Biodiversity Assessment of Avifauna in the Forest Reservation of Aurora State College of Technology (ASCOT), Philippines

The research study was conducted to assess and quantify the current status of avifauna biodiversity assets of Aurora State College of Technology’s Forest Reservation in Baler, Aurora, Philippines. Assessment of avifaunal diversity was undertaken by traversing the four established circular plots having a radius of 125 meters or 250 meters diameters each as permanent monitoring stations. Study revealed a total number of 151 Individual species, classified into 23 genera and 21 families. Eighteen of these species are endemic while the remaining five were fully migrated birds. All birds observed were classified as Least Concern (LC) species according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species and the updated list of the Birds of the World online. Its abundance, richness and diversity index were calculated using Shannon Diversity Index (H') while Pielou’s evenness (J') for distribution of species. Forest reservation of ASCOT has more even (0.756 J') and moderate diversity (2.812 H') observation on avifauna in general. However, this avian population evaluation was threatened into a verge of extinction due to natural and anthropological threats that causes forest deforestation. Such deforestation of habitat causes dwindling of wildlife territory leading to the scarcity of bird’s population. Thus, the assessment was conducted to aid ASCOT administration find significant plans to ensure sustainable conservation and protection of the remaining avifauna species in the reservation area.

The Effects of the Work Environment on the Employees Optimal Performance: A Study of Ebonyi State College of Education, Ikwo

The study sought to investigate the effects of the work environment on the employees’optimal performance in Ebonyi State College of Education,Ikwo,as one of government organizations.The research design for this study was the survey research design to assess the relationship between the work environment and the employee’s performance in Ebonyi State College of Education.Thus,the population of the study comprised all employees of the college.The college which has total staff strength of 493 employees and seven management members making total of 500 was used as the study area.In an attempt to realize the objectives of the study,222 questionnaires were administered to both the management team and the employees of Ebonyi State College of Education.In order to ensure that all the strata of the population were fairly represented and all cases within each stratum had equal chance of being selected,stratified random sampling was used to select a sample of 215 employees and seven members of the management team for this research.A response rate of 78%was achieved.The data collected from both employees and managers was analyzed,using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions and t-test statistics to test the hypotheses at alpha level of 0.05 significance.It was found that each of the components that define the work environment were statistically significant to performance of the college.However,the social work environment of employees of the college was the most conducive work environment in the institution and the psychological environment of the college was least conducive.In the end,the work environment of the Ebonyi State College of Education,Ikwo,was statistically significant to the performance of employees of the college.It was among other things recommended that for the performance of staff of the college to be enhanced,the college managers must improve its psychological environment so as to improve the psychological health of its employees.

School Level Information System (IS) Discontinuance Intention: A Case Study on Information System (IS) Discontinuance of Surigao State College of Technology SSCT

Educational institutions implement school information system (IS) solutions for efficient academic processes and improve the student experience, and thus tend to upgrade to new school IS, ceasing the use of old school IS. Extant studies of information system discontinuance are in organizational in general. This study is solely a school organization setting, specifically a thorough understanding of contributing factors that facilitate the intention of school information system (IS) discontinuance. Organizational level IS discontinuance intention OLIDI model was used as a lens and anchored by grounded theory. Semi-Structured interviews were used to collect data from school administrators and users of information system (IS) of Surigao State College of Technology. A qualitative statistics approach and coding of words are used to analyze the intention of IS discontinuance and provide model for school setting IS discontinuance. The findings show that system shortcomings, organizational initiative, environmental change, system investment, and institutional pressures were the critical determinants of increased intentions to replace the existing school information system (IS). The study findings are useful to school administrators to identify long term flexibility required for policies to overcome the capability of shortcomings that emerge over the system life span and underline risk associated with continued use of unsupported systems.

