School self-evaluation for school improvement: Examining the measuring properties of the LEAD surveys

Research evidence suggests school self-evaluation with the participation of school stakeholders could improve teaching and learning. Identification and use of appropriate self-evaluation frameworks, however, is not an easy task for schools. Such a framework, the LEAD School Effectiveness Surveys, has been developed by Independent Schools Victoria in Australia. The LEAD suite of school stakeholder surveys enables schools to evaluate their overall effectiveness in several domains and make informed decisions for school improvement. This article evaluates the reliability as well as the face, content and construct validity of the LEAD surveys and discusses the ways in which school self-evaluation results could contribute to school improvement. Data were gathered from a total of 119,749 students, teaching staff, general and parents taking the LEAD Surveys in 112 independent (non-government) schools and followed a five-year longitudinal design from 2009 to 2013. The results support the reliability as well as the face, content and construct validity of the LEAD surveys. The importance of evaluating the measuring properties of instruments used for school self-evaluation is discussed and suggestions for school self-evaluation are provided. Independent Schools Victoria (Australia

The influence of yoga therapy on anxiety

The stressful lifestyles that accompany modern living generate levels of anxiety that become a major concern in society. Psychopharmacological medication and psychotherapy for anxiety is expensive for government health departments as well as for individual consumers. Although the value of yoga as a beneficial and cost effective therapy for anxiety has long been advocated, there have been very few well designed scientific studies in this regard. Therefore the aim of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of yoga therapy on anxiety perceptions and experiences. The research hypothesis that yoga could decrease such anxiety was investigated by comparing two groups, an experimental group of 18 participants that practised yoga and a control group of 19 participants that did not practise yoga, over a duration of three months, The research design included quantitative and qualitative research methods. Quantitative results from the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) indicated that, although regular yoga therapy was associated with significant decreases in anxiety perceptions over time, these changes were not significant when compared with the control group. Therefore, no causative inferences can be made. Qualitative findings from thematic content analysis of participants’ experiences suggested meaningful relief from anxiety over time, especially with regard to such themes as physicality, contentment, relaxation, breath control, mindfulness, transcendence and spirituality. Although further randomised controlled studies with larger samples are needed, this research provided some systematic evidence for yoga therapy as a significant and relatively cost effective intervention for anxiety reduction. Key Words: Yoga, therapy, anxiety, stress

The clinical and biochemical effects of riboflavin and nicotinamide supplementation upon Bantu school children using maize meal as carrier medium

A comprehensive clinical, biochemical and technological investigation was undertaken to establish the feasibility of ,enriching maize meal with riboflavin and nicotinamide. It was clear from the results that the addition of these vitamins to, maize satisfied all the prerequisites of a -scientifically sound enrichment scheme, as laid down by the NNRI. It was found that the addition of 1 mg of riboflavin and 10 mg of nicotinamide per 400 g maize ,meal was adequate to effectively reduce the incidence of .subclinical deficiency of these two vitamins among Bantu schoolchildren. Since the enrichment was found to be -effective, as well as technologically and economically jeasible, it is strongly recommended that a compulsory national maize enrichment scheme be introduced with the .least possible delay

The southern African poultry value chain : corporate strategies, investments and agro-industrial policies

Abstract: Following various regional investments in the last decade, production and participation in the poultry value chain in southern Africa has increased. One of the factors that determines entry into, and success in, a global value chain is the governance structure. This paper adopts a modular approach to analyse the governance structures in the poultry value chains in Botswana, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. A key finding is that various stakeholders have an influence on the regional poultry value chain in southern Africa, with the sources of influence depending on the formality of structures within the value chain

Using N-mixture models to estimate abundance and temporal trends of black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis L.) populations from aerial counts

