Knowledge Sharing on Record Management at Record Centre of Batam Indonesia Free-Zone Authority

Records management is an essential activity on organisation, because naturally information will continue to grow in the organisation and be created all the time. The need for information becomes the main thing in the organisation, thus records management is carried out for accountability, transparency and facilitates information retrieval in the organisation. Therefore, skilled human resources are needed in managing information in this case of records because Batam Indonesia Free-Zone Authority itself has 21 work units. Batam Indonesia Free-Zona Authority or BIFZA is a public institution with authority over land management, investment and economic at Batam island. All documents and information from 21 work units that have entered the retroactive period will be submitted to record centre unit whose management is carried out by the Archives & Libraries Sub-section. Sharing knowledge is important and needs to be encouraged by the leader to staff to improve and accelerate the record management process. The purpose of this study is to explain how knowledge sharing occurs in the BIFZA record centre work environment for good records management. This study applies a qualitative approach to analyze the words and actions of research subjects to obtain comprehensive research results. The researchers collect data by interview and observing participants in the process. This process aims to obtain detailed and comprehensive results regarding knowledge sharing in record management. There has been a process of sharing knowledge by utilising tacit and explicit knowledge assets. The process of sharing knowledge in the record centre occurs naturally and records management is carried out properly

Seroprevalence of HDV Infection among HBsAg Positive Blood Donor in Baqubah City, Iraq

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the most important causative agent of blood borne hepatitis in humans. Hepatitis D Virus (HDV) infection occurs either as a co-infection or super infection in HBV carriers. Objective:To determine the seroprevalence of HDV among blood donors (HBsAg positive individuals) in Baqubah city. Patients and Methods: Serum samples were collected from 89 HBsAg positive blood donation (66 males and 23 females, age range 19-60 years) from blood bank in Baqubah teaching hospital, during the period from 11thAugust 2016 till 17th January 2017. All of them were tested for HBsAg, HBcIgM, HBcIgG, HDVIgM and HDVIgG using separate ELISA kits and full information were collected from each participant by use questioner sheet which included the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics such as age, gender, educational level, marital status, economic, occupation, family history, blood transfusion, surgical operation, dental history, endoscope, any medical problem, tattoo and hjamaa also were recorded. Results: In the present study minimum age group was 19 year and maximum was 68 year with mean age 36 year. According to ELISA technique, 5 cases (5.6%) were positive to HDV IgG and they all were males with mean age 49 year, while 84 (94.3%) were negative for HDV infection.  Among study group the percentage in males (74.1%) was more than in females (25.8%). Also significant differences was found between the viral hepatitis infection and family history, blood transfusion, surgical operation, dental history, endoscope, tattoo and hjamaa, while there was no significant difference noticed in social state, economic and educational level. Conclusion: Infection rate of HDV among blood donor is high, early screening of HDV is essential for establishing diagnosis and should be depended in routine work further investigation is needed to validate the findings

KNOWLEDGE AND REASONS FOR ANXIETY AMONG NURSES TOWARDS COVID -19 IN NIGERIA

Background: Nurses in Nigeria and the whole world are facing an unprecedented severe level of anxiety in their professional and individual lives, compounded by not knowing what the future holds especially with regards to the present COVID-19 pandemic. This research is to evaluate the knowledge and reasons for anxiety toward COVID 19 among Nurses in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: An online cross-sectional quantitative survey that utilised a multistage sampling technique and data was collected with questionnaire instrument from 418 nurses using Google form for a period of eight weeks.  Analysis of the result was with the help of the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20 software. Descriptive data of participants was presented in tables while the test of the inferential data was with Chi-square at 95% level of significance (p = 0.05).   Results: The result revealed that 81.3% of the respondents are female, with a mean age of 37.81+8.21 years and mean years of experience of 13.1+8.44 years. One hundred and eighty (56.9%) of the respondents have good knowledge of COVID -19, with mean of 10.67±1.19.  88.5% were anxious because they are frontline workers and having direct contact with COVID-19 patients. The relationship between identified reasons for the anxiety experienced among Nigerian nurses and level of knowledge of COVID-19 were p > 0.05.   Conclusion: Although nurses in Nigeria are knowledgeable about the COVID-19, they have reasons for being anxious. Addressing the reasons for their anxiety will promote their physical and psychological wellbeing

Blood pressure tracking in urban black South African children: birth to twenty cohort

