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Resilience within the diplomatic domain ensures sustained and adaptive efforts to manage and resolve conflicts, support humanitarian needs and maintain international cooperation and stability in regions affected by conflict. Long-term diplomatic engagements build trust among conflicting parties and the international community, which is essential for sustainable peace. Resilience in diplomatic efforts is essential for navigating the complexities of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, where deeply contrasting objectives between the two nations have made negotiations challenging. Despite the difficulties, sustained diplomatic engagements are critical for maintaining international cooperation and addressing humanitarian needs. Ukraine's persistent use of international organizations, such as the United Nations and the European Union, has been influential in garnering global support and isolating Russian Federation diplomatically, even when immediate resolutions to the conflict remained elusive.

This paper addresses the building of the Panama Canal (particularly from 1870‐1914) and looks at lessons that modern day Systems Engineers can apply from this significant infrastructure project. There were great successes and failures during the attempts to build a canal. The Systems issues include the importance of understanding the environment, recognizing the need to think beyond the physical object ‐ Panama Canal project had significant health issues, need for infrastructure / "realization systems", and even the need for a political revolution in Panama to enable it to be built. The importance of the organization building the system, and its leadership was also important. It is always instructive to look back at significant historical projects and learn the lessons (positive and negative). There is much to learn from a project and a system as big and important as the Panama Canal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chile experienced an unprecedented crisis in the early 1970s and some civilian groups started supporting a "military solution" which occurred on September 11, 1973. Parallels between 1970s Chile and 2020s United States can be drawn in terms of democratic tradition, polarization, private armed groups, and middle-class support of democracy. While the South American country experienced a democratic breakdown in South America, the process is ongoing in the North. This article discusses analogies between both countries and explains which lessons can be learned to protect the U.S. democracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the critical theme of leadership succession within Ghanaian Churches, drawing insights from the rich narratives of the Bible. The purpose of the study was to provide a comprehensive guide for Ghanaian Churches to navigate the complexities of leadership transition effectively, ensuring continuity and sustainability. Methodology-wise, the research employed a qualitative approach, delving deep into biblical narratives and extracting principles and lessons relevant to leadership succession. Findings revealed that the Bible offers a wealth of wisdom on leadership succession, emphasizing the importance of preparation, mentorship, and divine guidance. It underscored the significance of character, vision alignment, and the involvement of the wider community in the process. Based on these findings, the study offered several recommendations tailored to the Ghanaian Church context. These include the establishment of structured mentorship programmes, the cultivation of leadership pipelines, and the implementation of transparent and inclusive succession processes. This research highlights the relevance of biblical principles in addressing contemporary challenges facing leadership succession in Ghanaian Churches; it integrates timeless wisdom with modern insights. It underscores the importance of proactive planning, spiritual discernment, and communal participation in ensuring smooth leadership transitions for the long-term health and growth of Ghanaian Churches. The study contributes to the scholarship on leadership development and organizational sustainability within religious institutions.

