50716 research outputs found
Sort by
World Malaria Day 2023 - ending malaria transmission: reaching the last mile to zero malaria
No full textWorld Malaria Day is commemorated globally every year on 25 April with the overarching goal of mobilizing all efforts to corner malaria with the aim of eliminating it by 2030. In this context, Frontiers has launched an initiative to coincide with the theme, “Ending malaria transmission: reaching the last mile to zero malaria” and compiled five articles advocating for investment, innovation, and the implementation of newer interventions to defeat malaria.Driven by the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Technical Strategy (GTS) for malaria 2016–2030 (1), as many as 43 countries have been certified malaria-free, while several others have achieved marked reductions in morbidity and mortality paving the way for malaria elimination. In the midst of this success story, the WHO reported an estimated 249 million malaria cases in 2022 (an increase of 5 million cases from the preceding year) and 608,000 deaths (2). However, the majority of these cases (94%) and deaths (95%) occurred in the WHO African Region followed by the WHO South-East Asia Region with 2% of cases and 1.31% of deaths respectively. Nearly half of the cases in 2022 were reported by just four countries: Nigeria (27%), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (12%), Uganda (5%) and Mozambique (4%). Of these, 11 countries classified as “high burden to high impact (HBHI)” contributed 67% of estimated cases and 73% of deaths
North Korea trash politics sky-high while our pollies are distracted
Get PDFFrom Baengnyeongdo, South Korea: Here at what the Americans call PY-Do in the Yellow Sea, we are closer to North Korea’s capital than we are to the South’s capital, Seoul. PY-Do is an ‘island outpost at freedom’s frontier’. It is home to over 4,000 South Koreans and exists in an administrative afterthought of the Korean Armistice Agreement in an area known as the Northwest Islands.The United Nations Command (UNC) established a Northern Limit Line (NLL) in 1953 at a time when the North’s navy was barely existent. In effect, South Korea stays below the NLL while North Korea does not recognise it. The five Northwest Islands, of which PY-Do and Yeonpyeongdo (YP-do) are a part, remain a flashpoint for hostilities between the two nations
The implications of farmer-to-farmer learning and local knowledge networks for food security in Solomon Islands and beyond
No full textAcross the Paci!c, socio-cultural networks are a key way to share knowledge and skills. However, as peer-to-peer learning is contextually and culturally located, it is important to understand the place-based spe- ci!cs of such learning. This article draws on the evaluation of a series of household-based workshops on agricul- tural development and food security in a remote area of Solomon Islands. It outlines this community’s kinship ecology for farmer learning pathways and demonstrates the interdependence of gender and kinship-based social networks, showing how topics related to ethics of living were shared within clans, while food and agriculture topics were shared within households. The article concludes that understanding local knowledge networks can contribute to the design of more effective peer learning for food security and rural development
Researching effective practices to reduce youth homelessness and disadvantage from a young person's perspective:A systematic review
No full textPathways into and the impact of homelessness on young people have been extensively explored. There is less emphasis on young people's perspectives of the interventions designed to assist them to avoid or exit homelessness. This study undertook a systematic review of the youth homelessness interventions literature that included the perspectives of young people experiencing these interventions. Our review identified five key approaches as useful in assisting young people to exit or avoid homelessness, namely (1) the centrality of relationships, (2) a youth-centred approach, (3) integrated and multi-disciplinary service provision, (4) a beyond housing approach and (5) strength-based therapeutic models/interventions. The review enhances the capacity of practitioners to provide supportive and contextually situated services to young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. However, further research is required to understand the bundles of interconnected practices within these approaches that are performed by workers and young people to address homelessness and risk.x</p
Is there education in physical education? A narrative systematic review of research in physical education and learning
No full textOver the past five decades uncertainty around the value, purpose, and educational relevance of Physical Education (PE) as a school subject has been cultivated amongst key stakeholders in the education community. Within an Australian context there is a paucity of evidence to demonstrate that learning occurs in PE. The aim of this narrative systematic review was to identify and appraise what research on learning has been conducted in Australia since the year 2000 in PE. Results indicated that targeted interventions in PE improved student Fundamental Movement Skills, physical activity levels, and favourably impacted affective outcomes, and that the PE teacher and their chosen pedagogical approaches exhibit most influence on student learning. There was a lack of evidence to demonstrate that authentic learning occurs in PE, highlighting the need for PE researchers, practitioners, and teachers to design and lead empirical and robust research on learning in PE
What Is a Crisis? Perspectives of Crisis Support Help-Seekers
No full textBackground: Understanding what types of crises help-seekers view as relevant for contacting crisis support services is needed to inform crisis service provision and training. Aims: This study aimed to explore help-seeker perceptions of what comprises a crisis, describing the main themes and examining how these relate to reasons for contact reported in previous research. This study further aimed to compare perceptions of what comprises a crisis between suicide-related and nonsuicide-related help-seekers. Method: As part of a larger online survey, Lifeline help-seekers (n = 375) responded to an open-ended question about their perceptions of personal crisis. Results: Thematic analysis identified 15 crisis themes. The most endorsed by all participants were family and relationship issues, mental health issues, and assault/trauma. Suicide-related help-seekers were more likely to identify suicidality as a crisis, whereas nonsuicide-related help-seekers were more likely to identify general life stress as a crisis. Limitations: The self-selected convenience sample limits generalizability. Conclusion: Help-seekers perceive crisis as a complex concept comprising many themes, with some similarities and differences between suicide-related and nonsuicide-related help-seekers. The findings may inform crisis helplines in promoting and tailoring their services to better meet user needs.</p
