Expectations of the students of mechatronics in the conversion of technical training faculties into technology faculties of technology

AbstractIn this study, it was aimed to determine the expectations of the students of Marmara University, Technical Training Faculty, The Department of Mechatronic Education in the conversion Technical Training Faculties into Faculties of Technology. The target population of the study was formed by the students of Marmara University, Technical Training Faculty, The Department of Mechatronic Education, and the sample was formed by one hundred students selected randomly from 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades. In the research, the relational scanning model was used. To prepare the survey questions, ten open-ended questions regarding the conversion into the Faculty of Technology were asked to the students; and then a 20-question Likert-type survey with 5 articles was prepared by analyzing these questions. The data was analyzed by the program of SPSS 15.0, and pie charts on results were provided.According to the data obtained at the end of the study, the conclusions reached were that the title problem of the students of Mechatronic Education must be solved, that Technical Training Faculties cannot benefit from Erasmus and Socrates programs as they have no equivalence in European Union, that appropriate conditions for developing common projects with industry as Mechatronic Education is mostly practical due to the nature of the department, that differences of titles and diplomas the graduates of Technical Training - Department of Mechatronic Education and the students who will graduate from Faculties of Technology during conversion must be corrected with arrangements to be made, and that the diplomas gotten must be accepted outside the country

Not just a number: examining coverage and content of antenatal care in low-income and middle-income countries.

INTRODUCTION: Antenatal care (ANC) provides a critical opportunity for women and babies to benefit from good-quality maternal care. Using 10 countries as an illustrative analysis, we described ANC coverage (number of visits and timing of first visit) and operationalised indicators for content of care as available in population surveys, and examined how these two approaches are related. METHODS: We used the most recent Demographic and Health Survey to analyse ANC related to women's most recent live birth up to 3 years preceding the survey. Content of care was assessed using six components routinely measured across all countries, and a further one to eight additional country-specific components. We estimated the percentage of women in need of ANC, and using ANC, who received each component, the six routine components and all components. RESULTS: In all 10 countries, the majority of women in need of ANC reported 1+ ANC visits and over two-fifths reported 4+ visits. Receipt of the six routine components varied widely; blood pressure measurement was the most commonly reported component, and urine test and information on complications the least. Among the subset of women starting ANC in the first trimester and receiving 4+ visits, the percentage receiving all six routinely measured ANC components was low, ranging from 10% (Jordan) to around 50% in Nigeria, Nepal, Colombia and Haiti. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that even among women with patterns of care that complied with global recommendations, the content of care was poor. Efficient and effective action to improve care quality relies on development of suitable content of care indicators

The recursive dualizm of technology:

The notion of technology is often consumed with its purely practical, equipmental interpretation in everyday life which assumes the neutrality of technical things, fully justifying the equivocation of the technical with the technological. However, technology, as a major constituent of contemporary society, is intimately connected with politics, economics, culture, and all forms of social and personal life. Previous research followed a variety of approaches and analyzed the technology phenomena in organizations from structural or agency-based perspectives. The structuration theory, attempting to resolve the deep-seated ontological division in social sciences, has offered a way out from the impasse between structure and agency based perspectives, but a number of criticisms have been posed against it in the literature (Clegg 1989; Archer 1982, 1989, 1995; Layder 1987; Callinicos 1985; Mouzelis 1995). Following the structuration theory, Orlikowski (1992) suggested the structurational model of technology and offered the duality of technology model. In this study, the recursive dualism of technology (RDT) model is developed as a new theoretical model to provide an understanding as to how technology is experienced and the way technology adaptation unfolds in organizations. The model explains how technology shapes and also is shaped by organizational affairs at macro, meso, and micro levels in organizations. The RDT model combines structuration and institutionalization perspectives, reconsidering criticisms against the structuration theory. A set of theoretical propositions has been developed also drawing from the power literature to describe the interplay of actors and structures using 'power-based institutionalization mechanisms2 (Lawrence, Winn and Jennings, 2001) during technology adaptation in organizations. Research propositions have been empirically studied in five cases of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software adaptation in four different organizations. ERP is a software technology frequently associated with organizational change and transformation in relation to its adaptation in organizations. Case studies are compared and contrasted to empirically evaluate the RDT model and discuss the process of technology adaptation in organizations in relation to structuration and institutionalization processes. The theoretical and practical implications of the study and potential further studies are also addressed

