An intervention using digital social media to support academic writing of university students: a case study

Many university students, both native and non-native speakers of English, seek ongoing discipline-based academic writing support. However, this type of support within the university sector has yet to be broadly implemented due to cost and practical concerns. their overall academic performance. The effects of using digital social media as a platform in providing academic writing support for university students was investigated within this research. The research also intended to investigate university -efficacy beliefs in this context. It is believed that self-efficacy functions as a significant predictor of academic writing performance. This study included three main phases pre-intervention, intervention and post-intervention—with 25 university students from a regional Australian university. A case study method was incorporated that accompanied quantitative and qualitative methods within an overall qualitative design. Self-efficacy questionnaires, interviews and field notes were used to collect data in this study. The intervention phase provided the participants with academic writing support by the researcher via digital social media for four weeks. The analysed data of this case study showed improvement in the participants’ academic writing self-efficacy beliefs after the academic writing support they gained during the intervention phase. The reason for this improvement can be found in the use of a digital social media platform that enabled the provision of discipline-based academic writing support when the participants needed it most. The results suggest that digital social media may be a beneficial platform for providing ongoing discipline-based academic writing support for university students

Knowledge management for disaster resilience: Identification of key success factors

The number of reported disasters has increased steadily over the past century and risen very sharply during the past decade. These bring about the loss of lives, property, employment and damage to the physical infrastructure and the environment. Disaster management efforts aim to reduce or avoid the potential losses from hazards, assure prompt and appropriate assistance to victims of disaster, and achieve rapid and effective recovery. While knowledge management can enhance the process of disaster management, there is a perceived gap in information coordination and sharing within the context of disaster management. Identifying key success factors will be an enabler to manage the disasters successfully. In this context, this study aims to identify and map key knowledge success factors for managing disasters successfully through capturing the good practices and lessons learned. The objective of this paper is to present the literature findings on factors which support successful disaster management. Accordingly the identified factors were classified into eight main categories as technological, social, legal, environmental, economical, functional, institutional and political

Disaster knowledge factors: benefits and challenges

Disasters bring about the loss of lives, property, employment and damage to the physical infrastructure and the environment. The number of reported disasters has increased steadily over the past century and risen very sharply during the past decade. While knowledge management can enhance the process of disaster management, there is a perceived gap in information coordination and sharing within the context of disaster management. Identification of key disaster knowledge factors will be an enabler to manage disasters successfully. This study aims to identify and map key disaster knowledge success factors in managing disasters successfully through capturing good practices and lessons learned. A list of disaster knowledge factors was first identified through a comprehensive literature review, covering the whole disaster management cycle. Based on these literature findings, semi-structured interviews were conducted among few disaster management practitioners to explore the influence and lacking areas relating to these factors in managing disasters. The objective of this paper is to present the interview findings on benefits and challenges related to the disaster knowledge factors. A comprehensive list of benefits and challenges of disaster knowledge factors in managing disasters is identified

Microbiomics of Oral Biofilms: Driving the Future of Dental Research

Oral infectious diseases such as dental caries, periodontal disease, endodontic infections, oral candidiasis and peri-implantitis cause major health problems worldwide. All of these infectious diseases are associated with the biofilm growth mode of the oral pathogens. In the past, researchers often attempted to examine the association of single pathogens with particular dental diseases such as in the case of Streptococcus mutans acting as an aetiological agent for dental caries and the so-called “red-complex” bacteria for periodontal disease. However, with the recent advent of OMICS biology techniques such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, it is possible to gain new insights into the host-microbial interaction, microbial community structure and composition in the oral cavity. The new studies on oral microbiomics can unravel the facets of the aetiopathology of oral diseases as never seen before. This mini-review will provide an history and overview of some of the existing DNA sequencing platforms employed to study the microbiomics of oral biofilms and the exciting future ahead for dental research. DOI : https://doi.org/10.26912/sdj.2017.01.01-0

Appraisal on composting and home gardening programme in Kinniya, Trincomalee

The Present survey was carried out from January-April 2015 to evaluate the current status of composting and home gardening programme in Kinniya. Solid waste was the major problem identified by the PCZRSM project in coastal areas of Kinniya. Several seeds and compost bins were provided by the project for identified households in 2014 to the success of home gardening activities. Main purpose of this activity is indirectly reduce the waste accumulation in coastal areas and make beneficial way as producing compost for home gardening in an effective way. Therefore it is essential for evaluation on the progress of the programme and it was conducted by the formulated questionnaire. The data on socio economic data, waste disposal, and home gardening was collected. Fifty families of samples in particular villages of Alangkerny, Sinnathodam, Eachantheevu and Mahroof Nagar were selected for the survey. The results revealed that the waste disposal into natural eco system was calculated as high percentage (40%) and smell problem was recorded as the main issue (40%) due to unregulated waste disposal before the awareness programme. According to the calculation, the awareness programme conducted by the PCZRSMP created best solution for the solid waste issue. People were encouraged to produce compost and highest portions of families (98%) utilizing compost for agriculture purposes while 2% of them sell their compost. Most of the people (98%) consider compost is an effective fertilizer. The calculation shows that the majority of the people are willing to continue the composting process hence it is an effective waste management method (90%). Most of the villages are satisfied with composting and home gardening programme and willing to continue in future also. Further, the continuous monitoring should be needed for success of the programme as well as for providing best livelihood for the people

C1 inhibitor deficiency: 2014 United Kingdom consensus document

C1 inhibitor deficiency is a rare disorder manifesting with recurrent attacks of disabling and potentially life-threatening angioedema. Here we present an updated 2014 United Kingdom consensus document for the management of C1 inhibitor-deficient patients, representing a joint venture between the United Kingdom Primary Immunodeficiency Network and Hereditary Angioedema UK. To develop the consensus, we assembled a multi-disciplinary steering group of clinicians, nurses and a patient representative. This steering group first met in 2012, developing a total of 48 recommendations across 11 themes. The statements were distributed to relevant clinicians and a representative group of patients to be scored for agreement on a Likert scale. All 48 statements achieved a high degree of consensus, indicating strong alignment of opinion. The recommendations have evolved significantly since the 2005 document, with particularly notable developments including an improved evidence base to guide dosing and indications for acute treatment, greater emphasis on home therapy for acute attacks and a strong focus on service organisation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved