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Influence of cultural beliefs and parental feeding practices on obesity among primary schoolchildren aged 6-12 in Ghana: a qualitative study
No full textAbstractChildhood obesity has become a global public health challenge and as such has attracted worldwide attention due to its negative impact on children’s health. Despite its diverse determinants, there is a paucity of information on cultural beliefs and parental feeding practices related to childhood obesity in Ghana. This study aimed to explore the influence of cultural beliefs and parental feeding practices on obesity among schoolchildren in Ghana.Background: Childhood obesity is a global public health concern, drawing widespread attention for its negative impact on children’s health. While the determinants are multifaceted, limited information exists on the impact of cultural beliefs and parental feeding practices in the context of childhood obesity in Ghana. The primary objective of this exploratory study was to investigate the influence of cultural beliefs and parental feeding practices on obesity among schoolchildren in Ghana.Method: Data for the study were collected through an online interview and focus group discussion from a purposively sampled 60 respondents. An audio recording device was used to compile information shared with respondents during the interview and focus group discussion, both held remotely over the internet. Following Braun and Clarke’s procedure for analysing data, audio-recorded information was transcribed verbatim using Microsoft Word. Vital information to address research questions was assigned codes for collation. Similar codes were collated to form subthemes and major themes which aligned with the Attride-Stirling transcription approach of thematic analysis.Findings: Four themes emerged from data analysis: parental beliefs and perception of weight and feeding practices; evolving dietary practices; the impact of westernisation and socioeconomic status; and lifestyle at home and obesogenic environments. The cultural inclination towards considering obesity as a sign of a ‘well-fed child’ was evident, and traditional feeding practices were found inadequate, necessitating supplementation with modern approaches. Additionally, factors such as digital media, limited playing space and sedentary behaviours facilitated by transportation to school and easy access to electronic devices contributed to obesity among schoolchildren.Conclusion: While parents actively promoted mixed food diets, this often conflicted with nutritional needs. Parents also inadvertently encouraged sedentary behaviours hindering physical activity and contributing to weight gain among children. The study highlighted the challenges posed by cultural beliefs on body image and modern influences, necessitating a comprehensive understanding to formulate effective interventions to address childhood obesity in the Ghanaian context
Enhancing supply chain management: a comparative study of machine learning techniques with cost–accuracy and ESG-based evaluation for forecasting and risk mitigation
No full textIn today’s volatile market environment, supply chain management (SCM) must address complex challenges such as fluctuating demand, fraud, and delivery delays. This study applies machine learning techniques—Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) and Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs)—to optimize demand forecasting, inventory policies, and risk mitigation within a unified framework. XGBoost achieves high forecasting accuracy (MAE = 0.1571, MAPE = 0.48%), while RNNs excel at fraud detection and late delivery prediction (F1-score ≈ 98%). To evaluate models beyond accuracy, we introduce two novel metrics: Cost–Accuracy Efficiency (CAE) and CAE-ESG, which combine predictive performance with cost-efficiency and ESG alignment. These holistic measures support sustainable model selection aligned with the ISO 14001, GRI, and SASB benchmarks; they also demonstrate that, despite lower accuracy, Random Forest achieves the highest CAE-ESG score due to its low complexity and strong ESG profile. We also apply SHAP analysis to improve model interpretability and demonstrate business impact through enhanced Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) and reduced churn. This research offers a practical, interpretable, and sustainability-aware ML framework for supply chains, enabling more resilient, cost-effective, and responsible decision-making
AI in maritime security: applications, challenges, future directions, and key data sources
No full textThe growth and sustainability of today’s global economy heavily relies on smooth maritime operations. The increasing security concerns to marine environments pose complex security challenges, such as smuggling, illegal fishing, human trafficking, and environmental threats, for traditional surveillance methods due to their limitations. Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly deep learning, has offered strong capabilities for automating object detection, anomaly identification, and situational awareness in maritime environments. In this paper, we have reviewed the state-of-the-art deep learning models mainly proposed in recent literature (2020–2025), including convolutional neural networks, recurrent neural networks, Transformers, and multimodal fusion architectures. We have highlighted their success in processing diverse data sources such as satellite imagery, AIS, SAR, radar, and sensor inputs from UxVs. Additionally, multimodal data fusion techniques enhance robustness by integrating complementary data, yielding more detection accuracy. There still exist challenges in detecting small or occluded objects, handling cluttered scenes, and interpreting unusual vessel behaviours, especially under adverse sea conditions. Additionally, explainability and real-time deployment of AI models in operational settings are open research areas. Overall, the review of existing maritime literature suggests that deep learning is rapidly transforming maritime domain awareness and response, with significant potential to improve global maritime security and operational efficiency. We have also provided key datasets for deep learning models in the maritime security domain
