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The aim of this research is to implement anti-corruption values to students using the project citizen model. The research method used is descriptive qualitative. Data collection techniques in this research, researchers used data collection techniques in the form of observation, interviews, documentation, triangulation and literature study. The analysis techniques used are data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions/verification. The results of the research show that the implementation of anti-corruption education at IKIP PGRI Pontianak is a mandatory subject for the Civics Study Program and is integrated with Civics courses in other study programs, apart from that it is also implemented through student activities, extracurricular activities, and study program association activities and student unit activities. . The steps in the project citizen model are identifying problems, selecting problems, collecting information related to the problem, developing a class portfolio, presenting the class portfolio and reflecting on learning experiences. The anti-corruption values implemented through the project citizen learning model consist of honesty, discipline, hard work, caring, courage, responsibility, simplicity, independence and justice.

The purpose of this study was to determine the virtues of making a blended learning model in improving students' civic skills in the Citizenship Education course. The research method used is a combination method (Mixed Methods). The data collection techniques used were direct observation, direct communication, and direct follow-up communication strategies along with data collection instruments such as observation guides, interview guides, and questionnaires. Qualitative data analysis developed by Miles and Huberman is used in this study. The results showed that the implementation of Citizenship Education learning at the IKIP PGRI Pontianak during the Covid-19 pandemic was online and offline. Development of blended learning model steps. In the first stage, the powerful lecturer starts learning with the zoom meeting application. In the second stage, the lecturer performs a demonstration and presentation of knowledge by strengthening skills. The third stage, the lecturer guides the training. The fourth stage, checking understanding and feedback. The fifth or final stage is the follow-up and closing evaluation. The blended learning model is effective in strengthening students' intellectual skills. This can be seen from the results of the questionnaire analysis, namely that students' intellectual skills achieve an actual score of 5391 out of an ideal score of 7140, with a percentage reaching 76%, in the Good category. The results showed that students were able to identify problems, describe problems and make decisions about the problems they faced.

Beginning reading ability is the basis for further and fluent children's reading ability. Through observations conducted by researchers at PAS Ar-Rohim Kindergarten, researchers found that there were some children who still had initial reading abilities that were not in line with expectations, including 10 out of 13 children who still had difficulty recognizing letter symbols from A-Z, distinguishing words that had the same initial letter, and arranging letters to form a word. This study aims to find out whether there are differences in children's beginning reading abilities through montage learning media in group A of TK PAS Ar-Rohim Bancang Sambit Ponorogo. This study used a quantitative method of the pre-experimental type and the One Group Pretest Posttest design. Data collection was carried out through observation and tests. The research object came from the students of PAS Ar-Rohim Kindergarten selected by saturated sampling technique. The research data were then analyzed using the paired sample t-test and drawing conclusions. Data analysis in this study was processed and visualized with the help of SPSS 23. Based on the results of data analysis it was found that (1) in the experiments that had been carried out there were differences in children's initial reading ability before and after the montage activity was given. The children's initial reading ability before being given treatment obtained the pretest results with an average score of 19.6923 and after being given the treatment the results of the posttest were 30.5385. The difference between before and after the treatment was given was 10.84615. On the results of the paired sample t-test, the sig.(2-tailed) result is 0.00

This study aims to describe the improvement of students' Mathematical Critical Thinking Ability (MCTA) through the Think Pair Share (TPS) Cooperative learning model. This type of research is a quasi-experimental with Nonequivalent Control Group Design. The population in this study were students of class X SMA Negeri 2 Padangsidimpuan. Through purposive sampling, research samples were taken from class X IIS 2 as the experimental group and class X IIS 1 as the control group. The research instrument includes an observation sheet on learning activities and student MCTA tests which include pretest and posttest questions. Data analysis using N-gain score, t-test. Analysis of the observational data showed the average value of learning management with a score of 4.48. Obtaining N-Gain with t-test on student MCTA data obtained a significance of 0.05 was obtained. It was concluded that the application of TPS-type cooperative learning in improving students' MCTA was good. The TPS-type cooperative learning model's improvement was better than the regular MCTA of students.

Information Security Awareness (ISA) is a significant concept that got considerable attention recently and can assist in minimizing the risks associated with information security breaches. Several measurement scales have been developed in this regard, as measuring users’ ISA is paramount. Although ISA specific scales are very important, yet what methodological rigor they use in terms of initial conceptualization of ISA, data collection and analysis during the development, and scale validation of such scales are some unknown aspects. Therefore, we provide a comprehensive review of the existing ISA specific scales to address all the above concerns. A popular method, PRISMA, is utilized, and a total of 24 articles that match with criteria of this research are included for the final in-depth analysis. Also, a holistic evaluation framework is developed containing three phases and 19 criteria. Findings revealed that most studies treat ISA as a multi-dimensional construct, and ISA researchers rarely conduct both pilot testing and pre-text evaluation while validating and refining the initial scales. Additionally, several articles did not report some of the essential elements used for checking the rigor of factor analysis, and evidence for validities of the identified scales is inadequate. Consequently, existing ISA specific scales must be improved both in terms of the methodological thoroughness of the scale development procedure and their validities. Moreover, not only justifying why the development of a new scale is necessary, but also improving the quality of the existing scales by doing multiple iterations is significant in the future. Likewise, the inclusion of all the dimensions of ISA, while generating the initial items pool is an important aspect to be considered. A thorough discussion, recommendations for future research, conclusions, and study limitations are provided.

The purpose of this study is to describe and examine the implementation of human rights education in the PPKn IKIP PGRI Pontianak study program. The research method used is qualitative with a descriptive form. The participants in this study consisted of lecturers who teach Civics courses, lecturers of Human Rights Education courses, Head of Civics Study Program and students of Civics Study Program. The data collection techniques in this study were in the form of observation techniques, interview techniques and documentary study techniques. The data collection tools used in this research are observation guide, interview guide and documentation. The data analysis technique used in this study was carried out by collecting data, reducing data, presenting data and making conclusions. The results showed that the implementation of human rights education in the Civics Study program went well. This condition was seen from the mutual respect and respect between lecturers and students, and there was no discrimination between lecturers and students. The implementation of human rights education in lectures is carried out by lecturers through strengthening students with an understanding of how important it is to respect and respect other human rights. There are several strategies in learning human rights in order to achieve the objectives, namely preparing learning such as formulating learning objectives, knowing the characteristics of students, compiling learning materials, understanding learning situations and contexts, determining appropriate learning resources, determining time and choosing appropriate learning methods. There are two factors that can affect the implementation of human rights education, namely internal factors and external factors.

