Public perceptions of 'negging': lowering women’s self-esteem to increase the male attractiveness and achieve sexual conquest

Purpose: ‘Negging’ can be described as the purposeful lowering of a woman’s self-esteem to increase perceived attractiveness of the man in order to achieve sexual conquest. Negging has evolved over time. Whilst ‘Original’ negging was intended to be a harmless tool for attracting women, more recently dating companies have been teaching men ‘Evolved’ negging in a potentially damaging way, which could escalate into an abusive intimate relationship. Design: An online survey involving vignettes depicting negging between strangers with three conditions; ‘Original’, ‘Evolved’ and ‘Control’ was completed by 308 participants. Participants were asked how harmful, acceptable, and how likely to escalate each scenario was. A fourth vignette described ‘Evolved’ negging between partners. Results: Mixed methods ANOVA indicated that participants perceived all negging as being significantly more harmful than control ‘pick-up’ lines. ‘Evolved’ negging was considered to be more likely to escalate in seriousness than ‘Original’ negging. Conclusions: Despite the public viewing negging as harmful and with the potential to escalate in seriousness, women are still being targeted in this manner and the industry ‘teaching’ negging is growing despite controversy. This study aims to increase general awareness of negging in order to minimise harm caused to women who are ‘picked-up’ through this technique. To this end, directions for future research are highlighted. Originality: This paper is one of the first empirical studies in the area of negging. The perceived, and potential, harm caused can be studied in light of these novel findings with the aim of protecting women from harm

The Relationship of HIV-related Stigma and Health Care Outcomes in the US Deep South

HIV-related stigma is prevalent in the US Deep South; however, information regarding the types of stigma and their effects on HIV-related outcomes is limited. This study examined the prevalence of different forms of stigma and the association of stigma with medication and medical visit adherence in the Deep South. Survey participants included 201 individuals living with HIV recruited from Infectious Diseases Clinics (ID) and AIDS Service Organizations (ASOs) in four Deep South states. Study participants reported high levels of experienced, perceived, and internalized stigma. Multivariable analysis revealed that internalized stigma and recent stigmatizing experiences were significantly associated with poorer HIV medication adherence. Internalized stigma was also associated with having missed an HIV medical care visit in the last 6 months. These findings suggest the need to identify and develop effective interventions to address internalized HIV-related stigma and to address community HIV stigma to improve outcomes for individuals living with HIV

The Disk and Dark Halo Mass of the Barred Galaxy NGC 4123. I. Observations

The non-circular streaming motions in barred galaxies are sensitive to the mass of the bar and can be used to lift the degeneracy between disk and dark matter halo encountered when fitting axisymmetric rotation curves of disk galaxies. In this paper, we present photometric and kinematic observations of NGC 4123, a barred galaxy of modest size (V_rot = 130 km/sec, L = 0.7 L_*), which reveal strong non-circular motions. The bar has straight dust lanes and an inner Lindblad resonance. The disk of NGC 4123 has no sign of truncation out to 10 scale lengths, and star-forming regions are found well outside R_25. A Fabry-Perot H-alpha velocity field shows velocity jumps of >100 km/sec at the location of the dust lanes within the bar, indicating shocks in the gas flow. VLA observations yield the velocity field of the H I disk. Axisymmetric mass models yield good fits to the rotation curve outside the bar regionfor disk I-band M/L of 2.25 or less, and dark halos with either isothermal or power-law profiles can fit the data well. In a companion paper, we model the full 2-D velocity field, including non-circular motions, to determine the stellar M/L and the mass of the dark halo.Comment: accepted by ApJ, 16 pages, 9 figures (1 color), uses emulateapj.sty, onecolfloat.st

Correlation of Adherence to the 2012 Infectious Diseases Society of America Practice Guidelines with Patient Outcomes in the Treatment of Diabetic Foot Infections in an Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Programme

