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Commentary Part 2: Weight Loss Interventions for Improving Fertility- A Synthesis of Current Evidence
Get PDFInfertility is a widespread issue which is estimated to affect up to 17.5% of the global population. Evidence suggests that the most common causes of female infertility are ovulation disorders (e.g., polycystic ovary syndrome). That said, lifestyle factors such as dietary patterns, stress, alcohol consumption, smoking, and obesity are key determinants which have been shown to impact female physiology and significantly decrease the chances of conception. Obesity has been widely recognized as a significant factor that negatively impacts ovarian stimulation in women and is associated with several reproductive disorders, including anovulation, subfertility, and infertility. Despite improvements in fertility treatments, obesity remains a challenge particularly for fertility clinics because of the poorer pregnancy outcomes observed within the population. In this article, we will explore the effects of weight loss on female fertility and review the various strategies that have been shown to be effective in reducing obesity and improving reproductive outcomes
The impact of social and economic factors on outcomes within people living with Crohn’s and Colitis in the UK: A scoping review
Get PDFSocial participation and logistical elements of cemetery waste biofraction management
Get PDFIn the 21st century, waste is a growing problem and must be considered one of the essential elements of creating conditions for sustainable development. The article pays special attention to the biofraction of cemetery waste, and interviews with cemetery visitors made a possible determination of its place among other wastes produced in the cemetery. The willingness of cemetery visitors to participate in the logistics of the cemetery waste management system was also tested. The article also presents selected elements of cemetery waste management logistics. The system should consist of several subsystems. Subsystems of waste minimisation "at the source" and waste segregation, disposal, and secondary management were considered crucial. In addition to the logistics mentioned above, subsystems were proposed to include innovation in cemeteries, the biotechnology of composting/vermicomposting of the biofraction, and segregation on-site by those cleaning their graves. The cemetery biofraction represents a waste suitable for on-site management, increasing the potential for environmental, social, and economic savings. The issues under consideration are part of the problem of integrating the cemetery biofraction into the green recycling system in force in Europe. Logistics for management of other cemetery wastes (plastic, metal, glass, and paper), which require subsystems involving their long-distance transportation, should be limited at the level of purchase by cemetery users. From civic participation in the control of logistical improvements, the entire cemetery waste management system will gradually evolve
Assessing medical and dental practitioners' current knowledge and experience of managing patients with solid organ transplants.
No full textThe year 2024 will mark the 70th anniversary of the first long-term successful solid organ transplant (SOT) which is used primarily as a therapeutic intervention to treat terminal end-stage organ failure. The aim of this semi-structured interview-based, exploratory, qualitative study was to assess existing knowledge and experience of both medical and dental practitioners regarding SOT patients and highlight where these may impact on patient care. The study highlights a growing cohort in need of standardised long-term dental management to improve patient safety. Future policy and progressed integration should fortify both patients’ perception and practitioners’ understanding that the oral cavity is indeed a part of the human body, not a detached entity to be treated independently
Machine Learning Techniques for Analysing the Seismic Response in Multistorey Steel Structures
Get PDFThis paper provides a detailed analysis that uses an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) in forecasting the seismic response in multistorey steel structures. A comprehensive framework has been developed to conduct a parametric study, with the intention of leveraging the outcomes from dynamic analysis, as inputs in the ANN. The framework explores the process of selecting earthquakes by utilizing seismic response spectrums and a nonlinear finite element (FE) model that introduces varied geometric properties, member sizes, and peak ground accelerations to derive eigenfrequencies, horizontal drift and base shear. Results indicate a satisfactory accuracy of the trained Artificial Neural Networks to predict the dynamic response
“Practice makes perfect”—Bridging learning gaps in UK medical education with spaced repetition
Get PDFA multi-actor perspective of humanised midwifery care excellence: An exploratory survey
Get PDFHumanised midwifery care is a fundamental human right and need. This exploratory online survey presents a collective perception of meaningful standards of humanised midwifery care for excellent daily practice obtained from an international multi-actor group of maternity service users and providers. After performing a literature review, 137 key elements of humanised midwifery were extracted, listed, and rephrased into criteria. The criteria were distributed, and participants added 38 criteria. The perceived level of humanised midwifery performance was scored from 1 (low/substandard) to 10 (excellent). The 9–10 scores benchmarked humanised midwifery care excellence. 312 care professionals benchmarked 42 criteria, and 277 pregnant and postpartum women benchmarked 23 criteria showing a 30 % overlap. A total set of 50 criteria emerged, promoting humanised midwifery excellence. The benchmarking criteria suggest a shared conceptual thinking of person-centeredness and meaningfulness and provide a practical paradigm for the provision and receipt of humanised midwifery care
ADOLESCENT ACCESS TO HIV PROTECTION MEASURES IN SOUTH AFRICA: A NUANCED UNDERSTANDING OF THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN LAW, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND ETHICS
Get PDFIn South Africa, adolescents are at high risk of HIV infection. Legal barriers block access to critical public health services for adolescents; consent requirements for adolescents are complex, and healthcare professionals have a mandatory obligation to report suspected unlawful sexual activity involving adolescents. In this synoptic commentary, the role of South African law in supporting public health priorities is examined to find a balance between reducing the burden of HIV in the country, especially amongst adolescents, and providing protection for adolescents through consent/reporting requirements for unlawful sexual activity. Underpinned by a contextual and human rights approach, it is shown that South African law intersects with public health imperatives and ethics in HIV prevention for adolescents.
