Student's perspectives, satisfaction and experiences with online and classroom learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings and implications on blended learning

Objectives

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic disrupted classroom-based learning, necessitating the adoption of online learning in most universities. However, there has been a lack of information on university students' perspectives regarding online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study assessed the perspectives, satisfaction and experiences with online and classroom learning among human health students at the University of Zambia.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted among 737 students at the University of Zambia from October 2022 to April 2023. Data were analysed using Stata version 16.1.

Results

Of the 737 participants, 51.6% were female and 56.5% agreed that blended learning should continue even after the COVID-19 pandemic. However, 78.4% of the students believed that group discussions were more suitable in the classroom than online learning. Most students (67.1%) disagreed that they preferred online learning to classroom learning. Furthermore, 77.6% of the students disagreed that online learning gave more satisfaction than classroom learning.

Conclusions

This study found that most students recommended the continuation of blended learning after the pandemic. However, they believed that follow-up tutorials and assessments were better undertaken in physical classrooms than online learning. These findings are important in sensitising stakeholders in the education sector and governments to consider blended learning as a teaching strategy in the future. There is a need to develop and implement curricula that offer blended learning to students as well as ensure the students have the necessary facilities and equipment to support such learning.

Metallic Nanoparticles: Their Potential Role in Breast Cancer Immunotherapy via Trained Immunity Provocation

Owing to drawbacks in the current common cancer therapies including surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the development of more reliable, low toxic, cost-effective and specific approaches such as immunotherapy is crucial. Breast cancer is among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality with a developed anticancer resistance. Accordingly, we attempted to uncover the efficacy of metallic nanoparticles (MNPs)-based breast cancer immunotherapy emphasizing trained immunity provocation or innate immunity adaptation. Due to the immunosuppressive nature of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and the poor infiltration of immune cells, the potentiation of an immune response or direct combat is a goal employing NPs as a burgeoning field. During the recent decades, the adaptation of the innate immunity responses against infectious diseases and cancer has been recognized. Although the data is in a scarcity with regard to a trained immunity function in breast cancer cells' elimination, this study introduced the potential of this arm of immunity adaptation using MNPs.

Occurrence of virulence factors and carbapenemase genes in Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis isolated from chicken meat and egg samples in Iraq

BACKGROUND

Food-borne infections mainly due to Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) are major concerns worldwide. S. Enteritidis isolates may serve as reservoirs for spreading antimicrobial drug resistance genes including carbapenemases. This study aimed to screen the occurrence of virulence factors, carbapenemases, and antibiotic resistance genes in S. Enteritidis isolated from chicken meat and eggs in Iraq.

RESULTS

In total, 1000 non-duplicated chicken meat and 1000 egg samples were collected during 2019-2020. Presumptive S. Enteritidis isolates were initially identified by standard bacteriology tests and then were confirmed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Carbapenem resistance was detected using the disk diffusion method. Virulence and carbapenemase genes were screened using the PCR method. In total, 100 (5.0%) S. Enteritidis isolates were identified from 2000 samples collected using phenotypic and molecular methods. These isolates were identified from 4.9% chicken meat (n = 49/1000) and 5.1% egg (n = 51/1000) samples, respectively. The most and the least susceptibility was found to gentamicin and ceftazidime antibiotics, respectively. The prevalence of different virulence factors were as follows: phoP/Q (40.0%), traT (30.0%), stn (22.0%), slyA (11.0%), and sopB (9.0%). Among 20 carbapenem-resistant S. Enteritidis isolates, the most predominant carbapenemase gene was bla_IMP (35.0%, n = 7), followed by bla_OXA-48-like (25.0%, n = 5), and bla_NDM (10.0%, n = 2), while the bla_KPC and bla_VIM genes were not detected. The coexistence of bla_IMP, bla_OXA-48-like, and bla_NDM genes was determined in two isolates. The prevalence of different antibiotic resistance genes were as follows: tetA (87.1%), tetB (87.1%), dfrA1 (77.6%), and sul1 (83.6%).

CONCLUSION

Considering the existence of carbapenem-resistant S. Enteritidis harboring different virulence and antibiotic resistance genes in chicken meat and egg samples, adherence to proper hygienic conditions should be considered.

Assessment of the knowledge, attitude, and practice related to visceral leishmaniasis among residents of Al-Suwaira city, Wasit Governorate, Middle East of Iraq

INTRODUCTION

It is important to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) related to visceral leishmaniasis (VL) to implement an effective control program. Hence, this study aimed to highlight KAP among residents of Al-Suwaira city in Wasit Governorate, Middle East of Iraq.

METHODS

During March to May 2021, a cross-sectional study was done on 121 randomly selected residents. A normal self-administered questionnaire was used to measure KAP. Descriptive analysis was used to present the results.

RESULTS

Overall, participants indicated average knowledge towards VL. However, the incubation period of VL (23.9%), the symptoms of VL (57.9%), and the diseases' transmission ways (54.5%) were recognized as knowledge gaps. Participants had a positive attitude towards VL, as the majority of them (more than 70.0%) agreed that VL causes health problems in local populations and local communities should be actively involved in the fight against VL. Also, the majority of participants agreed that VL is a treatable disease. Regarding the practice towards VL, 110 (90.9%) participants had taken preventive measures against sand fly bites. The majority of respondents (44.6%) chose cleanliness as a preventive measure. The main sources of information that participants used to learn about the disease were the Internet (57.0%) and television (19.8%).

CONCLUSION

Overall, participants had good knowledge, positive attitudes, and good practice when it came to VL prevention. However, there were also some gaps. Hence, it is recommended that knowledge-based strategies be strengthened and implemented consistently to raise awareness among residents in the region.

