The perceptions of rural women doctors about their work

Background: Recruitment and retention of medical staff are important issues in rural health. The aim of this study was to describe and understand the perceptions of women doctors working in rural hospitals in South Africa about their work. Methods: This was a descriptive study, using a qualitative methodology. Free attitude interviews were conducted with 14 women doctors. Themes were identified and tested against the data and comments from the research diary. Results: The main theme was balance. A rural woman doctor has to juggle different issues, including running the household and responsibilities at work. Other themes that were identified included the reason for working at a rural hospital, attitudes to rural life, opportunities for personal and professional growth, the feeling of being needed in a rural hospital, advantages and disadvantages for children and family, the impact of relationships on the rural woman doctor, issues regarding the environment and security, and that the proximity of home and work gives a rural woman doctor far more connection with her family. Conclusions: Some of the themes identified in this study agreed with international research, e.g. the importance of a job for the spouse, family considerations influencing the choice to specialise, and balancing responsibilities at home and work. The advantage of accommodation close to the hospital is a theme that has not been documented before. Based on the findings, recommendations are made to attract women doctors to rural areas

Naast brievenschrijver is digitale dater een viezerik

Modern and Contemporary Studie

Global data on earthworm abundance, biomass, diversity and corresponding environmental properties

Earthworms are an important soil taxon as ecosystem engineers, providing a variety of crucial ecosystem functions and services. Little is known about their diversity and distribution at large spatial scales, despite the availability of considerable amounts of local-scale data. Earthworm diversity data, obtained from the primary literature or provided directly by authors, were collated with information on site locations, including coordinates, habitat cover, and soil properties. Datasets were required, at a minimum, to include abundance or biomass of earthworms at a site. Where possible, site-level species lists were included, as well as the abundance and biomass of individual species and ecological groups. This global dataset contains 10,840 sites, with 184 species, from 60 countries and all continents except Antarctica. The data were obtained from 182 published articles, published between 1973 and 2017, and 17 unpublished datasets. Amalgamating data into a single global database will assist researchers in investigating and answering a wide variety of pressing questions, for example, jointly assessing aboveground and belowground biodiversity distributions and drivers of biodiversity change

The distribution of total vitamin b12 holotranscobalamin and the active vitamin b12 fraction in the first 5 weeks postpartum

Introduction Total vitamin B12 levels decrease significantly during pregnancy and recover to normal values within 8-week postpartum. Holotranscobalamin (holoTC) reflects the active part of vitamin B12 and has been shown to remain constant during pregnancy and postpartum. A mechanism of redistribution of vitamin B12 is suggested, with a shift toward holoTC if there is insufficient total vitamin B12 available. Our objective was to examine vitamin B12 deficiency and the active vitamin B12 fraction in postpartum women. Methods Total vitamin B12 and holoTC were measured in 171 women within 48 hours (T0) and at 5 weeks (T5) postpartum. Vitamin B12 deficiency was defined as total vitamin B12 < 180 pmol/L or holoTC <32 pmol/L. The active vitamin B12 fraction was defined as holoTC/total vitamin B12. Results Without intervention, vitamin B12 deficiency based on both serum total vitamin B12 and holoTC changed from 75% and 60%, to respectively 10% and 6% at T5. The fraction of active vitamin B12 was significant higher in vitamin B12 deficient women at both time points and across time (P < .0001 and P = .002). A high fraction of active vitamin B12 was only present in women with total vitamin B12 deficiency at T0. At T5, no high vitamin B12 fraction was found. Conclusion The changes in total vitamin B12 levels seem to be based on a physiological changes rather than vitamin B12 deficiency. The results of this study confirm the hypothesis that a shift toward the metabolic active vitamin B12 (holoTC) occurs in women with insufficient available total vitamin B12

Нерешенные вопросы диагностики и лечения синдрома острого повреждения желудка

Освещены основные вопросы развития, диагностики и лечебных мероприятий синдрома острого повреждения желудка. Определены основные направления в изучении данного состояния.Main questions of development, diagnosis and treatment of syndrome of acute lesion of the stomach are featured. Main directions in the investigation of this state were determined

The performance of organic electronic ratchets

Organic electronic ratchets rectify time-correlated external driving forces, giving output powers that can drive electronic circuitry. In this work their performance characteristics are investigated using numerical modeling and measurements. It is shown how the characteristic parameters of the time–varying asymmetric potential like length scales and amplitude, as well as the density and mobility of the charge carriers in the device influence the performance characteristics. Various ratchet efficiencies and their relations are discussed. With all settings close to optimum, a ratchet with charge displacement and power efficiencies close to 50% and 7% respectively is obtained

Implementation of a mandatory programme on Intensive Forest Monitoring in Slovenia

From May 1st 2004, Slovenia will have the obligation to follow the legislation that is in force in the EU. This includes the implementation of an Intensive Monitoring of its Forest Ecosystems. “Senter” contracted Alterra Green World Research to execute the project: “Implementation of the mandatory programme on Intensive Monitoring in Slovenia”, from January 1st 2003 till 31 December 2004. During this project the following results have been achieved: (i) eleven plots have been selected in a careful way with clear aims and criteria., (ii) the infrastructure in the field and laboratory has been build-up successfully, (iii) a Quality Assurance and Quality Control (Q(A/QC) programme has been implemented, (iv) a database is being set up, (v) the organisational structure is in place, (vi) there is a clear international imbedding and (vii) there is a long term commitment of the Ministries of Agriculture and Environment. The mandatory programme on Intensive Forest Monitoring in Slovenia has a large potential to evaluate impacts of elevated nitrogen inputs, high ozone exposure and climate chang