Intoxication of vitamin D is not a common case in pediatrics. Vitamin D supplements are sold as OTC drugs; however, there is a lack of public education about the permissible limits of vitamin D intake which may lead to vitamin D toxicity (VDT). This review aims to give insights to readers or practitioners about the clinical toxicology of vitamin D in pediatrics, which includes the mechanism of VDT, case reports, and the management of vitamin D poisoning. VDT refers to serum 25(OH)D levels, particularly when the level exceeds 100 ng/mL (250 nmol/L) or is defined as hypervitaminosis D. Hypercalcemia is a common condition of vitamin D toxicity. Vitamin D and its metabolites in moderate levels can induce hypercalcemia, as indicated by the elevation of osteoclastic bone resorption, the presence of calcium in renal tubules, intestinal calcium intake (through increased production of calcium-binding protein in enterocytes), and the decrease of parathyroid hormone synthesis. VDT in pediatrics can be managed by discontinuing vitamin D intake; using activated charcoal, furosemide, prednisone, and calcitonin; rehydration using intravenous sodium chloride 0.9%; and dextrose fluid therapy. It is important for parents to be more careful when providing vitamin D to their children.

Education has a very close relationship to the change of values and culture, therefore in order to achieve the purity of the culture, education needs to form a strong individual person, in order to achieve a golden Indonesia by not softening existing values and cultures. Therefore, it is important to conduct this research aiming to find out the socio-cultural system of the Indonesian people in the social science learning curriculum for the junior secondary level in the province of Riau. This study uses descriptive evaluative design with mixed method type that mixed method. Purposive smpling is a sampling technique used by researchers, with several stages of data collection including: observation, interview, documentation and questionnaires. After research and results were obtained that the 2013 curriculum is better used in junior high school students compared to KTSP, by using the 2013 curriculum and a qualified strategy in the learning process can increase students' curiosity towards learning and social problems in the environment, students can understand the learning well and deeper into the value of Malay culture.

The high dropout rate, lack of learners’ motivation, and MOOC users’ diversity are significant issues in MOOCs. In this sense, gamification is used to investigate if it can help to increase MOOC learners’ motivation and engagement, leading to a continued usage scenario. Further, this article aims to propose a theoretical model to identify the factors affecting MOOC learners’ continuance and empirically measure these factors. The model is based on the Expectation Confirmation Model (ECM) with additional constructs of motivation and gamification. Data is collected from 206 university students using an online survey. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) is used for data analysis. The results show that motivation, satisfaction, and perceived usefulness influence continuous intention, with satisfaction being the most significant predictor ( $\beta =0.373$ , p < 0.000). Motivation, confirmation, and perceived usefulness have a significant positive effect on satisfaction. Among the three gamification categories, achievement has the highest impact on motivation ( $\beta =0.208$ , p < 0.001), followed by the social category ( $\beta =0.143$ , p < 0.032). The effect of the immersion category is found to be non-significant. Based on the results, appropriate theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the team-assisted individualization model on the social skills of students in the historical subjects in Senior High School Palembang. The type of method used in this study is quasi-experimental. Class XI IPA 3 as an experimental class using random sampling. Data collection techniques used in this study are using questionnaire and observation, data analysis techniques used data homogeneity test, data linearity test, and simple regression test with significant level Fhitung ˃ Ftabel with real level (α = 0,05). The result of Fhitung obtained is 5,40 while to find Ftabel that is db = 1 as the numerator and db = 34 as the denominator and consulted to table F is obtained 4,13. Statistical calculations have obtained the results Fhitung ˃ Ftabel (5,40 ˃ 4,13) that means there was the influence of team assisted individualization model on the social skills of students in the historical subjects in Senior High School Palembang. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui apakah ada pengaruh model pembelajaran team assisted individualization terhadap keterampilan sosial peserta didik pada mata pelajaran sejarah Sekolah Menengah Atas Palembang. Metode penelitian yang digunakan quasi eksperimen. Kelas XI IPA 3 sebagai kelas eksperimen dengan menggunakan teknik random sampling. Teknik pengumpulan data dalam penelitian ini yakni dengan menggunakan angket dan observasi. Teknik uji prasyarat analisis data yang digunakan adalah uji homogenitas data, uji linearitas data, dan uji regresi sederhana dengan taraf signifikan Fhitung ˃ Ftabel dan taraf α = 0,05. Hasil Fhitung didapat 5,40 sementara untuk mencari Ftabel yakni db = 1 sebagai pembilang dan db = 34 sebagai penyebut dan di konsultasikan ke tabel F didapat 4,13. Perhitungan statistik diperoleh hasil Fhitung˃ Ftabel (5,40 ˃ 4,13) yang artinya terdapat pengaruh model pembelajaran team assisted individualization terhadap keterampilan sosial peserta didik pada mata pelajaran sejarah di Sekolah Menengah Atas Palembang.

This study was conducted to evaluate the performance of students through the achievement of programme outcomes (PO) for two programmes offered at the Department of Chemical and Process Engineering (JKKP), namely, Chemical Engineering and Biochemical Engineering. Implementation of the Outcome-Based Education (OBE) approach from the 2005/2006 session has opened a new chapter in the process of teaching and learning (TnL) at the departmental level in particular. Special emphasis was given to the ability of students to use, apply and relate engineering knowledge in order to solve complex engineering problems. Therefore, regular monitoring is important to look at the trend of PO student achievement for each session. The assessment was conducted by distributing questionnaires to final-year students of the department at Majlis Mesra Bakal Graduan (MMBG), an event that is held at the end of the second semester of every session. Questionnaires were distributed to students to get their feedback on the implementation of the programme during their four years at JKKP and the proposed improvements to the programme and their evaluation of the performance of the POs set by the department for both programmes. Comparison of the results from sessions 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 shows a slight decrease in terms of performance of the PO achievements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper organizes about the effect of portofolio-based learning and the basic ability toward the result of learning media on students of Islamic Education Early Childhood study program, Faculty of Science and Teacher Training , State Islamic University of North Sumatera. The type of this research is quantitative research which is uses experiment form. The subject in this research is 70 third semester PIAUD students. The instrument that is used in this research is writing. The current data analysis is: analysis of two-way variance. The results of the study have showed that: (1) Students' learning outcomes using portofolio-based learning is better than student learning outcomes using conventional learning. (2) the basic ability influences the improving of student learning outcomes in mastering learning media. (3) Students' learning outcomes that has high ability in basic learning with portofolio based learning are different to the fact and significant to the other group.

