Life Options Research Articles

Keeping silent or running away. The voices of Vietnamese women survivors of Intimate Partner Violence

ABSTRACT Background: Legislative initiatives have been implemented to fight against Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) and offer protection to its survivors in Vietnam. However, this type of violence is relatively common in the country, where broader structural inequalities, like poverty and the system of male dominance, increase women’s vulnerability to IPV. Objective: This study aimed to explore the strategies that Vietnamese IPV survivors take to cope with the abuse from their partners and maximize their safety and wellbeing. Methods: Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with eight women survivors of IPV who lived in one of the Peace House Shelter in Hanoi. Participants were recruited through the shelter. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed using qualitative content framed by the theoretical concept of the patriarchal bargain. Results: The IPV survivors in our study took two main strategies to cope with IPV: keeping silent and/or leaving the abuser. Leaving was a challenging strategy because it required support from others, something that was difficult to find due to the social stigma associated with divorce and the normalization of violence in intimate relationships. This was specially the case for participants coming from rural areas who did not count on a social network in the city where the shelter is located. The women strategized within a complex set of structural constrains like poverty, cultures of honor, social stigma, and traditional gender roles. As active agents, they decided whether challenging the patriarchal system would optimize their life options. Motherhood also played a crucial role in women’s decisions regarding IPV. Conclusion: A strategy of conformity like silence can be a tactic for women to cope with a system of male dominance while navigating complex structural inequalities. To better address IPV in Vietnam, interventions should be sensitive to the structural gender inequalities within family and societal contexts.

The review of the innovation of healthcare information technology to improve people’s health condition in Cambodia

Innovation can be defined as invention, adoption and diffusion. In healthcare, it may be a novel idea, product, service or care pathway that has clear benefits when compared to what is currently done. Successful innovations often possess two key qualities: they are both usable and desirable. Innovation has been a consistent feature of the private sector for a number of years. Studies in innovative practices in the public sector are increasing during the last three decades. The healthcare industry has experienced a proliferation of innovations aimed at enhancing life expectancy, quality of life, diagnostic and treatment options, as well as the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the healthcare system. This issue aims to review on recent advances in various aspects of healthcare technology for healthcare development in Cambodia. We will go through some big private and public hospitals to find out its common strategies for better healthcare and treatment for the people.

Music and Memory in Dementia Care: Comfort With Harmony

Data show a substantial increase in the number of people with diagnosis of dementia nationally and globally. Behavioral disturbances among persons with dementia including agitation and psychosis form a constellation of symptoms referred to as behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD).BPSD impacts heavily on resident’s quality of life, caregivers stress and management options for the team. FDA do not approve usage of psychotropic for Dementia related Behaviors.This study was conducted in six memory care units ,N-150.Prior to the project Psychotropic usage was 64% ,physical altercations, fallsand staff been out due to work related injury were high in those units. In 2014 a memory care team came together , identified gaps and created structured memory care units with memory care programs which includes , consistent trained staffing, meaningful engagement of residents, psychotropic stewardship program , shift from medical model to palliative model of care,person centered approach, music& memory program, shared governance, staff empowerment. All residents in those units were assessed for Psychotropic usage, falls, pain management. transfer to acute hospitals and 1;1 from 2014 to 2019. Results, Usage of Music& Memory increased from 4% 75%, Anti psychotic usage reduced by 18%, Falls reduced by 12%, Physical altercation decreased from 12 to 0, Improved pain Management .Significant reduction in transfer to acute hospitals. Reduced 1;1 from 6 to 1.Staff verbalized increased satisfaction and decreased stress. Improved family involvement. Increased bonding between residents, staff and families.Decresed work related injury while giving care.

Loretta Perna: an outstanding educator supporting Latinx students in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

The support and mentorship that the Kennett High school students receive in the “Walk In kNowledge” and “Hermanitas” programs, and from the coordinator of these programs, Ms. Loretta Perna, is invaluable to the Kennett Square community in Pennsylvania, United States. Students receive guidance from a person who believes in them, challenges them to reach higher, plus provides them with the necessary tools to succeed throughout their high school and college years, as well as in their professional lives. The support students receive include assistance throughout the entire college application process, exposure to college life and career options through campus tours, academic summer camp, internship programs, plus, connections with additional mentors, and opportunities to expand on their skills base. Five current and former students share their stories and the impact Loretta has had on their academic and personal success and how her support changed the trajectory of their lives. Guadalupe, Sonia, Estefani, Marlen, and Angel demonstrate how Loretta believes in her students, encourages them to reach higher, and supports them throughout their journey, often surpassing expectations to meet her students’ needs. Students then gain other experiences they would otherwise not have had the opportunity to experience.

