bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Welfare migration or migrant selection? Social insurance participation and rural migrants’ intentions to seek permanent urban settlement in China
Authors: Xie Shenghua , Chen Juan , Ritakallio Veli-Matti , Leng Xiangming
Published: July 2020

The welfare system can be a crucial factor in the urban settlement of rural migrants, but its effects are difficult to determine because to do so one must distinguish the effect of welfare entitlement from the effect of ‘migrant selectivity bias’, which widely exists in cities in developing countries. Using survey data from 15 Chinese cities, this study examines the ways in which social insurance – the most critical social welfare package in China – affects rural migrants’ urban-settlement intentions. The results show that there is a ‘migrant selectivity bias’ in Chinese cities, that is, rural migrants who are better off socio-economically are more inclined to participate in social insurance and are more inclined to pursue permanent urban settlement. Meanwhile, social insurance participation is significantly and positively related to rural migrants’ urban-settlement intentions, and this positive relation remains even after we discount the effect of ‘migrant selectivity bias’ in the analysis. We argue that, for rural migrants in China, the effect of social insurance participation on urban settlement intentions closely resembles that experienced by those who move to migration-managed regimes. We conclude that the Chinese government should establish a more inclusive social welfare system to enable rural migrants to permanently settle in cities.
Emerging problematics of deregulating the urban: The case of permitted development in England
Authors: Ferm Jessica , Clifford Ben , Canelas Patricia , Livingstone Nicola
Published: July 2020

Urban planning systems, processes and regulations are often blamed – by many mainstream economists – for constraining the supply of housing by interfering with the efficient allocation of land by the market and unnecessarily delaying development. In England, this orthodox view has influenced the government’s deregulatory planning reforms, including – since 2013 – the removal of the requirement for developers to apply for planning permission for the conversion of an office building to a residential one (making it ‘permitted development’). Drawing on original empirical research in five local authority areas in England, this article examines the impacts of this deregulation of planning control on the ground. We find that, although more housing units have been delivered than were expected, a focus on housing numbers is eclipsing problems of housing quality, the type of housing being made available and whether it is in sustainable locations. There are also costs of deregulating planning, including direct financial costs and the lost opportunity to secure affordable housing and public infrastructure through planning gain. We conclude by examining the contradictions in the UK government’s approach to addressing the housing crisis and propose there are dangers of deregulating the urban that have consequences for England and other countries pursuing neoliberal reforms.
Stress Sources of Physical Therapy Students’ and Behaviors of Coping in Clinical Practice: A Palestinian Perspective
Authors: Ayed Ahmad , Amoudi Mosab
Published: July 2020

Physical therapy students will be exposed to stressors across clinical practice. The aggregate stress conveys to the new behavioral responses occur through the clinical training. The study aimed to examine the stress sources faced by physical therapy students and behaviors of coping used in their clinical practice. A cross-section study with a sample of 83 physical therapy students. Data were collected through Perceived Stress Scale and Coping Behavioral Inventory Scale. The mean of perceived stress by the respondents was 66.3 (standard deviation [SD] = 17.01) and the coping behaviors mean was 35.15 (SD = 9.67). The most common type of factor stressors perceived was looking for care of patients (M = 16.6 ± 4.4) and the most common coping behavior was problem solving (M = 13.8±6.6). The study confirmed that the perceived stress and coping behaviors of physical therapy students were moderate in clinical practice. Stress from the care of patients is the greatest stressful, and problem solving was the greatest coping.
Gladness and sympathetic joy: Gospel witness and the four noble truths in dialogue
Authors: Yong Amos
Published: July 2020

Several years ago, His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu published together, The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World (2016). If the famed Lama was calling on notions of joy developed in and through his own Tibetan Buddhist tradition to suggest a way forward for a fraught 21st-century world, the almost equally famous South African social activist and Anglican bishop was drawing from even more ancient Christian sources regarding rapturous and jubilational delight in order to propose engaging with the complexities of a globalizing third millennium. This article seeks to dig deeper into the scriptural tributaries feeding these contemporary proposals, focusing first on the 5th-century CE Indian Buddhist thinker Buddhaghosa, in particular his teachings regarding the role of joyful equanimity for the salvation of the monastic community found in the classic text Visuddhimagga, and on the appropriation of these ideas by contemporary Buddhist practitioners, and second on the apostolic writings of St. Luke, for whom joyful prayer and worship were central expressions of a Spirit-empowered proclamation of the gospel by the earliest followers of Jesus in their sojourn to the ends of the earth that has galvanized Christian mission historically. We will find that both traditions can learn something important in this dialogical process which can, in turn, also nurture in the present age a more humble and also, paradoxically, more potent Christian witness in Buddhist environments in the present 21st-century global context.
The Criminal/Legal Experiences of Individuals with Mental Illness along the Sequential Intercept Model: An Eight-Site Study
Authors: Comartin Erin B. , Nelson Victoria , Smith Scott , Kubiak Sheryl
Published: July 2020

