A proposal for professional preparation in college student personnel work for western Canada

Purpose of the Study: Fundamental to the issue of a proposal for professional preparation in college student personnel work for Western Canada is: What are the training experiences that will constitute an adequate preparation for persons performing student personnel functions in two-year postsecondary institutions in Western Canada? There is a need for research regarding training programs in student personnel work for Western Canada. Consequently the purpose of this research was to: 1. List and analyze the functions and programs considered essential by the majority of the respondents for a comprehensive training curriculum in student personnel work for Western Canada. 2. Make recommendations for a training program that would be based on the respondents' consideration of the essential functions of student personnel work and essential courses in the training program for student personnel workers. 3. Make recommendations to a planning committee at a university in Western Canada recently preparing to establish a Masters training program for college student personnel workers. The Procedures: A mailed survey questionnaire with a one to five Likert scale was used to gather data. The population of the study utilized 53 post-secondary institutions in Western Canada. The sample for the study consisted of presidents, directors of student services, admissions officers, head counselors, financial aid officers, and coordinators of student activities. Of the 2,10 questionnaires sent out, 120 (57 percent) responses were received. The analysis of variance test was used to analyze the difference among the mean scores for each of the training program statements, with the 0.05 level of significance being used to determine differences existing among the six groups. A test of least significant difference was used to determine whether significant differences existed between means of the statements which were rejected in the analysis of variance test. Selected Findings: The numbers and percentages provided by respondents when ranked indicated the student services functions considered valuable and the courses desired in training programs for college student personnel work. The questionnaire also established a need for a training program in student personnel work and the philosophical basis of the respondents in Western Canada. The analysis of variance test indicated that the six groups were alike in their responses to the functions and training program statements. Selected Conclusions The respondents appeared to favor a training program in college student personnel work which was characterized by a strong orientation to counseling, student personnel work, internships, student counseling practica, and practicum in student personnel work. The respondents also gave emphasis to special characteristics and needs of the two-year post-secondary students such as: lifestyle and career development, groups, adult education, study of college students, tests and measures, and appraisal of the individual. The training programs selected by the respondents could be considered to be a model for individuals interested in a career in student personnel work in post-secondary institutions in Western Canada. The investigation suggests that time is rapidly approaching for a leading university in Western Canada to establish a training program in college student personnel work

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) in building materials industry

Environmental issues are becoming more relevant nowadays. The industry is developing and this leads to intensive consumption of natural resources. This fact should make manufacturers think about optimization of the production. The knowledge of life cycle of products to be produced may help to optimize different stages of production. The life cycle assessment (LCA) is a useful tool to reveal information about products in many fields of human activity, and, specifically, in building materials industry. When life-cycle data is available, there appears an opportunity to make relevant changes in the way of extraction, manufacturing, installation and maintenance of products, and, in the end, disposal, recycling or reuse. The paper is concerned with the theoretical aspects of life cycle assessment application in industry of building materials and provides general information on what the LCA is, its origin and development, and possibilities for application

Indigenous perspectives on wellness and health in Canada: study protocol for a scoping review

Abstract Background Indigenous communities are often portrayed from a deficit-based lens; however, Indigenous communities have self-determined perspectives of health and well-being that are strength based. The objective of this study will be to systematically map the literature on perspectives, concepts, and constructs of wellness and well-being in Indigenous communities in Canada. Methods A scoping review protocol was designed following the Arksey and O’Malley framework. We will search the following electronic databases (from inception onwards): MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL, Academic Search Complete, Anthropology Plus, Bibliography of Native North Americans, Canadian Business and Current Affairs, and Circumpolar Health Bibliographic Database. Grey literature will be identified through searching dissertation databases, Google Scholar, and conference abstracts. We will include all types of literature in English, published and unpublished, including any study design, reviews and meta-analyses, dissertations, reports, and books. The literature considered should describe or reflect Indigenous perspectives that identify concepts or constructs related to well-being or wellness; literature can be from any setting in Canada. Two reviewers will independently screen all citations, full-text reports, and abstract data. Data analysis will involve quantitative descriptions (e.g. frequencies) and qualitative content analysis methods. Discussion This review will provide a synthesis of the literature on Indigenous perspectives, concepts, and constructs of wellness and well-being in Canada. We anticipate the study will contribute to improve our understanding of how Indigenous communities conceptualize and embody wellness. Our findings will provide a basis for engaging Indigenous stakeholders in future health research and informing future interpretations of how wellness is conceptualized, whether written or unwritten

Impact of the adjuvant management and risk factors on survival in FIGO stage 3 endometrial cancer patients

ObjectivePatients with FIGO stage III endometrial cancer routinely receive adjuvant therapy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with stage IIIA to IIIC2 patients by treatment modality received and risk factors.Materials/methodsPatients with stage III endometrial cancer treated from 2000-2010 were identified in the provincial cancer registry. Clinicopathologic characteristics, adjuvant treatments and outcomes were compared using descriptive and multivariable analyses.Results261 patients had stage 3 endometrial cancer, 132 with stage IIIA, 9 with IIIB, 85 with IIIC1 and 35 with IIIC2. 39 had FIGO grade 1 disease; 73, grade 2; 147, grade 3. 160 had endometrioid and 35 had serous carcinoma. 161 patients received sequential adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) and radiotherapy (RT); 33 received RT only; 32 received CT only; 35 received neither. 5-year (5Y) DFS and OS were similar among stage IIIA (DFS 46.7%, OS 58.5%), IIIB (DFS 50.8%, OS 58.5%), IIIC1 (DFS 44%, OS 49.9%) and IIIC2 (DFS 42%, OS 41.6%). Use of adjuvant RT was associated with improved median DFS (53.7 vs 14.7m, p<0.00001) and OS (61.9 vs 25.7m, p<0.00001) compared to no RT. Likewise, use of adjuvant CT was also associated with improved DFS (54.8 vs 16.5m, p<0.00001) and OS (62.9 vs 26.5m, p<0.00001) compared to no CT. Those who received both chemotherapy and radiotherapy had better outcomes with 5-year DFS (58.3%) and OS (65.2%), compared with those who received monotherapy. On multivariate analysis, grade 3 disease, deep myometrial invasion >50%, and no adjuvant RT or CT were identified as adversely impacting DFS and OS.ConclusionIn stage III endometrial cancer patients, use of both chemotherapy and radiation therapy was associated with improved DFS and OS and therefore should be recommended in all eligible patients after resection

Morphological features in a Xhosa schizophrenia population

BACKGROUND: Demonstrating an association between physical malformation and schizophrenia could be considered supportive of a neurodevelopmental origin of schizophrenia and may offer insights into a critical period for the development of this illness. The aim of our study was to investigate whether differences in the presence of minor physical anomalies could be demonstrated between schizophrenia sufferers and normal controls in a Xhosa population with a view to identifying a means of subtyping schizophrenia for use in future genetic studies. METHODS: Sixty-three subjects with schizophrenia (21 sibling pairs, 1 sibship of four and a group of probands with an affected non-participating sibling (n = 17)), 81 normal controls (37 singletons and 22 sibling pairs) of Xhosa ethnicity were recruited. Each participant was then examined for minor physical anomalies using the Modified Waldrop scale. The relationship between each of the morphological features and the presence of an affected sib was examined using the Chi-squared test, followed by an intra-pair concordance analysis in the sibling pairs. RESULTS: Gap between first and second toes was significantly more common in the affected sib pair group when compared to the non-affected sib pair group (p = 0.019) and non-affected singleton control group (p = 0.013). Concordance analysis also revealed increased concordance for this item in the affected sib pair group. CONCLUSION: These findings offer an intriguing possibility that in the Xhosa population, affected sib pair status may be linked to a neurodevelopmental insult during a specific period of the fetal developmental

Concepts of wellness: a protocol for a scoping review of Indigenous perspectives on wellness in Canada Files Wiki Analytics Registrations Contributors Add-ons Settings Concepts of wellness: a protocol for a scoping review of Indigenous perspectives on wellness in Canada

Indigenous communities are often portrayed from a deficit-based lens, however, many Indigenous communities have self-determined perspectives of health and well-being that are strength-based. The objective of our scoping review is to gain an understanding of Canadian Indigenous perspectives of concepts of well-being in the written word. Key descriptive variables of interest for inquiry related to Canadian Indigenous well-being. We hope to deepen our understanding of how Indigenous communities define wellness and well-being