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Inclusiveness of Access Policies to Maternity Care for Migrant Women Across Europe: A Policy Review
Get PDFYesIntroduction Despite the interconnectedness of the European Union, there are significant variations in pregnant women’s
legal status as migrants and therefore their ability to access maternity care. Limited access to maternity care can lead to
higher morbidity and mortality rates in migrant women and their babies. This study aimed to investigate and compare maternal health access policies and the context in which they operate across European countries for women who have migrated
and are not considered citizens of the host country.
Methods The study adopted a mixed-methods research design exploring policies on migrant women’s access to maternity
care across the migration regimes. Data were extracted from legal documents and research reports to construct a new typology to identify the inclusiveness of policies determining access to maternity care for migrant women.
Results This study found inconsistency in the categorisation of migrants across countries and significant disparities in access
to maternity care for migrant women within and between European countries. A lack of connection between access policies
and migration regimes, along with a lack of fit between policies and public support for migration suggests a low level of path
dependency and leaves space for policy innovation.
Discussion Inequities and inconsistencies in policies across European countries affect non-citizen migrant women’s access
to maternity care. These policies act to reproduce structural inequalities which compromise the health of vulnerable women
and newborns in reception countries. There is an urgent need to address this inequity, which discriminates against these
already marginalised women.This article is based upon work from COST Action IS1405 BIRTH: “Building Intrapartum Research Through Health—An interdisciplinary whole system approach to understanding and contextualising physiological labour and birth” (http://www.cost.eu/COST_Actions/isch/IS1405), supported by EU COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). The work of Alena Pařízková was supported by project Migration and maternal health: pregnancy, birth and early parenting (The Czech Science Foundation, grant 16-10953S). Open access publishing supported by the National Technical Library in Prague
Investigation on flexural behavior of steel-UHPC composite beams with steel shear keys
No full textYesTo investigate the flexural performance of steel-UHPC (ultra-high performance concrete) composite beams with welded steel shear keys (SSK), eight specimens were experimental studied by four-point bending test. The finite element (FE) models were established based on the experimental results, then, the failure mode, load, deflection, strain and relative interface slip were parametric analyzed. The influences of strength, dimensions and configuration of upper concrete slab, steel beams as well as SSK on flexural performance, in terms of load-deflection response, ductility and ultimate energy dissipation, were studied. The experimental results show that steel-UHPC composite beams have superior bearing capacity, deformation capacity, ductility and energy dissipation ability when compared with steel-NSC (normal strength concrete) composite counterparts. Increasing the height of upper concrete slab has a significant effect on improving bending capacity and flexural stiffness, while increasing the width has a significant effect on enhancing deformation, ductility and ultimate energy dissipation. Increasing the yield strength, thickness of web and flange of steel beams has significant effect on improving bending capacity. Reducing the SSK spacing or increasing the yield strength of SSK, height and thickness slightly improve the cracking, yield and ultimate loads, reduce deflections, enhance the flexural stiffness, slightly weakens the ductility and ultimate energy dissipation. Besides, four types of failure modes were defined, based on reasonable assumptions, formulae for bearing capacity were proposed, and the predicted results fit well with experimental results. The results can be taken as reference for the design and application of steel-UHPC composite beams in long-span and heavy-load structures.Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China (BK20201436), High-End Foreign Experts Project of Ministry of Science and Technology, China (G2022014054L), Science and Technology Project of Jiangsu Construction System (2021ZD06, 2018ZD047), Science and Technology Cooperation Fund Project of Yangzhou City and Yangzhou University (YZU212105, YZ2022194), Science and Technology Project of Yangzhou Construction System (202309, 202312, 202204)
Staff experiences of integrating community and secondary care musculoskeletal services: A qualitative investigation
Get PDFYesIntegrated models of care intend to provide seamless and timely access to health and social care services. This study investigated the integration of musculoskeletal services across community and secondary care boundaries, including the introduction of a single point of access from which patients were triaged.
Staff (n = 15) involved in service development and delivery were interviewed about how, why and to what extent integration impacted service delivery. The analysis focused on staff experiences of using an on-line patient self-referral form and co-located clinics to enhance decision-making in triage, and on the provision of educational materials and de-medicalising language in patient consultations to support self-management.
Single point of access, including online self-referral, were operationalised during data collection, but co-located clinics were not. Triage staff explained that the volume of referrals and quality of information provided in online self-referrals sometimes constrained decision-making in triage. Secondary care staff discussed concerns that the single point of access might not consistently identify patients with hard to diagnose conditions that require timely surgical intervention. This concern appeared to constrain staff engagement with integration, potentially inhibiting the delivery of co-located clinics. However, triage staff accessed support to inform secondary care referral via alternate modes. Patient circumstances, for example, need for reassurance, necessitated multiple self-management strategies and innovative approaches were developed to provide patients ongoing and professionally led support.
