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Background: Multiple sclerosis (MS) presents a wide range of clinical symptoms, historically understood through long-term studies of earlier patient cohorts. However, due to improved diagnostic criteria, modern patients are diagnosed earlier and benefit from effective treatments, altering the disease's natural history. This study aimed to assess the clinical symptoms of MS patients in a modern population at various stages: before diagnosis, at diagnosis, during the disease course, and at the time of the survey. Methods: This was an observational study with retrospective and cross-sectional components; patients that fulfilled the 2017 revised McDonald criteria for MS completed a survey evaluating demographic and clinical data. Results: We included 163 patients, 69.9% female, with a mean age of 48.21 years; 87.1% had relapsing–remitting MS (RRMS), with a median EDSS of 2.0. Before diagnosis, 74.2% of patients experienced symptoms, mainly sensory issues (39.3%), fatigue (29.4%), and imbalance (27%). Motor and coordination symptoms were more common in progressive forms. At diagnosis, sensory (46.6%) and motor complaints (36.8%) were most prevalent. In RRMS and secondary progressive MS (SPMS), sensory and motor complaints predominated alongside imbalance, while primary progressive MS (PPMS) was characterized by motor, imbalance, and genitourinary symptoms. Throughout the disease, sensory symptoms were most common (76.1%), with fatigue (73%) and motor issues (62.6%) more prevalent in progressive forms. At the time of the survey, 50.7% of RRMS patients were asymptomatic, while progressive patients continued to experience motor symptoms, imbalance, and fatigue. Conclusions: The study reflects the modern spectrum of MS symptoms, consistent with previous research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We give a presentation for the monoid I O n of all order-preserving transformations of an n-chain whose ranges are intervals. We also consider the submonoid I O n - of I O n consisting of order-decreasing transformations, for which we determine the cardinality, the rank and a presentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present two-phased sequential explanatory mixed-methods research investigates first and second-year Japanese university students' perceptions of peer evaluation through self-reflection and its relation to learner autonomy satisfaction in English presentation activities. First, the qualitative data were collected through an open-ended survey questionnaire (n = 17). The findings revealed that students held a positive view of the peer evaluation process, which was facilitated by structured evaluation criteria developed collaboratively with the students using the Leaderful Classroom Practices framework. Furthermore, students' ownership of the evaluation process enhanced their motivation and commitment to their own presentations. To explore the relationship between the peer evaluation process and students' autonomy satisfaction, we conducted a survey with advanced-level first-year English major students (n = 87). Despite the small sample size, our multiple regression analysis also supported the qualitative findings, indicating a significant correlation between peer evaluation and learner autonomy satisfaction in English presentation activities. While peer-based activities have been thoroughly studied in the context of academic writing courses, we recommend that the influence of peer evaluation activities on learner autonomy satisfaction be further explored in oral communication activities within the Japanese university EFL settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presentations are a common means of communication worldwide with learners expected to carry out presentations as a means to disseminate academic knowledge (Tsang, 2020). Yet despite the issues that presentations induce in terms of stress (Merz et al., 2019), concerns over inclusivity (Mann and Clift, 2021), lack of presentation experience (Bankowski, 2010) and questions over transferable skills (Byrne, 2020), the traditional monologic presentation remains at the forefront of assessing through speaking. This lightning talk called for change and showed how the traditional monologic presentation is no longer relevant to today’s teaching and learning in higher education. The talk presented a reimagined way to present called the dialogic presentation. This innovative method of presenting involved small groups of peers in the process, thus encouraging a dialogue and redirecting student focus away from the aforementioned issues. The dialogic presentation also considered the environment the presentation takes place in and how that can be adapted in order to further reduce the potential for issues from external factors. As a result, the dialogic presentation has the potential to increase the quality of the presentation experience and the output. The dialogic presentation was presented clearly and efficiently through Pecha Kucha, highlighting the simplicity of the activity and its use in teaching and learning.

