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In this case study I explored the dilemmas of three early childhood care and education (ECCE) teachers in a poor community in the Cape Flats of Cape Town, South Africa during COVID-19, and how they used these dilemmas to transform their teaching. Purposive sampling was used to select the participants and data was collected through a semi-structured interview and thematically analyzed. Ethical clearance was secured from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. Mezirow's transformative learning theory was used as an analytical framework for the study. In particular, Mezirow's concept of disorienting dilemmas was used to engage with the dilemmas the ECCE teachers were confronted with during the pandemic. Further, his concept of perspective transformations was used to analyze how the ECCE teachers engaged with these dilemmas to transform their teaching. Findings show that while ECCE teachers' faced disorienting dilemmas of digital inequity and of children's interactive play, they also adopted alternative roles and actions as they engaged in dialogue and shared negotiations, ensuring that the functioning of the ECCE centre would continue in solidarity with the children and parents. These findings have important implications for how local government provide financial and digital support for poor communities during times of crisis.

This study is part of larger South African project funded by the Department of Higher Education and Training and EU which focused on how practitioners listen to young children in early childhood care and education to encourage a sense of belonging and participation. The study was conducted at two early childhood care and education centres, one advantaged and one disadvantaged, where practitioners were interviewed about their views and experiences of listening to children. Data were analysed qualitatively using thematic analysis. The study found that practitioners were keenly aware of the importance of listening to young children, thereby democratising pedagogical spaces and validating children's right to participate. Their views highlighted the link between listening and encouraging a sense of belonging. Furthermore, listening with regard to being relational, responsive and encouraging agency were viewed as tools to support and encourage belonging. The study also highlights the complexity of asserting children's voices in pedagogical spaces (due to factors related to time and curriculum constraints).

Background: Internationally and nationally, reflective practice is suggested as a tool to inform quality teaching and learning. In South Africa, the quality of education is in the spotlight as schoolgoing children continue to perform poorly. This article investigates reflective practice in Grade R teaching. It explores teachers' understanding of reflective practice to inform their practice to support learners having a positive first year of formal schooling. Aim: The aim of this study was investigate the knowledge and understanding of Grade R teachers about reflective practice. Setting: Two Grade R teachers in one school in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town participated in the study. Methods: An interpretivist case study using semi-structured interviews and document analysis informed the findings. Thematic analysis revealed common themes to explore the knowledge and understanding of Grade R teachers regarding reflective practice. Results: The teachers interviewed demonstrated a tacit understanding of reflective practice. They described it as an innate aspect of their teaching. Their knowledge and understanding are theoretical and there is no evidence of reflective practice in the documents used to inform their teaching on a daily basis. Conclusion: The findings of this study show that the participants use reflective practice innately. Support by the school and the Department of Basic Education through professional development has the potential to encourage the use of reflective practice for quality teaching and learning.

Providing support to student teachers to implement participatory pedagogies is vital for understanding the importance of listening to children's voices and involving them in decision making. At a local university in the Western Cape, South Africa, ten final year Foundation Phase student teachers studying toward the Bachelor in Education who enrolled in the Reception Year module participated in a project during work integrated learning using Harry Shier's Pathways to Participation model in support of a participatory pedagogy. After the first session of work integrated learning, student teachers participated in focus group interviews guided by open-ended questions on their experiences using Shier's model. Findings reveal that whilst student teachers were open to listening to children's voices, they did not have the necessary opportunities in their training to listen to children. Students were restricted to the confines of a Grade R class dominated by mentor teachers who adopted a transmissive pedagogy. Student teachers also noted that children were not accustomed to having their voices heard and making decisions.

Introduction: Genital Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) infection is the most common infection in Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) patients, occurring in 60-90% according to World Health Organisation (WHO) reports. Early detection of HSV-2 infection, the introduction of chemotherapy, and prophylaxis improve the lifespan of AIDS patients. Aim: To detect the HSV-2 seroprevalence that is Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and Immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) positive serum and molecular detection of HSV-2 Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) in symptomatic HSV-2 Patients. Materials and Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in the Guntur Government Hospital with the help of the Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Centre and Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprosy (DVL) in GGH, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India. A total of 100 blood samples from HIV positive individuals were collected and for those with symptoms on the external genitalia, a biopsy specimen from the ulcer and fluid from vesicles were taken. All the cases in the study group are on ART and without any antiviral treatment. A blood sample was collected for IgG (Calbiotech kit), IgM detection (Merilisa kit), and biopsy from genital ulcer for gene detection by real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) (HELINI Biomolecules, Chennai). Statistical analysis was done by mean and percentages with p-value by calculating Chi-square test, Fisher’s-Exact test to know significance of association between HSV-2 and HIV. Results: Among the total 100 HIV positive patients, it was observed that IgG seroprevalence of HSV-2 in HIV positive individuals is 78%, while it is 19% for IgM. In the present study, 19 symptomatic cases showed DNA of HSV-2 in PCR, out of which, 17 were from genital ulcers and two from vesicle fluid. Conclusion: As HSV-2 is a lifelong infection, serological testing provides the best method, to estimate its prevalence even in asymptomatic individuals.