Dalam era globalisasi ini penguasaan bahasa asing terutama bahasa Inggris sangatlah penting. Peningkatan kemampuan berbahasa Inggris pada mahasiswa dapat ditingkatkan salah satunya dengan pengembangan bahan ajar yang dilakukan secara kontinu dan tersedianya sumber belajar bagi mahasiswa tersebut. Tujuan utama penelitian ini adalah menghasilkan produk berupa bahan ajar mata kuliah Bahasa Inggris Geografi berbasis TOEFL ITP yang akan diterapkan di tahun ajaran 2017/ 2018. Penelitian ini tergolong penelitian pengembangan atau Research and Development (R&D) pada bahan ajar mata kuliah Bahasa Inggris Geografi. Pengembangan bahan ajar ini melibatkan tim dosen, ahli materi dan ahli media dengan melakukan FGD. Data dikumpulkan dari kuesioner yang diisi oleh ahli materi, ahli media dan mahasiswa. Kemudian data tersebut dianalisis secara deskriptif dengan menggunakan skor yang dikonversi menjadi beberapa kategori. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan pengembangan bahan ajar mata kuliah Bahasa Inggris telah sesuai dengan Permenristekdikti No. 44 Tahun 2015 dan standar yang ditetapkan Universitas Negeri Medan. Pengembangan modul yang dilakukan dengan dua kali proses revisi sesuai saran dari ahli materi dan ahli media serta masukan dari mahasiswa. Ditinjau dari penilaian aspek materi, bahasa dan kegrafikan maka modul mata kuliah Bahasa Inggris Geografi dapat dikategorikan “Baik” dan layak untuk digunakan dalam proses pembelajaran. Kata kunci : Pengembangan Bahan Ajar, TOEFL ITP, Bahasa Inggris Geografi

ABSTRAK Tujuan utama dalam penelitian ini adalah menghasilkan bahan ajar untuk matakuliah Biogeografi yang layak digunakan oleh mahasiswa di kelas B reguler angkatan 2016/2017. Tujuan lain yang ingin dicapai melalui penelitian ini mendiskripsikan respon mahasiswa kelas B Reguler TA 2016/2017 terhadap bahan ajar berbasis konstruktivis yang dikembangkan. Metode pengembangan bahan ajar ini mengacu pada kerangka pikir Thiagarajan dan Semmel &Semmel. Pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui angket dengan indikator penilaian kelayakan berupa kelayakan isi atau materi, kebahasaan, kegrafisan dan penyajian. Analisis data dilakukan secara deskriptif kualitatif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa (1) bahan ajar yang dikembangkan sudah layak untuk digunakan. Sesuai dengan hasil validasi kedua validator berkisar antara 97.19 dan 98.75 (2) respon mahasiswa mengenai bahan ajar ini tergolong bagus. 64% mahasiswa menyatakan sangat setuju bahwa buku ini berguna bagi mereka, dan 36 % menyatakan setuju. 91 % mahasiswa menyatakan bahwa penggunaan bahasa dalam bahan ajar ini sangat jelas dan mudah dipahami. Selanjutnya, 73% mahasiswa menyatakan bahwa pertanyaan yang diajukan di dalam bahan ajar ini juga sudah jelas serta isi pembelajaran sudah sesuai dengan harapan mereka. Pendapat ahli dan respon mahasiswa beberapa hal yang perlu diperbaiki ialah desain buku serta tata gambar, tabel dan diagram. Kata Kunci : bahan ajar, konstruktivis, biogeografi ABSTRACT The main objective of this research is to produce teaching materials for courses eligible Biogeography used by students in class B 2016/2017 regular forces. Another goal to be achieved through this study to describe the response of students of class B Regular TA 2016/2017 of constructivist-based teaching materials developed. The development of teaching materials refers to the framework Thiagarajan and Semmel & Semmel. The data was collected through a questionnaire with a feasibility assessment indicators qualifying the content, language, kegrafisan and presentation. The data were analyzed by descriptive qualitative. The results showed that (1) the material developed is feasible to be used. In accordance with the validator validation results ranged from 97.19 and 98.75 (2) The student's response is quite good material. 64% of students stated strongly agree that this book is useful for them, and 36% agree. 91% of students stated that the use of language in teaching materials is very clear and easy to understand. Furthermore, 73% of students said that the questions asked in these materials was also clear and the learning content is suitable to their expectations. Expert opinion and the response of the students are some things that need to be corrected is the design and layout of images, tables and diagrams. Keywords: Learning Material, Constructivist, Biogeography

Infeksi cacingan khususnya Askariasis merupakan salah satu penyebab masalah kesehatan masyarakat di Indonesia. Prevalensi infeksi Askariasis masih tinggi di Kota Padang, Sumatera Barat terutama pada anak usia sekolah dasar. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah menentukan hubungan infeksi Askariasis dengan status sosial ekonomi murid Sekolah Dasar Negeri 29 Purus Padang. Penelitian ini merupakan studi analitik dengan desain cross sectional yang dilaksanakan bulan November 2014. Jumlah populasi sebanyak 250 murid dengan jumlah sampel sebanyak 78 murid yang diambil dari kelas 1 - 6. Pengambilan sampel dilakukan teknik Stratified Random Sampling. Instrumen penelitian adalah kuesioner dan alat pemeriksaan laboratorium (Parasitologi). Hubungan antara semua variabel dianalisis dengan uji chi-square. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa angka positif infeksi karena A. lumbricoides di Sekolah Dasar Negeri 29 Purus Padang sebesar 48,7%. Pekerjaan orang tua buruh sebesar 60,3%, pendapatan orang tua rendah sebesar 47,4%, pendidikan orang tua rendah sebesar 59,0%. Uji statistik didapatkan nilai probabilitas hubungan pekerjaan orang tua, pendapatan orang tua dan pendidikan orang tua dengan infeksi Askariasisis masing-masing sebesar 0,583, 0,370 dan 0,464. Simpulan penelitian ini adalah tidak ada hubungan yang bermakna antara infeksi Askariasis dengan pekerjaan orang tua, pendapatan orang tua dan pendidikan orang tua.