A hands-on approach to demonstrating active noise cancelling

As noise pollution has become an increasingly major factor in the quality of urban life, noise cancelling methods started to be a relevant option for everyday life. Starting from the first active noise cancelling headphones build for aircraft industry in order to facilitate communication between pilots, in the last decade, active noise cancelling products have become more and more relevant. Factories, military and lately, civil usage of active noise cancelling technology transformed this industry and made it widely available. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate a practical way of active noise cancelling using LabVIEW. Two sound waves are guided through a cylindrical conduit and at a given position, by modifying the phase and amplitudes between the two signals, an amplitude close to zero is expected.

Impact of low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) on the quality of life and treatment options of LARS - A cross sectional study.

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between the low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) and quality of life (QOL). Furthermore, in patients with major LARS, therapeutic management options were explored. A cohort of surviving patients, who underwent a low anterior resection for rectal cancer after long course of radiochemotherapy, were identified. These patients were treated in Ghent University Hospital between 2006 and 2016. QOL was assessed using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality Of Life questionnaire-C30 and the bowel function using the LARS-score. The relationship between LARS and QOL was analysed. Patients with major LARS (≥30 points) were contacted to explore their therapeutic management of LARS. 69% of the participants had major LARS. QOL was closely associated with LARS. Significant differences were found between those with and without LARS in the global health status (p≤0.001) and in the following functional scales: physical (p≤0.001), role (p≤0.001), cognitive (p=0.04) and social (p≤0.001). Patients with major LARS experienced more diarrhea (p≤0.001), fatigue (p=0.002), insomnia (p≤0.001) and pain (p=0.02), compared to patient with no/minor LARS. Most patients tried dietary regimens (71%), medication (71%) and incontinence material (63.8%) in an attempt to manage their LARS and found some of them useful. The level of the anastomosis (low) was a significant risk factor for major LARS (p=0.03). More than half of the patients in this cohort still suffered from major LARS. Patients confronted with major LARS had a lower QOL than patients with no/minor LARS. Currently, there is no gold standard for the management of LARS. Patients manage it through trial and error.

A herança do 2.º Visconde de Vila Maior

O 2.o Visconde de Vila Maior, Júlio Máximo de Oliveira Pimentel (1809-1884), notabilizou-se por uma vida pública dedicada à promoção e defesa dos ideais liberais, aos avanços do conhecimento e ao desenvolvimento da agricultura e da indústria ancorado no progresso técnico e científico. O inventário orfanológico que decorre da sua morte, por ter como herdeiros os seus netos menores, permite uma melhor compreensão das condições materiais de existência e as opções de vida de uma personalidade atuante e relevante no Oitocentos português. Este texto propõe-se caracterizar o arrolamento dos bens que constam do inventário, na sua natureza e valor, enquadrando-os com o que já nos é possível reconstruir por outras vias da vida pessoal e familiar de Júlio Máximo de Oliveira Pimentel, e dessa forma contribuir para o conhecimento da sua biografia nas suas esferas privada e pública. Com esse objetivo definido, foram identificadas as circunstâncias que levaram à necessidade da organização do inventário, e o processo de constituição do Conselho de Família que supervisionou o inventário e a tutela dos menores. Foram também identificadas analiticamente as relações de bens e de responsabilidades, que permitiram traçar tanto a orientação geral sobre a composição dos bens que constam do inventário, como o quadro da situação financeira que levará, após a morte do Visconde, à necessidade urgente de realização de numerário através da venda de bens fundiários, concretizada pela licitação dos bens em hasta pública, por imperativo legal, e que este trabalho acompanhou. É possível concluir que à notoriedade pública do Visconde, alicerçada nos ideais do bem comum e no serviço público, correspondeu um desprendimento material que o inventário evidencia claramente, e que os auspícios do seu nascimento e da sua infância não adivinhavam. Grande parte do valor da herança será finalmente canalizada para a satisfação de responsabilidades anteriores e para suportar o custo do próprio processo do inventário, incluindo a realização de capital por via da venda dos bens fundiários.

