Seeking Asylum in a Modern Society: Global Responses to Latin American Migration

The United States is no stranger to asylum seekers and refugees. The most famous seaport in the country houses a 305-foot-tall statue of a woman bearing a torch with words from the poem The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus etched at her feet: “‘Give me your tired, your poor, /Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.’”[1] The Statue of Liberty is a symbolic representation of open arms to immigrants from all walks of life. But if everyone is welcome, why do so few actually gain entrance? US interventionism policies in the 20th century have defined the lives of millions of Latin American citizens and created or contributed to deteriorating political, social, and economic conditions. These, along with the threat of violence from persecutory groups, is a common cause of forced migration. Due to its geographic position and relative stability, the United States offers an appealing location for many individuals who must flee their homes. However, entry into the United States as a migrant is not an easy task. Many who reach the southern border apply for asylum to escape persecution, only to discover that not all violence is protected and the process itself takes time with no guaranteed result. The process of asylum in the United States is a complicated and extensive procedure riddled with injustice, frequently failing to protect the most vulnerable. By studying the history and trends of asylum policies in the United States we hope to learn more about the system in place in our country and how years of policy changes have impacted one of the largest groups of asylum seekers and refugees. Furthermore, by contrasting these trends against comparable countries, we can evaluate their balance and identify potential areas for change. [1] The New Colossus. National Parks Service. August 14, 2019. Accessed March 20, 2021. https://www.nps.gov/stli/learn/historyculture/colossus.htm

HB 282 - Preservation of Sexual Assault Evidence

This Act extends the time that law enforcement agencies are required to preserve certain evidence of sexual assault. Physical evidence of a reported sexual assault will be preserved for fifty years, and if there is an arrest, for thirty years from the date of arrest or seven years from the sentence’s completion

Professional education and Mad Studies: Learning and teaching about service users’ understandings of mental and emotional distress

This article considers the inclusion of mental health service users’ experiences and perspectives in professional education classrooms. After brief introductions to the authors’ backgrounds, the article discusses professional expertise and knowledge and the accreditation of professional education courses. It then goes on to explore service users’ understandings of mental and emotional distress and the development of Mad Studies, which, at first sight, may appear incompatible with professional education courses. Discussion then turns to the development and trial of a living experience learning resource, which portrays the first author’s knowledge and understanding of having voices. The article concludes by arguing for the inclusion of Mad Studies knowledges in professional education classrooms.Points of interest This article discusses including mental health service users’ experiences and knowledges in professional education classrooms. The article discusses service users’ own understandings of mental and emotional distress and the international development of Mad Studies–the cooperative study of mental health service users’ experiential knowledges. The article also describes how we produced a learning resource (video film) which portrays the first author’s understanding of having or hearing voices. The learning resource was used in research with seven first-year social work students and we found that the students’ understandings of mental illness changed after viewing the resource. Mad Studies offers mental health service users hope and the possibility of change. It is therefore important that Mad Studies knowledges are included in professional education

The inclusion of a headline section and information about the benefits of medicines in written medicines information.

Introduction: Criticisms of the mandated patient information leaflets (PILs) supplied with all medicines include being difficult to read and overly negative. Two adaptations suggested to address this are: 1) Inclusion of headline section 2) Inclusion of additional information about potential benefits of the medicine. Aims: To explore the impact of a headline section and benefit information in PILs on patients’ satisfaction, understanding and medicine-taking behaviour. Methods: Two scoping literature reviews informed the nature of exemplar PILs with a headline section and benefit information to be presented to medicine users. These PILs were used first in focus groups to explore opinions of the adaptions, and then the headline section was user-tested. A survey assessed the nature and availability of benefit information in current PILs. Finally an interview study explored the thoughts of actual medicine users about the inclusion of benefit information. Findings: The reviews found a small body of literature about a headline section. In contrast, there was a large body of heterogeneous research on benefit information -used to develop exemplar PILs. Focus group participants viewed headline sections positively and, when user-tested, was used about a third of the time to locate key information. Benefit information was more controversial; many struggled to understand it, with an emotional response in some, who appear to over-estimate medicine benefits. The emotional response was less pronounced in the actual-user group, although some surprise and disappointment remained at the perceived low level of benefits. Conclusions: A headline section was viewed positively, and in user testing it was used to find key information. However, perceived low level of benefit proved a significant barrier to benefit information, with some unwilling to engage with it. More research is needed to allow informing patients about both the potential benefits and harms of medicines – allowing them to make informed decisions

Providing additional information about the benefits of statins in a leaflet for patients with coronary heart disease : a qualitative study of the impact on attitudes and beliefs

OBJECTIVE: To explore the impact of providing additional information about the potential benefits of simvastatin in a patient leaflet on attitudes and beliefs. DESIGN: Interview-based study using a generic qualitative approach and framework analysis. PARTICIPANTS: 21 participants receiving a prescription for simvastatin were recruited from a general practitioner practice (from a total of 120). 8 participants were women; the age range was 55-92. INTERVENTION: Participants were provided with leaflets showing one of 3 types of additional benefit information: (1) textual statement, (2) number needed to treat (NNT) or (3) natural frequency. Semistructured interviews explored patient's attitudes and beliefs. RESULTS: A descriptive narrative of preferences for format suggested patients prefer textual as opposed to numerical benefit information. Significant barriers to the acceptance of numerical benefit information included difficulty in understanding the numbers. Patients overestimated the benefits of statins and expressed surprise at the numerical information. CONCLUSIONS: Textual information was preferred but numerical information, in particular in the form of a natural frequency, may help patients make judgements about their medicines. NNTs were found to be very difficult to understand. This raises the prospect that some patients might reject medicines because of disappointment with the perceived low benefits of their medicines. The self-reported impact on behaviour appeared minimal with reports of intentions to 'do what the doctor tells me'. Further research is needed to explore the impact of such statements on people who are yet to be prescribed a statin

