Research papers

Modelling and Interpretation of Adsorption Isotherms

Nimibofa Ayawei, Augustus Newton Ebelegi, Donbebe Wankasi

The need to design low-cost adsorbents for the detoxification of industrial effluents has been a growing concern for most environmental researchers. So modelling of experimental data from adsorption processes is a very important means of predicting the mechanisms of various adsorption systems. Therefore, this paper presents an overall review of the applications of adsorption isotherms, the use of linear regression analysis, nonlinear regression analysis, and error functions for optimum adsorption data analysis.

The Determinants of Quality of Life of Nursing Home Residents with Young-Onset Dementia and the Differences between Dementia Subtypes

Britt Appelhof, Christian Bakker, Jeannette C.L. van Duinen‐van den IJssel, Sandra A. Zwijsen, Martin Smalbrugge, Frans R.J.…

AIMS: The aims of this study are to (1) explore the determinants of quality of life (QoL) in nursing home residents with young-onset dementia (YOD), (2) investigate whether there are differences between dementia subtypes (Alzheimer dementia, vascular/mixed dementia, frontotemporal dementia, other) regarding these determinants, and (3) compare QoL profiles of YOD nursing home residents across dementia subtypes. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 207 nursing home residents. Multilevel modeling was used to determine the relationships between QoL and neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), dementia severity, psychotropic drug use (PDU), dementia subtype, age, and gender. Additional multilevel models were used to compare aspects of QoL between dementia subtypes. RESULTS: Residents' QoL was negatively associated with advanced dementia, PDU, and NPS. In general, the relationships between the determinants and QoL were similar across the dementia subtypes. Aspects of QoL differed by dementia subtype. Residents with frontotemporal dementia showed less negative emotions, accepted more help and experienced better quality of relationships with professional caregivers, had a more positive self-image, felt more comfortable in the nursing home environment, and experienced lower quality of social relationships. CONCLUSIONS: Considering the high rates of NPS and PDU in YOD residents and their negative associations with QoL, we recommend emphasizing services to manage and reduce NPS and PDU in nursing home residents with YOD. Furthermore, our findings suggest accounting for differences in aspects of QoL by dementia subtype to address specific needs and thereby improve QoL.

Medical physics audit of radiotherapy centres in Ghana

Francis Hasford, Edem Sosu, Stephen Inkoom, Mary Boadu, Theresa Bebaaku Dery, Mark Pokoo‐Aikins, Eric Addison, Osei Kareem A…

Optimal Physics Parameterization Scheme Combination of the Weather Research and Forecasting Model for Seasonal Precipitation Simulation over Ghana

Richard Y. K. Agyeman, Thompson Annor, Benjamin Lamptey, Emmanuel Quansah, Jacob Agyekum, Sampson Adu Tieku

Seasonal predictions of precipitation, among others, are important to help mitigate the effects of drought and floods on agriculture, hydropower generation, disasters, and many more. This work seeks to obtain a suitable combination of physics schemes of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model for seasonal precipitation simulation over Ghana. Using the ERA-Interim reanalysis as forcing data, simulation experiments spanning eight months (from April to November) were performed for two different years: a dry year (2001) and a wet year (2008). A double nested approach was used with the outer domain at 50 km resolution covering West Africa and the inner domain covering Ghana at 10 km resolution. The results suggest that the WRF model generally overestimated the observed precipitation by a mean value between 3% and 64% for both years. Most of the scheme combinations overestimated (underestimated) precipitation over coastal (northern) zones of Ghana for both years but estimated precipitation reasonably well over forest and transitional zones. On the whole, the combination of WRF Single-Moment 6-Class Microphysics Scheme, Grell-Devenyi Ensemble Cumulus Scheme, and Asymmetric Convective Model Planetary Boundary Layer Scheme simulated the best temporal pattern and temporal variability with the least relative bias for both years and therefore is recommended for Ghana.