Studies suggest that up to 44% of individuals in the criminal/legal system have a severe mental illness (SMI), and although diversion programs have been established, a significant portion still end up incarcerated. The Sequential Intercept Model is a framework designed to reduce the overrepresentation of individuals with SMI in the criminal/legal system by identifying points of interception to prevent individuals from entering or moving further into the system. Although studies assess programs in each intercept, none has evaluated how individuals process through all intercepts. Using data from eight counties ( N = 1,160), this exploratory study assesses criminal/legal involvement across each intercept between individuals identified with ( n = 880) or without ( n = 280) SMI. Findings indicate longer stays in jail, low rates of treatment engagement and enrollment in specialty courts, and poorer diversion outcomes for individuals with SMI. Recommendations for research, policies, and practices are proposed to advance Smart Decarceration efforts.
Romantic Relationship Quality of Youth with Two Biological Parents and Stepfathers
Authors: Washington Chanell
Published: July 2020

This study uses data from a sample of 7,404 respondents from Waves I and IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health) to examine how the quality of relationships between parents (mother–father) and relationships between parents and children during adolescence (mother–adolescent and resident father–adolescent) influence children’s romantic relationship quality in young adulthood. This study also examined whether these family of origin factors operate similarly or differently for children raised with biological fathers and married stepfathers. Results indicate that mother–(step)father, mother–adolescent, and resident (step)father–adolescent relationship quality are all positively associated with adult children’s romantic relationship quality. However, the association between mother–(step)father relationship quality and young adult children’s romantic relationship quality was stronger for those who resided in stepfamilies.
Ruins of Gaia: Towards a Feminine Ontology of the Anthropocene
Authors: Pohl Lucas
Published: July 2020

The current epoch is often described by cultural theorists as facing an ontological turn with regard to the question of nature. In the Anthropocene, ‘Mother Nature’ makes space for ‘Gaia’, a nature that is inseparably related to culture. In turn, Gaia has vehemently been criticized as a harmonious figure of whole-ism. Utilizing a psychoanalytic framework, this paper traces the shift from Nature to Gaia through Jacques Lacan's ‘formulas of sexuation’. From a Lacanian standpoint, sexual difference paves the way towards two different ways of relating nature and culture. Addressing the case of ruination, the author engages with the two underlying ontologies taking place in debates on nature: the narrative of Mother Nature based on a ‘masculine’ ontology, and the notion of Gaia as following a ‘feminine’ ontology. The paper concludes by outlining a feminine reading of the Anthropocene that captures nature and culture as ruined and immanently out of joint.
The role of strut chordae in mitral valve competence during annular dilation
Authors: Taylor Samuel , Buchan Keith G , Espino Daniel M
Published: July 2020

Strut chordae, on their own, are not typically thought to aid mitral valve competence. The aim of this study is to assess whether strut chordae aid mitral valve competence during acute annular dilation. Twelve porcine hearts were dissected and tested using an in vitro simulator, with the mitral annulus tested in either a ‘normal’ or a dilated configuration. The normal configuration included a diameter of 30 mm, a posterior leaflet ‘radius’ of 15 mm and a commissural corner ‘radius’ of 7.5 mm; the dilated annular template instead used dimensions of 50 mm, 25 mm and 12.5 mm, respectively. Each mitral valve underwent ten repeat tests with a target systolic pressure of 100 mmHg. No significant difference in the pressure was detected between the dilated and regular annuli for the mitral valves tested (95 ± 3 mmHg cf. 95 ± 2 mmHg). However, the volume of regurgitation for a dilated annulus was 28 ml greater than for a valve with a normal annulus. Following severing of strut chordae, there was a significant reduction in the systolic pressure withstood before regurgitation by mitral valves with dilated annuli (60 ± 29 mmHg cf. 95 ± 2 mmHg for normal annular dimensions; p < 0.05). In conclusion, strut chordae tendineae may play a role in aiding mitral valve competence during pathophysiology.
What Matters to Patients and Families: A Content and Process Framework for Clarifying Preferences, Concerns, and Values
Authors: Rocque Rhéa , Chipenda Dansokho Selma , Grad Roland , Witteman Holly O.
Published: July 2020