Effect of expository writing in mathematics with middle school sixth grade students

The effects of expository writing (a writing to learn approach) on achievement in a math unit on fractions was investigated. Two groups of intact sixth grade mathematics classes (N = 44) were chosen and the treatment of expository writing was randomly assigned to one group. The control group received direct instruction for the unit on addition and subtraction of fractions while the treatment group practiced expository writing (a how-to descriptive writing) plus direct instruction. The study lasted four weeks. The same summative post test of the fraction unit was given to both groups when the unit was complete. The null hypothesis states that there is no difference in achievement between students receiving expository writing plus direct instruction as compared to students receiving only direct instruction. A t test was used and the results showed no significant difference in the means of the scores from the two groups on the summative test in fractions (t = 1.5). Therefore, the null hypothesis was not rejected. Expository writing did not significantly affect achievement in a mathematics unit on fractions. Further study is suggested to determine which writing tasks are best suited for which particular learning goals in mathematics or any other content area

Non-amidated and amidated members of the C-type allatostatin (AST-C) family are differentially distributed in the stomatogastric nervous system of the American lobster, Homarus americanus

The crustacean stomatogastric nervous system (STNS) is a well-known model for investigating neuropeptidergic control of rhythmic behavior. Among the peptides known to modulate the STNS are the C-type allatostatins (AST-Cs). In the lobster, Homarus americanus, three AST-Cs are known. Two of these, pQIRYHQCYFNPISCF (AST-C I) and GNGDGRLYWRCYFNAVSCF (AST-C III), have non-amidated C-termini, while the third, SYWKQCAFNAVSCFamide (AST-C II), is C-terminally amidated. Here, antibodies were generated against one of the non-amidated peptides (AST-C I) and against the amidated isoform (AST-C II). Specificity tests show that the AST-C I antibody cross-reacts with both AST-C I and AST-C III, but not AST-C II; the AST-C II antibody does not cross-react with either non-amidated peptide. Wholemount immunohistochemistry shows that both subclasses (non-amidated and amidated) of AST-C are distributed throughout the lobster STNS. Specifically, the antibody that cross-reacts with the two non-amidated peptides labels neuropil in the CoGs and the stomatogastric ganglion (STG), axons in the superior esophageal (son) and stomatogastric (stn) nerves, and ~ 14 somata in each commissural ganglion (CoG). The AST-C II-specific antibody labels neuropil in the CoGs, STG and at the junction of the sons and stn, axons in the sons and stn, ~ 42 somata in each CoG, and two somata in the STG. Double immunolabeling shows that, except for one soma in each CoG, the non-amidated and amidated peptides are present in distinct sets of neuronal profiles. The differential distributions of the two AST-C subclasses suggest that the two peptide groups are likely to serve different modulatory roles in the lobster STNS

Statistical Methods for Combining Information: Stryker Family of Vehicles Reliability Case Study

Problem: Reliability is an essential element in assessing the operational suitability of Department of Defense weapon systems. Reliability takes a prominent role in both the design and analysis of operational tests. In the current era of reduced budgets and increased reliability requirements however, it is challenging to verify reliability requirements in a single test. Approach: This paper describes the benefits of using parametric statistical models to combine information across multiple testing events. Both frequentist and Bayesian inference techniques are employed, and they are compared and contrasted to illustrate different statistical methods for combining information. We apply these methods to data collected during the developmental and operational test phases for the Stryker family of vehicles. Results: We show that when we combining information across two test phases for the Stryker family of vehicles, reliability estimates are more accurate and precise than those reported previously using traditional methods that use only operational test data in their reliability assessments. Key Words: Combining Information; Defense Acquisition; Exponential Distribution; Reliability; Weibull Distribution PROCESS DESCRIPTION In today's data-driven society, we often find ourselves with many sources of data that, when looked at collectively, may paint a different picture from what emerges when those data are analyzed in isolation. Most statistical analysis methodologies, however, focus on methods for one sample of data. The medical field has pioneered meta-analysis, which is typically associated with studies in which several clinical trials are combined into a single analysis. In the Department of Defense, data are often collected over several phases of tests. A primary initiative across the Department of Defense (DoD) testing and evaluation community has been t

Homelessness: partnerships and approaches to tackling complex needs

Purpose – This paper – the first of three – aims to explore some of the complex physical and mental health needs of those experiencing homelessness. It will act as a leader to the other articles by establishing the nature of the problem and offer a rationale for carrying out a service user needs assessment as part of a review of local service provision in the North West of England against the backdrop of the current COVID-19 epidemic. Design/methodology/approach – There are a number of complex social and health inequalities often experienced by those who are homeless. Effectively tackling these requires a co-ordinated multi-agency response to both prevent and tackle the harms associated with being and becoming homeless. Findings – Partnership working offers the best opportunity to meet the complex needs of those experiencing homelessness. The current delivery model being actioned in the North West of England highlights the importance of the links between statutory and non-statutory services. An ongoing service user needs assessment will further help to highlight contemporary issues faced by those experiencing homelessness and those providing services in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic. Social implications – Future papers as part of this series of three will consider the implications of social exclusion and barriers to accessing services faced on a day-to-day basis by those experiencing homelessness. Originality/value – The opportunity to reflect on established views in relation to the nature and scope of homelessness. It will consider the implications exclusion from society and service provision that this group face on a day-to-day basis. The paper will describe a contemporary approach to tackling current issues faced by those experiencing homelessness in the current context of the COVID-19 epidemi