Microgravity condensing heat exchanger

A heat exchanger having a plurality of heat exchanging aluminum fins with hydrophilic condensing surfaces which are stacked and clamped between two cold plates. The cold plates are aligned radially along a plane extending through the axis of a cylindrical duct and hold the stacked and clamped portions of the heat exchanging fins along the axis of the cylindrical duct. The fins extend outwardly from the clamped portions along approximately radial planes. The spacing between fins is symmetric about the cold plates, and are somewhat more closely spaced as the angle they make with the cold plates approaches 90.degree.. Passageways extend through the fins between vertex spaces which provide capillary storage and communicate with passageways formed in the stacked and clamped portions of the fins, which communicate with water drains connected to a pump externally to the duct. Water with no entrained air is drawn from the capillary spaces

Applying an intervention framework to assess North Carolina's adolescent pregnancy prevention efforts

PurposeWe assessed the extent to which implementing adolescent pregnancy prevention programs in conjunction with three level implementation strategies reduces adolescent pregnancy rates at the county-level in North Carolina (NC).MethodsFixsen and colleagues' (2005) three levels of implementation were used to organize the prevention strategies: core (e.g., training, fidelity monitoring), organizational (e.g., administrative support), and external (e.g., community resources).ResultsCounties that had adolescent friendly clinic/services (external) were more likely to report lower adolescent pregnancy rates in comparison to counties that did not have access to such services.ConclusionsFindings suggest external implementation strategies are key to reducing adolescent pregnancy rates

Depressive Symptoms among Latino Sexual Minority Men and Latina Transgender Women in a New Settlement State: The Role of Perceived Discrimination

Background. Little is known about the role of discrimination on depression among Latino sexual and gender identity minorities. This manuscript examined the relationship between ethnic/racial discrimination and sexual discrimination on clinically significant depressive symptoms among Latino sexual minority men (i.e., gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men) and Latina transgender women. Methods. A community-based participatory research partnership recruited participants (N = 186; 80.6% cisgender men) in North Carolina to a social network-based HIV intervention. Using baseline data, we quantified the amount of perceived discrimination and conducted mixed-effects logistic regression analyses to examine correlates of clinically significant depressive symptoms. Results. A high percentage of participants reported ethnic/racial discrimination (73.7%) and sexual discrimination (53.8%). In the multivariable models, ethnic/racial discrimination, sexual discrimination, masculinity, fatalism, and social support were significantly associated with clinically significant depressive symptoms. Discussion. Improving mental health requires multilevel interventions that address pertinent individual, interpersonal, and system level factors

Adapting and testing a vulnerability model for Latino/a sexual and gender minorities in a new settlement state

Sexual health vulnerability among Latino/a sexual and gender minorities is poorly understood, despite high rates of HIV and STDs among Latino/as, particularly in new settlement states in the southern US. The lack of a model specific to Latino/a sexual and gender minorities complicates the study of vulnerability. To move vulnerability research forward with this population, key constructs must be defined and processes for model development described. Clarity in the operationalization of vulnerability, as well as in the approach for adapting a vulnerability model to Latino/a sexual and gender minorities, can improve replicability to other similar populations and standardize a method toward model development. This study tests a new theoretical model of vulnerability for Latino/a sexual and gender minorities by adapting the General Model of Vulnerability. A community-based participatory research partnership recruited Latino/a sexual and gender minorities (i.e., men who have sex with men and transgender women; N=186) in North Carolina to participate in the HOLA intervention. Using baseline data collected in 2012, I performed latent class analysis to operationalize vulnerability across three domains (i.e., socioeconomic stability, health care, and social) using eight indicators (i.e., educational attainment, employment status, routine check-up, social support, acculturation, racial/ethnic and sexual discrimination, and internalized homonegativity) to identify underlying classes of vulnerability, then tested the association between class membership and three sexual health behaviors (i.e., HIV testing, STD testing, and condom use). In this sample, I identified three latent classes of vulnerability: High Education and Employment (18.8% of the sample; characterized by high educational attainment and employment status), Low Education and High Social Support (63.4%), and High Education and Discrimination (17.7%; high educational attainment and racial/ethnic and sexual discrimination). Membership in the Low Education and High Social Support class and the High Education and Discrimination class was significantly associated with more condomless anal or vaginal intercourse, whereas membership in the High Education and Employment class was associated with less condomless anal or vaginal intercourse (p < 0.05). I found no significant associations between vulnerability and HIV testing nor STD testing. Overall, the results from this study found that the identification of latent classes of vulnerability differentially predicted a sexual health behavior among Latino/a sexual and gender minorities in NC. These findings highlight the utility of identifying typologies of vulnerability to predict patterns of sexual health behavior. This information can be used to tailor future efforts to specific groups of Latino/a sexual and gender minorities, as well as other vulnerable populations living in other parts of the US. Developing intervention components that harness facilitators (e.g., social support) and address barriers (e.g., discrimination) to health, focusing specifically on those uniquely vulnerable, is critical to increasing the reach and effectiveness of tailored health promotion and HIV/STD prevention programming

The “kaleidoscope” of factors influencing urban adolescent pregnancy in Baltimore, Maryland