Background. Values clarification, or sorting out what matters to a patient or family relevant to a health decision, is a fundamental part of shared decision making. We aimed to describe how values clarification occurs in routine primary care. Methods. Using framework analysis and an established taxonomy, 2 independent researchers analyzed 260 consultations in 5 family medicine clinics across Quebec. Two questions guided our analyses: 1) What categories exist regarding what matters to patients? 2) What patterns exist in discussions of what matters to patients? Results. 1) Five distinct categories of what matters to patients and families were discussed during values clarification: preferences, concerns, treatment-specific values, life goals or philosophies, and broader contextual or sociocultural values. Preferences and concerns were the matters most commonly raised. 2) Diverse patterns of values clarification emerged based on 3 analytical questions: Who initiates the discussion about what matters to patients? When? What information is discussed? The most frequent pattern was clinicians soliciting patients’ concerns and preferences during the information-gathering phase. The second most common pattern was similar, except that patients’ spontaneously raised what matters to them. Limitations. The study was descriptive and based on audio-recorded visits. We did not interview patients and clinicians to elicit their perspectives. Conclusions. There are 5 distinct categories of what matters to patients and families as well as clear patterns of how values clarification occurs in routine primary care consultations. Clinicians could be sensitive to these categories when engaging in the process of values clarification and may wish to pay particular attention to the opening minutes of a consultation. This study provides a structure for future identification of best practices in values clarification.
Implausible States: Prevalence of EQ-5D-5L States in the General Population and Its Effect on Health State Valuation
Authors: Marten Ole , Mulhern Brendan , Bansback Nick , Tsuchiya Aki
Published: July 2020

The EQ-5D is made up of health state dimensions and levels, in which some combinations seem less “plausible” than others. If “implausible” states are used in health state valuation exercises, then respondents may have difficulty imagining them, causing measurement error. There is currently no standard solution: some valuation studies exclude such states, whereas others leave them in. This study aims to address 2 gaps in the literature: 1) to propose an evidence-based set of the least prevalent two-way combinations of EQ-5D-5L dimension levels and 2) to quantify the impact of removing perceived implausible states from valuation designs. For the first aim, we use data from 2 waves of the English General Practitioner Patient Survey ( n = 1,639,453). For the second aim, we remodel a secondary data set of a Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) with duration that valued EQ-5D-5L and compare across models that drop observations involving different health states: 1) implausible states as defined in the literature, 2) the least prevalent states identified in stage 1, and 3) randomly select states, alongside 4) a model that does not drop any observations. The results indicate that two-way combinations previously thought to be implausible actually exist among the general population; there are other combinations that are rarer, and removing implausible states from an experimental design of a DCE with duration leads to value sets with potentially different characteristics depending on the criterion of implausible states. We advise against the routine removal of implausible states from health state valuation studies.
Use of Enhanced Data Visualization to Improve Patient Judgments about Hypertension Control
Authors: Shaffer Victoria A. , Wegier Pete , Valentine K. D. , Belden Jeffery L. , Canfield Shannon M. , Popescu Mihail , Steege Linsey M. , Jain Akshay , Koopman Richelle J.
Published: July 2020

Objective. Uncontrolled hypertension is driven by clinical uncertainty around blood pressure data. This research sought to determine whether decision support—in the form of enhanced data visualization—could improve judgments about hypertension control. Methods. Participants (Internet sample of patients with hypertension) in 3 studies ( N = 209) viewed graphs depicting blood pressure data for fictitious patients. For each graph, participants rated hypertension control, need for medication change, and perceived risk of heart attack and stroke. In study 3, participants also recalled the percentage of blood pressure measurements outside of the goal range. The graphs varied by systolic blood pressure mean and standard deviation, change in blood pressure values over time, and data visualization type. Results. In all 3 studies, data visualization type significantly affected judgments of hypertension control. In studies 1 and 2, perceived hypertension control was lower while perceived need for medication change and subjective perceptions of stroke and heart attack risk were higher for raw data displays compared with enhanced visualization that employed a smoothing function generated by the locally weighted smoothing algorithm. In general, perceptions of hypertension control were more closely aligned with clinical guidelines when data visualization included a smoothing function. However, conclusions were mixed when comparing tabular presentations of data to graphical presentations of data in study 3. Hypertension was perceived to be less well controlled when data were presented in a graph rather than a table, but recall was more accurate. Conclusion. Enhancing data visualization with the use of a smoothing function to minimize the variability present in raw blood pressure data significantly improved judgments about hypertension control. More research is needed to determine the contexts in which graphs are superior to data tables.
The Structure of City Action: Institutional Embeddedness and Sustainability Practices in U.S. Cities
Authors: Brandtner Christof , Suárez David
Published: July 2020

Cities often embrace policies to take responsibility for social problems such as battling climate change, maintaining civil and human rights, or planning for economic development. Why cities and their administrations differ in their propensity to enact policy innovations and public management reforms is not obvious. Drawing on sociological institutionalism, we posit that cities adopt actions that they deem appropriate in response to institutional pressures, both local and shared. Using survey and administrative data from the sustainability practices of 1,540 municipal governments throughout the United States, we demonstrate the effects of underexplored mimetic and normative influences on cities. Cities in innovative states and regions that embrace sustainability, cities that are characterized by organizational rationalization and have memberships in professional associations, and cities that accommodate expansive nonprofit sectors are the most likely to tackle threats to the natural environment, controlling for a host of political, demographic, and administrative factors. We conclude by elaborating a research agenda to further test our core proposition that nested institutional influences contribute to public sector reform, offering an institutional theory of city action.
Exploring concomitant neuroimaging and genetic alterations in patients with and patients without auditory verbal hallucinations: A pilot study and mini review
Authors: Yu Haiping , Ying Wang , Li Gang , Lin Xiaodong , Jiang Deguo , Chen Guangdong , Chen Suling , Sun Xiuhai , Xu Yong , Ye Jiaen , Zhuo Chuanjun
Published: July 2020

Objective

To explore concomitant neuroimaging and genetic alterations in patients with schizophrenia with or without auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs), and to discuss the use of pattern recognition techniques in the development of an objective index that may improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment outcomes for schizophrenia.