Abstract Background Hypertension is an emerging public health problem in South Africa. Recent evidence from longitudinal studies has shown that hypertension in adulthood can be traced back to childhood. There is scarcity of longitudinal data on paediatric blood pressure (BP) particularly in African populations. The objective of this study is to assess the prevalence of hypertension and evaluate BP tracking between childhood and late adolescence among South African black Children. Methods This study utilized data from the Birth to Twenty cohort, which is comprised of children born in Soweto, Johannesburg in 1990 (N = 3273, 78.5 % black). Data on BP and anthropometry were collected at six follow-up periods between ages 5 and 18 years. Blood pressure status was classified using the Fourth report on National High Blood pressure program in children and adolescents. Pearson correlation coefficients and relative risk ratios (RR) were used to describe tracking of BP between childhood and late adolescence. Results The overall point prevalence ranged from 9.2 to 16.4 % for prehypertension and 8.4 to 24.4 % for hypertension. Tracking coefficients ranged from 0.20 to 0.57 for SBP and 0.17- 0.51 for DBP in both sexes over the 14 years of measurement. The proportion of children who maintained an elevated BP status between childhood, adolescence and age 18 years ranged from 36.1 % at age 5 years to 56.3 % at age 13 years. Risk of having elevated BP at 18 years ranged from; RR: 1.60 (95 % CI: 1.29–2.00) at 5 years to RR: 2.71 (95 % CI: 2.32–3.17) at 14 years of age. Conclusions This study reports high prevalence of elevated BP which tracks from early childhood into late adolescence. These findings emphasize the importance of early identification of children at risk of developing elevated BP and related risk factors plus timely intervention to prevent hypertension in adulthood

Assessing cage fish farming practices in Lake Victoria, Kenya, for sustainable lake utilization and community well-being

The proliferation of cages in the Great Lakes of Africa is accompanied by the potential socio-economic outcomes which underscores a significant trend in the aquaculture industry that is supplementing the traditional fisheries production. In light of these considerations, the study herein was undertaken to comprehensively evaluate the potential impacts of high intensity of cages at a site in Lake Victoria, Kenya with the leading numerical focus. Anyanga Beach has consistently registered the highest number of cages, making it a focal point for assessing the broader implications of cage aquaculture in the region. The survey exclusively targeted cage aquaculture farmers with the use of structured three-part questionnaires involving the particulars of cages, socio-demographic features and farm operations and investments. Majority of the cages surveyed were found to be locally fabricated, accounting for 93.3% (n = 28), with the main materials used for constructing cage frames being metallic. The use of locally sourced and fabricated materials may indicate a practical approach motivated by considerations such as ease of accessibility, cost-effectiveness and locally-sourced knowledge. Most of the cage aquaculture farmers reported managing between 1 to 6 cages (n = 20; 66.7%), with the most common dimensions being small-sized measuring 2.5 m × 2.5 m × 2 m, suggesting the need to create cohorts of firms that could lead to the development of cooperatives and ease the implementation of regulatory frameworks. Fish escapees from the cages were also reported, with approximately 60% of respondents indicating that they had experienced such incidents. Such occurrences pose a significant risk, which may result in genetic disruption and adversely impacting the overall fisheries. The study recommends for the need to enhance awareness and engagement with key institutions to foster a more informed and compliant approach, while ensuring that practice of cage culture intensification is aligned with legal and environmental guidelines

The quantification of the extent of flooding on selected major Afrotropical lakes to guide management implications

The extent of flooding in vulnerable inland and lacustrine systems can demonstrate the coverage and the magnitude of such phenomenon for policy enhancement. This study examined the extent of flooding due to rising water levels in selected Afrotropical lakes to guide interventions that would sustain the livelihoods of communities affected. The years that were most prone to flooding (2010 and 2020) were used as a baseline in the extraction of changes in spatial extent and area of lacustrine shoreline, and rainfall and satellite altimetry data, using geospatial and remote sensing technologies. The extent of flooding was strongly but insignificantly related (R2 = 0.63; p = 0.07) to the sizes of the studied lakes and the amount of rainfall. Lakes with the smallest surface areas such as Baringo and Naivasha showed the greatest increase in flooding of 52.63% and 42.62%, respectively. Larger lakes such as Lakes Victoria (1.05%), Turkana (3.77%), and Tanganyika (0.07%) had the lowest increases in areal extent. Furthermore, the topography of the lakes studied further determined the residence time and the extent of flooding, such that lakes such as Edward (−0.09%) and Rukwa (−3.25%) receded during the period when other lakes were flooding. The information and data presented here provides the most up-to-date quantification of flooding to support adaptation strategies for inland lake systems and guide policy implementation

Stem cell-derived macrophages as a new platform for studying host-pathogen interactions in livestock

BACKGROUND: Infectious diseases of farmed and wild animals pose a recurrent threat to food security and human health. The macrophage, a key component of the innate immune system, is the first line of defence against many infectious agents and plays a major role in shaping the adaptive immune response. However, this phagocyte is a target and host for many pathogens. Understanding the molecular basis of interactions between macrophages and pathogens is therefore crucial for the development of effective strategies to combat important infectious diseases. RESULTS: We explored how porcine pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) can provide a limitless in vitro supply of genetically and experimentally tractable macrophages. Porcine PSC-derived macrophages (PSCdMs) exhibited molecular and functional characteristics of ex vivo primary macrophages and were productively infected by pig pathogens, including porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and African swine fever virus (ASFV), two of the most economically important and devastating viruses in pig farming. Moreover, porcine PSCdMs were readily amenable to genetic modification by CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing applied either in parental stem cells or directly in the macrophages by lentiviral vector transduction. CONCLUSIONS: We show that porcine PSCdMs exhibit key macrophage characteristics, including infection by a range of commercially relevant pig pathogens. In addition, genetic engineering of PSCs and PSCdMs affords new opportunities for functional analysis of macrophage biology in an important livestock species. PSCs and differentiated derivatives should therefore represent a useful and ethical experimental platform to investigate the genetic and molecular basis of host-pathogen interactions in pigs, and also have wider applications in livestock. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-021-01217-8