Evaluation of the nursing process utilization in a teaching hospital, Ogun State, Nigeria

FolusoO Ojewole, AmbariO Samole

Context: Nursing process is the systematic method of thinking used by nurses to develop an individualized plan of care for patients. Effective use of the nursing process depends on a nurse's familiarity with the standardized nursing language. Aim: This study evaluates the utilization of nursing process on the day of admission and within 24 h of patient admission in a teaching hospital.Setting and Design: Descriptive and Retrospective design was utilized.Materials and Methods: Systematic sampling technique was adopted to evaluate 959 patients' records from 2014 to 2016 in 2 medical and 2 surgical wards over 3 months period using a self designed checklist.Statistical Analysis Used: Data collected was analyzed using SPSS version 21 and presented as frequencies and percentages. T test was used to test the significant difference between variables with P value set at ≤ 0.05.Results: Only 24.9% of the medical records contained the nursing process form. On the day of admission, <25% of the charts included a complete record of nursing assessment, nursing diagnoses, nursing intervention, and the evaluation. The highest phase of nursing process recorded is nursing diagnosis followed by patient assessment. At 24h postadmission, no significant increase was noted in the phases of nursing process recorded. There was a significant difference between the frequencies of documentation of nursing diagnosis and the nurses' area of practice (P = 0.001).Conclusions: Nursing process utilization remained poorly incorporated into the activities of nurses in this institution. Therefore, continuing professional education on nursing process and supervision should be mandated.

Understanding the challenges of providing holistic oncology nursing care in Nigeria

Chinomso Ugochukwu Nwozichi, Foluso Ojewole, Abimbola Oluwatosin

This article describes the current state of cancer nursing and the various challenges that hinder the provision of effective nursing care to cancer patients in Nigeria. The major issue identified was the lack of specialized oncology nursing education which should actually form a basis for nurses to practice in the oncology setting. Other issues include poor facilities for oncology nursing care, lack of specific cancer centers resulting in the management of cancer patients in non-specialist wards. It is therefore recommended that solidified structure be put in place in order to establish and strengthen the nursing curriculum which has a strong potential for improving the knowledge and skills of nurses to care for people living with cancer in Nigeria.

Perception knowledge and attitude of nursing students towards the care of older patients

Joel Olayiwola Faronbi, O. Adeluola Adebowale, Grace Oluwatoyin Faronbi, Oluwaseun Oluwafemi Musa, Sunday Joseph Ayamolowo

The objectives of the study were to assess the perception, knowledge, and attitude of nursing students towards old age and care of the older adults and to examine personal characteristics that could predict their attitude. Two hundred and eighty students were systematically selected from learning institutions for nursing in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Data on perception, knowledge, and attitude were collected with the aid of a validated self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive analysis and inferential statistics were done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Results showed that 66.1% and 71.8% of respondents had a positive perception and attitudes towards the care of older people, respectively. It further revealed that respondents believed that nurses should be patient, cheerful and sensitive (97.2%); as well as empathetic (91.4%) when caring for the older patients. The respondents also expressed that caring for the older patients goes beyond the basic nursing care (66.1%) and 90% supported the need for a geriatric unit in the hospital. Furthermore, 60% of respondents demonstrated good knowledge of essential clinical practice in the care of older patients. There was a statistically significant association between attitude and perception (OR = 1.11; p = 0.002) and age category 20–25 (OR = 0.45; p = 0.04). However, there was no significant association between the attitude of the respondents and knowledge (χ2 = 4.16; df = 2; p = 0.125). The study concluded that the respondents have positive perception and attitude as well as good knowledge towards the care of the older adults. These should be reinforced to enhance a better clinical outcome in the care of the older adults.

3. English as a Global Language

Richard S. Pinner

A lively and factual account of the rise of English as a global language that explores the whys and wherefores of the history, current status and future potential of English as the most international language of communication.

