Search

AbstractIn this paper we study certain combinatorial attributes of Ind-schemes of polynomial automorphisms in positive characteristic. In particular, we prove that over an algebraically closed field K of positive characteristic ≠2 every automorphism of the group of origin-preserving automorphisms of the polynomial algebra K[x1,…,xn] (n≥3), which fixes every diagonal matrix, preserves, up to composition with a linear inner automorphism, every tame automorphism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic pain is a common feature of hypermobile Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), yet how patients assess and communicate their pain remains poorly understood. The objective of the present study was to explore the use of numeric pain assessment in individuals with hEDS, from a patient-centered perspective. Our analysis is based on in-depth qualitative interviews. The interviews were conducted over the phone. Our participants were patients living with hEDS (N = 35). Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed to identify factors related to their use of these pain assessment instruments. Three primary themes emerged from these data, namely, (1) confusion around the quantification of multidimensional pain, (2) the subjectivity of pain experience, and (3) a strategic use of assessments for practical purposes beyond the accurate representation of pain. These results demonstrate the need for caution in relying exclusively on numeric pain assessment instruments. We conclude with a brief proposal for a clinical communication strategy that may help to address the limitations of numeric pain assessment that were identified in our interviews. Chronic pain is a common feature of hypermobile Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome (hEDS), yet how patients assess and communicate their pain remains poorly understood. Clinicians should be aware that patients have difficulties with the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for at least three reasons: (1) confusion around the quantification of multidimensional pain, (2) the subjectivity of pain experience, and (3) a strategic use of assessments for practical purposes beyond the accurate representation of pain. Clinicians should use caution in relying exclusively on NRS instruments. Clinicians may benefit from using clinical communication strategies outlined in our paper, which may help to address the limitations of the NRS that were identified in our interviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional trip distribution processes that rely heavily on gravity models fail to capture how the characteristics of individuals or the heterogeneity in the attributes of attraction zones may influence the accessibility to jobs and, therefore, journey-to-work patterns. Different approaches, such as destination choice models, are not generally applied because of limited data availability and calibration requirements. This paper proposes an alternative approach to overcome this challenge by combining a utility-based measure of accessibility and a maximum range of commuting distance to predict the journey-to-work patterns of individual worker-agents using an open-access database. A multinomial logit model is estimated and an agent-based model is developed using data from the Census Transportation Planning Products (CTPP) 5-year database. The proposed methodology is demonstrated using a case study based on Tippecanoe County, Indiana, and the results are compared to a double-constrained gravity model. Results indicate that the utility functions derived from the CTPP database can replicate the aggregated journey-to-work patterns by income levels. Furthermore, it was found that the utility functions for low-, middle-, and high-household income groups could be different. Finally, while a calibrated gravity model could produce a trip-length distribution and average commuting distance more similar to observed data, the destination choice model provides more insights into the trip patterns across different household income groups, thereby providing a better basis for policy analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has demonstrated a status gap between members of healthcare delivery teams. However, it is unclear which factors mitigate or exacerbate the status gap between healthcare providers. This paper examines the concept of status affirmation, the belief that others affirm the individual's social standing, as one factor that can affect the status gap between healthcare professionals. The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate two factors that affect nurses' status affirmation: nurses' educational backgrounds and clinical specializations. A close-ended survey was administered to registered nurses in Indiana, a midwestern American state1 (N = 1262) to identify which nurses are likely to have their status affirmed by physicians, in general. Results of multinomial logistic regression analyses suggest that highly educated nurses are unlikely to receive status affirmation, and there are differences in status affirmation across clinical specialties. In addition, nurses with advanced degrees often do not work in specialties that receive status affirmation. These results suggest that conflict among nurses and doctors is as likely to exist across divisions in nurses' educational attainment as across work specializations. Status affirmation is posited as a theoretical antecedent to interprofessional collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internet of Things (IoT) has been introduced into smart grids, which has achieved great improvement. The statistics of power consumption is one of the important functions but could lead to the leakage of user daily behaviour. Researchers have put efforts into secure data aggregation protocols to avoid such potential risk. However, only a few schemes have considered the dynamic unit price of electricity, and no schemes have been designed for calculating the power consumption of every appliance in a specific area. This paper proposes a novel appliance-based data aggregation scheme (ABDAS) for bill generation and demand management in smart grids. In the proposed scheme, chameleon hash function (CHF) is utilised to facilitate the extraction of aggregated data due to the characteristic of collision controllability. Furthermore, indistinguishability obfuscation (IO) is utilised to keep the chameleon hash value secret and decrease the overhead of the trusted third party. The fog nodes (FNs) in our scheme are responsible for the calculation of aggregation with its powerful computing and storage capabilities. The security analysis shows that our scheme satisfies IND-CPA and multiple security goals. Additionally, the performance evaluation indicates that the computational overhead of our scheme is lower than that of existing schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we use GIS and 2D geometric morphometrics to explore landscape use and social interaction among Kirk Cluster populations in the lower Ohio River valley. Using cultural transmission as a theoretical foundation, we develop models for identifying assemblages produced by macroband aggregations. We show that two distinct populations occupied northern Indiana and southwestern Kentucky. Intensively occupied sites in these areas are situated in near-upland settings in close proximity to a variety of resources including chert, higher order