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Background. Healthcare workers play an important role in educating mothers living with HIV regarding appropriate infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices. However, it is not known if healthcare workers in eThekwini, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), have been adequately trained regarding IYCF in the context of HIV and how knowledgeable and confident they are. Objectives. To assess the training, confidence and knowledge of healthcare workers regarding IYCF in the context of HIV. Methods. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study, which used a self-administered questionnaire developed for this survey. Healthcare workers (n=188), primarily doctors and nurses in antiretroviral, antenatal and paediatric departments at three regional hospitals (Addington Hospital, Prince Mshiyeni Memorial Hospital and RK Khan Hospital) in eThekwini, KZN, participated. Results. Only 47.3% (n=89) of the participants had attended formal training on IYCF in the context of HIV. Most participants (n=171; 91.4%) felt they required more training. The mean overall confidence score of the group was 4.54 (standard deviation (SD) 1.28)%. The mean knowledge score of participants regarding IYCF in the context of HIV was 51.7%. The attendance of training did not equate to improved knowledge scores. Conclusions. Although the healthcare workers were confident with counselling on IYCF in the context of HIV, their knowledge levels were lower than expected. This could be attributed to a lack of training or outdated or inefficient training. There is a need to improve the coverage and quality of IYCF and HIV training. Training courses should address behaviour change and test for understanding.

Eastern Boundary Upwelling Systems (EBUS) are well-known for their high productivity and fishery yields. However, being scarcely sampled and poorly represented in global models, their role as CO2 sources and sinks to the atmosphere remains elusive. Here, we present a compilation of shipboard measurements over the past two decades, showing how the Benguela Upwelling System (BUS) in the southeast Atlantic Ocean acts as a CO2 source in the north and CO2 sink in the south. Surface warming of upwelled waters increases the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) and outgassing in both regions, but in the south, the biologically-mediated drawdown of CO2 exceeds this warming effect. Here, the biological carbon pump owes its stronger impact on pCO2 to higher shares of upwelling source waters carrying preformed nutrients supplied from the Southern Ocean. Their formation increases pCO2 in surface waters and counteracts human-induced invasion of CO2 in the Southern Ocean. However, their utilization in the BUS compensates for over 20% of the CO2 loss occurring in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean. This emphasizes the role of the BUS as key to improve our understanding of the ocean’s response to climate change and the future evolution of CO2 in the atmosphere.

Porous graphitic carbon nitride (pg-C3N4) was synthesized from bulk g-C3N4 (Bg-C3N4). First, bulk g-C3N4 was prepared by a thermal method with poly-condensation of melamine as a precursor. The pg-C3N4 was synthesized from Bg-C3N4 under ultrasonic treatment in a sulphuric acid medium. Thereafter, pg-C3N4 was combined with commercial silica gel (Slg) to give a fluorescent Slg/pg-C3N4 powder. These prepared materials were characterized by means of distinctive instrumental techniques consisting of UV–visible spectroscopy (UV–visible), fluorescence spectroscopy (FL), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and live cell microscopy. The fluorescent Slg/pg-C3N4 powder was used as a labeling agent for the development of latent fingerprints (LFP) on different surfaces such as glass slides, aluminum foil, aluminum sheets, aluminum rods, a compact disc (CD), iron discs, coins, a tea cup and spoon. The LFP images were additionally captured through the use of ultraviolet radiation at 365 nm due to the fluorescent nature of the Slg/pg-C3N4 powder. The LFP images have been also investigated using different commercial powders such as ZnSO4, TiO2 and Iodine vapor for comparison with fluorescent Slg/pg-C3N4 powder. The Slg/pg-C3N4 powder was used to investigate the LFP images submerged in fresh water. Ultimately, the different fluorescent backgrounds of LFP images had been demonstrated using live cell microscopy with pg-C3N4 and Bg-C3N4. The fluorescent Slg/pg-C3N4 powder exhibited potential as a good labeling agent with excessive sensitivity, rapid detection and an eco-friendly nature. This fluorescent Slg/pg-C3N4 powder was also used to develop the LFP images under conditions that are likely to simulate real crime scenes to establish whether this material can be used in real forensic investigations.