This study explored the experiences of retired faculty members in higher education through semi-structured interviews. As a qualitative study, researchers conducted interviews with retired faculty members regarding their joyful moments, challenges, and strategies for overcoming obstacles in academia. The study also examined the advice retired professors offered to new faculty members and the potential qualifications for success in academia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the critical theme of leadership succession within Ghanaian Churches, drawing insights from the rich narratives of the Bible. The purpose of the study was to provide a comprehensive guide for Ghanaian Churches to navigate the complexities of leadership transition effectively, ensuring continuity and sustainability. Methodology-wise, the research employed a qualitative approach, delving deep into biblical narratives and extracting principles and lessons relevant to leadership succession. Findings revealed that the Bible offers a wealth of wisdom on leadership succession, emphasizing the importance of preparation, mentorship, and divine guidance. It underscored the significance of character, vision alignment, and the involvement of the wider community in the process. Based on these findings, the study offered several recommendations tailored to the Ghanaian Church context. These include the establishment of structured mentorship programmes, the cultivation of leadership pipelines, and the implementation of transparent and inclusive succession processes. This research highlights the relevance of biblical principles in addressing contemporary challenges facing leadership succession in Ghanaian Churches; it integrates timeless wisdom with modern insights. It underscores the importance of proactive planning, spiritual discernment, and communal participation in ensuring smooth leadership transitions for the longterm health and growth of Ghanaian Churches. The study contributes to the scholarship on leadership development and organizational sustainability within religious institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The historic diaspora diplomacy literature has generally characterized politically active diaspora as foreign agents leveraged by their ancestral homeland to shape the foreign policy of their host nation. As such, diaspora groups have generally been assessed as net negatives on the foreign policy of their host nations, or as working against the common good of the host nation. This work seeks to challenge this narrow conceptualization and demonstrate that, when considered within a broader historical timeline, granted agency, and contextualized within a networked society, emergent mechanisms for state mobilization of diaspora groups to achieve foreign policy objectives become apparent. This work is focused exclusively on political diaspora groups within the United States and investigates select case studies to demonstrate the evolving nature of U.S.-diaspora relations and the opportunities presented as a result. The work concludes with several policy recommendations, derived from lessons learned within the case studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the United Nations, governments, and other nongovernmental organizations NGOs) are putting efforts into promoting peace education in Africa, challenges remain due to challenging environments". A "challenging environment," as defined in this paper, is an environment that neither fully permits nor bars the teaching of peace. This is typical of environments where peace is introduced, especially in third world countries. When the UN and prominent NGOs advocate for peace education, governments are often willing and quick to comply, but numerous challenges hinder the teaching of peace. Based on practical experiences in establishing a peace course across faculties, the authors draw several lessons from the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) experience. Tasked with the mammoth goal of establishing peace programs, the authors faced challenges including: (1) an unstable economic and political environment; (2) student demonstrations linked to economic challenges; (3) large classes and few lecturers; (4) a lack of teaching materials; and (5) being housed under a different department. Experience has shown that it is possible to teach peace in such environments, provided certain tactics, such as being creative in sourcing materi- al, are used. Peace education has limited teaching materials, and even if the materials were to be purchased, acquiring enough books for a large number remains a challenge. As noted by the authors, they resorted to creative ways of finding teaching materials, including assigning different topics to students and then combining the re search to create a material base, using newspaper articles to test conflict resolution skills in students, etc. Creative teaching methods include adopting a student-centered approach rather than a lecturer-centered one and transforming the environment through engagement in conflict transformation programs. As part of community engagement, the lecturers participated in transforming campus conflicts through the NUST Campus Dialogue Initiative, as well as providing community training in churches and government institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bulletin of the L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University. Pedagogy. Psychology. Sociology Series is the property of L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Informacion Comercial Espanola Revista de Economia is the property of S.G.E.E.I.P.C., Secretaria de Estado de Comercio, Ministerio de Industria, Comercio y Turismo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The prevention and treatment of leprosy is a public health and social issue of global concern. China has become the first country in the world to put forward a proposal on the elimination of the harm caused by leprosy. This paper briefly introduces the status of the spread of leprosy in China, and systematically reviews the evolution of policies and measures at different stages of the disease in China, from the serious epidemic of leprosy to the control of the infection, to the basic elimination, and to the elimination of the hazards. On this basis, five main lessons learned from the control and elimination of leprosy in China were also summarized. These provide the basis for promoting the complete global elimination of leprosy and preventing its re-transmission, thereby benefiting all those who still suffer from the scourge of leprosy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health emergencies, including pandemics, are not new occurrences; some notable ones occurred in the past. However, the scale of the COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the unpreparedness of national health systems in effectively managing health emergencies. During the pandemic, controlling the spread of the virus and hopes of exiting into a post-pandemic era were reliant on research to improve patient care and inform government policies. Nonetheless, research implementation during health emergencies can be challenging in low-resourced settings. This paper presents anecdotes of experiences and offers insight into ways research can be supported during health emergencies. We implemented a longitudinal study to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, including SARS-CoV-2 infection, during pregnancy on maternal and child health outcomes. The study utilized hospital databases to recruit women who were infected and with no known SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy. Mother-infant pairs in the infected and uninfected group were then followed longitudinally for 3 years. Observations, including challenges during planning, record retrieval, tracking, recruitment, and follow-up of eligible women, were reported by research staff. The challenges observed were group into three overarching themes: (a) individual factors, (b) health system challenges, and (c) research operational challenges. Some notable observations include misinformation, misconception, mistrust, underdeveloped health record systems, stigma, and hesitance. Early planning, effective communication, and community awareness can help in implementing a successful research project. Additionally, efforts to improve collaboration and co-creation between health practitioners, researchers, and the public may benefit the implementation of research projects during a health emergency.

