection in Thi-Qar Governorate. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted for 362 HCWs randomly selected from four hospitals and distributed as follows: 125 from Nasiriyah Teaching Hospital, 80 from Al-Hussein Teaching Hospital, 80 from Al-Haboubi Teaching Hospital and 77 from Souk Al-Shuyoukh General Hospital during the period from October 1 (2022) to May 1 (2023) and data was collected by using self-reported paper-based questionnaires. Results: Our study showed 68.8% of HCWs enjoyed a moderate level of knowledge, and there was a strong correlation (P value <0.05), between knowledge and some sociodemographic and occupational characteristics of the participants, which include age, educational level, job title, years of service and workplace in the hospital. Additionally, a relationship between knowledge and the source of the MRAS information was demonstrated which is a highly significant association between the total knowledge score and the sources of information. Conclusions: The knowledge of MRSA infection prevention among HCWs was moderate

CHANGES IN INTERVENTIONS IN TYPE B ACUTE AORTIC DISSECTION PATIENTS

none16siopenMisirliyan, Sevan; Trimarchi, Santi; Mussa, Firas F.; Fattori, Rossella; Khoynezhad, Ali; Montgomery, Daniel; Evangelista, Arturo; Di Eusanio, Marco; Kline-Rogers, Eva; Myrmel, Truls; Abdul-Nour, Khaled; Deeb, G. Michael; Isselbacher, Eric; Nienaber, Christoph; Eagle, Kim; Patel, HimanshuMisirliyan, Sevan; Trimarchi, Santi; Mussa, Firas F.; Fattori, Rossella; Khoynezhad, Ali; Montgomery, Daniel; Evangelista, Arturo; Di Eusanio, Marco; Kline-Rogers, Eva; Myrmel, Truls; Abdul-Nour, Khaled; Deeb, G. Michael; Isselbacher, Eric; Nienaber, Christoph; Eagle, Kim; Patel, Himansh