The agenda-setting impact of Egyptian nightly television talk shows on attitudes towards civic engagement in Egypt

The awareness function of the mass media is at the heart of civic engagement, which is fundamental for a country in transition to democracy such as Egypt. This study examined the agenda-setting impact of Egyptian nightly television talk shows on attitudes towards civic engagement among the Egyptian elite. This primary research linked agenda-setting theory to civic engagement. Through setting the salience of news and creating sociopolitical awareness, agenda-setting establishes the first step in civic engagement, creating an informed citizenry. A primary content analysis of the three most popular Egyptian nightly television talk shows before the Jan.25th revolution: Masr Ennharda (Egypt Today), Al Ashera Masa\u27an (10 PM), and 90 Deqeeqa (90 Minutes), was conducted to measure the media agenda. A total of 78 episodes of talk shows were coded from October 6 to November 10, before the 2010 parliamentary elections. A primary survey was conducted among a purposive sample of the Egyptian elite (356 participants) to examine the public agenda and the relationships between exposure to talk shows, agenda-setting, and civic engagement. The findings support an agenda-setting impact of Egyptian nightly television talk shows at the first and second levels. Participants cited talk shows as their main source of information for the news issues they listed. Respondents\u27 perceptions of the November 2010 parliamentary elections also corresponded with talk shows\u27 framing of the elections. The first outcome of the agenda-setting impact on both levels is sociopolitical awareness, which represents the first and most basic level of civic engagement. One of the primary findings of this study is the significant positive correlation between perception of talk shows as civically engaging and attitudes towards civic engagement. This study also found a positive relationship between exposure to nightly television shows and attitudes towards civic engagement. A five-point civic engagement scale was created to measure the overall level of civic engagement among participants, which found that the elite sample surveyed is civically engaged. This study proceeded with conducting qualitative interviews with experts, producing recommendations for talk shows in order to play a more active role in fostering civic engagement in Egypt

Monte Carlo integration in Glauber model analysis of reactions of halo nuclei

Reaction and elastic differential cross sections are calculated for light nuclei in the framework of the Glauber theory. The optical phase-shift function is evaluated by Monte Carlo integration. This enables us to use the most accurate wave functions and calculate the phase-shift functions without approximation. Examples of proton nucleus (e.g. p-$^6$He, p-$^6$Li) and nucleus-nucleus (e.g. $^6$He$-^{12}$C) scatterings illustrate the effectiveness of the method. This approach gives us a possibility of a more stringent analysis of the high-energy reactions of halo nuclei.Comment: 20 pages, 8 figure

Analyse des facteurs d'évolution des caractéristiques de ruissellement à l'échelle d'une parcelle cultivée sur sols argileux vertiques au nord du Cap Bon (Tunisie)

L’analyse hydrologique à l’exutoire d’une parcelle cultivée, sur sols argileux vertiques développés, a montré que le ruissellement et le transport solide dépendent principalement du calendrier cultural et des dates choisies pour les labours et pour les semis ainsi que du développement du couvert végétal. Sur les sols limono-argileux peu épais de la parcelle agronomique, le ruissellement dépend principalement du cumul des pluies depuis la dernière opération culturale (labour ou semis) ou depuis le début de la saison des pluies. Il dépend secondairement de l’humidité du sol, plus particulièrement lorsque les averses se suivent à des intervalles de temps de quelques heures. La charge solide moyenne des crues de la parcelle dépend du débit maximum des crues mais l’encroûtement de la surface du sol et le développement de la végétation réduisent progressivement l’érosion de la parcelle. L’érosion devient extrêmement faible dès que le taux de recouvrement végétal excède 50%

Population balances in case of crossing characteristic curves: Application to T-cells immune response

The progression of a cell population where each individual is characterized by the value of an internal variable varying with time (e.g. size, weight, and protein concentration) is typically modeled by a Population Balance Equation, a first order linear hyperbolic partial differential equation. The characteristics described by internal variables usually vary monotonically with the passage of time. A particular difficulty appears when the characteristic curves exhibit different slopes from each other and therefore cross each other at certain times. In particular such crossing phenomenon occurs during T-cells immune response when the concentrations of protein expressions depend upon each other and also when some global protein (e.g. Interleukin signals) is also involved which is shared by all T-cells. At these crossing points, the linear advection equation is not possible by using the classical way of hyperbolic conservation laws. Therefore, a new Transport Method is introduced in this article which allowed us to find the population density function for such processes. The newly developed Transport method (TM) is shown to work in the case of crossing and to provide a smooth solution at the crossing points in contrast to the classical PDF techniques.Comment: 18 pages, 10 figure

Forward Thinking and Adaptability to Sustain and Advance IPECP in Healthcare Transformation Following the COVID-19 Pandemic