The relationship between insecurity and the quality of hospital care provided to women with abortion-related complications in the Democratic Republic of Congo:a cross-sectional analysis

Objective To examine the relationship between insecurity and quality of care provided for abortion complications in high-volume hospitals in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).MethodsUsing the WHO Multi-Country Survey on Abortion complications, we analyzed data for 1007 women who received care in 24 facilities in DRC. For inputs of care, we calculated the percentage of facilities in secure and insecure areas meeting 12 readiness criteria for infrastructure and capability. For process and outcomes of care, we estimated the association between security and eight indicators using generalized estimating equation models. Results acilities in secure areas were more likely to report functioning electricity (93.3% vs 66.7%), availability of an obstetrician 24/7 (42.9% vs 28.6%), and the ability to offer several short-acting contraceptives (83.3% vs 57.1%). However, a higher percentage of facilities in insecure areas reported the availability of a telephone or radio (100% vs 80.0%). Women in insecure areas appeared more likely to experience poor quality clinical care overall than women in secure areas (aOR 2.56; 95% CI, 1.13-5.82, P = 0.03). However, there was no association between security and incomplete medical records (P = 0.20), use of dilatation and curettage (D&C) (P = 0.84), women reporting poor experience of care (P = 0.22), satisfaction with care (P = 0.25), and severe maternal outcomes (P = 0.56). There was weak evidence of an association between security and nonreceipt of contraceptives (P = 0.07), with women in insecure areas 70% less likely to report no contraception (aOR 0.31, 95% CI, 0.09-1.09). Use of D&C was high in secure (43.7%) and insecure (60.4%) areas. Conclusion Quality of care did not seem to be very different in secure and insecure areas in DRC, except for some key infrastructure, supply, and human resources elements. The frequent use of D&C for uterine evacuation, the lack of good record keeping, and the lack of contraceptives should be urgently addressed

Pregnancies, abortions, and pregnancy intentions: a protocol for modeling and reporting global, regional and country estimates

Background Estimates of pregnancies, abortions and pregnancy intentions can help assess how effectively women and couples are able to fulfil their childbearing aspirations. Abortion incidence estimates are also a necessary foundation for research on the safety of abortions performed and the consequences of unsafe abortion. Furthermore, periodic estimates of these indicators are needed to help inform policy and programmes. Methods We will develop a Bayesian hierarchical times series model which estimates levels and trends in pregnancy rates, abortion rates, and percentages of pregnancies and births unintended for each five-year period between 1990 and 2019. The model will be informed by data on abortion incidence and the percentage of births or pregnancies that were unintended. We will develop a data classification process to be applied to all available data. Model-based estimates and associated uncertainty will take account of data sparsity and quality. Our proposed approach will advance previous work in two key ways. First, we will estimate pregnancy and abortion rates simultaneously, and model the propensity to abort an unintended pregnancy, as opposed to modeling abortion rates directly as in prior work. Secondly, we will produce estimates that are reproducible at the country level by publishing the data inputs, data classification processes and source code. Discussion This protocol will form the basis for updated global, regional and national estimates of intended and unintended pregnancy rates, abortion rates, and the percent of unintended pregnancies ending in abortion, from 1990 to 2019

The magnitude and severity of abortion-related morbidity in settings with limited access to abortion services:a systematic review and meta-regression

Introduction: Defining and accurately measuring abortion-related morbidity is important for understanding the spectrum of risk associated with unsafe abortion and for assessing the impact of changes in abortion-related policy and practices. This systematic review aims to estimate the magnitude and severity of complications associated with abortion in areas where access to abortion is limited, with a particular focus on potentially life-threatening complications. Methods: A previous systematic review covering the literature up to 2010 was updated with studies identified through a systematic search of Medline, Embase, Popline and two WHO regional databases until July 2016. Studies from settings where access to abortion is limited were included if they quantified the percentage of abortion-related hospital admissions that had any of the following complications: mortality, a near-miss event, haemorrhage, sepsis, injury and anaemia. We calculated summary measures of the percentage of abortion-related hospital admissions with each complication by conducting meta-analysis and explored whether these have changed over time. Results: Based on data collected between 1988 and 2014 from 70 studies from 28 countries, we estimate that at least 9% of abortion-related hospital admissions have a near-miss event and approximately 1.5% ends in a death. Haemorrhage was the most common complication reported; the pooled percentage of abortion-related hospital admissions with severe haemorrhage was 23%, with around 9% having near-miss haemorrhage reported. There was strong evidence for between-study heterogeneity across most outcomes. Conclusions: In spite of the challenges on how near miss morbidity has been defined and measured in the included studies, our results suggest that a substantial percentage of abortion-related hospital admissions have potentially life-threatening complications. Estimates that are more reliable will only be obtained with increased use of standard definitions such as the WHO near-miss criteria and/or better reporting of clinical criteria applied in studies

