The relationship between habitual dietary protein intake and dual task performance in sedentary, recreationally active, and masters athlete older adults

As the body ages, physical and cognitive declines can result in balance and mobility deficits, but research has shown that proper nutrition and exercise can help maintain physical and mental capacity. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between habitual dietary protein intake and dual task performance in sedentary (SED), recreationally active (RA), and masters athletes (MA). To measure physical activity levels, the Rapid Physical Activity Questionnaire (RAPA) was completed by all participants. The participants were placed into a high or low protein group using the ASA-24 hour dietary recall. If the participant consumed less than 0.8 g/kg of protein per day, they were placed in the low protein group; if the participant consumed more than 0.8 g/kg of protein per day, they were placed in the high protein group. Participants completed four different walking tasks: habitual speed, maximal speed, dual-task habitual speed, and dual-task maximal speed. Gait speed was measured over a distance of 10 meters. SED, RA, and MA consumed a mean of 0.84, 1.13, and 1.57 grams of protein per kilogram body weight per day, respectively. MA consumed significantly more protein than SED or RA participants (α \u3c .05). The low protein group consumed 0.84 g/kg of protein ± 0.39 while the high protein group consumed 1.30 g/kg of protein ± 0.50. There was no significant correlation between amount of protein consumed and dual task performance. While the results were for dual task performance not statistically significant, they may have clinical significance; when comparing the high and low protein groups for the dual task habitual trial, the high protein group covered the 10-m distance 0.73 seconds faster than the low protein group. Clinically, the higher protein group may be able to perform activities of daily living more efficiently

Study on risks and opportunities of digitalisation for financial inclusion. The perspective of vulnerable users in Estonia, Italy and UK with a focus on groups covered by the European Accessibility Act