Epidemiology of Mpox Outbreaks and Implications for Surveillance in Imo State, Nigeria

Mpox disease is caused by a double-stranded DNA virus, genus Orthopoxvirus of the family Poxviridae. The incubation period is usually 6 to 13 days but can range from 5 to 21 days while symptoms and signs may persist for 2 to 5 weeks. Although, the clinical features are usually less severe when compared to the deadly smallpox, the disease can be fatal with case fatality rate between 1% and 10%. In Imo State, Nigeria, there has been a changing epidemiology of the disease in the last 6 years and the frequency and geographic distribution of cases have progressively increased. This study aims to conduct a review of the disease epidemiology between 2017 and 2023 and implications for surveillance in Imo State. Surveillance data from the Surveillance Outbreak Response and Management System (SORMAS) was extracted between January 2017 and December 2023 across the 27 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Imo State. A line list of 231 suspected cases was downloaded into an excel template and analyzed using SPSS® version 20 software. Analysis was done using descriptive statistics and associations were tested using Fischer’s exact at 0.05 level of significance. Of the 231 suspected cases, 57.1% (132) were males, 42.9% (99) were females and the modal age group was between the ages of 0 - 4 (32.5%). Eight (8) LGAs (districts) accounted for 71% (n = 164) of all the suspected cases. 21.2% (49) were confirmed positive, 27 males (55.1%) and 22 females (44.9%) (p > 0.05). Modal age group was 20 - 24 (22.4%, n = 11), 18% (9) were children under 14 years, p > 0.05. Case fatality rate was 8% (n = 4). There was no significant association between mortality and age group. Five (5) LGAs accounted for about 60% (29) of all confirmed cases. These LGAs contribute only 20% to the total population in the State. Only 5.6% and 4% of suspected and confirmed cases, respectively, had knowledge of contact with an infectious source. The study described the epidemiology of Mpox outbreaks between 2017 and 2023 and the findings have significant implications on detection and outbreak response activities.

Sea Cucumber Fishery in Aurora, Philippines

This study was conducted to provide a preliminary assessment of the sea cucumber fishery in Aurora, Philippines. This was conducted from February to June 2013. All sea cucumber gatherers and traders, obtained through snowball sampling, in each identified sea cucumber fishery area in six coastal municipalities (Baler, Dipaculao, Dinalungan, Casiguran, Dilasag and Dingalan) were interviewed using a structured interview schedule and focused group discussions (FGD). Results revealed that gathering sea cucumbers were accomplished by handpicking, skin diving or compressor diving. A total of 15 commercial species were regularly gathered. Out of this, three species are of very high economic value (≥Php 4000/kg) (Holothuria nobilis, Holothuria scabra, and Actinopyga lecanora). The average number of kilograms harvested per hour per trip ranges from 0.21 (Holothuria fuscopunctata) to 2.71 (Holothuria scabra), while the average size of commonly gathered sea cucumber varies among species with Holothuria lecanora showed an average length (29.26 cm) greater than recorded 24 cm. Processing mainly involves washing, slicing, boiling, drying and packing. Processed sea cucumbers or trepan were sold to middlemen or direct buyers who usually offered higher prices (36.36% up to 69.20%) than the former. Problems encountered by sea cucumber gatherers and traders include a decline in total catch, a shift in area of collection from intertidal zones to deeper waters, an increase in the number of hours spent in finding and gathering sea cucumbers, the use of compressors in gathering, the decline of larger species and gathering of smaller sizes in huge amount, the absence of conservation program for sea cucumber, and the lenient implementation of government policies with regards to coastal resources management.

A novel predictor of unsustained return of spontaneous circulation in cardiac arrest patients through a combination of capnography and pulse oximetry: a multicenter observational study

BACKGROUND:Unsustained return of spontaneous circulation(ROSC)is a critical barrier to survival in cardiac arrest patients.This study examined whether end-tidal carbon dioxide(ETCO_(2))and pulse oximetry photoplethysmogram(POP)parameters can be used to identify unsustained ROSC.METHODS:We conducted a multicenter observational prospective cohort study of consecutive patients with cardiac arrest from 2013 to 2014.Patients’general information,ETCO_(2),and POP parameters were collected and statistically analyzed.RESULTS:The included 105 ROSC episodes(from 80 cardiac arrest patients)comprised 51 sustained ROSC episodes and 54 unsustained ROSC episodes.The 24-hour survival rate was significantly higher in the sustained ROSC group than in the unsustained ROSC group(29.2%vs.9.4%,P<0.05).The logistic regression analysis showed that the difference between after and before ROSC in ETCO_(2)(ΔETCO_(2))and the difference between after and before ROCS in area under the curve of POP(ΔAUCp)were independently associated with sustained ROSC(odds ratio[OR]=0.931,95%confi dence interval[95%CI]0.881-0.984,P=0.011 and OR=0.998,95%CI 0.997-0.999,P<0.001).The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve ofΔETCO_(2),ΔAUCp,and the combination of both to predict unsustained ROSC were 0.752(95%CI 0.660-0.844),0.883(95%CI 0.818-0.948),and 0.902(95%CI 0.842-0.962),respectively.CONCLUSION:Patients with unsustained ROSC have a poor prognosis.The combination ofΔETCO_(2) andΔAUCp showed signifi cant predictive value for unsustained ROSC.

