HEALTH ORIENTATION AND DISORDERED EATING ATTITUDE IN WOMEN WITH POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME (PCOS)

Reproductive medicine in the field of health psychology deals with the psychological aspects of the reproductive system and its consequences. Reproductive medicine provides an opportunity to understand the process of the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, hormonal conditions and illnesses, sexual behaviour, menopause by not merely from a biological point of view but also in light of psychological and social processes. Aline to this view, the study explored health orientation and disordered eating attitude in women diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). The study captured the health-related behavior and attitude, which is a key component of the development of psychological distress in PCOS. It also examined the differences for the same in PCOS and Non-PCOS women. Total of eighty women, from the age group of 18-30 (young adults) were included in the study. The results highlighted, a significant difference among PCOS and Non-PCOS women on health image concern, health anxiety, health esteem and confidence, health expectations and health status. Finding also implied that there was a significant difference in disordered eating attitude of women diagnosed with PCOS and healthy women. These findings could have a significant implication for prevention, clinical practice and intervention in women with PCOS. The incorporation of medical and psychological actions to enhance their health-related quality of life may help these women.

The Effect of Sustainable Supply Chain Management on Company Performance Mediated by Competitive Advantage

This study aims to examine the effect of sustainable supply chain management on company performance mediated by competitive advantage, the subjects of this study were the actors of the pottery Joint Business Group (JBG) in Banten Province, Indonesia. This type of research is quantitative research with descriptive research and causal research using questionnaires distributed directly to the JBG Pottery actors as many as 100 respondents. Moreover, Structural Equation Model (SEM) in the SmartPLS Software version 3.0.m3 (SmartPLS GmbH: Bönningstedt, Germany) was used for data analysis. The results of the study found that sustainable supply chain management affects competitive advantage, company performance was also observed to be influenced by sustainable supply chain management and competitive advantage while company performance was also found to be affected by sustainable supply chain management through the mediating effect of competitive advantage. The significant implication of this study is for managers to ensure competitiveness in the process of implementing sustainability supply chain to improve company performance, while providing recommendations to the government through Disperindagkop and SMEs in conducting the assistance process to MSMEs.

Effect of Macroeconomic Variables on Financial Performance of Healthcare Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria

This study empirically investigated the effect of macroeconomic variables on financial performance in Nigeria healthcare sector. It spanned for the period of 2008-2018 and utilized annual time series secondary data extracted from annual reports and financial statements of the selected firms. Ex-post facto research design was adopted while analytical techniques employed were descriptive statistics, fully modified ordinary least squares panel regression and Pearson correlation analysis. Findings revealed that changes in macroeconomic indices play significant roles on the financial position of Healthcare manufacturing firms in Nigeria. Particularly, result showed that exchange rate, interest rate, external debt and trade openness have negative effect while inflation rate exert positive influence to financial position of Healthcare manufacturing firms in Nigeria. Among the selected macroeconomic variables, the effects of exchange rate and inflation rate were significant. Implication of the result is that unstable macroeconomy is harmful to healthy growth of Healthcare manufacturing firms in Nigeria. The study therefore recommended among other things that exchange rate should be monitored while economic policy measures aimed at controlling exchange rate in Nigeria should be established. High rate of interest should also be regulated and set to a rate favourable to the growth of Healthcare manufacturing companies in Nigeria. Federal government of Nigeria should work towards reducing their level of borrowing from foreign countries and as well reduce volume of trade openness for overall performance of manufacturing sector in Nigeria.

THE MALAY CULTURAL LANDSCAPE CHARACTERISTICS FOR THE ISLAMIC ARISTOCRAT TOWN IN KELANTAN, MALAYSIA

The Malay cultural landscape has become an integral part of examining the cultural significance in Malaysia. Thus, the main objective of the study is to determine the impact of the visual characteristics of the built cultural landscape in conserving and preserving Kota Bharu as an aristocratic area in this modern era. Kota Bharu is one of the Islamic cities in Malaysia. This study embarks into a quantitative study using a mixed-method. A significant implication is to propose a significant model to value the Malay cultural heritage and preserve the culture and spirit among the Kelantanese Malay population who live in the modern era.