The digitalization of financial services presents an unprecedented opportunity to increase the financial autonomy of millions of vulnerable people across the European Union. Implemented carefully, with reference to their needs, digitalization can benefit vulnerable groups, society as a whole, and - not least - the financial services organizations, which stand to gain from attracting more customers. But vulnerable people are not currently benefiting from this digitalization as best practise design and specifications are not always followed. There appears to be a lack of commitment on behalf of the financial institutions to use this opportunity to benefit the most vulnerable in society. This report aims to describe how digitalization, in the form of online banking services, is affecting end-users in vulnerable groups. It was commissioned by the European Commission for the Financial Service User Group (FSUG) and examines the state of financial inclusion of vulnerable people in the United Kingdom, Estonia and Italy. The report deals with view of the end-users, in particular it presents detailed information from the point of view of people with disabilities given the current context of the European Accessibility Act. Relevant responses were received from a range of end-users and organisations of end-users. In particular detailed comments were received from end-users and organisations of people with a sensory impairment. The report focuses on the provision made by the financial sector for accessibility to services, in particular through ticket machines, Point of Sale machines (PoS terminals), Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and personal devices such as mobile phones. The study involved extensive qualitative research with people at risk of digital exclusion, due to the introduction of digital financial systems. We also spoke to representatives of organizations which act on behalf of vulnerable groups. The study also made use of quantitative secondary statistics from existing studies on technology and services. The results present a mixed picture of the current situation to financial inclusion. The results show that many of the respondents (both individual users and representative organisations) reported that some systems were useable but added that if a particular user could not use them a third party would act on their behalf. The use of carers and other intermediaries is problematic as it can both remove the autonomy of the end-user and facilitate financial crime against them. Meanwhile many end-users expressed fear of digital financial systems when they were not accessible and when they did not provide information in the form that the end-user could understand. On a positive side, the report found some reassuring information on how digital financial systems could enable vulnerable end-users to use and access their money in a time and place that was suitable for them. This was particularly true for deaf or hearing-impaired ATM users. The report also highlights that despite there being legislation in all three countries it is adopted in very different ways. This includes access to information provided by government departments' online services and by banking service providers. The use of best practise approaches to assist vulnerable people was found to not be used consistently resulting in different levels of accessibility in all three the countries for different users. The research identified a number of positive examples of alternative practise that enabled safe and practical access to digital financial systems. But the main findings were that there is a lack of knowledge about accessible systems and processes among financial services institutions together with a lack of knowledge of the demand for these systems from users. Knowledge-sharing among institutions and countries could be of great value here to assist in inclusion in financial digital services. Results of the findings suggest that there is further work that can be done in this area for financial inclusion of vulnerable people. The comparison of the three countries in the study found that whilst technology can assist these people, it is often used by the financial sector to provide efficiency in business processes, often at the cost of access to those that are vulnerable. The following recommendations are based on the research findings carried out in the study. 1 The financial sector should consider the impact of change, innovation in technology and access to technology when providing: a. New services b. Amending services c. Curtailing services due to the adoption of technological solutions and efficiency driving measures d. Training for employees administering the services e. The sector should anticipate vulnerable people’s requirements for assistance, training and accessibility. Investment in new innovation should not be at the expense of exclusion of any sector of the population. The advancements in financial services and increasing use of alternate financial systems should be recognised by the regulated sector and provisions be made to assist all users and vulnerable users. This includes the training of employees to anticipate the requirements and difficulties that vulnerable persons may experience. Protection of vulnerable peoples should be at the forefront of those in the financial sector and the consideration of increasing lifespan of people globally means that vulnerability changes over a lifespan. Therefore, a concerted effort should be made for users that are currently vulnerable, those that may become vulnerable by ensuring security measures are safe but do not exclude this user group. This may be achieved developing technology, improving usability methods, recognition and secure measures for third party carer givers. 2 Financial service providers should ensure that technology and services are accessible (online and in person), that they meet local and EU accessibility legislation and best practise criteria and that they adopt the recommendations of organisations such as the W3C. This would ensure all users would experience similar security and autonomy when accessing services. 3 Interest groups that represent vulnerable persons should consider more effective strategies to represent the concerns of the vulnerable at national levels in Estonia and Italy, whereas such groups in the UK have more direct involvement with providers of financial services. Such concerted co-ordination will increase the recognition of how financial service providers should meet their obligation of inclusivity and accessibility. 4 Information on alternative ways of accessing services including the use of talking ATMs should be published by both the financial institutions and local and regional support groups to enable end-users to make informed decisions about their use of digital financial services. 5 Recognition must be given to the use of care givers acting as conduits to financial services. Secure measures must be designed to protect vulnerable persons, care givers and the financial service providers from a. Prospect of financial crime b. Risk in using carers to terms and conditions of these providers Furthermore, consideration needs to be given as to the transparent response mechanisms to be provided and action to be taken if financial crime takes place, that takes into account vulnerabilities of the user

Restaurant Managerial Style: How Effective? How Versatile?

Restaurant management and the leadership styles of men and women who serve as hosts to the dining public are the subject of this study. The author asks: What kind of managers are they? What are the operational results of their efforts? Is there a relationship between managerial style and operational outcomes? How are managerial styles themselves related to each other

AFFECTIVE INSTABILITY ACROSS DIAGNOSTIC MODELS

The National Institute of Mental Health’s (NIMH) Research Domain Criteria (RDoC; Insel et al., 2010; Sanislow et al., 2010) were established in an effort to explore underlying dimensions that cut across many existing disorders as well as to provide an alternative to the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5; APA, 2013). The present dissertation aimed to study one major component of the RDoC model, negative valence, as compared to other models hypothesized to be closely related, as well as its relationship to a key component of psychopathology, affective instability. Participants were adult community residents (N=90) currently in mental health treatment. Participants received self-report measures of RDoC negative valence, five-factor model (FFM) neuroticism, and DSM-5 Section 3 negative affectivity, along with measures of affective instability, borderline personality disorder, and social-occupational impairment. Through this investigation, a better understanding and potential expansion of this new model of diagnosis for clinicians and researchers is provided. In particular, it is suggested that RDoC negative valence is commensurate with FFM neuroticism and DSM-5 negative affectivity, and it would be beneficial if it was expanded to include affective instability