Most interpretive experiences occur in the leisure sector suggesting interpreters must provoke future engagement rather than compel future engagement. Consequently, the potency of the ending of interpretive presentations seems critical to motivating future and ongoing engagement among heritage site visitors. The quality of the conclusion of an interpretive program is likely to play a disproportionate role in whether audience members continue to explore their ongoing or developing interest. Yet conclusions are probably not equally effective. There are several known, and many more yet unrecognized methods for designing conclusions. A preliminary typology of novel designs well suited for constructing conclusions to heritage interpretation programs is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We gathered data from business practitioners to learn how they describe successful online business presentations. We found that many—but not all—successful examples were described in terms of classical rhetorical concepts (e.g., source credibility and content). We also found that about 20% of the examples were described as successful because of technology deployment, audience interactivity, or both. We conclude that professors of management communication should teach the online presentation, that such instruction should include classical rhetorical concepts (with some appropriate adjustments), and that instruction should be expanded to include technology and interactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The higher-dimensional Thompson groups $nV$ , for $n \geqslant 2$ , were introduced by Brin ['Presentations of higher dimensional Thompson groups', J. Algebra 284 (2005), 520–558]. We provide new presentations for each of these infinite simple groups. The first is an infinite presentation, analogous to the Coxeter presentation for the finite symmetric group, with generating set equal to the set of transpositions in $nV$ and reflecting the self-similar structure of n -dimensional Cantor space. We then exploit this infinite presentation to produce further finite presentations that are considerably smaller than those previously known. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study the cyclic inverse monoid ℐ n on a set Ω n with n elements, i.e. the inverse submonoid of the symmetric inverse monoid on Ω n consisting of all restrictions of the elements of a cyclic subgroup of order n acting cyclically on Ω n . We show that ℐ n has rank 2 (for n ≥ 2) and n 2 n − n + 1 elements. Moreover, we give presentations of ℐ n on n + 1 generators and 1 2 (n 2 + 3 n + 4) relations and on 2 generators and 1 2 (n 2 − n + 6) relations. We also consider the remarkable inverse submonoid ℐ n of ℐ n constituted by all its order-preserving transformations. We show that ℐ n has rank n and 3 ⋅ 2 n − 2 n − 1 elements. Furthermore, we exhibit presentations of ℐ n on n + 2 generators and 1 2 (n 2 + 3 n + 8) relations and on n generators and 1 2 (n 2 + 3 n) relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our present-day information-driven world, oversaturated with data and facts, storytelling -- or the ability to create and tell stories -- constitutes a competitive advantage. Storytelling is not only a very important social 'glue', a skill that allows people connect with peers, but also a business tool used to persuade, inspire, or trigger emotions. Therefore, this paper aims to investigate the use of storytelling in a Business English teaching context, that is, as an essential communication skill that business learners should master. To this purpose, we carried out an analysis on a sample of 60 students enrolled in the second year at the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University of Iași. The study was conducted during the second semester of the academic year 2021-2022, and it revealed that storytelling enabled students to engage more easily in classroom activities, it stirred their interest and boosted their confidence when speaking in front of their peers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce new techniques for working with presentations for a large class of (strict) tensor categories. We then apply the general theory to obtain presentations for partition, Brauer and Temperley-Lieb categories, as well as several categories of (partial) braids, vines, and mappings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presentations are often incorporated into higher education without any instruction on how to present, or the features by which presentations will be assessed. This lack of instruction risks disadvantaging many students judged by tacit criteria they may not meet, including English as an additional language students, first generation university students, and international and/or cross-disciplinary students coming from educational contexts with different presentation styles and values. This paper presents one lecturer’s efforts to meet the needs of her students to develop presentation skills by focusing a significant portion of an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course on presentations over four years. The paper outlines the curricular design for this focus, which included multiple presentations in multiple formats and an explicit Teaching and Learning Cycle (Rothery, 1994). Further, it presents some of the concepts and approaches that are used to shape an intersemiotic awareness of presentations, including the grammar of bullet point form, image-language relations, how to talk about complex slides, presentation delivery strategies, and how to scaffold practising in class. Finally, it concludes with some challenges about the formal evaluation of such presentations. It offers both design and activity descriptions for interested teachers to consider incorporating, whether in EAP or in other courses.