Impact of Action Observation Therapy along with Usual Physiotherapy Intervention of Individual with Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive impairments in the initial stage, which lead to severe cognitive dysfunction in the later stage. Action observation therapy (AOT) is a multisensory cognitive rehabilitation technique where the patient initially observes the actions and then tries to perform. The study aimed to examine the impact of AOT along with usual physiotherapy interventions to reduce depression, improve cognition and balance of a patient with AD. A 67 years old patient with AD was selected for this study because the patient has been suffering from depression, dementia, and physical dysfunction along with some other health conditions like diabetes and hypertension. Before starting intervention, a baseline assessment was done through the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) tool, the Mini-Cog Scale, and the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). The patient received 12 sessions of AOT along with usual physiotherapy interventions thrice a week for four weeks, which included 45 minutes of each session. After four weeks of intervention, the patient demonstrated significant improvement in depression, cognition, and balance, whereas the BDI score declined from moderate 21/63 to mild 15/63 level of depression. The Mini-Cog score improved from 2/5 to 4/5, and the BBS score increased from 18/56 to 37/56. It is concluded that AOT along with usual physiotherapy intervention helps to reduce depression, improve cognition and balance of people with AD.

Outcomes and efficacy of magnetic resonance imaging-compatible sacral nerve stimulator for management of fecal incontinence: A multi-institutional study

BACKGROUND Fecal incontinence(FI)is an involuntary passage of fecal matter which can have a significant impact on a patient’s quality of life.Many modalities of treatment exist for FI.Sacral nerve stimulation is a well-established treatment for FI.Given the increased need of magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)for diagnostics,the In-terStim which was previously used in sacral nerve stimulation was limited by MRI incompatibility.Medtronic MRI-compatible InterStim was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration in August 2020 and has been widely used.AIM To evaluate the efficacy,outcomes and complications of the MRI-compatible InterStim.METHODS Data of patients who underwent MRI-compatible Medtronic InterStim placement at UPMC Williamsport,University of Minnesota,Advocate Lutheran General Hospital,and University of Wisconsin-Madison was pooled and analyzed.Patient demographics,clinical features,surgical techniques,complications,and outcomes were analyzed.Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology(STROBE)cross-sectional reporting guidelines were used.RESULTS Seventy-three patients had the InterStim implanted.The mean age was 63.29±12.2 years.Fifty-seven(78.1%)patients were females and forty-two(57.5%)patients had diabetes.In addition to incontinence,overlapping symptoms included diarrhea(23.3%),fecal urgency(58.9%),and urinary incontinence(28.8%).Fifteen(20.5%)patients underwent Peripheral Nerve Evaluation before proceeding to definite implant placement.Thirty-two(43.8%)patients underwent rechargeable InterStim placement.Three(4.1%)patients needed removal of the implant.Migration of the external lead connection was observed in 7(9.6%)patients after the stage I procedure.The explanation for one patient was due to infection.Seven(9.6%)patients had other complications like nerve pain,hematoma,infection,lead fracture,and bleeding.The mean follow-up was 6.62±3.5 mo.Sixty-eight(93.2%)patients reported significant improvement of symptoms on follow-up evaluation.CONCLUSION This study shows promising results with significant symptom improvement,good efficacy and good patient outcomes with low complication rates while using MRI compatible InterStim for FI.Further long-term follow-up and future studies with a larger patient population is recommended.

