Nature Of Harm Research Articles

Social workers’ perspectives on anti-Black racism and parenting outcomes for incarcerated pregnant women with substance use histories

Summary Black women who use substances face significant barriers to accessing resources and parenting their children, largely as a result of interactions with the criminal legal, child welfare, and healthcare systems. While extensive literature has demonstrated how structural racism and punitive policy approaches underpin the operation and impact of these systems, minimal attention has been paid to how social workers approach child, maternal, and family well-being when interacting with clients who use substances and have been incarcerated. To address this gap, we conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 19 social workers practicing in jail/prison, community, and hospital settings across the United States. Findings Interviews identified the cyclical and intergenerational nature of harms perpetuated through criminal legal, child welfare, and healthcare systems. Participants described structural racism, inadequate resources (i.e., housing), and previous criminal legal and child welfare involvement as compounding barriers to an individual’s ability to parent and maintain recovery, particularly among Black families. Participants described the pervasiveness of structural racism but did not perceive themselves as active participants in perpetuating racist and oppressive structures. Applications Social workers engage with Black pregnant women who use substances across diverse practice settings and as such have the potential to both contribute to systemic harms and to champion interventions that target the root causes of inequity. Study findings support structural interventions that dismantle punitive systems and re-center the needs of Black communities, thereby supporting Black mothers in their fundamental right to parent their children.

Re-use of COVID-19 waste facemasks for modification of Nigeria’s naturally occurring bitumen for road construction

Nigeria currently imports bitumen for road construction despite the presence of a significant amount of naturally occurring bitumen (NOB) in Ondo state. The use of facemasks during the COVID-19 pandemic has led to environmental challenges due to their non-biodegradable and harmful nature. This study explores the potential of utilising waste facemasks in modifying NOB for road paving in Nigeria. The physiochemical properties of NOB were determined, and tests were conducted to assess its suitability for road construction. The results showed that the neat NOB had high penetration, low softening point, and high viscosity, making it unsuitable for road construction in Nigeria’s tropical region. However, the modified NOB, when blended with waste facemasks, exhibited reduced penetration and increased softening point, aligning with the AC-10 grade bitumen requirements. Further testing using the Dynamic Shear Rheometer (DSR) is recommended to determine the rheological properties of the modified NOB. This study is the first of its kind to explore the use of waste facemasks in modifying naturally occurring bitumen for road construction. It proposes a novel solution that not only addresses the environmental issues associated with waste facemasks but also offers a sustainable alternative to imported bitumen. Future works include long-term performance studies, comparative evaluations, environmental impact assessments, and scaling-up studies to assess the feasibility and practicality of implementing this approach on a larger scale.

The Nature of Adverse Events in Dentistry.

Learning from clinical data on the subject of safety with regards to patient care in dentistry is still largely in its infancy. Current evidence does not provide epidemiological estimates on adverse events (AEs) associated with dental care. The goal of the dental practice study was to quantify and describe the nature and severity of harm experienced in association with dental care, and to assess for disparities in the prevalence of AEs. Through a multistaged sampling procedure, we conducted in-depth retrospective review of patients' dental and medical records. We discovered an AE proportion of 1.4% (95% CI, 1.1% to 1.8). At least two-thirds of the detected AEs were preventable. Eight percent of patients who experienced harm due to a dental treatment presented only to their physician and not to the dentist where they originally received care. Although most studies of AEs have focused on hospital settings, our results show that they also occur in ambulatory care settings. Extrapolating our data, annually, at least 3.3 million Americans experience harm in relation to outpatient dental care, of which over 2 million may be associated with an error. Measurement is foundational in enabling learning and improvement. A critical first step in preventing errors and iatrogenic harm in dentistry is to understand how often these safety incidents occur, what type of incidents occur, and what the consequences are in terms of patient suffering, and cost to the healthcare system.

Rotavirus Sickness Symptoms: Manifestations of Defensive Responses from the Brain.

