Effectiveness of Civil Engineering program, M L Sultan Technikon.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.The purpose of this research was to gather both qualitative and quantitative data, regarding program quality and effectiveness of the civil engineering discipline, offered by M L Sultan Technikon. Seventy two students registered for the civil engineering program, participated in this study. Data was gathered by using questionnaires and documentation on the civil engineering program. The researcher's pragmatic framework has been greatly influenced by the view of Sackney (1986) and Edmonds (1982) and the Higher Education Quality Committee (2000) on quality assurance systems and effective programs in higher education. Document analysis was carried out and descriptive statistics was used to analyse both the qualitative and the quantitative data. Some of the major findings of this research were The average throughput rate for the civil engineering program was 41 % which was significantly higher than the average throughput rate for the entire technikon, which was 18%. It is interesting to note that funding from government is based on the throughput rate. The throughput rate is greatly influenced by the compulsory experiential training component of the program. If students cannot acquire in­service training, then this reduces the throughput rate. The program has a mission statement and clearly stated goals. All the staff and 62% of the students who participated in the study were familiar with the goals of the program

The Societal Implications of Blockchain Proliferation

Blockchain and its distributed ledger technology have far-reaching implications for consumers across the world. Cryptocurrencies like XRP work to solve key issues in the remittance industry, targeting corridors like Mexico where foreign remittance fuels economies. Blockchain's libertarian principles have the potential to change lives in the third world, replacing corrupt infrastructure with trust-based solutions. While this technology can be used to significantly improve lives, it has a wealth of destructive applications. Bitcoin's blockchain and nefarious websites like the Silk Road have fueled an underground market of drugs, money laundering, and terrorism, complicating digital currency legislation. The negative environmental effects of cryptocurrency may also contribute significantly to global climate change. Negatives aside, cryptocurrency still proves to be a valuable commodity in technological development

High- and low-sinuosity stream deposits of the Sentinel Butte Formation (Paleocene) McKenzie County, North Dakota

High-sinuosity channel deposits in the Sentinel Butte Formation occur as elongate, tabular beds of sand that fine upward from an erosional base. The sand beds contain epsilon cross-stratification, within which stratification changes upward from large-scale trough crossstratification to horizontal stratification and small-scale crossstratification, indicating upward decrease in flow regime due to accretion of laterally-migrating point bars. Inset in the sand beds are channelplug deposits that are narrow and arcuate in map view and asymmetrically trough shaped in cross-section, and consist of sandy silt and clay. Lowsinuosity channel deposits occur as elongate, trough-shaped sand beds that fine upward from a deeply-channeled base. The abundant high-angle planar eras s-stratification and horizontal stratification probably originated in transverse bars. Epsilon cross-stratification and channel plugs are absent except in one bed that is transitional to a high-sinuosity channel deposit. Silt beds, containing sandy or clayey lenses, occur in tabular beds overlying high-sinuosity-channel deposits and in wedge-shaped beds adjacent to low-sinuosity channel deposits, and are interpreted to be natural levee deposits. Silt beds become thinner and finer-grained away from channel deposits and interfinger with clay beds. Horizontal stratification, small-scale cross-stratification, distorted lamination, and climbing ripples may be present in the silt beds. Natural-levee sediment grades vertically and laterally to tabular beds of clay that contain distorted laminations, abundant plant fragments, 3nd lignite lenses, and are overlain by lignite beds. The clay and lignite beds were probably deposited in floodbasins and backswamps. Lensoidal beds of very fine sand occur in the natural levee and floodbasin deposits and are probably crevasse-splay deposits. Lensoidal sand beds contain horizontal stratification, high-angle planar cross-stratification, and small-scale cross-stratification. Paleocurrent data indicate highly variable current directions. Vertically stacked low-sinuosity channel deposits that appear to diverge downstream from high-sinuosity channel deposits may be distributaries of highly sinuous streams on a delta. The delta may have prograded into the Paleocene sea in which the marine Cannonball Formation was deposited