Background and Objective: Vitiligo is one of the most frequent skin disorders with a prevalence of 1-2% in different populations. Although many theories have been suggested for its pathogenesis, but the most popular hypotheses is the role of autoimmunity in Vitiligo. This study was done to evaluate the thyroid dysfunction and thyroid autoantibodies in patients with Vitiligo. Methods: This case-control study was carried out on 45 patients with Vitiligo and 45 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals as control group. Age, gender, duration of the disease and type of Vitiligo were collected through a standard questionnaire. Thyroid autoantibodies including thyroglobulin antibody, anti- thyroglobulin and thyroid peroxidase antibody, and anti-TPO thyroid hormones Tetraiodothyronine (T4), Triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in Vitiligo patients and healthy volunteers were measeared. Results: Serum level of T4 was significantly reduced in Vitiligo patient compared to controls (P

Background : the low dietary intake in hospitalized patients impact on low level of energy and protein adequacy. Short nutritional message and nutrition education could influence the patient’s eating practice in order to increase score of knowledge, attitude, level of energy and protein adequacy. Objective : to analyze the effects of short nutritional message and nutrition education on eating practice in hospitalized patients at Salatiga general hospital. Method : this was a quasi experimental study with control group pre-test post-test design. The treatment group (38 respondents) received hospital food (3 days) and nutritional short message and education nutrition from the nutritionist (2 days), meanwhile the control group (38 respondents) received hospital food (3 days) only. Score of knowledge and attitude were obtained from interview with questioner. Energy and protein adequacy level come from hospital food intake and recall. Results : there were no differences in nutritional knowledge score, attitude, protein and energy adequacy level before intervention in both group. Score of knowledge, attitude, level of energy and protein adequacy could be increased by short nutritional message and nutrition education (p=0,00, p=0,00, p=0,00, dan p=0,00). Short nutritional message and nutrition education was no effect on energy and protein adequacy level from food outside hospital (p=0,76 and p =0,86). Conclusion: Short nutritional message and nutrition education was increasing nutritional knowledge and attitude score, energy and protein adequacy level from hospital food and total intake.

In this work, the novel direct synthesis method of dimethylacetamide-based graphene oxide (GO) was performed through electrochemical exfoliation assisted by commercially available single-tail sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) surfactant. Then, the synthesised GO (SDS–GO) was incorporated into polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) solution to produce a nanofiltration (NF) membrane through the phase immersion method. The addition of GO into the preparation of membrane solution alters the membrane morphology and improves the hydrophilicity. TiO2 was also used as an additive for the NF membrane fabrication to further increase the membrane hydrophilicity. The fabricated PVDF/SDS–GO/TiO2 and PVDF/SDS–GO NF membranes were compared with pure PVDF membrane. Then, the fabricated NF membranes were tested for methylene blue (MB) rejection with 10 ppm MB concentration. On the basis of the dead-end cell measurement operated at the pressure of 2 bar, the PVDF/SDS–GO/TiO2 presents high MB rejection (92.76%) and the highest dye flux (7.770 L/m2 h). This dye flux value was sevenfold higher than that of pure PVDF membrane (1.146 L/m2 h) which was due to the utilisation of both GO and TiO2 that improved the membrane hydrophilicity as indicated by the lowest contact angle (64.0 ± 0.11°). High porosity (57.46%) also resulted in the highest water permeability (4.187 L/m2 h bar) of the PVDF/SDS–GO/TiO2 NF membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: People with adult-onset hearing loss (AoHL) are at increased dementia risk. In this study, we explore potential aetiological mechanisms by synthesising the evidence on the association between AoHL and neuropathological, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), blood and imaging biomarkers of dementia., Methods: We systematically searched electronic databases from inception to 30 April 2024 for cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, including quantitative data on the association between AoHL and dementia biomarkers. Study quality was assessed with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT)., Results: Sixty-six studies reporting 63 cross-sectional and 10 longitudinal analyses were included. Twenty-one studies met all MMAT quality criteria. We report a narrative synthesis due to the heterogeneity of the included studies. In CSF-based or blood-based assays or imaging, five out of six cross-sectional analyses found that AoHL was associated with elevated in vivo tau levels, whilst four out of 17 reported a link with elevated in vivo β-amyloid measures. One longitudinal analysis identified an association between AoHL and a steeper increase of CSF tau, but not Aβ 42 , levels over time. Twenty-five out of 44 cross-sectional and six out of nine longitudinal analyses identified associations between AoHL and grey matter atrophy of the temporal regions, particularly the medial temporal lobe. Studies using other biomarkers had inconsistent findings., Conclusions: AoHL was usually associated with more temporal regions grey matter atrophy both cross-sectionally and longitudinally, and elevated in vivo tau but not β-amyloid. Increasing atrophy and higher tau, leading to decreased cognitive reserve may be how hearing loss increases dementia risk., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Rationale: Adolescent inhalant use is an understudied and undertreated disorder, particularly in females. Chronic exposure to inhalants, like toluene, can have long-lasting effects on behavior. However, most animal studies lack the incorporation of both sexes and do not focus on the abstinence period., Objective: We assessed the behavioral effects during prolonged abstinence following repeated toluene inhalation in adolescent male and female rats., Methods: We repeatedly exposed adolescent male and female Sprague Dawley rats to toluene vapor (1500 or 3000 ppm) for 6 days using the conditioned place preference (CPP) procedure. We tested drug-associated context preference, locomotion, anxiety-like behavior, object memory, social preference, and cognitive flexibility across 22 days of abstinence., Results: In females, 3000 ppm toluene increased CPP on days 8 and 22 of abstinence but this effect did not reach significance in males. Instead, males showed a significant increase in locomotion on days 7 and 21. Toluene also impaired social novelty preference and reversal learning during long-term abstinence, but not anxiety-like behavior or object recognition memory., Conclusions: Our rodent findings suggest that female inhalant users may show persistent drug preference during abstinence following chronic use. Furthermore, prolonged cognitive and social deficits should be addressed in treatment programs for adolescents., Competing Interests: Declarations. Conflict of interest: On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: In healthcare settings, there can be a fine distinction between genuine performance management and vexatious complaints occurring in the context of bullying. The most common manifestation of such behaviour involves repetitive interpersonal abusive behaviours within the context of a power hierarchy. These interactions might well be experienced as bullying behaviour; however, the interpersonal dynamics underpinning such behaviours remains largely unexplored., Objective: This paper offers a psychological perspective on bullying and harassment and adopts a psychodynamic case study approach, utilising a case vignette involving a senior and junior doctor within a general practice context. Conflict can be mitigated by understanding the intra- and interpersonal dynamics that interfere with rational performance management., Discussion: Psychological processes such as projection, displacement and projective identification are useful in understanding the genesis of bullying and harassment within demanding workplaces. Reflecting upon the psychological processes underpinning such conflict might help mitigate coercive workplace behaviour.