Rotavirus is infamous for being extremely contagious and for causing diarrhea and vomiting in infants. However, the symptomology is far more complex than what could be expected from a pathogen restricted to the boundaries of the small intestines. Other rotavirus sickness symptoms like fever, fatigue, sleepiness, stress, and loss of appetite have been clinically established for decades but remain poorly studied. A growing body of evidence in recent years has strengthened the idea that the evolutionarily preserved defensive responses that cause rotavirus sickness symptoms are more than just passive consequences of illness and rather likely to be coordinated events from the central nervous system (CNS), with the aim of maximizing the survival of the individual as well as the collective group. In this review, we discuss both established and plausible mechanisms of different rotavirus sickness symptoms as a series of CNS responses coordinated from the brain. We also consider the protective and the harmful nature of these events and highlight the need for further and deeper studies on rotavirus etiology.

Escape from education fever?: Impact of migration on child education practice

AbstractAn extraordinary interest in education has a historical and cultural foundation in Korea, but its harmful nature has created education emigration of Korean parents. This study sought to track if and how the culturally embedded education fever changed over migration generations. To this end, this study compared three different parent groups: staying‐put parents in the origin country (Korean parents in Korea), first‐generation migrant parents (Korean–Australian parents with no school‐age education in Australia) and next‐generation migrant parents (Korean–Australian parents who were born or fully educated in Australia). Continuity and discontinuity in child education practice in the context of migration were explored and the education fever was seen to be persistent as part of a strategy for social inclusion. Despite a high level of aspiration for academic success of children, migrant parents were seen to take an acculturated or modified form of parenting with a recognition of diversified paths of success.

Sustainable Technique for Neem (Azadirachta Indica) Seed Oil Extraction: Optimization and Characterization

N-hexane is a solvent that is frequently used in oil extraction processes. But there is enough data to demonstrate this solvent's harmful nature. In this study, the Soxhlet process was utilized to extract neem seed oil from neem seeds using a greener petroleum ether. We looked into how the temperature (25–125 °C) and time variation (30–50 min) affected the extraction process. When the temperature is held constant, it indicates a high yield (57.08%) at 150 minutes and a maximum yield (52%) at 125°C when the duration is held constant. An examination of the saturated and unsaturated fatty acids' makeup was done using the gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method. The result of the GC-MS method showed a high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids (58.82%), which are important because they may provide health benefits when included in a balanced diet. Alkaloids, coumarins, terpenoids, saponins, steroids, flavonoids, and triterpenoids are all present, with the exception of tannins, according to the phytochemical analysis. This implies that the oil may have therapeutic value. The extracted oil exhibits the following characteristics: 3.53% moisture content, 1.70 mg KOH/g acid value, 0.81 density (g/cm3), 31.60 viscosity (mm2/s), 268 mg KOH/g saponification value, 3.71% ash content, and 119.8 mg I2/100g iodine value. These figures illustrate the oil's potential for use in a variety of multi-industrial applications; they are compliant with ASTM standards.

Biodegradable MXene Quantum Dots with High Near-Infrared Photothermal Performance for Cancer Treatment.

Photothermal therapy (PTT) offers significant potential in cancer treatment due to its short, simple, and less harmful nature. However, obtaining a photothermal agent (PTA) with good photothermal performance and biocompatibility remains a challenge. MXenes, which are PTAs, have shown promising results in cancer treatment. This study presents the preparation of Ti3C2 MXene quantum dots (MXene QDs) using a simple hydrothermal and ultrasonic method and their use as a PTA for cancer treatment. Compared to conventional MXene QDs synthesized using only the hydrothermal method, the ultrasonic process increased the degree of oxidation on the surface of the MXene QDs. This resulted in the presence of more hydrophilic groups such as hydroxyl groups on the MXene QD surfaces, leading to excellent dispersion in the aqueous system and biocompatibility of the prepared MXene QDs without the need for surface modification. The MXene QDs showed great photothermal performance with a photothermal conversion efficiency of 62.5%, resulting in the highest photothermal conversion efficiency among similar materials reported thus far. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments have proved the potent tumor inhibitory effect of the MXene QD-mediated PTT, with minimal harm to mice. Therefore, these MXene QDs hold a significant promise for clinical applications.