Abstract The prevention and treatment of leprosy is a public health and social issue of global concern. China has become the first country in the world to put forward a proposal on the elimination of the harm caused by leprosy. This paper briefly introduces the status of the spread of leprosy in China, and systematically reviews the evolution of policies and measures at different stages of the disease in China, from the serious epidemic of leprosy to the control of the infection, to the basic elimination, and to the elimination of the hazards. On this basis, five main lessons learned from the control and elimination of leprosy in China were also summarized. These provide the basis for promoting the complete global elimination of leprosy and preventing its re-transmission, thereby benefiting all those who still suffer from the scourge of leprosy.

This paper reviews developments in military medicine during the Korean War and places them in the evolution of military medical lessons from the Second World War and the subsequent development of military medicine through the Vietnam War to the present day. The analysis is structured according to the ‘10 Instruments of Military Healthcare.’ Whilst there were incremental developments in military medicine in all these areas, several innovations are specifically attributed to the Korean War. The introduction of helicopters to the battlefield led to the establishment of dedicated medical evacuation helicopters crewed with medical personnel and the evolution into the DUSTOFF system during the Vietnam War. Helicopter evacuation was the primary medical evacuation system in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The establishment of the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War were founded upon the US Auxiliary Surgical Groups or the UK Casualty Clearing Stations of World War II. The requirement for resuscitation and surgical teams close to the battlefield has endured through the development of mobile hospitals of varying sizes from Field Surgical Teams to the current ‘modular’ Hospital Centre and other international equivalents. There were many innovations in the clinical care of battle casualties covering wound shock, surgical techniques, preventive medicine, and acute psychiatric care that refreshed or advanced knowledge from the Second World War. These were enabled through the establishment of medical research programs that were managed within the theatre of operations. Further advances in all these clinical topics can be observed through the Vietnam War to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan – all of which were underpinned by institutional directed research programs. Finally, collaboration between international military medical services and the development of Korean military medical services is a major theme of this review. This ‘military-tomilitary’ and ‘civil-military’ medical engagement was also a major activity during the Vietnam War and more recently in Iraq and Afghanistan. Overall, the topics and themes in military medicine that were important during the Korean War can be considered to be part of trajectory of innovation in military medicine have been replicated in many subsequent wars. The paper also highlights some ‘lessons’ from World War II that had to be relearned in the Korean War, and some observations from the Korean War that had to be relearned in subsequent wars.