rivers, and sinkholes. In contrast, the Butterfield site in central Kentucky lies in the lowlands with the Green River as the only obvious resource. Analyses reveal that Butterfield was a macroband aggregation site visited by populations from Indiana, but groups from southwestern Kentucky only minimally participated in aggregations at Butterfield. Results further show that the Ohio River was not a barrier to social interaction in the Early Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite limited resources, the nascent Scholarly Communication Unit of the David L. Rice Library has focused on creatively developing the themes of NASIG's Scholarly Communication Competencies within and outside the library in order to develop scholarly communication services at the University of Southern Indiana. This paper describes the creation and development of the unit, its strengths and weaknesses, and some lessons learned, in the hopes that more libraries like ours will see scholarly communication work as valuable and attainable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) in primary care is a burgeoning environmental treatment strategy for illicit and prescription drug abuse and a variety of other health behaviors. While clinical research on SBIRT's efficacy continues to produce positive results, translational research focusing on the integration of the evidence-based processes into primary care settings has been less prevalent. This paper describes the decisions made in the design of the Indiana SBIRT project and describes several barriers that prevented eligible patients from receiving services provided through SBIRT. It then elaborates on the qualitative mechanisms used to identify solutions to those barriers and provides preliminary quantitative evidence for the effectiveness of the solutions that were implemented. The intention of this translational research is to provide a broad perspective on program improvement so that other SBIRT projects in the United States and internationally might benefit from the lessons learned by Indiana SBIRT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Settlements represent one of the most dangerous causes of degradation of the stability and preservation of buildings. This work presents a Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey aiming to investigate settlement problems that compromise the structural integrity of an Indiana-style house built in 1933–36 (Cabanas, northwest of Spain). From a simple visual inspection, it was possible to observe external damage like cracking, subsidence and bulging in the building façades, retaining walls and pavements. The GPR survey was conducted using a ProEx system with a 500 MHz antenna, which allowed for the production of an overall image of the subsoil until a depth of 3–4 m. The GPR data allowed for the detection of subsidence, voids and poor soil compaction, which made easier the identification of building settlements. The GPR interpretation was then validated with geotechnical prospection (sampling and dynamic probing superheavy (DPSH) tests), which showed good agreement between techniques. The better knowledge of this settlement phenomena was promising for the engineers and architects engaged in the design of conservation activities for such a singular architectural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An intergenerational pickleball tournament was designed to create a setting wherein older adults interact with undergraduate students, generating an intergenerational learning experience. Teams of older adults were recruited through the local Area Agency on Aging and paired with undergraduate students to provide an opportunity for older adults to share their love and knowledge of pickleball with a younger generation. The students interacted with active, older adults in an activity that connected the generations. An informal evaluation, completed by students, and process-evaluative measures revealed the successes of the tournament. Interdisciplinary approaches to this intergenerational experience brought both academic and community partners together for the creation and implementation of the event. This practice-based paper includes a rationale for tournament implementation, describes program goals and implementation details, and includes a theoretical framework for application. Additionally, the authors utilize student feedback and process-evaluation measures to discuss implications for practice and relevance to other locales. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Sex offender treatment providers face unique challenges in their work, and the risks for burnout in this population are significant. Decreased therapist empathy is associated with burnout, and empathy is a key factor in successful sex offender treatment. This study explored whether attitudes toward treatment among 92 sex offender therapists were related to levels of burnout and therapist empathy. Higher levels of burnout were associated with lower levels of empathy, and attitudes toward treatment significantly predicted aspects of burnout and empathy. Demographic variables were unrelated to attitudes toward treatment, but treatment providers working in correctional settings more often believed that sex offenders should remain incarcerated. The importance of understanding factors associated with burnout in this population is discussed, and use of the Attitudes Toward Treatment of Sex Offenders (ATTSO) scale is also considered. This study suggests that attitudes about treatment for sex offenders can affect levels of burnout and empathy for those who provide treatment. Because high burnout and low empathy are both associated with negative outcomes for treatment providers and clients, it is important to understand factors that are related to these experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores whether states' add-on endorsement policies provide shortcuts to early childhood education licensure. The following questions are pursued: What requirements must licensed teachers meet to add an ECE endorsement? What data do states report on the number of add-ons awarded, in total and in ECE, yearly? What terms do states use to refer to an official authorization to teach? Results indicate that shortened pathways to ECE licensure – licensure testing only and licensure testing plus 6–13 credits of coursework – are available for ELED licensees in 19 states, special education licensees in 16, and all others in 12. Add-on endorsements account for a substantial number of new in-state teaching credentials in the three states that reported such data: Texas (46%), Pennsylvania (19%), and Indiana (12%). In Pennsylvania and Indiana, add-ons constituted 7% and 5%, of all new in-state ECE credentials awarded, respectively. Nearly half of the states in the nation refer to a state authorization to teach as certification, the other near half as license, and two as credential. Now is an opportune time for early educational organizations to articulate what preparation requirements are suitable for an ECE add-on endorsement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines financial constraints of Michigan and Indiana firms before and after the two states enacted Right-to-Work laws in 2012 relative to those in states with and without RTW laws as separate control groups. Findings based on difference-in-difference regressions indicate that, on average, financial constraints of Michigan and Indiana