Frozen Bodies and Future Imaginaries: Assisted Dying, Cryonics, and a Good Death

In October of 2018, Norman Hardy became the first individual to be cryopreserved after successful recourse to California’s then recently passed End of Life Options Act. This was a right not afforded to Thomas Donaldson, who in 1993 was legally denied the ability to end his own life before a tumor irreversibly destroyed his brain tissue. The cases of Norman Hardy and Thomas Donaldson reflect ethical and moral issues common to the practice of assisted dying, but unique to cryonics. In this essay, I explore the intersections between ideologies of immortality and assisted dying among two social movements with seemingly opposing epistemologies: cryonicists and medical aid in dying (MAiD) advocates. How is MAiD understood among cryonicists, and how has it been deployed by cryonicists in the United States? What are the historical and cultural circumstances that have made access to euthanasia a moral necessity for proponents of cryonics and MAiD? In this comparative essay, I examine the similarities between the biotechnological and future imaginaries of cryonics and MAiD. I aim to show that proponents of both practices are in search of a good death, and how both conceptualize dying as an ethical good. Cryonics members and terminal patients constitute unique biosocial worlds, which can intersect in unconventional ways. As temporalizing practices, both cryonics and MAiD reflect a will to master the time and manner of death.

Elderhood by Louise Aronson: A Big Picture of Aging in America

Elderhood by Louise Aronson: A Big Picture of Aging in America

SOCIO-ECOLOGICAL RELATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH BIJAO PRODUCING AREAS (Calathea lutea) IN CENTRAL-EASTERN COLOMBIA

<p><strong>Background</strong>. The bijao<em> </em>(<em>Calathea lutea</em>)<em> </em>is a plant of great importance since it has been used for years in the wrapping of an emblematic Colombian confectionery that is a cultural and financial staple in the area where it is produced. <strong>Objective.</strong> The aim of the research was to identify socioeconomic characters of peasant families dedicated to the production and sale of bijao leaf were, identify the main plant species that accompany bijao in the ecosystem and document the community's perception of the ecosystem services associated with the plant's ecosystem. <strong>Methodology </strong>For the development of this study, were used community interviews, questionnaires, workshops and verification visits at farms and cover forest areas and crop field with Bijao<strong>. </strong> <strong>Results</strong>. Predominantly, leaf production was conducted through family farming in transition, with women playing a fundamental role in the process. The community attributes an important ecological role to bijao, which is predicated on the protection and regulation of water, soil, climate and biodiversity. <strong>Implications</strong>. The study identified conservation values in an ecosystem where pressures exerted on the natural environment by agricultural production, urbanization and tourism prevail. <strong>Conclusions. </strong>The bijao leaf has socioeconomic importance and is part of the local tradition and culture of peasant families, the leaf is embedded in customs and gives identity to the territory. Women maintain the traditional knowledge of bijao for the next generations and it is an option of life and income for young people. The community recognized the environmental services and goods of the bijao areas on soil and water conservation. It provides conservation values of natural resources in an area with conflicts between forest conservation and where they produce agricultural goods.</p>

Consensus on the treatment of alopecia areata – Brazilian Society of Dermatology

BackgroundAlopecia areata is a highly frequent disease with an impact on quality of life and several treatment options with little clinical confirmatory evidence. ObjectiveTo disseminate the recommendations of Brazilian dermatologists with expertise in the treatment of alopecia areata. MethodsEight specialists with expertise in alopecia areata from different university centers were appointed by the Brazilian Society of Dermatology to reach a consensus on its treatment. Based on the adapted DELPHI methodology, the relevant elements were considered; then, an analysis of recent literature was carried out and the consensus was written down. Consensus on the management of alopecia areata was defined with the approval of at least 70% of the panel. Results/ConclusionsIntralesional injectable corticotherapy was considered the first option for localized disease in adults. In extensive cases with signs of activity, systemic corticosteroid therapy should be considered and can be used together with immunosuppressants (corticosteroid-sparing agents). The use of an immunosensitizer (diphencyprone) is an option for stable long-term cases. Evaluation of side effects is as important as the rate of hair regrowth.

