Search

Illustrations in English textbooks are not merely decorations (Romney, 2012); they can represent ideology and identity (Elmiana, 2019; Ihm, 1998). This paper explores the sociocultural and political dimensions in English textbooks' illustrations for public schools in Indonesia. The leading question for this inquiry is "What imagined communities, diversity and identities do the illustrations in the English textbooks reflect?" Identity refers to the identity shown in the illustrations. The diversity refers to the government's coined terms SARA, "suku" 'ethnicity', "agama" 'religions', "ras" 'races', and "antar golongan" 'various social and political groups' as well as gender, age and disability, which are parts of social reality in Indonesian society. Multiculturalism, as it related to diversity, refers to different cultures represented in the textbooks. The data (visual illustrations) were collected from three English textbooks, from grade 10 to grade 12 and they were analyzed in terms of critical discourse analysis (CDA) framed in the terms imagined communities (Anderson, 2006). The results suggest that the illustrations in the ELT textbooks represent a tendency that views Indonesian identity in a more monolithic identity and imagined community. This uniformity of identity in the illustrations may serve the purpose of integrating the character education to enhance nationalism as mandated by the government--indicating the political dimension as hidden curriculum in the textbook illustrations.

Three components of teachers' professional capital are human capital, social capital, and decisional capital according to Hargreaves and Fullan (2012). These three aspects of professional capital are meant to be part and parcel of developing the teaching profession. In this article, the author focusses on professional capital as a framework by putting the emphasis on the decisional aspect. In this study, the decisional capital is not only found at the micro level of education: the classroom and school level. Beyond that, a teacher also needs to make professional decisions that will affect her/his professional growth and trajectory. To illustrate this professional path through the lens of decisional capital, the author outlines the narrative of decision-making of an Indonesian English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher. The findings of the study shed light on the Indonesian teacher's journey to becoming an English teacher and how the journey has been marked by her decisions regarding her career and her engagement with the professional communities in Indonesia.

