Gender Issues in Children’s Literature: An Analysis of Fairytales

This paper intends to explore the reasons of gender discrimination indifferent segments of Pakistani society at grass root level. This study isbased on qualitative content analysis of children’s literature from whichthe most popular corpse of ten English fairytales purposively. Activitiesof different characters along with their social were selected andeconomic status, behavioral traits, gendered messages and thematic roleswere analyzed by using coding frame for manifest and stimulus clues forlatent information. This content analysis research indicates that genderdifference is an integral part of the fairy tales which shows female genderinferior to male. A detailed qualitative analysis of these selectedfairytales cited that gender issues start from titles and prevail throughoutthe fairytales. Males had proper names but girls were known with theirattributive names in the titles. The study suggests a need for drasticchange behaviorally, psychologically and materially (in our children’sliterature and particularly in fairytales) to keep pace with the 21st century,which demands us to be more creative, active and innovative withscientific approach instead of becoming an escapist

Hedonic and incentive signals for body weight control

Here we review the emerging neurobiological understanding of the role of the brain’s reward system in the regulation of body weight in health and in disease. Common obesity is characterized by the over-consumption of palatable/rewarding foods, reflecting an imbalance in the relative importance of hedonic versus homeostatic signals. The popular ‘incentive salience theory’ of food reward recognises not only a hedonic/pleasure component (‘liking’) but also an incentive motivation component (‘wanting’ or ‘reward-seeking’). Central to the neurobiology of the reward mechanism is the mesoaccumbal dopamine system that confers incentive motivation not only for natural rewards such as food but also by artificial rewards (eg. addictive drugs). Indeed, this mesoaccumbal dopamine system receives and integrates information about the incentive (rewarding) value of foods with information about metabolic status. Problematic over-eating likely reflects a changing balance in the control exerted by hypothalamic versus reward circuits and/or it could reflect an allostatic shift in the hedonic set point for food reward. Certainly, for obesity to prevail, metabolic satiety signals such as leptin and insulin fail to regain control of appetitive brain networks, including those involved in food reward. On the other hand, metabolic control could reflect increased signalling by the stomach-derived orexigenic hormone, ghrelin. We have shown that ghrelin activates the mesoaccumbal dopamine system and that central ghrelin signalling is required for reward from both chemical drugs (eg alcohol) and also from palatable food. Future therapies for problematic over-eating and obesity may include drugs that interfere with incentive motivation, such as ghrelin antagonists

Worldwide trends in underweight and obesity from 1990 to 2022: a pooled analysis of 3663 population-representative studies with 222 million children, adolescents, and adults

Background Underweight and obesity are associated with adverse health outcomes throughout the life course. We estimated the individual and combined prevalence of underweight or thinness and obesity, and their changes, from 1990 to 2022 for adults and school-aged children and adolescents in 200 countries and territories. Methods We used data from 3663 population-based studies with 222 million participants that measured height and weight in representative samples of the general population. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends in the prevalence of different BMI categories, separately for adults (age ≥20 years) and school-aged children and adolescents (age 5–19 years), from 1990 to 2022 for 200 countries and territories. For adults, we report the individual and combined prevalence of underweight (BMI <18·5 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2). For schoolaged children and adolescents, we report thinness (BMI <2 SD below the median of the WHO growth reference) and obesity (BMI >2 SD above the median). Findings From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity in adults decreased in 11 countries (6%) for women and 17 (9%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 that the observed changes were true decreases. The combined prevalence increased in 162 countries (81%) for women and 140 countries (70%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. In 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity was highest in island nations in the Caribbean and Polynesia and Micronesia, and countries in the Middle East and north Africa. Obesity prevalence was higher than underweight with posterior probability of at least 0·80 in 177 countries (89%) for women and 145 (73%) for men in 2022, whereas the converse was true in 16 countries (8%) for women, and 39 (20%) for men. From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of thinness and obesity decreased among girls in five countries (3%) and among boys in 15 countries (8%) with a posterior probability of at least 0·80, and increased among girls in 140 countries (70%) and boys in 137 countries (69%) with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. The countries with highest combined prevalence of thinness and obesity in school-aged children and adolescents in 2022 were in Polynesia and Micronesia and the Caribbean for both sexes, and Chile and Qatar for boys. Combined prevalence was also high in some countries in south Asia, such as India and Pakistan, where thinness remained prevalent despite having declined. In 2022, obesity in school-aged children and adolescents was more prevalent than thinness with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 among girls in 133 countries (67%) and boys in 125 countries (63%), whereas the converse was true in 35 countries (18%) and 42 countries (21%), respectively. In almost all countries for both adults and school-aged children and adolescents, the increases in double burden were driven by increases in obesity, and decreases in double burden by declining underweight or thinness. Interpretation The combined burden of underweight and obesity has increased in most countries, driven by an increase in obesity, while underweight and thinness remain prevalent in south Asia and parts of Africa. A healthy nutrition transition that enhances access to nutritious foods is needed to address the remaining burden of underweight while curbing and reversing the increase in obesit

Satisfação dos usuários assistidos nos Centros de Especialidades Odontológicas do Município do Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil Patient satisfaction at Specialized Dental Clinics in Recife, Pernambuco State, Brazil

O estudo objetivou avaliar a satisfação dos usuários assistidos nos Centros de Especialidades Odontológicas do Município do Recife, Pernambuco, Brasil. Realizou-se entrevista pessoal padronizada com 272 pacientes utilizando o Questionário de Avaliação da Qualidade dos Serviços de Saúde Bucal (QASSaB). Os resultados indicaram uma avaliação positiva para a maioria das dimensões no geral. A acessibilidade foi um ponto crítico destacado. Houve diferença significante de 5% na satisfação dos usuários, entre as unidades de serviço, para: relações humanas/cirurgião-dentista (p = 0,001); relações humanas/auxiliar (p = 0, 007); eficácia (p = 0,014); acessibilidade/tempo de espera (p = 0,018); ambiente físico/limpeza da recepção (p = 0,004); aceitabilidade (p = 0,029); efetividade/aparência dos dentes (p = 0,029) e efetividade/capacidade de mastigação (p < 0,001). Concluiu-se que a maioria dos usuários está satisfeita com a assistência prestada nos centros e que a satisfação difere em cada centro.<br>This study evaluated patient satisfaction at four specialized dental clinics in Recife, Pernambuco State, Brazil. Data were collected through a standardized self-applied individual questionnaire with 272 patients, to evaluate user satisfaction with public dental services. The findings indicated a positive evaluation on most dimensions, except for accessibility. Significant differences were observed between the services on the following dimensions: patient-dentist relationship (p = 0.001); patient-dental assistant relationship (p = 0.007); effectiveness (p = 0.014) accessibility/waiting time (p = 0.018); physical environment/reception room cleanness (p = 0.004); acceptability (p = 0.029); and effectiveness/tooth appearance (p = 0.029), effectiveness/chewing capacity (p < 0.001). In conclusion, most users were satisfied with the dental care, and satisfaction differed between services