Influence of Intercultural Experiences Abroad on African American High School Students

African American high school students are underrepresented in study abroad programs, and their lack of intercultural skills and international understanding can impede their personal and professional development, and limit their career opportunities. The purpose of this descriptive qualitative case study was to explore the influence of intercultural experiences through study abroad and immersion programs on African American high school students\u27 intercultural competence. The conceptual framework drew on 2 theories: Bennett\u27s development model of intercultural sensitivity and Kolb\u27s experiential learning. Data from interviews and focus groups with 13 African American high school students, 2 parents, and 2 teachers as well as documents and field notes from a Northeast United States urban high school addressed the research questions pertaining to how students perceived travel abroad that fostered intercultural competence skills as well as how teachers and parents perceived students\u27 personal development. Findings resulted from provisional codes used to identify pattern of codes, and central themes that indicated predeparture seminars and reflective practices enhanced intercultural skills. The portfolios suggested that most students became more reflective and accepting of cultural differences after their sojourn abroad. Recommendations based on the findings suggest increasing homestay experiences and planning and predeparture trainings. Future research is needed on how to attract more male African American students to such programs. The findings may contribute to positive social change by encouraging investment in homestay study abroad and immersion programs with adequate preparation and planning at inner city high schools that might foster intercultural competence skills

Meningkatkan Hasil Belajar Siswa Pada Materi Pecahan Melalui Model Pembelajaran Kooperatif Tipe STAD Di Kelas IV SDN Balayon Kecamatan Liang

Permasalahan penelitian ini adalah rendahnya hasil belajar siswa pada materi pecahan kelas IV SDN Balayon Kecamatan Liang pada materi pecahan Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk meningkatkan hasil belajar siswa Kelas IV SDN Balayon pada materi pecahan melalui metode kooperatif. Rancangan penelitian tindakan kelas ini dilakukan dalam dua siklus dan setiap siklus terdiri dari empat tahap yaitu (1) perencanaan (2) Pelaksanaan (3) observasi (4) refleksi. Pengumpulan data melalui teknik pemberian tes, wawancara, observasi dan pencatatan lapangan. Analisis data dilakukan melalui reduksi, penyajian dan penarikan kesimpulan. Subjek penelitian ini adalah siswa kelas IV SDN Balayon yang berjumlah 15 orang siswa. Hasil penelitian menunjukan data awal siswa yang kategori tuntas 3 orang atau presentase ketuntasan klasikal 20%. Pada siklus 1 banyak siswa yang tuntas 8 orang presentase ketuntasan klasikal 53,3%. Sedangkan Siklus II banyaknya siswa yang tuntas 14 orang, presentase ketuntasan klasikal 93,3%. Kesimpulan dari penelitian ini adalah model pembelajaran kooperatif tipe STAD dapat meningkatkan hasil belajar pada materi pecahan pada siswa kelas IV SDN Balayon

L'écrivain africain et l'institution littéraire : entretien avec l'écrivain congolais Sony Labou Tansi