This study examines the influence of foreign aid and local ownership in the introduction of inclusive education in Kiribati. The data reported in this paper were collected through interviews with key local stakeholders and these data are part of a larger study. Data were analysed under the major theme of ownership, and were grouped into the four sub-themes of: local responses to inclusive education initiatives; support for inclusive education principles; local attitudes regarding the contribution of Australian Aid; and, sustainability with or without aid support. The results indicate that a positive commitment towards inclusive education is emerging and that Australian Aid provided essential advocacy for children with disabilities in Kiribati through direct management of initiatives by the expatriate administered Kiribati Education Facility. Inclusive education initiatives remain dependent on Australian Aid for direction and sustainability. Sustainability of inclusive education initiatives in Kiribati will depend on continued development of local ownership including community support and commitment by the Government of Kiribati, particularly budgetary support.

Wireless connectivity devices such as mobile phones and laptops are being increasingly used by University students to access learning resources on campus networks and the Internet. Each of the mobile devices offers security protocols for connection to a Wi-Fi router. This paper presents an overview of Wi-Fi security and recommendations in relation to free Wi-Fi service at The University of Fiji.

This article reports on a multi-method study of the ways in which special and mainstream schools support the educational needs of children with disabilities in Fiji. The aims of the study w...

Inclusive education in general, and disability-inclusive education in particular, is a high-level priority for development work in aid-supported countries. This paper presents a bottom-up process of developing disability-inclusive education policy in one country – the Solomon Islands. It is well understood that the promotion of quality in disability-inclusive education requires a clearly stated policy; however, in many developing countries, there has been a history of policy borrowing rather than culturally informed policy development. This paper will critically discuss how policy development occurs in aid-funded development work and then offers an alternative model of Australian aid-supported policy development as an in-depth case study.

This qualitative study focuses on primary schools’ state of readiness for the introduction of early childhood education. Adopting a multiple case study design, the article explores, through semi-structured interviews and documentation, school heads, teachers-in-charge and classroom teachers’ perceptions of their respective schools’ state of readiness for the installation and implementation of early childhood education. The study established that, while classroom teachers were adequately qualified to implement early childhood education, teachers-in-charge were not. Secondly, school heads received limited induction for the introduction and implementation of early childhood education. Additionally, inadequate teaching-learning resources and lack of on-going teacher support contributed to schools’ lack of readiness for the introduction of early childhood education. The study recommends interventions that curriculum planners and implementers can utilise in order to create conditions that enable primary schools to be ready for introducing and implementing early childhood education. Keywords: early childhood education; implementation; primary school; school readiness

As transnational programs are often advocated as a knowledge transfer opportunity between the partner universities, this case study investigated the knowledge transfer (KT) processes between Indonesian and Australian universities through an undergraduate transnational program partnership (TPP). An inter-organisational KT theoretical framework from the business sector was adapted and used to guide the study. The data were generated through semi-structured interviews with key university officers and document analysis from two partner universities. Based on the thematic analysis of the data, the findings demonstrated that the curriculum mapping process facilitated KT. However, different intentions of the partner universities in establishing the program led to declining interest to conduct more KT when expectations were not met. The Indonesian university’s existing knowledge, acquired from other sources through processes that were serendipitous and based on individual lecturers’ personal experience, meant that KT opportunities through the TPP were not always pursued despite written agreement to exchange knowledge with the Australian partner. While KT most evidently resulted in institutional capacity development for the Indonesian university’s school that managed the TPP, dissemination of knowledge to other units within the university was more challenging due to communication problems between the units. Hence, other universities seeking to conduct KT through TPPs need to understand each partner university’s intention in establishing the partnerships, identify the institutions’ needs before seeking knowledge input from the partner university and improve the communication between and within the universities for sustainable benefits.