Global, Regional, and National Cancer Incidence, Mortality, Years of Life Lost, Years Lived With Disability, and Disability-Adjusted Life-years for 32 Cancer Groups, 1990 to 2015

Christina Fitzmaurice, Christine A. Allen, Ryan M Barber, Lars Barregård, Zulfiqar A Bhutta, Hermann Brenner, Daniel Dicker,…

IMPORTANCE: Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Current estimates on the burden of cancer are needed for cancer control planning. OBJECTIVE: To estimate mortality, incidence, years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for 32 cancers in 195 countries and territories from 1990 to 2015. EVIDENCE REVIEW: Cancer mortality was estimated using vital registration system data, cancer registry incidence data (transformed to mortality estimates using separately estimated mortality to incidence [MI] ratios), and verbal autopsy data. Cancer incidence was calculated by dividing mortality estimates through the modeled MI ratios. To calculate cancer prevalence, MI ratios were used to model survival. To calculate YLDs, prevalence estimates were multiplied by disability weights. The YLLs were estimated by multiplying age-specific cancer deaths by the reference life expectancy. DALYs were estimated as the sum of YLDs and YLLs. A sociodemographic index (SDI) was created for each location based on income per capita, educational attainment, and fertility. Countries were categorized by SDI quintiles to summarize results. FINDINGS: In 2015, there were 17.5 million cancer cases worldwide and 8.7 million deaths. Between 2005 and 2015, cancer cases increased by 33%, with population aging contributing 16%, population growth 13%, and changes in age-specific rates contributing 4%. For men, the most common cancer globally was prostate cancer (1.6 million cases). Tracheal, bronchus, and lung cancer was the leading cause of cancer deaths and DALYs in men (1.2 million deaths and 25.9 million DALYs). For women, the most common cancer was breast cancer (2.4 million cases). Breast cancer was also the leading cause of cancer deaths and DALYs for women (523 000 deaths and 15.1 million DALYs). Overall, cancer caused 208.3 million DALYs worldwide in 2015 for both sexes combined. Between 2005 and 2015, age-standardized incidence rates for all cancers combined increased in 174 of 195 countries or territories. Age-standardized death rates (ASDRs) for all cancers combined decreased within that timeframe in 140 of 195 countries or territories. Countries with an increase in the ASDR due to all cancers were largely located on the African continent. Of all cancers, deaths between 2005 and 2015 decreased significantly for Hodgkin lymphoma (-6.1% [95% uncertainty interval (UI), -10.6% to -1.3%]). The number of deaths also decreased for esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, and chronic myeloid leukemia, although these results were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: As part of the epidemiological transition, cancer incidence is expected to increase in the future, further straining limited health care resources. Appropriate allocation of resources for cancer prevention, early diagnosis, and curative and palliative care requires detailed knowledge of the local burden of cancer. The GBD 2015 study results demonstrate that progress is possible in the war against cancer. However, the major findings also highlight an unmet need for cancer prevention efforts, including tobacco control, vaccination, and the promotion of physical activity and a healthy diet.

FAIRDOMHub: a repository and collaboration environment for sharing systems biology research

Katherine Wolstencroft, Olga Krebs, Jacky L. Snoep, Natalie Stanford, Finn Bacall, Martin Golebiewski, Rostyk Kuzyakiv, Quye…

The FAIRDOMHub is a repository for publishing FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) Data, Operating procedures and Models (https://fairdomhub.org/) for the Systems Biology community. It is a web-accessible repository for storing and sharing systems biology research assets. It enables researchers to organize, share and publish data, models and protocols, interlink them in the context of the systems biology investigations that produced them, and to interrogate them via API interfaces. By using the FAIRDOMHub, researchers can achieve more effective exchange with geographically distributed collaborators during projects, ensure results are sustained and preserved and generate reproducible publications that adhere to the FAIR guiding principles of data stewardship.

First Report of Outbreaks of the Fall Armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (J E Smith) (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae), a New Alien Invasive Pest in West and Central Africa

Georg Goergen, P. Lava Kumar, Sagnia B. Sankung, Abou Togola, Manuele Tamò

The fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda is a prime noctuid pest of maize on the American continents where it has remained confined despite occasional interceptions by European quarantine services in recent years. The pest has currently become a new invasive species in West and Central Africa where outbreaks were recorded for the first time in early 2016. The presence of at least two distinct haplotypes within samples collected on maize in Nigeria and São Tomé suggests multiple introductions into the African continent. Implications of this new threat to the maize crop in tropical Africa are briefly discussed.