Methods

The pilot study included patients with schizophrenia with AVHs (SCH-AVH group) and without AVHs (SCH-no AVH group). High throughput sequencing (HTS) was performed to explore RNA networks. Global functional connectivity density (gFCD) analysis was performed to assess functional connectivity (FC) alterations of the default mode network (DMN). Quantitative long noncoding (lnc) RNA and mRNA expression data were related to peak T values of gFCDs using Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis.

Results

Compared with the SCH-no AVH group ( n = 5), patients in the SCH-AVH group ( n = 5) exhibited differences in RNA expression in RNA networks that were related to AVH severity, and displayed alterations in FC (reflected by gFCD differences) within the DMN (posterior cingulate and dorsal-medial prefrontal cortex), and in the right parietal lobe, left occipital lobe, and left temporal lobe. Peak lncRNA expression values were significantly related to peak gFCD T values within the DMN.

Conclusion

Among patients with schizophrenia, there are concomitant FC and genetic expression alterations associated with AVHs. Data from pattern recognition studies may inform the development of an objective index aimed at improving early diagnostic accuracy and treatment planning for patients with schizophrenia with and without AVHs.
Evaluation of the disability assessment Longshi scale: A multicenter study
Authors: Wang Yao , Li Shanshan , Pan Weiyi , Xiao Peng , Zhang Jiehong , Wang Qing-Mei , Luo Xun , Wang Yulong
Published: July 2020

Objective

We investigated factors affecting the disability assessment Longshi scale, and differences between the Longshi and Barthel scales, as well as modified Rankin scale (mRS), to determine whether the Longshi scale is superior to the other scales.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included 721 participants with disability. We performed the t-test, analysis of variance, Pearson’s correlation test, and multiple linear regression to analyze group differences and define explanatory variables.

Results

The Longshi scale had a strong positive correlation with the Barthel scale (r = 0.868) but a weak negative correlation with the mRS (r = –0.185). Scores obtained among seven study hospitals in two provinces of southeast China were significantly different (F = 8.034). Social activities of participants with disability can be positively predicted using the Longshi (β = 0.251) and Barthel scales (β = 0.276). However, age has a weak negative correlation with the Longshi scale (r = –0.163).

Conclusion

Training did not cause significant variations in assessment using the Longshi scale. However, the results differed among different regions. The Longshi scale showed a strong correlation with the Barthel scale but a weak correlation with the mRS. Assessment time was shorter using the Longshi scale and the scale can be used to predict the social activities of individuals with disability.
Psychosocial Quality of Life and Its’ Correlates in People Serving Prison Sentences in Penitentiary Institutions
Authors: Skowroński Bartłomiej , Talik Elżbieta
Published: July 2020

The aim of the present study was to identify and analyze the determinants of prison inmates’ psychosocial quality of life (PQol) as a positive and negative correlates. Three hundred ninety prison inmates were recruited from the correctional facilities administered by the Warsaw District Inspectorate of Prisons. Data were collected by means of the SQLQ, SOC-29, SWS, SPI/TPI, SIPR, COPE, GSES questionnaires and analyzed by means of SEM. The positive correlates for prison inmates’ PQol are: sense of coherence, self-efficacy, intensity of religious attitude, social support, and trait curiosity. Among the strategies of coping with stress, only seeking social support for emotional reasons is a significant factor that directly predicts PQol. Substance use and planning play only a mediating role in PQol prediction. The negative correlate for inmates’ PQol is trait depression. Contrary to predictions, anxiety is not a negative correlate—as noted above, it is associated with a positive score on PQol.
Autonomous Vehicle Application for Improving Traffic Sign Learning near Ramps
Authors: Zhang Zhenhua , Stenneth Leon , Liu Xiyuan
Published: July 2020

The state-of-the-art traffic sign recognition (TSR) algorithms are designed to recognize the textual information of a traffic sign at over 95% accuracy. Even though, they are still not ready for complex roadworks near ramps. In real-world applications, when the vehicles are running on the freeway, they may misdetect the traffic signs for the ramp, which will become inaccurate feedback to the autonomous driving applications and result in unexpected speed reduction. The misdetection problems have drawn minimal attention in recent TSR studies. In this paper, it is proposed that the existing TSR studies should transform from the point-based sign recognition to path-based sign learning. In the proposed pipeline, the confidence of the TSR observations from normal vehicles can be increased by clustering and location adjustment. A supervised learning model is employed to classify the clustered learned signs and complement their path information. Test drives are conducted in 12 European countries to calibrate the models and validate the path information of the learned sign. After model implementation, the path accuracy over 1,000 learned signs can be increased from 75.04% to 89.80%. This study proves the necessity of the path-based TSR studies near freeway ramps and the proposed pipeline demonstrates a good utility and broad applicability for sensor-based autonomous vehicle applications.
Challenges on machining characteristics of natural fiber-reinforced composites – A review
Authors: Raj Sonia S Raj , Dhas J Edwin Raja , Jesuthanam CP
Published: July 2020