Findings emphasise that restructuring services requires engagement from diverse stakeholders. Collaborating with stakeholders to address their concerns about the impact of restructures on well-established pathways may help cultivate this engagement.Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trus
We lost a lot, but something good came out of it too': Exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental wellbeing of British Muslim Pakistani women with family responsibilities
Get PDFYesThe COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions caused major disruption globally, shedding light on the unprecedented strain upon the mental health and wellbeing of individuals around the world. Poor mental health in the pandemic is reported to be greater in women, with mothers being at increased risk. It is unclear whether there are differences in the impact of mental wellbeing on some ethnic groups over others. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of British Muslim Pakistani women with family responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, two years on from the first lockdown.
Methods
Qualitative interviews with women were conducted via telephone using a semi-structured topic guide. The sample included 25 British Muslim Pakistani women with family responsibilities, both English and non-English speaking. Women lived in households that ranged in number and included extended family. Key themes were determined using thematic analysis.
Results
Results were grouped under three themes. These were (1) Community, cultural and religious contributors to poor mental wellbeing, (2) religious and cultural mediators of mental distress, and (3) perceived positive impact on lifestyle. British Muslim Pakistani women were psychologically distressed by the high rates of virus transmission and deaths in their communities and at the prospect of older members of their extended family developing the virus. The impact of restrictions on fundamental religious and cultural interactions further exacerbated poor mental wellbeing in this population. Religion, community social capital and larger household structures were all effective coping strategies for British Muslim Pakistani women. Positive impacts of the pandemic included becoming closer to family and faith, and increased work/life harmony.
Conclusions
An exploration of religious and cultural coping mechanisms should be used to inform future national pandemic preparedness plans, as well as effective strategies for building and maintaining social capital. This may increase adherence to physical distancing and other protective behaviours in populations.Department of Health, United Kingdom, NIHR20016
Managing Municipal Solid Waste: Perspectives from West Africa
No full textYesThis paper is a comparative analysis of Municipal Solid Waste Management in West Africa focusing on Ghana, Mali and Nigeria. The paper offers a rich discussion on Municipal Solid Waste, (hereinafter referred to as MSW), its negative impacts, possible benefits and missed opportunities due to mismanagement of the same. The discussion focuses on both international and domestic legislation of the case study states on MSW and the right to environment. Inevitably, this extends to policy considerations in as far as they impact on MSW management, and to recommendations intended to enable the case study states realise the benefits of a proper MSW management system that is in line with global standards and the right to clean and healthy environment
Flow turbulence presented by different vegetation spacing sizes within a submerged vegetation patch
No full textYesThis study presents results from a vegetation-induced flow experimental study which investigates 3-D turbulence structure
profiles, including Reynolds stress, turbulence intensity and bursting analysis of open channel flow. Different vegetation densities have
been built between the adjacent vegetations, and the flow measurements are taken using acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV) at the
locations within and downstream of the vegetation panel. Three different tests are conducted, where the first test has compact
vegetations, while the second and the third tests have open spaces created by one and two empty vegetation slots within the vegetated
field. Observation reveals that over 10% of eddies size is generated within the vegetated zone of compact vegetations as compared with
the fewer vegetations. Significant turbulence structures variation is also observed at the points in the non-vegetated row. The findings
from burst-cycle analysis show that the sweep and outward interaction events are dominant, where they further increase away from the
bed. The effect of vegetation on the turbulent burst cycle is mostly obvious up to approximately two-third of vegetation height where
this phenomenon is also observed for most other turbulent structure
Unveiling the therapeutic potential: Evaluation of anti-inflammatory and antineoplastic activity of Magnolia champaca Linn’s stem bark isolate through molecular docking insights
Get PDFYesMagnolia champaca Linn. has traditionally been used for medicinal activity in Asia for treating various chronic diseases as well as a source of food, medicines, and other commodities. Due to the long-used history of this plant, the present study was designed to explore the in vitro, in vivo and in silico anti-inflammatory and antineoplastic properties of the methanolic extract and fractions and the pure compound isolated from the most active chloroform fraction (CHF) of the stem bark of the plant. The isolated compound from the most active CHF was characterized and identified as a glycoside, trans-syringin, through chromatographic and spectroscopic (1H-NMR and 13C-NMR) analyses. In the in vitro anti-inflammatory assay, CHF was most effective in inhibiting inflammation and hemolysis of RBCs by 73.91 ± 1.70% and 75.92 ± 0.14%, respectively, induced by heat and hypotonicity compared to standard acetylsalicylic acid. In the egg albumin denaturation assay, CME and CHF showed the highest inhibition by 56.25 ± 0.82% and 65.82 ± 3.52%, respectively, contrasted with acetylsalicylic acid by 80.14 ± 2.44%. In an in vivo anti-inflammatory assay, statistically significant (p < 0.05) decreases in the parameters of inflammation, such as paw edema, leukocyte migration and vascular