firms were significantly higher than those in both the control groups before the RTW laws were enacted, but the constraints declined significantly after the laws were enacted not only relative to the pre-enactment levels but also relative to those of companies in both the control groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global health researchers often discount mutual learning and benefit to address shared health challenges across high and low- and middle-income settings. Drawing from a 30-year partnership called AMPATH that started between Indiana University in the US and Moi University in Kenya, we describe an innovative approach and program for mutual learning and benefit coined 'reciprocal innovation.' Reciprocal innovation harnesses a bidirectional, co-constituted, and iterative exchange of ideas, resources, and innovations to address shared health challenges across diverse global settings. The success of AMPATH in Kenya, particularly in HIV/AIDS and community health, resulted in several innovations being 'brought back' to the US. To promote the bidirectional flow of learning and innovations, the Indiana CTSI reciprocal innovation program hosts annual meetings of multinational researchers and practitioners to identify shared health challenges, supports pilot grants for projects with reciprocal exchange and benefit, and produces educational and training materials for investigators. The transformative power of global health to address systemic health inequities embraces equitable and reciprocal partnerships with mutual benefit across countries and communities of academics, practitioners, and policymakers. Leveraging a long-standing partnership, the Indiana CTSI has built a reciprocal innovation program with promise to redefine global health for shared wellbeing at a global scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore how older adults in rural communities navigate food insecurity, ten focus groups were held in Indiana, USA with 65 discussants. Recordings underwent inductive qualitative data analysis. Driving and transport remain a barrier to rural food access. Living alone is another contributor to food insecurity, while older adults' social networks are protective. Congregate meal sites are critical to maintaining nutrition and are underfunded; one-third of this region's meal sites closed in 2019. These must be maintained and expanded. Transportation to food outlets is needed. Mechanisms that reinforce older adults' social networks can build upon an existing asset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine whether first-year college students cluster in networks based on subjective perceptions of loneliness. Participants: 492 first-year Notre Dame students completed surveys across two semesters and provided communication data used to reconstruct their social networks. Methods: Subjective perceptions of loneliness are measured using the Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults (SELSA). Correlations between an individual's loneliness and the average loneliness of their alters are compared to associations in random networks created using a rewiring algorithm to determine statistical significance. Results: During their first semester, students are more likely than chance to form ties with other students with similar levels of family and romantic loneliness. In their second semester, students cluster on romantic loneliness but not on family or social loneliness. Conclusions: Students are more likely than chance to form ties with people with similar self-perceived levels of loneliness, but only for certain types of loneliness and during certain periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the viability of using electric-arc-furnace steel slag (EAF SS)-blast furnace slag (BFS) and EAF SS-Class C fly ash (FA) mixtures as a replacement for lime or cement in subgrade stabilisation applications and describes the implementation and performance of the selected mixture in the field. In order to decide on the proportions of EAF SS, BFS and Class C FA to be used in the field, tests were performed to obtain the Proctor compaction curves and the Atterberg limits (AL) of mixtures of soil-7% EAF SS-3% BFS and soil-7% EAF SS-3% Class C FA; in addition, the one dimensional swelling behaviour of samples prepared with these mixtures was monitored for over two months. The strength of the stabilised mixtures was determined through unconfined compressive (UC) strength tests. Based on the laboratory test results, the soil-7% EAF SS-3% Class C FA mixture was selected and implemented as a subgrade material in a pavement project in Indiana. Field subgrade compaction quality control was done by performing Dynamic Cone Penetration Tests (DCPT) and Nuclear Gauge (NG) density tests. No cracks or signs of distress were observed on the surface of the subgrade before and after placement of the base course and concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our mixed-method study examined the mental health of Latinx children in migrant farmworker (LMFW) families, assessed whether acculturative stressors contributed to mental health problems, and examined whether family warmth and support counteracted the negative effects of acculturative stressors on mental health. Participants were children aged 6–18 (N = 80, mean age = 11.71, 55% male) participating in two summer Migrant Education Programs in Indiana. Overall, we found support for associations between acculturative stressors and poor mental health in LMFW children utilizing multiple data sources that included child self-reports, teacher reports, and qualitative interviews. We also found evidence in qualitative interviews and teacher reports for the positive association between perceived maternal supportive parenting and children's mental health. Findings suggested that while LMFW children are vulnerable to anxiety and depressive problems, perceptions of family support (particularly from mothers) are especially salient for their resilience and mental health. Differences by age and child sex are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a scalable and practical method for disaggregating electrical usage for heat pump heating and cooling (HC) that uses low-resolution data from existing smart energy metres and smart thermostats. The disaggregation model is based on a Bayesian approach to account for the skewed characteristics of HC and non-HC energy consumption and adopts sequential Bayesian update to enable reliable predictions without long-term data. The modelling approach is demonstrated using disaggregated electricity consumption and thermostat operation signal data in two multi-family residential communities located in two different cities in Indiana, U.S. The results show that the model successfully disaggregated HC electricity consumption for various housing units by using 15-minute interval data with less than 12% error for a weekly time interval. Finally, seasonal parameters of the model were updated when a new HC operation signal was observed resulting in good predictions for different seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cross-case analysis was used to discover how two states benefited from expanded use of evaluation for asthma quality improvement initiatives. If an asthma quality improvement (QI) initiative is successfully evaluated, data can inform how to effectively integrate clinical practice guidelines and circumvent non-clinical