STRiDE was an ambitious four-year project in seven countries aiming to build capacity around generating and using research to support the development of policies to improve quality of life of people with dementia and their carers. The project's innovative approach combined rigorous academic research and hands-on civil society advocacy. This paper explores the project's unique strategy for policy change and compiles case-studies from several of the STRiDE countries. Finally, we share lessons learned and next steps to keep momentum for policy change going in each of these countries – and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) infection is the most important arboviral disease in humans based on the geographical distribution, morbidity and mortality. It is transmitted by person to person by Aedes sp. In Indonesia the trend of Incidence Rate (IR) What is IR? Is it incidence rate? Please clarify. in DHF in 2015 to 2016 increased from 50.75 to 78.85 For the number, dot is usually used instead of comma sign (50.75 and 78.85). per 100.000 residents, and decreased in 2017 to 26.10 per 100.000 residents. One of the regencies with high IR of DHF in Central Java Province is Temanggung regency. In 2017, Temanggung regency was in the third position among the highest in Central Java. With the existence of cases each year, it revealed that there were endemic villages of DHF. Until June 2018, there were 56 endemic villages scattered in 19 endemic sub-districts in Temanggung Regency so that it was necessary to analyse the distribution patterns in order to predict and analyse DHF and be able to plan to prevent it. Materials and Methods: This research applied descriptive research with spatial analysis. It used secondary data taken from the Public Health Office in Temanggung regency. The data were processed spatially using the ArcGis application by overlaying an administrative map with a map of the highway and height of the region. Result: There were 35 endemic villages (62,5%) from 56 endemic villages were scattered along the main road and other roads. This could be related to population density and mobility. Based on height, WHO stated the ability of mosquitoes to survive and breed below 1000 meter above sea level (masl) What is masl? This should have been written as meter above sea level. As many as 54 (96.4%) endemic villages were at height below 1000 masl, while 2 (3.6%) villages were above 1000 masl. Conclusion: The distribution characteristics of the endemic villages in Temanggung regency follow the pattern of major highways and other roads and height below 1000 masl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children living in agricultural areas are at risk of exposure to pesticides due to their involvement in agricultural activities. Pesticides are one of the chemicals classified as endocrine disrupting chemicals. Objective: To examine the association between exposure to organophosphate pesticides and the occurrence of thyroid dysfunction in children. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 66 children in two elementary schools located in an agricultural area in Brebes District, Indonesia, in 2015. To determine the pesticide exposure history, we analyzed urine samples and completed a questionnaire. Meanwhile, thyroid function tests were performed. Results: Organophosphate pesticide metabolites were detected in urine samples of 15 (23%) of 66 children. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels >4.5 μIU/mL were detected in 24 (36%) children. Free thyroxine (FT4) levels of all participants were normal. The mean TSH level in children with positive urinary organophosphate pesticide metabolites (7.74 µIU/mL) was significantly (p=0.005) higher than that in those who were negative (4.34 µIU/mL). The prevalence of hypothyroidism in children with positive urinary organophosphate pesticide metabolites (67%) was significantly higher than that in those who were negative (27%; PR 2.4, 95% CI 1.4 to 4.3). Conclusion: A history of pesticide exposure could be used as a risk factor for the occurrence of thyroid dysfunction in children living in agricultural areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prevention and control of leptospirosis require an understanding of risk factors. This review identifies risk factors associated with leptospirosis infection from countries in the Asia-Pacific region, and compares and contrasts these data with those available from Indonesia. MEDLINE, PubMed, and Scopus databases were used to search for relevant articles. Indonesian gray literature was searched for leptospirosis risk factor studies in Indonesia. A total of 34 articles were included in this review. The contrast between peer-reviewed publications and Indonesian gray literature revealed that the variety of risk factors associated with leptospirosis infection is region or area specific. The presence of skin wounds, the existence of rodents, especially rats, and activities related to contact with contaminated surface water are factors frequently reported to have significant association with leptospirosis infection in human in Indonesia and in other Asia-Pacific countries. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Sputum smear microscopy is the standard diagnostic method for detection of smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Insufficient quality of sputum might result in missing cases. In this study we aimed at assessing the quality of sputum in a district in Central Java and determining patient and health worker factors associated with submission of three good quality sputum samples. Methods: In 16 health centers information was collected on the quality of sputum submitted by TB suspects, i.e. volume, color, and viscosity. TB suspects were interviewed to assess their knowledge of TB, motivation to provide sputum and whether they were informed why and how to produce a sputum sample. Health workers were interviewed to assess what information they provided to TB suspects about the reason for sputum examination, methods to produce sputum and characteristics of a good quality sputum sample. All health worker and patient factors were evaluated for association with sputum quality. Results: Of 387 TB suspects, 294 (76.0%) could be traced and interviewed, and of 272 (70.3%) information about sputum quality was available. Of those 203 (74.6%) submitted three samples, 90 (33.1%) provided at least one good sample, and 37 (13.6%) provided three good quality sputum samples. Of the 272 TB suspects, 168 (61.8%) mentioned that information on the reason for sputum examination was provided, 66 (24.3%) remembered that they were informed about how to produce sputum and 40 (14.7%) recalled being informed about the characteristics of good quality sputum. Paramedics reported to provide often/always information on the importance of sputum examination, and when to produce sputum. Information on how to produce sputum and characteristics of a good sputum sample was less often provided. None of the studied patient characteristics or health worker factors was associated with providing good quality sputum. Conclusion: A considerable number of TB suspects did not provide three sputum samples and a large number of sputum samples were of insufficient quality. Training of health workers in providing health education to the TB suspect about the reason for sputum examination and how to produce a good quality sputum sample should be a priority of the TB program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate rickettsioses and leptospirosis among urban residents of Semarang, Indonesia, we tested the blood of 137 patients with fever. Evidence of Rickettsia typhi, the agent of murine typhus, was found in 9 patients. Another 9 patients showed inconclusive serologic results. Thirteen patients received a diagnosis of leptospirosis. No dual infections were detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]