L’écrivain africain et l’institution littérair

Concurrent use of traditional medicine and prescribed antibiotics and/or antiviral medicines and their effects on antimicrobial resistance and treatment failure in Ilembe district, Kwazulu-Natal province, South Africa.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville.Background: Traditional herbal mixtures are generally available, affordable and commonly utilized in developing and developed countries and usually utilized as self-care treatments. However, its incorrect use can lead to fatal outcomes. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is driven by many factors such as the careless use of prescribed antimicrobial medicines and the use of traditional medicine, with the result that there is always the danger of misadministration, interaction, and toxicity. AMR is also considered as the major cause of treatment failure and is largely responsible for the declining in eradication rates of infectious diseases worldwide. Individuals may consult both traditional healer practitioners (THPs) and biomedically trained healthcare professionals (BHPs) for the treatment of their bacterial and viral infections. This study aimed at determining whether any antimicrobial resistance and treatment failure could occur among patients, attending outpatient departments of selected healthcare facilities, who used concurrently prescribed antimicrobial medicines and traditional medicine in the Ilembe district, South Africa Methods: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study using a mixed method approach. First phase was a qualitative study using an interview face to face with a questionnaire. One hundred and thirty two respondents were included with four (4) types of participants: Traditional health practitioners (THPs), Patients seen by THPs, biomedically healthcare professionals (BHPs) and outpatients. Second phase was a quantitative study using a medical chart review of 400 patients’ medical records and who attended the outpatient department in two public healthcare facilities between February and March 2018. Antimicrobials prescribed alone or in association with other medicines and concurrent use of traditional medicine were assessed and reported using descriptive statistics. Where applicable, associations were carried out; a p-value ˂0.05 was estimated as statistically significant. Results: This study found a small number of medicinal plants used by traditional healer practitioners for treating infectious diseases of patients seen by them. The majority of traditional healer practitioners and their patients (21/32, 65.62%) mixed different herbs for the treatment of infectious diseases. Traditional healer practitioners and patients seen by them agreed that the combination of both traditional medicines and prescribed medicines for infectious diseases may lead to interactions, adverse effects; infectious diseases may get worse if the time lapses between the two medicines do not exist. However, biomedically healthcare professionals and outpatients reported that combing traditional with prescribed medicines for infectious diseases may result in drug resistance, especially resistance to antibiotics and they highlighted that the majority of XV patients came to the clinic with several complications such as kidney failure, vomiting, diarrhoea and jaundice after using either TM alone or in combination with prescribed medicines. Besides the perception phase of this study, 400 outpatients’ medical records were documented from two different municipalities, many participants had viral infections (194/400, 48.50%). Overall, 12% of participants (48/400) had documented negative clinical outcomes with adverse effects (30/48) and interactions (18/48). A few participants (15/400, 3.75%) had used traditional medicine in conjunction with prescribed medicines. Among those who used both traditional medicine and prescribed medicines, the majority (80%, 12/15) had documented adverse effects due to the concurrent use of traditional medicine and prescribed medicines. After adjustment, documented adverse effects and interactions were significantly more likely due to the use of traditional medicine (AOR = 0.01, 95% CI = 0.001-0.05) and (AOR = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.37-1.23) respectively. Conclusion: From perceptions stated by respondents in this study, the concurrent use of conventional and traditional herbal medicines may interfere or result in damaging some organs, failure of therapeutic effects and modification of pharmacological actions of administered medicines. Traditional medicine was sparingly used in conjunction with prescribed antimicrobials for viral and bacterial/fungal infectious diseases. However, adverse effects and interactions such as herbal intoxication, persistent rashes, and treatment failure were documented in few medical chart records among outpatients attending the two selected healthcare facilities. Further studies are needed to investigate the effects of concurrent use of traditional medicine and prescribed medicines in other parts of South Africa

KAJIAN KUAT TEKAN BETON DENGAN KALSIUM KARBONAT BUATAN SBEGAI REPLACEMENT SEBAGIAN PORTLAND CEMENT PADA LINGKUNGAN AIR BERGARAM

