126 research outputs found
Learning styles among nursing students, the implications for higher education institutions: A systematic review
Understanding the learning styles of nursing students has been highlighted as an area in
the scholarship of teaching that needs attention. The aim of this review was to determine
the common learning styles of nursing students and the appropriate teaching styles
needed. A search was conducted using various databases and journals for the period
from 2000 to 2013. Two reviewers independently evaluated the methodological quality
of the studies reviewed. The results are presented in a narrative. The 11 articles included
in the review represented four continents and were primarily descriptive studies. The
review highlighted that nursing students prefer the kinaesthetic and multimodal learning
styles. Kinaesthetic learners prefer live examples and lots of interaction. Interactive and
real-life experiences as teaching methodologies are the preferred methods of nursing
students and are seen as a holistic approach that incorporates all of their senses of
seeing, feeling, smelling, hearing and sometimes tasting.DHE
Finite Element Model updating using Hamiltonian Monte Carlo techniques
Abstract: Bayesian techniques have been widely used in finite element model (FEM) updating. The attraction of these techniques is their ability to quantify and characterise the uncertainties associated with dynamic systems. In order to update an FEM, the Bayesian formulation requires the evaluation of the posterior distribution function. For large systems this function is difficult to solve analytically. In such cases the use of sampling techniques often provides a good approximation of this posterior distribution function. The hybrid Monte Carlo (HMC) method is a classic sampling method used to approximate high-dimensional complex problems. However, the acceptance rate (AR) of HMC is sensitive to the system size, as well as to the time step used to evaluate the molecular dynamics (MD) trajectory. The shadow HMC technique (SHMC), which is a modified version of the HMC method, was developed to improve sampling for large-system sizes by drawing from a modified shadow Hamiltonian function. However, the SHMC algorithm performance is limited by the use of a non-separable modified Hamiltonian function. Moreover, two additional parameters are required for the sampling procedure, which could be computationally expensive. To overcome these weaknesses the separable shadow HMC (S2HMC) method has been introduced. This method uses a transformation to a different parameter space to generate samples. In this paper we analyse the application and performance of these algorithms, including the parameters used in each algorithm, their limitations and the effects on model updating. The accuracy and the efficiency of the algorithms are demonstrated by updating the finite element models of two real mechanical structures. It is observed that the S2HMC algorithm has a number of advantages over the other algorithms; for example, the S2HMC algorithm is able to efficiently sample at larger time steps while using fewer parameters than the other algorithms
Interprofessional learning through 3D printing of assistive devices
Emerging technologies in the rehabilitative component of patient care
in community settings continue to grow. One of the emerging technological
fields in the health sciences arena is 3D printing. It is particularly
useful in rehabilitation services in the production of assistive devices.
Degerli et al.1 define assistive devices, as any commercially developed,
modified or customised system, component or product used to
improve or preserve the functional capabilities of a person not able to
engage in all their daily living activities. Currently, assistive devices are
not easily customizable. Off-the-shelf devices do not meet the individual
needs of the customer; they are costly, lack individual compatibility
and not always in stock. In minimising these challenges, technologies of
the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) such as 3D printing have been
offered as a practical solution at a local university in South Africa
The impact of a faculty development programme for health professions educators in sub-Saharan Africa: an archival study
BACKGROUND:
In 2008 the sub-Saharan FAIMER Regional Institute launched a faculty development
programme aimed at enhancing the academic and research capacity of health professions
educators working in sub-Saharan Africa. This two-year programme, a combination of
residential and distance learning activities, focuses on developing the leadership, project
management and programme evaluation skills of participants as well as teaching the key
principles of health professions education-curriculum design, teaching and learning and
assessment. Participants also gain first-hand research experience by designing and conducting
an education innovation project in their home institutions. This study was conducted to
determine the perceptions of participants regarding the personal and professional impact of
the SAFRI programme.
METHODS:
A retrospective document review, which included data about fellows who completed the
programme between 2008 and 2011, was performed. Data included fellows’ descriptions of
their expectations, reflections on achievements and information shared on an online
discussion forum. Data were analysed using Kirkpatrick’s evaluation framework.
