5,965 research outputs found
The normalization of sibling violence: Does gender and personal experience of violence influence perceptions of physical assault against siblings?
Despite its pervasive and detrimental nature, sibling violence (SV) remains marginalized as a harmless and inconsequential form of familial aggression. The present study investigates the extent to which perceptions of SV differ from those of other types of interpersonal violence. A total of 605 respondents (197 males, 408 females) read one of four hypothetical physical assault scenarios that varied according to perpetrator–victim relationship type (i.e., sibling vs. dating partner vs. peer vs. stranger) before completing a series of 24 attribution items. Respondents also reported on their own experiences of interpersonal violence during childhood. Exploratory factor analysis reduced 23 attribution items to three internally reliable factors reflecting perceived assault severity, victim culpability, and victim resistance ratings. A 4 × 2 MANCOVA—controlling for respondent age—revealed several significant effects. Overall, males deemed the assault less severe and the victim more culpable than did females. In addition, the sibling assault was deemed less severe compared to assault on either a dating partner or a stranger, with the victim of SV rated just as culpable as the victim of dating, peer, or stranger-perpetrated violence. Finally, respondents with more (frequent) experiences of childhood SV victimization perceived the hypothetical SV assault as being less severe, and victim more culpable, than respondents with no SV victimization. Results are discussed in the context of SV normalization. Methodological limitations and applications for current findings are also outlined
Functional exercise for the rehabilitation of community dwelling people with dementia who fracture their hip – a feasibility study (protocol)
Unpublished protocolResearch Question:
Is it feasible and acceptable to deliver a dementia specific, progressive, home-based functional
physiotherapy programme for community-dwelling people with dementia who fracture their hip
Wearable Inertial Sensors to Measure Biomechanical Fall Risk Factors in Older People: A Scoping Review Protocol
Study protocolEngineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC
Measurement of the half-life of 198Au in a non-metal: High-precision measurement shows no host-material dependence
We have measured the half-life of the beta decay of 198Au to be 2.6948(9) d,
with the nuclide sited in an insulating environment. Comparing this result with
the half-life we measured previously with a metallic environment, we find the
half-lives in both environments to be the same within 0.04%, thus contradicting
a prediction that screening from a "plasma" of quasi-free electrons in a metal
increases the half-life by as much as 7%
A comparison of different ways of including baseline counts in negative binomial models for data from falls prevention trials
This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Wiley-VCH Verlag via the DOI in this record.A common design for a falls prevention trial is to assess falling at baseline, randomize participants into
an intervention or control group, and ask them to record the number of falls they experience during a
follow-up period of time. This paper addresses how best to include the baseline count in the analysis of
the follow-up count of falls in Negative Binomial (NB) regression. We examine the performance of
various approaches in simulated datasets where both counts are generated from a mixed Poisson
distribution with shared random subject effect. Including the baseline count after log-transformation as a
regressor in NB regression (NB-logged) or as an offset (NB-offset) resulted in greater power than
including the untransformed baseline count (NB-unlogged). Cook and Wei's Conditional Negative
Binomial (CNB) model replicates the underlying process generating the data. In our motivating dataset, a
statistically significant intervention effect resulted from the NB-logged, NB-offset and CNB models, but
not from NB-unlogged, and large, outlying baseline counts were overly influential in NB-unlogged but
not in NB-logged. We conclude that there is little to lose by including the log-transformed baseline count
in standard NB regression compared to CNB for moderate to larger sized datasets.Funding Information: National Institute for Health Research, Grant no. RDA/02/06/41; Care South West Peninsul
Open questions in the study of population III star formation
The first stars were key drivers of early cosmic evolution. We review the
main physical elements of the current consensus view, positing that the first
stars were predominantly very massive. We continue with a discussion of
important open questions that confront the standard model. Among them are
uncertainties in the atomic and molecular physics of the hydrogen and helium
gas, the multiplicity of stars that form in minihalos, and the possible
existence of two separate modes of metal-free star formation.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figures. To appear in the conference proceedings for IAU
Symposium 255: Low-Metallicity Star Formation: From the First Stars to Dwarf
Galaxie
Community physiotherapy for people with dementia following hip fracture: fact or fiction
This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from SAGE Publications via the DOI in this record.Background
Physiotherapy is a core component of rehabilitation following a hip fracture. Approximately 40% of people sustaining a hip fracture will have dementia, but there is little evidence to guide physiotherapy interventions in this population.
Objective
This study forms part of a process evaluation seeking to explore reasons why people with dementia were not referred for physiotherapy following a hip fracture and challenges that are faced treating these people in the community.