reasons that interrupt QI projects such as low staff interest. This article addresses a gap in the literature on quality of evaluation support needed to improve and sustain asthma QI at local health care organizations by describing the similar discoveries observed at two independent QI statewide initiatives in Indiana and Montana. As part of a larger review, two states funded through the National Asthma Control Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were identified based on similarities in evaluation approaches. Each state used an iterative stakeholder-driven evaluation approach, mixed methods, process evaluation indicators, and active use of evaluation findings. The asthma QI initiatives and evaluations in Indiana and Montana were coordinated independent of each other. Although both states found that asthma QI initiatives improved health outcomes, evaluation data were able to further pinpoint areas that would improve quality of technical support to health care organizations and identify markers of sustainability, such as nontraditional benefits to staff, and intervention sites. Findings suggest that when evaluation is used to guide implementation, data are available to develop site-specific assistance and identify sustainability markers to prevent interruption of positive health outcomes associated with an asthma QI initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examination of macrofossils from the late Neogene Pipe Creek Sinkhole in Indiana, USA, yielded 15 distinct plant taxa, one fungal taxon, and six invertebrate taxa. The plant assemblage was dominated by terrestrial taxa both in richness and abundance. Of the 12 terrestrial plant taxa, eight were trees or shrubs including two Carya spp., Corylus sp., Fraxinus sp., aff. Pinaceae, Quercus sp., aff. Rosaceae, and an unknown gymnosperm, possibly Ginkgophyta or Cycadophyta. Fossil nuts of a new species, Carya pipecreekensis Swinehart and Farlow sp. nov., are described. Other terrestrial plant macrofossils include a species of Asteraceae, Vitis sp., Xanthium sp., and Poaceae indet. Charcoalified remains of wood, Asteraceae achenes, and Poaceae crowns suggest fires were an important factor in ecosystem structure. Condition of some of the macrofossils suggests high-energy, post-depositional transport. Aquatic species include the plants Chara sp. and two Potamogeton spp. as well as the animals Helisoma sp., Physa sp., Sphaeriidae, and ostracoda. The terrestrial flora suggests a temperate woodland savanna community with a canopy that includes Carya, Fraxinus, Quercus, Corylus, and Pinaceae, a sub-canopy with Vitis, and a ground flora with a species of Asteraceae and abundant Poaceae. The assemblage shares elements and characteristics with the similarly-aged Gray Fossil Site in Tennessee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance of Michigan and Indiana companies before and after they passed the Right-to-Work (RTW) laws in 2012 by referencing it against that of companies in states with and without RTW laws. Our findings indicate that after the laws were passed the Environmental and Social performance of companies in these two states declined on the compliance dimension and so did some of their Social performance on the proactive dimension. Outside of some of the common trends in the ESG performance of companies in states with and without RTW laws, the Social performance of companies in states without RTW laws declined on the proactive dimension as well after the laws were passed. Performance pertaining to Governance was unaffected for companies after the enactments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lower resting diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) often report troublesome dyspnea during exercise although the mechanisms are not clear. We postulated that in such individuals, exertional dyspnea is linked to relatively high inspiratory neural drive (IND) due, in part, to the effects of reduced ventilatory efficiency. This cross-sectional study included 28 patients with GOLD I COPD stratified into two groups with (n = 15) and without (n = 13) DLCO less than the lower limit of normal (2 (V̇E/V̇CO2), and respiratory mechanics during incremental cycle exercise in the three groups. Spirometry and resting lung volumes were similar between COPD groups. During exercise, dyspnea, IND and V̇E/V̇CO2 were higher at equivalent work rates (WR) in the DLCOCOCOCOE/V̇CO2 at a given work rate. Higher ventilatory requirements in the DLCO

Public library users' expectations of library resources and services related to open data as well as their own estimation of their data literacy skills are examined. Library users were surveyed from nine different Indiana public library communities. Findings suggest that public libraries are viewed as resources for finding data and educational programming for data skills, particularly as it relates to the community context. Additionally, study participants assessed their data skills to be average or slightly above, indicating a foundational knowledge from which to design library resources and sources to meet a community's data needs. Keywords: open government data, public libraries, data literacy skills, communities, information behaviors [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there are recent claims of a lack of evidence of self-consciousness in many tested species, the ability to recognize oneself in a mirror, which seems an exceedingly rare capacity in the animal kingdom, may not be the only way to check for animal self-awareness (i.e. the capacity to become the object of your own attention). A new testing approach, based on a different sensory modality (such as the sniff-test for self-recognition, STSR), recently proved to be effective with dogs. We applied this sniff test to a group of four captive grey wolves, living in male-female couples in two different enclosures at the Wolf Park in Indiana, USA. In this preliminary study, wolves showed some signs of the ability to recognize themselves through the "olfactory mirror" and exhibited some clues of mark-directed responses, particularly scent-rolling, which may shed more light on this still unclear behavior and represent a sort of olfactory equivalent to passing the original mirror test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the perceived health-care needs, unmet health need, and barriers to health care in 224 rural-dwelling adolescents. A cross-sectional, descriptive design was used to survey adolescents attending a public high school in a low-resource, rural Indiana community. One in five adolescents reported an unmet health need. The most common barriers to health care were related to access, apathy, anxiety, and parenting issues. Implications include confidentiality protocols in family healthcare practices, school-based health centers, and intervention research targeting adolescents' communication skills and healthcare consumer skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silurian strata within the tristate area of Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky have been thoroughly studied for well over a century. Due to rapid facies changes throughout the region numerous lithostratigraphic terminologies were established, many of which were difficult to correlate even over short distances. Recently these stratigraphic complexities have received renewed interest due to advancements in bio-, chemo-, and sequence stratigraphy that