The Effect of a Training on Client\u27s Relationship Satisfaction and Awareness of Domestic Violence

The pui-pose of the current study was to test the effectiveness of a curriculum focused on the prevention and intervention of domestic violence and healthy, nonabusive relationships. A relationship training created by the author was tested in order to assess whether relationship satisfaction was affected by the relationship training, with the expectation that those who have experienced or are experiencing abusive relationships would become more aware of their relationship dissatisfaction. Furthermore, the relationship training was assessed according to the anticipated increase in the experimental group’s knowledge of domestic violence. Pre-test and post-test measures were used to assess relationship satisfaction and knowledge of domestic violence. Instruments included the Questionnaire on Violence in Intimate Relationships, Relationship Assessment Scale, Abusive Behavior Inventory, and The Relationship Awareness Scale. The hypotheses of the study included: 1) Participants who ir\u27\u27 :ally rate their current or previous relationship as nonabusive will have no change after the relationships training, 2) Participants who initially endorse or report a range of domestic violence will have a significant decrease in relationship satisfaction after the relationship training, and 3) Relationships training will significantly increase the group’s knowledge of abusive behaviors

The Effects of Disclosing Childhood Sexual Abuse on an Adult Survivors\u27 Sense of Self-Esteem, Personal Trauma, and Interpersonal Capabilities

Nineteen survivors of childhood sexual abuse who are receiving services from supportive agencies participated in this study. Counselors from crisis centers and university counseling centers distributed questionnaires to possible participants who disclosed childhood sexual abuse. Perceptions of the first experience of disclosure from the participants were examined, along with the duration of abuse, to find a possible correlation between these variables, current self-esteem levels, levels of trauma, and interpersonal capabilities. Instruments used included the Disclosure of Abuse Scale, Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale, Trauma Symptom Checklist - 40, and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index. The hypotheses of the study included 1) perception of duration and disclosure of abuse will have a significant correlation with survivor’s current self-esteem, 2) perception of duration and disclosure of abuse will have a significant correlation with survivor’s level of trauma, and 3) perception of duration and disclosure of abuse will have a significant correlation with survivor’s interpersonal capabilities. Duration of abuse and disclosure were not found to have an association with an adult survivor’s 1) sense of self-esteem, 2) level of trauma, 3) or interpersonal capabilities. However, the study did find an association between an adult survivor’s 1) self-esteem and level of trauma, 2) level of trauma and personal distress, and 3) personal distress and self-esteem. Implications of such findings are discussed

Connecting Texas Water Data Workshop: Building an Internet for Water

The Connecting Texas Water Data Workshop brought together experts representative of Texas’ water sectors to engage in the identification of critical water data needs and discuss the design of a data system that facilitates access to and use of water data in Texas. Participants worked in facilitated sessions to identify, describe, and list 1) who needs, 2) what data, 3) in what form, 4) to inform what decisions about water in Texas. They also worked to identify key data gaps in Texas water data, attributes of a comprehensive open access water data information system capable of informing water management decisions, and use cases or pilot projects illustrating the value of an open access, interoperable water data system. The ideal form of data system is envisioned as consisting of several integrated data hubs specialized by water sector, with incentives for people to add new data and share existing data through the hubs. There should be adequate funding to sustain the data system over time.https://digitalcommons.tamusa.edu/water_books/1001/thumbnail.jp

An Internet for Water: Connecting Texas Water Data

The Connecting Texas Water Data Workshop brought together experts representative of Texas’ water sectors to engage in the identification of critical water data needs and to discuss the design of a data system that facilitates access to and the use of public water data in Texas. Workshop participants identified “use cases” that list data gaps, needs, and uses for water data and answered questions on who needs data, what data do they need, in what form do they need the data, and what decisions need to be made about water in Texas. They described desires for future water data management and access practices and articulated key attributes of a comprehensive, open access, public water data information system. Next, steps were described to include a subset of workshop participants meeting regularly to further define the goals of a Texas public water data hub, develop a strawman of the hub’s structure, characterize several use cases, and facilitate development of pilot projects that demonstrate the value of connected public water data for improved decision making

Final Report on Connecting Texas Water Data Workshop

This report details the findings and efforts of a workshop at The University of Texas at Austin that brought together experts representing all leading Texas water stakeholders to put together the data needs and system designs needed to improve the use of water data across Texas