Methods
We undertook a series of structured focus groups and interviews with physiotherapists based in community-rehabilitation services in the South West of England. Qualitative data sought to explain reasons why people with dementia were not being referred for onward physiotherapy following discharge from the acute setting after hip fracture. Framework analysis was used to make sense of the data.
Results
Four focus groups and interviews were undertaken with physiotherapists and assistants working in community settings. Three main themes were determined – beliefs, the importance of pathways of care and the effect of resources on decision making.
Discussion
Out data suggest that people with dementia were often labelled as having ‘no rehabilitation potential’ in the acute setting and this excluded them from receiving ongoing therapy in the community setting. It was also suggested that physiotherapists were judging this potential using biomedical measures of outcome which fails to recognise the importance of person centred care for this population.
Conclusion
There was suggestion of therapeutic nihilism when considering rehabilitation for this population, whereby it is assumed that people with dementia cannot be rehabilitated, so they are not given the opportunity. It is unsurprising that outcomes for this population are poor considering the reluctance to provide physiotherapy to people with dementia following hip fracture.National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)AGIL
Bounds on the mass and abundance of dark compact objects and black holes in dwarf spheroidal galaxy halos
We establish new dynamical constraints on the mass and abundance of compact
objects in the halo of dwarf spheroidal galaxies. In order to preserve
kinematically cold the second peak of the Ursa Minor dwarf spheroidal (UMi
dSph) against gravitational scattering, we place upper limits on the density of
compact objects as a function of their assumed mass. The mass of the dark
matter constituents cannot be larger than 1000 solar masses at a halo density
in UMi's core of 0.35 solar masses/pc^3. This constraint rules out a scenario
in which dark halo cores are formed by two-body relaxation processes. Our
bounds on the fraction of dark matter in compact objects with masses >3000
solar masses improve those based on dynamical arguments in the Galactic halo.
In particular, objects with masses solar masses can comprise no
more than a halo mass fraction . Better determinations of the
velocity dispersion of old overdense regions in dSphs may result in more
stringent constraints on the mass of halo objects. For illustration, if the
preliminary value of 0.5 km/s for the secondary peak of UMi is confirmed,
compact objects with masses above solar masses could be excluded
from comprising all its dark matter halo.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ Letter
Theory for the Ultrafast Structural Response of optically excited small clusters: Time-dependence of the Ionization Potential
Combining an electronic theory with molecular dynamics simulations we present
results for the ultrafast structural changes in small clusters. We determine
the time scale for the change from the linear to a triangular structure after
the photodetachment process Ag. We show that the
time-dependent change of the ionization potential reflects in detail the
internal degrees of freedom, in particular coherent and incoherent motion, and
that it is sensitive to the initial temperature. We compare with experiment and
point out the general significance of our results.Comment: 10 pages, Revtex, 3 postscript figure
'Staying safe' – A narrative review of falls prevention in people with Parkinson’s -'PDSAFE'
This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Taylor & Francis via the DOI in this record.Background:
Parkinson's disease demonstrates a spectrum of motor and non-motor symptoms. Falling is
common and disabling. Current medical management shows minimal impact to reduce falls, or
fall related risk factors such as deficits in gait, strength and postural instability. Despite evidence
supporting rehabilitation in reducing fall risk factors, the most appropriate intervention to reduce
overall fall rate remains inconclusive.
This paper aims to 1) synthesise current evidence and conceptual models of falls rehabilitation in
Parkinson's in a narrative review; and based on this evidence 2) introduce the treatment protocol
used in the falls prevention, multi-centre clinical trial 'PDSAFE'.
Method: Search of four bibliographic databases using the terms ‘Parkinson*’ and ‘Fall*’ combined
with each of the following; ‘Rehab*, Balanc*, Strength*, Strateg*and Exercis*' and a framework for
narrative review was followed.
3557 papers were identified, 416 were selected for review. The majority report the impact of
rehabilitation on isolated fall risk factors. Twelve directly measure the impact on overall fall rate.
Discussion: Results were used to construct a narrative review with conceptual discussion based
on the 'International Classification of Functioning’, leading to presentation of the 'PDSAFE'
intervention protocol.
Conclusion: Evidence suggests training single, fall risk factors may not affect overall fall rate.
Combining with behavioural and strategy training in a functional, personalised multi-dimensional
model, addressing all components of the ‘International Classification of Functioning’ is likely to
provide a greater influence on falls reduction.
'PDSAFE' is a multi-dimensional, physiotherapist delivered, individually tailored, progressive,
home-based programme. It is designed with a strong evidence based approach and illustrates a
model for the clinical delivery of the conceptual theory discussed.This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research Health Technologies Assessment
programme (project number 10/57/21). VG is supported by the National Institute of Health Research
Collaboration for Applied Health Research and Care South West Peninsula.
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