Assessing the Level of Household Food Demand Protection Based on Income

CC BY-NC-ND 4.0The goal of this study is to establish the level of food demand protection in Ukrainian households depending on the level of their income, taking into account the impact of other factors and their relationship with the level of food consumption. The survey methodology is based on a sample survey of 8,168 households in Ukraine. This thematic module survey was conducted during a quarterly interview in January 2017 using a special questionnaire. The research was conducted in the context of the following categories of households: place of residence; quantitative composition; number of children; number of adults; availability and number of working persons; on amount of per capita equivalent disposable income; and region. The results of the study showed that all of the identified factors have a significant impact on the level of food demand protection in Ukrainian households. It was found that the level of food consumption is influenced by, in addition to income, established traditions, the number of adults, status of employment, and the presence of children in the family. At the regional level, specialization and logistics are important factors in food demand protection. In general, a fairly high level of public awareness of the importance of food demand protection was established. Consideration of the identified factors while forming policy and developing the mechanisms of food demand protection will contribute to the achievement of SDGs 1 and 2

Recruitment strategies and rates of a multi-site behavioral intervention for adolescents and young adults with cancer

INTRODUCTION: To provide an overview of factors related to recruitment of adolescents and young adults (AYA) into research and recruitment rates and reasons for refusal from a multicenter study entitled "Stories and Music for Adolescent/Young Adult Resilience during Transplant" (SMART). METHODS: A randomized clinical trial study design was used. The settings included 9 hospitals. The sample included AYAs (aged 11-24 years) who were undergoing a stem cell transplant. Several instruments were used to measure symptom distress, coping, resilience, and quality of life in AYA with cancer. RESULTS: A total of 113 AYA were recruited (50%) for this study. Strategies were refined as the study continued to address challenges related to recruitment. We provide a description of recruitment strategies and an evaluation of our planning, implementing, and monitoring of recruitment rates for the SMART study. DISCUSSION: When designing a study, careful consideration must be given to factors influencing recruitment as well as special considerations for unique populations. Dissemination of strategies specific to unique populations will be helpful to the design of future research studies

Implementation of a provider-focused intervention for maximizing human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake in young cancer survivors receiving follow-up care in pediatric oncology practices: Protocol for a cluster-randomized trial of the HPV PROTECT intervention

BACKGROUND: Childhood cancer survivors are at high risk for developing new cancers (such as cervical and anal cancer) caused by persistent infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV vaccination is effective in preventing the infections that lead to these cancers, but HPV vaccine uptake is low among young cancer survivors. Lack of a healthcare provider recommendation is the most common reason that cancer survivors fail to initiate the HPV vaccine. Strategies that are most successful in increasing HPV vaccine uptake in the general population focus on enhancing healthcare provider skills to effectively recommend the vaccine, and reducing barriers faced by the young people and their parents in receiving the vaccine. This study will evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of an evidence-based healthcare provider-focused intervention (HPV PROTECT) adapted for use in pediatric oncology clinics, to increase HPV vaccine uptake among cancer survivors 9 to 17 years of age. METHODS: This study uses a hybrid type 1 effectiveness-implementation approach. We will test the effectiveness of the HPV PROTECT intervention using a stepped-wedge cluster-randomized trial across a multi-state sample of pediatric oncology clinics. We will evaluate implementation (provider perspectives regarding intervention feasibility, acceptability and appropriateness in the pediatric oncology setting, provider fidelity to intervention components and change in provider HPV vaccine-related knowledge and practices [e.g., providing vaccine recommendations, identifying and reducing barriers to vaccination]) using a mixed methods approach. DISCUSSION: This multisite trial will address important gaps in knowledge relevant to the prevention of HPV-related malignancies in young cancer survivors by testing the effectiveness of an evidence-based provider-directed intervention, adapted for the pediatric oncology setting, to increase HPV vaccine initiation in young cancer survivors receiving care in pediatric oncology clinics, and by procuring information regarding intervention delivery to inform future implementation efforts. If proven effective, HPV PROTECT will be readily disseminable for testing in the larger pediatric oncology community to increase HPV vaccine uptake in cancer survivors, facilitating protection against HPV-related morbidities for this vulnerable population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04469569, prospectively registered on July 14, 2020

