49 research outputs found
What is the impact of using thedesk on the wellbeing and psychological distress of undergraduate students? A systematic case series.
Students are at greater risk of compromised wellbeing and elevated levels of psychological distress when compared with their non-student peers. They are also less likely to seek help. Web-based interventions may be able to support students to improve their wellbeing. This thesis was undertaken in order to investigate the impact of one such web-based intervention, thedesk, on studentsâ levels of wellbeing and psychological distress. The project used a mixed-methods, systematic case series design. Nine participants completed the study. They were asked to use thedesk for six weeks whilst completing measures of their wellbeing, psychological distress, coping style and general self-efficacy, and were later interviewed about their experiences of using thedesk. The results indicated that thedesk had a positive impact on two of the participantsâ levels of wellbeing and psychological distress. None of the participants displayed improvements in their coping style or levels of self-efficacy. Usage data showed that many of the participantsâ engagement with thedesk during the study was low. During the interviews, participants gave both positive and constructive feedback about thedesk. They reported thinking that a web-based intervention designed for students was a good idea, that the content was helpful and appropriate for a student population, but that more content should be added to thedesk and it would benefit from being updated in several ways. The results indicate that students are receptive to web-based interventions, but that further research should be conducted to determine how to make these interventions as engaging and helpful as possible
Pirnilu Nintipungkupayi (Everyone Is a Teacher): Keeping Old People's Spirit Healthy Through Education
In the Ngaanyatjarra Lands of desert Western Australia, older people are being encouraged to participate meaningfully in student education. This initiative is being led by two of the authors of this article, senior Ngaanyatjarra women, both of whom work with the Ngaanyatjarra Lands School with its campuses in eight remote communities spread over hundreds of kilometres. Elderly men and women, some of whom are residents in the Ngaanyatjarra Aged Care home (Ngaanyatjarra Health Service, 2021), are eagerly participating in the planning of bush trips, gathering their traditional resources, seeds, grinding stones, bush resins, recalling stories, songs, and dances - as they prepare for the bush camps with students. During the camps the schoolteachers step back and the elderly lead in what is known as twoâway science. At first glance, this work may look like it is simply focused on the educational needs of students with senior Yarnangu acting in a supporting role. However, this article will demonstrate the continuous connections and responsibilities, laid out in the Tjukurrpa (the Dreaming), between the old and the young, to their ancestral lands. It sets out how according to "Tjukurrpa thinking," the principal way to provide good care is by helping senior people remain on country with family, pass on their knowledge to younger people, and thus keep strong languages and kurrunpa (people's spirit) alive
Exploring the origins of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy in amorphous Tb-Co via changes in medium-range ordering
Amorphous thin films of TbCo (a-Tb-Co) grown by magnetron
co-sputtering exhibit changes in magnetic anisotropy with varying growth and
annealing temperatures. The magnetic anisotropy constant increases with
increasing growth temperature, which is reduced or vanishes upon annealing at
temperatures above the growth temperature. The proposed explanation for this
growth-induced anisotropy in high orbital moment Tb-based transition metal
alloys such as a-Tb-Co is an amorphous phase texturing with preferential
in-plane and out-of-plane local bonding configurations for the rare-earth and
transition metal atoms. Scanning nanodiffraction performed in a transmission
electron microscope (TEM) is applied to a-TbCo films deposited
over a range of temperatures to measure relative changes in medium-range
ordering (MRO). These measurements reveal an increase in MRO with higher growth
temperatures and a decrease in MRO with higher annealing temperatures. The
trend in MRO indicates a relationship between the magnetic anisotropy and local
atomic ordering. Tilting select films between 0 and 40 in
the TEM measures variations in the local atomic structure a function of
