Correlates of Bio-Psychosocial Factors on Perceived Body Image amongst Adolescents: Implications for Preventive Health Education

The study examined the interrelationships between a variety of measures designed to index the associations among adolescents’ bio-psychosocial factors and body image. Participants were 300 students whose age range between 11 and 26 years (mean =16.80, SD= 4.17) who completed questionnaires. The questionnaire contained measures of demographics, self-esteem, self-efficacy, food habit index, exercise, weight. Data was analyzed using correlation analysis. The results indicated that there was a positive relationship between self-esteem and perceived body image (r = .45, p < .01) and between self-efficacy and body image (r = .22, p < .01. While a negative relationship was found between food habit index and perceived body image (r = -.22, p <.01), food habit and perceived body image (r = -.24, p <. 01) and body weight and perceived body image (r = -.17, p < .01). There was no relationship between exercise and perceived body image (r = .07, p > .05). The implication of these findings for preventive health education were discussed and stakeholders were advised to inculcate the essence of physical activities and balance food eating habit in their programme in order to improve the level of body image satisfaction among adolescents.Keywords: Body image; food habit; self-esteem

Effect of formaldehyde on the upper respiratory tract _ormal flora of humans and rabbits

Background: Formaldehyde is a chemical that is used to fix a tissue after death or removal from the body to prevent autolysis and putrefaction. Exposure to formaldehyde can occur as a result of occupation. Objective: To determine the effect of the formaldehyde on the throat and nasal flora of upper respiratory tract of rabbits and humans were examined in this study. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in the College of Health Sciences (Mercylandcampus) and Teaching Hospital of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Osogbo. Ten rabbits and 25 human subjects were used. Throat and nasal swabs were taken from these rabbits exposed todifferent concentrations of formaldehyde and human subjects exposed to formaldehyde as a result of occupational exposure and non exposed individuals. Bacterial count was done using Miles and Mistral method. Microbial culture was done using the traditional cultural techniques.Results: Culture yielded growth of different species of microorganisms, majority of which were bacterial species. Bacterial counts showed reductions both in normal flora of upper respiratory tract of rabbits and humans. The reduction in the normal flora of humans was found to be statistically significant. While reduction in the normal flora of rabbits was significant when compared between controls and those exposed to 10% formaldehyde, but were not significant between controls andthose exposed to 100% formaldehyde. Conclusion: This study concluded that there was significant reduction in the normal flora ofhumans and rabbits exposed to formaldehyde compared to non-exposed humans and rabbits.Key words: Formalin, formaldehyde, normal flora, Upper respiratory trac

Facial Image Verification and Quality Assessment System -FaceIVQA

Although several techniques have been proposed for predicting biometric system performance using quality values, many of the research works were based on no-reference assessment technique using a single quality attribute measured directly from the data. These techniques have proved to be inappropriate for facial verification scenarios and inefficient because no single quality attribute can sufficient measure the quality of a facial image. In this research work, a facial image verification and quality assessment framework (FaceIVQA) was developed. Different algorithms and methods were implemented in FaceIVQA to extract the faceness, pose, illumination, contrast and similarity quality attributes using an objective full-reference image quality assessment approach. Structured image verification experiments were conducted on the surveillance camera (SCface) database to collect individual quality scores and algorithm matching scores from FaceIVQA using three recognition algorithms namely principal component analysis (PCA), linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and a commercial recognition SDK. FaceIVQA produced accurate and consistent facial image assessment data. The Result shows that it accurately assigns quality scores to probe image samples. The resulting quality score can be assigned to images captured for enrolment or recognition and can be used as an input to quality-driven biometric fusion systems.DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/ijece.v3i6.503

Effect of different levels of urea treated Gamba hay on growth performance of Yankasa rams

Twenty four (24) Yankasa yearling rams were used to determine the effect of feeding high levels of urea treated gamba hay (Andropogon gayanus). The rams aged 15 – 18 months with an average weight of 22 .45kg were randomly allocated to one of four dietary groups, rams in group A served as control and were offered untreated gamba hay at 2.5% of their body weight while rams in groups 2, 3 and 4 where offered 5%, 6% and 7% urea treated gamba hay respectively at 2.5% of their body weight for 90 days. All rams had equal access to water, salt lick blocks and concentrate fed at 2.0% of their body weight. Data was collected daily on feed intake, while live body weight changes and body condition score were measured weekly. Dry matter composition of the gamba hay offered declined as the level of urea treatment increased, the crude protein content of the diets also increased as the level of urea treatment increased. However the values of NDF and ADF declined as the level of urea treatment increased. Rams fed 6% and 7% treated gamba hay had significantly the highest total dry matter intake while rams fed untreated gamba hay had significantly (P<0.05) the lowest weight gain. There was no significant (P>0.05) difference in the weight gains of rams fed 6% and those fed 7% urea treated gamba hay and the rams in both groups had significantly (P<0.05) the highest weight gains. Rams fed the 6% urea treated gamba hay had the best FCR. It can be concluded that 6% &7% urea treated gamba gave similar performance but 6% had the better feed conversion ratio and is more cost effective.Key words: Urea treated gamba hay, cost effectivenes