Existing intervention and prevention efforts for adolescent pregnancy focus primarily on individual-level approaches; however, there is an emerging expectation to include a more contextually based social-ecological approach. This approach is salient in urban communities like Baltimore, Maryland, with one of the nation’s highest adolescent pregnancy and birth rates. Poverty, community violence, and compromised school systems further complicate the precursors and consequences of adolescent pregnancy. In this mixed methods study, we conducted interviews with key informants (n = 16) from community-based organizations, health departments, foundations, the public school system, clinics, and the faith community who worked with youth in Baltimore to gain a more comprehensive perspective on factors affecting adolescent pregnancy. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using the constant comparative method. Geographic maps of select socio-demographic variables were created to examine the community context. Results highlighted contributing multi-level factors that emerged across the social-ecological model. Key informants described community- (e.g., environment, community norms, public policy; “Teen pregnancy is norm in many communities”), interpersonal- (e.g., peer social norms; “If you don’t perceive that you have a whole lot of options, you might just kind-of do what everybody else does”), and intrapersonal-level (e.g., specific developmental phase, self-esteem; “You need somebody to love and somebody to love you back”) influences on adolescent pregnancy and birth. GIS maps further illustrated disparities in adolescent birth rates, poverty level, and available community resources. Key informants recommended institutional and structural changes in the community, such as improving sexuality education and school-based health centers and increasing inter-organizational collaboration. These findings underscore the importance of considering creative community partnerships that address key social determinants of reproductive health in developing interventions to address adolescent pregnancy

Factors Influencing Health Care Access Perceptions and Care-seeking Behaviors of Immigrant Latino Sexual Minority Men and Transgender Individuals: Baseline Findings from the HOLA Intervention Study

Little is known about immigrant Latino sexual minorities’ health seeking behaviors. This study examined factors associated with perceptions of access and actual care behaviors among this population in North Carolina. Methods: A community-based participatory research partnership recruited 180 Latino sexual minority men and transgender individuals within preexisting social networks to participate in a sexual health intervention. Mixed-effects logistic regression models and GIS mapping examined factors influencing health care access perceptions and use of services (HIV testing and routine check-ups). Results: Results indicate that perceptions of access and actual care behaviors are low and affected by individual and structural factors, including: years living in NC, reported poor general health, perceptions of discrimination, micro-, meso-, and macro-level barriers, and residence in a Medically Underserved Area. Discussion: To improve Latino sexual minority health, focus must be placed on multiple levels, including: individual characteristics (e.g., demographics), clinic factors (e.g., provider competence and clinic environment), and structural factors (e.g., discrimination)

Individual and structural factors influencing HIV care linkage and engagement: Perceived barriers and solutions among HIV-positive persons

To meet the National HIV/AIDS Strategy’s goals of reducing and preventing HIV transmission, understanding factors that shape HIV-positive persons’ care-seeking behaviors is critical. Accordingly, this study examined factors that affect HIV care linkage and engagement. Six focus groups were conducted with 33 HIV-positive persons living in North Carolina. A variety of factors influenced care behaviors, including: structural and policy factors, relationship with HIV care systems, and individuals’ personal characteristics. Participants also provided solutions for addressing specific factors to care. Improving clinical services and utilizing context-specific strategies can help facilitate greater care linkage and engagement

Ambivalent messages: Adolescents’ perspectives on pregnancy and birth

Purpose To examine, from a youth’s perspective, adolescent pregnancy and parenting in Baltimore, Maryland, a city with high rates of adolescent pregnancy. Methods Six gender-stratified focus groups with 13- to 19-year-olds (4 female and 2 male groups; n = 47). We recorded focus groups, transcribed them verbatim, and analyzed them using the constant comparison method. Participants completed questionnaires to collect demographic and behavioral information. Results Results fit into a social-ecological framework. Individual (e.g., contraceptive use behaviors, religion), interpersonal (e.g., peer norms, maintaining male partners), and community (e.g., clinic factors, perceptions of community) level influences on adolescent pregnancy emerged. Participants discussed contradictory messages that were often gendered in their expectations; for instance, women were responsible for not getting pregnant and raising children. Adolescents expressed beliefs both against (e.g., challenging to complete school) and supporting early childrearing (e.g., religion). Recommendations for addressing the different influences included mentors, education, and community resources. Conclusions Adolescents’ perspectives and values regarding pregnancy and parenting may not mirror traditional and expected norms for pregnancy and requirements for raising a child. These findings challenge the framing of existing interventions as they may not accurately reflect adolescents' values regarding pregnancy and parenting, and thus may need to be modified to highlight positive attitudes toward contraception and postponing pregnancy

N-(4-Cyano­benz­yl)benzamide

The title compound, C15H12N2O, is a derivative of 4-(amino­meth­yl)benzonitrile, an important pestcide inter­mediate. In the crystal structure, mol­ecules are linked via inter­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming infinite chains

4-Isopropyl-N-phenyl­cyclo­hexa-1,3-diene-1-carboxamide

In the crystal structure of the title compound, C16H19NO, mol­ecules are linked through a pair of N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming chains along the a axis