Adolescent smoking: behavioural risk factors and health beliefs

The study extends previous research on adults by assessing the role of cognitive factors of smoking behaviour in 885 teenagers

Testing the equivalence principle on cosmological scales using the odd multipoles of galaxy cross-power spectrum and bispectrum

One of the cornerstones of general relativity is the equivalence principle. However, the validity of the equivalence principle has only been established on solar system scales for standard matter fields; this result cannot be assumed to hold for the non-standard matter fields that dominate the gravitational dynamics on cosmological scales. Here we show how the equivalence principle may be tested on cosmological scales for non-standard matter fields using the odd multipoles of the galaxy cross-power spectrum and bispectrum. This test makes use of the imprint on the galaxy cross-power spectrum and bispectrum by the parity-violating general relativistic deformations of the past-light cone, and assumes that galaxies can be treated as test particles that are made of baryons and cold dark matter. This assumption leads to a non-zero galaxy-baryon relative velocity if the equivalence principle does not hold between baryons and dark matter. We show that the relative velocity can be constrained to be less than 28% of the galaxy velocity using the cross-power spectrum of the HI intensity mapping/Hα galaxy survey and the bispectrum of the Hα galaxy survey

Self-rated health and multimorbidity in patients with type 2 diabetes.

The relationship between multimorbidity and self-rated health is well established. This study examined self-rated health in relation to multimorbidity, glycaemia and body weight specifically in adults with type 2 diabetes. Bootstrapped hierarchical logistic regression and structural equation modelling (SEM) were used to analyse survey data from 280 adults with type 2 diabetes. The odds of 'fair/bad/very bad' self-rated health increased 10-fold in patients with three (OR = 10.11 (3.36-30.40)) and four conditions (OR = 10.58 (2.9-38.25)), irrespective of glycaemic control (p < 0.001). The relationship between multimorbidity and perceived health was more pronounced in male patients. SEM generated a model with good fit, χ2 (CMIN) = 5.10, df = 3, p = 0.164, χ2 (CMIN)/df = 1.70, RMSEA = 0.05, CFI = 0.97, TLI = 0.95 and NFI = 0.94; self-rated health mediated relations between multimorbidity and BMI. Overall, this study highlights the potential of self-rated health to mediate relationships between multimorbidity and BMI, but not glycaemic control, in adults with type 2 diabetes

A Phase Approach for Adopting Private Clouds as a Collaborative Platform for Nigerian Universities

Cloud computing is creating a new era for information technology by providing a set of services that appears to have infinite capacity, immediate deployment and high availability at trivial cost. It is the result of the evolution of computing and communications technology from a high-value asset to a simple commodity. In this evolution, the focus shifts from the concept of computing as a physical thing to computing as a service, like electricity, that is accessible from the nearest network connection. An organization, which is under increasing pressure to provide computing services at the lowest possible cost, can choose either public or private clouds to meet these needs. However, driven by concerns over security, regulatory compliance, control over quality of service, and long-term costs, many organizations choose internal private clouds. Private clouds provide the same cost and flexibility benefits as public clouds and also enable an organization to control the quality of service delivered to their users. In addition, private clouds allow an organization to better secure data and meet governance regulations which is usually a major concern when using public clouds. Many universities spend huge amount of money yearly on ICT infrastructure.  About ninety percent of ICTs budgets are consumed by computing requirements that can be centralized and standardized enabling one to do more with less resource. This paper tries to make a ca se for the private cloud as a better platform for collaboration among the Nigerian universities and to propose a safe strategy for migration into the private cloud. Keywords: Cloud Computing, Private Cloud, Public Cloud, Cloud Service Models, Cloud Characteristic

The Unique Role of Self-Rated Health in Metabolic Syndrome and its Diagnostic Cardiometabolic Abnormalities: An Analysis of Population-Based Data

Background: Historically, previous research demonstrating associations between self-rated health (SRH) and metabolic anomalies have rarely controlled for metabolic covariates. Thus, there is currently poor understanding of the unique contribution of SRH to metabolic syndrome (MetS) over and beyond diagnostic cardiometabolic abnormalities. Objective: This study explored unique associations between SRH and multiple cardiometabolic factors, after controlling for metabolic covariates. Methods: This study was based on an analysis of archived population-based data from the 2019 Health Survey for England. A total of 352 MetS cases were extracted from 10299 participants in the survey. Bootstrapped adjusted regression methods were used to predict MetS status and cardiometabolic abnormalities (HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, waist/hip ratio, body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c)) from SRH. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to explore direct and indirect associations between SRH and cardiometabolic factors, with SRH treated as a mediating factor. Results: SRH predicted MetS status but this was negated after cardiometabolic adjustments. Poor SRH independently predicted HDL cholesterol deficiency, and elevated waist/hip ratio, BMI, and HbA1c, even after cardiometabolic adjustments. SEM generated two models with equivalent fit indices, but different structural pathways. In one model SRH mediated relations between anthropometric risk factors (waist/hip ratio and BMI). Conclusions: SRH can help identify people at risk of developing MetS, irrespective of cardiometabolic abnormalities. Poor SRH may represent a non-intrusive easily measurable risk factor for adiposity in MetS, especially where direct measurement of body fat is impractical or socially challenging