Objective: Establishing the cause of hearing loss (HL) is important and rewarding, though not without its challenges. While our ability to identify the etiology for HL has improved with advances in scientific knowledge, a significant proportion of cases remain of unknown etiology. Recent protocol changes within the NHS Genomic Medicine Service support the utilization of the HL gene panel test, rather than individual gene tests. In light of these changes, determining the yield of these more extensive panel tests is important in informing future practice., Study Design: Retrospective study., Setting: The Cochlear Implant (CI) Department at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH)., Methods: Four hundred seventy-six children with profound HL were identified from a database of referrals to the GOSH CI Department. Data on etiology of HL including genetic diagnosis was collected from hospital notes on an electronic patient records system and hospital genetics database., Results: We identified a positive result in 163/476 (34%) cases through the gene panel test, representing an additional 19% yield to current level 1 investigations. Genetic HL, including both syndromic (including those not covered by the HL gene panel) and nonsyndromic (209/476, 44%) was the most common etiology in our cohort. Perinatal, intrauterine, ototoxicity, meningitis, and encephalitis categories altogether comprised 97/476 (20%) cases., Conclusion: Gene panel testing provides significant additional yield over current level 1 investigations which include GJB2 testing only. This has far-reaching implications for how we optimize investigations into HL in children and counsel families, and for future early interventions., (© 2024 American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation.)

Bullying is a serious problem among adolescents that often occurs in schools. The problem occurs because of the high level of bullying behavior. Bullying causes negative impacts such as anxiety, low self-esteem, and suicide risk. So that interventions are needed to prevent and reduce bullying behavior. The aim of this study is to explore the effectiveness and implementation methods of the KiVa anti-bullying program for preventing and reducing bullying behavior for students. Scoping review design was used in this study using PRISMA Extension for Scoping Review search strategy. A scoping review of studies indexed in CINAHL, PubMed and Scopus databases was conducted. After duplicates were removed and articles screened, 11 studies were included in the review. Data analysis in this study used descriptive qualitative. The 11 included studies comprised of randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies involving range of samples from 1051 to 23.520 respondents from elementary school to high school students aged 6-15 years. The KiVa Anti-bullying intervention was effective for reducing bullying behavior in students (p value < 0.05). This intervention involves teachers, government, students, and health workers to collaborate in building a bullying prevention system. The activities carried out are providing education, assertive and empathy training, role play, counseling, and games. The method in implementing the intervention is online and offline. This therapy can be optimized by providing special interventions to victims, perpetrators, and both. The provision of interventions also needs to be carried out and monitored regularly to prevent repeated bullying behavior in students. The development of online interventions is needed to prevent bullying in students so that it can reach students widely., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The interaction of green zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) with bacterial strains are still scarcely reported. This work was conducted to study the green-one-pot-synthesized ZnO NPs from the Aloe Vulgarize (AV) leaf peel extract assisted with different sonication techniques followed by the physicochemical, biological activities and molecular docking studies. The NPs structure was analyzed using FTIR, UV-vis and EDX. The morphology, particle size and crystallinity of ZnO NPs were identified using FESEM and XRD. It was found that the formed flower-like structure with sharp edge and fine size of particulates in ZnO NPs/AV could enhance the bacterial inhibition. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for all the tested bacterial strains is at 3.125 µg/ml and the bacterial growth curve are dependent on the ZnO NPs dosage. The results of disc diffusion revealed that the ZnO NPs/AV possess better antibacterial effect with bigger ZOI due to the presence of AV active ingredient. The molecular docking between active ingredients of AV in the NPs with the protein of IFCM and 1MWU revealed that low binding energy (E bind  = -6.56 kcal/mol and -8.99 kcal/mol, respectively) attributes to the excessive hydrogen bond from AV that highly influenced their interaction with the amino acid of the selected proteins. Finally, the cytotoxicity test on the biosynthesized ZnO NPs with concentration below 20 µg/ml are found nontoxic on the HDF cell. Overall, ZnO NPs/20 % AV (probe sonication) is considered as the best synthesis option due to its efficient one-pot method, short sonication time but own the best antibacterial effect., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of empathy training on bullying behavior in juvenile prisoners at the Bandung City Special Development Institute for Children., Methods: This study used a quantitative method with a quasi-experimental design with pre and post-test with control group. The sampling technique used purposive sampling and obtained a sample of 100 respondents (50 intervention group and 50 control group). Empathy training was conducted for 3 months as many as 4 sessions consisting of education, role play, watching movies, and reflection. Data collection used the Indonesian version of the Olweus Bully/Victim Questionnaire. Univariate analysis used mean, min-max, and standard deviation values. Bivariate analysis used Wilcoxon test and Mann-Whitney test., Results: The results showed that in the intervention group, most respondents had high bullying behavior before the intervention (70%) and had low bullying behavior after the intervention (64%). In the control group, most respondents showed a high level of bullying behavior (80%) at pre-test and had high level of bullying behavior (78%) at post-test. The results of the Wilcoxon test showed ap value of <0.001, indicating that there was a significant effect on reducing bullying behavior in prisoners in LPKA Bandung City after being given empathy training. The results of the Mann-Whitney test showed a value of p<0.001 which means that there is a difference in the level of bullying behavior between the control and intervention groups., Conclusion: Empathy training is a recommendation for community nurses in Bandung City Special Development Institute for Children to implement community-based nursing interventions in preventing bullying in children and adolescents, especially adolescents in prison., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest in this study., (© 2024 Hikmat et al.)

Previous ecological studies show higher sponge diversity in the Spermonde Archipelago, SW Sulawesi, Indonesia, compared to the World Porifera Database. This study aims to provide an updated checklist of sponges of the Spermonde Archipelago, focusing particularly on the littoral area. Systematic sampling was executed through several observations, with roving techniques, e.g., snorkeling and SCUBA diving. In situ photographs of living sponges were taken using an underwater digital camera. Some specimens were collected and stored at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden. Fragments of samples were analyzed using light and scanning electron microscopy. A total of 27 sponges (Calcarea and Demospongiae) were catalogued from the littoral area of the Spermonde Archipelago. Some of these are new records for the Sulawesi Sea/Makassar Strait marine ecoregion, including four potentially novel taxa. Preliminary morphological descriptions of all examined samples are presented. This study highlights the sponge assemblage flourishing in a shallow area characterized by a paucity of live corals and a predominant environment by macroalgae, rocks, and rubble., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Singgih Afifa Putra, Rohani Ambo-Rappe, Jamaluddin Jompa, Nicole J. de Voogd.)

