Early results from indirect drug susceptibility test for tubercle bacilli

The indirect susceptibility test results on L-J medium for tubercle bacilli against streptomycin, isoniazid and rifampicin were read at the end of 2 wk and compared with the results at 4 wk. It was found that drug resistance could be correctly predicted in over 70 per cent of cultures including multi-drug resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) strains at the end of 2 wk. The susceptibility to para-nitrobenzoic acid (PNB) read at 2 wk was able to distinguish non-tuberculous mycobacteria from Mycobacterium tuberculosis cultures. The early detection of resistance by this procedure requires only minimum inputs, and can benefit the majority of patients harbouring drug resistant tubercle bacilli

Academic Staff and Industry Revolution 4.0: Knowledge, Innovation and Learning Factor

The higher education institutions play a very important role in developing the readiness of academic staff on IR 4.0 which might increase the quality of education system through implementing the effective learning factors, efficiency knowledge management factors, and creative thinking with the innovation capability. Here, the academic staff must further explore the new knowledge, innovation, and learning factors that could be used in their teaching and learning. The research model was taken from previous studies on examining the feasibilities of Industry 4.0 for the hospitality sector with the lens of management practice. The data was analyzed by using the IBM SPSS Statistics v21 and the five-point Likert scale represented by Information Literacy Education Implementation Readiness Scale was used to measure the respondents’ readiness level on IR 4.0. Descriptive analysis than was used in this research to further explore the mean factors which are learning, knowledge management and innovation capability, and the academic staffs’ readiness for IR 4.0.. The results indicated that the learning institutions played a very important role in developing the readiness of academic staff on IR 4.0 which may increase the quality of education system through implementing the effective learning factors, efficiency knowledge management factors and creative thinking with innovation capability factors

Application of multi-criteria decision analysis techniques and decision support framework for informing plant select agent designation and decision making

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Division of Agricultural Select Agents and Toxins (DASAT) established a list of biological agents (Select Agents List) that threaten crops of economic importance to the United States and regulates the procedures governing containment, incident response, and the security of entities working with them. Every 2 years the USDA DASAT reviews their select agent list, utilizing assessments by subject matter experts (SMEs) to rank the agents. We explored the applicability of multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) techniques and a decision support framework (DSF) to support the USDA DASAT biennial review process. The evaluation includes both current and non-select agents to provide a robust assessment. We initially conducted a literature review of 16 pathogens against 9 criteria for assessing plant health and bioterrorism risk and documented the findings to support this analysis. Technical review of published data and associated scoring recommendations by pathogen-specific SMEs was found to be critical for ensuring accuracy. Scoring criteria were adopted to ensure consistency. The MCDA supported the expectation that select agents would rank high on the relative risk scale when considering the agricultural consequences of a bioterrorism attack; however, application of analytical thresholds as a basis for designating select agents led to some exceptions to current designations. A second analytical approach used agent-specific data to designate key criteria in a DSF logic tree format to identify pathogens of low concern that can be ruled out for further consideration as select agents. Both the MCDA and DSF approaches arrived at similar conclusions, suggesting the value of employing the two analytical approaches to add robustness for decision making

Draft genome sequences of two extensively drug-resistant strains of acinetobacter baumannii isolated from clinical samples in Pakistan

Infections in immunocompromised patients that are caused by extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Acinetobacter baumannii strains have been increasingly reported worldwide. In particular, carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii strains are a prominent cause of health care-associated infections. Here, we report draft genome assemblies for two clinical XDR A. baumannii isolates obtained from hospitalized patients in Pakistan

Population‐based cohort study of outcomes following cholecystectomy for benign gallbladder diseases

Background The aim was to describe the management of benign gallbladder disease and identify characteristics associated with all‐cause 30‐day readmissions and complications in a prospective population‐based cohort. Methods Data were collected on consecutive patients undergoing cholecystectomy in acute UK and Irish hospitals between 1 March and 1 May 2014. Potential explanatory variables influencing all‐cause 30‐day readmissions and complications were analysed by means of multilevel, multivariable logistic regression modelling using a two‐level hierarchical structure with patients (level 1) nested within hospitals (level 2). Results Data were collected on 8909 patients undergoing cholecystectomy from 167 hospitals. Some 1451 cholecystectomies (16·3 per cent) were performed as an emergency, 4165 (46·8 per cent) as elective operations, and 3293 patients (37·0 per cent) had had at least one previous emergency admission, but had surgery on a delayed basis. The readmission and complication rates at 30 days were 7·1 per cent (633 of 8909) and 10·8 per cent (962 of 8909) respectively. Both readmissions and complications were independently associated with increasing ASA fitness grade, duration of surgery, and increasing numbers of emergency admissions with gallbladder disease before cholecystectomy. No identifiable hospital characteristics were linked to readmissions and complications. Conclusion Readmissions and complications following cholecystectomy are common and associated with patient and disease characteristics

Practical Learning and Theory-Practice as Perceived by Student Nurses in Universiti Malaysia Sabah

Introduction: The theory-practice gap is arguably the most important issue in nursing today, given that it challenges the concept of research based practice, which is the basis of nursing as a profession. Majority of the student nurses shared their views that some of the practical procedures that they learned during their theory sessions was different from what was practiced in the wards which caused some worries among the student’s that it may affect their performance during their Obstructive Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the perception of nursing students’ towards the practical learning and strategies to bridge the theory-practice gap. Method: Survey questionnaires pertaining to perception towards the practical learning and strategies to bridge the gap were distributed among 60 UMS students nurses Year 2 and Year 3 to understand their perception on theory-practice gap. Results: As for clinical practice experience, all (100%) students stated that clinical instructor and nursing educators did orientation during the first time in the wards or clinic. Forty students (66.67%) responded “yes” that supervision occurs all the time during the clinical posting. As for practical learning, all students indicated that simulation lab was found in their faculty and nursing block. On strategies, 50 (83%), students agreed that it is helpful if nurse educators spend time in clinical practice to update their skills and re-experiencing the realities of practice. Thirty eight (63%) students agreed that that they need clarification of difficult concepts from staff nurses, clinical instructors and nurse educators. Conclusion and Recommendations: Responses from students have suggested some strategies in bridging the gap between theory and practice such as continuous communication between the education and clinical area

Drones count wildlife more accurately and precisely than humans

Human activities are creating environmental conditions that pose threats and present opportunities for wildlife. In turn, this creates challenges for conservation managers. Some species have benefited from anthropogenic actions. For example, many invasive species profit from human‐assisted dispersal (Banks, Paini, Bayliss, & Hodda, 2015; Hulme, 2009), and mesopredators may thrive following human‐driven loss of top predators (Ritchie & Johnson, 2009). However, in many cases, wildlife populations are undergoing alarming declines, and extinction rates are now as high as 100‐fold greater than the background extinction rate (Ceballos et al., 2015). Ecological monitoring is essential for understanding these population dynamics, and rigorous monitoring facilitates informed management. The effectiveness of management decision‐making is often dependent on the accuracy and timeliness of the relevant ecological data upon which decisions are based, meaning that improvements to data collection methods may herald improved ecological outcomes from management actions