A review of significant aspects contributing to curriculum development

Curriculum is an essentially signified foundation of an academic arena. The master key of the treasure curriculum is anchored in its development. The basic and progressive aspects are the prominent spectrums of curriculum in navigating the stakeholders. Empowerment of curriculum by augmenting its development has been a topic of ongoing discussion in the enrichment of the educational field. By reviewing selected past and present relevant articles, this review article is aimed to provoke and fortify insights for the due perfection, systematization, and standardization in the futuristic aspects towards curriculum development. This is a sincere effort to present the versatile role of the concept of curriculum development and validate its significant aspects by keeping the various stakeholders in mind. It is hoped that this article would help motivate elder and newer generations of curriculum developers, academicians and researchers for expounding the process, for recognizing the intrinsic and upcoming challenges in the field of curriculum development for recognizing needs to refresh, update technology and upgrade pedagogics, for standardizing curriculum at the global application and for instigating an urge to research various aspects of this topic to bring in the due change, advancement and standardization.

Percepciones de mujeres rurales de una comunidad peruana acerca de su desempeño con cocinas mejoradas / Perceptions of rural females on their performance with upgraded stoves in a Peruvian community

Introducción: en la mayoría de los hogares rurales en Perú se usan cocinas tradicionales que emplean combustible productores de humo, contaminante del ambiente con afectaciones en la salud. El control de la contaminación del aire en viviendas rurales está siendo atendido con la implementación de proyectos de cocinas mejoradas. Objetivos: analizar las percepciones de las mujeres acerca del uso de la cocina mejorada y sus beneficios en salud. Métodos: investigación cualitativa realizada en cinco comunidades del municipio de San Jerónimo, Apurímac, Perú, 2009. Se seleccionaron 20 madres activas en eventos a favor de las cocinas mejoradas. Se utilizó una guía de observación, entrevistas en profundidad y grupos focales. Resultados: las condiciones físicas de la vivienda y las prácticas en el manejo de las cocinas mejoradas perpetuaron la contaminación del aire interior. Las motivaciones de las mujeres para usar estas cocinas se relacionaron con el ahorro de tiempo y de leña. Reconocieron la presencia de menos humo y mejoría en malestares oculares, tos y gripe, pero no los incluyeron entre las razones para continuar con el uso de estas cocinas. Conclusiones: la percepción de las mujeres es favorable en aspectos que concierne a la esfera económica. Perciben de forma limitada la vinculación entre el poco humo y la mejoría en problemas de salud con los beneficios que les brinda las cocinas mejoradas. La implementación de proyectos sobre estas cocinas debe contemplar la inclusión de temas sobre capacitación y buenas prácticas en salud para que sea un eficiente y participativo proyecto de salud(AU)

Introduction: most of the rural households in Peru have traditional stoves using smoke-producing fuels that cause air pollution with the resulting health effects. The indoor air pollution in rural households is being managed with the implementation of the upgraded stove program. Objectives: to analyze women's perceptions about the use of upgraded stoves and their health benefits. Methods: qualitative research study conducted in five communities of San Jeronimo municipality in Apurimac, Peru in 2009. Twenty active mothers in favor of upgraded stoves were selected. An observational guide, in-depth interviews and focal groups were all used. Results: the physical conditions of dwellings and the practice in handling the upgraded stoves perpetuated the indoor air pollution. The incentives to use this type of stoves were linked to time and firewood saving. They admitted that there was less smoke around and their eye problems, cough and cold had reduced, but they did not include these benefits in the reasons offered to continue using these stoves. Conclusions: the female perceptions are favorable as to the economic advantages, but they perceive in a restricted way the relationship between reduced volumes of smoke and health improvement due to the benefits of the upgraded stoves. Therefore, the implementation of stove upgrading programs should take into account topics on training and good practice in health so that they can turn into efficient participatory health projects(AU)

Medical education for company employees by Osaka University: / 医学教育

Background: A nonprofit organization―the Supporting Center for Clinical Research and Education—has outsourced medical education to the Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine. The main targets of this education are researchers and developers in pharmaceutical and medical-equipment companies.<br>Method: Since 2004, the Supporting Center for Clinical Research and Education has provided short, intensive seminars on 25 subjects to 214 company employees. The key components of the seminars are lectures, practice, case conferences, interviews with patients, and comprehensive discussions.<br>Results: After each seminar was completed, it was evaluated with questionnaires filled out by participants. Participants expressed high levels of satisfaction with all components of the seminars, with interviews with patients being the most highly rated.<br>Conclusions: Medical educational activities for company employees have increased in recent years. These seminars are intended to provide short, intensive, small-group instruction to researchers and developers in pharmaceutical and medical-equipment companies with a goal of patient-centered medical practice based on a proper understanding of the actual condition of patients.

Un nuevo caso de sensibilización a reveladores de fotografía / A new case of sensitization to photo developers

Las dermatosis ocupacionales en trabajadores de fotografía son poco frecuentes en la actualidad. Los alergenos habituales son los reveladores de color CD-2, CD-3 y CD-4. Dichos productos pueden producir erupciones liquenoides y eczematosas. El caso que presentamos es el de un paciente varón de 35 años, trabajador de una empresa de revelados de fotografía desde hacía dos años. En el momento de la consulta presentaba lesiones eczematosas que afectaban mano derecha y ambos miembros superiores con intenso prurito. Se realizaron pruebas epicutáneas, con batería estándar del Grupo Español Internacional de Dermatitis de Contacto (GEIDC) y específica para fotografía, observándose resultados muy positivos para los reveladores de color CD-2, CD-3, CD-4 y TSS (4-amino-N, N-dietilalinina sulfato), así como moderado para hidroxilamonio. El tratamiento consistió en corticoides por vía oral y tópica, así como el cese de la actividad laboral relacionada con el contacto con dichas sustancias, lo que permitió la resolución completa de las lesiones cutáneas sin recidiva.

Occupational dermatitis in photography workers are quite rare nowadays. Common allergens are colour developers CD-2, CD-3 and CD-4. These products can cause lichenoid and eczematous eruptions. We present the case of a 35 year old male patient, who had been working in a photography development company for two years. At the time of the consult the patient presented eczemaous lesions involving the right hand and both arms with intense itching. Epicutaneous patch tests were performed with standard battery from the Spanish Group International Contact Dermatitis (GEIDC) and specifi c battery for photography, showing intense positive results for colour developers CD-2, CD-3, CD-4 and TSS (4-amino-N, N-dietilalinina sulfate), as well as moderate positive result to hydroxyl ammonia. Treatment consisted of oral and topic corticotherapy and the cessation of any work related to the contact with these substances, which allowed complete resolution of skin lesions without recurrence.