Penelitian ini bertujuan mengkaji kuat tekan beton dengan kalsium karbonat buatan sebagai replacement sebagian Portland cement di lingkungan air normal dan dan air bergaram (25%). Penelitian ini menggunakan kalsium karbonat buatan sebanyak 0%, 5%, dan 7,5% dari berat semen yang dibutuhkan. Proses pengujian dimulai dari pengujian agregat kasar, agregat halus, dan menguji gradasidan kadar air agregat halus. Proses pembuatan benda uji sebanyak 18 buah silinder, 6 buah untuk replacement kalsium karbonat 0%, 6 buah kalsium karbonat 5%, 6 buah untuk replacement 7,5%. Selanjutnya perendaman benda uji di air normal dan air bergaram (25%). Pengujian kuat tekan dilakukan dengan menggunakan hammer test pada umur 3, 7, 14, 21, 28, 60, 90 hari. Dari hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa 1) kuat tekan menggunakan hammer test replacement kalsium karbonat 0% direndam pada air normal umur 28 sebesar 21,24 MPa, umur 90 hari sebesar 18,91 MPa, replacement kalsium karbonat 5% direndam pada air normal pada umur 28 hari sebesar 17,56 MPa, umur 90 hari sebesar 17,27 MPa, replacement kalsium karbonat 7,5% direndam pada air normal pada umur 28 hari sebesar 14,36 MPa, umur 90 hari sebesar 14,49 MPa . 2) kuat tekan menggunakan hammer test replacement kalsium karbonat 0% direndam pada air bergaram (25%) umur 28 sebesar 17,89 MPa, umur 90 hari sebesar 17,52 MPa, replacement kalsium karbonat 5% direndam pada air bergaram (25%) pada umur 28 hari sebesar 16,27 MPa, umur 90 hari sebesar 15,4 MPa, replacement kalsium karbonat 7,5% direndam pada air normal pada umur 28 hari, sebesar 12,51 MPa umur 90 hari sebesar 16 MPa. 3) Dari hasil kajian kalsium karbonat buatan sebagai replacement sebagian Portland cement, kuat tekan yang dihasilkan beton yang direndam pada air normal lebih tinggi dari beton yang direndam di air bergaram dengan kadar garam (25%), tetapi tidak jauh perbedaan kuat tekannya

Evaluation of concomitant use of prescribed antimicrobial medicines with traditional medicines in iLembe District, South Africa: A medical chart review

AbstractBackground: Antimicrobial resistance in South Africa is driven by many factors, such as the careless use of prescribed antimicrobial medicines and the use of traditional medicines, with the result that there is always the danger of misadministration, interaction, and toxicity. This study was conducted in two different public healthcare facilities in iLembe District, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa to determine whether any interaction occurred among patients attending outpatient departments in selected healthcare facilities in terms of the concurrent use of traditional medicines and prescribed antimicrobial medicines. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive study using medical chart reviews. Antimicrobials prescribed alone or in association with traditional medicines were assessed and reported using descriptive statistics. Where applicable, associations were carried out; a p-value ˂0.05 was estimated as statistically significant. Results: A total of 400 outpatients’ medical records were documented from two different municipalities, revealing that many participants had viral infections (194/400, 48.5%). Overall, 12% of participants (48/400) had documented adverse effects (30/48) and interactions (18/48). A few participants (15/400) used traditional medicines in conjunction with prescribed medicines. After adjustment, negative clinical outcomes namely adverse effects and interactions were significantly more likely due to the use of traditional medicines (AOR=0.01, 95% CI:0.001-0.05) and (AOR=0.21, 95% CI: 0.37-1.23), respectively. Conclusions: Traditional medicine was used sparingly in conjunction with prescribed antimicrobials for infectious diseases. However, adverse effects and interactions, such as herbal intoxication, persistent rashes, and treatment failure, were documented in a few medical records. Further studies are needed to investigate the effects of the concurrent use of traditional medicine with antimicrobials or other prescribed medicines from the perspectives of traditional healers and biomedically healthcare professionals. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2021; 35(1):58-71] Key words: Concomitant use, prescribed antimicrobials, traditional medicine, antimicrobial resistance, treatment failure, adverse effect

Potential impact of husbandry practices on the welfare and productivity of draught cattle in rural communities around Zaria, Nigeria

