Contraceptive practices and induced abortions status among internal migrant women in Guangzhou, China: a cross-sectional study

Background: China is facing the unprecedented challenges of internal migration. Migrants tend to have poorer utilization of health and family planning services as compared to the local residents. Migrant women are at greater risk of induced abortions due to their poor contraceptive knowledge and attitude. This study aims to understand the contraceptive practices and history of induced abortions, explore the potential factors influencing induced abortions, and evaluate the utilization of family planning services among migrant women in Guangzhou, China. Methods: An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted with 1003 migrant women aged 18-49 in Guangzhou, China in 2013. A multi-stage sampling method was employed. Binary logistic regression model was used for analyzing risk factors of induced abortions. Results: Among the 1003 participants, 810 (80.8 %) reported having sex in the past 6 months, including 715 (88.3 %) married and 95 (11.7 %) unmarried. The most reported contraceptive method was male condom (44.9 %), while 8.1 % never used any contraceptive methods. Only 10.4 % reported having attained free condoms from family planning service stations (FPSSs) and 39.3 % reported having acquired contraceptive knowledge from family planning workers. Of all the participants, 417 (41.6 %) had a history of induced abortion. Of married and unmarried women, 389 (49.1 %) and 28 (14.0 %) had induced abortion respectively. Of these, 152 (36.5 %) had repeated abortions. The most reported reason for having induced abortion was failure of contraception (31.9 %), followed by nonuse of any contraceptives (21.1 %). Migrants who had induced abortion tended to be older, have household registration outside Guangdong province, receive no annual health checkup, have lower education, have urban household registration, have lived longer in Guangzhou and have children (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The prevalence rate of induced abortion, especially repeated abortions among migrant women was high in Guangzhou, China. There is an urgent need to improve the awareness of regular and appropriate use of contraceptives. The utilization of FPSSs among migrant women was reportedly low. Family planning system should be improved to provide better access for migrants and better integrated with the general health services. 2015 Zeng et al.This paper outlines some of the findings from a QAA (Scotland) funded project exploring first year curriculum design (Bovill et al. 2008). Whilst many examples exist of curricula being designed in ways to engage first year students, there are fewer published examples of active student participation in curriculum design processes. In the current higher education context where student engagement in learning is emphasised (Carini et al,2006), this paper asks more generally whether students should be actively participating in curriculum design.In order to answer this question, several elements of the project findings are explored: student views gathered in focus groups; staff views collected in workshops; and the case studies where students were actively involved in curriculum design. The data are examined for lessons that inform the debate about whether students should be participating in curriculum design, in first year and at other levels. Alongside these findings, relevant literature is critiqued in order to ascertain the desirability and feasibility of adopting curriculum design approaches that offer opportunities for active student participation.sch_iih15pub3989pub55

A Finite Queue Model Analysis of PMRC-based Wireless Sensor networks

In our previous work, a highly scalable and fault- tolerant network architecture, the Progressive Multi-hop Rotational Clustered (PMRC) structure, is proposed for constructing large-scale wireless sensor networks. Further, the overlapped scheme is proposed to solve the bottleneck problem in PMRC-based sensor networks. As buffer space is often scarce in sensor nodes, in this paper, we focus on studying the queuing performance of cluster heads in PMRC-based sensor networks. We develop a finite queuing model to analyze the queuing performance of cluster heads for both non-overlapped and overlapped PMRC-based sensor network. The average queue length and average queue delay of cluster head in different layers are derived. To validate the analysis results, simulations have been conducted with different loads for both non- overlapped and overlapped PMRC-based sensor networks. Simulation results match with the analysis results in general and confirm the advantage of selecting two cluster heads over selecting single cluster head in terms of the improved queuing performance

Load-Similar Node Distribution for Prolonging Network Lifetime in PMRC-Based Wireless Sensor Networks

In this paper, the energy hole problem in Progressive Multi-hop Rotational Clustered (PMRC)-based wireless sensor networks (WSNs) is studied. We first analyze the traffic load distribution in PMRC-based WSNs. Based on the analysis, we propose a novel load-similar node distribution strategy combined with the Minimum Overlapping Layers (MOL) scheme to solve the energy hole problem in PMRC-based WSNs. Simulation results demonstrate that the load-similar node distribution strategy significantly prolongs network lifetime than uniform node distribution and an existing nonuniform node distribution strategies. The analysis model and the proposed load-similar node distribution strategy have the potential to be applied to other multi-hop WSN structures

High-Temperature Compressive Properties of TiB-Reinforced Ti Alloy via In Situ Synthesis

