Introduction African Americans, especially those in the South, suffer a disproportionate burden of obesity and are at high risk for perceived discrimination (PD). This study investigates the ...association between PD and weight status among African Americans and clarifies the role of perceived stress and health behaviors in this relationship. Methods Data came from the Jackson Heart Study, Examination 1 (2000–2004; analyses conducted in 2016 using Stata, version 14). African Americans from Jackson, Mississippi, aged 21–95 years were recruited (N=5,301). Weight status was measured using anthropometric data with BMI; waist circumference (in centimeters); and obesity class (I, II, III). Survey instruments were used to measure PD, perceived global stress, and health behaviors. Multivariate regression was used to model weight status outcomes as a function of PD, perceived stress, and health behaviors. Results After controlling for sociodemographic factors and health status, perceived everyday discrimination was associated with higher BMI (b=0.33, p <0.01); higher waist circumference (b=0.70, p <0.01); and higher relative risk of Class III obesity versus non-obesity (relative risk ratio, 1.18; p <0.001). Global perceived stress was linked to higher BMI (b=0.42, p <0.05) and higher waist circumference (b=1.18; p <0.01) and partially mediated the relationships between PD and these weight status outcomes. Health behaviors led to suppression rather than mediation between PD and weight status and between stress and weight status. Conclusions PD and perceived stress are potential risk factors for higher weight status. They should be considered as a part of a comprehensive approach to reduce obesity among African Americans.
This paper explores teachers' conceptions of the ideal student, aspects of the hidden curriculum, and how each varies by neighborhood-level social class. I used a thematic analysis to analyze 30 ...semi-structured interviews with public elementary school teachers in the United States. Emergent themes indicate the creation of archetypes regarding the ideal student, their connection to social class, and their effect on the hidden curriculum. Most notably, teachers teaching in lower-class neighborhoods idealized the eager conformist; teachers teaching in middle-class neighborhoods idealized the well-rounded collaborator; and teachers teaching in upper-class neighborhoods idealized the independent innovator. Findings suggest that teachers' conceptions of the ideal student reflect the social conditions of the neighborhood where they teach, which impacts aspects of their teaching pedagogy and classroom-management techniques.
Sociological research has demonstrated a link between moving during adolescence and depressive symptoms. In addition, research has documented an inverse association between social support and ...depressive symptoms. One of the consequences of moving during adolescence is the disruption of social support systems. This suggests that social support may play an important role in the link between moving in adolescence and depressive symptoms, but few studies have explored this possibility. Drawing on data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health and using structural equation models to address measurement error and test mediation, this study finds indirect effects of moving in adolescence on depressive symptoms via certain domains of social support—social support from parents and other adults. Results indicate that the role of social support from teachers and other adults in the link between moving and depressive symptoms merits further investigation.
Little qualitative sociological research has investigated teachers' attitudes supporting or opposing medication use for Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and how these attitudes vary by ...social class and race. This study aims to fill that gap by conducting a thematic analysis using qualitative data gathered from 34 semistructured interviews with elementary school teachers in a medium-sized metropolitan area. Emergent themes in support of ADHD medication use include severity of ADHD symptoms and academic normalcy. Emergent themes in opposition to ADHD medication use included personality change and medicalization. In addition, African American teachers and teachers from lower-class areas were less approving of medication use for ADHD. In contrast, white teachers and teachers from upper-class areas were more in favor of medication use. I conclude with a discussion concerning attitudes for medication use in relation to teachers' race and neighborhood-level social class, medicalization, and medical mistrust.
Specialty care contributes significantly to total medical expenditures, for which accountable care organizations (ACOs) are responsible. AcOs have sought to replace costly in-person visits with ...lower-cost alternatives such as virtual visits (videoconferencing with physicians). In fee-for-service environments, virtual visits appear to add to in-person visits instead of replacing them. While this may be less of a problem within ACOs, whether virtual visits reduce in-person visits in an ACO is not known. Using data from over 35,000 patients in the period 2014-17 within a Massachusetts-based ACO, we found that the use of virtual visits reduced in-person visits by 33 percent but increased total visits (virtual plus in-person visits) by 80 percent over 1.5 years. While the use of virtual visits reduced in-person visits soon after registering with the program, the effect did not endure beyond a year. Whether and how virtual visits can substitute for in-person care in the long term are open questions.