greatly improved our understanding of the tristate area. These improvements had significant implications for our ability to correlate Rhuddanian through lower Sheinwoodian strata between the Appalachian and Illinois basins and allowed unified nomenclatural and sequence stratigraphic hierarchies for this interval to be developed across the Cincinnati Arch. Recent advancements in regional chronostratigraphy of Silurian strata, however, highlight several discrepancies with regards to the 3rd- and 4th-order sequence stratigraphic hierarchies assigned within these basins. In an effort to alleviate these points of disagreement, we contribute new δ13Ccarb chemostratigraphic and sequence stratigraphic analyses of a basinward Appalachian section from Scioto County, Ohio, spanning upper Telychian through Gorstian strata assigned to the Estill through Tymochtee formations, complemented by gamma-ray core scans for localities traversing northwestward from the sampled core section into western Ohio. These new data allow unified nomenclatural and sequence stratigraphic hierarchies to be developed throughout the region for strata spanning the upper Telychian through Gorstian stages. Additionally, these findings highlight a significant shift in the primary sites of sediment accommodation during the studied depositional interval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like many rural and suburban counties in the Midwestern United States, George County, Indiana is facing increased rates of heroin use, drug-related overdose, and hepatitis C. Following an outbreak of HIV in 2015 in a nearby county, the George County department of health launched an effort to open a needle exchange despite considerable opposition from the community, including ambivalent stances among current and former users of opiates. This article examines these conflicted perspectives noting their grounding in a moral approach to addiction and seeks to explain opposition to the needle exchange program by examining locals' depictions of the religious and moral landscape of the county. This analysis is based on 29 qualitative interviews conducted with 20 people who have experience using heroin or prescription opioid painkillers and 13 other community members involved in local efforts to address addiction. Ethnographic observation of public events was undertaken. Examining the contours of the local moral economy and its links to religious spirituality and practice reveals that the moral model of addiction both mitigates and produces social exclusion and begets conflicted stances towards the presence of an initiative to open a modest needle exchange program. Interviewees expressed a variety of stances towards the initiative feeling that it might decrease the spread of disease, but may not be used effectively. Though it is situated on morally contested terrain, it may be a step towards social inclusion and empowerment for addicted individuals who stake their right to health and a place in the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residential treatment is typically reserved for children with the most serious mental health issues. Previous research has identified an association between better family functioning and positive treatment outcomes among children placed into residential care. This study attempted to replicate and expand upon these findings by examining outcomes among 18,046 children and adolescents placed into residential treatment programs in the United States located in the state of Indiana. As predicted, numerous treatment outcomes again were found to be highly associated with the level of the child's family functioning including successful discharge, successful discharge by level of care, restrictiveness of discharge environment, behavioral improvements over the course of treatment, and client functioning at discharge. The results of this study once again provide evidence that children from low functioning families should be identified at the time of referral (the "Hidden Figures") and that they do better when placed in higher level, more intensive programs. Additionally, the probability of a successful discharge increases if family functioning can be improved over the course of treatment. Overall, these data provide further evidence that suggests improving family functioning is a key ingredient for improving children's mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field crop fertilizer recommendations for Ohio, Indiana and Michigan are currently based on the Bray P1 extractant for phosphorus (P) and the ammonium acetate extractant (AA) for base cations. The fertilizer recommendations in this Tri-State region are currently being revised and will use the Mehlich-3 soil test extractant as the new basis for P and potassium (K) fertilizer recommendations. The goal of this study was to document the relationships between Mehlich-3, Bray P1, and AA soil test extractants and to provide a comprehensive review of these relationships published in the literature. Soil samples (n = 2,659) were collected across Ohio and Indiana from a diverse range of fields and analyzed for Mehlich-3, Bray P1 and AA extractable nutrients for P, K, calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg). Mehlich-3 P values were highly related to, but 35% greater than Bray P1 values. Mehlich-3 values were highly related to AA values, but 14% greater than AA-K, 13% greater than AA-Ca and 20% greater than AA-Mg. Our results are largely consistent with a comprehensively compiled literature review that indicates Mehlich-3 is an efficient and suitable soil test extractant for assessing extractable nutrient levels in the Tri-State region of Ohio, Indiana and Michigan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study highlights the role of local communities in creating culturally rooted health information resources based on comparative effectiveness research (CER), depicting the role of culture in creating entry points for building community-grounded communication structures for evidence-based health knowledge. We report the results from running a year-long culture-centered campaign that was carried out among African American communities in two counties, Lake and Marion County, in Indiana addressing basic evidence-based knowledge on four areas of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Campaign effectiveness was tested through an experimental design with post-test knowledge of CER among African Americans in these counties compared to CER knowledge among African Americans in a comparable control county (Allen). Our campaign, based on the principles of the culture-centered approach (CCA), increased community CER knowledge in the experimental communities relative to a community that did not receive the culturally centered health information campaign. The CCA-based campaign developed by community members and distributed through the mass media, community wide channels such as health fairs and church meetings, postcards, and face-to-face interventions explaining the postcards improved CER knowledge in specific areas (ACE-I/ARBs, atrial fibrillation, and renal artery stenosis) in the CCA communities as compared to the control community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changing attitudes and behaviors of a targeted audience are common ambitions of outreach campaigns. Anthropomorphized images are used to promote and facilitate conservation and environmental messaging. To evaluate