Influence of anions and cations on the oxidation of basic blue 26 and basic violet 3 dyes by the Fenton process

Among the advanced oxidation processes (AOP) used to treat textile effluents, the Fenton process is particularly appreciated for its ability to effectively treat pollutants that are difficult to degrade by other conventional methods, such as synthetic dyes, especially basic or cationic dyes, which present the highest poisoning rates, underscoring the harmful nature of these substances. We conducted an examination in this context, concentrating on the impact of ions on dye degradation at a temperature of 294 K. This is because ions in solution left over from chemicals used during manufacturing processes can have a significant impact on the efficiency of the Fenton reaction, as they can act as catalysts or inhibitors of the reaction. The degradation of cationic, Basic Blue 26 (BB26) and Basic Violet 3 (BV3) dyes at an initial concentration of 10 mg/L by the Fenton process (Fe2+/ H2O2) was studied in this paper. The results showed a discolouration and degradation of 75.5% for BB26 and 45.4% for BV3 after 30 minutes. The effects of monovalent anions (Cl- and NO3-), divalent anions (SO42- and CO32-), and cations (Na+, K+, and Ca2+) on degradation rates were evaluated. The decrease in degradation yield by the presence of Na+, K+ and Ca2+ cations and Cl-, NO3- and SO42-anions for BB26 dye and by the presence of Na+ and Ca2+ cations and Cl- and SO42- anions for BV3 dye was discussed. On the other hand, K+ and NO3- ions have somewhat favoured the yield of BV3 dye degradation, while the presence of carbonate anion (CO32-) increased the degradation rate of our two dyes.

High Decibels as Causing Deconcentration and Hearing Damage in Pilots, Crew Members and Passengers Passengers: Experimental Study in the Brazilian Air Force

Hearing is one of the main senses for aeronautical activities and plays a key role in the intelligibility of communications between pilots. Noise is a factor that impairs good hearing and can lead to various health problems, as well as impairing the performance of aviation cadets when they perform multiple tasks during flight. It is important to educate airmen about how noise can negatively affect instructional flights and the conditions that expose them to too much of a drop in concentration during flights. The sound pressure levels to which cadet airmen are exposed during their training is an aggravating factor for their communication and safety. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is a relationship between noise and loss of concentration during instruction in the Neiva T-25 aircraft, with the aim of collecting and analyzing data in order to improve air mission instruction in terms of health and flight safety by highlighting the harmful nature of noise in the Second Air Instruction Squadron (2º EIA). A questionnaire with eight questions about the influence of noise on the performance of aerial mission practices was administered to a sample of 20 Cadet Aviators from the Second Squadron who were taking part in the aerial instruction course in the Neiva T-25. The results of the questionnaires showed the importance of raising awareness about the harmful effects of noise in military activity, as it is a matter of flight safety.

Bonding Pretreatment of Aesthetic Dental CAD-CAM Materials through Surface Etching with a Mixed Aqueous Solution of Ammonium Fluoride and Ammonium Hydrogen Sulfate.

