Gender differences in Uganda: the case for access to education and health services

Using the nationally representative Gender Productivity Survey (GPS) of 2007/08 conducted by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBoS), the paper examines gender biases in school attainment, returns to education, expenditure on health and education, access to health services. While Uganda has recorded progress on MDG 3: promote gender equality and empower women, the paper reveals that significant gender biases still exist with a regional dimension. These biases are more pronounced in Northern Uganda, which is the poorest region. In other words, interventions in this part of the country should be able to address these biases if the region is to catch up with the rest of the country. These findings further suggest that free education both at primary and secondary level; and abolition of user fees in public health facilities is not sufficient for elimination of gender bias. Policies should be based on a better understanding of the household’s decision making process.Gender, Health, Education, Services, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Consumer/Household Economics, Health Economics and Policy, Labor and Human Capital, Public Economics,

Registered Nurses\u27 Intention To Use Electronic Documentation Systems: A Mixed Methods Study

BACKGROUND: Home care in Ontario has become the fastest growing sector and cornerstone of the healthcare system. As a result of the increased shift to the home care sector in Ontario, there have been several health information technology (HIT) initiatives to improve the quality and delivery of health care services to patients. This is exemplified with the province-wide development and implementation of electronic documentation systems (EDS). Electronic documentation systems have the potential to ensure timely, up-to-date and comprehensive patient health and care-related information is available and accessible to healthcare providers such as registered nurses regardless of their physical location. Access to patient health and care-related information supports high-quality nursing care, decision-making, and care delivery processes. Despite the benefits of EDS (i.e., improved workflow, reduced diagnostic and laboratory tests and adverse drug events), low intention by registered nurses to use these systems is well documented. Existing evidence suggests that an expressed intention to use HIT such as EDS is a direct predictor and antecedent of behavioural usage. Despite the growing efforts to understand registered nurses’ perceptions and overall intention to use EDS in practice, there is limited knowledge about registered nurses’ intention to use EDS in the context of home care practice. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to understand and examine factors that influence nurses’ intention and overall perception of using EDS in their home care practice. The conceptual model framing this study was adapted from the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to delineate the relationships among factors that influence registered nurses’ intention to use EDS in home care practice. METHOD: A sequential, explanatory mixed methods design, using a sample of nurses from Ontario who are currently practicing within the home care sector were recruited to address the study’s objectives. Data were collected using both quantitative (online survey) and qualitative (semi-structured individual telephone interviews) methods. Quantitative data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and hierarchical multiple regression analysis and qualitative data were analyzed with content and inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Individual, technological and organizational / environmental characteristics were found to influence nurses’ intention, level of comfort and experience with EDS usage in home care practice. Additional factors found to influence home care nurses’ experience with EDS usage included: the development and employment of workarounds, the influence of nurse-patient interaction amidst system usage, and the ability to provide input towards the system design. CONCLUSION: Nurses play a significant role in the delivery of home health care services to Ontarians. The findings highlight the importance for: a) further exploration of the most appropriate model and / or adaptation of a model identifying a range of factors influencing nurses’ intention to use EDS in different healthcare contexts; b) continued integration of nursing informatics competencies within nursing curricula; c) an organizational culture that supports the use of EDS in nurses’ home practice (i.e., enlisting user champions and providing adequate training and IT support); and d) having representation of nurses in the EDS design and / or implementation processes through a user-centered design approach

Modified Phoenix Cell for Microstrip Reflectarray Antennas

This paper presents a newly developed modification to the structure of a linearly polarized reflectarray antenna cell, called Phoenix [1]. The idea of Phoenix is based on employing multi-resonators to improve the antenna bandwidth characteristics. Another interesting feature is the phase variation cycle which is characterized by a rebirth capability that was the reason behind the Phoenix name. The new developed modifications resulted in reducing the cell size by 0:16 o. In addition to improving the linearity of the phase variation characteristics which in turn reduced the phase errors by 10o compared to Phoenix. Two reflectarray antennas (200 x 200 mm2) were designed at 9:4 GHz in order to test the new modifications applied. The simulations and measurements indicated an increased antenna directivity for the new modified phoenix reflectarray antenna. Moreover, the measured gain of Phoenix and modified Phoenix at 9:4 GHz is 17:8 dB and 20:9 dB, respectively

Pengembangan Lembar Kegiatan Peserta Didik (LKPD) berbasis Numbered Heads Together(NHT) untuk Mengurangi Dominasi Peserta Didik