Global, regional, and national comparative risk assessment of 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks, 1990–2015: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

Mohammad H. Forouzanfar, Ashkan Afshin, Lily Alexander, H Ross Anderson, Zulfiqar A Bhutta, Stan Biryukov, Michael Bräuer, R…

BACKGROUND: The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2015 provides an up-to-date synthesis of the evidence for risk factor exposure and the attributable burden of disease. By providing national and subnational assessments spanning the past 25 years, this study can inform debates on the importance of addressing risks in context. METHODS: We used the comparative risk assessment framework developed for previous iterations of the Global Burden of Disease Study to estimate attributable deaths, disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and trends in exposure by age group, sex, year, and geography for 79 behavioural, environmental and occupational, and metabolic risks or clusters of risks from 1990 to 2015. This study included 388 risk-outcome pairs that met World Cancer Research Fund-defined criteria for convincing or probable evidence. We extracted relative risk and exposure estimates from randomised controlled trials, cohorts, pooled cohorts, household surveys, census data, satellite data, and other sources. We used statistical models to pool data, adjust for bias, and incorporate covariates. We developed a metric that allows comparisons of exposure across risk factors-the summary exposure value. Using the counterfactual scenario of theoretical minimum risk level, we estimated the portion of deaths and DALYs that could be attributed to a given risk. We decomposed trends in attributable burden into contributions from population growth, population age structure, risk exposure, and risk-deleted cause-specific DALY rates. We characterised risk exposure in relation to a Socio-demographic Index (SDI). FINDINGS: Between 1990 and 2015, global exposure to unsafe sanitation, household air pollution, childhood underweight, childhood stunting, and smoking each decreased by more than 25%. Global exposure for several occupational risks, high body-mass index (BMI), and drug use increased by more than 25% over the same period. All risks jointly evaluated in 2015 accounted for 57·8% (95% CI 56·6-58·8) of global deaths and 41·2% (39·8-42·8) of DALYs. In 2015, the ten largest contributors to global DALYs among Level 3 risks were high systolic blood pressure (211·8 million [192·7 million to 231·1 million] global DALYs), smoking (148·6 million [134·2 million to 163·1 million]), high fasting plasma glucose (143·1 million [125·1 million to 163·5 million]), high BMI (120·1 million [83·8 million to 158·4 million]), childhood undernutrition (113·3 million [103·9 million to 123·4 million]), ambient particulate matter (103·1 million [90·8 million to 115·1 million]), high total cholesterol (88·7 million [74·6 million to 105·7 million]), household air pollution (85·6 million [66·7 million to 106·1 million]), alcohol use (85·0 million [77·2 million to 93·0 million]), and diets high in sodium (83·0 million [49·3 million to 127·5 million]). From 1990 to 2015, attributable DALYs declined for micronutrient deficiencies, childhood undernutrition, unsafe sanitation and water, and household air pollution; reductions in risk-deleted DALY rates rather than reductions in exposure drove these declines. Rising exposure contributed to notable increases in attributable DALYs from high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, occupational carcinogens, and drug use. Environmental risks and childhood undernutrition declined steadily with SDI; low physical activity, high BMI, and high fasting plasma glucose increased with SDI. In 119 countries, metabolic risks, such as high BMI and fasting plasma glucose, contributed the most attributable DALYs in 2015. Regionally, smoking still ranked among the leading five risk factors for attributable DALYs in 109 countries; childhood underweight and unsafe sex remained primary drivers of early death and disability in much of sub-Saharan Africa. INTERPRETATION: Declines in some key environmental risks have contributed to declines in critical infectious diseases. Some risks appear to be invariant to SDI. Increasing risks, including high BMI, high fasting plasma glucose, drug use, and some occupational exposures, contribute to rising burden from some conditions, but also provide opportunities for intervention. Some highly preventable risks, such as smoking, remain major causes of attributable DALYs, even as exposure is declining. Public policy makers need to pay attention to the risks that are increasingly major contributors to global burden. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Review of Particle Physics

