2,226 research outputs found

    Socio-cultural factors surrounding mental distress during the perinatal period in Zambia: a qualitative investigation.

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    BACKGROUND: The presence of mental distress during pregnancy and after childbirth imposes detrimental developmental and health consequences for families in all nations. In Zambia, the Ministry of Health (MoH) has proposed a more comprehensive approach towards mental health care, recognizing the importance of the mental health of women during the perinatal period. AIM: The study explores factors contributing to mental distress during the perinatal period of motherhood in Zambia. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted in Lusaka, Zambia with nineteen focus groups comprising 149 women and men from primary health facilities and schools respectively. FINDINGS: There are high levels of mental distress in four domains: worry about HIV status and testing; uncertainty about survival from childbirth; lack of social support; and vulnerability/oppression. CONCLUSION: Identifying mental distress and prompt referral for interventions is critical to improving the mental health of the mother and prevent the effects of mental distress on the baby. RECOMMENDATION: Strategies should be put in place to ensure pregnant women are screened for possible perinatal mental health problems during their visit to antenatal clinic and referral made to qualified mental health professionals. In addition further research is recommended in order to facilitate evidence based mental health policy formulation and implementation in Zambia

    AN INITIAL EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF INTREO ACTIVATION REFORMS. ESRI RESEARCH SERIES NUMBER 81 MARCH 2019

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    This report presents results from an initial evaluation that the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has undertaken of the effectiveness of the most recent set of activation reforms that have been made to Ireland’s public employment services (PES). The modifications, which are known as the Intreo activation process reforms, were first introduced in 2012 for all newly unemployed Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) and Jobseeker’s Benefit (JB) recipients only. The reforms have focused on making changes to how benefit and employment services are delivered to jobseekers as opposed to what types of employment services are delivered (i.e., job search assistance, training, education courses, etc.)

    Attorney General v X: Commentary and Feminist Judgment

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    The commentary considers the feminist judgment as a exercise in progressive constitutionalism addressing gendered harms. The feminist judgment, an imagined Supreme Court judgment in Attorney General v X and others [1992] 1 IR 1 (IESC),.addresses the question of abortion’s permissibility under the Irish Constitution through a feminist approach to constitutional rights, legal method and socio-legal knowledge. The legal test adopted for determining when an abortion is constitutionally permissible is when carrying a pregnancy is an impracticable burden on a woman’s life. This test is substantially different from the one adopted in the actual X case, that a woman may terminate a pregnancy when there is a real and substantial risk to her life, as distinct from her health. Among other things, it avoids the bright line distinctions between life and health which have been problematic for pregnant women since X, including Ms A, Ms B, Ms C, Ms D1, Ms D2, Savita Halappanavar, Michelle Harte and Ms Y, and their health care providers

    Quantum Frequency Translation of Single-Photon States in Photonic Crystal Fiber

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    We experimentally demonstrate frequency translation of a nonclassical optical field via the Bragg scattering four-wave mixing process in a photonic crystal fiber (PCF). The high nonlinearity and the ability to control dispersion in PCF enable efficient translation between photon channels within the visible to-near-infrared spectral range, useful in quantum networks. Heralded single photons at 683 nm were translated to 659 nm with an efficiency of 28.6±2.228.6 \pm 2.2 percent. Second-order correlation measurements on the 683-nm and 659-nm fields yielded g683(2)(0)=0.21±0.02g^{(2)}_{683}(0) = 0.21 \pm 0.02 and g659(2)(0)=0.19±0.05g^{(2)}_{659}(0) = 0.19 \pm 0.05 respectively, showing the nonclassical nature of both fields.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

    The contribution of marketing to business strategy formation: A perspective on business performance gains

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    Recognized as a topic with important implications for executive practice by both the Marketing Science Institute and the American Marketing Association, the contribution of marketing to business strategy formation has now become a fertile, prominent and notable area of contemporary investigation. It remains that little is understood of (1) the relevant contribution and centrality of marketing to business strategy formation, (2) the empirical testing of this contribution in areas of particular strategic relevance and (3) the business performance implications of marketing's contribution to business strategy formation. In an attempt to address these three key issues, this paper presents an empirical investigation of medium and large, high-technology, industrial manufacturing firms. Specifically, the study examines the potential differences between high business performance firms and low business performance firms concerning the contribution of marketing to dimensions of business strategy formation activities while controlling for potential confounding effects. The findings indicate that firms are able to realize significantly greater pay-offs in business performance terms when critical marketing input in all areas of the strategy formation process (from goal setting to strategy selection) is harnessed in comparison with those firms where marketing does not make such a meaningful contribution to strategy formation

    Non cell autonomous upregulation of CDKN2 transcription linked to progression of chronic hepatitis C disease

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    Chronic hepatitis C virus infection (C-HC) is associated with higher mortality arising from hepatic and extrahepatic disease. This may be due to accelerated biological aging; however, studies in C-HC have thus far been based solely on telomere length as a biomarker of aging (BoA). In this study, we have evaluated CDKN2 locus transcripts as alternative BoAs in C-HC. Our results suggest that C-HC induces non-cell-autonomous senescence and accelerates biological aging. The CDKN2 locus may provide a link between C-HC and increased susceptibility to age-associated diseases and provides novel biomarkers for assessing its impact on aging processes in man
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