Etedal Ahmed A Ibrahim,1,2 Rogia Hussein Mohamed,3 Khabab Abbasher Hussien Mohamed Ahmed,4 Malaz Tarig AbdAlla Mohamed,4 Mohammed Mahmmoud Fadelallah Eljack5 1Department of Medicine, Al-Neelain University, Khartoum, Sudan; 2Department of Neurology, The National Centre for Neurological Sciences, Khartoum, Sudan; 3Department of Medicine, Latifa Hospital for Women and Children, Dubai, United Arab Emirates; 4Department of Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, Sudan; 5Department of Community Medicine, University of Bakht Alruda, Ad Duwaym, White Nile State, SudanCorrespondence: Mohammed Mahmmoud Fadelallah Eljack, Department of Community Medicine, University of Bakht Alruda, Ad Duwaym, White Nile State, Sudan, Tel +249964656914, Email m.mahmmoud96@gmail.comIntroduction: Sydenham’s chorea (SC) is the most common form of acquired chorea in childhood, it is considered a neurological complication of streptococcal pharyngitis. In this study, we aimed to determine the clinical pattern, association of Sydenham’s chorea with other manifestations of acute rheumatic fever, and the laboratory findings of Sydenham’s chorea among Sudanese patients.Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study involving fifty patients of various ages diagnosed with Sydenham’s chorea and followed up at The National Center for Neurological Sciences from January 2017 to November 2019. Data were obtained after patients’ consent through personal interviews or personal review of patients’ records via a structured questionnaire composed of demographic data, symptoms, co-morbid illness, risk factors, physical examination, and related investigations.Results: About 50 patient was enrolled in this study with a median age of 13.7 years. Females were (n=35) (70%) and (30%) (n=15) s were males. Generalized chorea was seen in 33 (66%) and hemichorea in 17 (34%) patients. Weakness (38%) and hypotonia (46%) were common, such as behavior change (44%), dysarthria (70%), gait change (18%), and deterioration of handwriting (12%). Arthritis occurred in (36%), carditis in 30 (60%), both arthritis and carditis in 18 (36%), and pure chorea in 14 (28%). Erythema marginatum and subcutaneous nodules were not observed in our patients. Only 13 patients (26%) gave a history of pharyngitis.Conclusion: Sydenham chorea is more common in young female Sudanese, with a familial predominance and a tendency towards mitral valve disease. All pediatric Patients with chorea should be screened for Sydenham’s chorea.Keywords: Sydenham, chorea, acute rheumatic fever, presentations, psychiatric

Objectives: To assess the use of power point presentations (slide share) utilization of the pharmacology medical syllabus topics and compared them before and after covid epidemic. Materials and Methods: In this study we have analysed the power point presentations utilization in pharmacology medical syllabus topics and compared them for number of views, downloads, actions taken, sources of online utilization and subscribers added in the same period. Results: There were significant difference in the utilization pattern of power point presentations year on year from pre-covid to post covid era with significant p value (<0.005) on applying paired sample t test. The actions taken that is download and utilization was better in the post covid era. The number of views for each presentation and the subscribers added was more post covid era. Conclusion: There is both scope for knowledge, enhancement and knowledge retention by using audio visual aids in teaching methods. There is a need to keep students motivated by giving introductory information videos, complete academic course ideas, inculcating basic ideas on core concepts in general pharmacology. Further such studies on use of audio visual aids in medical education is needed to enhance the use of slide share, author stream and other online platforms providing power point presentations as a part of curriculum for better understanding of abstract subjects like pharmacology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the inverse submonoids OPDI n , MDI n and ODI n of the dihedral inverse monoid D I n of all orientation-preserving, monotone and order-preserving transformations, respectively. Our goal is to exhibit presentations for each of these three monoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Information Library Magazine 'INFOLIB' is the property of National Library of Uzbekistan named after Alisher Navoi 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.)

In this paper we consider the monoid DPCn of all partial isometries of an n-cycle graph Cn. We show that DPCn is the submonoid of the monoid of all oriented partial permutations on an n-chain whose elements are precisely all restrictions of a dihedral group of order 2n. Our main aim is to exhibit a presentation of DPCn. We also describe Green's relations of DPCn and calculate its cardinality and rank. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Mecmua is the property of MECMUA 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.)

Introduction: Sydenham's chorea (SC) is the most common form of acquired chorea in childhood, it is considered a neurological complication of streptococcal pharyngitis. In this study, we aimed to determine the clinical pattern, association of Sydenham's chorea with other manifestations of acute rheumatic fever, and the laboratory findings of Sydenham's chorea among Sudanese patients. Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study involving fifty patients of various ages diagnosed with Sydenham's chorea and followed up at The National Center for Neurological Sciences from January 2017 to November 2019. Data were obtained after patients' consent through personal interviews or personal review of patients' records via a structured questionnaire composed of demographic data, symptoms, co-morbid illness, risk factors, physical examination, and related investigations. Results: About 50 patient was enrolled in this study with a median age of 13.7 years. Females were (n=35) (70%) and (30%) (n=15) s were males. Generalized chorea was seen in 33 (66%) and hemichorea in 17 (34%) patients. Weakness (38%) and hypotonia (46%) were common, such as behavior change (44%), dysarthria (70%), gait change (18%), and deterioration of handwriting (12%). Arthritis occurred in (36%), carditis in 30 (60%), both arthritis and carditis in 18 (36%), and pure chorea in 14 (28%). Erythema marginatum and subcutaneous nodules were not observed in our patients. Only 13 patients (26%) gave a history of pharyngitis. Conclusion: Sydenham chorea is more common in young female Sudanese, with a familial predominance and a tendency towards mitral valve disease. All pediatric Patients with chorea should be screened for Sydenham's chorea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Alustath is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) 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.)