Cross-border freight movement between Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore

Trade plays an important role in economic growth. Thence, a smooth cross-border transaction between Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore provides a significant implication in international trade. Currently, cross-border transactions face several issues during the crossing of borders between countries and, specifically, happens during the transactions of cargo. A very rigid documentation process within the custom clearance and theresulting severe congestion will affect the trade flow in this particular zone. Inconsistency of freight transaction documents at the cross-border also makes the transaction procedure more complicated and affects the performance of the manufacturer’s competitiveness. Thus, this paper explores the current issues at the borders involving Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore. This paper also initiates to figure out the challenges and some key success factors in modelling efficiency for cross-border transactions amongst these countries. A qualitative approach has been adapted to answer the proposed research questions. The initial results stressed that congestion, thorough and repetitious documentation procedures, involvement of many documents, as well as the time-consuming clearance of documents are key issues encountered during cross-border freight movement. This situation has caused several issues such as delays in freight delivery, losses in tax collection due to delays, reluctance to share information, and effects on the competitiveness of the freight supply chain. Development in infrastructure, information sharing, regulations, logistics performance, and customs clearance procedure can overcome the problems during cross-border Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore activities. The model outcome is expected to be smoother for the administrative process during customs clearance and it is expected to be able to efficiently reduce costs.

“Data makes the story come to life.” Understanding the ethical and legal implications of Big Data research involving ethnic minority healthcare workers: a qualitative study

The aim of UK-REACH (“The United Kingdom Research study into Ethnicity And COVID-19 outcomes in Healthcare workers”) is to understand if, how, and why healthcare workers (HCWs) in the UK from ethnic minority groups are at increased risk of poor outcomes from COVID-19. In this article, we present findings from Work Package 3, the ethico-legal stream, which undertook qualitative research seeking to understand and address legal, ethical, and social acceptability issues around data protection, privacy, and information governance associated with the linkage of HCWs’ registration data and healthcare data. We interviewed 22 key opinion leaders in healthcare and health research from across the UK in two-to-one semi-structured interviews. Transcripts were manually coded using qualitative thematic analysis. Participants told us that a significant implication across all stages of Big Data research in public health are drivers of mistrust – of the research itself, research staff and funders, and broader concerns of mistrust within participant communities, particularly in the context of COVID-19 and those situated in more marginalised community settings. However, despite the challenges, participants also identified ways in which legally compliant and ethically informed approaches to research can be crafted to mitigate or overcome mistrust and establish confidence in Big Data public health research. Overall, our research indicates that a “Big Data Ethics by Design” approach can help assure 1) that meaningful engagement is taking place and that extant challenges are addressed, and 2) that any new challenges or hitherto unknown unknowns can be rapidly and properly considered to ensure potential (but material) harms are identified and minimised where necessary. Our findings indicate such an approach, in turn, will help drive better scientific breakthroughs that translate into medical innovations and effective public health interventions, which benefit the publics studied.

Local Beer: The construction of masculinity through the production and consumption of local beer

<p>Ideas of masculinity in Wellington, NZ are co-constructed in the creation of ‘craft’ or ‘local’ beer. This thesis explores the production and consumption of a commodity and its cultivation of ‘self’ to understand why only certain kinds of people drink beer. I draw on data gathered from interviews and participant observation to explore this self-making process. Results indicate that there is a movement from mainstream beer to craft beer locally produced and consumed. In the process of creating local beer the local consumer is also made. Beer is a self- making process. Key to my argument is the emergence of a particular type of masculinity. By producing and consuming locally, people reject the type of masculinity that has historically been established by mainstream beer, the white colonial male. Attributes include, hardworking, rugged, linked to the earth, and working class. Local beer, by way of contrast, promises a celebration of a myriad of identities in its celebration of all different styles and flavours of beer. My findings indicate that this is only a perception. In Wellington, a new kind of man is being made in craft brewpubs, the ‘cultural omnivore’. The cultural omnivore is a man of middle or upper-middle class, has ‘taste’ and appreciation for flavourful beer, and is metropolitan. A significant implication of this research is the insight gained on how a commodity, beer, can facilitate in the making of certain kinds of people. This research contributes to anthropological scholarship on the creation of self and gender, at the level of the local consumer.</p>

Local Beer: The construction of masculinity through the production and consumption of local beer

