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    12560 research outputs found

    The psycho-social impact of obstetric fistula and available support for women residing in Nigeria: a systematic review

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    Background: Obstetric fistula continues to affect the social and mental wellbeing of women living in Nigeria giving rise to poor maternal health outcome. While the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended the introduction of psycho-social interventions in the management of obstetric fistula women, psycho-social support for women living with obstetric fistula in Nigeria, are limited. This systematic review aimed to synthesise the psycho-social impact of obstetric fistula on women living in Nigeria as well as the available psycho-social support for these affected women. Methods: Following a keyword strategy, Medline, CINAHL, Google scholar, ScienceDirect, Cochrane library, PsychINFO, AMED, British Nursing database, Pubmed central, TRIP database, UK Pubmed central, socINDEX, Annual reviews, ISI Web of Science, Academic search complete, Credo reference, Sage premier and Scopus databases were searched alongside hand searching of articles. The inclusion criteria were set as articles published between 2000 and 2020, on the psychosocial consequences of obstetric fistula in Nigeria. The Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) tool was used to appraise the quality of the included studies. The data was extracted and then analysed using narrative synthesis. Results: 620 relevant citations were identified, and 8 studies were included. Women with obstetric fistula, living in Nigeria were found to be ostracised, abandoned by families and friends, stigmatised and discriminated against, which led to depression, loneliness, loss of self-esteem, self-worth and identity. Psycho-social interventions for women who experienced obstetric fistula are not widely available. Conclusion: There is a need for the introduction of more rehabilitation and reintegration programs across the country. The psychosocial effect of obstetric fistula is significant and should be considered when developing interventions. Further, more research is needed to evaluate the sustainability of psychosocial interventions in Nigeria

    “Oh my god that would hurt”: Pain cries in feminist self-defence classes

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    This study examines response cries produced by student spectators reacting to imagined pain in the setting of feminist self-defence classes. It investigates the vocal, verbal and embodied resources that constitute reactive displays to demonstrations and descriptions of physical techniques that can thwart attacks. It asks what the pain cries accomplish, considering their form and sequential organisation. Video-recordings of the classes were data. Drawing on discursive psychology and using multi-modal conversation analysis, the results detail how the conventionalised composition and positions of the cries make them mutually intelligible as reacting to a painful experience. They functioned to support the progression of the instructional activity that created a make-believe space where girls and women can resist violence. The findings confirm and extend what is known about the interactional environments and activities in which pain figures, further advancing the distinctive insights that an interactional approach brings. Data are in New Zealand English

    Impact of video-based learning in business statistics: a longitudinal study

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    Many undergraduate business students in the United Kingdom (UK) find themselves during the initial stages of their degree programmes required to study numerical subjects which, for many, have not been encountered since completing compulsory education. This paper considers the utilisation of a technology-based approach in order to support first year undergraduate students engage with and achieve in the business numeracy subject area. The purpose of this paper is providing background introduction to new pedagogy through the use of technology. Through a longitudinal study conducted within a modern university in the UK over a 11-year period (2006-2017), this paper qualifies the impact of a Video Based Learning (VBL) approach on the achievement profiles of first year undergraduate students within a modern business school. Results indicate that the use of a VBL approach such as that adopted within this study supports not only improvement in the number of students gaining an overall pass, but also an overall improvement amongst higher achieving students within business numeracy. Findings also demonstrate those characteristics of a VBL approach that support continuation of student engagement with the subject matter throughout their studies. Whilst the findings offer a range of benefits to both students and educators in enhancing student achievement, this finding served the purpose of introductory of the new learning model within the next researches

    A deep learning workflow for quantification of micronuclei in DNA damage studies in cultured cancer cell lines: a proof of principle investigation.

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    The cytokinesis block micronucleus assay is widely used for measuring/scoring/counting micronuclei, a marker of genome instability in cultured and primary cells. Though a gold standard method, this is a laborious and time-consuming process with person-to-person variation observed in quantification of micronuclei. We report in this study the utilisation of a new deep learning workflow for detection of micronuclei in DAPI stained nuclear images. The proposed deep learning framework achieved an average precision of >90% in detection of micronuclei. This proof of principle investigation in a DNA damage studies laboratory supports the idea of deploying AI powered tools in a cost-effective manner for repetitive and laborious tasks with relevant computational expertise. These systems will also help improving the quality of data and wellbeing of researchers

    RNA-binding proteins and their emerging roles in cancer: beyond the tip of the iceberg

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    RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) represent a large family of proteins with an extensive array of roles that contribute to coordinating and directing multiple functions in RNA metabolism and transcription [...]