Mobile technology usage mediates gender differences in physical activity

Gender differences in how technology is used to facilitate physical activity engagement was examined. 578 adults completed a survey assessing gender, mobile device usage, stages of change in physical activity based on the transtheoretical model of behaviour change (TTM) and relevant covariates. Data analysis revealed that both cumulative device types and cumulative reasons for using devices mediated gender differences in stage membership for physical activity. Females used fewer devices and reported fewer reasons for using such devices than male participants. These dispositions predicted a reduced probability of achieving action/maintenance stages for physical activity. Females used fewer mobile devices and perceived fewer incentives for using such devices. As a result they are less likely to enter the action/maintenance stages of physical activity. Interventions to promote female participation in physical activity need to recognise gender differences in the use of mobile technology

A Review of Housing Problems

Housing problems occur both in rich and poor communities across the globe. The objective of this research is to review housing problems which lead to unwholesome environmental conditions. The method used is a review of academic articles, textbooks, internet materials, news articles and publicly available materials on housing problems. Previous authors whose works were reviewed have a convergent view on housing problems including overcrowding and congestion, poor accessibility, substandard and inadequate housing, high cost of building materials, high interest rate and lack of interest by financial institutions to facilitate loans to investors and uncoordinated policies by government. The paper made the following recommendations: (1) government should build low-cost houses to cater for the large number of people who, due to their low-income earnings could not afford a decent apartment; (2) formulation of economic, social and environmental policies that facilitate housing that is both affordable and sustainable by government; (3) improvement of sanitation in poor neighborhoods with poor housing conditions through urban renewal programme

Clinicopathological Correlates in a PRNP P102L Mutation Carrier with Rapidly Progressing Parkinsonism-dystonia

Parkinsonism-dystonia is rare in carriers of PRNP P102L mutation. Severity and distribution of prion protein (PrP) deposition may influence the clinical presentation. We present such clinic-pathological correlation in a 56-year-old male with a PRNP P102L mutation associated with a phenotype characterized by rapidly progressing parkinsonism-dystonia. The patient was studied clinically (videotaped exams, brain MRIs); molecular genetically (gene sequence analysis); and neuropathologically (histology, immunohistochemistry) during his 7-month disease course. The patient had parkinsonism, apraxia, aphasia, and dystonia, which progressed rapidly. Molecular genetic analysis revealed PRNP P102L mutation carrier status. Brain MRIs revealed progressive global volume loss and T2/FLAIR hyperintensity in neocortex and basal ganglia. Postmortem examination showed neuronal loss, gliosis, spongiform changes, and PrP deposition in the striatum. PrP immunohistochemistry revealed widespread severe PrP deposition in the thalamus and cerebellar cortex. Based on the neuropathological and molecular-genetic analysis, the rapidly progressing parkinsonism-dystonia correlated with nigrostriatal, thalamic, and cerebellar pathology

Is backreaction really small within concordance cosmology?

Smoothing over structures in general relativity leads to a renormalisation of the background, and potentially many other effects which are poorly understood. Observables such as the distance-redshift relation when averaged on the sky do not necessarily yield the same smooth model which arises when performing spatial averages. These issues are thought to be of technical interest only in the standard model of cosmology, giving only tiny corrections. However, when we try to calculate observable quantities such as the all-sky average of the distance-redshift relation, we find that perturbation theory delivers divergent answers in the UV and corrections to the background of order unity. There are further problems. Second-order perturbations are the same size as first-order, and fourth-order at least the same as second, and possibly much larger, owing to the divergences. Much hinges on a coincidental balance of 2 numbers: the primordial power, and the ratio between the comoving Hubble scales at matter-radiation equality and today. Consequently, it is far from obvious that backreaction is irrelevant even in the concordance model, however natural it intuitively seems.Comment: 28 pages. Invited contribution to Classical and Quantum Gravity special issue "Inhomogeneous Cosmological Models and Averaging in Cosmology

Preference for Facial Symmetry Depends on Study Design

Facial symmetry is purportedly attractive, though methods for measuring preference for facial symmetry vary between studies. Some studies have used a two-alternative forced choice (2AFC) task, while others have used a ratings task. How researchers manipulate facial symmetry also varies; some studies have used faces manipulated to be more (or perfectly) symmetrical, while others have used faces manipulated to be more asymmetrical. Here, across three studies, we evaluate and compare these different methods. In Studies 1 and 2 (N = 340 and 256, respectively), we compare facial symmetry preferences as measured by the 2AFC and ratings tasks. Across both studies, we consistently found a significant preference for facial symmetry when using the 2AFC task, but not with the ratings task. Additionally, correlations between facial symmetry preferences as measured by the two tasks were weak or showed no association. In Study 3, 159 participants rated the attractiveness of faces manipulated to be either symmetrical or more asymmetrical. The asymmetrical faces were rated as significantly less attractive compared to the original faces, while the difference in attractiveness ratings between the original and symmetrical versions was comparatively much smaller. These studies suggest that preference for facial symmetry depends greatly on the study design