Bullying behavior among students is a serious problem in the educational context and has an impact on victims and perpetrators. Bullying has serious impacts, both emotionally and psychologically, especially for victims who are vulnerable to stress, depression, and even in extreme cases, can lead to suicidal tendencies. Empathy is a key factor in responding to bullying situations. So empathy is an important aspect in reducing bullying behavior. The aim of this research is to explore the role of empathy in bullying behavior in students. The scoping review method was used in this research. The keywords used are empathy, bullying, and students. Search for articles in three databases, namely CINAHL, PubMed, and Scopus. The inclusion criteria in the article search were samples are students (elementary schools students until high schools students) English language, discussion of empathy, publication of articles in the last 10 years (2014-2023), and original research. Grey literature excluded in this scoping review. Data analysis using thematic analysis. The authors found 13 articles that discussed the influence of empathy on bullying behavior in students. Findings from the articles analyzed highlight the complexity of the interactions between affective and cognitive empathy and students behavior in the context of bullying. Students with high levels of empathy tend to be more active in defending victims of bullying, while low levels of empathy tend to reinforce bullying behavior or passive bystander attitudes. Intervention programs that include social and emotional skills training, awareness campaigns, and learning approaches that promote tolerance and respect for diversity can have the potential to reduce the incidence of bullying in students. Increasing understanding and empathetic responses can be an effective strategy in addressing bullying problems in schools and communities., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest in this study., (© 2024 Hikmat et al.)

Postcoital dysphoria (PCD) refers to a counter-intuitive experience of sadness, tearfulness, irritability or dysphoria following an otherwise satisfactory and consensual sexual experience. Research to date has primarily focused on heteronormative samples. The current study explored the prevalence of PCD, and potential correlates of internalized sexual prejudice, perceived discrimination, and sex life satisfaction within a LGBTQIA+ population. One hundred and seventy-two adults identifying as LGBTQIA+ completed an online survey. Main outcome measures included the Post Sex Experience Scale (p-SES), Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS), Internalized Homophobia Scale (IHS), Satisfaction with Sex Life Scale (SWSLS), and study specific questions. Prevalence of PCD was 42% of males attracted to other males and 81% of participants identifying as bisexual/sexual fluid. A significant and a moderate inverse correlation was found between sex life satisfaction and PCD ( r  = -.75) for individuals identifying as bisexual/fluid sexual orientation. Significant correlations were found between perceived discrimination and PCD (weak positive correlation, r  = .28), and sex life satisfaction and PCD (moderate negative correlation, r  = -.59) in men attracted to men. This research suggests being a member of a sexual minority is associated with sex-related dysphoria and dissatisfaction. Further research is needed to further elucidate PCD.

Introduction: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation training in Malaysia has evolved from traditional to modern approaches, embracing technology for better outcomes. Smartphone-based training apps offer interactive learning with simulations and real-time feedback, improving cardiopulmonary resuscitation skills anytime, anywhere. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the smart-cardiopulmonary resuscitation application for healthcare practitioners., Methods: This randomized controlled pilot study was conducted with 30 healthcare practitioners at the University of Malaysia Sabah. Participants underwent a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Practical formal educational training program, and data were collected using a Basic Life Support questionnaire and skills assessment checklist sourced from the American Heart Association (2020). Data analysis was conducted utilizing repeated analysis of variance and the Cochran 'Q' test supported by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences statistical software., Result: The control and intervention groups showed improved knowledge and skills from pre-to post-cardiopulmonary resuscitation courses; a significant increase was observed in the intervention group compared to the control group. The F-test indicated a significant time-group effect (F-stat (df) = 16.14 (2), p = 0.01). Cochran's 'Q' test also revealed significant changes in the proportion of healthcare practitioners passing their skills assessments over time (2 = 14.90, control 01)., Conclusion: The smart-cardiopulmonary resuscitation application is convenient for refreshing cardiopulmonary resuscitation skills and maintaining proficiency. While it doesn't replace formal cardiopulmonary resuscitation courses, it saves healthcare practitioners and the community time and money. Both groups showed improved cardiopulmonary resuscitation knowledge and skills, with the intervention group using the smart-cardiopulmonary resuscitation application showing higher success rates after two months. Adopting smartphone-based cardiopulmonary resuscitation training with comprehensive content is recommended., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest associated with this research study. Disclosure of funding: This study is self-funded. The authors declare that no funding was received for this research study., (© 2024 Saudi Heart Association.)

Elevated usage of pharmaceutical products leads to the accumulation of emerging contaminants in sewage. In the current work, Ganoderma lucidum (GL) was used to remove pharmaceutical compounds (PCs), proposed as a tertiary method in sewage treatment plants (STPs). The PCs consisted of a group of painkillers (ketoprofen, diclofenac, and dexamethasone), psychiatrists (carbamazepine, venlafaxine, and citalopram), beta-blockers (atenolol, metoprolol, and propranolol), and anti-hypertensives (losartan and valsartan). The performance of 800 mL of synthetic water, effluent STP, and hospital wastewater (HWW) was evaluated. Parameters, including treatment time, inoculum volume, and mechanical agitation speed, have been tested. The toxicity of the GL after treatment is being studied based on exposure levels to zebrafish embryos (ZFET) and the morphology of the GL has been observed via Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). The findings conclude that GL can reduce PCs from <10% to >90%. Diclofenac and valsartan are the highest (>90%) in the synthetic model, while citalopram and propranolol (>80%) are in the real wastewater. GL effectively removed pollutants in 48 h, 1% of the inoculum volume, and 50 rpm. The ZFET showed GL is non-toxic (LC 50 is 209.95 mg/mL). In the morphology observation, pellets GL do not show major differences after treatment, showing potential to be used for a longer treatment time and to be re-useable in the system. GL offers advantages to removing PCs in water due to their non-specific extracellular enzymes that allow for the biodegradation of PCs and indicates a good potential in real-world applications as a favourable alternative treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Wan Hanna Melini Wan Mohtar reports financial support was provided by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM)., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