Topology and material optimization of an underactuated robot for gait rehabilitation
No full textThis article presents the topology and material optimization of an underactuated lower limb robot for gait rehabilitation of stroke survivors. Robot aided lower limb rehabilitation has been studied for the last three decades and a few over-actuated and underactuated robot designs have been proposed in the literature. Over-actuated robots give more controlled motions, whereas underactuated designs allow unconstrained naturalistic motions. Designing an underactuated robot is difficult as it must be lightweight and yet strong enough to scaffold human lower limbs during gait. In this research, a Stephenson III six-bar linkage is modified to be used as single-actuated lower limb robot. The proposed robot design couples two four-bar linkages in a driver-driven mode to provide motions, which are equivalent to the motions from a six-bar linkage. A digital twin of the underactuated robot is developed to conduct in-silico experiments and evaluate the use of three different materials namely, aluminum alloy, structural steel, and fiber reinforced carbon composite. Finite element analysis (FEA) modeling is carried out using the Ansys workbench to assess mechanical performance indices. In order to minimize the overall weight of the robot, structural optimization is carried out using a multi-mode single objective genetic algorithm. Functional and nonfunctional design requirements are formulated as constraints to be used during the optimization experiments. The topology and material optimization presented in this article provides insights into the robot design requirements and the optimization process. As a result of this process, a significant reduction in the robot weight is achieved without compromising the mechanical performance.</p
Preschool children’s repeating patterning skills:evidence of their capability from a large scale, naturalistic, Australia wide study
No full textPatterns are a fundamental component of mathematics, and the patterning ability of young children has been well researched; however, this research has largely been conducted with relatively small cohorts (±70) and in an interventionist way (in laboratory settings or with researchers directly intervening in educational contexts). The current study examines the patterning skills of approximately 3 200 children in a naturalistic setting. As part of a larger, early years’ STEM engagement program, children were provided patterning opportunities across one school term. The data presented here provides information regarding the children’s performance on the tablet-based activities embedded in the program. Findings indicate that 3.5- to 4.5-year-old children were able to copy, extend, insert missing elements, fix, and create patterns, using a range of two, three or four elements pattern structures. These findings, from a large-scale naturalistic setting, confirm some aspects of the existing laboratory-based research, whilst also indicating that some children are more capable in terms of creating patterns than the existing research suggests. These findings have implications for educators when they are planning play-based patterning activities with preschool children.</p
Unleashing the potential: spatializing middle school mathematics for enhanced learning
No full textThis study assessed the effectiveness of a spatialized mathematics intervention on the mathematical performance and spatial visualization skills of students from an underprivileged Indonesian community. Grade 8 students (N = 407) were assigned to one of twelve experimental classes, receiving the spatial mathematics intervention, or one of seven control classes, continuing with the standard mathematics curriculum. Prior to and following the intervention, a pre-test and post-test design was administered. The data were analyzed using Analysis of Covariance to ascertain the effect of the intervention. Results revealed that the students in the experimental group exhibited significant improvements in spatial visualization skills and mathematics performance (including both spatial and non-spatial competencies), compared to the control group. Importantly, the findings provide evidence that the transfer effects of the spatialized curriculum occur differentially for students of varying ability levels. The findings highlight the importance of spatial intervention in enhancing mathematics performance and spatial visualization skills. The study suggests potential avenues for a paradigm shift in mathematics education that recognizes and embraces the profound influence of spatial thinking.</p
Distal-Extremity Cryotherapy in Preventing Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy from Paclitaxel Administration in People Affected by Breast Cancer:A Systematic Review
Get PDFObjectives: To explore the experiences of utilising distal-extremity cryotherapy in reducing chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy during Paclitaxel treatment on physical functioning, clinical and patient-reported outcomes, compared to standard care in people affected by breast cancer. Methods: Four databases and one register were searched on 11 April 2023 to identify all relevant studies meeting the inclusion and exclusion criteria. These were CINAHL (via EBSCOhost), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Medline (via EBSCOhost), Scopus, and Web of Science Core Collection, with no limiters placed on any of the searches. Additionally, relevant systematic reviews were scrutinised for potentially relevant studies for screening. Results: Distal-extremity cryotherapy is a safe intervention with minimal risk for serious adverse events. However, insufficient data supports the mainstay clinical use of cryotherapy in reducing chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy from Paclitaxel use within the breast cancer population. Heterogeneity in study design, cryotherapy mode, and measurement tools underscore the need for additional research. Conclusion: Despite limited data on the impact of distal-extremity cryotherapy in preventing chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, there are valuable implications for nursing practice arising from this review. Implications for nursing practice: Nurses play a vital role in the clinical and experiential journey of people with breast cancer, it is important that they understand the available evidence and act as patient advocates. Assisting patients in understanding current research and encouraging participation in future studies, thereby enhancing our knowledge, and strengthening the available evidence base.</p