Joining and Gaining Knowledge From Digital Literacy Courses: How Perceptions of Internet and Technology Outweigh Socio-Demographic Factors

Many government-sponsored policies and programs have been implemented in recent years to reduce digital inequality, but research on the effectiveness of such programs is severely lacking. We examine the short-term effects of participation in Lehava, the largest such program in Israel. Participants in our study completed a survey before and after taking introductory computer and internet classes. The findings demonstrate that motivations for participating in the program (measured before taking the course), as well as knowledge gains (i.e., differences between levels of familiarity with concepts before and after taking the course), were predicted almost exclusively by participants' perceptions of technology and the internet, and not by socio-demographic or other variables. We conclude by discussing the significance of perceptions over and above socio-demographic considerations for bridging digital inequality gaps

Application of Combined Integrated Pretreatment Rotating Biological Contactor Followed by Planted Soil Filter for Domestic Wastewater Treatment

Depletion of water resources including deterioration of water quality in Palestine is a very important environmental theme that requires direct and urgent measures. Average per capita water use is among the lowest in the world (60L/C/D) and the average cost of making water available to the public is among the highest (20 NIS/CM). Moreover, groundwater resources are rapidly deteriorated for different reasons; one is due to the infiltration of untreated wastewater that influencing directly the quality and availability of this scarce and essential resource. Moreover, lack of wastewater management has a direct impact on problems related to public health, marine and coastal pollution in Gaza, deterioration of nature and biodiversity as well as landscape and aesthetic distortion. In spite of the fact that Israel prevent the construction of wastewater treatment facilities it still imposes penalties on the Palestinian Water Authority accusing Palestinians of deteriorating the environment. Due to water scarcity and high population growth in Palestine 3.75 %, water is becoming an increasingly scarce resource and planners are forced to consider any sources of water which might be used economically and effectively to promote further development. In this study, the feasibility of using partially submerged rotating contact reactor followed by horizontal subsurface flow soil filter constructed wetland for the treatment of domestic raw wastewater in the study site Langenreichenbach (Saxony), and the feasibility to transfer the technique to Palestine was investigated. The performance of a rotating biological contactor (RBC) followed by horizontal soil filter (HSF) due to high strength raw wastewater treatment application in the treatment pilot plant Langenreichenbach was the subject of this study. The selection of rotating biological contactor (RBC) to pre- treat the influent of horizontal soil filter constructed wetland (HSF), was due to its proved efficiency of high COD and nitrification removal, while using the HSF as demonstrated tertiary treatment for hygienic removal. In addition, taking in consideration the cost effective of such combination system appealed for developing countries. Effects of major process variables such as COD concentration and loading rate, ammonia concentration and loading rate in addition to constant feeding wastewater flow rate on the rate of COD removal, nitrification and nutrients removal efficiency were investigated. The reduction of parasitical load was also investigated. The system was operated under three different condition phases (Initial, Phase1 and Phase 2), where the third operation (Phase2) was the targeted phase with 109 L/h feeding rate. HSF was put into operation on 23/6/2006 and the mode at this was continues flow with loading rate (60 L/m².d = 14 L/h). HSF adapted to work under phase2 operation conditions where average SS concentration inflow into HSF was at the lowest level during this operation phase. The results obtained reflected the high purification level achieved within such combination system that the final effluent met the German and Palestinian (Class A) standard for reuse treated wastewater in irrigation purposes. Recommendations drawn from the results, presented that composite sample must take place to present the raw wastewater influent. However, raw wastewater must be properly pretreated to eliminate the SS and to avoid the excessive sludge at the RBC effluent, as iv well as proper and well designed ST must take place after RBC system to eliminate SS to allowable concentration for HSF influent

The Effect of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on Kidneys in a Rat Model

Background. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is used for treating various medical conditions. As far as known yet, HBOT is safe with few major side effects that are easy to avoid using a proper protocol. Renal tubular damage was observed in rats exposed to HBOT in a preliminary study conducted in our institution. Aim. We aim to assess whether HBOT causes renal damage and, if so, whether this is dose dependent. Methods. Thirty-one rats were randomly assigned to three groups. The first group received 10-days HBOT, 100% oxygen at a pressure of 2 atmospheres absolute (2 ATA) for 60 minutes/day, the second received the same treatment for 5 days and the third served as the control. Rat weight, survival, renal function tests, and renal histopathology were analyzed. Results. There were no significant changes in renal function tests in the plasma (cystatin C, urea, creatinine, and electrolytes) between the groups. No significant differences were observed in weight gain or renal histopathological evaluation between all groups. Conclusion. HBOT in this protocol does not cause renal impairment in a rat model, which reinforces the assumption that HBOT is safe in healthy rats, regarding renal function. Further research should be focused on the effect/safety of HBOT on nonhealthy kidneys

Adherence to UNRWA’s anaemia treatment guidelines in the Jerash Camp Health Centre, Jordan: a retrospective observational study.