Contributing factors to nonuptake of contraception among sexually active men in Asokore Mampong Municipality of Ghana: A cross-sectional study
No full textBackground: The non-uptake of contraception by sexually active men is a significant health concern. However, there is a paucity of data concerning contraception use among sexually active men in Ghana. This study examined contributing factors to nonuptake of contraception among sexually active men in Asokore Mampong Municipality, Ghana. Methodology: 327 sexually active men were recruited for the study using a simple random sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was used to conduct a face-to-face interview and gather study data. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were performed using IBM SPSS v27. At a 95% confidence level and a p-value of less than 0.05, an association was indicated between the dependent and independent variables, suggesting a significant relationship. Results:Participants’ non-uptake of contraception was 44.6%. Predictors such as employment (p=<.011), nuclear family system (p=0.002), Desire to have children (p=<.001), Multiple sexual partners (p=<0.03), Contraception side effects (p=0.012), Difficulty accessing contraception (p=0.021) and poor knowledge on contraception (p=0.036) predicted contraception non-uptake.Conclusion: Sexually active men in the municipality do not take contraceptives. This was influenced by employment status, nuclear family, desire to have children, multiple sexual partners, side effects of contraception, difficulty accessing contraception and lack of knowledge about contraception. Intensifying education on male contraception would increase contraception uptake. Increasing education about contraception among men would increase contraception uptake
Excavating the past and (re)finding myself: exploring veterans’ and providers’ experiences of wellbeing archaeology
Full text linkParticipation in heritage and archaeology is increasingly offered in the community to support mental health and wellbeing, particularly to groups experiencing mental health challenges. One such group are military veterans, who experience higher rates of mental health challenges but less help-seeking than the general population. Since 2011 archaeological projects have been offered to veterans to support transition, mental health, and wellbeing. Consequently, provision has become increasingly framed as an intervention, with evaluation focused on mental health and wellbeing outcomes. However, there is little understanding of why archaeology impacts positively. Adopting an interpretative qualitative approach, this study explored veterans’ and providers’ perceptions of how and why archaeology supports mental health and wellbeing. Interviews with five UK veterans and four providers of UK projects were conducted and analysed using thematic analysis. Three themes were developed, each with three subthemes. Connection and belonging captured feelings of projects being a safe space, experiences of comradeship and peer support, and outcomes related to building social networks. Authenticity and purpose concerned the importance of participating authentically and contributing purposefully, and how participation was a catalyst for change. Meaning-making through the past explored how veterans make meaning through acts of remembrance, the important supporting role of professionals, and subsequent changes in wellbeing and mental health. On balance, findings support the assumption that archaeology isa powerful non-clinical intervention for veterans, but suggests that while wellbeing may improve, mental health may not. Furthermore, potential mechanisms are suggested that must be explored further to improve practice in this area
The Routledge Handbook of Progressive Rock, Metal, and the Literary Imagination
No full textThe Routledge Handbook of Progressive Rock, Metal, and the Literary Imagination illustrates the many ways that progressive rock and metal music forge striking engagements with literary texts and themes. Our authors and their objects of analytic inquiry offer global and diverse perspectives on these genres and their literary connections: from ancient times to the modern world, from children’s literature to epic poetry, from mythology to science fiction, and from esoteric fantasy to harsh political criticism. The musical treatments of these literary materials span the continents from South and North America through Europe and Asia. The collection presents critical perspectives on the enduring and complex relationships between words and music as these are expressed in progressive rock and metal. The book is aimed primarily at an academic market, valuable for second through final year students on undergraduate courses devoted to both popular music and to literary studies, and to postgraduate programs and researchers in a range of fields, including: popular music studies, musicology, creative music performance and composition, songwriting, literary studies, narrative studies, folklore studies, science fiction studies, cultural studies, liberal studies, and sociology, and for media and history courses that have an interest in the intersection of narratives, music and society
A bespoke application to manage the configuration management of cyber security and computer networking laboratories
No full textLaboratories play an important part in the practical teaching and learning methodology of modern STEM subjects such as Computer Science, including Cyber Security and Networking. In these subject areas, the laboratory may consist of a combination of computers, workstations and networking devices hosting various operating systems, services and software applications. The configuration of the laboratory may depend on the requirements of the specific subject being studied and will vary between various taught modules on a particular course. To dynamically reconfigure these laboratory systems for each session, potentially with immediate effect or for ad-hoc workshops, configuration management tools are needed for an effective deployment of the new configuration. In this situation, the needs are different to those of a standard production environment in which requirements for change are infrequent and off-the-shelf configuration management tools are more readily available. Challenges in a laboratory environment include the fast switch