Analytics of machine replacement decisions: economic life vs real options

PurposeDespite the existence of multiple asset replacement theories, the economic life replacement method remains a major practical technique for making rational machine replacement decisions. The purpose of this paper is to bridge this method with comprehensive data analytic tools and make it applicable it to modern business reality with abundant data on operating and replacement costs.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs operations research, discrete and continuous optimization, applied mathematical modeling, data analytics, industrial economics and real options theory.FindingsConstructed stochastic algorithms extend the deterministic economic life method and are compared to the contemporary theory of stochastic asset replacement based on real options and dynamic programming. It is proven that both techniques deliver similar results when the cost volatility is small. A major theoretic finding is that the cost uncertainty speeds up the replacement decision.Research limitations/implicationsThis research suggests that the proposed stochastic algorithms may become an important tool for managerial decisions about replacement of many similar machines with detailed data on operating and replacement costs.Originality/valueCompared to the real options replacement theory, major advantages of the proposed algorithms are that they work equally well for any distribution of age-dependent stochastic operating cost. The algorithms are tested on a real industrial case about replacement of medical imaging devices. Numeric simulation supports obtained analytic outcomes.

A New Physician's Personal Experience with the End of Life Option Act.

A New Physician's Personal Experience with the End of Life Option Act.

Pediatric arterial ischemic stroke: Overview of the literature and of the most cited relevant articles

BackgroundThe entity of pediatric stroke has been recognized for centuries and is defined as a focal neurological deficit, lasting more than 24 h, being attributed only to causes of vascular origin, and it refers to patients from 0 to 18 years old. It is a condition implicated with personal, familial, economic, andsocial consequences and related with a diverse spectrum of risk factors. MethodsA bibliometric analysis centered on pediatric stroke was performed along with a broad literature review. Risk factors and modern treatment options, including endovascular techniques and decompressive craniectomy, as a treatment option for life threatening circumstances, are reviewed. ResultsThe search resulted in 410 articles, published from 1975 until now (May 2020). All of them combined have been cited 4.038 times, in 2.351 different articles, with an average citation per item of 80.76. The most cited article was published by Ganesan, V in 2003. It has received 303 citations, with an average 16.83 citations per year, while the last was published by Tsivgoulis, G in 2008, with 26 total citations, and an average of 2 citations per year. ConclusionAsignificant proportion of the published articles relevant to ischemic stroke appeared in the literature during the last decade, with a great amount of them focused on the relevant risk factors. Relatively less studies were concentrated on therapeutic options related to massive cerebral infarction, indicating that there is a relative lack of evidence related to acute therapeutic intervention.

Perception of end-of-life decisions by healthcare professionals in home palliative care and hospice

Abstract Background Home care and hospices are gaining higher importance in providing end-of-life care. The main aim of this study is to investigate clinical decisions of healthcare professionals in north-eastern home-care services and hospices caring for patients in their end-of-life. Moreover, the study aims to study nurses' and physicians' opinions on palliative care. Methods A questionnaire was administered to healthcare personnel in 5 homecare services and 2 hospices in a regional health service trust in north-eastern Italy. The questionnaire is made of three parts: the first deals with clinical decisions for the last patient who died, the second investigates opinions on terminal care, while the last collect data on participants. Results 42 subjects have been enrolled, most of them are nurses, 64,1% without bioethics training and 53,8% without palliative care training. All the End- of-Life Decisions (DEL) were “non-treatment” decisions. None of the participants discussed the potential life-shortening effect with the patient. The involvement of patients' relatives in terminal care was meaningful for 86% of the professionals. The participants reported they usually discuss terminal issues only when patients or relatives ask for them, but palliative care seems to be the most discussed care-related topic. Conclusions Comparison with previous studies can't be performed because of the small number of participants. DEL were exclusively “non-treatment”. We found relevant data about options of shortening life, which was not discussed at all. Mainly only the professionals who give great importance to patient's religious beliefs discussed spiritual themes with them. Finally, the professionals trained in palliative care were more comfortable starting to talk to patients about the possibility of receiving palliative care. Key messages This study investigates clinical decisions taken by professionals in home-care and hospices in terminal ill patients care and professionals ‘opinions on palliative care. Communication on palliative care (PC) has been widely investigated: professionals trained in PC were more comfortable starting to talk to patients about the possibility of receiving PC.

Newspaper coverage of Colorado’s 2016 End of Life Options Act

Since 2014, several states have introduced and passed legislation permitting aid in dying. In Colorado, Proposition 106, the End of Life Options Act, passed November 8, 2016, with 65% of Coloradans approving the law. The kind and tone of content newspapers include and omit regarding contentious issues like end-of-life legislation is important because these representations reflect and influence public opinion. This study found a relationship between item type and overall stance, as well as a difference in the content produced by journalists and laypersons or columnists.