K.A. Olive

The Review summarizes much of particle physics and cosmology. Using data from previous editions, plus 3,062 new measurements from 721 papers, we list, evaluate, and average measured properties of gauge bosons and the recently discovered Higgs boson, leptons, quarks, mesons, and baryons. We summarize searches for hypothetical particles such as supersymmetric particles, heavy bosons, axions, dark photons, etc. All the particle properties and search limits are listed in Summary Tables. We also give numerous tables, figures, formulae, and reviews of topics such as Higgs Boson Physics, Supersymmetry, Grand Unified Theories, Neutrino Mixing, Dark Energy, Dark Matter, Cosmology, Particle Detectors, Colliders, Probability and Statistics. Among the 117 reviews are many that are new or heavily revised, including those on Pentaquarks and Inflation. The complete Review is published online in a journal and on the website of the Particle Data Group ( http://pdg.lbl.gov ). The printed PDG Book contains the Summary Tables and all review articles but no longer includes the detailed tables from the Particle Listings. A Booklet with the Summary Tables and abbreviated versions of some of the review articles is also available.

The Scenario Model Intercomparison Project (ScenarioMIP) for CMIP6

Brian C. O’Neill, Claudia Tebaldi, Detlef P. van Vuuren, Veronika Eyring, Pierre Friedlingstein, G. C. Hurtt, Reto Knutti, E…

Abstract. Projections of future climate change play a fundamental role in improving understanding of the climate system as well as characterizing societal risks and response options. The Scenario Model Intercomparison Project (ScenarioMIP) is the primary activity within Phase 6 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6) that will provide multi-model climate projections based on alternative scenarios of future emissions and land use changes produced with integrated assessment models. In this paper, we describe ScenarioMIP's objectives, experimental design, and its relation to other activities within CMIP6. The ScenarioMIP design is one component of a larger scenario process that aims to facilitate a wide range of integrated studies across the climate science, integrated assessment modeling, and impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability communities, and will form an important part of the evidence base in the forthcoming Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessments. At the same time, it will provide the basis for investigating a number of targeted science and policy questions that are especially relevant to scenario-based analysis, including the role of specific forcings such as land use and aerosols, the effect of a peak and decline in forcing, the consequences of scenarios that limit warming to below 2 °C, the relative contributions to uncertainty from scenarios, climate models, and internal variability, and long-term climate system outcomes beyond the 21st century. To serve this wide range of scientific communities and address these questions, a design has been identified consisting of eight alternative 21st century scenarios plus one large initial condition ensemble and a set of long-term extensions, divided into two tiers defined by relative priority. Some of these scenarios will also provide a basis for variants planned to be run in other CMIP6-Endorsed MIPs to investigate questions related to specific forcings. Harmonized, spatially explicit emissions and land use scenarios generated with integrated assessment models will be provided to participating climate modeling groups by late 2016, with the climate model simulations run within the 2017–2018 time frame, and output from the climate model projections made available and analyses performed over the 2018–2020 period.

Bioremediation techniques–classification based on site of application: principles, advantages, limitations and prospects

Christopher Chibueze Azubuike, Chioma Blaise Chikere, G. C. Okpokwasili

Environmental pollution has been on the rise in the past few decades owing to increased human activities on energy reservoirs, unsafe agricultural practices and rapid industrialization. Amongst the pollutants that are of environmental and public health concerns due to their toxicities are: heavy metals, nuclear wastes, pesticides, green house gases, and hydrocarbons. Remediation of polluted sites using microbial process (bioremediation) has proven effective and reliable due to its eco-friendly features. Bioremediation can either be carried out ex situ or in situ, depending on several factors, which include but not limited to cost, site characteristics, type and concentration of pollutants. Generally, ex situ techniques apparently are more expensive compared to in situ techniques as a result of additional cost attributable to excavation. However, cost of on-site installation of equipment, and inability to effectively visualize and control the subsurface of polluted sites are of major concerns when carrying out in situ bioremediation. Therefore, choosing appropriate bioremediation technique, which will effectively reduce pollutant concentrations to an innocuous state, is crucial for a successful bioremediation project. Furthermore, the two major approaches to enhance bioremediation are biostimulation and bioaugmentation provided that environmental factors, which determine the success of bioremediation, are maintained at optimal range. This review provides more insight into the two major bioremediation techniques, their principles, advantages, limitations and prospects.

