Subcutaneous radiofrequency: prospective pilot study on safety and efficacy in face chrono-ageing treatment

Objective: to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerance of the face aging treatment using subcutaneous radiofrequency in patients with mild, moderate e severe ptosis of the middle face. Material and methods: prospective data from patients treated with subcutaneous radiofrequency. Patients underwent two treatment session carried out by the same surgeon. The principal efficacy criterion was the assessment of depth reduction of the naso-labial fold and malar prominence’s restoration after 3 and 6 months, the evaluation of the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale by the patients and an outside procedure surgeon was the second criteria. Safety and tolerance were evaluated through observed side effects. Result: A total of 30 patients, 27 women and 3 men with a mean age of 53 years underwent subcutaneous radiofrequency procedure. Depth’s reduction of the naso-labial fold and malar prominence’s restoration was observed in the majority of all case, associated to the patient e medical satisfaction. Transitory adverse effects, commonly for cosmetic procedure e.g erythema, edema was not observed. One patient had post procedure hematoma. No serious adverse effects such as burning or scars were reported. Conclusion: This prospective pilot data confirmed that subcutaneous radiofrequency is a safe and effective in improvement in skin laxity. Patients’ satisfaction was high. Although this treatment cannot substitute surgical procedure, it might prolong the time to the first surgical facial lift. Further confirmation investigation should be performed.

Effect of Instructional Leadership, Principal Efficacy, Teacher Efficacy and School Climate on Students’ Academic Achievements

This study is aimed to identify the influence of instructional leadership, principal’s efficacy, teachers’ efficacy and school climate on the academic achievement of national secondary school students in the Sri Aman Division, Sarawak. The respondents of the study consisted of 186 teachers in 7 National Secondary Schools (NSS) in Sri Aman, Sarawak. This study used a quantitative method that is a cross-sectional approach for data collection purposes. Respondents responded using a questionnaire. The SmartPLS 3.0 path modelling software of the route model was used for PLS-SEM analysis. The results of the PLS-SEM analysis found that the instructional leadership of principals, efficacy of principals, efficacy of teachers and school climate have significant relationships with students' academic achievement in the 7 National Secondary Schools (NSS) in Sri Aman, Sarawak. This proves that these four variables have a strong influence on students' academic achievement and are predictors of students’ academic achievement performance at national secondary schools in the Sri Aman Division. However, teachers’ experience as a moderating factor was found to not affect the independent variables against the dependent variable. Finally, a comprehensive analysis on the implications of the study was carried out so that it can contribute to the scientific field of research in education.

Principal Efficacy: Implications for Rural 'Grow Your Own' Leadership Programs

Although "grow your own" principal preparation programs have become a popular method for recruiting and selecting administrator candidates for hard to fill positions in both urban and rural schools, “grow your own” prinicpal candidates in rural contexts may be more vulnerable to the phenomenon of loss of self-efficacy. This study suggests that conditions related to candidate recruitment, social isolation, changing relationships with former colleagues, and lack of mentoring support can negatively affect aspiring principals’ beliefs and ultimately actions in leading rural schools. This study examines the loss of self-efficacy phenomenon, and suggests how university /school district partnerships might work to develop effective recruitment, support, and mentoring practices for rural 'grow your own' candidates.