over from one configuration to another across a range of differing platforms by a member with expertise to master and time to adapt to the variable requirements. A case study is presented in which two Cyber Security and Networking laboratories are discussed. Initially, PowerShell scripts were used to manage the laboratory configurations, but later other options were considered as complexity of the laboratory requirements increased. Some of the alternatives are discussed. These solutions are perfectly suited to a large enterprise environment in which there is time to carefully plan changes to requirements and a dedicated team is available to implement them. However, in a smaller laboratory-based environment in which requirements are specialized, and with little time to implement them between the various laboratory sessions, these tools are less flexible and require significant staff time and expertise to manage. Whilst a graphical interface can improve the usability of configuration management tools, unless they can be easily adapted to meet the needs of a laboratory environment, they do little to reduce time and complexity. To address the need for an easy-to-use tool specific to the needs of these laboratories a bespoke application was developed that makes use of PowerShell scripts as background processes. The application can also utilise the functions of a third-party cloning tool by using an Application Program Interface (API) so that all configuration management tasks can be administered from one interface. Conclusions presented are that, whilst time was required to develop a customised application, ease of use and timeliness in management are the eventual benefits of its adoption in a busy shared multi-purpose laboratory environment
Framework for a customised approach to simulated practice learning design
No full textThe 'Framework for a Customised Approach to Simulated Practice Learning Design' provides support for users to design simulated practice learning based on stakeholder needs, while ensuring feasibility and sustainability. Using a collaborative approach, the framework and its supporting guide supports users to prepare students for clinical practice through targeted learning that bridges theory and practice, addressing quality through simulation guidelines and Professional, Statutory, Regulatory Standards. It does this through a simple four step approach - step 1: identifying purpose, step 2: defining scope, step 3: writing learning outcomes, and step 4: designing SPL.Demonstrating rigour, the framework was created through the integration of educational theories, critical insights, empirical evidence, and literature on simulated practice learning. With its underpinning pragmatist methodology, it aims to be adapted according to user needs, encouraging flexibility in its adoption. Although it is primarily designed for undergraduate nursing programmes in a University setting, the author encourages scalability to other settings and professional groups
American film and the culture wars: battleground in the Trump era
No full textAmerican Film and the Culture Wars: Battleground in the Trump Era is an exploration of the relationship between American cinema and what many have referred to as the “Trump era”, the “Trump age”, or even the “Trump phenomenon”.This book contends that American cinema offers an insight into this fractious period and emerged as one of the primary battlegrounds on which a war of interpretation was fought, a frontline in what many refer to as the “culture wars”. This resulted in a body of films which should not be regarded as disposable entertainment, but rather as visceral cultural artefacts which reflect, engage with, and have even been able to influence the tumultuous period in a range of palpable ways. Films discussed include: Avengers: Endgame (2019), The Hate U Give (2018), 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi (2016), The Shape of Water (2017), Don't Worry Darling (2022), among others.Across six theoretically informed but accessible chapters, McSweeney interrogates how American film emerged as a striking manifestation of the political and historical moment in which they were formed: engaging with a broad tapestry of social movements (Black Lives Matter [2013-], Me Too [2017-], and Times Up [2018-]), genres (superhero, horror, action, science fiction film) and key issues, debates and events (gun control, abortion, religion), revealing that it is still the cinematic medium which provides a frame of reference for how we understand and comprehend the world, as much as if not more than it has ever done
Network analysis of offensive dynamics in a Portuguese First Division football team: insights from the 2020-2021 season
No full textIntroduction: Network analysis has gained increasing attention, as it provides a framework for identifying both collective and individual behaviours within the football teams.Objective: This study aimed to analyse the offensive actions that resulted in shots using network analysis in a Portuguese First Division football team during the 2020-2021 season.Methodology: All 34 matches were coded using Angles® software. Offensive actions were defined as sequences starting with a ball recovery and ending with a shot. Adjacency matrices were constructed for each match, and both macro and micro analytical approaches were employed to examine differences between the two halves of the season.Results: Findings indicated 914 intra-team interactions, with player 14 (midfielder) and player 2 (forward) as key contributors, particularly in micro network metrics such as degree prestige (passes received) and degree centrality (passes made). Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in network metrics, including density (W = 95, p = 0.0912) and clustering coefficient (W = 112, p = 0.2689), between the season halves.Discussion: These findings offer valuable insights for practitioners seeking in recognizing play patterns and optimizing team dynamics. Identifying key players allows coaches to design targeted training exercises, enhance player roles, and better assess opposition threats and vulnerabilities.Conclusions: Network metrics provides a comprehensive understanding of team dynamics, particularly in identifying key contributors to offensive actions
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