their effectiveness as a messaging tactic, Indiana adults were surveyed to examine if attitudes and behavioral intentions (BIs) differed due to image type (cartoon vs. photograph) for three non-charismatic wildlife species. Wildlife management professionals (WMPs) were also interviewed to evaluate their perspectives. Unexpectedly, the surveyed population's increase in attitudes and BIs was species dependent and the cartoon was not unanimously better received. Only one cartoon species was able to elicit a significantly more positive measure than its photograph. WMPs highlighted the cartoon's need for mass appeal, accuracy, and clear messaging. The ability of cartoons to selectively impact attitudes, in conjunction with the support of WMPs, demonstrates that with thoughtful application, cartoons can sometimes be an effective messaging tool for non-charismatic species conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlike states with established immigrant populations, Indiana is a new immigration gateway state that is developing its infrastructure to address immigrant needs. Indiana's English learner (EL) population between 1999 and 2018 has grown by 550% from 9,114 to 59,255 students. Of the current 59,255 ELs in K-12 schools, 24% are immigrants. Employing a collective case study, this article examines how Indiana university faculty prepare pre- and inservice teachers to address the needs of emergent bilingual immigrant (EBI) youth. While there are institutional constraints that impact how EBI youth needs are met, faculty in EL licensure programs are addressing these needs by explicitly facilitating activities that promote respect and develop empathy through perspective sharing. Despite underdeveloped social infrastructures for EBI youth and EBI teachers in Indiana schools, implications suggest that a methodical inclusion of immigration history, perspective-taking, and critical selfreflection can facilitate teacher identity development, and foster their stances of advocacy for EBIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Complete and accurate documentation of immunization records and surveillance of disease transmission are critical to the public health response to outbreaks of communicable disease in institutions of higher education (IHEs). This study aims to describe immunization documentation practices and disease surveillance capacity among IHEs in Indiana in order to inform public health action.Methods: IHEs in Indiana were identified and included in the study if they offered on-campus housing and had a dedicated student health center. Phone surveys were administered in September 2015 to each institution, inquiring about current immunization documentation policies and practices, disease surveillance capacity, and use of statewide electronic reporting systems. Additionally, IHE websites were searched to identify immunization documentation requirements for matriculating students.Results: Surveys were completed for 33 of 38 eligible IHEs. Twenty-three (70%) IHEs reported that student immunization records are entered into an accessible electronic system or database. Matriculating student immunization requirements were identified for 32 institutions. Of these, 22 (69%) required a physician-signed proof of immunization. No IHEs reported documenting historical immunizations in the statewide electronic immunization system and three IHEs (9%) reported utilizing the state electronic disease surveillance program.Conclusions: Immunization documentation practices vary among IHEs in Indiana and use of statewide immunization and disease reporting systems is minimal. Robust utilization of immunization and disease surveillance systems has been shown to improve public health response to communicable disease outbreaks. Improving mutual understanding of policy and practice between health departments and IHEs could improve the ability to respond to public health challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study reviews trends in rear-facing direction, top tether use, booster seat use, and seating position for children 12 years or younger among motor vehicle passengers in Indiana.Methods: This is an observational, cross-sectional survey of drivers transporting children 15 years and younger collected at 25 convenience locations randomly selected in Indiana during summers of 2009-2015. Observations were conducted by certified child passenger safety technicians (CPST). As the driver completed a written survey collecting demographic data on the driver, the CPST recorded the child demographic data, vehicle seating location, the type of restraint, direction the car safety seat (CSS) was facing, and use of the CSS harness or safety belt as appropriate. Data were analyzed for infants and toddlers younger than 24 months, children in forward-facing CSS, booster seat use, and seating position for children 12 years or younger.Results: During the study period, 4,876 drivers were queried, and 7,725 children 15 years and younger were observed in motor vehicles. Between 2009 and 2015, 1,115 infants and toddlers (age birth to 23 months) were observed in motor vehicles. For infants <1 year, rear-facing increased from 84% to 91%. During the study years the greatest increase in rear facing was for toddlers age 12-17 months (12-61%). Rear facing for those from 18-23 months did not significantly change. Of the 1,653 vehicles observed with a forward-facing car seat, using either the seat belt system or lower anchors, an average of 27% had the top tether attached. For installations of forward-facing seats using the lower anchor, 66% employed the top tether. Among children age 4-7 years observed booster seat use decreased from 72% to 65% during the observation period. Finally, for vehicle seating position, in our sample, more than 85% of children 12 years or younger were seated in a rear seat vehicle position. Unfortunately, 31% of 8- to 12-year-old children were observed in the front seat.Conclusions: Overall, these trends demonstrate an improvement in child passenger safety practices among Indiana drivers. However, this study illuminates areas to improve child passenger safety, such as rear facing for toddlers 18 to 23 months, increasing top tether use, booster seat use, and an emphasis on rear seat position for children 8 to 12 years. This information can be used by primary care providers and child passenger safety technicians and other child passenger safety advocates to develop counseling points and targeted educational campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic resources librarians are able to collect a large amount of data across resources, but often the biggest challenge is distilling the data into something meaningful to contribute to the strategic mission of an organization. The Cunningham Memorial Library at Indiana State University acquired ProQuest’s Summon web-scale discovery service in 2015. This article discusses how the library’s e-resources librarian used the new discovery workflow to begin to harvest user search queries as a means to inform resource placement and design on the library’s website and suite of e-resources tools; inform and refine Springshare LibGuides tags for better discovery; craft “best bets” to assist users in getting to their just in time information needs be they a quick search on an unknown topic or a targeted search for a specific research finding as quickly and effectively as possible; and empower instruction librarians