'Marinefish-famine'(?) In Karnataka with particular reference to Udupi district during 1998-'99

'Marinefish-famine' is an issue often raised by the fishermen of Karnataka over the past several years whenever, they are affected monetarily and there is a failure of major fisheries of the region like mackerel and oil sardine and the high-value resources like cuttlefishes, squids and prawnsThe production of 1,64,710 t in 1998 is less by 12.3%(23,048 t) compared to 1997 but, higher than the average production of 1.59,567 t for 1993-'97. Therefore, this marginal decrease in production in 1998 cannot be considered as anyfishfamine condition in the marine fishery sectorof the state during 1998. As far as the fishery situation during 1998-99 in the Udupi district is concerned, the study on the fish landing at the largest landing centre of the district i.e., Malpe Fisheries Harbour shows that the production during 1998-'99 was normal compared to the past several years but, when compared to the previous year (which was one of the two most productive years since the commssioning of the MFH in 1986-'87 with a record landing of 50,558 t), the landing declined by 31.4% (15,897 t). Short-term, long-term and cyclic fluctuations in marine fish landings are common features and are governed by a complex of biotic and abiotic factors and the exact causes for these variations are largely unknown. Therefore, the decrease of 12.8 and 31.4% in the marine fish landings of the state and Udupi district with reference to Malpe Fisheries Harbour respectively during 1998-'99 can be treated as one such short-term fluctuations and hence, the year cannot be considered as fish famin

Taking an Integrated View of Legal Education and Licensure

As the practice of law has changed in response to technological advances, globalization, economic pressures, and other forces, the knowledge, skills, values, and traits that legal employers seek in law graduates have diverged from what law schools have traditionally taught. This panel will explore the implications of this gap and how law school curricula, law practice, and the bar exam can be better aligned. What should remain of the core of law school curriculum, and where might the bar exam be changed? If more time in law school is needed to address these matters, is the profession and are the licensing entities prepared to rethink the bar exam to make space in law school J.D. programs to respond to these concerns

Palynomorphs Content and Paleodepositional Environments of Mamu Formation in Okpekpe-1, Imiegba-1 and Imiegba-2, Benin Flank of Anambra Basin, Nigeria

Twenty surface samples were taken from road cuttings along Okpekpe and Imiegba areas located in Benin Flank of Anambra Basin, Nigeria with an aim to establish the biozones, age and paleodepositional environments of the Mamu Formation. Using palynological laboratory standard procedures, the shale surface samples collected from the Mamu Formation in the study area were prepared and analyzed. The recovered marker pollens, spores and dinoflagellate cysts from the study area are Milforadia jardinei, Milforadia sp., Longapertites  marginatus, Longapertites sp., Retidiporites sp., Monocolpites marginatus,Cyathidites minor, Cyathidites spp., Cingulatisporites ornatus, Distaverrusporites simplex, Laevigatosporites spp., Foveotriletes margaritae, Subtilisphaera sp., Andalusiella sp., Paleocystodinium australinium and microforaminiferal wall linings. Four biozones were erected for the shale intervals in the study area, namely: Longapertites sp., Monocolpites marginatus, Cyathidites minor, and Paleocystodinium australinium biozone, respectively, dated to Upper Maastrichtian to Early Paleocene age, which are lateral equivalents to Spinizonocolpites baculatus biozone of the Upper Benue Trough. The presence of the dinoflagellates cysts such as Paleocystodinium australinium, Subtilisphaera sp. and Andalusiella sp., microforaminiferal wall linings, pollens and spores established that the shales were deposited in nearshore to shallow marine environments. The presence of Cingulatisporites ornatus and Distaverrusporites simplex are indicative of marine regression that was followed by fluvial continental influence in anoxic bottom conditions that in turn favored the formation of coal seams in shales in the study area. The paucity of palynomorphs in the study area is inferred to have occurred because of the dry climatic condition that prevailed during the Upper Maastrichtian to Early Paleocene