Making Methods Relevant: Undergraduate Research Methods and the Content Analysis Project

Teachers of undergraduate research methods classes may struggle at times to keep their courses engaging and to have students view the material as relevant to the occupations they will soon enter. This article discusses a content analysis assignment and how it offers a way for students to demonstrate critical thinking and acquire data analysis skills. Through the use of multiple high-impact learning practices, the assignment requires students, individually or in a group, to identify data appropriate for content analysis and then, with faculty guidance, develop research questions, manage the data, conceptualize and operationalize themes, perform content analysis, draw conclusions from the data, and assess the validity and reliability of their work. We discuss the benefits and potential pitfalls of the assignment and analyze data (both quantitative and qualitative) derived from student evaluations of their content analysis project

Findings from a Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) in Southern Malawi

BACKGROUND: Data on prevalence and causes of avoidable blindness in Malawi are not readily available. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and causes of blindness in persons aged 50 and above in southern Malawi to plan eye care services for the community. METHODOLOGY: A population-based survey was conducted in 7 districts in southern Malawi. Villages were selected by probability proportionate to size within each district. Clusters were further subdivided into segments. A predetermined number of segments were selected randomly in each cluster. The survey team moved from house to house in each segment until they had examined 50 people over the age of 50. Examination consisted of visual acuity measurement with tumbling "E" chart and ocular examination by an ophthalmologist. Participants were categorized by visual acuity. Those who were visually impaired (VA<6/18 in the better eye with available correction) were assigned a main cause of visual loss. Further information was sought from anyone who had received cataract surgery. RESULTS: A total number of 3,583 persons aged 50 and above were sampled; among these 3,430 (95.7%) were examined. The prevalence of blindness (presenting visual acuity <3/60 in the better eye) among persons aged 50 and above was 3.3% (95% CI 2.5-4.1). Cataract was the most common cause of blindness contributing to 48.2% of all cases, followed by glaucoma (15.8%) and cornea scarring (12.3%). The cataract surgical coverage in blind persons was 44.6%. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of blindness and visual impairment in persons aged 50 and above was lower than the WHO estimate for Malawi. The majority of the causes were avoidable, with cataract accounting for approximately half of all cases of blindness. The data suggests that expansion of eye care programs to address avoidable causes of blindness is necessary in this area of southern Malawi

Findings from a Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) in Southern Malawi

BACKGROUND: Data on prevalence and causes of avoidable blindness in Malawi are not readily available. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and causes of blindness in persons aged 50 and above in southern Malawi to plan eye care services for the community. METHODOLOGY: A population-based survey was conducted in 7 districts in southern Malawi. Villages were selected by probability proportionate to size within each district. Clusters were further subdivided into segments. A predetermined number of segments were selected randomly in each cluster. The survey team moved from house to house in each segment until they had examined 50 people over the age of 50. Examination consisted of visual acuity measurement with tumbling "E" chart and ocular examination by an ophthalmologist. Participants were categorized by visual acuity. Those who were visually impaired (VA<6/18 in the better eye with available correction) were assigned a main cause of visual loss. Further information was sought from anyone who had received cataract surgery. RESULTS: A total number of 3,583 persons aged 50 and above were sampled; among these 3,430 (95.7%) were examined. The prevalence of blindness (presenting visual acuity <3/60 in the better eye) among persons aged 50 and above was 3.3% (95% CI 2.5-4.1). Cataract was the most common cause of blindness contributing to 48.2% of all cases, followed by glaucoma (15.8%) and cornea scarring (12.3%). The cataract surgical coverage in blind persons was 44.6%. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of blindness and visual impairment in persons aged 50 and above was lower than the WHO estimate for Malawi. The majority of the causes were avoidable, with cataract accounting for approximately half of all cases of blindness. The data suggests that expansion of eye care programs to address avoidable causes of blindness is necessary in this area of southern Malawi

Making nice or faking nice? Exploring supervisors’ two-faced response to their past abusive behavior

Although extant research has shown that abusive supervision is a destructive and immoral form of leader behavior, theory provides conflicting perspectives on how supervisors respond to their own abusive behavior. We therefore draw upon and integrate moral cleansing theory and impression management and construction theory to explore whether and when supervisors engage in genuine reparations or impression management following episodes of abusive behavior. Results taken from a 3-week, experience sampling study of supervisors suggest support for the impression management path; following episodes of abusive behavior, supervisors higher on symbolized moral identity become more concerned with their image, and thus engage in increased ingratiation, self-promotion, and exemplification toward their subordinates. In contrast, we found no support for the genuine, moral cleansing path. This study thus extends knowledge regarding supervisors’ responses to their own abusive behavior, challenging the existing notion that such responses are genuine and focused on addressing the moral implications of the behavior

The oxidation behavior of tungsten and germanium alloyed molybdenum disilicide coatings

A two-step coating process was used to produce a (Mo,W)(Si,Ge){sub 2} coating on niobium. After exposure to high temperatures, a lower silicide layer forms underneath and is effective in arresting cracks. The oxidation weight-gain kinetics are parabolic following an initial transient period. Test coupons coated with (Mo,W)(Si,Ge){sub 2} passed 200 one-hour cycles at 1370{degree}C and 60 one-hour cycles at 1540{degree}C. These results, along with evidence of a thick protective glass layer, suggest that the germanium additions help cyclic oxidation resistance. The beneficial effects of the tungsten include the formation of microvoids, which provides a lower effective elastic modulus, and mechanical strengthening. No accelerated low temperature or ``pest`` oxidation was observed in the temperature range between 500--700{degree}C. Thus, a (Mo,W)(Si,Ge) multicomponent silicide coating offers significant promise for the protection of Nb-base alloys exposed to cyclic oxidizing environments over a broad range of temperatures

Blindness in Childhood in Developing Countries: Time for a Reassessment?

Paul Courtright and colleagues argue that the changing patterns of global childhood blindness suggest a need to reassess research, training, and programmatic requirements