Eight selected peer-reviewed publications and two South African AIDS Conference poster presentations are included in this review. Commencing in 2007, the body of work has been developed through legal research using human rights approaches. For the purpose of this thesis, an in-depth reflective appraisal of the published works was undertaken to reveal themes and the primary contributions to knowledge. Reflective analysis was facilitated via the application of a bespoke appraisal framework.
Critical appraisal has highlighted the complexity associated with the interpretation and enactment of existing laws (for instance, overly restrictive or contradictory provisions) related to the public health strategy for addressing HIV infection in adolescents. Central to these challenges is the dual role of the law: adolescent consent laws must both support responsible sexual behaviour and reproductive health whilst also enabling protective measures.
This body of work contributes to a better understanding of the legal norms relating to HIV interventions for adolescents and how access to essential public health services for adolescents might be improved. Within the context of South Africa’s burden of HIV amongst adolescents, a balanced but coherent rights-based approach is required for effective interaction between public health, law, and ethics
Real-life inclusion: How to innovate with low socio-economic status families
No full textThis chapter tells a story of technology innovation. It reveals how 14 families, including parents and children, in three relatively deprived areas of Leicester in the UK identified innovative digital technology ideas that might impact on homes in future. This was done through drawings and interviews in a collaborative and asynchronous workshop setting. The workshops demonstrated the adoption of a co-creative approach in line with Design Thinking to develop ideas for technologies that might solve a particular real problem the family faced. Furthermore, the workshops reflect important aspects of Responsible Innovation, and offer a unique methodology through which socially disadvantaged persons could be involved in systems or product development responsibly. The research technique provides the business practitioner community with a novel approach to co-creation and Design Thinking activities involving a mainly marginalized group
The Role of UAE Foreign Aid to Developing Countries during Conflicting Situations from the Perspective of International Diplomacy
Get PDFThe study aimed to identify the relationship between foreign aid provided by the United Arab Emirates and the events of the conflict in the State of Yemen. The study relied on several approaches, including quantitative, qualitative and deductive approaches, to form a complete picture of the subject of the study. The study reached a set of results, the most important of which are :The UAE government is the largest donor of foreign aid to Yemen. The State of Yemen also receives aid from other Emirati agencies, the most important of which are the Emirates Red Crescent, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, and the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation for Humanitarian Works, during the period (2016-2018). The study also found that there is no significant correlation between the foreign aid provided by the United Arab Emirates and the events of the conflict in the State of Yemen. This is in addition to that there is no significant correlation between foreign aid provided by the United Arab Emirates and the number of deaths resulting from the conflict in Yemen. Moreover, there is no significant correlation between the foreign aid provided by the United Arab Emirates and the events targeting Yemeni civilians inside the State of Yemen. There is also no significant correlation between foreign aid provided by the United Arab Emirates and the number of deaths resulting from incidents targeting Yemeni civilians inside the state of Yemen. Additionally, there is no significant correlation between the foreign aid provided by the United Arab Emirates and the events of the demonstrations inside the State of Yemen. The most important recommendations of the study include the necessity of working to increase the foreign aid and incentives provided to Yemen, not only from the UAE, but from other Arab countries, to alleviate the suffering of the Yemeni people, and attempting to link the increase in foreign aid with the efforts of the internal authorities in Yemen to reduce the events of the internal conflict, so that the aid increases whenever violence and conflict decreases. This is in addition to the necessity of concerted Arab efforts to solve Yemen's crisis at the political level, and work to implement an urgent development program. The financial and in-kind aid provided by the UAE and other countries is employed in the implementation of this program