    The impact of acupuncture on self-perceived stress and ADHD core symptomatology in an adult, atomoxetine-taking ADHD participant: insights from an in-depth single case study

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    Background: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) includes inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity as core symptoms and is associated with increased self-perceived stress. Primary Study Objective: This article evaluates the impact of acupuncture (provided in addition to regular pharmacological treatment with Atomoxetine) on self-perceived stress and ADHD core symptomatology, compared to atomoxetine (ATX) alone. Methods/Design: In-depth single case study, involving a mixed methods approach with questionnaires and interviews was used. The participant completed two rating scales. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were held. Qualitative data were subjected to content analysis and both sets of data were triangulated. Setting: Data collection/intervention (treatments) took place at an Acupuncture clinic in Hamburg, Germany, EU. Participant(s): One adult, atomoxetine-taking ADHD participant. Intervention: Acupuncture according to Chinese medicine-diagnosis twice/week, over the course of eight weeks, following a pre-defined but flexible point protocol. Primary Outcome Measures: 1) The Current Symptom Scale (CSS) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). 2) Semi-structured interviews. Results: Acupuncture treatments in addition to regular ATX intake positively affected the participant’s ADHD symptoms (PSS - 31%, total score of the CSS - 47%). There was a considerable decrease in subgroup scores (attention deficit - 39%; functionality impairment - 55%; hyperactivity/impulsivity - 53%; impulsivity - 30%). Post-interventional interviews showed perceived increased self-control, (self-) awareness and centeredness. Combined treatment was perceived as more beneficial than pharmaceutical treatment alone. Conclusion: Acupuncture treatment appears to have a positive impact on both self-perception of stress and ADHD core symptomatology. Findings were partially congruent with the reviewed research literature but due to limitations/risks of bias (ROBs) associated with the design, no concrete conclusions regarding a potential method-related specificity can be drawn. Further research with larger samples and a more robust design is recommended

    Tacit knowledge and the role of the dental educator

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    Introduction: This article seeks to explore tacit knowledge in the context of the practice and the role of a dental educator in a workplace learning environment. Material and Methods: The key theoretical ideologies which underpin the definition of tacit knowledge have been outlined and practical examples to enable conceptualisation. The role tacit knowledge plays in procedural knowledge, performance of a skill and diagnosis and decision-making has been explained in further detail. Approaches to maximise the educational output of learning opportunities by using tacit knowledge and how an awareness of tacit knowledge can complement reflection have been considered. Results: It is acknowledged that workplace learning is of mutual benefit to the dental educator, trainee and clinical team and that the development of the educator to make tacit knowledge explicit, can be achieved through peer observation, amongst other methods. Conclusion: Tacit knowledge is a key element underpinning learning in the workplace; the use of this knowledge can be applied in an advantageous manner, from both an educational and a personal developmental perspective.</p

    eHealth in obesity care

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    Obesity in adults is a growing health concern. Although effective, current treatment options have not been able to overcome the various factors that contribute toward rising obesity rates. eHealth might hold the capacity to improve the effectiveness, delivery and flexibility of some of these treatments. Here, we show that eHealth lifestyle change interventions delivered through smartphones (mHealth) can facilitate significant weight loss, making mHealth an attractive adjunct to clinical obesity care. However, evidence is currently limited to short-term effects, and is also lacking with regards to effectiveness based on socioeconomic status and ethnic group. This raises concerns around the potential and inadvertent widening of obesity prevalence disparities between groups as mHealth lifestyle change interventions are increasingly used in obesity care. Thus, we also describe opportunities to address these concerns and gaps in evidence

    Formulation and solution technique for agricultural waste collection and transport network design

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    Agricultural waste management in developing countries has become a challenging issue for rural planners due to the lack of an efficient planning tool. In the countries, farmers burnt agricultural waste at fields after each harvesting season to solve the issue. As a result, it has caused air and water pollution in the rural areas of the countries. In this paper, we present a mixed-integer nonlinear programming model for agricultural waste collection and transport network design that aims to stop burning waste and use the waste to produce bio-organic fertilizer. The model supports rural planners to optimally locate waste storages, and to determine the optimal set of routes for a fleet of vehicles to collect and transport the waste from the storages to the bio-organic fertilizer production facility. In the novel location-assignment-routing problem, the overall objective is to minimize total cost of locating storages, collecting waste from fields and planning vehicle routes. A solution technique is developed to linearise the mixed-integer nonlinear programming model into a model in linear form. In addition, a parallel water flow algorithm is developed to solve efficiently the large-sized instances. The efficiency of the proposed model and algorithm is validated and evaluated on the real case study in Trieu Phong district, Quang Tri province, Vietnam, as well as a set of randomly generated large-sized instances. The results show that our solution approach outperforms the general optimisation solver and tabu search algorithm. Our algorithm can find the optimal or near-optimal solutions for the large-sized instances within a reasonable time

    Intersectionality, vulnerability and foot health inequity

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    Foot health and wellbeing in the UK are often overlooked in healthcare. Foot health outcomes are strongly interlinked to the social determinants of health, in that the way these determinants intersect can impact an individual's vulnerability to foot pain and disorders. In this commentary we explore some social determinants that hinder individuals from improving their foot health behaviour and ultimately reducing foot pain and foot disorder vulnerability. We focus on socioeconomic status, gender, disability, age, culture and ethnicity, and footwear quality; we also highlight the potential impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis on foot health inequities; rises in inflation have resulted in footcare becoming less affordable among vulnerable groups, like those with intellectual disabilities and chronic illness, older people, those living in rural and inner-city communities, and the ethnically and linguistically diverse population living in the UK. There is an urgent need to raise awareness of the social determinants of foot health, their intersectionality, and their impact on foot pain and disorder vulnerability. Despite the Black Report and both Marmot Reviews, little progress has been made in raising this awareness. It is recommended to widen the range of foot health interventions, by including it in GP consultations, developing cultural sensitivity within foot health services, creating more comprehensive educational foot health programmes, and developing a more sustainable footwear industry

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