Dominasi peserta didik tertentu membuat penyerapan konsep materi tidak merata, khususnya bagi peserta didik yang kurang aktif. Panduan dalam kegiatan pembelajaran yang sesuai untuk mencegah dominasi salah satunya adalah LKPD yang memadukan karakteristik model pembelajaran Numbered Heads Together (NHT). Tujuan penelitian ini yaitu menghasilkan Lembar Kegiatan Peserta Didik (LKPD) berbasis Numbered Heads Together (NHT) untuk mengurangi dominasi peserta didik yang valid dan praktis. Kevalidan LKPD berbasis NHT dilakukan dengan metode validasi oleh dua orang dosen yaitu dosen ahli pendidikan dan dosen ahli materi menggunakan instrumen validasi yang berisi aspek isi, pedagogi, bahasa, cover, kesesuaian huruf, dan urutan langkah NHT. Kepraktisan LKPD diukur melalui keterbacaan teks yang ada dalam LKPD dan disesuaikan dengan Grafik Fray serta respon guru melalui metode wawancara terbuka. LKPD berabsis NHT berisi petunjuk peggunaan LKPD, permasalahan yang harus dipecahkan oleh peserta didik, serta kegiatan praktikum dan mejawab pertanyaan yang sesuai dengan karakteristik LKPD. Hasil dari penilaian validasi menyebutkan bahwa LKPD berbasis NHT valid dengan perolehan skor rata-rata aspek isi 3,83; aspek pedagogi 4; aspek bahasa 4; aspek penyajian cover 4; aspek kesesuaian huruf 4; dan aspek urutan langkah NHT 3,83 dengan katagori sangat valid. Hasil Kepraktisan LKPD dengan mengukur keterbacaan teks dalam LKPD yaitu praktis karena sesuai dengan tingkatan kelas peserta didik (kelas 11 SMA) dengan jumlah suku kata 142,4 dan 3,3 kalimat serta respon positif guru terhadap LKPD NHT dengan jawaban sesuai. Dengan dikembangkannya LKPD berbasis NHT maka  dominasi peserta didik tertentu akan berkurang sehingga pemahaman konsep yang dimiliki peserta didik merata. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian maka dapat disimpulkan bahwa LKPD berbasis NHT valid dan praktis untuk mengurangi dominasi peserta didik tertentu secara teoritis. Kata Kunci : LKPD, NHT, Dominasi, Peserta Didik, Valid, Praktis dan Efektif

ANALISIS HAMBATAN PERTUMBUHAN PERBANKAN SYARIAH DI INDONESIA (Kajian Terhadap Perbankan Syariah Di Aceh)

Pertumbuhan perbankan syariah relatif lebih kecil dibandingkan perbankan nasional yang berarti masih ada hambatan-hambatan atau kendala-kendala yang harus ditaklukkan perbankan syariah. Begitupun halnya di Aceh yang dijuluki daerah serambi Makkah, seharunya menjadi potensi besar dalam pengembangan perbankan syariah. Namun faktanya hingga saat ini, perkembangan perbankan syariah di Aceh juga masih tertinggal disbanding perbankan konvensional. Tujuan penelitian adalah untuk mengetahui apa saja hambatan yang dialami oleh perbankan syariah di Aceh dalam pertumbuhannya. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian deskriptif kualitatif, untuk mendapatkan hasil penelitian digunakan teknik pengumpulan data berupa wawancara dan dokumentasi. Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa, hambatan pertumbuhan perbankan syariah di Aceh antara lain berupa kurangnya SDM yang memahami perbankan syariah secara mendalam, kurangnya sosialisasi yang didapatkan masyarakat, sedikitnya literasi yang diterima masyarakat terkait perbankan syariah, kurangnya minat dan kepercayaan masyarakat terhadap perbankan syariah, serta keterlambatan adanya regulasi yang khusus mengatur tentang perbankan syariah. Dan hal tersebut tidak hanya berlaku bagi keterlambatan atau hambatan pertumbuhan perbankan syariah di Aceh saja, akan tetapi hambatan tersebut juga dialami oleh perbankan syariah secara nasional

Wide Band Switched Delay Line using MEMS Switches

This paper presents a high precision wide band switched delay line with fine tuning capability and low insertion loss. The circuit is designed to operate in the frequency range from 1 GHz to 5 GHz and tuned using MEMS switches targeting a minimum delay step of 7 ps. The delay line uses a single layer of a high permittivity substrate ("r =10), and the MEMS devices are interconnected using conventional coplanar waveguide technology (CPW). The circuit was designed and simulated using CST Microwave Studio. The simulated group delay shows a small deviation from the linear phase of less than 1o over a wide bandwidth compared to the performance of SAW and ceramic filters [1]. The simulation results shows an insertion loss and a return loss of better than 1 dB and 20 dB respectively