(Invited) Compliance-Free Pulse Forming of Filamentary RRAM

Pragya R. Shrestha, David Nminibapiel, J. H. Kim, Helmut Baumgart, Kin P. Cheung, Joe Campbell

Despite the overwhelming effort to improve the efficacy of resistive random access memory (RRAM), the underlying physics governing RRAM operation have proven elusive. A survey of the recent literature almost universally indicates that the remaining glaring issues center around variability as well as endurance. The initial filamentary “forming” process is often linked to these problems. This work details our recent efforts to bring the forming process under control and the resulting improvements in RRAM viability in hafnia-based devices. We track the forming process via a “forming energy” metric that allows for filament optimization. By removal of all current compliance elements, and their associated parasitics, a targeted forming energy is achieved using ultrashort voltage pulses. By tailoring the forming energy, we show remarkable endurance window control.

The biology and function of fibroblasts in cancer

Raghu Kalluri

XGBoost

Tianqi Chen, Carlos Guestrin

Tree boosting is a highly effective and widely used machine learning method. In this paper, we describe a scalable end-to-end tree boosting system called XGBoost, which is used widely by data scientists to achieve state-of-the-art results on many machine learning challenges. We propose a novel sparsity-aware algorithm for sparse data and weighted quantile sketch for approximate tree learning. More importantly, we provide insights on cache access patterns, data compression and sharding to build a scalable tree boosting system. By combining these insights, XGBoost scales beyond billions of examples using far fewer resources than existing systems.

Multi‐model <scp>CMIP5</scp> and <scp>CORDEX</scp> simulations of historical summer temperature and precipitation variabilities over West Africa

Pinghouinde Michel Nikiema, Mouhamadou Bamba Sylla, Kehinde O. Ogunjobi, Ibourahima Kebe, Peter Gibba, Filippo Giorgi

ABSTRACT The mean climatology, inter‐model variability and spatio‐temporal patterns of temperature and precipitation over West Africa from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 5 ( CMIP5 ), CMIP5_SUBSET [ensemble of global climate models driving COordinated Regional climate Downscaling EXperiment ( CORDEX )] and CORDEX multi‐model ensembles are evaluated and intercompared for the monsoon season (June–September). We find that, while CORDEX fails to outperform the simulated mean climatology of temperature by the CMIP5 ensembles, it substantially improves precipitation and provides more realistic fine‐scale features tied to local topography and landuse. This improved performance over the region is found to depend more on the internal models physics than the driving boundary conditions and results from a more consistent and realistic simulation of monsoon precipitation across the various regional climate models ( RCMs ). Rotated empirical orthogonal function ( REOF ) analysis indicates that the CORDEX ensemble captures better the spatio‐temporal variability of both temperature and precipitation (first REOF mode), in particular depicting the warming and Sahel precipitation recovery in recent decades over West Africa. On the other hand, the spatial patterns and associated time series of the last two REOF modes in CORDEX mostly follow the CMIP5_SUBSET pointing towards a strong role of the boundary forcing in the RCM simulation of precipitation variability.

Mental disorders among college students in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys

Randy P. Auerbach, Jordi Alonso, William G. Axinn, Pim Cuijpers, David Daniel Ebert, Jennifer Green, I. Hwang, Ronald C. Kes…