The 2023 International African Swine Fever Workshop (IASFW) took place in Beijing, China, on 18–20 September 2023. It was jointly organized by the U.S.-China Center for Animal Health (USCCAH) at Kansas State University (KSU) and the Chinese Veterinary Drug Association (CVDA) and sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA-FAS), Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, and Zoetis Inc. The objective of this workshop was to provide a platform for ASF researchers around the world to unite and share their knowledge and expertise on ASF control and prevention. A total of 24 outstanding ASF research scientists and experts from 10 countries attended this meeting. The workshop included presentations on current ASF research, opportunities for scientific collaboration, and discussions of lessons and experiences learned from China/Asia, Africa, and Europe. This article summarizes the meeting highlights and presents some critical issues that need to be addressed for ASF control and prevention in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we intend to investigate the influence of Henrique Cláudio de Lima Vaz on the intellectual route of João Batista Libanio. For this, we took as a starting point the text "Lições do Mestre", written by Libanio. We will also examine the article "Cristianismo e pensamento utópico" and the review of the book Teologia da Libertação: roteiro didático para um estudo, both written by Lima Vaz. The aim is to investigate how Lima Vaz's influence marked Libano's own way of doing theology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applied studio instruction is a field of education set in the context of a one-to-one setting, traditionally seen as a master-apprentice model, where the "training of skills" is said to be a priority. However, as the field evolves and is influenced by other areas in teaching and learning, one begins to look for ways to apply student-centered or constructivist strategies to the music studio. In this article, we will look broadly at what it means to be student-centered in the music studio, breaking down the areas into five categories of rapport, motivation, critical thinking, content specific areas such as practice, and authentic assessment. In order to connect theory with practice, relevant resources have been analyzed followed with specific examples of practice. In this way, readers may both understand more fully the context of the field, the theory underpinning these pedagogical concepts, and connect them with examples of practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The Chicago Area Waterway System (CAWS) connects the Great Lakes watershed with the Mississippi watershed via canals that withdraw water from Lake Michigan. From 2009 through 2011, collaborators and I provided research, development, and application of eDNA to invasive species management in the CAWS in cooperation with the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). The research team's approach was a high‐stakes test of a novel combination of proven technologies (field sampling techniques and laboratory genetics). In the first application of eDNA to a large scale, urgent management goal, we quickly discovered eDNA of two species of bigheaded carps in parts of the waterway where traditional tools had not captured fish. The central research question was whether the sensitivity (probability of detecting a fish when it was present) of eDNA was higher than that of traditional fish sampling tools (e.g., nets, electrofishing). The effort was part of what became a very large, complex, on‐going initiative to reduce access by invasive species to Lake Michigan. This immediately garnered much attention, initiating a dialog about the reliability of eDNA, public discussion about the benefits and costs of the CAWS, and skepticism from industries that use the CAWS. Government agencies formed the Asian Carp Rapid Response Workgroup, which eventually became the Invasive Carp Regional Coordinating Committee (ICRCC). The ICRCC continues its coordinating role on the use of eDNA and other management responses in the CAWS. With the benefit of hindsight, I draw several lessons from the experience that may help in other settings where eDNA is now being deployed with increasing confidence and acceptance; evaluate the on‐going CAWS surveillance and management effort; and recommend strengthening the current approach by broadening and deepening participation in a collaborative governance approach. Stronger public‐private partnerships would accelerate research, development, commercialization, and application of eDNA analysis to the benefit of society.

Abstract Background In an attempt to discern lessons to improve future pandemic responses, this study measured the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on essential public health services (EPHSs) related to primary health care (PHC) and outpatient department (OPD) utilisation, antiretroviral treatment (ART) commencement, drug-susceptible tuberculosis (DS-TB) confirmation and treatment commencement, and Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) coverage, in the Free State province of South Africa during January 2019 to March 2021. Methods A pre-post study design comparing EPHS performance between 2019 and 2020/21 was employed. Routinely collected data were analysed. An interrupted time series analysis was used to measure changes in service use and outcomes from January 2019 to March 2021. Median changes were compared using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. A 5% statistical significance level was considered. Results Over the study period, the median values for the annual number of PHC visits was 1.80, 55.30% for non-referred OPD visits, 69.40% for ART commencement, 95.10% and 18.70% for DS-TB confirmation and treatment commencement respectively, and 93.70% for BCG coverage. While BCG coverage increased by 5.85% (p = 0.010), significant declines were observed in PHC utilisation (10.53%; p = 0.001), non-referred OPD visits (12.05%; p

Jinhong Zhao, Xue Wu, Yuan Chen, Tao Li, Yunrui Han, Tingfang Liu, Yuanli Liu School of Health Policy and Management, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Tingfang Liu; Yuanli Liu, School of health policy and management, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, No. 9, Dongdansantiao Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100730, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 13501008967 ; +86 13522592907, Fax +86 010-65105750, Email liutingfang@pumc.edu.cn; liuyuanli_pumc@163.comPurpose: To summarize the organizational and management experiences and explore the organizational theoretical model of five leading public hospitals in China.Patients and Methods: Purposive sampling was used to select five leading hospitals in different regions of China under the National Health Commission and Provincial Health Commission as study hospitals for the study. From August 2021 to March 2022, 8 leaders and 39 managers from these hospitals were surveyed using semi-structured interviews. The data and information were analyzed in four dimensions using thematic analysis and grounded theory, focused on summarizing the experiences and practices of China’s leading hospitals in organizational system, culture, operations and performance management, and employee development. This study complied with the COREQ guidelines for reporting qualitative research.Results: An organizational system model of the characteristics of hospital excellence was developed using four core attributes: organizational system, organizational culture, operations and performance management, and employee development; the model was named the System–Culture–Operation–Performance–Employee (SCOPE) model. Organization and management among leaders and managers in China’s leading hospitals are based on the SCOPE process, resulting in employees’ well-being, patients’ positive outcomes, and organizational excellence. In terms of hospital culture, while adhering to the Hippocratic Oath, the hospital is deeply influenced by traditional Chinese culture, which emphasizes “benevolence” and “love”, leading all staff to adhere to “patient-centered care and service.” In terms of operations management, a separate operations management department is responsible for hospital operations and performance assessment. As for employee development, the staff’s sense of reverence for their profession is emphasized and a reasonable salary system and good practice environment are established to promote staff motivation.Conclusion: The SCOPE model reveals the perspectives of leaders and managers in China’s leading hospitals regarding organization and management under a Chinese cultural background. These findings can complement the existing literature on hospital management systems.Keywords: hospital management, excellence, lessons, qualitative study, model