Psychiatric comorbidities in epilepsy:population co-occurrence,genetic correlations and causal effects

Background Psychiatric comorbidities are common in patients with epilepsy.Reasons for the co-occurrence of psychiatric conditions and epilepsy remain poorly understood.Aim We aimed to triangulate the relationship between epilepsy and psychiatric conditions to determine the extent and possible origins of these conditions.Methods Using nationwide Swedish health registries,we quantified the lifetime prevalence of psychiatric disorders in patients with epilepsy.We then used summarydata from genome-wide association studies to investigate whether the identified observational associations could be attributed to a shared underlying genetic aetiology using cross-trait linkage disequilibrium score regression.Finally,we assessed the potential bidirectional relationships using two-sample Mendelian randomisation.Results In a cohort of 7628495 individuals,we found that almost half of the 94435 individuals diagnosed with epilepsy were also diagnosed with a psychiatric condition in their lifetime(adjusted lifetime prevalence,44.09%;95%confidence interval(Cl)43.78%to 44.39%).We found evidence for a genetic correlation between epilepsy and some neurodevelopmental and psychiatric conditions.For example,we observed a genetic correlation between epilepsy and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder(r,=0.18,95%Cl 0.09 to 0.27,p<0.001)—a correlation that was more pronounced in focal epilepsy(r=0.23,95%CI 0.09 to 0.36,p<0.001).Findings from Mendelian randomisation using common genetic variants did not support bidirectional effects between epilepsy and neurodevelopmental or psychiatric conditions.Conclusions Psychiatric comorbidities are common in patients with epilepsy.Genetic correlations may partially explain some comorbidities;however,there is little evidence of a bidirectional relationship between the genetic liability of epilepsy and psychiatric conditions.These findings highlight the need to understand the role of environmental factors or rare genetic variations in the origins of psychiatric comorbidities in epilepsy.

REDOX IMAGING OF THE p53-DEPENDENT MITOCHONDRIAL REDOX STATE IN COLON CANCER EX VIVO

The mitochondrial redox state and its heterogeneity of colon cancer at tissue level have not been previously reported.Nor has how p53 regulates mitochondial respi ration been measured at(deep)tissue level,presumably due to the unavailability of the technology that has sufficient spatial resolution and tissue penetration depth.Our prior work demonstrated that the mito-chondrial redox state and its intnatumor heterogeneity is associated with cancer aggressiveness in human melanoma and breast cancer in mouse models,with the more metastatic tumons exhi-bit ing localized negions of more oxidized redox state.Using the Chance redox scanner with an in-plane spatial resolution of 200 pm,we imaged the mitochondrial redox state of the wild-type p53 colon tumors(HCT116 p53 ut)and the p5-deleted colon tumors(HCT116 p53-/-)by cllcting the fuorescence si gnals of nicotinamide adenine dimucleotide(NA DH)and oxidized flavoproteins [Fp,including favin adenine dinucleotide(FAD)]from the mouse xenogmafts snap frozen at low temperature.Our results show that:(1)both tumor lines have significant degree of intratumor heterogeneity of the redox state,typically exhibiting a distinct bi modal distribution that either correlates with the spatial core-rim pattern or the“hot/oold”oxida tion-roduction patches;.(2)the p531-group is significantly more beterogencous in the mitochondrial redox state and has a more oxidized turmor core compared to the p53 wt group when the tunor sizes of the two groups are matched;(3)the tumor size dependence of the redox indices(such as Fp and Fp redox ratio)is significant in the p531-group with the larger ones being more oxidized and more hetero-geneous in their redox state,particularly more oxidized in the tumor central regions;(4)the H&E staining images of tumor soctions grossly correlate with the redox images.The present work is the first to reveal at the submillimeter scale the intratumor heterogeneity pattem of the mitochon-drial redox state in colon cancer and the first to indicate that at tissue level the mitochondial redox state is p53 dependent.The findings should assist in our understanding on colon cancer pa thology and developing new imaging biomarkers for dlinical applications.