Wreath products involving symmetric inverse monoids/semigroups/categories arise in many areas of algebra and science, and presentations by generators and relations are crucial tools in such studies. The current paper finds such presentations for M ≀ I n , M ≀ Sing (I n) and M ≀ I. Here M is an arbitrary monoid, I n is the symmetric inverse monoid, Sing (I n) its singular ideal, and I is the symmetric inverse category. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Al-Academy is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) 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.)

Human monkeypox is a zoonotic infection that is similar to the diseases caused by other poxviruses. It is endemic among wild rodents in the rainforests of Central and Western Africa, and can be transmitted via direct skin contact or mucosal exposure to infected animals. The initial symptoms include fever, headache, myalgia, fatigue, and lymphadenopathy, the last of which is the main symptom that distinguishes it from smallpox. In order to prevent and manage the disease, those who are infected must be rapidly diagnosed and isolated. Several vaccines have already been developed (e.g., JYNNEOS, ACAM2000 and ACAM3000) and antiviral drugs (e.g., cidofovir and tecovirimat) can also be used to treat the disease. In the present study, we reviewed the history, morphology, clinical presentations, transmission routes, diagnosis, prevention, and potential treatment strategies for monkeypox, in order to enable health authorities and physicians to better deal with this emerging crisis.

Introduction. The article considers the aspects of using modern information technologies in the creating of presentations. Technologies for creating holographic 3D showcase presentations using well-known presentation applications are analyzed. One of the innovative devices and technologies for reproducing presentations is a holographic 3D showcase and holographic technologies. The operation of devices that are new to users require prior training or a significant amount of educational materials on the Internet. Optimizing the work process through the variability of the use of already known software will save time on training and avoid mistakes when operating new technological devices. The purpose of the work is to investigate methods of developing content for a holographic 3D showcase using publicly available applications and to develop requirements for presentations that can be created on them. The work highlights the research materials, in which the existing software for creating presentations were compared and the most optimal program was chosen. In the process of work the methods of scientific research “analysis” and “comparison” were applied. The requirements for the content of the holographic 3D showcase were analyzed and recommendations for the development of media content based on them were created. Results. In the course of the analytical study, methodological guidelines for the development of presentation materials that would be able to be converted into 3D images by displaying them on a holographic 3D showcase were obtained. Conclusions. The article describes the methodology for creating presentation materials for a holographic 3D showcase, which will allow optimizing the process of developing media materials by using Microsoft PowerPoint. Recommendations for the development of materials will help to understand more deeply the specific features of the functioning of the holographic 3D showcase.

Research projects presentations: THESEUS Project, EU-HYBNET, Jean Monnet Module EUSEGOV, DOMINOES project, Erasmus+ Mobility Projects