For more than 1 year, COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every aspect of our lives. This paper reviews the major challenges that the radiology community faced over the past year and the impact the pandemic had on the radiology practice, radiologist-in-training education, and radiology research. The lessons learned from COVID-19 pandemic can help the radiology community to be prepared for future outbreaks and new pandemics, preserve good habits, enhance cancer screening programs, and adapt to the changes in radiology education and scientific meetings.

Abstract Background Although there are already success stories, population health management in Belgium is still in its infancy. A health system transformation approach such as population health management may be suited to address the public health issue of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, as this is one of the main causes of mortality in Belgium. This article aims to raise awareness about population health management in Belgium by: (a) eliciting barriers and recommendations for its implementation as perceived by local stakeholders; (b) developing a population health management approach to secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; and (c) providing a roadmap to introduce population health management in Belgium. Methods Two virtual focus group discussions were organized with 11 high-level decision makers in medicine, policy and science between October and December 2021. A semi-structured guide based on a literature review was used to anchor discussions. These qualitative data were studied by means of an inductive thematic analysis. Results Seven inter-related barriers and recommendations towards the development of population health management in Belgium were identified. These related to responsibilities of different layers of government, shared responsibility for the health of the population, a learning health system, payment models, data and knowledge infrastructure, collaborative relationships and community involvement. The introduction of a population health management approach to secondary prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease may act as a proof-of-concept with a view to roll out population health management in Belgium. Conclusions There is a need to instill a sense of urgency among all stakeholders to develop a joint population-oriented vision in Belgium. This call-to-action requires the support and active involvement of all Belgian stakeholders, both at the national and regional level.

Accelerating COVID-19 Treatment Interventions and Vaccines (ACTIV) was initiated by the US government to rapidly develop and test vaccines and therapeutics against COVID-19 in 2020. The ACTIV Therapeutics-Clinical Working Group selected ACTIV trial teams and clinical networks to expeditiously develop and launch master protocols based on therapeutic targets and patient populations. The suite of clinical trials was designed to collectively inform therapeutic care for COVID-19 outpatient, inpatient, and intensive care populations globally. In this report, we highlight challenges, strategies, and solutions around clinical protocol development and regulatory approval to document our experience and propose plans for future similar healthcare emergencies.