Nutrient and Phytochemical Composition of Five Wild Green Leafy Vegetables Consumed in Erie-Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State

This work on nutrient and phytochemical composition of five wild green leafy vegetables consumed in Erei-Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria was aimed at identifying and determining the nutrient, and phytochemical compositions of Amaranthus viridis (Ikorodotaseach), Aeschylus glabra (Ididieriri), Alphanostylis lepthanta (Emornegbandip), Calcasia saxatilis, (Igbongonokpa) and Lonchocarpus sericeus (Ajuokoh). Analysis of moisture, protein, fiber, ash, fat and carbohydrate, micronutrients and phytochemicals was done using standard methods, while vitamins were done using AOAC, (1995). The data generated were subjected to T-test, standard deviation, standard error of the mean. The result of the proximate analysis showed that Amaranthus viridis had the highest protein value (9.73%) and the lowest carbohydrate value (4.60%) respectively. Aeschylea glabra recorded the highest fat value [9.73%]. The micro nutrient result revealed that copper (CU) and phosphorous (Ph) values were low and that the value for the other micro-nutrient differed significantly with the exception of calcium (Ca) values which did not differed significantly (P Amaranthus viridis had the highest value of Vitamin C. The phytochemicals and anti-nutrient contents of the vegetables were moderately high but not higher than the safe levels. Hence they are recommended for consumption.

Black Community College Students and Opinions and Beliefs on Weight in the Community: A Focus Group Study

Objective: The purpose of this study was to better understand black community college students’ beliefs on obesity in their community. Methods: Participants were 18 - 21 years old and African American/Hispanic Black. Focus group sessions were conducted with a discussion guide. Thematic analysis was used to analyze results. Results: Five focus groups were conducted. Four major themes emerged: My Culture Matters, The Effects of Slavery are Still Present, Meet Me Where I Want to Be, Not Where Society Wants Me, and If They Have Been Fat, They Get Me. It is clear that weight programs need to be sensitive to cultural preferences. Conclusion: Our results present unique factors related to overweight/obesity in the Black community.

Impacts of Zoological Garden in Schools (A Case Study of Zoological Garden, Kano State Nigeria)

In the course of this work which is the impact of zoological garden in schools, the questionnaire interviewed was used in the collection of data. Based on the finding it was observed that people visit zoological gardens for different purposes like educational, recreational, research, economic and cultural values. Also the chi-square (X2) is used in this research to show if there is significant difference or not. Result indicated that people from various works of life visited the zoo. Some recommendations were also made for further studies as well as the opposition of establishment of a zoo. Thus, the objectives of the this work are to identify the conservation areas in which zoos make a contribution, to develop understanding and support of the conservation potentials of zoos, to convince local zoos and conservation agencies that they can make important contributions to conservation, to help zoos formulate conservation priorities and policies and finally, to promote action of individual zoos by participation in the global zoo and other conservation network.

Assessment of Key HIV Misconceptions among Inhabitants of a Rural Community in Enugu State, Nigeria

In 2015, about 35 million people died of HIV infection globally, with about 36.7 million infected. Most of the infection occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa. Misconceptions about HIV/AIDS exist mostly in developing countries. The research was a cross-sectional study, conducted in Enugu state, Nigeria. Objective was to assess key HIV misconceptions among rural community dwellers. Interviewer administered questionnaire was used, and information was collected from 296 respondents, most of whom were above 50 years of age, married, had no formal education, and were farmers. Correct responses to the misconceptions investigated were: HIV infection found only among sinners (29.7%);HIV can be transmitted by eating from the same plate with an infected person (24.7%);HIV can be transmitted through handshake (29.7%);HIV can be transmitted by touching the urine or faeces of an infected person (24.0%);HIV can be transmitted by hugging or touching an infected person (28.0%);HIV can be cured (19.9%);Praying daily can prevent HIV infection (20.3%);and Worshipping our ancestors can prevent HIV infection (27.0%). Inhabitants of rural communities are more likely to hold misconceptions about HIV. It is recommended that relevant governments in developing countries design interventions aimed at addressing misconceptions about HIV/AIDS.