Hydrofluoric acid (HF) is commonly used as an etchant for the pretreatment of dental computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) materials, such as glass-ceramics and resin composites. Despite its effectiveness, the harmful and hazardous nature of HF has raised significant safety concerns. In contrast, ammonium fluoride (AF) is known for its relatively low toxicity but has limited etching capability. This study explored the potential of ammonium hydrogen sulfate (AHS), a low-toxicity and weak acid, to enhance the etching ability of aqueous AF solutions for the bonding pretreatment of CAD-CAM materials. This study investigated five types of aesthetic CAD-CAM materials: lithium disilicate glass, feldspathic porcelain, polymer-infiltrated ceramic networks, resin composites, and zirconia. Seven experimental etchants were prepared by varying the amount of AHS added to aqueous AF solutions, with each etchant used to etch the surfaces of the respective CAD-CAM materials. The treated surfaces were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Additionally, the shear bond strength (SBS) of the CAD-CAM materials treated with a luting agent (resin cement) was evaluated. The results indicated that the AF1/AHS3 (weight ratio AF:AHS = 1:3) etchant had the most substantial etching effect on the surfaces of silica-containing materials (lithium disilicate glass, feldspathic porcelain, polymer-infiltrated ceramic networks, and resin composites) but not on zirconia. The SBS of the materials treated with the AF1/AHS3 etchant was comparable to that of the commercial HF etchant. Hence, an AF/AHS mixed solution could effectively etch silica-containing CAD-CAM materials, thereby enhancing their bonding capabilities.

Databases in the investigation of household armed robberies: Challenges and ways of improvement

Amidst the full-scale war in Ukraine, an increase in the number of crimes against property involving weapons, characterised by suddenness, brutality, and aggressiveness, has occurred. Such crimes violate not only the inviolability of housing and property rights but also harm the health and lives of victims. In this regard, the study aims to examine the possibilities of using automated information retrieval systems of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Police of Ukraine in the investigation of robberies involving the use of weapons. The following methods were used in the course of the study: comparative legal, analytical, systemic, and structural, generalisation, induction, deduction, and synthesis. These methods were used to analyse the world experience of databases of automated information retrieval systems to improve the investigation of robberies involving the use of weapons against citizensʼ homes. Based on this, the most progressive and effective methods of investigating this category of criminal offences are identified, proposals for improving national practice are formulated, and an indicative set of parameters for typical actions during such robberies is developed. The author proposes to improve information and analytical systems by filling in new databases of serious crimes committed with the use of weapons, which will facilitate ease of use and efficiency of their investigation. The development of such a database provides for the possibility of updating and collecting information based on specified requests. The content parameters are determined by the ability to collect information on criminals, the forensic traces that identify them, behavioural traces (use of a type or types of weapons, home invasion tools, nature of bodily harm, features of disguise, etc. The practical value of the study lies in the possibility of considering theoretical recommendations when creating databases that will ensure the completeness, efficiency and convenience of obtaining the necessary information for the effective investigation of robberies involving the use of weapons

“Counteract the gaslighting” – a thematic analysis of open-ended responses about what women survivors of intimate partner sexual violence need from service providers

BackgroundIntimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) is a prevalent but misunderstood form of gender-based violence with significant impacts women’s health and well-being. Research suggests that IPSV has a specific context and unique impacts, but little is known about how to tailor service responses. To address this gap, we explored help-seeking experiences and needs among IPSV survivors after disclosure.MethodsThis study draws on qualitative data from a subsample of women who participated in a cross-sectional survey about the service needs of intimate partner violence survivors. Women who reported IPSV and provided information about IPSV-specific help-seeking needs after disclosure were included in the analysis. Open-ended text responses of 37 IPSV survivors were analysed using thematic analysis.ResultsIPSV was invisible and silenced in service responses. Three themes suggest potential ways forward. In the first theme, ‘Don’t dismiss it’, women needed providers to take their disclosures seriously and listen to the significant impacts of IPSV on their well-being and safety. In the second theme, ’See the bigger picture’, women needed service providers to understand that IPSV fits into broader patterns of abuse, and that psychological abuse and coercive control impacts women’s ability to consent. In the third theme, ‘counteract the gaslighting’, women needed providers to educate them about the continuum of IPSV and help them label IPSV as a form of violence.ConclusionsOur exploratory findings extend the limited evidence base on IPSV and highlight a need for further in-depth research to explore a tailored approach to supporting IPSV survivors. To avoid contributing to the silencing of IPSV survivors, service responses should recognise the harmful and sexualised nature of IPSV, challenge cultural stereotypes that minimise IPSV, and understand that co-occurring psychological abuse may exacerbate shame and prevent women from articulating the source of their distress.