Randomized clinical trial of therapeutic music video intervention for resilience outcomes in adolescents/young adults undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant: a report from the Children's Oncology Group

BACKGROUND: To reduce the risk of adjustment problems associated with hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) for adolescents/young adults (AYAs), we examined efficacy of a therapeutic music video (TMV) intervention delivered during the acute phase of HSCT to: 1) increase protective factors of spiritual perspective, social integration, family environment, courageous coping, and hope-derived meaning; 2) decrease risk factors of illness-related distress and defensive coping; and 3) increase outcomes of self-transcendence and resilience. METHODS: This was a multisite randomized, controlled trial (COG-ANUR0631) conducted at 8 Children's Oncology Group sites involving 113 AYAs aged 11-24 years undergoing myeloablative HSCT. Participants, randomized to the TMV or low-dose control (audiobooks) group, completed 6 sessions over 3 weeks with a board-certified music therapist. Variables were based on Haase's Resilience in Illness Model (RIM). Participants completed measures related to latent variables of illness-related distress, social integration, spiritual perspective, family environment, coping, hope-derived meaning, and resilience at baseline (T1), postintervention (T2), and 100 days posttransplant (T3). RESULTS: At T2, the TMV group reported significantly better courageous coping (Effect Size [ES], 0.505; P = .030). At T3, the TMV group reported significantly better social integration (ES, 0.543; P = .028) and family environment (ES, 0.663; P = .008), as well as moderate nonsignificant effect sizes for spiritual perspective (ES, 0.450; P = .071) and self-transcendence (ES, 0.424; P = .088). CONCLUSIONS: The TMV intervention improves positive health outcomes of courageous coping, social integration, and family environment during a high-risk cancer treatment. We recommend the TMV be examined in a broader population of AYAs with high-risk cancers

A multilevel analytical framework for studying cultural evolution in prehistoric hunter-gatherer societies

Over the past decade, a major debate has taken place on the underpinnings of cultural changes in human societies. A growing array of evidence in behavioural and evolutionary biology has revealed that social connectivity among populations and within them affects, and is affected by, culture. Yet the interplay between prehistoric hunter-gatherer social structure and cultural transmission has typically been overlooked. Interestingly, the archaeological record contains large data sets, allowing us to track cultural changes over thousands of years: they thus offer a unique opportunity to shed light on long‐term cultural transmission processes

Adolescent/Young Adult Perspectives of a Therapeutic Music Video Intervention to Improve Resilience During Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant for Cancer

This empirical phenomenology study reports adolescents/young adults (AYA) experiences of the therapeutic music video (TMV) intervention arm of a randomized controlled clinical trial (Children's Oncology Group; COG-ANUR0631; R01 NR008583) during hospitalization for a hematopoietic stem cell transplant. A purposive subsample of 14 AYA were interviewed using a broad open-ended data-generating question about their TMV intervention experiences. At the end of each interview, we also asked AYA for suggestions on how to improve the TMV. Analysis of the narrative data resulted in four theme categories: (a) An Interwoven Experience of the Transplant and TMV Intervention; (b) TMV as a Guided Opportunity for Reflection, Self-Expression, and Meaning-Making; (c) Telling My Story: The Work of Deriving Meaning; and (d) A Way to Overcome the Bad Side of Cancer. AYA suggestions for improving the TMV are also summarized. Findings provide insight into ways the TMV supports AYA efforts to overcome distress and challenges by providing opportunities to reflect on what is meaningful, connect with others, and explore/identify personal strengths. Findings also inform our understanding about how the TMV may have functioned (i.e., mechanisms of action) to bring about significant change in AYA self-reported outcomes (i.e., positive coping, social support, and family function) for this trial