A simple measure to assess hyperinflation and air trapping: 1-forced expiratory volume in three second / forced vital capacity

Background: Several recent studies have suggested that 1 minus-forced expiratory volume expired in 3 seconds / forced vital capacity (1-FEV3/FVC) may be an indicator of distal airway obstruction and a promising measure to evaluate small airways dysfunction. Aims: To investigate the associations of 1-FEV3/FVC with the spirometric measures and lung volumes that assess small airways dysfunction and reflects hyperinflation and air trapping. Study Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study. Methods: Retrospective assessment of a total of 1110 cases who underwent body plethysmographic lung volume estimations between a time span from 2005 to 2012. Patients were assigned into two groups: firstly by FEV1/FVC (FEV1/FVC = 70%); secondly by FEV3/FVC = LLN). Spirometric indices and lung volumes measured by whole-body plethysmography were compared in groups. Also the correlation of spirometric indices with measured lung volumes were assessed in the whole-study population and in subgroups stratified according to FEV1/FVC and FEV3/FVC. Results: Six hundred seven (54.7%) were male and 503 (45.3%) were female, with a mean age of 52.5 +/- 15.6 years. Mean FEV3/FVC and 1-FEV3/FVC were 87.05%, 12.95%, respectively. The mean 1-FEV3/FVC was 4.9% in the FEV1/FVC >= 70% group (n=644) vs. 24.1% in the FEV1/FVC = 70% or FEV3/FVC >= LLN, respectively. Conclusion: 1-FEV3/FVC can be easily calculated from routine spirometric measurements. 1-FEV3/FVC is a promising marker of air trapping and hyperinflation. We suggest that 1-FEV3/FVC is complementary to FEV1/FVC and recommend clinicians to routinely report and evaluate together with FEV1/FVC during spirometry

To call or not to call: exploring the validity of telephone interviews to derive maternal self-reports of experiences with facility childbirth care in northern Nigeria

BACKGROUND: To institutionalise respectful maternity care, frequent data on the experience of childbirth care is needed by health facility staff and managers. Telephone interviews have been proposed as a low-cost alternative to derive timely and actionable maternal self-reports of experience of care. However, evidence on the validity of telephone interviews for this purpose is limited. METHODS: Eight indicators of positive maternity care experience and 18 indicators of negative maternity care experience were investigated. We compared the responses from exit interviews with women about their childbirth care experience (reference standard) to follow-up telephone interviews with the same women 14 months after childbirth. We calculated individual-level validity metrics including, agreement, sensitivity, specificity, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). We compared the characteristics of women included in the telephone follow-up interviews to those from the exit interviews. RESULTS: Demographic characteristics were similar between the original exit interview group (n=388) and those subsequently reached for telephone interview (n=294). Seven of the eight positive maternity care experience indicators had reported prevalence higher than 50% at both exit and telephone interviews. For these indicators, agreement between the exit and the telephone interviews ranged between 50% and 92%; seven positive indicators met the criteria for validation analysis, but all had an AUC below 0.6. Reported prevalence for 15 of the 18 negative maternity care experience indicators was lower than 5% at exit and telephone interviews. For these 15 indicators, agreement between exit and telephone interview was high at over 80%. Just three negative indicators met the criteria for validation analysis, and all had an AUC below 0.6. CONCLUSIONS: The telephone interviews conducted 14 months after childbirth did not yield results that were consistent with exit interviews conducted at the time of facility discharge. Women's reports of experience of childbirth care may be influenced by the location of reporting or changes in the recall of experiences of care over time