84 research outputs found
Jordanian Social Norms and the Risk of Intimate Partner Violence and Limited Reproductive Agency
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive global problem that violates the rights of millions of women each year and has been linked with a multitude of adverse physical, mental, and reproductive health outcomes. In Jordan, socio-cultural constructs of masculinity and female sexuality legitimize control exerted on and violence perpetrated against women. These include the gendered social norms that keep women in disempowered positions and limit their ability make fundamental reproductive decisions such as whether and when to become pregnant. This paper explores some of the mechanisms by which low levels of gender equity increase Jordanian womenâs risk of violence and affect their exercise of reproductive agency.
Grounded in an empowerment framework and informed by a social ecological model, this research tested the hypothesis that experiencing IPV increases womenâs risk of compromised reproductive agency, as evidenced by: increased odds of unintended pregnancy and unmet need for family planning (FP). These analyses revealed important social influences at the individual, interpersonal, and community levels that place women at increased risk for experiencing IPV. They also revealed that exposure to IPV is an independent risk factor for limited reproductive agency, with women who had experienced violence having a 39% increased risk of unintended pregnancy and 43% increased risk of unmet need for FP. The magnitude of these associations was even greater when community norms regarding IPV and womenâs autonomy were considered in the model, showing increased risk of 46% and 69%, respectively.
These analyses reveal that IPV is significant barrier to the achievement of gender equity in Jordan, as it perpetuates gendered imbalances in power and also imposes great social and health costs on women. This paper discusses the implications of these analyses for designing research and programming initiatives to promote lasting change in support of gender equity and empowerment for Jordanian women
Protect high seas biodiversity
The high seasâmarine areas beyond
national jurisdiction (1)âcover nearly half
of Earthâs surface (2). The high seas support
our planet in countless ways, from
regulating the climate, to feeding millions
of people, to supporting industries that
contribute billions of dollars to the global
economy (3). Even so, less than 1% of the
high seas are fully protected (4), and the
current patchwork of management and
lack of oversight leaves them vulnerable
to abuse. In 2017, the United Nations
resolved to develop an international
treaty for the conservation and sustainable
use of the high seas. Negotiations are
set to end this year. We must ensure that
the forthcoming framework conserves
high-seas biodiversity and promotes sustainable
and equitable use
Functional analysis of epilepsy-associated variants in STXBP1/Munc18-1 using humanised Caenorhabditis elegans
Objective:
Genetic variants in STXBP1 , which encodes the conserved exocytosis protein Munc18â1, are associated with a variety of infantile epilepsy syndromes. We aimed to develop an in vivo Caenorhabditis elegans model that could be used to test the pathogenicity of such variants in a costâeffective manner.
Methods:
The CRISPR/Cas9 method was used to introduce a null mutation into the uncâ18 gene (the C. elegans orthologue of STXBP1 ), thereby creating a paralyzed worm strain. We subsequently rescued this strain with transgenes encoding the human STXBP1/Munc18â1 protein (wildâtype and eight different epilepsyâassociated missense variants). The resulting humanized worm strains were then analyzed via behavioral, electrophysiological, and biochemical approaches.
Results:
Transgenic expression of wildâtype human STXBP1 protein fully rescued locomotion in both solid and liquid media to the same level as the standard wildâtype worm strain, Bristol N2. Six variant strains (E59K, V84D, C180Y, R292H, L341P, R551C) exhibited impaired locomotion, whereas two (P335L, R406H) were no different from worms expressing wildâtype STXBP1. Electrophysiological recordings revealed that all eight variant strains displayed less frequent and more irregular pharyngeal pumping in comparison to wildâtype STXBP1âexpressing strains. Four strains (V84D, C180Y, R292H, P335L) exhibited pentylenetetrazolâinduced convulsions in an acute assay of seizureâlike activity, in contrast to worms expressing wildâtype STXBP1. No differences were seen between wildâtype and variant STXBP1 strains in terms of mRNA abundance. However, STXBP1 protein levels were reduced to 20%â30% of wildâtype in all variants, suggesting that the mutations result in STXBP1 protein instability.
Significance:
The approach described here is a costâeffective in vivo method for establishing the pathogenicity of genetic variants in STXBP1 and potentially other conserved neuronal proteins. Furthermore, the humanized strains we created could potentially be used in the future for highâthroughput drug screens to identify novel therapeutics
Risk Factors for Menâs Lifetime Perpetration of Physical Violence against Intimate Partners: Results from the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES) in Eight Countries
This paper examines menâs lifetime physical intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration across eight low- and middle-income countries to better understand key risk factors that interventions can target in order to promote gender equality and reduce IPV. We use data from men (n = 7806) that were collected as part of the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Chile, Croatia, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), India, Mexico, and Rwanda. Results show that there is wide variation across countries for lifetime self-reported physical violence perpetration (range: 17% in Mexico to 45% in DRC), menâs support for equal roles for men and women, and acceptability of violence against women. Across the sample, 31% of men report having perpetrated physical violence against a partner in their lifetime. In multivariate analyses examining risk factors for men ever perpetrating physical violence against a partner, witnessing parental violence was the strongest risk factor, reinforcing previous research suggesting the inter-generational transmission of violence. Additionally, having been involved in fights not specifically with an intimate partner, permissive attitudes towards violence against women, having inequitable gender attitudes, and older age were associated with a higher likelihood of ever perpetrating physical IPV. In separate analyses for each country, we found different patterns of risk factors in countries with high perpetration compared to countries with low perpetration. Findings are interpreted to identify key knowledge gaps and directions for future research, public policies, evaluation, and programming
Galactic Globular and Open Clusters in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. II. Test of Theoretical Stellar Isochrones
We perform an extensive test of theoretical stellar models for main-sequence
stars in ugriz, using cluster fiducial sequences obtained in the previous paper
of this series. We generate a set of isochrones using the Yale Rotating
Evolutionary Code (YREC) with updated input physics, and derive magnitudes and
colors in ugriz from MARCS model atmospheres. These models match cluster main
sequences over a wide range of metallicity within the errors of the adopted
cluster parameters. However, we find a large discrepancy of model colors at the
lower main sequence (Teff < ~4500 K) for clusters at and above solar
metallicity. We also reach similar conclusions using the theoretical isochrones
of Girardi et al. and Dotter et al., but our new models are generally in better
agreement with the data. Using our theoretical isochrones, we also derive
main-sequence fitting distances and turn-off ages for five key globular
clusters, and demonstrate the ability to derive these quantities from
photometric data in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. In particular, we exploit
multiple color indices (g - r, g - i, and g - z) in the parameter estimation,
which allows us to evaluate internal systematic errors. Our distance estimates,
with an error of sigma(m - M) = 0.03-0.11 mag for individual clusters, are
consistent with Hipparcos-based subdwarf fitting distances derived in the
Johnson-Cousins or Stromgren photometric systems.Comment: 26 pages, 28 figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ. Version with
high resolution figures available at
http://spider.ipac.caltech.edu/~deokkeun/sdss_iso.pd
Baseline characteristics of people experiencing homelessness with a recent drug overdose in the PHOENIx pilot randomised controlled trial
Background: Drug-related deaths in Scotland are the highest in Europe. Half of all deaths in people experiencing homelessness are drug related, yet we know little about the unmet health needs of people experiencing homelessness with recent non-fatal overdose, limiting a tailored practice and policy response to a public health crisis.
Methods: People experiencing homelessness with at least one non-fatal street drug overdose in the previous 6 months were recruited from 20 venues in Glasgow, Scotland, and randomised into PHOENIx plus usual care, or usual care. PHOENIx is a collaborative assertive outreach intervention by independent prescriber NHS Pharmacists and third sector homelessness workers, offering repeated integrated, holistic physical, mental and addictions health and social care support including prescribing. We describe comprehensive baseline characteristics of randomised participants.
Results: One hundred and twenty-eight participants had a mean age of 42 years (SD 8.4); 71% male, homelessness for a median of 24 years (IQR 12â30). One hundred and eighteen (92%) lived in large, congregate city centre temporary accommodation. A quarter (25%) were not registered with a General Practitioner. Participants had overdosed a mean of 3.2 (SD 3.2) times in the preceding 6 months, using a median of 3 (IQR 2â4) non-prescription drugs concurrently: 112 (87.5%) street valium (benzodiazepine-type new psychoactive substances); 77 (60%) heroin; and 76 (59%) cocaine. Half (50%) were injecting, 50% into their groins. 90% were receiving care from Alcohol and Drug Recovery Services (ADRS), and in addition to using street drugs, 90% received opioid substitution therapy (OST), 10% diazepam for street valium use and one participant received heroin-assisted treatment. Participants had a mean of 2.2 (SD 1.3) mental health problems and 5.4 (SD 2.5) physical health problems; 50% received treatment for physical or mental health problems. Ninety-one per cent had at least one mental health problem; 66% had no specialist mental health support. Participants were frail (70%) or pre-frail (28%), with maximal levels of psychological distress, 44% received one or no daily meal, and 58% had previously attempted suicide.
Conclusions: People at high risk of drug-related death continue to overdose repeatedly despite receiving OST. High levels of frailty, multimorbidity, unsuitable accommodation and unmet mental and physical health care needs require a reorientation of services informed by evidence of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness.
Trial registration UK Clinical Trials Registry identifier: ISRCTN 10585019
The Grizzly, November 19, 1990
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Fast core rotation in red-giant stars revealed by gravity-dominated mixed modes
When the core hydrogen is exhausted during stellar evolution, the central
region of a star contracts and the outer envelope expands and cools, giving
rise to a red giant, in which convection occupies a large fraction of the star.
Conservation of angular momentum requires that the cores of these stars rotate
faster than their envelopes, and indirect evidence supports this. Information
about the angular momentum distribution is inaccessible to direct observations,
but it can be extracted from the effect of rotation on oscillation modes that
probe the stellar interior. Here, we report the detection of non-rigid rotation
in the interiors of red-giant stars by exploiting the rotational frequency
splitting of recently detected mixed modes. We demonstrate an increasing
rotation rate from the surface of the star to the stellar core. Comparing with
theoretical stellar models, we conclude that the core must rotate at least ten
times faster than the surface. This observational result confirms the
theoretical prediction of a steep gradient in the rotation profile towards the
deep stellar interior.Comment: to appear as a Letter to Natur
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