The focus of this paper is to examine teachers' beliefs about child participation in Grade R. Five Grade R teachers working with children between the ages of five and six participated in this study. Participants were interviewed about their epistemological beliefs on teaching and learning in Grade R and specifically the role of child participation in development at this grade level. Data were analysed deductively using typologies by Perry and Rokeach. The findings of this study showed that these teachers' beliefs concerning child participation were complex, 'messy', context-bound and did not fall neatly into one category. Teachers' views were multidimensional: primitive, dualistic, derived, multiplistic or relative. Teachers drew from different sources of experience and their own knowing to shape their thinking about children's participatory roles in the Grade R experience and implementation of child participation. The findings show how teachers' beliefs were influenced by issues of background, tradition, power and voice.

Introduction: In India, multiple antibiotic resistance are rapidly growing in the bacterial population with a rising threat to public health. To overcome the effect of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL), Metallo beta-lactamases (MBL) and carbapenemase-producing organisms, very few antibiotics are effective, the need of the hour is a new antibiotic or drug combination. Various studies suggested that antibiotic adjuvant therapies can be an alternate approach to curb the rate of drug resistance in microorganisms. A new antibiotic combination of ceftriaxone+sulbactam+Ethylene Diamine Tetra Acetic Acid (EDTA) (CSE) has recently been proposed to tackle Multidrug Resistant (MDR) organisms. Aim: To evaluate the in-vitro efficacy of a new antibiotic adjuvant entity CSE, among the Vitek-2 (Biomerieux, France) confirmed MDR strains isolated from specimens of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on a total of 100 consecutive MDR organisms isolated from specimens of ICU admitted patients in NRI general hospital and super specialty care centre in Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh, India from January 2021-May 2021. Bacterial growth on the medium was identified using an automated Vitek-2 system using Gram negative and Gram positive identification card and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (AST) cards. The isolates were identified as ESBL, MBL, AmpC-beta-lactamase, and carbapenemases producing organisms and tested for sensitivity to CSE drug-using Epsilometer (E)-test strips with Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MIC) gradient of 0.016-256 μg/mL, and interpreted as sensitive, and resistant based on breakpoints. A descriptive statistical analysis was done by calculating the frequencies of the variables. Results: The more prevalent MDR pathogens were Escherichia coli (36%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (18%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (15%), and Proteus species (10%). Among Escherichia coli MDR isolates, 16.7% were ESBL+MBL producing and 83.3% were carbapenemase-producing with good susceptibility to CSE 86.7% and 83.3%, respectively. Among Pseudomonas aeruginosa 83.3% of ESBL+MBL and carbapenemase-producing organisms were susceptible to CSE. Overall, 88% of MDR strains were sensitive and 12% were resistant to novel CSE combinations among 100 MDR isolates. Conclusion: The novel antibiotic-adjuvant combination CSE is highly effective (88% susceptibility) against ESBL/MBL, AmpC, and carbapenemase-producing MDR bacteria. The enhanced susceptibility may be due to the synergistic effect of all three molecules in the combination.

Research suggests that beginner teachers face challenges when transitioning from pre-service to in-service teaching. Both international and local research found that transitioning from preservice to newly qualified teachers can be problematic. This study explores the learning experiences of beginner foundation phase Grade R teachers. The study utilises a qualitative research design embedded in the interpretivist paradigm. Data were collected from six foundation phase Grade R teachers using semi-structured interviews and reflective journals. The findings show that beginner teachers face enormous challenges early in their careers, and their sustainability in the classroom depends on how well they address these challenges. The findings have significant implications for the implementation of formal mentoring in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a great menace to human health worldwide including in India. Hence, the present work is aimed to analyze the resistance/susceptibility pattern of pathogens isolated from clinical samples of patients in Andhra Pradesh, South India. Methods: This study was conducted on clinical samples sent to the microbiology department of a tertiary care teaching hospital in Andhra Pradesh, South India, for 1 year. Information on clinical parameters, types of specimens collected, culture results, and antibiotic sensitivity/resistance patterns were collected manually from the department registration book. Results: Out of 2,253 clinical samples screened for culture and sensitivity, 1,593 (70.7%) showed significant growth of organisms and were resistant to either single or multiple drugs. Most isolates were from urine samples followed by soft tissues, blood, respiratory, and other sources. Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., Pseudomonas spp., and Staphylococcus aureus were the common isolates in all clinical samples. Isolated pathogens were found to be more from in-patients. Of 1,593 bacterial isolates, 83.6% of isolates were resistant to at least one antibiotic. Acinetobacter spp. (80.0%) and coagulase-negative staphylococci (75.0%) exhibited a high rate of multidrug resistance among gram-negative and gram-positive isolates, respectively. Conclusion: The results indicated that E. coli, Klebsiella spp., Pseudomonas spp., and S. aureus were the frequently isolated microorganisms. AMR among these isolates was high for commonly used antibiotics and reserved drugs such as cefepime and carbapenems demanding continuous surveillance and implementation of judicious use of antimicrobial agents. The isolated pathogens showed good susceptibility to linezolid, tigecycline, tobramycin, gentamicin, and colistin antibiotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]