Disparate Impact Under the ADEA: Applicants Need not Apply

Part I of this Note addresses the current debate on this topic, illustrated through case law in the Eleventh Circuit, the Seventh Circuit, and a recent federal district court ruling in the Ninth Circuit. Part II analyzes the unambiguous, textual differences between the various subsections of the ADEA as well as the textual differences between Title VII and the ADEA. This Note explores these textual arguments through an analysis of the statutes and interpretative case law and concludes that, as drafted, the disparate impact theory of age discrimination should not be available to non- employee job applicants. Part III illustrates why utilizing a disparate impact theory of recovery in age discrimination cases is futile for non-employee job applicants, demonstrates why the current position held by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the administrative agency responsible for the ADEA’s enforcement, should not be determinative on this matter, and proposes a new pathway to support older job applicants in their quests for employment. This Note advocates for Congress, through legislative action, and the EEOC, through its rulemaking responsibilities, to develop incentives and education initiatives for employers to eliminate the unconscious biases and stereotypes often encumbering older workers

Theoretical and Numerical Study of Tikhonov\u27s Regularization and Morozov\u27s Discrepancy Principle

A concept of a well-posed problem was initially introduced by J. Hadamard in 1923, who expressed the idea that every mathematical model should have a unique solution, stable with respect to noise in the input data. If at least one of those properties is violated, the problem is ill-posed (and unstable). There are numerous examples of ill- posed problems in computational mathematics and applications. Classical numerical algorithms, when used for an ill-posed model, turn out to be divergent. Hence one has to develop special regularization techniques, which take advantage of an a priori information (normally available), in order to solve an ill-posed problem in a stable fashion. In this thesis, theoretical and numerical investigation of Tikhonov\u27s (variational) regularization is presented. The regularization parameter is computed by the discrepancy principle of Morozov, and a first-kind integral equation is used for numerical simulations

Covering Africa in the Age of Independence: Divergent Voices in U.S. Print Media, 1957-1975

This dissertation critically examines how U.S. print media sought to represent the realities of decolonizing and newly independent countries in West Africa by focusing on pivotal events and charismatic leaders from the “non” vote in Guinea in 1958 to the radical appeal of Amilcar Cabral in Guinea-Bissau in 1973. The framing and agenda setting of mainstream media coverage turned leaders and events into metonyms not only for peoples and nations but also for Africa and Africans as a whole. However, the complexities of West Africa, such as political rivalry in the Congo or civil war in Nigeria, troubled such representations. Thus this dissertation tracks the widening of coverage and opening up of representations in African American and New Left print media in a time of global unrest as well as Cold War

Response to Intervention: K-8 Regular Education Teachers\u27 Perceptions of Effectiveness

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the perceptions K-8 regular education teachers have of the Response to Intervention framework. Participants of the study included 1,036 K-8 regular education teachers from 4 East Tennessee districts. The survey achieved a 28% return rate for a total of 277 participants. Specifically, this research assessed K-8 regular education teachers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the RTI framework overall, in aiding in the accurate identification of students with learning disabilities, closing skills gaps for students, and in aiding in the early identification of students with learning difficulties. The data source analyzed consisted of a survey design using a 5-point Likert type scale. There were 5 research questions with 4 corresponding null hypothesis for each question. Research questions were analyzed using a single sample t test, independent t test, or an ANOVA. Results indicated that teachers perceived the Response to Intervention framework effective to a significant extent overall, in closing skills gaps, and aiding in the early identification of students with learning difficulties. They did not see the framework effective to a significant extent in aiding in the accurate identification of students with learning difficulties