The elevated levels of primary productivity associated with eastern boundary currents are driven by nutrient- rich waters upwelled from depth, such that these regions are typically characterised by high rates of nitrate-fuelled phytoplankton growth. Production studies from the southern Benguela upwelling system (SBUS) tend to be biased towards the summer upwelling season, yet winter data are required to compute annual budgets and understand seasonal variability. Net primary production (NPP) and nitrate and ammonium uptake were measured concurrently at six stations in the SBUS in early winter. While euphotic zone NPP was highest at the stations nearest to the coast and declined with distance from the shore, a greater proportion was potentially exportable from open-ocean surface waters, as indicated by the higher specific nitrate uptake rates and f-ratios (ratio of nitrate uptake to total nitrogen consumption) at the stations located off the continental shelf. Near the coast, phytoplankton growth was predominantly supported by ammonium despite the high ambient nitrate concentrations. Along with ammonium concentrations as high as 3.6 µmol l–1, this strongly suggests that nitrate uptake in the inshore SBUS, and by extension carbon drawdown, is inhibited by ammonium, at least in winter, although this has also been hypothesised for the summer.

Objectives The aims of this study were to to assess the feasibility of simultaneous testing for the blood-borne viruses (BBV), HIV, hepatitis C (HCV) and hepatitis B (HBV), in the Emergency Department (ED) and ascertain the seroprevalence for these three viruses in this setting. Methods A pilot BBV testing program was undertaken as part of routine clinical care in the ED. All ED attendees aged between 16 and 65 years old who were able to consent were tested over a 55 week period on an opt out basis. Patients with positive test results were linked to clinical services. Interventions aimed at improving testing rates were implemented and evaluated by quality improvement (QI) methodology. Results Of 25,520 age-eligible ED attendees, 6108 (24%) underwent BBV testing; an additional 1160 (4.5%) underwent a standalone HIV test (total of 7268 (28%) individuals).There were 83/7268 (1.1%) non-negative (ie reactive or equivocal) results for HIV and 103/6108 (1.7%) and 32/6108 (0.52%) for anti-HCV IgG and HBsAg, respectively. Of these, 12 (0.17%), 16 (0.26%) and 8 (0.13%) were new reactive tests for HIV, HCV and HBV, respectively, which were able to be confirmed on a second test. Specific QI interventions led to temporary increases in testing rates. Conclusions An opt out BBV testing program in the ED is feasible and effective at finding new cases. However, the testing rate was low at 24%. Although QI interventions led to some improvement in testing rates, further studies are required to identify ways to achieve sustained increases in testing in this setting.

The safety, pharmacokinetics, and antiretroviral activity of lamivudine alone and in combination with zidovudine was studied in pregnant women infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and their neonates. Women received the drugs orally from week 38 of pregnancy to 1 week after delivery. Neonate therapy began 12 h after delivery and continued for 1 week. Both treatment regimens were well-tolerated in women and newborns. Lamivudine and zidovudine pharmacokinetics in pregnant women were similar to those in nonpregnant adults. Lamivudine and zidovudine freely crossed the placenta and were secreted in breast milk. Neonatal lamivudine clearance was about half that in pediatric patients; zidovudine clearance was consistent with previous reports. HIV-1 RNA could be quantified in 17 of the 20 women. At the onset of labor/delivery, mean virus load had decreased by approximately 1.5 log10 copies/mL in both treatment cohorts. Although not definitive for HIV-1 infection status, all neonates had HIV-1 RNA levels below the limit of quantification at birth and at ages 1 and 2 weeks.

Industry–school partnerships (ISPs) are increasingly being recognised as a new way of providing vocational education opportunities particularly in industries where there are skills shortages. However, there is limited research investigating their impact on school to work transitions. This paper reports on a government-led ISP, the Gateway to Industry Schools Program, established in Queensland, Australia. Central to this initiative is the Resources Academy, a lead organisation for 28 schools and 17 multinational sponsor companies. This research adopted a qualitative case study methodology and draws upon boundary crossing theory as means to understand a Minerals and Energy ISP. We distinguish four types of boundary crossing mechanisms, which partners navigate in ISPs. The main findings were that boundary crossing mechanisms assist ISPs to develop industry-based contextualised curriculum and to prepare school students for employment.

Schimke immune-osseous dysplasia (SIOD) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder presenting with dysmorphic features, skeletal dysplasia, steroid resistance nephrotic syndrome and cellular immune insufficiency. Central nervous system complications such as Moya-moya syndrome have been reported as a co-morbidity. We describe a case study of a South African child who was diagnosed at 5 years of age. She initially presented with short stature secondary to the skeletal dysplasia. She subsequently developed Moya-moya syndrome and steroid resistant nephrotic syndrome. Genetic studies confirmed the presence of the c. 1439 C>T mutation in the SMARCAL1 protein which has been described in patients with SIOD previously. She demised at the age of 7 years from an inter-current pneumonia.

While intended to facilitate knowledge transfer from international universities and develop Indonesian universities' capacity, transnational higher education programs (TEPs) in Indonesia have been criticised for operating merely as an international trade in education – implying discrepancy between the rhetoric and reality surrounding the key purposes for establishing TEPs among Indonesian universities. This case study seeks to ascertain what actually drives Indonesian universities to operate the TEPs. Interview and document data from two private Indonesian universities were thematically analysed to identify the key purposes for establishing TEPs in light of the conflicting global–national–local agendas and unequal power relations between TEP partners. The findings suggest the Indonesian universities actively advanced their particular institutional purposes within the Indonesian national agenda and negotiate mutually beneficial outcomes with their global partners. This study informs other universities to d...

OBJECTIVES: A study of men with genital ulcer disease (GUD) in Durban, South Africa, at the start of the local HIV epidemic in 1988/1989 found that 36% of men with GUD continued with sexual intercourse despite symptoms. The aim of this study was to determine whether this high-risk behaviour was still prevalent and to enquire about similar risk behaviours with other sexually transmitted infection (STI)-related problems. METHODS: 650 Men attending the main Durban STI clinic with a new complaint were enrolled. A standard questionnaire was administered. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests were performed to diagnose genital herpes from ulcer specimens and gonorrhoea and chlamydia from those with urethral discharge and/or dysuria. Serology tests were performed for HIV, herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) and syphilis. RESULTS: Sex since the start of symptoms was reported by between 33.3% and 43.9% of men with GUD, herpetic ulcers, gonorrhoea and/or chlamydia or dysuria. The incidence of condom use was very low in all groups having sex despite symptoms. In 87 men with genital ulcers confirmed positive for genital herpes by PCR testing, 30 (34.4%) had had sex since the start of symptoms, 28 (93.3%) of whom had had unprotected sex. CONCLUSIONS: There is a high level of risk behaviour in this group of men in whom genital herpes is the most common cause of GUD. This risky sexual behaviour could reflect disinhibition, possibly because so many have already been infected with HSV-2, lack of education or other unknown factors. Syndromic STI management should be strengthened with intensive health education to promote community awareness of both genital ulceration and genital herpes and their role in facilitating HIV transmission. The low level of condom use indicates that condom promotion programmes still have much to achieve.