orientation within the films. The findings support claims that preferential
ordering along the growth direction results from temperature-mediated adatom
configurations during deposition, and that oriented MRO correlates with the
larger anisotropy constants.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figure
The Iowa Homemaker vol.17, no.6
Genuinely âBigâ Business by Grace McIlrath Ellis, page 1
Every Gram of Jam by Ruth Kunerth, page 2
Confessions of Shoe Salesman and Florist by Paul Montgomery and Paul Buehler, page 3
What Would You Do If by Harriet Beyer, page 4
Food Shots Are Not So Candid by Ruth Dahlberg, page 5
Yumph Invades the Formal Field by Lois Swenson, page 6
Just Skin Deep by Donna Button, page 7
On Your Own Toes by Jane Helser, page 8
Resolve to Charm by Frances Dickerson, page 9
Whatâs New in Home Economics edited by Marjorie Pettinger, page 10
No Peacock Tongues by Daisy Mary Kimberley, page 12
She Knows Her Turkeys by Mary Ellen Lynch, page 13
On the Airwaves by Grace Strohmeier, page 13
Science in the Kitchen, page 14
Radiation Ratings by Kay Dodds, page 15
The Gavel Strikes by Donna Button, page 16
What Goal Posts? By Jean Metcalf and Rachel Roewe, page 17
Alums Make News by Faithe Danielson, page 18
Up With the Dawn by the editor, page 2
Validation of the Bluebelle Wound Healing questionnaire (WHQ) for assessment of surgical site infection in primary surgical wounds after hospital discharge
Background
Accurate assessment of surgicalâsite infection (SSI) is crucial for surveillance and research. Selfâreporting patient measures are needed because current SSI tools are limited for assessing patients after leaving hospital. The Bluebelle Wound Healing Questionnaire (WHQ) was developed for patient or observer completion; this study tested its acceptability, scale structure, reliability and validity in patients with closed primary wounds after abdominal surgery.
Methods
Patients completed the WHQ (selfâassessment) within 30 days after leaving hospital and returned it by post. Healthcare professionals completed the WHQ (observer assessment) by telephone or faceâtoâface. Questionnaire response rates and patient acceptability were assessed. Factor analysis and Cronbach's α examined scale structure and internal consistency. Testâretest and selfâ versus observer reliability assessments were performed. Sensitivity and specificity for SSI discrimination against a faceâtoâface reference diagnosis (using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria) were examined.
Results
Some 561 of 792 selfâassessments (70·8 per cent) and 597 of 791 observer assessments (75·5 per cent) were completed, with few missing data or problems reported. Data supported a singleâscale structure with strong internal consistency (α greater than 0·8). Reliability between testâretest and selfâ versus observer assessments was good (Îș 0·6 or above for the majority of items). Sensitivity and specificity for SSI discrimination was high (area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve 0·91).
Conclusion
The Bluebelle WHQ is acceptable, reliable and valid with a singleâscale structure for postdischarge patient or observer assessment of SSI in closed primary wounds
Expression of the chemokine receptor CCR5 in psoriasis and results of a randomized placebo controlled trial with a CCR5 inhibitor
Several reports have indicated that the chemokine receptor CCR5 and its ligands, especially CCL5 (formerly known as RANTES), may play a role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the expression of CCR5 and its ligands in chronic plaque psoriasis and to evaluate the clinical and immunohistochemical effect of a CCR5 receptor inhibitor. Immunohistochemical analysis showed low but significant increased total numbers of CCR5 positive cells in epidermis and dermis of lesional skin in comparison to non-lesional skin. However, relative expression of CCR5 proportional to the cells observed revealed that the difference between lesional and non-lesional skin was only statistically significant in the epidermis for CD3 positive cells and in the dermis for CD68 positive cells. Quantification of mRNA by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction only showed an increased expression of CCL5 (RANTES) in lesional skin. A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial in 32 psoriasis patients revealed no significant clinical effect and no changes at the immunohistochemical level comparing patients treated with placebo or a CCR5 inhibitor SCH351125. We conclude that although CCR5 expression is increased in psoriatic lesions, this receptor does not play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis