Stigma Hurts: Exploring Employer and Employee Perceptions of Tattoos and Body Piercings in Nigeria

Purpose – This study draws on social stigma and prejudice to examine the perceptions and beliefs of managers and employees regarding visible tattoos and body piercings, as well as the impact they have on potential employment and human resource management in the global South, using Nigeria as the research context. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses a qualitative research approach, drawing on data from forty-three semi-structured interviews with managers and employees in Nigeria. Findings – Contrary to the popular opinion that tattoos and body piercings are becoming more accepted and mainstream in society, this study finds that some Nigerian employers and employees may stigmatise and discriminate against people with visible tattoos and body piercings. The findings of this study suggest that beliefs about tattoos are predicated on ideologies as well as religious and sociocultural values, which then influence corporate values. Practical Implications – Religious and sociocultural preconceptions about people with visible tattoos and body piercings have negative implications for the recruitment and employment of such people and could prevent organisations from hiring and keeping talented employees. This implies that talented employees might experience prejudice at job interviews, preventing them from gaining employment. Furthermore, stigmatising and discriminating against people with visible tattoos and body piercings may lead to the termination of employment of talented employees, which could negatively affect organisational productivity and growth. Originality/value – This study provides an insight into employment relations with regards to tattoos and body piercings in Nigeria. It also makes some contributions to the social psychology of workplace prejudice and highlights the reasons for the stigma and prejudice against individuals with visible tattoos and body piercings

Spectral decomposition of starbursts and AGNs in 5-8 micron Spitzer IRS spectra of local ULIRGs

We present an analysis of the 5-8 micron Spitzer-IRS spectra of a sample of 68 local Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies (ULIRGs). Our diagnostic technique allows a clear separation of the active galactic nucleus (AGN) and starburst (SB) components in the observed mid-IR emission, and a simple analytic model provides a quantitative estimate of the AGN/starburst contribution to the bolometric luminosity. We show that AGNs are ~30 times brighter at 6 micron than starbursts with the same bolometric luminosity, so that even faint AGNs can be detected. Star formation events are confirmed as the dominant power source for extreme infrared activity, since ~85% of ULIRG luminosity arises from the SB component. Nonetheless an AGN is present in the majority (46/68) of our sources.Comment: 5 Pages, 3 figures. MNRAS Letters, Accepte

OPEN THEISM AND RISK MANAGEMENT : A PHILOSOPHICAL AND BIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

Publisher Copyright: © 2021 The Authors. Zygon® published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Joint Publication Board of Zygon.Open theism denies that God has definite exhaustive foreknowledge, and affirms that God takes certain risks when creating the universe. Critics of open theism often complain that the risks are too high. Perhaps there is something morally wrong with God taking a risk in creating a universe with an open future. Open theists have tried to respond by clarifying how much risk is involved in God creating an open universe, though we argue that it remains unclear how much risk is actually involved. We claim that open theists need to start developing theories about how God manages risks in order to bring about His purposes for the universe. In this article, we will take a philosophical and biological perspective on risk management that adds plausibility to open theism. We will consider how God can use different risk-management, surveillance, and redundancy systems in the natural world in order to accomplish His goals.Peer reviewe

The HH34 outflow as seen in [FeII]1.64um by LBT-LUCI

Dense atomic jets from young stars copiously emit in [FeII] IR lines, which can, therefore, be used to trace the immediate environments of embedded protostars. We want to investigate the morphology of the bright [FeII] 1.64um line in the jet of the source HH34 IRS and compare it with the most commonly used optical tracer [SII]. We analyse a 1.64um narrow-band filter image obtained with the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) LUCI instrument, which covers the HH34 jet and counterjet. A Point Spread Function (PSF) deconvolution algorithm was applied to enhance spatial resolution and make the IR image directly comparable to a [SII] HST image of the same source. The [FeII] emission is detected from both the jet, the (weak) counter-jet, and from the HH34-S and HH34-N bow shocks. The deconvolved image allows us to resolve jet knots close to about 1\arcsec from the central source. The morphology of the [FeII] emission is remarkably similar to that of the [SII] emission, and the relative positions of [FeII] and [SII] peaks are shifted according to proper motion measurements, which were previously derived from HST images. An analysis of the [FeII]/[SII] emission ratio shows that Fe gas abundance is much lower than the solar value with up to 90% of Fe depletion in the inner jet knots. This confirms previous findings on dusty jets, where shocks are not efficient enough to remove refractory species from grains.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, note accepted by A&

Mapping of Water Distribution Network using GIS Technology in Bauchi Metropolis, Nigeria

Increase in Population as well as demand for portable pipe-borne water in most of the cities of developing countries and the activities of the people greatly affect the pipes networks quietly laid beneath the ground. Locating such pipes and the features installed in them has been a task to tackle. Therefore to ensure proper surveillance and monitoring of laid down pipe around the metropolis need to be properly guided with modern technology like the use of Geographic Information Technology.  Hence, to solve these problems analogue data was acquired from the Bauchi State Water Board (BSWB) and converted to digital map (Raster format). (GPS) coordinate was used to locate pipes within the network, the nodes, valves, water hydrants, and busters). Finally, the position of each of the identified features within the network was obtained and recorded in the events table. Digital map of water distribution network of the metropolis was produced and queries were raised while the node valves or pipes underground were easily located using GPS coordinates by navigating from the surface. The study recommends the use of GIS as a decision making tool for municipal water system authorizes or agencies for proper management and evaluation of their installations. Keywords; GIS, GPS Coordinates, ArcGIS, Bauchi Metropolis and Water distribution networ

Risk Factors Sharp Injury Among Healthcare Workers in Sleman State Hospital YOGYAKARTA Province Indonesia

Background : The sharp injury is the most burden problem among healthcare workers. The prevalence slightly increased as consequences spreading blood-borne pathogen. Some researchers had found several variables associated sharp injury among medical workers in the hospital. Objective : The objective of this research was to identify variables that significantly correlated sharp injury among healthcare workers in Sleman State Hospital, Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia. Methods : A cross-sectional study was conducted with total sampling as the method to collect respondents. Total population including a doctor, nurse, midwife, laboratory assistant has been selected based on inclusion criteria such as length of work more than one year and approved to be respondents, amounted 133 samples research. The analysis used chisquare for bivariate and logistic regression test for multivariate. Results : There were nine variables had identified that were age, gender, the level of education, the length of work, salary, occupation, employment status, body mass index, and the marital status. According chi-square analysis obtained gender, the level of education, salary, occupation, employment status and body mass index which were significantly correlated sharp injury (p-value > 0.05). Therefore, only two variables based on logistic regression had statistically related sharp injury. Those variables were salary <1.388.000 IDR (p-value 0.008, aOR 0.135, CI 0.031- 10.594) and abnormal body mass index (p-value 0.000, aOR 6.218, CI 2.552-15.147). Conclusion : In summary, there were two variables had correlated sharp injury among healthcare workers in Sleman state hospital Yogyakarta province, Indonesia; salary and body mass index

Blood pressure control among hypertensive subjects in Dutse, Northwestern Nigeria

Background: High blood pressure is an independent risk factor for cerebrovascular, renal and cardiovascular disease. According to World Health Organization treatment to target Blood Pressure (BP) of <140/90 mmHg has been associated with decrease in morbidity and mortality. Despite this BP control has been very poor even in developed economies.Objective: We set to assess level of BP control among hypertensive patients on treatment in Dutse, Jigawa state, and to identify treatable causes of failure to achieve target for better management.Methods: It is a cross sectional study of all hypertensives for more than one year attending medical out patients clinic who have consented. An interviewer administered questionnaire was used to obtain information from the patients.Results: A total of 123 patients of which 45% were females with mean age, duration of hypertension of 51.9 and 5.9 years respectively and BMI of 40.9Kg/m2. Eighty-three per cent, 91% and 94% were aware of salt restriction, cessation of smoking and alcohol moderation as lifestyle modifications respectively. The mean Systolic and Diastolic BP were 142mmHg and 86mmHg respectively. Fifty-two per cent were on two drugs combination including a diuretic while 4.87% were on three drugs or more. Less than a third (27.6%) had their BP controlled at <140/90mmHg. There was no significant difference in the demographic and clinical data between patients with controlled and uncontrolled BP.Conclusion: This study found that control of BP is still poor in our setting. This could be due to physician inertia in the treatment, use of inappropriate combination of anti hypertensives or failure to reinforce lifestyle modifications.Keywords: Blood pressure, Hypertensives, Control, Black

Direct observation of magnetization dynamics generated by nano-contact spin-torque vortex oscillators

Time-resolved scanning Kerr microscopy has been used to directly image the magnetization dynamics of nano-contact (NC) spin-torque vortex oscillators (STVOs) when phase-locked to an injected microwave (RF) current. The Kerr images reveal free layer magnetization dynamics that extend outside the NC footprint, where they cannot be detected electrically, but which are crucial to phase-lock STVOs that share common magnetic layers. For a single NC, dynamics were observed not only when the STVO frequency was fully locked to that of the RF current, but also for a partially locked state characterized by periodic changes in the core trajectory at the RF frequency. For a pair of NCs, images reveal the spatial character of dynamics that electrical measurements show to have enhanced amplitude and reduced linewidth. Insight gained from these images may improve understanding of the conditions required for mutual phase-locking of multiple STVOs, and hence enhanced microwave power emission.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure