6,981 research outputs found
Institutionalization of Children in the Czech Republic: A Case of Path Dependency
Despite the development of alternative forms of care, international and domestic pressures for change, and over 20 years of efforts at deinstitutionalization, the Czech Republic has one of the highest rates of institutionalization of children in Europe (UNICEF, 2012). The continuing reliance upon residential care for children by the child protection system, particularly for children who are disabled or of Roma descent, demonstrates a case of path dependency in which a solidification of the system’s response is rooted in its past. Understanding the impact of historical precedence is key to reforming the current system
Fragility of Fermi arcs in Dirac semimetals
We use tunable, vacuum ultraviolet laser-based angle-resolved photoemission
spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations to study the electronic
properties of Dirac semimetal candidate cubic PtBi. In addition to bulk
electronic states we also find surface states in PtBi which is expected
as PtBi was theoretical predicated to be a candidate Dirac semimetal.
The surface states are also well reproduced from DFT band calculations.
Interestingly, the topological surface states form Fermi contours rather than
double Fermi arcs that were observed in NaBi. The surface bands forming the
Fermi contours merge with bulk bands in proximity of the Dirac points
projections, as expected. Our data confirms existence of Dirac states in
PtBi and reveals the fragility of the Fermi arcs in Dirac semimetals.
Because the Fermi arcs are not topologically protected in general, they can be
deformed into Fermi contours, as proposed by [Kargarian {\it et al.}, PNAS
\textbf{113}, 8648 (2016)]. Our results demonstrate validity of this theory in
PtBi.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure
Large electric-field induced strain in BiFeO3 ceramics
Large bipolar strain of up to 0.36% (peak-to-peak value) was measured in
BiFeO3 ceramics at low frequency (0.1 Hz) and large amplitude (140 kV/cm) of
the driving field. This strain is comparable to that achievable in highly
efficient Pb-based perovskite ceramics, such as Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 and
Pb(Mg,Nb)O3-PbTiO3. The strain showed a strong dependence on the field
frequency and is likely largely associated with domain switching involving
predominantly non-180{\deg} domain walls. In addition, rearrangement of charged
defects by applying electric field of low frequency depins these domain walls,
resulting in a more efficient switching and, consequently, an increased
response
Social-economic drivers in (political) TAC setting decisions
Sustainable use of marine resources, as targeted by Ecosystem-Based Fishery Management (EBFM), is a highly ranked policy goal. However, many marine fish stocks are still overused, challenging sustainability goals. Reasons for this policy failure are disputed and they might be manifold, including economic, institutional, and social drivers. Here, we use Generalised Additive Models (GAMs) to empirically determine and quantify the importance of interacting ecological, economic, and social drivers in a political decision making process, i.e. the setting of annual Total Allowable Catch (TAC) limits. GAMs allow non linear relationships between response and explanatory variables and due to their flexibility have successfully been applied to investigate ecosystem dynamics. Here, we use this modeling approach in a novel way to quantify social-economic-ecological feed-backs on policy decisions. European fisheries policy agreed in most cases to TACs higher than scientifically advised. We recorded this deviation for all managed European fish stocks for the time-series 1987-2014. Additionally, we make use of available time-series of socio-economic and ecological variables potentially influencing the decision, including national unemployment rates, stock status, economic growth rates, and employment in fisheries. We show that political decisions on TACs are not only driven by scientific advice on the ecological state of the stock, but that socio-economic variables have a significant effect on TACs – however not related to sound scientific advice. We conclude that scientific advice for a successful implementation of EBMF will have to address socio- economic driving forces more explicitly
Biochemical monitoring after initiation of aldosterone antagonist therapy in users of renin-angiotensin system blockers: a UK primary care cohort study.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of biochemical monitoring after initiation of aldosterone antagonists(AA) in patients also using angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (ACEI/ARB). SETTING: UK primary care. PARTICIPANTS: ACEI/ARB users who initiated AA between 2004 and 2014. OUTCOMES: We calculated the proportions with: (1) biochemical monitoring ≤2 weeks post initiation of AA, (2) adverse biochemical values ≤2 months (potassium ≥6 mmol/L, creatinine ≥220 µmol/L and ≥30% increase in creatinine from baseline) and (3) discontinuers of AA in those with an adverse biochemical value. We used logistic regression to study patient characteristics associated with monitoring and adverse biochemical values. RESULTS: In 10 546 initiators of AA, 3291 (31.2%) had a record of biochemical monitoring ≤2 weeks post initiation. A total of 2.0% and 2.7% of those with follow-up monitoring within 2 months of initiation experienced potassium ≥6 mmol/L and creatinine ≥220 µmol/L, respectively, whereas 13.5% had a ≥30% increase in creatinine. Baseline potassium (OR 3.59, 95% CI 2.43 to 5.32 for 5.0-5.5 mmol/L compared with <5.0 mmol/L) and estimated glomerular filtration rate 45-59 ml/min/1.73 m2 (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.26 to 3.35 compared with ≥60 ml/min/1.73 m2) were independently predictive of potassium ≥6 mmol/L. Women and people with diabetes had higher odds of ≥30% increase in creatinine. CONCLUSION: Less than one-third of patients taking ACEI/ARB had biochemical monitoring within 2 weeks of initiating AAs. Higher levels of monitoring may reduce adverse biochemical events
A Brief Report: Lessons Learned and Preliminary Findings of Progreso en Salud, an HIV Risk Reduction Intervention for Latina Seasonal Farmworkers
Throughout the past decade, HIV rates in Florida?particularly South Florida, where many Latina seasonal farmworkers reside and work?have ranked among the highest in the nation. In this brief report, we delineate important lessons learned and preliminary findings from the implementation of the HIV prevention intervention Progreso en Salud (Progress in Health). Among the 114 Latina seasonal farmworker participants, there were significant increases from baseline to 6-month follow-up in the percentages of overall condom use, HIV testing, HIV/AIDS-related communications with friends, HIV knowledge, condom use self-efficacy, and correct use of condoms. Lessons learned from this study can be used to inform future HIV intervention strategies to improve the adoption and maintenance of HIV risk reduction behaviors among high-risk Latina seasonal workers and other high-risk underserved populations. Future research is needed to support our findings
Creating a Space for Decolonization: Health through Theatre with Indigenous Youth
This article reports on a research project that used theatre with Indigenous youth to address health issues. Youth participated in a three day workshop adapted from David Diamond (2007) and Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed (1979) where theatre techniques were used to create a space for youth to examine the choicesthey made. Drawing on the youths’ dramatic images and responses
shared in interviews, the authors theorize that the dramatic creative space sets up possibilities for decolonizing experiences where youth are asked to think for themselves, to use their bodies and to exercise their imaginations in making decisions for actions
The Color Variability of Quasars
We quantify quasar color-variability using an unprecedented variability
database - ugriz photometry of 9093 quasars from SDSS Stripe 82, observed over
8 years at ~60 epochs each. We confirm previous reports that quasars become
bluer when brightening. We find a redshift dependence of this blueing in a
given set of bands (e.g. g and r), but show that it is the result of the flux
contribution from less-variable or delayed emission lines in the different SDSS
bands at different redshifts. After correcting for this effect, quasar
color-variability is remarkably uniform, and independent not only of redshift,
but also of quasar luminosity and black hole mass. The color variations of
individual quasars, as they vary in brightness on year timescales, are much
more pronounced than the ranges in color seen in samples of quasars across many
orders of magnitude in luminosity. This indicates distinct physical mechanisms
behind quasar variability and the observed range of quasar luminosities at a
given black hole mass - quasar variations cannot be explained by changes in the
mean accretion rate. We do find some dependence of the color variability on the
characteristics of the flux variations themselves, with fast, low-amplitude,
brightness variations producing more color variability. The observed behavior
could arise if quasar variability results from flares or ephemeral hot spots in
an accretion disc.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ - in press, 17 pages, 14 figures -
v2: abstract typo corrected & reference clean-u
- …