BACKGROUND: Although mental disorders are significant predictors of educational attainment throughout the entire educational career, most research on mental disorders among students has focused on the primary and secondary school years. METHOD: The World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys were used to examine the associations of mental disorders with college entry and attrition by comparing college students (n = 1572) and non-students in the same age range (18-22 years; n = 4178), including non-students who recently left college without graduating (n = 702) based on surveys in 21 countries (four low/lower-middle income, five upper-middle-income, one lower-middle or upper-middle at the times of two different surveys, and 11 high income). Lifetime and 12-month prevalence and age-of-onset of DSM-IV anxiety, mood, behavioral and substance disorders were assessed with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). RESULTS: One-fifth (20.3%) of college students had 12-month DSM-IV/CIDI disorders; 83.1% of these cases had pre-matriculation onsets. Disorders with pre-matriculation onsets were more important than those with post-matriculation onsets in predicting subsequent college attrition, with substance disorders and, among women, major depression the most important such disorders. Only 16.4% of students with 12-month disorders received any 12-month healthcare treatment for their mental disorders. CONCLUSIONS: Mental disorders are common among college students, have onsets that mostly occur prior to college entry, in the case of pre-matriculation disorders are associated with college attrition, and are typically untreated. Detection and effective treatment of these disorders early in the college career might reduce attrition and improve educational and psychosocial functioning.

Qualitative Research in Nursing and Healthcare

Immy Holloway, Stephanie Wheeler

Preface. Acknowledgements. Part One: Introduction to Qualitative Research: Initial Stages. 1 The Nature and Utility of Qualitative Research. What is qualitative research? The main features of qualitative research. The place of theory in qualitative research. The usefulness of qualitative research in healthcare. Choosing an approach for health research. Problematic issues in qualitative research. Conclusion. Summary. References. Further reading. 2 The Paradigm Debate: The Place of Qualitative Research. Theoretical frameworks and ontological position. The paradigm debate. Conflicting or complementary perspectives? Final comment. References. Further reading. 3 Initial Steps in the Research Process. Selecting and formulating the research question. The literature review. Writing a research proposal. Access and entry to the setting. Summary. References. Further reading. 4 Ethical Considerations. The basic ethical framework for research. Ethics in qualitative research. Researching one's peers. The research relationship. Research in the researcher's workplace. The role of research ethics committees. Summary. References. Further reading. 5 The Issue of Supervision. The responsibilities of supervisor and student. Writing and relationships. Practical aspects of supervision. Single or joint supervision. Problems with supervision. Summary. References. Further reading. Part Two: Data Collection. 6 Interviewing. Interviews as sources of data. The interview process. Types of interview. Probing, prompting and summarising. The social context of the interview. Unexpected outcomes: qualitative interviewing and therapy. Length and timing of interviews. Recording interview data. The interviewer-participant relationship. Problematic issues and challenges in interviewing. Interviewing through electronic media. Ethical issues in interviewing. Strengths and weaknesses of interviewing. Summary. References. Further reading. 7 Participant Observation and Documents as Sources of Data. Participant observation. The origins of participant observation. Immersion in culture and setting. Documentary sources of data. Images as sources of data. Summary. References. Further reading. 8 Focus Groups as Qualitative Research. What is a focus group? The origin and purpose of focus groups. Sample size and composition. Conducting focus group interviews. Analysing and reporting focus group data. Advantages and limitations of focus groups. Critical comments on focus group interviews in healthcare. Summary. References. Further reading. 9 Sampling and Site Selection. Purposeful (or purposive) sampling. Sampling types. Sampling decisions. How shall we name them? Summary. References. Part Three: Approaches to Qualitative Research. 10 Ethnography. The historical perspective. A focus on culture. Ethnographic methods. Ethnography in healthcare. The main features of ethnography. Fieldwork. Doing and writing ethnography. Pitfalls and problems. Summary. References. Further reading. 11 Grounded Theory. History and origin. The main features of grounded theory. Data collection, theoretical sampling and analysis. Pitfalls and problems. Glaser's critique and further development. Constructivist grounded theory. Which approach for the health researcher? Summary. References. Further reading. 12 Narrative Inquiry. The nature of narrative and story. Narrative research. Types of narrative. Illness narratives. Narrative interviewing. Narrative analysis. Problematic issues. Conclusion. Summary. References. Further reading. 13 Phenomenology. Intentionality and the early stages of phenomenology. Schools of phenomenology. The phenomenological research process: doing phenomenology. Procedures for data collection and analysis. Phenomenology and health research. Choice of approach: descriptive or interpretive phenomenology. Summary. References. Further reading. 14 Action Research. What is action research? The origins of action research. Action research in healthcare. The main features of action research. Practical steps. Trustworthiness in AR. Problems and critique. Summary. References. Further reading. 15 Additional Approaches. Case study research. Conversation analysis. Critical incident technique. Discourse analysis. Feminist research. Performative social science. Conclusion. References. Further reading. 16 Mixed Methods: Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Research. The nature of mixed methods studies. Doing mixed methods research. Types of mixed methods research. The place and purpose of the literature. Triangulation. Critique of MMR. Conclusion. Summary. References. Further reading. Part Four: Data Analysis and Completion. 17 Data Analysis: Procedures, Practices and Computers. The process of data analysis. Coding and categorising. Problems of QDA. Computer-aided analysis of qualitative data. Problems and critique. Summary. References. Further reading. 18 Establishing Quality: Trustworthiness or Validity. Quality. An alternative perspective: trustworthiness. Trustworthiness. Strategies to ensure trustworthiness. Quality and creativity. Summary. References. Further reading. 19 Writing up Qualitative Research. The research account. Use of the first person. The format of the report. Critical assessment and evaluation. Guide to appraisal. Publishing and presenting the research. Summary. References Further reading. Glossary. Index.