RESULTS:
Participants (n=61) came from 10 African countries and included a wide range of health
professions educators. Five key themes about the impact of the SAFRI programme were
identified: (1) belonging to a community of practice, (2) personal development, (3)
professional development, (4) capacity development, and (5) tools/strategies for project
management and/or advancement.
CONCLUSION:
The SAFRI programme has a positive developmental impact on both participants and their
respective institutions.National Research FoundationDepartment of HE and Training approved lis
Legacy beliefs across generations: Comparing views of older parents and their adult children
This mixed-methods study examined legacy beliefs (i.e., anticipated remembrances
and linkages to the self after death) as understood in 14 older parent and adult child
pairs. This work validates and expands on a 2005 typology of legacy beliefs from
gerontologists, Elizabeth Hunter and Graham Rowles. A structured interview was
administered separately to parents and children, coded for legacy examples (i.e.,
those unique to the parent, overlapping, unique to the child), and analyzed with
respect to expectations of similarity reported by each participant. Most predicted
moderate to high overlap in mutual understanding of parent legacy. This was not the
case, as there were far more unique legacy examples given than shared. Pairs agreed
least with respect to material legacies, with half showing no agreement. All reported
finding the structured discussion of legacy to be beneficial, with some indicating an
intention to continue these discussions further. This work may constitute a new
approach to intervention
Discrepancy between Mtb-specific IFN-γ and IgG responses in HIV-positive people with low CD4 counts
Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading infectious cause of death worldwide and treating latent TB infection (LTBI) with TB preventative therapy is a global priority. This study aimed to measure interferon gamma (IFN-γ) release assay (IGRA) positivity (the current reference standard for LTBI diagnosis) and Mtb-specific IgG antibodies in otherwise healthy adults without HIV and those living with HIV (PLWH). Methods: One-hundred and eighteen adults (65 without HIV and 53 antiretroviral-naïve PLWH), from a peri-urban setting in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa were enrolled. IFN-γ released following stimulation with ESAT-6/CFP-10 peptides and plasma IgG antibodies specific for multiple Mtb antigens were measured using the QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT) and customized Luminex assays, respectively. The relationships between QFT status, relative concentrations of anti-Mtb IgG, HIV-status, sex, age and CD4 count were analysed. Findings: Older age, male sex and higher CD4 count were independently associated with QFT positivity (p = 0.045, 0.05 and 0.002 respectively). There was no difference in QFT status between people with and without HIV infection (58% and 65% respectively, p = 0.06), but within CD4 count quartiles, people with HIV had higher QFT positivity than people without HIV (p = 0.008 (2nd quartile), <0.0001 (3rd quartile)). Concentrations of Mtb-specific IFN-γ were lowest, and relative concentrations of Mtb-specific IgGs were highest in PLWH in the lowest CD4 quartile. Interpretation: These results suggest that the QFT assay underestimates LTBI among immunosuppressed people with HIV and Mtb-specific IgG may be a useful alternative biomarker for Mtb infection. Further evaluation of how Mtb-specific antibodies can be leveraged to improve LTBI diagnosis is warranted, particularly in HIV-endemic areas. Fundings: NIH, AHRI, SHIP: SA-MRC and SANTHE
Production of and trade in African indigenous vegetables in the urban and peri-urban areas of Durban, South Africa
This paper reports on the farming and trade of lesser known crops, here termed African indigenous vegetables (AIVs), in the Durban metropole. Most households grow AIVs, and collect them from the wild, primarily for home consumption. Modal income from sale was approximately R30 per month per farmer, most of whom were middle-aged to elderly females, with limited education, who had been cultivating AIVs here for many years. The main constraints to greater sales were deemed to be low market demand and adverse climate. The commonest AIVs grown were pumpkin leaves, taro and amaranth. Although most farmers sold very little, there is a thriving retail trade in AIVs. Generally, retailers were females, but younger and more educated than the farmers. The majority viewed retailing as a full-time occupation. Modal income for retailers was R450 per month, but included non-AIV produce. Most of the traders thought there was insufficient market demand for AIVs
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