The emerging “green” economy is based on energy efficiency, renewable food stocks in polymeric products, industrial processes that reduce carbon emissions, and recyclable materials. Natural fiber is a type of renewable source and a new generation of reinforcements and integrators for polymer-based materials. Because of its advantages over synthetic fibers, the use of natural fibers as reinforcements in composite materials has become important in recent years. To meet certain design criteria, natural fiber-reinforced composites impose certain secondary operations during assembly. Limited literature is available only in connection with the processing of natural fiber-reinforced composites. This paper analyzes a comprehensive review of the natural fiber-reinforced composite processing literature along with the challenges during processing.
Christian Education Foundations: Retrospects and Prospects
Authors: Johnson-Miller Beverly , Pazmiño Robert W.
Published: July 2020

Christian education foundations are discussed from the perspective of two veteran professors comparing the landscapes from the 1980s and now 2020 to gain an understanding of where we were and where we currently are in the field.
Investigation of the effects of bisphenol-A exposure on lymphoid system in prenatal stage
Authors: Aydemir Işil , Özbey Caner , Özkan Oktay , Kum Şadiye , Tuğlu Mehmet İbrahim
Published: July 2020

Bisphenol-A (BPA) used in the production of plastic materials is a temperature-soluble agent. It also has a steroid hormone-like activity; therefore, it poses a danger to human health. In our study, we aimed to investigate the effects of BPA on lymph node and spleen in male rats exposed to this agent during prenatal stage. The pregnant female rats were divided into four groups: control, sham, low dose (300 µg/kg BPA), and high dose (900 µg/kg BPA). BPA was dissolved in 1 mL of corn oil and administered to the pregnant rats every day during pregnancy. On the 21st and 45th day after the birth, male rats’ lymph node and spleen samples were taken and histopathological examination was performed. Samples were stained with hematoxylin and eosin to determine the general histological appearance, and with CD3 and CD20 immunohistochemically. The results of staining were evaluated by H-score, and statistical analysis was performed. In the samples, BPA applications were not found to cause significant tissue damage. But there was a significant decrease in the immunoreactivities of CD3 and CD20 after BPA applications in both 21st and 45th day samples. After high dose BPA administration, decreased CD3 immunoreactivity was statistically significant. It is thought that BPA does not cause histologically significant tissue damage, but it may impair organ function at cellular level. The investigation of molecules involved in organ function will be useful in revealing the mechanisms that will cause dysfunction.
Patient-Level and Hospital-Level Risk Factors for In-Hospital Mortality in Patients Ventilated for More Than 24 Hours: Results of a Nationwide Cohort Study
Authors: Schoffer Olaf , Roessler Martin , Walther Felix , Eberlein-Gonska Maria , Scriba Peter C. , Albrecht Michael , Kuhlen Ralf , Schmitt Jochen
Published: July 2020

Background:

Prolonged ventilation is associated with a high risk of death. This study investigated both patient-level and hospital-level risk factors for in-hospital mortality in patients ventilated for more than 24 hours.

Methods:

The analyses were conducted in the framework of a German national multicenter retrospective cohort study. Patient and hospital characteristics were examined using descriptive statistics. Risk factors of in-hospital mortality were analyzed using multilevel robust Poisson regressions for binary outcomes. Potential effect modifications were examined by stratified analyses.

Results:

The sample includes 95 672 cases of patients ventilated >24 hours in 163 hospitals covering the period 2016 to 2017. According to the results of multilevel Poisson regressions, main patient-level risk factors for in-hospital mortality were age (per year relative risk [RR] = 1.021, 95% CI = 1.020-1.023), stroke (RR = 1.459; 95% CI = 1.361-1.563), emergency case admission (RR = 1.273, 95% CI = 1.156-1.403), and transfer from another hospital (RR = 1.169, 95% CI = 1.084-1.261). The individual risk of in-hospital death was positively associated with hospital size (RR of hospitals with 600-799 beds vs <100 beds = 1.412, 95% CI = 1.095-1.820) and negatively related to cumulated ventilation patient time (per 1000 days RR = 0.995, 95% CI = 0.993-0.996). University hospital status was identified as an effect modifier, particularly with regard to the patients’ admission reasons. The RR of in-hospital death in patients admitted after transfer from another hospital was higher in university hospitals (RR = 1.456, 95% CI = 1.298-1.634) compared to nonuniversity hospitals (RR = 1.077, 95% CI = 1.019-1.139). Likewise, patients admitted as emergency case had a higher relative risk in university hospitals (RR = 1.619, 95% CI = 1.359-1.929) than in nonuniversity hospitals (RR = 1.141, 95% CI = 1.080-1.205).