In this investigation, in situ synthesis of TiB-reinforced Ti-based alloy was carried out by powder metallurgy. The Ti (TiH2)—Al and B powders were ball milled for 40 h to obtain a mixed powder with a nominal composition of Ti-7Al-0.2B (wt. %) and TiH2-7Al-0.2B (wt. %). After milling the mixed powder by using a vacuum hot pressing sintering furnace (1200 °C sintering temperature, 30 MPa pressure, 1 h holding pressure), TiB-reinforced Ti-based alloy was prepared in situ. The compression tests were carried out on a WDW-200 universal testing machine at 550 °C, 600 °C, and 650 °C, and at the strain rates of 1 × 10−4 s−1, 3 × 10−4 s−1, and 5 × 10−4 s−1 to investigate the alloy compression and rheological behavior of the prepared alloy. It was observed that Ti-7Al-0.2B and TiH2-7Al-0.2B alloy formed a TiB phase and α-Ti duplex structure after low-energy ball milling and hot pressed sintering. This is because the in situ synthesis of TiB fiber reinforced phase hinders grain boundary migration and grain growth. Therefore, the TiB phase in Ti-7Al-0.2B alloy is fine, evenly distributed and effective in suppressing grain growth. Alloy materials are heat sensitive and strain-rate sensitive alloys, and the peaks of high-temperature compressive stress decrease with the decrease of the strain rate and the increase of the temperature. At the same temperature and rate conditions, the highest peak flow stress of TiH2-7Al-0.2B is slightly higher than that of Ti-7Al-0.2B. In the ball milling and sintering process of TiH2-7Al-0.2B alloy, the decomposition of H from TiH2 cleanses the surface of Ti particles. This leads to the reduction of the possibility of contamination, and also has a good effect in improving the compression performance

Terminal Traffic Situation Prediction Model under the Influence of Weather Based on Deep Learning Approaches

In order to quantify the degree of influence of weather on traffic situations in real time, this paper proposes a terminal traffic situation prediction model under the influence of weather (TSPM-W) based on deep learning approaches. First, a feature set for predicting traffic situations is constructed based on data such as weather, traffic demand, delay conditions, and flow control strategies. When constructing weather data, a terminal area weather quantification method (TAWQM) is proposed to quantify various weather feature values. When constructing the traffic situation label, fuzzy C-means clustering (FCM) is used to perform cluster analysis on the traffic situation, and the traffic situation is marked as bad, average, or good. Accordingly, the multi-source data is fused as the input vector, based on the combined prediction model of convolutional neural network (CNN) and gated recurrent unit (GRU), TSPM-W is constructed. Finally, based on the historical operation data of the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport terminal area, the proposed data set is used to predict the traffic situation time series at intervals of 1 h, 3 h, and 6 h. The comparative experimental results show that the proposed time series prediction model has higher prediction accuracy than other existing prediction methods. The proposed dataset is able to more accurately predict the traffic situation in the terminal area

Comparison of Primary Care Experiences in Village Clinics with Different Ownership Models in Guangdong Province, China.

In order to improve the quality of services at village clinics (VCs), which are important primary care service providers in rural China, the Chinese government has encouraged the township hospitals to own and manage VCs. There are currently three models of ownership and management of VCs: township hospital-owned and -managed (HVC), village committee-owned and -managed (VVC), and private-owned and -managed (PVC). This study aims to examine the association between these ownership models of VCs and patients' primary care experiences.Villagers were selected by multistage stratified sampling and their experiences with primary care were measured using the Primary Care Assessment Tool-Adult Edition (PCAT-AS). Data were collected through face-to-face interviews and the questionnaires administered by investigators in the cross-sectional study from February to April 2015. The PCAT scores were compared among the three models by covariance analysis, and multiple linear regression was used to analyze factors associated with the PCAT total scores.A total of 1491 questionnaires were collected. After controlling for covariates, HVCs reported the highest PCAT scores and satisfaction rate. In terms of the domains, HVC reported the highest scores in the coordination and comprehensiveness domains, while PVC had the highest scores in the first contact-accessibility domain. Multivariate linear regression showed that HVC, married participants, aged 60 and older, satisfied with the services, receiving six or more visits, and those with medical expenditures over 20% of their total family expenditures, were also positively associated with better primary care quality.This study demonstrates that villagers receiving medical care at HVCs perceived better primary care than those at PVCs and VVCs. In order to improve the quality of primary care at VCs, it is necessary to increase government subsidies for public service packages, tighten the township hospital's supervision of PVCs and VVCs, and develop performance-based incentive plans to motivate improvements in the accessibility of HVCs

Analysis of an Offshore Jacket subjected to Supply Vessel Impacts

In this master s thesis an offshore jacket platform subjected to supply vessel impacts is analysed. Since the supply vessels have increased in size and have been reinforced through modern ship design it has been of significance to study ship impacts with larger ships. The collision scenarios are chosen based upon damage potential to critical members such as risers and conductors and the damage potential to structural integrity. Two stern collisions against risers, a side collision against the platform leg and a bow impact against a conductor area have been analysed. The supply vessel used in this master s thesis had a displacement of 7500 tonnes and according to new ALS-requirements the speed at impact should be 3m/s for bow impacts and 2m/s for side and stern impacts. Hence, in view of new collision requirements it is desirable to study whether the jacket platform is capable to withstand a bow-, side and stern impact of 37.12MJ, 21MJ and 16.5MJ, respectively. Local analyses have been performed with NLFEA in LS-DYNA while the global analyses have been carried out in USFOS. All LS-DYNA analyses are decoupled, which means that rigid body motions of the ship (e.g.: change in speed, direction due to impact) are not considered. Furthermore, the LS-DYNA analyses were performed quasi-statically which means that the ship was pushed towards the jacket platform at constant speed until the internal energy (strain energy) reached the collision energy level. Structural sub-models of the jacket platform were modelled and meshed in SESAM GeniE. The structural ship models used in the LS-DYNA analyses are the same which are included in DNVGL-RPC208. The bow-, side and stern model are all designed to be representative for an OSV with a displacement in the range of 6500-10000 tonnes. The USFOS-model was provided, and only minor modifications were done. During the LSDYNA analyses the energy absorption in both ship and jacket was analysed. In USFOS, the ship was presented as a nonlinear spring based upon the ship deformation behaviour observed in LS-DYNA. The stern collision showed that there was a severe damage potential to the risers. Due to inaccurate modelling of the riser clamps and riser flanges it was not possible to judge the risk of rupture. Inaccurate modelling of one of the clamps between one of the braces and one of the risers caused rupture of the brace, a result which is questionable. Internal pressure and temperature in the risers were not considered in the LS-DYNA analyses. Another uncertainty was that a stern corner was used, and it is therefore questionable if the boundary conditions along the geometrical symmetry plane are accurate. In the side collision analysis deformation of both ship side and platform leg were achieved. Out of a collision energy of 21MJ, 15.5MJ and 5.5MJ were dissipated by jacket and ship, respectively. The bow impact against the conductor area showed that the conductors were strong enough to crush the forecastle and deform the bow. Internal pressure in the conductors was not implemented due to the design of the conductor. Of 37MJ the ship absorbed 30MJ while approximately 7MJ were dissipated by a diagonal which deformed in a three-hinge mechanism. Due to time limitations a mesh convergence study was not carried out on neither of the sub-models. Furthermore, strain rates were not included. The rupture and tensile fracture criteria are also mesh dependent in NLFEA and must be chosen according to calibration procedures in DNVGL-RPC208. These are the main uncertainties in the LS-DYNA analyses. In USFOS, the commands BIMPACT, MULT_IMP and SURFIMP were used. Despite challenges of capture the dissipating energy, the energy dissipation results were close to the results obtained with LS-DYNA. The stern collisions in USFOS gave reasonable results regarding fracture of braces. Risers and clamps were also affected by the deformation of the braces. In the side impact against the platform leg there were good coincidence with the results obtained with LS-DYNA. Since the conductors are non-structural in USFOS, the bow impact turned into a capacity check of the diagonal. The diagonal absorbed 9.5MJ before fracture, while the diagonal absorbed 7MJ in LS-DYNA. For all collision scenarios the damaged jacket survived the residual strength check without structural collapse. In the residual strength check, the jacket platform was subjected to a 5th order Stoke wave with a return period of 100 years. The master s thesis has concluded that the stern corner of the ship managed to do severe damage to the risers before it hit the platform, while the conductors seemed strong enough to crush the ship. Recommendations for the SURFIMP-command are given in Appendix. Based upon observations in LS-DYNA it was concluded that it is too optimistic to set the dent width equal to the height of the contact area between the ship and the platform. The dent widths in LS-DYNA were observed to be in the range of 0.1m-0.3m, instead of 2.5m-3m which was based upon ship geometry from earlier analyses. Smaller dent widths cause a more concentrated collision which reduces the capacity of the platform leg. For ship impacts against platform legs which do not stand perpendicular to the sea surface it is recommended to choose a dent width based upon NLFEA-results rather than ship geometry