State Scholarship and Loan Forgiveness Programs in the United States: Forgotten Driver of Access to Health Care in Underserved Areas

State-supported programs providing loans and scholarships in exchange for service in under-served areas provide an important source of financial support for medical students while encouraging them to select careers in primary care. The purpose of this research was to seek a better understanding of these often unheralded but important state sources of support, and learn if they have continued to grow in the twenty-first century. Administrative data were obtained on state-supported programs operating in 2008 that provided financial support to students, resident or practicing physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, dentists, and licensed mental healthcare providers in exchange for service in an underserved area. The authors identified numbers, types of state-supported programs, program workforce strength, and features of state programs. In 2008, 75 state programs, operating in 37 states, collectively had 5113 program participants under contract. Loan repayment programs (n = 42, 56%) were the most common type of state-supported programs. Practitioners signed initial contracts in 2008 totaled 1173, with more non-physicians (n = 681, 58%) signing initial contracts than physicians (n = 492, 42%). Additionally, 2803 practitioners were serving in programs in 2008. Field placement was also slightly greater among non-physicians in 2008 (n = 1433, 51%) than physicians (n = 1370, 49%). State support-for-service programs remains an important source of financial assistance for those willing to make service commitments in underserved areas. Moreover, these programs continue to increase in size, even amidst the economic malaise, and provide an obligated primary care workforce in underserved areas.

Surgical and non-surgical education practices in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery fellowships within the United States

Data are scarce regarding surgical and non-surgical education in accredited Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS) fellowships in theUnited States. We compared surgical and non-surgical and education among training programs and expected surgical comfort level with pelvic reconstructive procedures from the perspective of the fellow and program director. An online survey was distributed to program directors and fellows from the 39 accredited FPMRS fellowships at the time (2010). Domains evaluated in the survey were academic education requirements;surgical approaches to prolapse and to incontinence;other surgical procedures;and research and publication expectations. In total, forty fellows from 21 programs and directors from 27 programs. The most common surgical procedures performed for apical, anterior, and posterior prolapse were uterosacral ligament suspension, native tissue anterior colporrhaphy, and posterior colporrhaphy, respectively. Differences in perceived surgical comfort level were seen for coccygeus suspension, graftreinforced posterior colporrhaphy, rectus fascial sling, urethral bulking agent, cystoscopic ureteral stent placement and bowel repair. A greater proportion of program directors reported that fellows would be comfortable performing these procedures upon graduation than the proportion reported by the fellows themselves. Differences exist in FPMRS training nationwide, however, responding fellows appeared to be trained in multiple approaches to prolapse repair. Differences were seen in surgical comfort level as perceived by fellows and program directors.

Level of Adherence to Cytotoxic Drugs by Breast Cancer Patients’ in Lagos State University Teaching Hospital

Background: Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant diseases in women and adjuvant combination chemotherapy has been shown to reduce mortality from this disease. Adherence to medical treatment is a multifaceted issue that can substantially alter the outcomes of therapy. Patient non-adherence to chemotherapy is the ultimate barrier to the treatment effectiveness. Objective: This study was carried out to determine the relationship between cancer chemotherapy adherence and breast cancer staging, patient’s perception of cancer care and patient’s socio-demographic characteristics. Material and method: This was a cross sectional study selection of respondents and was based on simple random sampling technique, 184 patients were interviewed and data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire to obtain socio-demographic data, adherence data, and facility-related information. Results: There was a significant association between marital status and non-adherence (P?= 0.013). Both separated and single subjects had higher proportion of non-adherence compared with married subjects. Analysis of perception of chemotherapy care revealed a significant association between the satisfaction score and non-adherence, with non-adherent patients showing higher scores or being less satisfied. The quality of service (P?= 0.0052);rating of needs been met (P?= 0.0079);rating on whether the services helped the subject (P?= 0.0405);rating on the general satisfaction of the services provided (P?= 0.0115);and rating on whether subject would seek help again (P?= 0.0320) all had a significant association with non-adherence. Conclusion: The awareness of oncologist and patient of the problem of non-adherence and communication regarding the importance of adherence to therapy may improve health outcomes.