Exponential Puiseux semirings are additive submonoids of ℚ ≥ 0 generated by almost all of the nonnegative powers of a positive rational number, and they are natural generalizations of rational cyclic semirings. In this paper, we investigate some of the factorization invariants of exponential Puiseux semirings and briefly explore the connections of these properties with semigroup-theoretical invariants. Specifically, we provide exact formulas to compute the catenary degrees of these monoids and show that minima and maxima of their sets of distances are always attained at Betti elements. Additionally, we prove that sets of lengths of atomic exponential Puiseux semirings are almost arithmetic progressions with a common bound, while unions of sets of lengths are arithmetic progressions. We conclude by providing various characterizations of the atomic exponential Puiseux semirings with finite omega functions; in particular, we completely describe them in terms of their presentations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slide decks are a ubiquitous form of communication in both academia and business, and business communication instructors must be able to model and teach multimedia design principles. The literature regarding multimedia design has traditionally fallen into two camps: the cognitive school, focused on designing multimedia messages that accommodate human cognitive architecture, and the graphic design school, focused on using visual appeal as a tool for conceptual organization. I synthesize representative models from each school to provide theoretically derived and empirically supported principles for designing slide decks that are both well-organized and visually appealing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we consider the monoid D P S n of all partial isometries of a star graph Sn with n vertices. Our main objectives are to determine the rank and to exhibit a presentation of D P S n . We also describe Green's relations of D P S n and calculate its cardinal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare presentation numbers, class of exposure, poison severity score (PSS) and drugs ingested by patients in a tertiary toxicology service during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic to the corresponding time periods in 2018 and 2019. Methods: A retrospective cohort observational study of patients admitted or consulted to the Western Sydney Toxicology Service (WSTS) from ED during February to May in 2018-2020. Patient age, sex, triage category, time and date of arrival, mode of arrival, type of poisoning, discharge location, length of stay and PSS were collected from WSTS database and electronic medical records. The total number of ED presentations, hospital admissions and toxicology admissions were gathered from hospital-based data services. Results: There was an overall increase in toxicology presentations in February to May 2020 (n = 441) compared to 2019 (n = 333) and 2018 (n = 255). The daily rate of presentations increased in March to May 2020 with an overall rate ratio of 1.42, 95% confidence interval 1.23-1.63, P < 0.001. There was an increase in presentations across all drug types. From March to April 2020, there was significantly higher number of daily presentations for recreational drugs use compared to 2018. Conclusion: There was a relative increase in toxicology presentations during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to an overall decrease in presentations to ED. Recreational drug use increased significantly during the pandemic compared to 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Psoriasis in children is not uncommon. The study is an attempt to shed light on its clinical presentations among children in Basrah, Iraq. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional observational clinical study of 416 children with psoriasis was conducted in the department of Dermatology of Basrah teaching hospital and two private clinics, Basrah, Iraq, from November 2018 to December 2021. Detailed history and a complete clinical examination were done. In cases of doubt, skin biopsy was performed. Results: Four hundred and sixteen children with psoriasis were enrolled in this study, their age ranged from 11 months to 12 years, 236 of them were females, and the remaining 180 were males. Psoriasis of the scalp, eyelid, blepharitis, follicular, and guttate were the most common types reported in 61.8%, 11.05%, 10.3%, and 9.8%, respectively. Plaque psoriasis was reported in only 6.2% of the patients. Atypical presentations in shape and site were reported in 122 (29.3%) of the patients. Infections, emotional stress, and environmental factors were the most common precipitating causes. Conclusions: Psoriasis is not uncommon among children; the presentations may be atypical regarding clinical features, site affected, symptoms, family history, and gender, so that it should be considered in any child with chronic recurrent erythematous scaly skin lesions, especially when they are recurrent with poor response to treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we develop the theory of presentations for globular operads and construct presentations for the globular operads corresponding to several key theories of n-category for n ≤ 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the modern educational environment, it is necessary for the teacher to use interactive methods, to show creativity in visualizing the educational content, to develop and adapt educational resources and tools, including the students in an active learning-cognitive process. The purpose of their use is for learners to discover the need for knowledge and its application in solving specific life situations. In this article, emphasis is placed on the application of specific interactive methods such as the method of mind maps and the method of multimedia presentations in different types of lessons in the teaching of mathematics in the 5-th grade. The interactive methods used in specific lessons lead to an increase in students' motivation and cognitive interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The ability to publish is a career-critical skill but requires the acquisition of a wide and disparate skill set. The Write a Scientific Paper (WASP) course was created in Malta in 2010, an intensive, three-day event. WASP is an accredited event held in Malta, London, and Bahrain. The COVID pandemic forced WASP to go online. This study compared satisfaction with WASP online as opposed to in-person by analyzing course feedback pre- and post-pandemic. Methods: Google forms are used to collect anonymous feedback on a Likert scale for various aspects of each WASP. The period 2017 to 2022 was used to compare four courses on-site and five courses online. Feedback on: Rate lectures, handouts, WASP overall and how likely are you to recommend WASP was compared. Results: Response rates were >60% and almost all Cronbach's Alpha values were >0.7. High satisfaction scores were achieved in all four questions (>4/5). There were no significant differences except in lectures, which scored well but fared slightly worse overall online. Conclusions: Migrating online does not necessarily lead to change/s in presentation contents but transforms delivery. Our results indicate that WASP is accepted online but the slightly lower lectures score implies that WASP might be better delivered in-person than online. However, students remained happy to recommend WASP and this accords with other studies that overall, student satisfaction with online education is common. It is hoped that as the pandemic recedes, webinars complement and not continue to totally replace traditional in-person meetings.