Background: In an attempt to discern lessons to improve future pandemic responses, this study measured the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on essential public health services (EPHSs) related to primary health care (PHC) and outpatient department (OPD) utilisation, antiretroviral treatment (ART) commencement, drug-susceptible tuberculosis (DS-TB) confirmation and treatment commencement, and Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) coverage, in the Free State province of South Africa during January 2019 to March 2021. Methods: A pre-post study design comparing EPHS performance between 2019 and 2020/21 was employed. Routinely collected data were analysed. An interrupted time series analysis was used to measure changes in service use and outcomes from January 2019 to March 2021. Median changes were compared using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. A 5% statistical significance level was considered. Results: Over the study period, the median values for the annual number of PHC visits was 1.80, 55.30% for non-referred OPD visits, 69.40% for ART commencement, 95.10% and 18.70% for DS-TB confirmation and treatment commencement respectively, and 93.70% for BCG coverage. While BCG coverage increased by 5.85% (p = 0.010), significant declines were observed in PHC utilisation (10.53%; p = 0.001), non-referred OPD visits (12.05%; p < 0.001), and ART commencement (9.53%; p = 0.017) rates. Given the importance of PHC in addressing a new pandemic, along with the existing HIV and TB epidemics – as well as the entire quadruple burden of disease – in South Africa, the finding that the PHC utilisation rate statistically significantly decreased in the Free State post-COVID-19 commencement is particularly concerning. Conclusions: The lessons learned from this retrospective review attest to a measure of resilience in EPHS delivery in the Free State in as far as a significant hike in BCG vaccination over the study period, 2019–2020/21 was observed. As evidenced by a decline in PHC service utilisation and the decreased numbers of new patients commencing ART, we also learned that EPHS delivery in the province was fragile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious diseases continue to be the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, and a formidable obstacle to the development and well‐being of people worldwide. Viruses account for more than half of infectious disease outbreaks that have plagued the world. The past century (1918/19–2019/20) has witnessed some of the worst viral disease outbreaks the world has recorded, with overwhelming impact especially in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMIC). The frequency of viral disease outbreak appears to be increasing. Generally, although infectious diseases have afflicted the world for centuries and humankind has had opportunities to examine the nature of their emergence and mode of spread, almost every new outbreak poses a formidable challenge to humankind, beating the existing pandemic preparedness systems, if any, and causing significant losses. These underscore inadequacy in our understanding of the dynamics and preparedness against viral disease outbreaks that lead to epidemics and pandemics. Despite these challenges, the past 100 years of increasing frequencies of viral disease outbreaks have engendered significant improvements in response to epidemics and pandemics, and offered lessons to inform preparedness. Hence, the increasing frequency of emergence of viral outbreaks and the challenges these outbreaks pose to humankind, call for the continued search for effective ways to tackle viral disease outbreaks in real time. Through a PRISMA‐based approach, this systematic review examines the outbreak of viral diseases in retrospect to decipher the outbreak patterns, losses inflicted on humanity and highlights lessons these offer for meaningful preparation against future viral disease outbreaks and pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive research has been published about the failure of Israeli intelligence in the Yom Kippur War in 1973, mainly in the context of flawed analysis and strategic surprise. Fifty years after the war, the current article uses an intelligence studies lens to describe major lessons which can be learned from this failure of early warning. Such lessons include the required focus of strategic intelligence on identifying change rather than continuity, the need for explicit analytical methodology beyond inductive reasoning, the importance of integrating assessment of adversary intentions and capabilities, the risk of over-reliance on raw information, and the need for a culture encouraging contrarian thinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay is a tribute to Michael T. Turvey, my PhD mentor at the Center for the Ecological Studies of Perception and Action (CESPA), University of Connecticut, and a distinguished figure in the field of motor behavior research. My narrative aims to showcase the exceptional qualities of Turvey as a teacher and mentor and share the insights I gained from him in the specific context of his emblematic action course. I hope these insights will enlighten and inspire others as they have me, thereby perpetuating his legacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This column details the current state of practice under the unique conditions of COVID-19 for this school librarian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the shift to online learning, many instructors have been forced into course delivery that involves educational lecture videos. There are a number of different elements that impact the quality of educational videos and overall student experience (e.g. instructor eye gaze, audio levels, screen sizing). More specifically, research has demonstrated that segmented videos have educational benefits over the traditional didactic ones. The present experiment aimed to examine whether interspersed interactive content could increase post-secondary students’ retention and engagement above simple segmentation. As such, young adults experienced one of four lesson types: didactic video, segmented videos, segmented videos with interactive content, and a condensed version of the interactive segmented videos. Then, they were asked to complete an engagement scale, an online learning experience questionnaire, and a surprise test. The results demonstrated a performance benefit to segmented videos for post-secondary students who prefer to learn in person as opposed to online.