Inaccurate estimates of animal populations may lead to flawed management interventions, therefore, it is essential to understand the status and population trend of a species in order to plan its management efficiently. Aerial surveys are considered a useful method for estimating the population size of large conspicuous animals inhabiting large areas, but raw count data from aerial surveys usually underestimate population sizes due to imperfect detection. The use of N-mixture models with aerial count data provides a useful tool to estimate the population sizes while taking detection probability into account. As a study case we used aerial surveys conducted for monitoring black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) in Madikwe Game Reserve and Pilanesberg Nature Reserve (South Africa) during 1999–2015, and we analysed data with a dynamic extension of the N-mixture model. We estimated 0.078–0.098 and 0.139–0.142 individuals/km2, respectively, and we found evidence for density dependence in both reserves with a carrying capacity of 0.122 (0.102–0.142) individuals/100 km2. Based on simulations used to assess precision of the estimates, root-mean-square error model (RMSE) estimates was significantly smaller than those for the raw maximum counts. The N-mixture models provide a promising approach to estimate population size, trends and demographic characteristics of large conspicuous mammals such as black rhinoceroses. Such analysis can provide estimates that are more accurate than raw counts. In addition, use of model covariates that affect a species' population parameters can provide useful information for their conservation and management.Jose Jimenez is funded by Plan TIFIES (Spanish Action Plan against illegal trafficking and international poaching of wild species). Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica. Government of Spain.Peer reviewe

Clinical update: Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia: An update for the COVID-19 era

The increased use of heparin during the current COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the risk of a rare but potentially serious complication of heparin therapy, viz. heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). This is a short review on the pharmacology of heparin and its derivatives, and the pathophysiology of HIT. Guidance on laboratory testing for and clinical management of HIT is presented in accordance with international guidelines. There are important similarities and differences between HIT and the new entity of vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia, also known as thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, which clinicians need to be aware of

Candida albicans Hypha Formation and Mannan Masking of β-Glucan Inhibit Macrophage Phagosome Maturation

Received 28 August 2014 Accepted 28 October 2014 Published 2 December 2014 This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS We thank Janet Willment, Aberdeen Fungal Group, University of Aberdeen, for kindly providing the soluble Dectin-1-Fc reporter. All microscopy was performed with the assistance of the University of Aberdeen Core Microscopy & Histology Facility, and we thank the IFCC for their assistance with flow cytometry. We thank the Wellcome Trust for funding (080088, 086827, 075470, 099215, 097377, and 101873). E.R.B. and A.J.P.B. are funded by the European Research Council (ERC-2009-AdG-249793), and J.L. is funded by a Medical Research Council Clinical Training Fellowship.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Diagnostic performance of dobutamine stress echocardiography: A South African experience

Background. Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) is a well-established modality for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease, but there are no reported diagnostic data in southern Africa. Objectives. To compare the safety, sensitivity and specificity of a South African (SA) DSE programme with larger, international series. Methods. All patients undergoing DSE from 2019 to 2021 at a single SA centre were included. A new wall motion abnormality (≥2 segments) signified inducible ischaemia. Results. A total of 106 patients (mean (standard deviation) age 61 (11) years, 68% male) were analysed. Six patients (6%) experienced chest pain during DSE and 4 (4%) developed an atrial arrhythmia. The sensitivity and specificity for epicardial coronary stenosis were 77% and 74%, respectively, changing to 82% and 72% when excluding those who had previous coronary artery bypass surgery. Conclusion. The sensitivity, specificity and safety of an SA DSE programme were comparable to international series. A DSE programme is feasible in a resource-constrained environment

A collaborative and evolving response to the needs of frontline workers, patients and families during the COVID-19 pandemic at Tygerberg Hospital, Western Cape Province, South Africa

The global devastation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and its mental health impact is undeniable. The physical and psychological consequences are wide-ranging – affecting patients fighting the disease, frontline workers in the trenches with them, healthcare staff deployed in high-care settings, and families disconnected from their loved ones in their darkest hours. Within 6 weeks of the COVID-19 outbreak in South Africa, the Department of Psychiatry at Stellenbosch University established the TBH/SU COVID Resiliency Clinic to provide psychological support to frontline workers at Tygerberg Hospital. Identified barriers in healthcare workers accessing mental healthcare resulted in moving towards an on-site visibility to try to remove some of these barriers. This greater on-site presence enabled networking and building of relationships with frontline staff that over time highlighted other frontline needs, such as providing psychosocial and spiritual support to patients and their families. We share challenges, lessons learned and recommendations from two initiatives: the TBH/SU COVID-19 Resiliency Clinic, and an embedded COVID Care Team (CCT). We describe the establishment, roll-out and progress of the Clinic and the subsequent CCT