Enumeration of kinematic chains satisfying a set of design specifications is still an open problem. Three difficulties are common in the enumeration: isomorphism, degeneration and fractionation. A ...lot has been said about isomorphism and degeneration but little about fractionation. Some enumeration methods apparently consider fractionated kinematic chains as degenerate kinematic chains and eliminate them. Other methods enumerate fractionated kinematic chains even when a priori it is known that they do not satisfy design specifications. Some of the contradictions in the numbers of kinematic chains are related to fractionation, since the authors in general do not confirm the presence or not of fractionated kinematic chains in their results. It must be remarked that without a method to enumerate purely fractionated kinematic chains it is almost impossible to compare enumeration results with or without fractionation. In this context, a new method of exclusive generation of fractionated kinematic chains is proposed. New results for planar fractionated kinematic chains are obtained and presented in a table. Through these results, it is possible to conclude that most, if not all, contradictions found in the literature are in fact related to fractionation. These results are compared and the contradictions are solved.
Enumeration of kinematic chains and mechanisms Simoni, R; Carboni, A P; Martins, D
Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Part C, Journal of mechanical engineering science,
04/2009, Letnik:
223, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Abstract
A problem still unsolved in kinematics is the enumeration of a complete list of kinematic chains and mechanisms without isomorphisms and without degenerate chains that operate in any screw ...system. In this paper, a method for the enumeration of kinematic chains without isomorphisms and degenerate chains for all screw systems and a new method of enumeration of kinematic chain inversions (i.e. mechanisms) based on group theory techniques are presented. New concepts of the group theory are introduced and a new method of enumeration of inversions is presented. Kinematic inversions are related to the symmetries of the chain which can be identified analysing the corresponding graph. The symmetry of a graph can be identified for the group of automorphisms of the graph and its orbits provides sets of vertices (links) that are in the same equivalence classes, i.e. they have the same properties of symmetry. The main definitions of group theory and examples of application of the new method of enumeration of inversions are presented. New results are obtained and divided in two classes: original results in non-planar screw systems (λ≠3) and results in agreement with a previously published list for planar kinematic chains and planar mechanisms (inversions). Two tables (1 and 3) are provided, which are up-to-date lists of kinematic chains and mechanisms for several screw systems.
Previous research has demonstrated a link between depression and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Researchers have also demonstrated that children with higher social skills have less ...depression. In addition, sociological scholars have found that those with ADHD have fewer social skills. However, little sociological research has examined whether social skills mediates the relationship between depression and ADHD. Data from the National Survey of Children's Health (N = 64,076) analyzing children aged 6-17 years, are used to test the relationship between depression and ADHD. Results indicate that adolescents with ADHD have worse social skills as well as significantly higher odds of being diagnosed with depression and that social skills account for a significant part of the association between ADHD and depression. Lastly, the author suggests social interventions designed to increased social ties and social integration among those with ADHD.
Purine inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) are serious hereditary disorders, which should be suspected in any case of neonatal fitting, failure to thrive, recurrent infections, neurological deficit, ...renal disease, self-mutilation and other manifestations. Investigation usually starts with uric acid (UA) determination in urine and plasma. UA, the final product of purine metabolism in humans, may be altered not only in purine IEM, but also in other related pathologies and clinical conditions. However, data and information about abnormal UA levels are scattered in the literature, often being controversial and confusing. A comprehensive overview has been elaborated, according to abnormal UA levels in urine and plasma, which associates these alterations with purine IEM. Other possible diseases, clinical conditions, diet and drug intake, related to the metabolism of uric acid, are also presented. The article includes tables that classify the disorders according to different patterns of UA alterations, with pertinent enzymes, clinical symptoms, inheritance and comments. Additionally, summarized pathophysiological mechanisms of important disorders are described. The overview is intended to assist in the interpretation of the results of UA analyses. It demonstrates that variation of UA concentrations in urine and plasma may constitute an effective tool in screening for purine IEM and other related pathological conditions.
The study of disparities in minority recruitment to cancer clinical trials has focused primarily on inquiries among minority patient populations. However, clinical trial recruitment is complex and ...requires a broader appreciation of the multiple factors that influence minority participation. One area that has received little attention is minority recruitment training for professionals who assume various roles in the clinical trial recruitment process. Therefore, we assessed the perspectives of cancer center clinical and research personnel on their training and education needs toward minority recruitment for cancer clinical trials. Ninety-one qualitative interviews were conducted at five U.S. cancer centers among four stakeholder groups: cancer center leaders, principal investigators, referring clinicians, and research staff. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Qualitative analyses focused on response data related to training for minority recruitment for cancer clinical trials. Four prominent themes were identified: (1) Research personnel are not currently being trained to focus on recruitment and retention of minority populations; (2) Training for minority recruitment and retention provides for a specific focus on factors influencing minority research participation; (3) Training on cultural awareness may help to bridge cultural gaps between potential minority participants and research professionals; (4) Views differ regarding the importance of research personnel training designed to focus on recruitment of minority populations. There is a lack of systematic training for minority recruitment. Many stakeholders acknowledged the benefits of minority recruitment training and welcomed training that focuses on increasing cultural awareness to increase the participation of minorities in cancer clinical trials.
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