Return on Investment from Academic Supercomputing: SC14 Panel

Return on Investment or ROI is a fundamental measure of effectiveness in business. It has been applied broadly across industries, including information technology and supercomputing. In this panel, we will share approaches to assessing ROI for academic supercomputing.The panel will address the challenge that “returns” from supercomputing and other computationally based research activities are often not financial. This is major distinction from other industrial sectors, where product sales, inventions, and patents might form the basis of ROI calculations. How should ROI be assessed for high performance computing in academic environments? What inroads to ROI calculations are underway by the panelists? What are challenges of ROI calculations

Accuracy of Name and Age Data Provided About Network Members in a Social Network Study of People Who Use Drugs: Implications for Constructing Sociometric Networks

Purpose—Network analysis has become increasingly popular in epidemiologic research, but the accuracy of data key to constructing risk networks is largely unknown. Using network data from people who use drugs (PWUD), the study examined how accurately PWUD reported their network members’ (i.e., alters’) names and ages. Methods—Data were collected from 2008 to 2010 from 503 PWUD residing in rural Appalachia. Network ties (n=897) involved recent (past 6 months) sex, drug co-usage, and/or social support. Participants provided alters’ names, ages, and relationship-level characteristics; these data were cross-referenced to that of other participants to identify participant-participant relationships and to determine the accuracy of reported ages (years) and names (binary). Results—Participants gave alters’ exact names and ages within two years in 75% and 79% of relationships, respectively. Accurate name was more common in relationships that were reciprocally reported and those involving social support and male alters. Age was more accurate in reciprocal ties and those characterized by kinship, sexual partnership, recruitment referral, and financial support, and less accurate for ties with older alters. Conclusions—Most participants reported alters’ characteristics accurately, and name accuracy was not significantly different in relationships involving drug-related/sexual behavior compared to those not involving these behaviors

Contractile force is enhanced in Aortas from pendrin null mice due to stimulation of angiotensin II-dependent signaling.

Pendrin is a Cl-/HCO3- exchanger expressed in the apical regions of renal intercalated cells. Following pendrin gene ablation, blood pressure falls, in part, from reduced renal NaCl absorption. We asked if pendrin is expressed in vascular tissue and if the lower blood pressure observed in pendrin null mice is accompanied by reduced vascular reactivity. Thus, the contractile responses to KCl and phenylephrine (PE) were examined in isometrically mounted thoracic aortas from wild-type and pendrin null mice. Although pendrin expression was not detected in the aorta, pendrin gene ablation changed contractile protein abundance and increased the maximal contractile response to PE when normalized to cross sectional area (CSA). However, the contractile sensitivity to this agent was unchanged. The increase in contractile force/cross sectional area observed in pendrin null mice was due to reduced cross sectional area of the aorta and not from increased contractile force per vessel. The pendrin-dependent increase in maximal contractile response was endothelium- and nitric oxide-independent and did not occur from changes in Ca2+ sensitivity or chronic changes in catecholamine production. However, application of 100 nM angiotensin II increased force/CSA more in aortas from pendrin null than from wild type mice. Moreover, angiotensin type 1 receptor inhibitor (candesartan) treatment in vivo eliminated the pendrin-dependent changes contractile protein abundance and changes in the contractile force/cross sectional area in response to PE. In conclusion, pendrin gene ablation increases aorta contractile force per cross sectional area in response to angiotensin II and PE due to stimulation of angiotensin type 1 receptor-dependent signaling. The angiotensin type 1 receptor-dependent increase in vascular reactivity may mitigate the fall in blood pressure observed with pendrin gene ablation

The Route to Water Security for Texas: The 2015–2016 Texas Water Roadmap Forums

Three forums were held between February 2015 and November 2016, bringing together Texas water experts from business, industry, government, academia, research, and the investment community in impartially facilitated sessions to deter-mine ways to secure Texas’ water future through accelerating growth of infrastructure, technologies, research, education, and sustainable use. Consensus emerged after the first forum that Texas is approaching a water crisis reflecting matters of supply, allocation, and quality that demands immediate action to ensure water security and equitable access to this vital resource. Participant focus rested on new technology acceleration and investment, workforce education, research underway and desired by segments of the water sector, the water-energy-food nexus, outreach and public education, data management and access, water valuation, water security, and legal and regulatory frameworks. Participants also examined funding and partnership options for development of water treatment and supply infrastructure, water rights and allocation methods, aging infrastructure, and conservation, as well as the nearly ubiquitous fragmenting and compartmentalizing of just about everything having to do with water throughout the entire water sector. The forums generated and summarized a wealth of information that can be used by any party to make progress toward the goal of building a Texas water roadmap. This report summarizes the discussions and the path forward for securing Texas’ water resources