A Survey of Biology Teachers Use of Activity-Oriented, Laboratory Practical Exercises to Promote Functional Biology Education

Abigail M. Osuafor, Ijeoma A. Amaefuna

A major goal of science education is fostering students’ intellectual competencies such as independent learning, problem-solving, decision-making and critical thinking. This goal can only be achieved when students are actively involved in the teaching-learning process through activity-based, practical-oriented instructional methods involving the use of laboratories. This study therefore, investigated the extent to which the biology teachers employ activity-oriented, laboratory/practical instructional methods in order to improve the learning outcome of their students. The descriptive survey involved 73 Biology teachers randomly selected from all the six education zones of Anambra state, Nigeria. Four research questions were posed and four hypotheses were formulated to guide the conduct of the study. A 32-item structured questionnaire which has reliability co-efficient of 0.82 was used to collect data. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation and t-tests. Results show that Biology teachers adopt practical-oriented strategies in teaching biology, conduct practical activities to a high extent, and perceive practical exercises as essential to effective teaching and learning of the subject. Provision of adequate number of laboratory materials, employment of adequate number of biology teachers, making provision for well designed laboratory activities in the curriculum and training of teachers on how to effectively combine theory with practical are some of the strategies that will encourage biology teachers to conduct practical lessons. There was no significant difference between male and female biology teachers in their responses to the different aspects investigated. Based on these findings, some recommendations were made that include that curriculum designers should incorporate guides for practical activities that go with each topic in the curriculum so as to encourage the teachers to teach theory with practical as a unified whole to increase students’ understanding and internalization of the facts and ideas taught.

Global and regional effects of potentially modifiable risk factors associated with acute stroke in 32 countries (INTERSTROKE): a case-control study

Martin O’Donnell, Siu Lim Chin, Sumathy Rangarajan, Denis Xavier, Lisheng Liu, Hongye Zhang, Rao Ps, Xiaohe Zhang, Prem Pais…

Physics Teachers’ Views on their Initial Teacher Education

Isaac Buabeng, Lindsey Conner, David A. Winter

This paper explores New Zealand (NZ) physics teachers’ and physics educators’ views about Initial Teacher Education (ITE). Perspectives of physics teachers nationally indicated that in general, teachers considered themselves not well-prepared in some content areas including electronics, modern physics, and atomic and nuclear physics. This may be because in NZ, physics teachers have usually gained their content knowledge from an undergraduate science degree where they may have only taken one or two courses in physics. One year postgraduate teacher education programmes do not have sufficient time to cover the physics content taught in the final three years of schooling. The implications for ITE of physics teachers are discussed in terms of the shifts needed to help them to identify the gaps in their content knowledge and to develop their conceptual understanding of physics.