Improving identification of cognitive impairment in fragility fracture patients : impact of educational guidelines on current practice

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Exploring the interplay between fat talk, social media use and body image among young women: New opportunities for health education?

Background: ‘Fat Talk’, or the act of negatively discussing one’s own or another person’s body, is linked to body image constructs, body dissatisfaction, low self-esteem and disordered eating. The spaces in which young women talk about the body are changing, as social media use escalates. Understanding the interplay between social media use, body image and fat talk, in different contexts, is needed. Method: Focus group interviews were used to explore how young women (aged 15–19) experience fat talk while using social media and the possible effect on body image constructs. Using purposive convenience sampling, young women who regularly used social media and were living in an inner city of England were recruited. Thematic analysis was used for analysis and six themes were identified, both a priori and inductively, to explore the interplay between them. Findings: Over 35 women were successfully recruited into the study, with 18 of these finally participating in focus group interviews. Among participants, social media use was linked to increased self-evaluation of the body, engagement in social comparative behaviour and negative self-talk about the body. Although fat talk was reportedly common and widespread, it was unacceptable in the online space. However, body talk, other than size or shape, was permissible. Conclusion: Fat talk can be divisive; however, if it becomes unacceptable in the online space, negative self-talk may increase. If fat talk is replaced by an all-encompassing ‘body talk’, then this too may exacerbate existing pressures on young people and their mental health and well-being. Understanding the relationship between social media, body dissatisfaction and body talk may provide new opportunities for health education to promote a more constructive prevention discourse of the body, including body talk, in or around the online space

Implementation of the Enhanced Fingerprint Authentication in the ATM System Using ATmega128 with GSM Feedback Mechanism

ATM was introduced to boost the cashless policy in Nigeria. Current trend of Cybercrime facilitate the need for an enhanced fingerprint application on ATM machine with GSM Feedback mechanism. The mechanism enable unassigned fingerprint authentication of customers with quick code and secret code. The project enhances the security authentication of customers using ATM. A core controller using fingerprint recognition system of ATmega128 in-system programmable flash is explored. An SM630 fingerprint module is used to capture fingerprints with DSP processor and optical sensor for verification, using AT command of GSM module for feedback text messaging (i.e. sending of Quick and Secret-Codes respectively). Upon system testing of capable reduction of ATM fraud using C program, the new method of authentication is presented

Stoichiometry control of magnetron sputtered Bi2_2Sr2_2Ca1−x_{1-x}Yx_xCu2_2Oy_y (0≤\lex≤\le0.5) thin film, composition spread libraries: Substrate bias and gas density factors

A magnetron sputtering method for the production of thin-film libraries with a spatially varying composition, x, in Bi2Sr2Ca1-xYxCu2Oy (0<=x<=0.5) has been developed. Two targets with a composition of Bi2Sr2YCu2O_{8.5 + \delta} and Bi_2Sr_2CaCu_2O_{8 + \delta} are co-sputtered with appropriate masks. The target masks produce a linear variation in opposite, but co-linear radial direction, and the rotation speed of the substrate table is sufficient to intimately mix the atoms. EDS/WDS composition studies of the films show a depletion of Sr and Bi that is due to oxygen anion resputtering. The depletion is most pronounced at the centre of the film (i.e. on-axis with the target) and falls off symmetrically to either side of the 75 mm substrate. At either edge of the film the stoichiometry matches the desired ratios. Using a 12 mTorr process gas of argon and oxygen in a 2:1 ratio, the strontium depletion is corrected. The bismuth depletion is eliminated by employing a rotating carbon brush apparatus which supplies a -20 V DC bias to the sample substrate. The negative substrate bias has been used successfully with an increased chamber pressure to eliminate the resputtering effect across the film. The result is a thin film composition spread library with the desired stoichiometry.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figures, 4 tables, submitted to Physica C - Superconductivity (April 15, 2005), elsart.st

COVID-19 and Transition to Distance Learning: Perspectives of Postsecondary Teachers in Kenya

Several countries have transitioned to online and/or virtual learning to minimize the impact of Covid-19 on education. In Kenya, schools were closed for the better part of 2020 and reopened back on relying on an online mode and/or virtual learning. However, very little is known about the impact of such transition on postsecondary educators. Therefore, this research aims to bridge this gap by investigating the impact of online and/or virtual learning transition on postsecondary educators based on age, gender, location, and academic rank. Using a nationally distributed web-based survey, the study utilized data from 117 educators across Kenya who participated in the survey between August-September 2021. The results show that transition to online and/or virtual learning due to Covid-19 saw a substantial impact on teaching/research, productivity, and practical lessons across both genders, all age groups, locations, and academic ranks. However, the differences observed across genders, age groups, locations, and academic ranks were not statistically different. There is a lack of empirical evidence on the impact of the transition to online and/or virtual learning on educators due to Covid-19. Higher education administrators and government policymakers will find value in this paper as they work to respond to the negative effects of Covid-19 as well as opportunities in online and/or virtual learning

Review Article : Heat stress and poultry: Adaptation to climate change, challenges and opportunities for genetic breeding in Kenya

The Earth’s ambient climatic factors, such as temperature, humidity, solar radiation, and precipitation, vary through time and space due to climate change. Heat stress, one of the major factors affecting poultry production, is a direct result of climate change, resulting in enormous losses for the poultry sector. As a result of heat stress, several physiological changes such as suppressed immunecompetence, oxidative stress, and acid-base balance lead to reduced feed intake, feed efficiency, body weight, meat, egg quality, and sometimes mortality. Adverse effects have necessitated several adjustments in animal husbandry practices such as housing and feeding regimes to be implemented. Modifying the environment in poultry production systems can cushion exposure and compensate for losses in poultry fitness in heat-stressed environments. Some of the modifications that have been tested and shown to be successful in attenuating heat stress in poultry include shade, sprinkling cold water on their bodies, and adjusting diets to reduce metabolic heat production. The extensive genetic diversity of indigenous poultry is essential for climate change adaptation and the continuous enhancement of the genetic stock through breeding adaptive features like heat stress tolerance. The naked neck (Na) and frizzle (gene F) gene have been given attention in recent times in their role to withstand heat stress in poultry. A better understanding of indigenous poultry acclimatization to severe environments, together with methods and tools available for the selection, breeding, and matching indigenous poultry ecotypes to suitable environments, should help to minimize the effects of heat stress on indigenous poultry genetic resource growth, production, and reproduction to sustain food security