A survey of the draught cattle husbandry practices and the potential impact of such practices on the health and productivity as it relates to work hours of these cattle was carried out during the months of November – March (dry season) and during the months of June-September (wet season) in seven rural communities around Zaria. It was observed that these animals are kept under a typical traditional husbandry system, where no special housing or periodic health care is provided for these animals. Consequently, common health conditions seen were more during the dry season, (64.75%) than during the wet period (38.72%). The clinical parameters of the apparently healthy draught cattle as compare to those clinically sick showed significant changes in the age, weight, working hours and work output. The variation in the body weight showed that clinically sick cattle with diarrhea had significantly (P<0.05) lower weight than those with injuries, and mixed conditions. The body temperatures of those injured and with mixed conditions were significantly (P<0.05) higher than those with diarrhea and other conditions. It was concluded that clinically sick cattle showed loss of weight, worked less hours and consequently less output than the healthy cattle. Factors that affect the health management of draught animals such as the availability of quality food supply, the level of hygiene, the prevalence of diseases and available veterinary services were noticed to be present in these communities. The draught animal survival ability rather than productive ability was the dominating factor in most husbandry practice in these communities, with the animals surviving under sub-optional productive state in conjunction with stress of diseases on one hand, and poor nutrition on the other hand.Keywords: Draught Cattle, Husbandry, Health, Workhours, Wet, Dry Month

Perspectives on the Concurrent Use of Traditional and Prescribed Antimicrobial Medicines for Infectious Diseases: A Triangulation Study in a South African Community

Traditional medicines are generally available, affordable and commonly used as self-care treatments. However, their inaccurate utilization can results in adverse events, or unfavourable outcomes. Individuals may consult both traditional healer practitioners (THPs) and biomedically trained healthcare professionals (BHPs) for their infections. This study aimed at determining whether any antimicrobial resistance and treatment failure could occur among patients, attending outpatient departments of selected healthcare facilities, who used concurrently prescribed antimicrobial and traditional medicines. A survey was conducted to assess the perceptions, knowledges, attitudes and beliefs of respondents on the concurrent use of traditional and prescribed medicines for infections. 132 respondents were included namely THPs, THP’s patients, BHPs and BHP’s outpatients. A small number of medicinal plants were used in the treatment of infections and 65.62% of both THPs and their patients (21/32) reported mixing different herbs for the treatment of infections. Respondents agreed that the combination of traditional and prescribed medicines for infections may lead to interactions, adverse effects; infectious diseases may get worse if there is no time lapses between the two medicines. However, BHPs and outpatients reported that combining traditional with prescribed medicines for infectious diseases may result in drug resistance, especially resistance to antibiotics and they highlighted that the majority of patients came to the clinic with several complications such as kidney failure, vomiting, diarrhea and jaundice due to the use of traditional medicine either alone or in combination with conventional medicines. The concurrent use of conventional and traditional herbal medicines may interfere or result in damaging some organs, failure of therapeutic effects and modification of pharmacological actions of administered medicines

Haematological and serum electrolyte responses in goats undergoing tibial fracture reduction

Haematologic, biochemical, electrolyte and acid base values were determined in twelve goats prior to (baseline) tibia surgery, during surgery (at 45 min) and subsequently at 24 h and 72 h post operatively. The haematocrit, haemoglobin, blood urea nitrogen, blood glucose, sodium, potassium, chlorine, total carbon diaoxide (TCO2), anion gap, base excess, pH, partial carbon diaoxide (PaCO2) concentration and bicarbonate concentrations in the samples were obtained using the i-STAT EC8+ handheld biosensor analyzer. The osmolarity of the blood was also estimated. To investigate changes in the variables during and after fracture fixation, the control (baseline) values of the data were compared with the mean variables obtained per time point during and after surgery using ANOVA. The haematocrit, haemoglobin, blood glucose, osmolarity, anion gap, chlorine, sodium and potassium concentrations were significantly lower (p<0.05) than control values during surgery and at 24 and 72 h post-surgery. Blood urea nitrogen, base excess, pH, PaCO2 TCO2 and bicarbonate concentration (HCO3-) increased significantly (p<0.05) above control values at 24 and 72 h post-surgery. The results obtained from this study showed that tibia surgery led to alteration in fluid, electrolyte and acid base status of goats. Most importantly, metabolic alkalosis ensued post tibia fracture creation and fixation.Keywords: Haematolgy, Electrolytes, Acid-base, Tibia, Fracture, Surger