to fine tune their information literacy curriculum based on search skills of our users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dr. Carol Tilley delivered a vision session to the 32nd annual meeting of NASIG in Indianapolis, Indiana, on the history of comics readership and libraries, particularly in the United States during the mid-20th century, and the relevance of comics to libraries in the present. It raised awareness for the audience about progress that has been made on comics collecting and programming, as well as the need for librarians to continue and heighten their enthusiasm for this work. It also reminded us that comics tell stories and communicate ideas. They are part of our cultural heritage and they have been for decades. In questions and answers, the audience discussed both the challenges and the rewards of acquiring and organizing comics at their own institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although state surrogate laws are the most common way surrogate decision makers are identified, no studies have been conducted to determine physician understanding of these laws or how these laws are utilized during clinical practice. The purpose of this study is to better understand how surrogate decision-making laws function in practice.Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 412 physicians working in Indiana hospitals was conducted between November 2014 and January 2015 to determine physicians' knowledge of Indiana's surrogate decision-making law and physicians' approaches to hypothetical cases using the law in clinical practice.Results: Fewer than half of physicians (48%) were able to correctly identify all legally allowable surrogate decision makers. Of those physicians who knew the law, nearly all of them (98%) indicated that they would violate the law during clinical practice by allowing nonlegal surrogates such as grandchildren to make medical decisions.Conclusions: A majority of physicians endorse relying on surrogates who have strong ties to the patient but are not legally allowable in Indiana. It is possible that these decisions reflect sound ethical reasoning even though they are illegal. Due to the narrow construction of some state surrogate decision laws, physicians may be placed in the position where they must either choose to follow medical ethical principles or the law. To alleviate these issues, state surrogate decision laws need to be amended to include a broader list of surrogates, such as extended family and close friends. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Previous research has demonstrated that experiencing interpersonal discrimination is associated with cigarette smoking. Few studies have examined the relationship between the effects of physical and emotional discrimination and cigarette usage, and none have examined this relationship among Black men. The aim of this study was to examine the association between the effects of physical and emotional discrimination and cigarette smoking. Methods: Data from the Indiana Black Men's Health Study, a community-based sample of adult Black men, was used to conduct multivariate logistic regression to examine the relationship between the physical and emotional effects of discrimination and smoking, net of healthcare and workplace discrimination, age, education, household income, and being married. Results: After adjusting for having an emotional response to discrimination, health care and workplace discrimination, age, education, household income, and being married, males who had a physical response to discrimination (e.g., upset stomach or headache) had higher odds of cigarette use (odds ratio (OR): 1.95, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.15–3.30) than men who did not have a physical response to discrimination. Conclusion: Findings from the study suggest that Black males may use cigarette smoking as a means to mitigate the stress associated with experiences of discrimination. Future research is needed further to explore if and how Black males use cigarette smoking to cope with unfair treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes a program session about licensing electronic resources. The speakers discussed a range of licenses in the current electronic resources landscape and described current trends in the negotiation and management of licenses. They also explored the impact of workflow design on the accessibility of electronic resources at any institution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Professional Geographer is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the process of providing support to the undergraduate students and instructors of a research-intensive future studies course, librarians at the University of Notre Dame used the proactive decision-making framework taught to the students and conducted their own environmental scan, current assessment, and trend analysis in order to determine expected and plausible alternative future support scenarios for the course. This article reviews the evolving partnership and describes a process that has resulted and will continue to result in improved decision making regarding the allocation of resources to this course and all others supported by the business library. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To identify the conditions under which (1) youth would prefer to participate and (2) parents would allow their child to participate in the collection of biological samples for the purposes of validating a self-report alcohol, tobacco, and other drug (ATOD) survey.Design: Focus groups were held with youth in grades six through 12 and parents of youth entering those grades in the pending academic year.Setting: This study was conducted in Monroe County, Indiana, USA. Method: Six focus groups were held with a total of 23 youth and eight parents in June and July of 2014. Participants were recruited using a tiered convenience sample. All utterances were transcribed verbatim in real time. Content was entered into the DeDoose software package for mixed methods analyses.Results: Significantly more youth respondents would assent to toenail and saliva collection than to urine or venous blood collection. Collection of the latter bio-specimens was perceived to be uncomfortable or was associated with punishment. Parents and youth suggested several ways to lessen concerns, such as adding more participant autonomy to procedures.Conclusion: Input from various stakeholders is important to the implementation of an ATOD bio-validation study in schools to address prevailing concerns and promote participation. Decisions about study procedures should consider the views/suggestions of students, parents, and school personnel, in conjunction with requirements to retain methodological rigor and purpose of the study. The results indicate an inherent tension between a researcher’s ability to simultaneously accommodate requests and adhere to desired methodological precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food insecurity and its most extreme form, hunger, have increased exponentially in the United States since 2006. This essay seeks to contribute to our understanding of hunger by attending to the context of the financial crisis as an organizing frame for understanding local meanings of hunger. Within a broader framework of the culture-centered approach (CCA) that works to identify and develop locally rooted solutions to food insecurity, we