This column highlights some lessons learned from operating a school library during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perry County is a predominantly African American community in rural Alabama. The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension is higher than average in the Perry County population. The Cardiovascular Risk Reduction Clinic, a collaboration between Samford University McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Sowing Seeds of Hope, and the Perry County Health Department, partnered with the Perry County Department of Transportation (DOT) to offer DOT employees, mostly African American men, health screenings and education delivered at times and locations convenient to their work schedules. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the impact of a community partnership with pharmacist-led health interventions on modifiable cardiovascular risk factors in participants lacking access to other community health initiatives due to work obligations. This study was a retrospective chart review evaluating changes in blood pressure and body mass index (BMI). Participants included DOT employees 18 years of age and older who participated in at least two health screenings 12 weeks apart. Over the course of the intervention, the average systolic blood pressure decreased by 6 mmHg, and the average diastolic blood pressure decreased by 4 mmHg. The baseline BMI average of 35.1 kg/m2 had dropped to 34.5 kg/m2 at 12 weeks. Although modest, the reductions in blood pressure and BMI indicate a potential for cardiovascular disease risk reduction. Lessons learned from this pilot project can inform the initiation of similar programs intended to decrease cardiovascular risk. Pharmacist-led interventions combined with community support can lead to positive cardiovascular results among rural communities.

BackgroundAfrican countries leveraged testing capacities to enhance public health action in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper describes experiences and lessons learned during the improvement of testing capacity throughout the COVID-19 response in Senegal, Uganda, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).MethodsThe four countries’ testing strategies were studied using a mixed-methods approach. Desk research on COVID-19 testing strategies was conducted and complemented by interviewing key informants. The findings were synthesized to demonstrate learning outcomes across the four countries.ResultsThe four countries demonstrated severely limited testing capacities at the onset of the pandemic. These countries decentralized COVID-19 testing services by leveraging preexisting laboratory systems such as PCR and GeneXpert used for the diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) to address this gap and the related inequities, engaging the private sector, establishing new laboratories, and using rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) to expand testing capacity and reduce the turnaround time (TAT). The use of digital platforms improved the TAT. Testing supplies were sourced through partners, although access to global markets was challenging. Case detection remains suboptimal due to high costs, restrictive testing strategies, testing access challenges, and misinformation, which hinder the demand for testing. The TAT for PCR remained a challenge, while RDT use was underreported, although Senegal manufactured RDTs locally. Key findings indicate that regionally coordinated procurement and manufacturing mechanisms are required, that testing modalities must be simplified for improved access, and that the risk-based testing strategy limits comprehensive understanding of the disease burden.ConclusionAlthough testing capacities improved significantly during the pandemic, case detection and access to testing remained suboptimal. The four countries could benefit from further simplification of testing modalities and cost reduction. Local manufacturing and pooled procurement mechanisms for diagnostics are needed for optimal pandemic preparedness and response.

IntroductionIn 2021, a regional strategy for integrated disease surveillance was adopted by member states of the World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean Region. But before then, member states including Somalia had made progress in integration of their disease surveillance systems. We report on the progress and experiences of implementing an integrated disease surveillance and response system in Somalia between 2016 and 2023.MethodsWe reviewed 20 operational documents and identified key integrated disease surveillance and response system (IDSRS) actions/processes implemented between 2016 and 2023. We verified these through an anonymized online survey. The survey respondents also assessed Somalia’s IDSRS implementation progress using a standard IDS monitoring framework Finally, we interviewed 8 key informants to explore factors to which the current IDSRS implementation progress is attributed.ResultsBetween 2016 and 2023, 7 key IDSRS actions/processes were implemented including: establishment of high-level commitment; development of a 3-year operational plan; development of a coordination mechanism; configuring the District Health Information Software to support implementation among others. IDSRS implementation progress ranged from 15% for financing to 78% for tools. Reasons for the progress were summarized under 6 thematic areas; understanding frustrations with the current surveillance system; the opportunity occasioned by COVID-19; mainstreaming IDSRS in strategic documents; establishment of an oversight mechanism; staggering implementation of key activities over a reasonable length of time and being flexible about pre-determined timelines.DiscussionFrom 2016 to 2023, Somalia registered significant progress towards implementation of IDSRS. The 15 years of EWARN implementation in Somalia (since 2008) provided a strong foundation for IDSRS implementation. If implemented comprehensively, IDSRS will accelerate country progress toward establishment of IHR core capacities. Sustainable funding is the major challenge towards IDSRS implementation in Somalia. Government and its partners need to exploit feasible options for sustainable investment in integrated disease surveillance and response.

