Diagnostic Laparoscopy for Abdominal Tuberculosis: A Promising Tool for Diagnosis

Introduction: Abdominal tuberculosis has plagued the mankind over several decades and is a major reason of morbidity and mortality even today in the developing world. It\u27s a difficult problem to diagnose as most patients present with vague and nonspecific symptomatology. This study was performed with a view to find out an efficient and practical tool for diagnosing this problem

Performance of New Zealand’s secondary schools: A stakeholders’ perspective

The performance of State secondary schools in New Zealand is currently measured by the schools’ performance measurement systems (PMS). The PMS are established by the schools’ boards of trustees in line with guidelines developed primarily by the Ministry of Education (MoE), while incorporating the requirements of the Education Review Office (ERO) and the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). The PMS focuses on the performance of teachers, as well as the principal and the school, but all are assessed from a stewardship oriented perspective, that does not adequately reflect the expectations of a school’s nongovernmental stakeholders. The purpose of this research is to determine the key stakeholders of State secondary schools in New Zealand and identify their key performance factors (KPFs) and associated key performance indicators (KPIs). This research employed a mixed methods approach, guided by the pragmatist paradigm. This study used a sequential research design consisting of a qualitative method (semistructured interviews) followed by a quantitative method (questionnaire). Stakeholder theory provided the theoretical basis for identifying the schools’ stakeholders, and the theory of stakeholder salience gave the rationale for identification of the schools’ key stakeholders. Two performance measurement frameworks, “strategic factors” and the “portfolio approach” informed this research in identifying the KPFs and associated KPIs of the key stakeholders. This research has identified eight key stakeholders of State secondary schools in New Zealand. They include three Crown entities: ERO, MoE, NZQA, “one statutory body” the board of trustees (BOT), and four nongovernmental stakeholder groups: teachers, parents, students, and the community. The schools’ PMS do not adequately reflect the expectations of nongovernmental stakeholders. Thus, this study has chosen to identify the KPFs and associated KPIs of the two most salient nongovernmental stakeholders, i.e., teachers and parents. This research has identified seven KPFs for teachers in addition to a number of KPIs that indicate the status of the KPFs. Four of the seven teachers’ KPFs: 1) workload, 2) safety, 3) support, and 4) resources reflect issues concerning individual teachers. On the basis of these findings, a holistic teachers’ performance management process for schools has been proposed. This process recognises the transactional relationship between management and teachers, required to improve schools’ performances. This study has also identified seven KPFs for parents; the two most salient are “quality teachers” and “communication” as they influence four other parents’ KPFs. The findings of this investigation have implications in two areas: 1) the management of the schools, and 2) the educational policy of the government. School management needs to provide quality teachers, adequate support to teachers and students by improving the “management system” of schools in line with expectations of teachers and parents, while ensuring safety at all times in schools. The government’s education policy should focus on the following: reducing teachers’ nonteaching activities; providing skills to teachers so that they can engage cross-culturally as well as with students from adverse backgrounds, and inducting individuals into the teaching profession who see teaching as a service/dedication to a cause and not merely a means to earn a living. It is expected that a holistic, stakeholder-focused, and transactional relationship between the school and its stakeholders will result in greater engagement between the schools and their stakeholders, leading to beneficial outcomes for both schools and for society at large such as lower truancy, and improved academic achievement

How to appraise performance of teachers: A New Zealand experience

This paper describes the appraisal process for measuring teachers\u27 performance in New Zealand. It argues for two changes in the appraisal process in order to improve performance of teachers. First, teachers\u27 expectations from the school should be included in their appraisal process, in addition to ensuring compliance of governmental edicts; and secondly the purpose of teachers\u27 performance evaluation should be continuous improvement of performance and not only accountability of teachers. This paper may provide useful insight to organisations that are reviewing their employee performance measurement process

Le « dire » dusilence : les ponctuations émotionnelles et cognitives des interactions

Le silence est notre conscience de l’absence sonore. Ainsi, le sens du silence est en fonction de son rapport avec notre sensorialité-perception. La réalité globale et complexe du silence se présente sous forme d’une expérience, bio-physiologique, psychique et culturelle à la fois. Du silence En premier lieu, le silence vu uniquement comme expérience bio-neurophysiologique est une condition de survie pour l’organisme. C’est un besoin ontologique vital. Un besoin pour se protéger des agression..

Salinity, livelihood and agricultural productivity: A case of Hafizabad District

Background: Soil salinity; concentration and or accumulation of salts may pose severe risk on soil productivity and in turn concerned population and farmers. Salt-influenced lands in Pakistan were spread over 6.63 million hectare which is diminishing the agrarian profitability. This study will explore the impact of salinity on livelihood of farmers in district Hafizabad.Methods: Data of 192 small, medium and large farmers was collected from four randomly selected villages of salinity affected area of Hafizabad district of Punjab province of Pakistan using multistage probability sampling technique. SPSS version 21.0 was utilized to analyze the data for generating logical results.Results: Farmers belonging to saline area communities were characterized on the basis of their education, experience, cultivated area, and method of irrigation and technological adoption for analyzing their livelihood typologies. Average yield of wheat was found to be 26mnds/acre, while marketable surplus was high for large farmers due to ownership of more area. Livelihood typologies were derived mainly from on-farm and off-farm income activities of the farmers. Agriculture farm earning in the saline area was estimated as Rs. 10 to 12 thousand per acre. Contribution of off-farm income in household cash flows was estimated in 79% of small, medium and large farmer as less than 15000 indicating the dependency status of the households.Conclusion: Major livelihood source in Salt-affected soils was still agricultural cash inflows beside their contribution to the food basket of consumers. Farmers were in favour of provision of farming inputs on subsidized rates i.e. lime and gypsum as a poverty alleviation strategy in the area for positive promotion of sharing culture with public sector.    Keywords: Salinity; Livelihood; Productivity; Farming experience; Farm size

Relationship between fear, fall & balance in cummunity dwelling older adults

Background: In older population the risk of fall is always at high risk and there are many contributing factor which increase the prevalence of fall. The impaired balance leads to limited daily activities and confidence level. Purpose of the study: The main purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between fall, fear and balance in older population. Method & methodology: The descriptive cross sectional study design was used and a sample of 271 older adult were recruited through purpose sampling technique. The detail demographic was noted, history of fall and other related co-morbidities were mention in performa. The standardized test Activity based confidence scale (ABC) and Time up & go (TUG) were used for proper assessment. Results: The result shows that 72% sample were composed of females and 28% were male. Majority 71% belong to age bracket 65-74 years and 79% have no history of fall. Only 19% have high level of physical function on confidence scale, 36% and 45 % were in moderate and low level of physical functioning respectively. The ralationship shows that the older adults who have impaire mobility on TUG have 30% (82) and 11.43% (31) low and moderate level of physical functioning on ABC scale respectively. Conclusions: The findings indicate that majority of older adults have no fall history but still most of them have low level of confidence & physical functioning on ABC scale. The confidence balance is associated with the physical functioning in older adults and need to improve the balance training for proper functioning