Aim To evaluate adherence to the 2012 Infectious Diseases Society of America practice guidelines for the management of patients with diabetic foot infections and to determine an association between adherence and clinical outcome. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed to evaluate the management and clinical outcomes of patients with diabetic foot infections treated with outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy between 1 January 2011 and 30 June 2012 at Wishard Health Services/Eskenazi Health. Adherence to individual Infectious Diseases Society of America diabetic foot infection treatment guideline recommendations was measured, and then assessed in relation to clinical outcome. Results A total of 57 patients (61% male, mean age 54 years) with moderate to severe diabetic foot infection met the inclusion criteria. None of the treatment courses of these patients adhered to all the Infectious Diseases Society of America guideline recommendations. The recommendations most frequently adhered to were consultation of appropriate multidisciplinary teams (n=54, 94.7%) and performance of diagnostic imaging (n=52, 89.5%). The recommendations least frequently adhered to were diabetic foot wound classification scoring on admission (n=0, 0%), appropriate culture acquisition (n=12, 21.2%), surgical intervention when indicated (n=32, 46.2%) and appropriate empiric antibiotic selection (n=34, 59.7%). Of 56 patients, 52 (92.9%) experienced clinical cure at the end of outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy compared with 34 of 53 patients (64%) at 6 months after the completion of therapy. Adherence to individual guidelines was not associated with clinical outcome. Patients who experienced treatment failure were more likely to have severe diabetic foot infection or peripheral neuropathy. Conclusions Adherence to the Infectious Diseases Society of America diabetic foot infection guideline recommendations was found to be suboptimal in the present study. The effect of adhering to individual Infectious Diseases Society of America diabetic foot infection recommendations on clinical outcome needs to be investigated

Vegetative succession in a restored urban wetland: If we build it will they come?

Urban wetlands can provide many important ecosystem services to society. However, they are often severely degraded by runoff, pollution, and invasion by aggressive non-native plant species. This Creative Inquiry project is establishing a long-term monitoring program to document vegetation composition in a restored wetland in the Hunnicutt Creek watershed for the purposes of inventory, assessment of environmental conditions, and adaptive management. Using a standard ecological observation unit, a 10 x 10 meter sampling plot originally developed by The Carolina Vegetation Survey (CVS), we are evaluating the performance of re-introduced and naturally regenerated native woody species, and documenting the recruitment of non-natives from adjacent unrestored areas. A total of eight CVS plots have been established and will be resampled twice annually for the next several years

Socioecological Factors Related to Hazardous Alcohol use among Female Sex Workers in Lilongwe, Malawi: A Mixed Methods Study

Background: Alcohol use is pervasive among female sex workers (FSW) placing them at increased risk of violence and sexual risk behaviors. FSW often live and work where alcohol is highly normative. Objective: To understand the socioecological influences on hazardous alcohol use among FSW in Malawi. Methods: In 2014, 200 FSW identified through venue-based sampling in Lilongwe, Malawi, completed a quantitative behavioral survey, with a sub-sample participating in qualitative interviews. Multivariable log-binomial regression was used to identify associations between hazardous alcohol use (AUDIT score ≥ 7) and time in sex work, clients per week, unprotected sex, alcohol use with clients, and living environment. Qualitative interviews enhanced findings from quantitative data and identify emergent themes around socioecological influences on alcohol use. Results: Over 50% reported hazardous alcohol use and lived in an alcohol-serving venue. Hazardous alcohol use was associated with sex work duration of ≥2 years (aPR: 1.30; 95%CI: 1.02,1.65) and alcohol use at last sex with a client (aPR: 1.29; 95%CI: 1.06,1.57). FSW perceived alcohol as a facilitator for sex work by reducing inhibitions and attracting clients, but acknowledged alcohol leads to violence and/or unprotected sex. Despite these risks and a motivation to reduce use, FSW feared that refusing to drink would be tantamount to turning away clients. Conclusions: Although FSW recognized alcohol-related risks, the norms and power dynamics of sex work perpetuated hazardous alcohol use. Multilevel interventions are needed to collectively change norms around drinking and sex work that will enable FSW to reduce alcohol consumption when engaging in their work

Positive Emotions During Infant Feeding and Breastfeeding Outcomes

Background: Few studies have examined the role of maternal emotions in breastfeeding outcomes. Research aim: We aimed to determine the extent to which positive maternal emotions during human milk feeding at 2 months were associated with time to any and exclusive human milk feeding cessation and overall breastfeeding experience. Methods: A sample of 192 women intending to breastfeed for at least 2 months was followed from the third trimester until 12 months postpartum. Positive emotions during infant feeding at 2 months were measured using the modified Differential Emotions Scale. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) for time to any and exclusive human milk feeding cessation associated with a 1-point increase in positive emotions. Linear regression was used to estimate the association between positive emotions and maternal breastfeeding experience reported at 12 months. Results: Among those human milk feeding at 2 months, positive emotions during feeding were not associated with human milk feeding cessation by 12 months (aHR = 0.94, 95% CI [0.64, 1.31]). However, among women exclusively human milk feeding at 2 months, a 1-point increase in positive emotions was associated with a 35% lower hazard of introducing formula or solid foods by 6 months (aHR = 0.65, 95% CI [0.46, 0.92]). Positive emotions were associated with a significantly more favorable maternal report of breastfeeding experience at 12 months. Results were similar in sensitivity analyses using maternal feelings about breastfeeding in the first week as the exposure. Conclusions: A positive maternal emotional experience of feeding is associated with breastfeeding outcomes

