An Evaluation of the Motives behind Volunteering and Existing Motivational Strategies among Voluntary Organizations in Kenya

Given that volunteers offer their services without compensation, it is widely assumed that the presence or absence of any form of motivation cannot deter their desire to volunteer. This study used 120 purposively selected respondents comprising 90 volunteers and 30 non volunteers to identify the factors that make people volunteer and the explore existing motivational strategies in three voluntary organizations in Kenya - Kenya Red Cross Society, the United Nations Volunteers and the St. Johns Ambulance Kenya. The research grouped the strategies into intrinsic and extrinsic factors as categorized by Herzberg (1959) theory to try and understand if both motivational and hygienic factors play a role in making people to volunteer. The research also utilised the Social Exchange Theory to establish whether volunteers expect social rewards to continue volunteering. The research established that people volunteer to obtain learning opportunities and gain experience (51.1%), due to encouragement from peers (18.8%), so as to complete school projects (16.7%) and due to lack of employment (13.3%). The study also established that though the voluntary companies employed both the intrinsic and extrinsic motivational strategies, they did not properly communicate the strategies to the respondents. Some 44.4% volunteers continued volunteering because they felt that motivational strategies geared towards personal growth and development (intrinsic) were present, while 33.3% non volunteers said organizational motivational strategies (extrinsic) created conducive work environment. The study concluded that any voluntary organization should ensure that it has aligned its volunteer management processes of recruitment, induction, training and motivation to reap maximum benefits from volunteers. Keywords: Volunteers, Motivation Strategies, Intrinsic Factors, Extrinsic Factors, Keny

EEG signal classification to detect left and right command using artificial neural network (ANN)

In this study, the right and left commands explored are based on the actual movement oflifting either left or right hand and the imaginary movement of lifting either left or right handFor this initial study, EEG signals recorded based on the actual physical movements will becollected as the raw data, as well as the EEG signals recorded when imaginary movements areperformed. In the scope of this research, the EEG processing focuses on analyzing two different features namely SD and ESD. These features are used as inputs to be classified by the ANN classifier. The performance of this classifier is then evaluated by measuring its accuracy in distinguishing the different interpreted commands. Based on findings from the conducted analysis, we found that PSD is the best feature to be fed as input to the ANN classifier with a high accuracy of 93% compared to when ESD feature is used as the input.Keywords: BCI; EEG; classification; Energy Spectral Density (ESD); Power SpectralDensity (PSD); Artificial Neural Network (ANN)

Examining the determination of flood victim's knowledge sharing behavior: From the perspectives of social cognitive theory

During the occurrence of disaster, knowledge sharing plays as important role.Through effective knowledge sharing, it can help victims save lives; received immediate relief and support; and minimize the disaster effect.But lack of works has been done to examine the determinants of knowledge sharing within disaster management context. Therefore, this study aims to provide a better understanding of knowledge sharing during the occurrence of disaster.In order to examine the determinant of individual's knowledge sharing behavior during the occurrence of disaster, the researcher will use social cognitive theory (SCT) to conceptualize a theoretical model for this study.This study holds self-efficacy, reciprocity, social support and social recognition as an influence individual in sharing knowledge during the occurrence of disaster.The methodology begins with constructing a questionnaire to investigate the theoretical model.The respondents are victims that have had experience in sharing knowledge during the flood.This study was used a Structural Equation Modeling(SEM)to test causal relationships between constructs.Hopefully, by proposed theoretical model through this research can provide additional insight on what influence knowledge sharing behavior within disaster management context

Examining the determination of flood victim’s knowledge sharing behavior: From the perspectives of social cognitive theory

During the occurrence of disaster, knowledge sharing plays as important role. Through effective knowledge sharing, it can help victims save lives; received immediate relief and support; and minimize the disaster effect. But lack of works has been done to examine the determinants of knowledge sharing within disaster management context.Therefore, this study aims to provide a better understanding of knowledge sharing during the occurrence of disaster.In order to examine the determinant of individual’s knowledge sharing behavior during the occurrence of disaster, the researcher will use social cognitive theory (SCT) to conceptualize a theoretical model for this study.This study holds self-efficacy, reciprocity, social support and social recognition as an influence individual in sharing knowledge during the occurrence of disaster.The methodology begins with constructing a questionnaire to investigate the theoretical model. The respondents are victims that have had experience in sharing knowledge during the flood.This study was used a Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test causal relationships between constructs.Hopefully, by proposed theoretical model through this research can provide additional insight on what influence knowledge sharing behavior within disaster management context

The Impact of Oxygen on Bacterial Enteric Pathogens

Bacterial enteric pathogens are responsible for a tremendous amount of foodborne illnesses every year through the consumption of contaminated food products. During their transit from contaminated food sources to the host gastrointestinal tract, these pathogens are exposed and must adapt to fluctuating oxygen levels to successfully colonize the host and cause diseases. However, the majority of enteric infection research has been conducted under aerobic conditions. To raise awareness of the importance in understanding the impact of oxygen, or lack of oxygen, on enteric pathogenesis, we describe in this review the metabolic and physiological responses of nine bacterial enteric pathogens exposed to environments with different oxygen levels. We further discuss the effects of oxygen levels on virulence regulation to establish potential connections between metabolic adaptations and bacterial pathogenesis. While not providing an exhaustive list of all bacterial pathogens, we highlight key differences and similarities among nine facultative anaerobic and microaerobic pathogens in this review to argue for a more in-depth understanding of the diverse impact oxygen levels have on enteric pathogenesis

Antibiotic Prophylaxis For Transrectal Prostate Biopsy.