Pelatihan Batik Eco-printing untuk Meningkatkan Ekonomi Kreatif Khas Desa Ringinsari

Melihat potensi Desa Ringinsari yang lebih condong terhadap sektor pertanian, dapat dilihat bahwa produk unggulan Desa Ringinsari tidak jauh dari produk makanan. Oleh sebab itu dibutuhkan produk unggulan desa yang mampu bersaing dan menjadi ciri khas Desa Ringinsari. Tujuan dari diadakan pengabdian masyarakat di Desa Ringinsari Kecamatan Sumbermanjing Wetan Kabupaten Malang adalah untuk menciptakan produk unggulan desa. Salah satu produk unggulan yang dapat diperkenalkan sebagai produk unggulan desa adalah batik eco-printing. Selain dapat menjadi produk unggulan Desa Ringinsari, batik eco-printing juga dapat dijadikan sebagai salah satu ciri khas desa. Sasaran dari kegiatan ini adalah anggota PKK, dengan harapan mampu untuk membimbing masyarakat di wilayah Desa Ringinsari untuk mengetahui proses pembuatan batik eco-printing yang cukup mudah dipraktekkan dan bahan dasar yang mampu ditemukan disekitar kita. Hasil dari pengabdian ini yaitu anggota PKK cukup antusias dengan produk batik eco-printing ini. Harapan kedepan adalah adanya kegiatan yang mampu menjadikan bati eco-printing ini lebi dikenal oleh masyarakat Desa Ringinsari serta mampu meningkatkan perekonomian desa. Kata kunci— Batik, Eco-printing; Pemberdayaan Masyarakat Abstract  Seeing the potential of Ringinsari Village which is more inclined towards the agricultural sector, it can be seen that the flagship product of Ringinsari Village is not far from food products. Therefore, superior village products are needed that are able to compete and become the characteristics of Ringinsari Village. The purpose of holding community service in Ringinsari Village, Sumbermanjing Wetan District, Malang Regency is to create superior village products. One of the superior products that can be introduced as a village superior product is eco-printing batik. Besides being able to become the flagship product of Ringinsari Village, eco-printing batik can also be used as one of the characteristics of the village. The target of this activity is PKK members, with the hope of being able to guide the community in the Ringinsari Village area to find out the process of making eco-printing batik which is quite easy to practice and basic materials that can be found around us. The result of this service is that PKK members are quite enthusiastic about this eco-printing batik product. The hope in the future is that there will be activities that can make this eco-printing batik better known by the people of Ringinsari Village and can improve the village economy. Keywords—Batik, Eco-print, Community Empowermen

Optimization and Validation of RP-HPLC-UV/VIS Method for Determination Some Antioxidants in Dry Calyces of Iraqi Hibiscus Sabdraffia Linn

A new (Reversed Phase- High Performance Liquid chromatography) RP-HPLC method with Ultraviolet-Visible spectrophotometry has been optimized and validated for the simultaneous extraction and determination of antioxidants present in Iraqi calyces of Hibiscus Sabdraffia Linn. The method is based on using ultrasonic bath for extracting antioxidants. Limit of detection in μg/ml of Vitamin C, Sabdaretine, Gossypetine, Hibiscetine, Anthocyanins, Dephinidin-3-glucoside were113.8294×10-6,123.0453×10-6,70.3681×10-6,59.6730×10-6,148.1710×10-6,and125.3481×10-6 respectively. The concentration of antioxidants found in dry spacemen of calyces of Iraqi Hibiscus Sabdraffia Linn. under study: Vitamin C, Sabdaretine, Gossypetine, Hibiscetine, Anthocyanins, and Dephinidin-3-glucoside are 258.3 μg/g, 225.51 μg/g, 154.975 μg/g, 111.407 μg/g, 439.442 μg/g, and 185.729 μg/g respectively

Knowledge, Attitude, and Effect on Future Practice Among Pregnant Women About Cord Blood Banking: A UAE Population-Based Survey

Umbilical cord blood is a rich source of powerful stem cells, which comes from the baby’s umbilical cord and can be collected immediately after birth. We surveyed the knowledge, attitude & decision of pregnant women regarding umbilical cord blood banking in the United Arab of Emirates (UAE). The purpose of the survey is to gauge and evaluate their level of knowledge and general attitudes about cord blood banking and associated therapies for stem cells and their effect on their practice. The secondary purpose was to better understand the impact of the knowledge and attitudes after an educational intervention performed by a trained Medical consultant whereby pregnant women were informed about cord blood banking. Keywords: cord blood banking, stem cells, UA