Evaluating malaria prevalence and land cover across varying transmission intensity in Tanzania using a cross-sectional survey of school-aged children

BACKGROUND: Transmission of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa has become increasingly stratified following decades of malaria control interventions. The extent to which environmental and land cover risk factors for malaria may differ across distinct strata of transmission intensity is not well known and could provide actionable targets to maximize the success of malaria control efforts. METHODS: This study used cross-sectional malaria survey data from a nationally representative cohort of school-aged children in Tanzania, and satellite-derived measures for environmental features and land cover. Hierarchical logistic regression models were applied to evaluate associations between land cover and malaria prevalence within three distinct strata of transmission intensity: low and unstable, moderate and seasonal, and high and perennial. RESULTS: In areas with low malaria transmission, each 10-percentage point increase in cropland cover was associated with an increase in malaria prevalence odds of 2.44 (95% UI: 1.27, 5.11). However, at moderate and higher levels of transmission intensity, no association between cropland cover and malaria prevalence was detected. Small associations were observed between greater grassland cover and greater malaria prevalence in high intensity settings (prevalence odds ratio (POR): 1.10, 95% UI: 1.00, 1.21), and between greater forest cover and reduced malaria prevalence in low transmission areas (POR: 0.74, 95% UI: 0.51, 1.03), however the uncertainty intervals of both estimates included the null. CONCLUSIONS: The intensity of malaria transmission appears to modify relationships between land cover and malaria prevalence among school-aged children in Tanzania. In particular, greater cropland cover was positively associated with increased malaria prevalence in areas with low transmission intensity and presents an actionable target for environmental vector control interventions to complement current malaria control activities. As areas are nearing malaria elimination, it is important to re-evaluate environmental risk factors and employ appropriate interventions to effectively address low-level malaria transmission

Positive emotions during infant feeding and postpartum mental health

Background: Research shows that individuals can improve mental health by increasing experiences of positive emotions. However, the role of positive emotions in perinatal mental health has not been investigated. This study explored the extent to which positive emotions during infant feeding are associated with maternal depression and anxiety during the first year postpartum. Materials and Methods: One hundred and sixty-four women drawn from a longitudinal cohort of mother-infant dyads were followed from the third trimester through 12 months postpartum. We measured positive emotions during infant feeding at 2 months using the mean subscale score of the modified Differential Emotions Scale. Depression and anxiety symptoms were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory-II and State Trait Anxiety Inventory-State subscale at months 2, 6, and 12. Generalized linear mixed models were used to estimate crude and multivariable associations. Results: Among women with no clinical depression during pregnancy, higher positive emotions during infant feeding at 2 months were associated with significantly fewer depression symptoms at 2, 6, and 12 months and with lower odds of clinically significant depression symptoms at 2 and 6 months. In contrast to depression outcomes, women with clinical anxiety during pregnancy who experienced higher positive emotions had significantly fewer anxiety symptoms at 2, 6, and 12 months and lower odds of clinically significant anxiety at 2 and 6 months. Conclusions: Positive emotions during infant feeding are associated with depression and anxiety outcomes during the first year postpartum and may be a modifiable protective factor for maternal mental health

Water vapor in the starburst galaxy NGC 253: A new nuclear maser?

22 GHz water vapor emission was observed toward the central region of the spiral starburst galaxy NGC 253. Monitoring observations with the 100-m telescope at Effelsberg and measurements with the BnC array of the VLA reveal three distinct velocity components, all of them blueshifted with respect to the systemic velocity. The main component arises from a region close to the dynamical center and is displaced by <1 arcsec from the putative nuclear continuum source. The bulk of this maser component is spread over an area not larger than 70 x 50 mas. Its radial velocity may be explained by masing gas that is part of a nuclear accretion disk or of a counterrotating kinematical subsystem or by gas that is entrained by the nuclear superwind or by an expanding supernova shell. A weaker feature, located 5 arcsec to the northeast, is likely related to an optically obscured site of massive star formation.Comment: 6 pages, 4 Postscript figures, A&A Main Journa