Transrectal prostate biopsy (TRPB) is a well established procedure used to obtain tissue for the histological diagnosis of carcinoma of the prostate. Despite the fact that TRPB is generally considered a safe procedure, it may be accompanied by traumatic and infective complications, including asymptomatic bacteriuria (bacteria in the urine), urinary tract infection (UTI), transitory bacteremia (bacteria in the blood), fever episodes, and sepsis (pathogenic microorganisms or their toxins in the blood). Although infective complications after TRPB are well known, there is uncertainty about the necessity and effectiveness of routine prophylactic antibiotics and their adverse effects, as well as a clear lack of standardization. To evaluate the effectiveness and adverse effects of prophylactic antibiotic treatment in TRPB. The search covered the principal electronic databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). Experts were consulted and references from the relevant articles were scanned. All randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) of men who underwent TRPB and received prophylactic antibiotics or placebo/no treatment, were selected, and all RCTs looking at one type of antibiotic versus another, including comparable dosages, routes of administration, frequency of administration, and duration of antibiotic treatment. Two reviewers (ELZ, OACC) independently selected included trials and extracted study data. Any disagreements were resolved by a third party (NRNJ). Overall, more than 3500 references were considered and 19 original reports with a total of 3599 patients were included.There were 9 trials analysing antibiotics versus placebo/no treatment, with all outcomes significantly favouring antibiotic use (P < 0.05) (I(2) = 0%), including bacteriuria (risk ratio (RR) 0.25 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.15 to 0.42), bacteremia (RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.92), fever (RR 0.39, 95% CI 0.23 to 0.64), urinary tract infection (RR 0.37, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.62), and hospitalization (RR 0.13, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.55). Several classes of antibiotics were effective prophylactically for TRPB, while the quinolones, with the highest number of studies (5) and patients (1188), were the best analysed. For 'antibiotics versus enema', we analysed four studies with a limited number of patients. The differences between groups for all outcomes were not significant. For 'antibiotic versus antibiotic + enema', only the risk of bacteremia (RR 0.25, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.75) was diminished in the 'antibiotic + enema group'. Seven trials reported the effects of short-course (1 day) versus long-course (3 days) antibiotics. Long course was significantly better than short-course treatment only for bacteriuria (RR 2.09, 95% CI 1.17 to 3.73). For 'single versus multiple dose', there was significantly greater risk of bacteriuria for single-dose treatment (RR 1.98, 95% CI 1.18 to 3.33). Comparing oral versus systemic administration - intramuscular injection (IM), or intravenous (IV) - of antibiotics, there were no significant differences in the groups for bacteriuria, fever, UTI and hospitalization. Antibiotic prophylaxis is effective in preventing infectious complications following TRPB. There is no definitive data to confirm that antibiotics for long-course (3 days) are superior to short-course treatments (1 day), or that multiple-dose treatment is superior to single-dose.

Childhood Vaccinations and Type 1 Diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is the most common paediatric endocrine disease, and its frequency has been found to increase worldwide. Similar to all conditions associated with poorly regulated glucose metabolism, T1D carries an increased risk of infection. Consequently, careful compliance by T1D children with schedules officially approved for child immunization is strongly recommended. However, because patients with T1D show persistent and profound limitations in immune function, vaccines may evoke a less efficient immune response, with corresponding lower protection. Moreover, T1D is an autoimmune condition that develops in genetically susceptible individuals and some data regarding T1D triggering factors appear to indicate that infections, mainly those due to viruses, play a major role. Accordingly, the use of viral live attenuated vaccines is being debated. In this narrative review, we discussed the most effective and safe use of vaccines in patients at risk of or with overt T1D. Literature analysis showed that several problems related to the use of vaccines in children with T1D have not been completely resolved. There are few studies regarding the immunogenicity and efficacy of vaccines in T1D children, and the need for different immunization schedules has not been precisely established. Fortunately, the previous presumed relationship between vaccine administration and T1D appears to have been debunked, though some doubts regarding rotavirus vaccines remain. Further studies are needed to completely resolve the problems related to vaccine administration in T1D patients. In the meantime, the use of vaccines remains extensively recommended in children with this disease

Demonstration and Comparison of Operation of Photomultiplier Tubes at Liquid Argon Temperature

Liquified noble gases are widely used as a target in direct Dark Matter searches. Signals from scintillation in the liquid, following energy deposition from the recoil nuclei scattered by Dark Matter particles (e.g. WIMPs), should be recorded down to very low energies by photosensors suitably designed to operate at cryogenic temperatures. Liquid Argon based detectors for Dark Matter searches currently implement photo multiplier tubes for signal read-out. In the last few years PMTs with photocathodes operating down to liquid Argon temperatures (87 K) have been specially developed with increasing Quantum Efficiency characteristics. The most recent of these, Hamamatsu Photonics Mod. R11065 with peak QE up to about 35%, has been extensively tested within the R&D program of the WArP Collaboration. During these testes the Hamamatsu PMTs showed superb performance and allowed obtaining a light yield around 7 phel/keVee in a Liquid Argon detector with a photocathodic coverage in the 12% range, sufficient for detection of events down to few keVee of energy deposition. This shows that this new type of PMT is suited for experimental applications, in particular for new direct Dark Matter searches with LAr-based experiments

The role of preformed silos in the management of infants with gastroschisis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Conclusion: The quality of evidence comparing PFS with alternate treatment strategies for gastroschisis is poor. Only routine use of PFS is associated with fewer days on a ventilator compared with other strategies. No strong evidence to support a preference for any strategy was demonstrated. Prospective studies are required to investigate the optimum management of gastroschisis. Standardised outcome measures for this population should be established to allow comparison of studies

Enteric Neurospheres Are Not Specific to Neural Crest Cultures: Implications for Neural Stem Cell Therapies

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