OBJECTIVE: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) provides primary healthcare to 2.2 million Palestinian refugees in Jordan. This study aimed to measure patient and doctor adherence to the UNRWA guidelines for the prevention and treatment of iron deficiency anaemia in moderate to severe anaemia children, defined as haemoglobin (Hb) level <10.0 g/L. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A retrospective observational study was conducted by analysing the electronic health records of 717 children (353 boys and 364 girls) children aged 12 months old in 2018 in the Jerash Camp Health Centre, Jordan. OUTCOME: Patient adherence to the UNRWA guidelines was calculated by the proportion of health centre visits and doctor adherence by the proportions of Hb tests and iron supplementation among moderate to severe anaemia children at screening, first, second and third follow-up visits, respectively using STATA. RESULTS: The prevalence of moderate to severe anaemia was 15.6% among 12-month-old children. After 1 month of iron supplementation, 83.7% of anaemic children improved their Hb status: mean±SD from 9.1±0.6 g/L to 10.1±1.0 g/L. Patient and doctor adherence to the UNRWA guidelines was above 80% at the screening visit but progressively decreased at follow-up visits, especially patient adherence at the third follow-up visit of 34.4%. The analysis revealed unnecessary health centre visits and iron supplementation being given to mildly anaemic children (Hb level=10.0 g/L-10.9 g/L). Additionally, children visited the health centre at an age significantly later compared with that recommended by the UNRWA guidelines for the screening, first and second follow-up visits (p-value<0.05). CONCLUSION: Adherence to the UNRWA guidelines was above 80% at screening but much lower at follow-up visits. Urgent action is needed to improve adherence at follow-up visits and to minimise any unnecessary health centre visits and iron supplementation to mildly anaemic children

Drylands connected: mobile communication and changing power positions in (nomadic) pastoral societies

The new connectivity, through mobile phones, social media, and wireless internet, is an agent in social change in the drylands. In this chapter, we present four case studies: the introduction of mobile apps in Mongolia and Kenya, the role of mobile telephony in the Sahel, and the introduction of online learning in the Negev Desert. Each of these case studies develops an argument around the role of connectivity in ‘giving a voice’ to the people living in drylands. Indeed, as the studies show, the new technology of communication is a resource for such populations, especially when we focus on the benefits of improved communication and access to information. However, the effective use of such a resource is hampered by the lack of knowledge of dryland dynamics among the developers of the new technology and by the imposed power relations of the State. Also, the technology may follow its own pathway, being appropriated by the population in unexpected ways and creating new power relations that may also lead to conflict.Africa's global connectionsColonial and Global Histor

Pharmacovigilance in children in Camagüey Province, Cuba

Purpose: Our aim was to describe the adverse drug reactions (ADRs) detected following increased education about pharmacovigilance and drug toxicity in children in Camagüey Province, Cuba. Methods: Over a period of 24 months (January 2009 to December 2010), all reports of suspected ADRs in children to the Provincial Pharmacovigilance Centre in Camagüey Province were analysed. ADRs were classified in relation to causality and severity. Results: There were 533 reports involving suspected ADRs in children in the period. Almost one third of the reports received were classified as moderate (155, 29%) or severe (10, 2%). There was one fatality in association with the use of ceftriaxone. Vaccines and antibiotics were responsible for most of the ADR reports (392, 74%) and for all ten severe ADRs. After an intensive educational package, both within the community and the Children’s Hospital, the number of reports increased from 124 in 2008 to 161 in 2009 and 372 in 2010. This was equivalent to a reporting rate of 879 and 2,031 reports per million children per year for 2009 and 2010, respectively. Conclusions: The incidence of ADRs in children Camagüey Province, Cuba, is greater than previously reported. An educational intervention about pharmacovigilance and drug toxicity in children can improve the reporting of ADRs

Vasodilator mechanisms and the intracellular control of renin secretion

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DX95875 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Vasodilator mechanisms and the intracellular control of renin secretion

The renin angiotensin system forms an integral part of the regulation of blood pressure and fluid balance. Secretion of renin is under the control of stimulatory and inhibitory influences. In vitro preparations available to study the intracellular control of renin secretion retain intact nerve endings and fragments of tubule and blood vessel. These will indirectly influence renin release, and make interpretation of results difficult. While previous studies have implicated a stimulatory role for intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and an inhibitory role for intracellular calcium (Ca2+) in renin secretion, the role of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) remains unresolved. The experiments described in this thesis set out to evaluate the use of a recently developed superfused disaggregated rat renal cortical cell preparation which is free from haemodynamic and tubular influences. Sensitivity to stimulation by catecholamines was found to be high. The prepartion was consequently used to investigate the roles of cGMP and guanine nucleotide regulatory protein (G-proteins) in the control of renin release. Manipulations to elevate cellular levels of cGMP using nitrovasodilators, atrial natriuretic peptide, a cGMP phosphodeiesterase inhibitor and a cGMP analogue, all stimulated renin release. In the higher concentration range, responses were diminished. Decreasing cellular cGMP using methylene blue or LY83583 decreased basal and, in some cases, agonist-stimulated renin release. The data suggest that cGMP is a stimulatory second messenger for renin release. Activation of G-proteins using sodium fluoride (NaF) stimulated renin release in the low concentration range and inhibited renin release at the highest concentration used (10-2mol/l). NaF potentiated the response to isoprenaline. The results suggest involvement of a G-protein in renin secretion. In other experiments, the vasodilator drug cromakalim, a potassium channel activator, increased plasma renin levels in both anaesthetised rats and conscious chronically cannulated sheep. This drug also stimulated renin release in vitro. The data suggest that the renin response to cromakalim in vivo is mediated, in part, by activation of renal juxtaglomerular cells and partly by reflex sympathetic control. The main hypothesis put forward in this thesis is that cGMP is a stimulatory intracellular messenger for renin secretion. This is consistent with the notion that dilators of vascular smooth muscle also stimulate renin secretion.</p