Evaluation of Methods for Dissemination of Prostate Cancer Survivorship Guidelines: A Survey of Primary Care Providers

Objectives: To assess potential knowledge gaps between primary care providers (PCPs) and cancer specialists, Michigan Cancer Consortium guidelines were developed and disseminated statewide. We evaluated the impact of dissemination of these guidelines on PCP attitudes and beliefs regarding management of prostate cancer (PC) post-treatment sequelae. Methods: Guidelines were disseminated via hard-copy and web-link mailed to 12,000 Michigan PCPs in 2009, and via 5 CME presentations to 181 PCPs in 2010-2011. 132 initial surveys were collected from CME attendees and 549 follow-up surveys were received 20 months after the initial mailing. Results: Surveyed PCPs indicated erectile dysfunction (88%), incontinence (84%), anxiety (54%) and fear of the unknown (50%) as frequent post-treatment sequelae. A minority of PCPs (≤41%) felt “very comfortable” assessing PC patients for ten post-treatment sequelae at the initial survey, which increased by up to 27% on follow-up survey. 93% of PCPs that received guidelines by mail and CME presentation had incorporated them into practice, compared with 72% of PCPs that received guidelines solely by mailing. Similarly, a greater proportion reported practice pattern changes (65% vs. 34%, p = 0.0003). A higher proportion felt CME events (69% vs. 57%) and expert presentations (64% vs. 44%) were “very effective”, when comparing attendees and non-attendees. Conclusions: Guideline distribution resulted in increased comfort with survivorship issues and incorporation into the practices of the majority of PCPs surveyed. A greater impact was observed in PCPs that attended a CME presentation than in those that received guidelines only by mailing.

对我国西部地区创伤救治现状的考察及思考

目的通过对青海省黄南藏族自治州的短期走访考察,探讨我国以青海省为代表的西部边远高原地区创伤救治体系及创伤中心建立的条件,设计及实施方法。方法2018年8月对青海省黄南藏族自治州所辖的4个县(尖扎县,河南蒙古族自治县,泽库县,同仁县)进行了为期1个月的实地走访考察,初步调查了4个县人民医院的基本急诊急救情况,对各医疗机构的规模,科室设置,患者类型,地理、人文情况,以及医疗机构间的交通、路况等进行了实地的考察与座谈。结果4所县人民医院均为所在县最大的且唯一的二级甲等西医综合性医院,主要负责辖区内百姓的慢病治疗、公共卫生以及创伤患者的救治。创伤为各家医院急诊疾病谱中的第一位疾病。黄南藏族自治州为高原地区,4所州人民医院的平均海拔为2928.2 m,汽车为创伤急救及转运的唯一交通工具,4所医院之间的平均汽车时间为122.5 min,4所医院间的平均车程为110.2 km,4所医院距青海省创伤救治中心的平均车程为199.25 km,汽车时间平均为175 min。尖扎县、河南蒙古族自治县、泽库县3个县规模较小,只设有综合内科及综合外科。急诊科正在建设或建立不久,缺乏合理规范的救治分区,设备尚齐备,但人员缺乏系统规范培训。结论以青海省黄南藏族自治州为代表我国西部高原地区,自然气候条件恶劣,随着西部大开发及经济建设的高速发展,创伤发生率高,但相应的救治条件和水平有待提高,建立以省会医院为创伤医学中心,州人民医院为创伤救治中心,县人民医院为创伤救治点的符合地域特点的区域性创伤救治体系并大力开展创伤从业人员相关培训可以提高当地的创伤救治水平。

Microbial Evaluation of Meat Contact Surfaces in Red Meat Abattoirs of Bauchi State, North-Eastern Nigeria

Microbial quality (MQ) of meat contact surfaces (MCS) of six major abattoirs was evaluated with a subsequent further isolation and identification of E. coli O157. Two hundred and forty 240 swab samples (SS) from MCS that include cutting equipment, floor, tables and transport media were collected for total aerobic plate count and isolation of E. coli O157. Results of the SS indicated a mean value 7.1 ± 0.3 log10 cfu/cm2. A minimum value of 6.4 ± 0.6 log10 cfu/cm2 was recorded oncutting instrument from Ningi abattoir, while a maximum value of 7.8 ± 0.3 log10 cfu/cm2 was obtained from tables at Darazo abattoir. Only 3 (1.2%) of the 240 SS of the MCS were positive for E. coli O157 using the latex agglutination kit (Difco, Michigan, USA).