Conclusion:

By providing evidence on multiple patient-level and hospital-level risk factors for in-hospital mortality in patients ventilated for more than 24 hours, this large multicenter study has main implications for quality assessment of clinical care and the adequate specification of risk adjustment models. The revealed effect modifications indicate the relevance of stratified analyses.
Past Child Abuse and Neglect in Adults From Northern Mexico: Development of a Scale and Prevalence
Authors: Esparza-Del Villar Oscar Armando , Montañez-Alvarado Priscila , Gutiérrez-Vega Marisela , Quiñones-Rodríguez Salvador , Gutiérrez-Rosado Teresa
Published: July 2020

Child abuse has been present in Mexico but there have been few studies that analyze its effects in adults. There are no Mexican validated scales that measure the relationship between abuse experienced in childhood and its effects into adulthood. The purpose of this study is to develop a past child abuse and neglect scale to measure these phenomena in adults and also to analyze the relationship the effects have with other psychological variables (e.g., anxiety, depression, self-esteem, partner-violence, personality, and fatalism). There were 763 participants from Juarez City, located on the northern border of Mexico. All participants were above the age of 18 years. The scale was developed, and its psychometric properties were analyzed. A first analysis consisted of analyzing the factor structure of the scale items with an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), and then a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was used to corroborate the factor structure. The resulting factors were guilt, relationship with parents, strong physical abuse, sexual abuse, mild physical and verbal abuse, and basic care. The internal reliabilities for all factors in both analyses were between Cronbach’s alpha values of .77 and .92. Correlations of these factors with psychological variables were analyzed, and several statistically significant correlations were found. The scale has a good factor structure that correctly reflects the indicators of child abuse and neglect with good internal reliability values. The analysis showed that the prevalence rates of child abuse and neglect in Juarez were higher than those reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) in other locations worldwide. Actions by governments, universities, and civil associations should take place to reduce these rates, especially because of their long-term physical, emotional, and psychological consequences.
Coping Strategies Adopted by Women Who Experienced Intimate Partner Violence in the Context of Social Norms in Rural Areas in Zimbabwe
Authors: Chadambuka Cyndirela
Published: July 2020

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has detrimental effects on the welfare of women. Research on the coping strategies employed by rural women in Zimbabwe is notably lacking, despite the fact that the majority of Zimbabwean women reside in rural areas. Therefore, this study sought to explore the strategies that women in rural areas used to manage and cope with IPV. The study adopted a qualitative research approach, and participants were recruited through the purposive sampling method in Chimanimani Rural District, Eastern Highlands, Zimbabwe. Face-to-face interviews using a narrative approach were conducted with 25 women between 19 and 49 years and seven key informants. The 25 women consisted of women who had left abusive relationships and were selected on the basis that they should have experienced IPV in their former relationships. Current IPV victims were excluded from the study. All the interviews were recorded, with participants’ consent, to avoid loss of data. Data was analyzed by the author and an additional independent data analyst using thematic analysis. Findings from this study revealed that social norms influenced participants’ covert coping behavior, which include acceptance of abuse and prayer. There is need to strengthen the existing coping strategies that are utilized by women as these could be the starting point for intervention efforts. This is important as it enables practitioners to develop context-specific and context-driven intervention strategies that will effectively serve the victims in their distinctive situation(s).
“How Come This Man Is Homeless?” An Ethnographic Exploration of Identity Work among Volunteers in a Diner Serving to the Homeless
Authors: Hamarat Miray , Merzali Celikoglu Ozge
Published: July 2020

In this study, we explore the identity work among volunteers in a local restaurant in one of the metropolitan cities of Turkey, which serves to paying customers by daytime, and free food to the homeless in the evening. Our setting, which we call The Diner, is a local attempt to help homeless people whose number increases day by day. Through ethnographic fieldwork, we found that the volunteers at The Diner act as teams based on their selective association with a particular volunteer group. To gain an in-depth understanding of these volunteer teams, we examined the volunteers’ identification process with volunteer work; structures and motivations of the teams; and collaborations and competitions between the teams. Our approach relies on Snow and Anderson’s conception of identity work, and we utilized Goffman’s terms of performance, teams, and definitional disruptions.
Social Media Representations of Law Enforcement within Four Diverse Chicago Neighborhoods
Authors: Sodhi Aparna , Aguilar Nathan , Choma Deanna E , Steve Jackie Marie , Patton Desmond , Crandall Marie
Published: July 2020