Absence makes the heart grow colder: the harmful nature of invisibility of contemporary American Indians

ABSTRACT In settler colonial societies, settlers employ various practices to eliminate, replace, and erase Indigenous Peoples. We posit that the rarity of representations of contemporary American Indians in mainstream US culture legitimates other settler colonial practices in US society. We studied whether less exposure to representations of contemporary American Indians is associated with less support for challenges to other settler colonial practices. Using survey data from 903 White Americans, we examined associations between exposure to representations of contemporary American Indians, belief that American Indians are “a people of the past”, and support for challenges to settler colonial practices. We found that less exposure to representations of contemporary American Indians was indirectly associated with less support for challenges to settler colonial practices. This association occurs via double mediation – first through belief that American Indian Peoples are not contemporary and second through belief they are “a people of the past”.

Green Solvent Strategies toward Sustainable Perovskite Solar Cell Fabrication

The shift towards ecofriendly solvents in perovskite solar cell (PSC) production represents a significant leap towards sustainable renewable energy generation, effectively addressing concerns related to the harmful nature of conventional solvents employed in PSC manufacturing. This review assesses the toxicity of traditional solvents utilized in the PSC fabrication process as well as recent studies and challenges related to substituting toxic solvents with less harmful or green alternatives. Although considerable efforts have been made to adopt greener solvents, this review underscores the variations in evaluations based on specific criteria, highlighting the need for thorough consideration to ensure the viability and sustainability of each solvent replacement. This study offers a comprehensive exploration of the transition to greener solvents in PSC fabrication and elucidates the associated challenges and opportunities in this pivotal shift towards a more environmentally sustainable approach to renewable energy production.

Is resistance to Covid-19 vaccination a “problem”? A critical policy inquiry of vaccine mandates for healthcare workers

<abstract> <p>As the COVID-19 global vaccination campaign was launched in December of 2020, vaccination became mandatory for many healthcare workers (HCWs) worldwide. Large minorities resisted the policy, and the responses of authorities to this resistance led to damaged professional reputations, job losses, and suspension or termination of practice licenses. The joint effect of dismissals, early retirements, career changes, and vaccine injuries disabling some compliant HCWs from adequate performance has exacerbated existing crises within health systems. Nevertheless, leading health authorities have maintained that the benefits of a fully vaccinated healthcare labor force—believed to be protecting health systems, vulnerable patient populations, and even HCWs themselves—achieved through mandates, if necessary, outweigh its potential harms. Informed by critical policy and discourse traditions, we examine the expert literature on vaccine mandates for HCWs. We find that this literature neglects evidence that contradicts official claims about the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines, dismisses the science supporting the contextual nature of microbial virulence, miscalculates patient and system-level harms of vaccination policies, and ignores or legitimizes the coercive elements built into their design. We discuss the implications of our findings for the sustainability of health systems, for patient care, and for the well-being of HCWs, and suggest directions for ethical clinical and policy practice.</p> </abstract>

Interplay Between Social Harm and Education: Toward Preventing Societal Detriment

The Interplay Between Social Harm and Education: Toward Preventing Societal Damages seeks the complex relationship between each other, by supporting the role of education in preventing and reducing societal problems. Social harm includes a wide vision of behaviors and conditions that cause harm to individuals, communities, and as well as to societies. It could manifest in various forms, such as violence, mental health issues, crime, substance abuse, and social exclusion. Or in a simple term, those actions which are considered both illegal and morally disgraceful in society. Education centers help as powerful tools for addressing social harm by developing personal growth, promoting social unity, and empowering individuals to make positive choices, and if we look into the triangle of home, educational institutions, and society as a fundamental component of the teaching and learning process we will discover a dynamic interplay between these three realms that shapes and boosts individual growth and collective knowledge. This study searches through the key and considerably discussed realm of social harm within the disciplines of sociology and education, with a particular focus on the interplay between these two domains. Central to these discussions are inquiries into the meaning and the nature of social harms, the educational objectives aimed at reducing social harm, and the principles, methodologies, as well as educational approaches employed in reducing these societal problems.