Aspiring for Governance and Leadership position is natural with man. Someone who receives and adheres to instruction from another person many a time anticipates a day he will be in a seemingly position of dishing out instructions that should be obeyed by another. However, the way and manner many people pursue governance and leadership position leaves much to be examined. As a result, they employ different unneeded strategies to achieve their objectives. But then, getting to the office becomes a mere disappointment for lack of credibility as they exert every amount of incompetence in every area as leaders. This scenario has raised a lot of socio-political, economic and religious problems in our society. Hence, this paper therefore examines the making of a Governor and a Leader. It discusses the craving for governance and leadership positions and its negative tendencies in Africa, using Nigeria as a case study. Lessons and Impacts, as well as factors that make for a good leadership are highlighted. It is discovered that becoming a leader is different from providing good leadership. Individuals that desire to be in position of governance and leadership should know that leadership comes with responsibility which they should strive to fulfill. To be a good governor and leader, one must imbibe the virtues that such office demands. Such aspirants should therefore seek proper understanding of what governance and leadership mean before aspiring for it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: With recent approvals of long-acting (LA) HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in the form of injectable cabotegravir and the dapivirine ring, programmes need to consider how to optimize the delivery of PrEP methods, including by leveraging lessons from the past decade of oral PrEP delivery. Discussion: Framed around differentiated service delivery building blocks, the major considerations for the delivery of LA PrEP are how to reach the populations who would most benefit from PrEP, where to locate PrEP services, how to reduce the user burden of accessing and continuing with PrEP, and how to integrate PrEP with other services. Demand creation for LA PrEP and education about new LA PrEP options should be co-developed with communities and be positively framed. Client-facing clinical decision support tools provide information about HIV prevention and PrEP options in non-technical ways and can support their informed decision-making about PrEP. Training for providers is needed to increase their ability to ask about sexual and drug use behaviours in a non-judgmental and comfortable manner as part of risk assessment, discuss harm reduction strategies and counsel about available PrEP options that fit clients' circumstances and needs. PrEP adherence support should include supportive counselling and be tailored to address an individual's particular barriers and needs. Reminders through text messaging or calls can foster PrEP persistence, given the narrow the window around dosing for injectable cabotegravir. Strategies are needed to expand PrEP delivery options, including telePrEP, pharmacy-based PrEP, key population-led services and mobile venues. Integrated delivery models are needed which include sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment, contraception for cis-women not desiring to become pregnant, PrEP for pregnant women in high HIV prevalence settings, and gender-affirming hormones and support for transgender persons. Conclusions: The outcome of expanding PrEP options through LA PrEP formulations is to increase PrEP coverage, adherence, persistence and effectiveness by offering a choice of PrEP that meets the needs of persons who would benefit from PrEP. The lessons learned from the delivery of oral PrEP about demand creation, informed client decision-making, provider training, adherence support and service delivery model are relevant to the delivery of LA PrEP and integration with other services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The unprecedented COVID-19 experience has posed severe challenges to the health care system and several of these are documented in orthopaedic surgery; however, although the pandemic has also brought positive changes, these have not been precisely documented. The purpose of this survey is to identify positive perceptions by orthopaedic surgeons at an international level. Methods: A cross-sectional, web-based survey inviting 120 orthopaedic surgeons was conducted in April 2020 querying about the positive lessons COVID-19 would teach us. From all responses, thematic codes were obtained and an exploratory thematic analysis was carried out to determine the prevalent themes. Results: A total of 100 responses (83% response rate) from a total of seven countries were received. The variety of responses received were grouped into 13 different thematic codes. The thematic analysis generated two major themes: "Virtual reorganization" and "Wellness and sustainability". Fifty-four per cent of the participants reported positive changes in service reorganization and virtual consultation, whereas 30% replied with an increased feeling of well-being which overlapped with environmental benefits, including reduced paperwork, reduced travelling and increased quality time for family and reflection. Conclusions: Despite the negative aspects of the pandemic, responders reported several positive changes particularly relating to service reorganization and personal well-being. This study prompts further larger scale research to unravel further detail in those positive aspects and strongly enhance our future orthopaedic practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]