The proliferation of the novel SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus across the globe in 2020 produced a shared trauma internationally of unprecedented devastation, disruption, and death. At the same time, the pandemic has been a transformation catalyst accelerating the implementation and adoption of long overdue changes in healthcare education and practice, including telehealth and virtual learning. The COVID-19 pandemic has placed healthcare at a crossroads, either viewing it as a temporary situation that requires short-term solutions, or as a major disruption that presents opportunities for innovation for sustainable development and transformation. As COVID-19 transitions from pandemic to endemic, we have a unique opportunity to leverage lessons learned that can foster healthcare transformation through innovation, forward thinking, and interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP). With the changing landscape of higher education and healthcare, IPECP leaders need to reflect on and implement ‘Forward Thinking and Adaptability’ and ‘Sustainability and Growth’ in their IPECP approaches and strategies to achieve the Quintuple Aim. To capitalize on this opportunity and based on a recent publication by InterprofessionalResearch Global, this paper explores and debates (from a global perspective) the impact and application of healthcare education and practice transformation on IPECP with the goal to identify best practices in integrating and sustaining IPECP and building a resilient workforce

Short-term costs of conventional vs laparoscopic assisted surgery in patients with colorectal cancer (MRC CLASICC trial)

The short-term clinical results of the CLASICC trial indicated that clinical outcomes were similar between laparoscopic and open approaches. This study presents the short-term (3 month) cost analysis undertaken on a subset of patients entered into the CLASICC trial (682 of 794 patients). As expected the costs associated with the operation were higher in the 452 patients randomised to laparoscopic surgery (lap) compared with the 230 randomised to open procedure (open), £1703 vs £1386. This was partially offset by the other hospital (nontheatre) costs, which were lower in the lap group (£2930 vs £3176). The average cost to individuals for reoperations was higher in the lap group (£762 vs £553). Overall costs were slightly higher in the lap group (£6899 vs £6631), with mean difference of £268 (95%CI −689 to 1457). Sensitivity analysis made little difference to these results. The cost of rectal surgery was higher than for colon, for lap (£8259 vs £5586) and open procedures (£7820 vs £5503). The short-term cost analysis for the CLASICC trial indicates that the costs of either laparoscopic or open procedure were similar, lap surgery costing marginally more on average than open surgery

Hepatitis B and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Screening Among Asian Americans: Survey of Safety Net Healthcare Providers

BackgroundPhysician patterns of screening for hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among Asian Americans are not well described.AimsTo describe HBV and HCC screening practices among providers with large Asian American populations.MethodsProviders within San Francisco's safety net system were surveyed with respect to HBV and HCC screening practices as well as knowledge, attitudes, and barriers to HCC screening.ResultsAmong the 109 respondents (response rate = 72%), 62% were aged >40, 65% female, 24% Asian, 87% primary care providers, and 48% had >25% Asian patients. Only 76% had screened >50% of their Asian patients for HBV and 43% had vaccinated >50% of eligible patients against HBV. Although 94% knew Asians were disproportionately affected by HCC, only 79% had screened for HCC in >50% of their Asian patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). A majority believed that HCC screening in CHB reduces HCC mortality (70%) and is cost-effective (57%). The most common HCC screening modality was AFP with abdominal ultrasound every 6-12 months (63%). Factors associated with HBV screening were familiarity with AASLD guidelines (OR 6.4, 95% CI 1.3-30.1, p = 0.02) and having vaccinated >50% of eligible patients against HBV (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.1-4.5, p = 0.03). Factors associated with HCC screening using abdominal ultrasound every 6-12 months were having >25% Asian patients (OR = 4.5, 95% CI 1.3-15.3, p = 0.02) and higher HCC knowledge score (OR = 1.9 per item, 95% CI 1.01-3.6, p = 0.045).ConclusionsHBV and HCC screening rates and HBV vaccination among Asians from physician report is suboptimal. HCC screening is associated with having more Asian patients and higher provider knowledge. Provider education is essential in increasing rates of HBV and HCC screening among Asian Americans

Numerical analysis of seepage–deformation in unsaturated soils

A coupled elastic–plastic finite element analysis based on simplified consolidation theory for unsaturated soils is used to investigate the coupling processes of water infiltration and deformation. By introducing a reduced suction and an elastic–plastic constitutive equation for the soil skeleton, the simplified consolidation theory for unsaturated soils is incorporated into an in-house finite element code. Using the proposed numerical method, the generation of pore water pressure and development of deformation can be simulated under evaporation or rainfall infiltration conditions. Through a parametric study and comparison with the test results, the proposed method is found to describe well the characteristics during water evaporation/infiltration into unsaturated soils. Finally, an unsaturated soil slope with water infiltration is analyzed in detail to investigate the development of the displacement and generation of pore water pressure