Stem cell-derived porcine macrophages as a new platform for studying host-pathogen interactions

BACKGROUND: Infectious diseases of farmed and wild animals pose a recurrent threat to food security and human health. The macrophage, a key component of the innate immune system, is the first line of defence against many infectious agents and plays a major role in shaping the adaptive immune response. However, this phagocyte is a target and host for many pathogens. Understanding the molecular basis of interactions between macrophages and pathogens is therefore crucial for the development of effective strategies to combat important infectious diseases. RESULTS: We explored how porcine pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) can provide a limitless in vitro supply of genetically and experimentally tractable macrophages. Porcine PSC-derived macrophages (PSCdMs) exhibited molecular and functional characteristics of ex vivo primary macrophages and were productively infected by pig pathogens, including porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) and African swine fever virus (ASFV), two of the most economically important and devastating viruses in pig farming. Moreover, porcine PSCdMs were readily amenable to genetic modification by CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing applied either in parental stem cells or directly in the macrophages by lentiviral vector transduction. CONCLUSIONS: We show that porcine PSCdMs exhibit key macrophage characteristics, including infection by a range of commercially relevant pig pathogens. In addition, genetic engineering of PSCs and PSCdMs affords new opportunities for functional analysis of macrophage biology in an important livestock species. PSCs and differentiated derivatives should therefore represent a useful and ethical experimental platform to investigate the genetic and molecular basis of host-pathogen interactions in pigs, and also have wider applications in livestock. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-021-01217-8

Survey of CT radiation doses and iodinated contrast medium administration: an international multicentric study

ObjectiveTo assess the relationship between intravenous iodinated contrast media (ICM) administration usage and radiation doses for contrast-enhanced (CE) CT of head, chest, and abdomen-pelvis (AP) in international, multicenter settings. MethodsOur international (n = 16 countries), multicenter (n = 43 sites), and cross-sectional (ConRad) study had two parts. Part 1: Redcap survey with questions on information related to CT and ICM manufacturer/brand and respective protocols. Part 2: Information on 3,258 patients (18-96 years; M:F 1654:1604) who underwent CECT for a routine head (n = 456), chest (n = 528), AP (n = 599), head CT angiography (n = 539), pulmonary embolism (n = 599), and liver CT examinations (n = 537) at 43 sites across five continents. The following information was recorded: hospital name, patient age, gender, body mass index [BMI], clinical indications, scan parameters (number of scan phases, kV), IV-contrast information (concentration, volume, flow rate, and delay), and dose indices (CTDIvol and DLP). ResultsMost routine chest (58.4%) and AP (68.7%) CECT exams were performed with 2-4 scan phases with fixed scan delay (chest 71.4%; AP 79.8%, liver CECT 50.7%) following ICM administration. Most sites did not change kV across different patients and scan phases; most CECT protocols were performed at 120-140 kV (83%, 1979/2685). There were no significant differences between radiation doses for non-contrast (CTDIvol 24 [16-30] mGy; DLP 633 [414-702] mGycm) and post-contrast phases (22 [19-27] mGy; 648 [392-694] mGycm) (p = 0.142). Sites that used bolus tracking for chest and AP CECT had lower CTDIvol than sites with fixed scan delays (p < 0.001). There was no correlation between BMI and CTDIvol (r2 <= - 0.1 to 0.1, p = 0.931). ConclusionOur study demonstrates up to ten-fold variability in ICM injection protocols and radiation doses across different CT protocols. The study emphasizes the need for optimizing CT scanning and contrast protocols to reduce unnecessary contrast and radiation exposure to patients. Clinical relevance statementThe wide variability and lack of standardization of ICM media and radiation doses in CT protocols suggest the need for education and optimization of contrast usage and scan factors for optimizing image quality in CECT

The Forest Observation System, building a global reference dataset for remote sensing of forest biomass

International audienceForest biomass is an essential indicator for monitoring the Earth's ecosystems and climate. It is a critical input to greenhouse gas accounting, estimation of carbon losses and forest degradation, assessment of renewable energy potential, and for developing climate change mitigation policies such as REDD+, among others. Wall-to-wall mapping of aboveground biomass (aGB) is now possible with satellite remote sensing (RS). However, RS methods require extant, up-to-date, reliable, representative and comparable in situ data for calibration and validation. Here, we present the Forest Observation System (FOS) initiative, an international cooperation to establish and maintain a global in situ forest biomass database. aGB and canopy height estimates with their associated uncertainties are derived at a 0.25 ha scale from field measurements made in permanent research plots across the world's forests. all plot estimates are geolocated and have a size that allows for direct comparison with many RS measurements. The FOS offers the potential to improve the accuracy of RS-based biomass products while developing new synergies between the RS and ground-based ecosystem research communities