permeability, were recorded in a dose-dependent manner in the treated groups. In the antineoplastic assay, 45.26 ± 2.24% and 68.31 ± 3.26% inhibition of tumor cell growth for pure compound were observed compared to 73.26 ± 3.41% for standard vincristine. Apoptotic morphologic alterations, such as membrane and nuclear condensation and fragmentation, were also found in EAC cells after treatment with the isolated bioactive pure compound. Such treatment also reversed the increased WBC count and decreased RBC count to normal values compared to the untreated EAC cell-bearing mice and the standard vincristine-treated mice. Subsequently, in silico molecular docking studies substantiated the current findings, and the isolated pure compound and standard vincristine exhibited −6.4 kcal/mol and −7.3 kcal/mol binding affinities with topoisomerase-II. Additionally, isolated pure compound and standard diclofenac showed −8.2 kcal/mol and −7.6 kcal/mol binding affinities with the COX-2 enzyme, respectively. The analysis of this research suggests that the isolated bioactive pure compound possesses moderate to potent anti-inflammatory and antineoplastic activity and justifies the traditional uses of the stem bark of M. champaca. However, further investigations are necessary to analyze its bioactivity, proper mechanism of action and clinical trials for the revelation of new drug formulations
Geophysical investigations within the Latus Dextrum of Porolissum Fort, Northwestern Romania - The layout of a Roman edifice
Get PDFYesThis paper summarizes the results of a recent geophysical investigation carried out at Porolissum, which is considered to be one of the most significant Roman sites in Romania. The geophysical survey was carried out within the latus dextrum of the fort, which is the same location that had been the subject of earlier geophysical surveys as well as older archaeological excavations (1970s) that had uncovered a multiroom building. A cesium vapor total field magnetometer and a multi-electrode resistivity meter for a dense Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) survey were used. Eighty parallel ERT profiles in combination with the emerging total field magnetic data and an antecedent magnetic survey allowed us to complete a more precise interpretation regarding the building that once existed on the left side of Porolissum’s Principia (the commander’s house). In contrast to the magnetic survey, which only reveals a part of the building’s architecture, the ERT survey provides a comprehensive view of the structure’s layout. More than 20 rooms could be positively identified, and the existence of further rooms might be deduced from the data. The ERT scan revealed the existence of the building’s northern external wall as well, which is not reflected on the magnetic map. Because some parts of the building are not visible on the magnetic map, we can assume that the building was constructed with at least two types of rocks (magmatic and sedimentary). In addition to the archaeological interpretation of the geophysical anomalies, a number of discussions concerning the connection between our survey and the geology of the area were held. The complementarity of the magnetic and resistivity results prompted us to conceive a preliminary 3D reconstruction of the building. Even if the building function is unknown in the absence of reliable archaeological data, it could have been a storage building, a second praetorium, a valetudinarium (hospital), or an armamentarium (weapons storage building). The illustrative reconstruction was completed taking into consideration that the building was a Roman military hospital, which, based on the available data, may be considered a credible assumption
Carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis for dietary reconstruction and carbon and nitrogen incremental dentine analysis
No full textYesIn 2015, a previously unknown enclosed
settlement and burial ground was found
near the summit of a low hill in Ranelagh
townland, just north of Roscommon town.
The site—officially designated Ranelagh
1, and hereafter referred to variously as
‘the Ranelagh site’, ‘the site at Ranelagh’ or
simply ‘Ranelagh’—was excavated over a
54-week period by Excavation Director Shane
Delaney for Irish Archaeological Consultancy
(IAC) Ltd between October 2015 and October
20161
. Excavations revealed that the site was
established during the fourth century AD;
for over 1,000 years, until the final phase of
burial activity proper concluded there shortly
after AD 1400, the site would have been a
prominent feature in both the geographical
and psychological landscape of the time.
Cillín (children’s) burials continued at the
site until about AD 1650, further asserting
this prominence
Competence and enterprise of management as drivers of early foreign listing of medium-sized emerging market multinationals (EMNEs) from Africa
Get PDFYesEMNEs from Africa are missing in global places and spaces, and Africapitalism is also
meagrely represented within the capillaries of international investments, relative to the
opportunities offered by globalisation and Africa’s rich natural resource endowment. Using the
Penrosian MNE growth theory, we investigate how African firms' managerial competence and
entrepreneurial behaviours can be enhanced by engaging foreign executive directors during pre,
early and post-internationalisation. We conduct our analysis by using data from 157 companies
domiciled in 17 African countries. Our results show that whilst access to liquidity, foreign
managerial know-how, and experience are key drivers of early foreign listing of African
EMNEs, these factors have less effect on corporate outcomes during the 3rd and 5th year without
the moderating effect of foreign executive directors. We contribute to the international business and international entrepreneurship literature by showing that African EMNEs can succeed in
global spaces if they leverage the expertise of foreign executive directors as they bring idiosyncratic industry and market knowledge during early internationalisation. EMNEs
intending to internationalise must use a polycentric governing board structure to reflect the intended destination country. Our results imply that early listing on the international stock markets is among the key strategies latecomers use to enter a global game they are just learning
to play