Innovative modern bio-preservation module of meat by lytic bacteriophages against emergent contaminants

Meat is a perishable product that has a short shelf life and can be ruined easily if the proper preservation measures are not employed. It is difficult to control all potential sources of microbial contamination due to the complexity of the habitats present during the pre-harvest, harvest, and post-harvest stages of the food supply chain. This is due to the fact that contamination can occur at any stage. As a consequence of this, the food industry is perpetually at risk of being tainted by microorganisms, notwithstanding the progress that has been made in contemporary technology. Antibiotic usage has exacerbated the problem, leading to the emergence of infections transmitted by antibiotic-resistant foods. It's critical to work on novel ways to reduce microbial contamination in meat and in the meat processing environment. Therefore, to assure the wholesomeness of the finished product, several control procedures must be adopted throughout the food manufacturing and processing chain. Because of this, bacteriophages and the derivatives of these viruses have arisen as an innovative, significant, and risk-free option for the prevention, treatment, and/or elimination of such pollutants in a variety of foodstuff handling environments. So, the focus of this review was on the future potential of integrated phage, modified phage, and their derivatives as antimicrobials in the traditional farm-to-table setting, which encompasses areas like primary production, post-harvest processing, bio-sanitation, and bio-detection. In addition to presenting certain safety concerns. Also, this paper discusses how to assure the safe and successful use of bacteriophages in the future.

Drug resistance and virulence traits of Acinetobacter baumannii from Turkey and chicken raw meat

Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is a miscellaneous bacterium with ability of extensive antibiotic resistance. A. baumannii strains have also been isolated from animal origins. The objective of our atudy was characterization of A. baumannii antibiotic resistance and virulence traits from turkey and chicken raw meat. Of 576 turkey and 424 chicken specimens during 2017-2019, 200 (120 from turkey and 80 from chicken) isolates were identified as A. baumannii. Virulence factors and antibiotic resistance patterns of A. baumannii were determined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique and Kirby-Bauer test. All the isolates were resistant to tetracycline and cefoxitin and 81 % and 56 % of them produced ESBLs and carbapenemases. Also 74 % of them (34 % from chicken and 40 % from turkey) were multidrug-resistant (MDR) A. baumannii. Colistin and fosfomycin non-susceptibility was detected among 12 % and 10 % of them, respectively. The existence of tetA, dfrA, tetB, bla_oxa-51-like, bla_oxa-23-like, sul1, bla_oxa-24-like, bla_oxa-58-like, fosA3 and mcr-1 genes accounted for 80 %, 71 %, 70.5 %, 66 %, 62 %, 43 %, 34 %, 22 %, 11 % and 13 % of them, repectively. Additionally, predominant virulence factors included the fimH, afa/draBC, sfa/foc DE, cnfI and cnf2 genes. The rate of antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factors was not significantly different between turkey and chicken (p > 0.05). High rate of antibiotic non-susceptibility even against last-line resorts in poultry products is a concern and suggest that animals play a potential role as reservoirs of transmission of MDR A. baumannii.

Prevalence Rate, Antibiotic Resistance and Biotyping of Thermotolerant Campylobacter Isolated from Poultry Products Vended in Wasit Markets

Campylobacter is a public cause of globally identified human gastrointestinal disease. Nonetheless, in Iraq many sides of the epidemiology of campylobacteriosis and its impact on public health remain poorly understood. Hence, this study was taken to offer reference information on the prevalence rate, sensitivity to antibiotics and biotyping of Campylobacter in poultry products sold in the Wasit markets. A total of 85 samples were collected including chicken (n = 45) and turkey (n =40) meat were surveyed for isolation and identification. Thermotolerant Campylobacter was detected in 54 samples by which Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) was recognized as a main species accounting for 37(68.5%),while Campylobacter coli (C. coli) had 17 (31.5%) of the positive samples. Highest resistance was perceived to oxacillin and tetracycline as (94.4% and 85.2%), respectively. While lowest rate of resistance, 29.6% was detected against gentamicin. Campylobacter coli isolates showed higher resistance rate than C. jejuni isolates towards the selected antibiotics. In addition, multiple drug resistance (MDR) to at least three antibiotics was detected in the vast majority (90.7%) of the experienced isolates. Forty- three (79.6%) of the isolates had multiple antibiotic resistance index (MAR-index) 0.4 and above. Results of biotyping showed that biotype I was the predominant biotype in the two species as 70.2 and 76.5 proportions in C. jejuni and C. coli, respectively. Our results proposed that the presence of Campylobacter in poultry with greater resistance to erythromycin and/ or ciprofloxacin triggers the public health alarm and accentuates the education of consumers on the quality and safety of such foods.

Detection of methicillin or multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in locally produced raw milk and soft cheese in Baghdad markets

In order to investigate the presence of methicillin or multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureusin food-chain especially Cows raw milk and white raw soft cheese and its whey, a total of 30 samples were collected randomly from different markets in Baghdad Province during December 2012 till February 2013, in which samples were analyzed by a standard isolation protocols of food microbiology with some modification processing by new, modern and rapid technology tools such as chromogenic medium Baird-Parker agar, Electronic RapIDTM Staph Plus Code Compendium Panel System (ERIC®) Dryspot Staphytect Plus and Penicillin Binding Protein (PBP2') Plus assays; as well as, studying the susceptibility of isolates to different selected antibiotics. The results profile showed isolation, identification, confirmation and enumeration of 10 (33.4%) isolates of MRSA as 4 (13.4%) isolates from raw milk and 6 (20%) isolates from white raw soft cheese with its whey. These findings suggest presence of MRSA type in locally produced raw milk and soft cheeses in Baghdad markets thus recommended to monitoring these products periodically to inshore public health.