Performance and Applicability of Recognizing Microseismic Waveforms Using Neural Networks in Tunnels

The sudden and harmful nature of rockbursts in tunnels necessitates an accurate and applicable method for automatically recognizing rock fracture signals during rockburst microseismic (MS) monitoring. In this paper, the performance and applicability of recognizing MS waveforms using an artificial neural network (ANN) and a deep neural network (DNN) were studied in tunnels excavated by different methods. The results show that ANN performs very well in recognizing rock fracturing waveforms with a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) ≥ 3 but has a low accuracy for those with an SNR < 3. The DNN also performs well for waveforms with SNR ≥ 3, and has a relatively high accuracy for waveforms with SNR < 3. The ANN model can be used in tunnels excavated by drilling and blasting (D&B) since there are fewer “small” rock fracturing events. The DNN model is applicable in tunnels excavated by the tunnel boring machine (TBM), recognizing more “small” events. In addition, the ANN model is a better choice, with fewer training samples at the initial stage of monitoring working. With continuous monitoring, the DNN model can be used to ensure and improve the accuracy. These results lay a foundation for automatic rockburst MS monitoring techniques in tunnel engineering.

Plants Use in the Care and Management of Afro-Textured Hair: A Survey of 100 Participants

Afro-textured hair has unique characteristics and requires specific care due to its curly, coily, and often fragile nature. The care practices adopted by individuals with afro-textured hair increase the incidence of certain pathologies that have become specific to this hair type over time. To treat these pathologies, an increasing number of people are turning to the use of plants due to the harmful nature of certain chemical components present in hair care products available on the market. Therefore, our work aimed to list the plants used by individuals with afro-textured hair and to verify their effectiveness in managing various hair pathologies. After an initial bibliographic section focusing on hair, including its histology, growth cycle, and hair pathologies, we conducted a survey among 100 individuals with afro-textured hair in Rabat over a period of 3 months. We identified a total of twelve plant species, eleven of which possess a range of beneficial properties in managing pathologies of afro-textured hair. The most cited plant was Ricinus communis, followed by Cocos nucifera, Syzygium aromaticum, Aloe barbadensis, Argania spinosa, Rosmarinus officinalis, Vitellaria paradoxa, Olea europaea, Cannabis sativa, Trigonella foenum-graecum, Prunus dulcis.

Engaging Mental Health Service Providers to Recognize and Support Conversion Practice Survivors Through Their Journey to Recovery

Conversion practices include a range of efforts that attempt to change or suppress LGBTQA+ individuals’ sexual or gender identity. Formal versions of these practices are occurring less frequently in Western settings, yet informal versions and the ideology underpinning them continue to cause psychological and spiritual harm to people who are subjected to them. As evidence for the harmful nature of conversion practices increases, and some governments and professional bodies are responding with measures that restrict their use, there is a growing need for the mental health sector to be engaged with these issues so that practitioners are appropriately prepared to recognize and support survivors in ways that are effective and affirming of sexual and gender diversity. In this paper, we review the state of the evidence concerning associated harms and their lack of efficacy in changing sexuality or gender identity, and highlight the changing nature of research in this space to focus on the negative impacts of conversion practices on survivors. We then discuss the evidence around mental health practitioners’ knowledge and support capacity for conversion practices survivors. We close by commenting on specific features of therapeutic practices that can guide practitioners as they support survivors through the recovery process.

The Heterogeneity of Bioethics: Discussions of Harm, Abortion, and Conceptual Clarity of Bioethical Terminology

Abstract This issue of The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy exemplifies the diverse range of topics that fall under the scope of bioethics and the philosophy of medicine. The eight essays in this number challenge many of the underlying assumptions made in the philosophy of medicine, health care, the abortion debate, the nature of harm, disability, the moral status of human beings, and pandemic lockdown procedures.