describe through locally grounded stories of food insecurity the financial climate where large percentages of U.S. households have been cast into poverty because of the crash of an unregulated economy. These local understandings of hunger in the context of the economy offer entry points for organizing a food-insecure coalition that seeks to address the stigma around food insecurity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The extent to which social norms (injunctive and descriptive) are associated with collegiate alcohol use—including binge drinking—has been examined at length, but studies examining the efficacy of interventions derived thereof have reported mixed outcomes. This study examines data from 5,124 college students at 13 different colleges collected by the 2010 Indiana College Substance Use Survey in order to further elucidate the relationship between social norms and binge drinking. We apply seven different regression models to the data, finding the zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) model to fit best, likely due to the unique characteristics of the binge-drinking variable; individuals who do not consume any alcohol do not binge drink, inflating the frequency of zeroes for the variable. We contrast key findings from this model to those from other regression models as well as information from the literature and provide preliminary suggestions as to future directions for social norms research as it relates to collegiate binge drinking. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

With the global financial meltdown, the crisis of poverty has deepened in communities across the United States. This essay reports results from a culture-centered project on fostering spaces for listening to the voices of the poor in CrossRoads County, Indiana. It highlights the intersections of health and poverty as they emerge from the narratives of mothers utilizing the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Depression, humiliation, and inaccessibility to health care and healthy living outline the struggles of women as they negotiate their access to health. The articulations of agency are situated around competing cultural narratives that, on the one hand, draw on the threads of individual responsibility which resonate through mainstream discourses of poverty in the United States and, on the other hand, interrogate the structural erasure of the basic capacities of health. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Adolescent alcohol and drug use in the United States are associated with negative consequences spanning multiple domains. Much of the public health surveillance of these behaviors relies on self-report survey data. These data frequently takes the form of frequency or prevalence data for specific substances, which may not provide a complete picture of use.Objectives: This study analyzes a state-level survey that includes the CRAFFT screening tool. The study's goal is to elucidate the spectrum of substance use severity across a large segment of substance-using adolescents attending schools in the state of Indiana and to assess the contribution of a variety of predictor variables to the variance between users falling into each category of use severity.Methods: Data were collected in 2011 from 168,801 adolescents, of whom 25,204 met the inclusion criteria for this study. The authors utilize multinomial logit analyses to highlight variables, including sociodemographic data, poly-drug use, and risk/protective behavior scales, associated with each category of use.Results: Seriousness of use is not uniform across substance-using adolescents; 49% were categorized as nonproblem users, 33% as problem users, and 18% as dependent users. Risk and protective factors predict adolescents’ severity of substance use, but do not do so uniformly. Poly-drug use is a significant predictor of problem use and dependent use as well.Conclusions: The CRAFFT may provide a more nuanced perspective of adolescent substance use than frequency/prevalence data alone; the authors describe the implications derived from these data and analyses to the adolescent prevention and treatment systems. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This grounded theory study examined the metaphors mothers used for mental illness when they had children who were. Two metaphor types were found: static and dynamic. Static metaphors for mental illness emphasized their unchanging qualities and problem-solving or learning strategies were highlighted as ways to approach them. Dynamic metaphors for mental illness highlighted how they were changeable. Positioning the diseases in a storyline, in which one could "try again tomorrow," was one of the primary ways participants described approaching them. Clinical implications of this research may increase family engagement with treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers are slowly acknowledging an ethical obligation to inform research participants about study findings. Research notification may help participants become aware of and manage potential health risks. Scholars and practitioners have acknowledged the need for better understanding of this process. This study investigates transcripts of focus groups conducted to gauge audience reactions to notification materials that communicate scientific research findings about occupational exposures. Focus groups are a useful way to tailor notification materials to audiences, but we caution that transmission models of communication used in risk research may obscure the full value of focus groups. The emphasis on translating scientific communication into “lay” language may overlook how scientists and lay audiences can work together to bridge differences in language, experiences, goals, and orientations toward health. This study demonstrates limitations in scientific risk communication that minimize participation in communicating science. The conclusion provides instructive insights for strengthening the process of communicating science. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The fate of ecosystem services (ESS) in the United States depends on the actions of private landowners and operators (‘farmers’). This work uses a mixed qualitative and quantitative method to understand farmer knowledge of ESS and willingness to manage lands from an ESS perspective. Fourteen interviews were conducted to analyze farmer understanding of ESS within the context of conservation management. Two hundred surveys of Indiana farmers and 33 surveys of Indiana US Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service conservationists (‘conservationists’) were analyzed in order to assess ESS knowledge derived from varied land types. Though most farmers and conservationists were unfamiliar with ESS, both groups consistently recognized environmental benefits from land types and conservation practices. They were also able to identify trade-offs in ESS when managing lands for maximum food production. Farmers and conservationists differed in their views of the beneficiaries and stewards of ESS, which also varied by land type. Overall, this study shows that while Indiana farmers and conservationists are aware of ESS concepts, some ESS are more easily recognized and understood than others. By understanding how farmers view and describe ESS, we can start applying the ESS concept to agricultural management in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]