The perception of excessive use of force by law enforcement towards minorities has become an increasing focus of attention in the national media and public consciousness. With greater ability to record conflicts using smartphones and dissemination of videos via social media, the public may more readily judge the circumstances of law enforcement interactions. The purpose of this study was (a) to understand the general sentiment about law enforcement on social media among communities of color in Chicago, (b) to see if local or national incidents of police conflicts with people of color were mentioned, and (c) identify key themes within these social media posts. Publicly available social media posts were collected from four ethnically and socioeconomically diverse neighborhoods in Chicago. Using a five-person team and keyword searches, the posts were reviewed for content and abstracted if they pertained to law enforcement. They were then analyzed in stages of open, axial, and selective coding methods. Eight main themes were identified. These included the following: (a) law enforcement participation in the community, (b) law enforcement activity in the neighborhood, (c) posts regarding criminal activity, (d) immigration, (e) political protests against police, (f) African American men and law enforcement, (g) sympathy with Sandra Bland case, and (h) #Blacklivesmatter. There appears to be chasm of trust between law enforcement and communities of color. Our findings may help inform law enforcement, public policy-makers, and social workers in their efforts to better address these issues and to institute policies and interventions that not only bridge this gap but also strengthen and empower these communities.
Magnetic tetraethylenepentamine-functionalized graphene oxide to prepare new methyl rich bisphenol-based soluble and heat-resistant polyamide ether nanocomposites: Synthesis and characterization
Authors: Moghanian Hassan , Mobinikhaledi Akbar , Hossein-Abadi Fatemeh , Faridi Shirin
Published: July 2020

The new magnetic and heat-resistant polyamide ether (PAE)/graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposites were prepared by blending PAE with modified GO. Furthermore, a novel PAE containing flexible ether, methyl, and triphenylmethane moiety in the main chain of PAE was prepared by direct polycondensation reaction of a diamine and 4,4′-(butane-1,4-diylbis(oxy))dibenzoic acid (9). The prepared PAE was characterized using various techniques. The obtained PAEs were readily soluble in various aprotic polar solvents at room temperature. The incorporation of bulky aryl pendant groups and flexible ether linkage into the backbones of polyamide may provide beneficial effects for solubility, as this approach produces a separate chain of the polymer, which makes weaker of hydrogen bonds. GO, which synthesized by the Hummer method, was modified with tetraethylenepentamine (GO-TEPA) and sequentially magnetized with Fe3O4 nanoparticles via chemical coprecipitation (GO-TEPA@Fe3O4). The PAE/GO/TEPA@Fe3O4 nanocomposite films, PAE/GO-TEPA@Fe3O4, were also synthesized as a heat-resistant and superparamagnetic nanocomposites, which were characterized using different analyses, such as field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), and Fourier transform infrared techniques. TGA of nanocomposites exhibit higher degradation temperature than that of neat PAE, which is an indication of high levels of interfacial interaction and dispersion.
Gait Speed Is Associated with Cognitive Function among Older Adults with HIV
Authors: Derry Heather M. , Johnston Carrie D. , Burchett Chelsie O. , Siegler Eugenia L. , Glesby Marshall J.
Published: July 2020

Objectives: To determine links between objectively and subjectively measured physical function and cognitive function among HIV-positive older adults, a growing yet understudied group with elevated risk for multimorbidity. Methods: At a biomedical research visit, 162 participants completed objective tests of gait speed (4-m walk), grip strength (dynamometer), and cognitive function (Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA) and reported their well-being (Medical Outcomes Study-HIV survey). Results: Those with faster gait speed had better overall cognitive function than those with slower gait speed ( b = 3.98, SE = 1.30, p = .003) in an adjusted regression model controlling for age, sex, race, height, preferred language, and assistive device use. Grip strength was not significantly associated with overall cognitive function. Self-rated cognitive function was weakly related to MoCA scores ( r = .26) and gait speed ( r = .14) but was strongly associated with emotional well-being ( r = .53). Discussion: These observed, expected connections between physical and cognitive function could inform intervention strategies to mitigate age-related declines for older adults with HIV.
Bending, free vibration, and buckling responses of chopped carbon fiber/graphene nanoplatelet-reinforced polymer hybrid composite plates: An inclusive microstructural assessment
Authors: Bakamal A , Ansari R , Hassanzadeh-Aghdam MK
Published: July 2020

This paper presents a finite element analysis of the bending, buckling, and free vibration of the chopped carbon fiber/graphene nanoplatelet reinforced polymer hybrid composite plates. Both rectangular and circular composite plates are considered. The effective material properties of the chopped carbon fiber /graphene nanoplatelet reinforced hybrid composites are predicted using a multistep micromechanical model based on the Halpin–Tsai homogenization scheme. An inclusive microstructural assessment is accomplished by the evaluation of the influences of the volume fraction, length, thickness, and agglomeration of graphene nanoplatelets as well as the volume fraction, aspect ratio, and the alignment of the chopped carbon fibers on the mechanical behaviors of the chopped carbon fiber/graphene nanoplatelet hybrid composite plates. It is found that the bending, buckling, and vibration characteristics of hybrid composite structures are highly affected by the microstructural features. The addition of graphene nanoplatelets improves the stability of the chopped fiber-reinforced hybrid composite structures. The agglomeration of the graphene nanoplatelet into the polymer matrix leads to a degradation in the composite plate mechanical performances. Aligning the chopped carbon fibers significantly decreases the deflections, and increases the critical buckling loads and the natural frequencies of hybrid composite plates. Comparisons are conducted with the numerical results reported in literature that indicate good agreement with our results.
Computational study on drilling mud flow through wellbore annulus by Giesekus viscoelastic model
Authors: Amir Hasani Mohammad , Norouzi Mahmood , Larimi Morsal Momeni , Rooki Reza
Published: July 2020