Background: The prevalence and incidence of diabetes in South Africa are high and are expected to increase. Mortality and morbidity may be related to hypoglycaemia, and there is limited information on hypoglycaemia from private practice sites. The aim of this study was to assess patients’ education about, knowledge of and response to hypoglycaemia. Methods: The study site was a general practice, and participants were all patients with diabetes who presented to the practice over a 1-month period. Data were collected using a closedended questionnaire and analysed descriptively. Findings: Most respondents were South Africans of Indian origin and were diagnosed with diabetes at a relatively young age. Despite attending a private practice, most had low incomes and low schooling levels. Just under half reported having experienced hypoglycaemia, and there was a strong association between hypoglycaemia and insulin use. Many reported never having received any education around hypoglycaemia. Discussion: The study highlights the need for early screening for diabetes in this vulnerable population. Hypoglycaemic education should consider low schooling levels even in a private general practice, and further study is required on the quality and frequency of education provided in general practice. Keywords: diabetes; hypoglycemia, KwaZulu-Natal; hypoglycemic education

The collaboration between universities and industries has become increasingly important for the development of Science and Technology. This is particularly more prominent in the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Literature suggest that the key element of University-Industry Partnership (UIP) is the exchange of knowledge that is mutually beneficial for both parties. One real example of the collaborations is Industry-Based Learning (IBL) in which university students are coming into industries to experience and learn how the skills and knowledge acquired in the classroom are implemented in work places. This paper investigate how the University-Industry Collaboration program is implemented though Industry-Based Learning (IBL) at Indonesian Universities. The research findings offer useful insights and create a new knowledge in the field of STEM education and collaborative learning. The research will contribute to existing knowledge by providing empirical understanding of this topic. The outcomes can be used to improve the quality of University-Industry Partnership programs at Indonesian Universities and inform Indonesian higher education authorities and their industrial partners of an alternative approach to enhance their IBL programs.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the patterns of transitional employment (TE) aspirations and training and development (T&D) needs of women within local government.Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative survey methodology was used to identify aspirations in a sample of 1,068 employees from the Australian Local Government Association.Findings – Mature‐aged women were very interested in continuous learning at work despite their limited formal education. Their training preferences consisted of informal delivery face‐to‐face or online in the areas of management or administration. Younger women were interested in undertaking university courses, while a minority were interested in blue collar occupations.Practical implications – Through the identification of patterns of TE and T&D aspirations, long term strategies to develop and retain women in local government may be developed. Findings suggest that mature‐aged women would benefit from additional T&D to facilitate entry into management...

More recently, lifespan development psychology models of adaptive development have been applied to the workforce to investigate ageing worker and lifespan issues. The current study uses the Learning and Development Survey (LDS) to investigate employee selection and engagement of learning and development goals and opportunities and constraints for learning at work in relation to demographics and career goals. It was found that mature age was associated with perceptions of preferential treatment of younger workers with respect to learning and development. Age was also correlated with several career goals. Findings suggest that younger workers’ learning and development options are better catered for in the workplace. Mature aged workers may compensate for unequal learning opportunities at work by studying for an educational qualification or seeking alternate job opportunities. The desire for a higher level job within the organization or educational qualification was linked to engagement in learning and development goals at work. It is suggested that an understanding of employee perceptions in the workplace in relation to goals and activities may be important in designing strategies to retain workers.

Notwithstanding significant efforts by international aid agencies, aid ineffectiveness became apparent in 1990s as the impact of continued development intervention did not endure the expected outcomes. Conventional monitoring and evaluation by those agencies is critiqued for focusing on measuring project outcomes and giving little attention to aspects of sustainability. As a result, devising a rigorous evaluation framework for educational development has been sought in light of recent paradigm shifts in international development. This paper reports on a case study of an Egyptian educational development project highlighting the importance of transforming the evaluation procedures to process evaluation so as to enhance project impact and longevity. This requires building evaluation capacity of the aid recipient country.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the transitional employment (TE) aspirations and training and development needs of older and younger workers at risk of early retirement due to limited education and/or employment in blue‐collar (BC) occupations.Design/methodology/approachA computer‐based methodology is used to evaluate the demographic effects of gender, education level, and occupation group on aspirations pertaining to TE and training and development in a sample of over 1,000 local government employees.FindingsOlder BC, secondary school‐educated and younger workers are less interested in TE than older workers with higher levels of education or from white‐collar backgrounds. The early retirement risk factors of BC work and secondary school education had a more limited effect on perceived training and development needs for older workers. However, for younger workers, these risk factors provided the impetus to undertake training to move into less physically demanding or more challenging roles as their careers progressed.Practical implicationsVia the identification of education level and occupation types groups' TE aspirations and perceptions of preparatory training and development within younger and older cohorts, long‐term strategies to develop and retain staff may be formulated.Originality/valuePast studies of TE have rarely included younger workers or older workers at risk of early retirement. Preparatory training and development for TE roles has not been considered in the literature.

