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While numerous studies have explored prevalence and determinants of intimate partner violence (IPV), one area that has yet to be sufficiently explored is whether men and women agree on the acts, behaviours, and attitudes that comprise IPV. Through the use of concept mapping, we examined the similarities and differences in the conceptualization of IPV among a diverse sample of men and women. Although men and women conceptualized physical and sexual violence similarly, men tended to rate non-physical behaviors related to control as less important to the definition of IPV than women. Moreover, even when men and women used similar labeling language for grouping of items, the statements included in each cluster were substantially different for non-physically abusive items. A greater understanding of similarities and differences in the conceptualization of IPV by gender can help inform appropriate gender specific IPV intervention and prevention efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bay of Bengal (BOB) is known to possess complex thermodynamics which show distinct seasonal patterns. Surface heat fluxes in the BOB are very much dependant on upper ocean heat exchanges and wind. Sensible heat flux (SHF) is also one among those fluxes that depends on air-sea temperature difference and wind. However, this study further proves that a strong relationship exists between barrier layer thickness (BLT) and SHF variability that has not been focussed on in earlier literatures. This study also investigates the seasonal as well as inter-annual variability of SHF and its relationship with BLT and sea surface temperature (SST) patterns in more detail with statistical analyses. It is found that both SST and BLT are responsible for the evolution of SHF signal in the BOB although their effects are spatially distributed. During the post monsoon period, freshwater induced enhanced BLT is more related to SHF than the summer time when effect of SST is found to be dominant. During Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) years, the correlation between SHF and BLT in the eastern BOB is more pronounced compared to SHF and SST. The western BOB however is dominated by SST variations for the respective IOD phase which also contribute to SHF signals there. Northernmost BOB shows high standard deviation due to river discharge effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]