<p>Ideas of masculinity in Wellington, NZ are co-constructed in the creation of ‘craft’ or ‘local’ beer. This thesis explores the production and consumption of a commodity and its cultivation of ‘self’ to understand why only certain kinds of people drink beer. I draw on data gathered from interviews and participant observation to explore this self-making process. Results indicate that there is a movement from mainstream beer to craft beer locally produced and consumed. In the process of creating local beer the local consumer is also made. Beer is a self- making process. Key to my argument is the emergence of a particular type of masculinity. By producing and consuming locally, people reject the type of masculinity that has historically been established by mainstream beer, the white colonial male. Attributes include, hardworking, rugged, linked to the earth, and working class. Local beer, by way of contrast, promises a celebration of a myriad of identities in its celebration of all different styles and flavours of beer. My findings indicate that this is only a perception. In Wellington, a new kind of man is being made in craft brewpubs, the ‘cultural omnivore’. The cultural omnivore is a man of middle or upper-middle class, has ‘taste’ and appreciation for flavourful beer, and is metropolitan. A significant implication of this research is the insight gained on how a commodity, beer, can facilitate in the making of certain kinds of people. This research contributes to anthropological scholarship on the creation of self and gender, at the level of the local consumer.</p>

The emergence of chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium falciparum is influenced by selected communities in some parts of the Central Region of Ghana

Background The return of chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium falciparum in sub-Saharan Africa countries offers the opportunity for the reintroduction of chloroquine (CQ) either in combination with other drugs or as a single therapy for the management of malaria. This study assesses the influence of individual study sites on the selection of CQ sensitive P. falciparum markers in the Central region of Ghana. Methods Genomic DNA was extracted from an archived filter paper blood blot from Cape Coast, Elmina, Assin Fosu, and Twifo Praso using the Chelex DNA extraction method. The age metadata of the patients from whom the blood spots were taken was collected. The prevalence of CQ-sensitive markers of pfcrt K76 and pfmdr1 N86 was performed using nested PCR and RFLP. The data were analysed using Chi-square and Odd ratio. Results The overall prevalence of CQ-sensitive P. falciparum markers, pfcrt K76 and pfmdr1 N86 in the Central Region of Ghana were 142 out of 184 (77.17%) and 180 out of 184 (97.83%), respectively. The distribution of pfcrt K76 was assessed among the age groups per the individual study sites. 12 out of 33 (36.36%), 8 out of 33 (24.24%) and 6 out of 33 (18.18%) of pfcrt K76 CQ-sensitive marker were isolated from age 0 to 5 years, 16 to 30 years and 31 to 45 years old respectively at Cape Coast. Assin Fosu and Twifo Praso had the highest pfcrt K76 prevalence in 0–5 years, followed by 16–30 years and 6–15 years of age. The results showed that there was a significant prevalence of pfcrt K76 in all study sites; Cape Coast (χ2 = 26.48, p < 0.0001), Assin Fosu (χ2 = 37.67, p < 0.0001), Twifo Praso (χ2 = 32.25, p < 0.0001) and Elmina (χ2 = 17.88, p < 0.0001). Again, the likelihood to detect pfcrt K76 (OR (95% CI) was 7.105 (3.118–17.14), p < 0.0001 and pfmdr1 (2.028 (1.065–3.790), p < 0.001) among P. falciparum isolates from Cape Coast to be seven times and two times, respectively. Conclusion The study showed a significant selection and expansion of chloroquine-sensitive P. falciparum markers in all the selected study areas in the Central region. This finding has a significant implication for the future treatment, management, and control of P. falciparum malaria.

Are There Heterogeneous Impacts of Air Pollution on Mental Health?

Many studies reveal that air pollution is related to mental health. However, the level of impact and the regulatory mechanism of air pollution on different types of mental health are unknown. This paper examines the heterogeneous impact and mediating mechanisms of air pollution on mental health based on data of 51 countries from 2010 to 2017 by using panel Tobit random effect model, mediating effect model, and bootstrap test. The findings show that, firstly, there is heterogeneous impact of air pollution on different types of mental health. Specifically, air pollution has a significant positive impact on depression; and the impacts on happiness and anxiety are closely related to income level. Secondly, the heterogeneous impact of air pollution on mental health is contingent on income levels. Thirdly, the heterogeneous impacts under different income levels are exacerbated by different levels of education and population density. Lastly, the mediating effect of physical health on different types of mental health is also heterogeneous. To be specific, the effects of air pollution on depression and anxiety are partly mediated by physical health; whereas the effect on happiness is not. These findings contribute to the understanding of air pollution on public health, and have significant implication for social and public health policy makers.