Survey data for assessing the socio-economic performance of End of Life options of a bio-based product based on expert knowledge.

This data article aims at providing a data description about the manuscript entitled “A socio-economic indicator for EoL strategies for bio-based products” [1]. Data regarding the socio-economic assessment of End of Life (EoL) options for the specific case of PLA-based film for food packaging are presented, with a special emphasis on policy recommendations and actions for the EoL practices in the bioeconomy sectors. A new framework, based on data gathering and validation through experts involvement, is proposed in order to calculate a new indicator to measure the socio-economic performance of EoL practices (SEI-EoL) for bio-based products. Experts were identified from the Horizon 2020 LIFE-funded projects and/or Scopus databases. Two rounds of survey were carried out to determine the weights of socio-economic criteria for bio-based products and the values for the selected case study. The aggregation of these data enabled us to obtain a final ranking of different EoL alternatives. Finally, a third round of survey was conducted to further deepen our understanding of actions and recommendations needed to improve EoL practices in bio-based sectors. Resulting data have a mix of quantitative and qualitative characterization. A potential reuse of these data can allow future estimations, empirical analyses or a direct comparison with the use of experimental observations.

Rousseau: realização e reconhecimento

A questão que envolve a realização do homem, que envolve a realização do indivíduo é tema de toda a filosofia. Desde Platão, até os dias atuais os pensadores se desdobram para pensar sobre o homem e sobre sua condição. Ao refletir sobre o homem, a filosofia procurou compreender suas aspirações e seus desejos. Procurou compreender os melhores caminhos e as melhores opções de vida, que possibilitassem ao homem, ao indivíduo, sua plena felicidade. Por trás deste processo reflexivo sobre o homem a filosofia de fato quer levantar indagações que possibilitem ao indivíduo encontrar o melhor caminho para a sua realização. Realização que na vida societária se traduz pelo reconhecimento do próprio indivíduo. É esta mesma preocupação, com a realização do indivíduo, que envolve as preocupações de Rousseau.

A Comparative Life Cycle Assessment between landfilling and Co-Processing of waste from decommissioned Irish wind turbine blades

Dealing with composite waste from decommissioned wind turbine blades will become a major issue in the coming years. This study aims to determine the most sustainable disposal method for Irish blade waste in the next ten years by using life cycle assessment to compare three scenarios: Co-processing in cement kilns in Germany, co-processing in Ireland, and landfill in Ireland. The results of this study establish a baseline impact scenario with which to compare future repurposing solutions, which are higher on the European Waste Hierarchy. Co-processing is not carried out in Ireland at the moment, but as blade waste increases, there is a strong likelihood of it becoming viable. Co-processing utilizes shredded blade waste to replace fuel and raw materials in the production of clinker, whereby environmental gains are made through material substitution. Comparative Life Cycle Assessment is used to determine which scenario is the least environmentally impactful, and which of the variables has the strongest impact. Co-processing in Ireland is determined to be the least impactful, due to the material substitution and the reduced transport. Material substitution is found to have a stronger impact than increased transport between Ireland and Germany. There is, however, a concern with co-processing as a preferred method to dispose of Irish blade waste in that the ease of disposal in this fashion might de-incentivize repurposing. Future research is needed to compare the costs of co-processing to other repurposing ideas, and to develop policy that requires farm owners to set aside bonds to pay for more sustainable second life options for blade waste. This will ensure that the option of co-processing in Ireland is passed over for a more sustainable Irish alternative.

A AMAZÔNIA E A SUSTENTABILIDADE DA SUA BIODIVERSIDADE

A Amazônia é reconhecida como a maior floresta tropical existente, o equivalente a 40% das reservas de florestas tropicais úmidas e o maior banco genético do planeta. Cada vez mais temas relacionados à Amazônia ocupa um lugar preponderante no cenário das grandes questões humanas. Este artigo tenta contribuir para uma reflexão sobre a biodiversidade da Amazônia, mostrando que a preservação não se limita apenas em manter íntegro o meio ambiente, mas diz respeito ao modelo de desenvolvimento econômico, às relações políticas e às opções de vida e de consumo de toda a comunidade que ali vive.