33 research outputs found
Gender Inequality Affecting Womenâs Career Progression in Malaysia
The objective of this research is to assess whether gender inequality affects womenâs career progression in Malaysia. The study examines the relationship between patriarchy, gender stereotypes, organisational cultural factors, family factors, and individual factors with womenâs career progression. The study has adopted the Glass Ceiling Theory and feminist theory. A total of 250 questionnaires were collected from women employees working in Malaysia. The study revealed that patriarchy, organisational cultural factors, and family factors had a significant relationship with womenâs career progression while gender stereotypes and individual factors had no significant relationship with womenâs career progression. The findings of this study contribute to womenâs empowerment in society, and for companies and the Government of Malaysia to have a better understanding of the factors involved in womenâs career progression in Malaysia. This study contributes to the Glass Ceiling Theory and feminist thought by determining the relationship of these theories with regard to womenâs career progression in Malaysia
Gametogenesis, Embryogenesis, and Fertilization Ecology of Platygyra acuta
Understanding the reproductive biology of dominant coral species in subtropical nonreefal coral communities is critical in providing important information on the processes underlying the distribution limits of coral species and communities. This is the first study that investigates the reproduction cycle, gametogenesis, and fertilization ecology of Platygyra acuta. Results indicated that P. acuta is hermaphroditic and exhibits a single annual gametogenic cycle. Oogenic and spermatogenic cycle occurs for 6-7 months and for 2 months, respectively, prior to annual mass spawning event in May to June in Hong Kong. It took 18 hours for P. acuta to complete embryonic development, develop cilia, and start to rotate. High (>70%) fertilization success can be achieved under a broad range of sperm concentrations from 104 to 107âspermsâmLâ1. Fertilization success remained consistently high 6âh after spawning, indicating a prolonged viability of its gametes that is much longer than that recorded for other coral species. Significantly higher percentage of fertilization success was recorded in the first of the two consecutive nights of spawning, suggesting differences in the quality of the eggs and/or sperms between days of spawning. These results serve as important baseline information for better understanding of corals in marginal communities
The Spill-Over Impact of the Novel Coronavirus-19 Pandemic on Medical Care and Disease Outcomes in Non-communicable Diseases: A Narrative Review
OBJECTIVES:
The coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic has claimed more than 5 million lives worldwide by November 2021. Implementation of lockdown measures, reallocation of medical resources, compounded by the reluctance to seek help, makes it exceptionally challenging for people with non-communicable diseases (NCD) to manage their diseases. This review evaluates the spill-over impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with NCDs including cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes mellitus, chronic respiratory disease, chronic kidney disease, dementia, mental health disorders, and musculoskeletal disorders.
METHODS:
Literature published in English was identified from PubMed and medRxiv from January 1, 2019 to November 30, 2020. A total of 119 articles were selected from 6,546 publications found.
RESULTS:
The reduction of in-person care, screening procedures, delays in diagnosis, treatment, and social distancing policies have unanimously led to undesirable impacts on both physical and psychological health of NCD patients. This is projected to contribute to more excess deaths in the future.
CONCLUSION:
The spill-over impact of COVID-19 on patients with NCD is just beginning to unravel, extra efforts must be taken for planning the resumption of NCD healthcare services post-pandemic
A comparison of intimate partner violence and associated physical injuries between cohabitating and married women: A 5-year medical chart review
Ă© 2016 The Author(s). Background: Cohabitation, referring to a co-residential romantic relationship between two intimate partners without a marriage license, has become widely accepted in contemporary societies. It has been found that cohabitating women have a higher risk of experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) than married women. However, as yet, no studies have investigated the level and pattern of IPV-associated physical injuries and its mental health impact on cohabitating women. Therefore, we aim to compare IPV-associated physical injuries between cohabitating and married women by conducting a review of 5-year medical records from the emer gency departments of two major public hospitals in Hong Kong. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study. Using two computerized systems, we identified the medical charts of 1011 women who had experienced IPV and presented at emergency departments between 2010 and 2014, of which, 132 were cohabitating and 833 were married. Results: Cohabitating women were significantly younger (p-value < .0001) and had obtained a higher educational level (p-value =.008) than married women. After adjusting for those two variables, the logistic regression models showed that cohabitating women were approximately 2.1 times more likely than married women to present with head, neck, or facial injuries (OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.30-3.40, p =.002), and the risk of having multiple injuries in different locations (head, neck, face, torso, limbs) was almost twice that for cohabitating women compared with married women (OR = 1.82, 95% CI = 1.25-2.65, p =.001). Furthermore, cohabitating women were almost two times as likely as married women to experience more than one method of physical violence (OR = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.18-2.51, p =.005). There were no significant differences regarding mental health, police reporting, and discharge plans. Conclusions: Owing to recent social changes to the family structure, including the growing acceptance of cohabitation, it is essential that a screening program for IPV is established for cohabitating women, as well as the inclusion of IPV content in medical and nursing curriculums and in-service training.published_or_final_versio
ăćéŠïŒćæ ïŒćłæżăé·è çćœæ äșèšć
ć¶șć性ćžäșć€ȘèćčŽćžç 究äžćżçČèŻäșșæ°žé ćąłć ŽçźĄçć§ćĄæïŒăèŻæ°žæăïŒèłć©çșæäžćčŽçăćéŠïŒćæ
ïŒćłæżăé·è
çćœæ
äșèšć(ăèšćă)ăæ€èšćæšćšèźéćčŽäșșèȘèé·è
çćœç¶é©ïŒćžçżć
æć°éŁèæ«æ仄æćæéćïŒć»șç«æŁćäșșçè§ă
èżćčŽïŒäž»æ”ćȘé«ç¶ćžžæčè©ćčŽèŒäșșçèČ éąäșșçè§ïŒäŸćŠïŒăèșșćčłäž»çŸ©ăăăäș«æšäž»çŸ©ăăăçŹććżæ
ăçïŒäșŠäžæçć°éćčŽäșșèŒççæ°èăæćæŸćšć€§ćžć
§èçéäžć°ćæ
ç·ć°æŸćäŒćèȘæźșçćæĄïŒèćžçæ·±ć
„äș€æ”ćŸïŒçŒçŸä»ćéąć°çæČéçćžæ„ćŁćăèČĄæżć°éŁæè€éç柶ćșéäżïŒć
§ćżć
æ»żææäžćźă
æ€èšćèźć¶ș性ćžçèé·è
ć°ćž«éČèĄæ·±ćșŠçć°è«ïŒééäșè§Łé·è
è”°éçè·Żăä»ćç¶æ·éçæ«æćæèšïŒç”ŠäșćčŽèŒäșșçćœçćç€șăćŠææć仄æ
éæŻć»äșșçïŒé·è
ć°±ćç°éäžççèłæ·±èć
ćźąïŒćłäœżć€§ćź¶é芜äžćçć°é»ăè§èłéäžćçéąšæŻïŒä»ćçžœèœć€ ćäș«äžäșæ
éçćżćŸïŒèźæ°æéćźąè”°ć°äžé»ć€æè·ŻïŒæé æć°æ
éçæšè¶Łćæ矩ăé·è
äșŠćŻä»„èç±æèż°äșșççæź”ć饧ä»ćçćœäžçæ
äșïŒćžçżæ„çŽéć»ïŒćąć èȘæèȘćæăéćčŽäșșć”äœçćœæèČæžćïŒć°é·è
ç©æ„”çäșșçè§ćłç”ŠćčŽèŒäžä»ŁïŒäžŠèæ€éŒć”ć
¶ä»é·è
è±éć°ćșŠéé€ćčŽă
æćæŒ2022ćčŽćæćć¶șć性ćžćžçæ„ćăçćœæ
äșæèż°ăćčèšïŒć
§ćźčć
æŹïŒæŹæžŻçäșșćŁèćçŸè±Ąăæèż°æČ»ççè«ăèé·è
æșéçæć·§ćæšĄæŹćŻŠèžç·ŽçżçïŒä»„èŁćććžçç„èćæć·§ăæŹäžćżćć汯éăć
æćçé·è
æ©æ§çŒéè«äżĄïŒèȘ éé·è
æä»»çćœć°ćž«æ„ćèšȘćă
ć¶ș性ćźæććžä»„ć
©äșșäžç”çć°éćœąćŒïŒæŒ2022ćčŽ6èł7ææéććŸé·è
äžćżăæ„éè·çäžćżăć¶șć性ćžæé·è
柶äžïŒèćäșäœé·è
éČèĄæ·±ć
„èšȘè«ăèšȘè«ç”æćŸïŒććžæ čæèšȘè«çć
§ćźčïŒçșé·è
æžćŻ«ä»ćçšçčççćœæ
äșăäŸćŠćšäșșéąéèł€çç°ćç°ćąäžïŒćȘćææŒäșæ„çAlfredïŒć
æäžææçșéČäżźçæ·èčć銟æ„æïŒćłäœżæČæ©ææ±ćžïŒä»æäžéć·§æéćșäžç怩çèæ ïŒćšæć性é©ćœç挩枊äžïŒæçç±ćż±èæčèźćœéçèè±ïŒéæçș柶äșșçĄç§ć„ç»çéłłçŸ€ăæć©ć©ăé
èłć现愳ïŒéąéć„äșćéç°ć°çéżçŸćéżæ°ŽïŒćłäœżèą«ćź¶äșșèłŁć»ćăćŠčä»ăïŒä»èœä»„ăéżQçČŸç„ăéąć°çè«é€ă
çșäżéé·è
çç§é±æŹçïŒæŹæžć
§ææćç»äčæ
äșçç¶éćèšȘè
æç€Ÿć·„ćŻ©é±ïŒéšä»œćèšȘè
éžæ仄ććçćœąćŒäŸćäș«èȘć·±çæ
äșïŒæćäșŠç§»é€äșéšä»œææçćäșșèłæăhttps://commons.ln.edu.hk/apias_guide/1008/thumbnail.jp
Antimicrobial resistance among migrants in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are rising globally and there is concern that increased migration is contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Europe. However, the effect of migration on the burden of AMR in Europe has not yet been comprehensively examined. Therefore, we did a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify and synthesise data for AMR carriage or infection in migrants to Europe to examine differences in patterns of AMR across migrant groups and in different settings. METHODS: For this systematic review and meta-analysis, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus with no language restrictions from Jan 1, 2000, to Jan 18, 2017, for primary data from observational studies reporting antibacterial resistance in common bacterial pathogens among migrants to 21 European Union-15 and European Economic Area countries. To be eligible for inclusion, studies had to report data on carriage or infection with laboratory-confirmed antibiotic-resistant organisms in migrant populations. We extracted data from eligible studies and assessed quality using piloted, standardised forms. We did not examine drug resistance in tuberculosis and excluded articles solely reporting on this parameter. We also excluded articles in which migrant status was determined by ethnicity, country of birth of participants' parents, or was not defined, and articles in which data were not disaggregated by migrant status. Outcomes were carriage of or infection with antibiotic-resistant organisms. We used random-effects models to calculate the pooled prevalence of each outcome. The study protocol is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42016043681. FINDINGS: We identified 2274 articles, of which 23 observational studies reporting on antibiotic resistance in 2319 migrants were included. The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or AMR infection in migrants was 25·4% (95% CI 19·1-31·8; I2 =98%), including meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (7·8%, 4·8-10·7; I2 =92%) and antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria (27·2%, 17·6-36·8; I2 =94%). The pooled prevalence of any AMR carriage or infection was higher in refugees and asylum seekers (33·0%, 18·3-47·6; I2 =98%) than in other migrant groups (6·6%, 1·8-11·3; I2 =92%). The pooled prevalence of antibiotic-resistant organisms was slightly higher in high-migrant community settings (33·1%, 11·1-55·1; I2 =96%) than in migrants in hospitals (24·3%, 16·1-32·6; I2 =98%). We did not find evidence of high rates of transmission of AMR from migrant to host populations. INTERPRETATION: Migrants are exposed to conditions favouring the emergence of drug resistance during transit and in host countries in Europe. Increased antibiotic resistance among refugees and asylum seekers and in high-migrant community settings (such as refugee camps and detention facilities) highlights the need for improved living conditions, access to health care, and initiatives to facilitate detection of and appropriate high-quality treatment for antibiotic-resistant infections during transit and in host countries. Protocols for the prevention and control of infection and for antibiotic surveillance need to be integrated in all aspects of health care, which should be accessible for all migrant groups, and should target determinants of AMR before, during, and after migration. FUNDING: UK National Institute for Health Research Imperial Biomedical Research Centre, Imperial College Healthcare Charity, the Wellcome Trust, and UK National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit in Healthcare-associated Infections and Antimictobial Resistance at Imperial College London
Surgical site infection after gastrointestinal surgery in high-income, middle-income, and low-income countries: a prospective, international, multicentre cohort study
Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is one of the most common infections associated with health care, but its importance as a global health priority is not fully understood. We quantified the burden of SSI after gastrointestinal surgery in countries in all parts of the world.
Methods: This international, prospective, multicentre cohort study included consecutive patients undergoing elective or emergency gastrointestinal resection within 2-week time periods at any health-care facility in any country. Countries with participating centres were stratified into high-income, middle-income, and low-income groups according to the UN's Human Development Index (HDI). Data variables from the GlobalSurg 1 study and other studies that have been found to affect the likelihood of SSI were entered into risk adjustment models. The primary outcome measure was the 30-day SSI incidence (defined by US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for superficial and deep incisional SSI). Relationships with explanatory variables were examined using Bayesian multilevel logistic regression models. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02662231.
Findings: Between Jan 4, 2016, and July 31, 2016, 13 265 records were submitted for analysis. 12 539 patients from 343 hospitals in 66 countries were included. 7339 (58·5%) patient were from high-HDI countries (193 hospitals in 30 countries), 3918 (31·2%) patients were from middle-HDI countries (82 hospitals in 18 countries), and 1282 (10·2%) patients were from low-HDI countries (68 hospitals in 18 countries). In total, 1538 (12·3%) patients had SSI within 30 days of surgery. The incidence of SSI varied between countries with high (691 [9·4%] of 7339 patients), middle (549 [14·0%] of 3918 patients), and low (298 [23·2%] of 1282) HDI (p < 0·001). The highest SSI incidence in each HDI group was after dirty surgery (102 [17·8%] of 574 patients in high-HDI countries; 74 [31·4%] of 236 patients in middle-HDI countries; 72 [39·8%] of 181 patients in low-HDI countries). Following risk factor adjustment, patients in low-HDI countries were at greatest risk of SSI (adjusted odds ratio 1·60, 95% credible interval 1·05â2·37; p=0·030). 132 (21·6%) of 610 patients with an SSI and a microbiology culture result had an infection that was resistant to the prophylactic antibiotic used. Resistant infections were detected in 49 (16·6%) of 295 patients in high-HDI countries, in 37 (19·8%) of 187 patients in middle-HDI countries, and in 46 (35·9%) of 128 patients in low-HDI countries (p < 0·001).
Interpretation: Countries with a low HDI carry a disproportionately greater burden of SSI than countries with a middle or high HDI and might have higher rates of antibiotic resistance. In view of WHO recommendations on SSI prevention that highlight the absence of high-quality interventional research, urgent, pragmatic, randomised trials based in LMICs are needed to assess measures aiming to reduce this preventable complication
Stachyose: One of the Active Fibroblast-proliferating Components in the Root of Rehmanniae Radix (ć°é» dĂŹ huĂĄng)
This study aimed to investigate and compare the fibroblast-proliferating activities of different Rehmanniae Radix (RR) samples and its chemical components using human normal fibroblast cells Hs27. Those active components were quantified in differently treated RR samples using UPLC so as to correlate activity with component content. Our results showed that dried RR aqueous extract exhibited the most potent fibroblast-proliferating activity. Stronger effect was observed when ethanol with heating was applied in the extraction process. Stachyose and verbascoside were demonstrated for their first time to exhibit significant stimulatory effects on fibroblast proliferation. However, the proliferating effect of dried RR extract did not correlate with the stachyose content, and verbascoside was not responsible for the fibroblast proliferative effect of RR since it was undetectable in all samples. In conclusion, stachyose only contributed in part to the activity of RR, suggesting that other active components might be present and yet to be found
Induction of Angiogenesis in Zebrafish Embryos and Proliferation of Endothelial Cells by an Active Fraction Isolated from the Root of Astragalus membranaceus using Bioassay-guided Fractionation
The objective of the study was to identify the active fraction(s) from AR aqueous extract responsible for promoting angiogenesis using bioassay-guided fractionation. The angiogenic activity was screened by monitoring the increase of sprout number in sub-intestinal vessel (SIV) of the transgenic zebrafish embryos after they were treated with 0.06-0.25 mg/ml of AR aqueous extract or its fraction(s) for 96 h. Furthermore, the angiogenic effect was evaluated in treated zebrafish embryos by measuring the gene expression of angiogenic markers (VEGFA, KDR, and Flt-1) using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and in human microvascular endothelial cell (HMEC-1) by measuring cell proliferation using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, 3H-thymidine uptake assay, and cell cycle analysis. A major active fraction (P1-1-1), which was identified as glycoproteins, was found to significantly stimulate sprout formation (2.03±0.27) at 0.125 mg/ml (P<0.001) and up-regulate the gene expression of VEGFA, KDR, and Flt-1 by 2.6-fold to 8.2-fold. Additionally, 0.031-0.125 mg/ml of P1-1-1 was demonstrated to significantly stimulate cell proliferation by increasing cell viability (from 180% to 205%), 3H-thymidine incorporation (from 126% to 133%) during DNA synthesis, and the shift of cell population to S phase of cell cycle. A major AR active fraction consisting of glycoproteins was identified, and shown to promote angiogenesis in zebrafish embryos and proliferation of endothelial cells in vitro
Covid-19 pandemic and work from home: Effect on workers productivity
Work From Home (WFH) is generally applied to employers and workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is one of the government's steps to reduce the transmission of coronavirus disease by restricting physical interaction. This research aims to establish the impact on job efficiency of WFH during the covid-19 pandemic. In this context, WFH is defined as a new approach to work allowed by the internet and accessibility where it can be achieved regardless of the physical location of a person's work. The results indicate that WFH has a positive and negative impact on the productivity of workers. The government should take numerous steps to reduce the adverse effects of WFH among employees