In the present paper, we consider the semigroup On,p of all order-preserving full transformations α on an n-elements chain Xn, where p ∈ Xn is the only fixed point of α. The nilpotent semigroup On,p was first studied by Ayik et al. in 2011. Moreover, On,1 is the maximal nilpotent subsemigroup of the Catalan Monoid Cn. Its rank is the difference of the (n - 1) th and the (n - 2) th Catalan number. The aim of the present paper is to provide further fundamental information about the nilpotent semigroup On,p. We will calculate the rank of On,p for p > 1 and provide a semigroup presentation for On,1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aimed to characterise neonatal paediatric emergency department (PED) visits, analyse the main paediatric illnesses and establish associations of these demographics with the readmission rates and severity of their presentation. Methods: A retrospective analysis of neonates (aged <28 days) presenting to the PEDs of our hospital over seven months was performed. Associations between the clinical and demographic data of admissions to the PED and inpatient admissions were analysed. Results: In total, 1,200 neonates presented during the study period, 79.4% of whom presented at less than 15 days since birth. Length of stay in the PED was less than four hours for 94.0% of the neonates. Predominant triage categories comprised non-P1 cases (97.5%). The main diagnoses at the PED were neonatal jaundice (NNJ; 66.8%) and neonatal pyrexia (NNP; 14.6%), which corresponded to the main diagnoses upon discharge from the hospital: NNJ (68.4%) and NNP (19.6%). 48.2% of neonates were referred from polyclinics or other clinics. 57.7% of the neonates were admitted. Interestingly, 87.0% of the well babies who presented to the emergency department were brought in owing to parental concerns by the parents themselves, without prior consultation with the doctor. Conclusion: Outpatient management of NNJ can be considered. Caregivers should be provided better education regarding normal physiological characteristics of newborns through standardised educational materials. Other potential avenues for parents to seek medical advice, for example hotlines and ChatBots such as the recently piloted 'Urgent Paediatric Advice Line' online service, should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The ability to publish is a career-critical skill but requires the acquisition of a wide and disparate skill set. The Write a Scientific Paper (WASP) course was created in Malta in 2010, an intensive, three-day event. WASP is an accredited event held in Malta, London, and Bahrain. The COVID pandemic forced WASP to go online. This study compared satisfaction with WASP online as opposed to in-person by analyzing course feedback pre- and post-pandemic. Methods: Google forms are used to collect anonymous feedback on a Likert scale for various aspects of each WASP. The period 2017 to 2022 was used to compare four courses on-site and five courses online. Feedback on: Rate lectures, handouts, WASP overall and how likely are you to recommend WASP was compared. Results: Response rates were >60% and almost all Cronbach's Alpha values were >0.7. High satisfaction scores were achieved in all four questions (>4/5). There were no significant differences except in lectures, which scored well but fared slightly worse overall online. Conclusions: Migrating online does not necessarily lead to change/s in presentation contents but transforms delivery. Our results indicate that WASP is accepted online but the slightly lower lectures score implies that WASP might be better delivered in-person than online. However, students remained happy to recommend WASP and this accords with other studies that overall, student satisfaction with online education is common. It is hoped that as the pandemic recedes, webinars complement and not continue to totally replace traditional in-person meetings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the preferences of fourth-year student pharmacists for an in-person versus virtual pharmacy research poster session. An electronic survey was administered to all fourth-year student pharmacists enrolled in a research project course in Fall 2021 (n = 132). Six items explored students' opinions towards research posters using a five-point agreement scale. Twelve items explored students' preferences for either research poster format. Students also indicated their overall preference for an in-person or virtual research poster session. Data were analyzed descriptively. A total of 63 fourth-year student pharmacists completed the questionnaire. The median agreement score was four out of five, indicating favorable attitudes towards the importance of research posters in pharmacy curriculum. Most students said they would enjoy research posters more, and would be more able to present at, participate in and ensure that all can participate in poster sessions if the poster sessions were virtual as opposed to in-person. Most (76.2%) students indicated a preference for virtual rather than in-person research poster sessions. In conclusion, the study results suggest that student pharmacists prefer virtual rather than in-person poster sessions. Further research is recommended to explore the comparative effectiveness of these poster formats to achieve learning outcomes in varying university pharmacy programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]