With the increasing use of pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) in various industries, there is a need for greater sustainability, particularly in developing polymer materials from renewable resources, as well as the reuse and recycling of materials to reduce environmental impact, reduce waste, or extend their life. Here, we outlined the required properties of PSAs which are governed by the molecular parameters (molecular weights, dispersities, molecular weight between entanglement, molecular weight between cross-links and gel content) of polymer materials which subsequently define the physical properties (storage and loss moduli, glass transition temperature) that are required for good performance in peel, tack and shear tests. The sustainable approach discussed here is the development of degradable polymer materials featuring selectively degradable linkages in the backbone. This provides a viable alternative for the design of PSAs that could overcome the 'stickies' problem and make the recycling of glass and cardboard more efficient., (© 2024 The Authors. ChemPlusChem published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Dynamics of microbiomes through time are fundamental regarding survival and resilience of their hosts when facing environmental alterations. As for marine species with commercial applications, such as marine sponges, assessing the temporal change of prokaryotic communities allows us to better consider the adaptation of sponges to aquaculture designs. The present study aims to investigate the factors shaping the microbiome of the sponge Dactylospongia metachromia, in a context of aquaculture development in French Polynesia, Rangiroa, Tuamotu archipelago. A temporal approach targeting explants collected during farming trials revealed a relative high stability of the prokaryotic diversity, meanwhile a complementary biogeographical study confirmed a spatial specificity amongst samples at different longitudinal scales. Results from this additional spatial analysis confirmed that differences in prokaryotic communities might first be explained by environmental changes (mainly temperature and salinity), while no significant effect of the host phylogeny was observed. The core community of D. metachromia is thus characterized by a high spatiotemporal constancy, which is a good prospect for the sustainable exploitation of this species towards drug development. Indeed, a microbiome stability across locations and throughout the farming process, as evidenced by our results, should go against a negative influence of sponge translocation during in situ aquaculture., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to have a disproportionate impact on individuals belonging to sexual, gender, and racial minorities. Across the nation, many emergency medicine pharmacists (EMPs) possess the skills and knowledge to expand the provision of expedited partner therapy (EPT) for STIs and provide HIV prophylaxis within existing practice frameworks. This report serves as a call to action for expanded provision of EPT and HIV prophylaxis by EMPs and highlights current barriers and solutions to increase pharmacist involvement in these practice areas., Summary: Emergency medicine pharmacy practice continues to expand to allow for limited prescribing authority through collaborative practice agreements (CPAs). In recent years, CPA restrictions have been changed to facilitate treatment of more patients with less bureaucracy. This report addresses the unique challenges and opportunities for expanding EPT and HIV pre- and postexposure prophylaxis provision by pharmacists in emergency departments (EDs). Furthermore, current strategies and treatments for EPT, such as patient-delivered partner therapy and HIV prophylaxis, are discussed. Pharmacist involvement in STI treatment and HIV prevention is a key strategy to increase access to high-risk populations with high ED utilization and help close current gaps in care., Conclusion: Expanding EMP provision of EPT and HIV prophylaxis may be beneficial to reducing the incidence of STIs and HIV infection in the community. CPAs offer a feasible solution to increase pharmacist involvement in the provision of these treatments. Legislative efforts to expand pharmacist scope of practice can also contribute to increasing access to EPT and HIV prophylaxis. With these efforts, EMPs can play an essential role in the fight against STIs and HIV., (© American Society of Health-System Pharmacists 2023. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Introduction: Prevalence of antibiotic resistance (AR) during the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was higher than pre-pandemic times. This study determined the prevalence and patterns of AR among Gram-positive and negative bacteria before, during and after COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia and identified the associated factors., Methodology: A retrospective cross-sectional study was employed to identify patients with positive AR bacteria between March 2019 and March 2022. The bacterial isolates and patients' data were identified from laboratory and medical records departments retrospectively. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the factors associated with AR and deaths. Multinominal logistic regression was applied to confirm the factors associated with AR classification., Results: AR Gram-negative bacteria decreased during and after the pandemic. However, S. aureus showed a negligible increase in resistance rate after pandemic, while E. faecium, recorded a higher-than-average resistance rate during the pandemic. The prevalence of pan drug resistance (PDR) during the pandemic (85.7%) was higher than before (0%) and after (14.3%), p = 0.001. The length of stay and time were significant predictors for AR classification. The odds of multi drug resistance (MDR) development to PDR during the pandemic were 6 times higher than before and after (OR = 6.133, CI =, p = 0.020). Age, nationality, COVID-19 infection, smoking, liver disease, and type and number of bacteria were associated with death of patients with positive AR., Conclusions: Further studies are recommended to explore the prevalence of PDR and to justify the increased rates of E. faecium AR during the COVID-19 pandemic., Competing Interests: No Conflict of Interest is declared, (Copyright (c) 2024 Hadi Al Sulayyim, Rohani Ismail, Abdullah Al Hamid, Bazuqamah Mohammed, Noraini Abdul Ghafar.)

Background and Purpose: Vancomycin is one of the most common clinical antibiotics, yet acute kidney injury is a major limiting factor. Common combinations of antibiotics with vancomycin have been reported to worsen and improve vancomycin-induced kidney injury. We aimed to study the impact of flucloxacillin and imipenem-cilastatin on kidney injury when combined with vancomycin in our translational rat model., Experimental Approach: Male Sprague-Dawley rats received allometrically scaled (1) vancomycin, (2) flucloxacillin, (3) vancomycin + flucloxacillin, (4) vancomycin + imipenem-cilastatin or (5) saline for 4 days. Kidney injury was evaluated via drug accumulation and urinary biomarkers including urinary output, kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1), clusterin and osteopontin. Relationships between vancomycin accumulation in the kidney and urinary kidney injury biomarkers were explored., Key Results: Urinary output increased every study day for vancomycin + flucloxacillin, but after the first dose only in the vancomycin group. In the vancomycin + flucloxacillin group, urinary KIM-1 increased on all days compared with vancomycin. In the vancomycin + imipenem-cilastatin group, urinary KIM-1 was decreased on Days 1 and 2 compared with vancomycin. Similar trends were observed for clusterin. More vancomycin accumulated in the kidney with vancomycin + flucloxacillin compared with vancomycin and vancomycin + imipenem-cilastatin. The accumulation of vancomycin in the kidney tissue correlated with increasing urinary KIM-1., Conclusions and Implications: Vancomycin + flucloxacillin caused more kidney injury compared with vancomycin alone and vancomycin + imipenem-cilastatin in a translational rat model. The combination of vancomycin + imipenem-cilastatin was nephroprotective., (© 2023 British Pharmacological Society.)