Cuttings transport from wellbore annulus to the surface via drilling fluids is one of the most important problems in gas and oil industries. In the present paper, the effects of viscoelastic property of drilling fluids on flow through wellbore annulus are studied numerically by use of computational fluid dynamics simulation in OpenFOAM software. This problem is simulated as the flow between two coaxial annulus cylinders and the inner cylinder is rotating through its axes. Here, the Giesekus model is used as the nonlinear constitutive equation. This model brings the nonlinear viscosity, normal stress differences, extensional viscosity and elastic property. The numerical solution is obtained using the second order finite volume method by considering PISO algorithm for pressure correction. The effect of elasticity, Reynolds number, Taylor number and mobility factor on the velocity and stress fields, pressure drop, and important coefficient of drilling mud flow is studied in detail. The results predicted that increasing elastic property of drilling mud lead to an initial sharp drop in the axial pressure gradient as well as Darcy-Weisbach friction coefficient. Increasing the Reynolds number at constant Taylor number, resulted an enhancing in the axial pressure drop of the fluid but Darcy-Weisbach [Formula: see text] friction coefficient mainly reduced.
They are likely to be there: using a family-centered index testing approach to identify children living with HIV in Kenya
Authors: Okoko Nicollate , Kulzer Jayne L , Ohe Kristen , Mburu Margaret , Muttai Hellen , Abuogi Lisa L , Bukusi Elizabeth A , Cohen Craig R , Penner Jeremy
Published: July 2020

In Kenya, only half of children with a parent living with HIV have been tested for HIV. The effectiveness of family-centered index testing to identify children (0–14 years) living with HIV was examined. A retrospective record review was conducted among adult index patients newly enrolled in HIV care between May and July 2015; family testing, results, and linkage to treatment outcomes were followed through May 2016 at 60 high-volume clinics in Kenya. Chi square test compared yield (percentage of HIV tests positive) among children tested through family-centered index testing, outpatient and inpatient testing. Review of 1937 index client charts led to 3005 eligible children identified for testing. Of 2848 (94.8%) children tested through family-centered index testing, 127 (4.5%) had HIV diagnosed, 100 (78.7%) were linked to care, and 85 of those eligible (91.4%) initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART).Family testing resulted in higher yield compared to inpatient (1.8%, p < 0.001) or outpatient testing (1.6%, p < 0.001). The absolute number of children living with HIV identified was highest with outpatient testing. The relative contribution of testing approach to total children identified with HIV was outpatient testing (69%), family testing (26%), and inpatient testing (5%). The family testing approach demonstrated promise in achieving the first two “90s” (identification and ART initiation) of the 90–90–90 targets for children, with additional effort required to improve linkage from testing to treatment.
Bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide-induced acute pancreatitis: a case report
Authors: Riva Agostino , Cattaneo Dario , Filice Carlo , Gervasoni Cristina
Published: July 2020

We report here the case of a 32-year-old male with recent diagnosis of HIV that, 45 days after starting a single tablet regimen co-formulated with bictegravir, emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide (BIC/FTC/TAF), experienced severe epigastric pain radiating to the back, nausea, episodes of non-bloody non-bilious vomiting and anorexia. Laboratory examination showed a rise in lipase with no alterations in serum transaminases. Abdominal ultrasound revealed a non-homogeneous structure of the pancreatic parenchyma. A diagnosis of mild drug-related acute pancreatitis was made and BIC/FTC/TAF was immediately stopped. The association between the episode of acute pancreatitis and BIC/FTC/TAF was scored as probable according to the Naranjo causality scale.
Human papillomavirus vaccine timing associated with eventual human papillomavirus diagnosis in women
Authors: Zeglin Robert J , Fetteroll Juliet L
Published: July 2020

Nearly all cases of cervical cancer are attributable to human papillomavirus (HPV), making it a significant women’s health issue. Though there have been advances in the prevention of HPV via vaccination, significant barriers continue to suppress vaccination rates for girls. Delaying vaccination until after sexual debut increases a woman’s chance of HPV infection, but there has been no quantification of this risk in the literature. The present study sought to address this gap via secondary data analysis with 173 female participants from the 2015–2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey dataset. Results indicate that women in the sample who received the HPV vaccine after their sexual debut were 2.63 times more likely than women who receive the vaccine before their sexual debut to report an HPV diagnosis. These results have clear public and sexual health implications.