BACKGROUND: Although genital herpes has emerged as the most common cause of genital ulcers in Southern Africa, treatment for herpes is not available routinely in the region. This study was performed to determine the etiology of genital ulcers in men in Durban and assess other sexually transmitted infections-related symptoms, presentation, and treatment patterns in this group. METHODS: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests were performed on specimens from consecutive male patients with genital ulcers to detect sexually transmitted pathogens. PCR was also performed for the detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, and Trichomonas vaginalis on urethral specimens from consecutive subjects with dysuria or urethral discharge. Antibody tests for syphilis and herpes simplex virus type-2 (HSV-2) and human immunodeficiency virus antibodies were performed. RESULTS: Of 162 patients enrolled with genital ulcers, 77.7% were human immunodeficiency virus-positive and 84.6% had antibodies to HSV-2. PCR results showed the following prevalences: HSV-2 53.7%, lymphogranuloma venereum 13.6%, Treponema pallidum 3.7%, Hemophilus ducreyi 1.2%, mixed infections 6.2%, and no pathogens identified 33.3%. One case of donovanosis was diagnosed clinically. In men with HSV-2 ulcers, delay before attendance recorded for 68 men was 1 to 3 days (24%), 4 to 7 days (47%), 8 to 14 days (12%), 15 to 30 days (12%), and >30 days (6%). History-taking using prompting increased the sensitivity but decreased the specificity and positive predictive value of reported genital ulceration when assessed against ulcers seen on examination. CONCLUSIONS: Men at risk of genital ulcers should be asked about relevant symptoms with and without prompting and examined clinically to maximize the likelihood of correct diagnosis and treatment. The finding of a high prevalence of HSV-2 and associated dysuria cautions against providing empirical treatment for gonorrhoea and chlamydia in ulcer patients with dysuria but without urethral discharge. Innovative strategies to limit the burden of HSV-2 infection in this population are required.

Early labour force exit is a significant challenge associated with the ageing workforce in Australia and many other developed countries. A reduction and increased flexibility of work hours has been suggested to improve labour force participation of the mature aged cohort. However, little is known about mature aged workers' aspirations for transitional employment, and how demographic variables of mature aged workers influence these aspirations. In the current study, 1027 mature workers aged over 50 years and employed in regional areas of Australia were surveyed on their interest in transitiional employment following retirement, and their aspirations for work conditions, training and development, employer/employee roles and responsibilities, and incentives and benefits regarding transitional employment. A series of Chi square tests were conducted to identify demographic group differences according to timeframe until retirement, education level and occupation level. The majority of participants was interested in transitional employment,and were prepared to undergo training and development and work with management staff in order to achieve this end. Two general perceptions of transitional employment emerged. The first was transitional employment as an opportunity for learning and career development or change, which was most commonly aspired to amongst respondents with more than six years until retirement, a university education, or a professional/managerial role. The second was transitional employment as it is more traditionally viewed: as a chance to continue on in one's current role at reduced hours post retirement. The remaining groups represented variations on this theme. Implications of the current study include the divergence of transitional employment and training and development aspirations amongst a mature aged cohort, as well as mature aged workers' perceptions of organisational management's roles in supporting transitional employment.