Context: Folate deficiency is often observed in patients with inflammatory diseases, raising questions about its role in knee osteoarthritis (OA) progression., Objectives: This study aimed to assess the association of folate deficiency with the clinical and radiological severity of knee OA., Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1, 2019 to January 1, 2020. Primary knee OA patients referred to orthopedic clinics in Zabol, Iran were included. Radiographic severity was gauged utilizing the Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) classification. For clinical severity, patients completed the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) questionnaire. IBM SPSS v.27 facilitated the statistical analysis., Results: Forty-nine knee OA patients, averaging 67.45±13.44 years in age, were analyzed. Spearman correlation analysis revealed a negative correlation between folate levels and both WOMAC and KL scores. The correlation was stronger between folate and KL score (Spearman correlation coefficient: -0.75) than between folate and WOMAC total score (Spearman correlation coefficient: -0.46). Additionally, a significantly higher KL score was observed in patients with folate deficiency (p=0.004)., Conclusions: Our study highlights a significant correlation between folate deficiency and increased severity of OA, which is evident in radiological and clinical assessments. These findings suggest that folate plays a key role in OA pathogenesis and could be a modifiable factor in its management., (© 2024 the author(s), published by De Gruyter, Berlin/Boston.)

Introduction. Non-tuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) is a group of mycobacteria distinct from the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. They can cause opportunistic infections, especially in immunocompromised individuals. Gap Statement. Over the last few years, there has been a growing concern regarding the distribution and antimicrobial resistance of NTM in Malaysia. however, a comprehensive study to fully grasp the NTM situation has yet to be conducted. Aim. This study aimed to investigate the species distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of NTM isolated from clinical samples in Malaysia from 2018 to 2022. Methodology. A retrospective analysis was conducted on NTM isolates obtained from various clinical specimens over a span of five years. The isolates were identified using phenotypic and molecular techniques, and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles for clinically significant isolates were determined using minimum inhibitory concentration. Results. The study revealed a diverse distribution of NTM species in Malaysia, with Mycobacteroides abscessus complex and Mycobacterium avium complex emerging as the most predominant. Furthermore, the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns showed varying degrees of resistance to commonly used antibiotics, highlighting the significance of treatment tailored to susceptibility testing results. Conclusion. This study provides valuable perspective into the epidemiology of NTM in Malaysia. The information gained from this study should prove useful for empirically treating serious NTM infections prior to species identification and the availability of antimicrobial susceptibility testing results.

Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels can provide insights into a person's immunity to COVID-19 and inform decisions about vaccination and public health measures. Anti-S may be useful as an indicator of an effective immune response. Thus, we conducted this study that aimed to determine the immune response of anti-S antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 for all the vaccine types over time among adult recipients in Malaysia and to determine the associated factors. This study was a cohort that recruited 2513 respondents aged 18 years and above from June to December 2021. Each participant was followed-up for 1-year period from the initial vaccine dose (baseline). We found that the anti-S antibody generally increased for all vaccine types and peaked at two weeks after the second dose vaccination, with Pfizer recipients having the highest median of 100 (100.00-100.00). During the third-month follow-up, the seropositivity of anti-S antibody and the median level decreased for all vaccines. We found that type of vaccines, comorbid status, infection, and booster status were significantly associated with the anti-S antibody level after one year., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Introduction: The occurrence of antibiotic resistance (AR) has become a critical issue during the Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study explores the experiences of healthcare commissioners with AR during the COVID-19 pandemic, identifies challenges, and provides recommendations for combating AR during pandemics., Methods: This qualitative study was multi-centered and used a phenomenological approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted between December 2022 and January 2023 among 11 health commissioners using video calls., Results: Seven themes emerged from the data, including knowledge of AR and its consequences, the antibiotic prescription system, the future of AR and potential contributory factors, the impact of COVID-19 on AR and their relationship, the experience of AR during the COVID-19 pandemic in healthcare facilities, barriers that prevent the misuse of antibiotics during pandemics, and recommendations regarding antibiotic resistance during pandemics., Conclusion: The findings of this study could be used to inform policy and practice for government healthcare workers (HCWs) and the public. Furthermore, this study identified the main challenges of AR during the pandemic, and the recommendations of health commissioners were provided accordingly. Such recommendations could be beneficial on a national and international scale to reduce the impact of future pandemics on AR., Abbreviations: COVID-19: Novel coronavirus disease 2019; AR: Antibiotic Resistance; IPC: Infection prevention and control; MDRO: multi-drug resistant organism; ASP: Antimicrobial Stewardship Program; HCW: Healthcare worker; KSA: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; WHO: World Health Organization; MOH: Ministry of Health; MOEWA: Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture; AMR: Antimicrobial Resistance; PHCC: Primary Healthcare Center., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

It is unclear whether plasma is a reliable surrogate for target attainment in the epithelial lining fluid (ELF). The objective of this study was to characterize meropenem target attainment in plasma and ELF using prospective samples. The first 24-hour T >MIC was evaluated vs 1xMIC and 4xMIC targets at the patient (i.e., fixed MIC of 2 mg/L) and population [i.e., cumulative fraction of response (CFR) according to EUCAST MIC distributions] levels for both plasma and ELF. Among 65 patients receiving ≥24 hours of treatment, 40% of patients failed to achieve >50% T >4xMIC in plasma and ELF, and 30% of patients who achieved >50% T >4xMIC in plasma had <50% T >4xMIC in ELF. At 1xMIC and 4xMIC targets, 3% and 25% of patients with >95% T >MIC in plasma had <50% T >MIC in ELF, respectively. Those with a CRCL >115 mL/min were less likely to achieve >50%T >4xMIC in ELF ( P < 0.025). In the population, CFR for Escherichia coli at 1xMIC and 4xMIC was >97%. For Pseudomonas aeruginosa , CFR was ≥90% in plasma and ranged 80%-85% in ELF at 1xMIC when a loading dose was applied. CFR was reduced in plasma (range: 75%-81%) and ELF (range: 44%-60%) in the absence of a loading dose at 1xMIC. At 4xMIC, CFR for P. aeruginosa was 60%-86% with a loading dose and 18%-62% without a loading dose. We found that plasma overestimated ELF target attainment inup to 30% of meropenem-treated patients, CRCL >115 mL/min decreased target attainment in ELF, and loading doses increased CFR in the population., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Purpose of Review: We sought to review pharmacological and behavioral interventions that have been publicly presented, published, or are currently ongoing to prevent or mitigate the effect of premature HIV-associated comorbidities., Recent Findings: Multiple studies have been conducted in hopes of finding an effective intervention. While the choice of antiretroviral regimen influences recovery of immune function, several drugs used as adjunct treatments have proven effective to mitigate premature aging. Additionally, few behavioral interventions have exhibited some efficacy. Statins, angiotensin-receptor blockers, and anti-hyperglycemic agents as well as optimal adherence, exercise, and intermittent fasting among others have had beneficial impact on markers of immune activation and levels of inflammatory biomarkers. However, several investigations had inconclusive outcomes so further studies with larger sample sizes are warranted., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)