Prevalence and experience of harassment of people with mental health problems living in the community

<i>Declaration</i> <i>of</i> <i>interest</i>: This study was funded by the Communities Fund and was the result of a partnership between the Nuffield Centre for Community Care Studies, University of Glasgow, the National Schizophrenia Fellowship (Scotland) and the Scottish users' network. <i>Background</i>: The levels and experiences of harassment of people with mental health problems in the community compared with those of the general population have not been explored. <i>Aims</i>: To measure the levels and experience of harassment experienced by people with mental health problems in the community in Scotland and compare them with the general population. <i>Method</i>: Experiences of harassment were collected by interviewing 165 individuals with mental health problems and a control group of 165 people from the general population. <i>Results</i>: Harassment in the community was found to be twice as common for individuals with mental health problems (41%) than for those in the general population (15%). The harassment commonly involved verbal abuse referring to the individual's mental health problems and was committed primarily by teenagers and neighbours. <i>Conclusions</i>: Harassment has a significantly higher prevalence among individuals with mental health problems living in the community and is believed to have a detrimental effect on mental health

UG or not UG: Where is Recursion?

The operation Merge, applying to two syntactic objects to produce a third and instantiating the property of recursion, has been a fundamental and largely uncontroversial feature in the development of the Minimalist Programme. In early formulations, such as Chomsky (1995a, b), Merge is cited as a feature of the human language faculty that illustrates virtual conceptual necessity, and it is an examination of this characterisation that stimulates the concerns addressed here, where we argue that neither of the familiar routes (satisfaction of interface conditions or computational economy) provides a justification for the conceptually necessary status of Merge. A third route, via considerations of ‘languages as such,’ a notion that includes human and artificial languages, may provide the required justification, but, as Chomsky (1980) urges, the study of ‘languages as such’ is unlikely to yield empirically interesting results. Specifically, this route to justification will not locate Merge in UG if the content of UG is an empirical matter. This conclusion is damaging to the view (Hauser et al., 2002) that the emergence of recursion (and Merge) is the single development crucial to the evolution of language, an empirical proposal, albeit in a different discourse, that firmly places Merge in UG.La operación Merge, aplicada a dos objetos sintácticos para producir un tercero, y ejemplificando así la propiedad de la recursividad, ha venido siendo un rasgo fundamental y ampliamente aceptado en el desarrollo del Programa Minimalista. En sus primeras formulaciones (Chomsky 1995a,b), Merge es propuesto como un rasgo de la facultad humana del lenguaje que ilustra una necesidad virtual humana. La problemática que aquí se aborda es precisamente un examen de esta caracterización. Se defiende aquí que ninguna de las vías de justificación habitualmente propuestas (la satisfacción de las condiciones de interfaz o la economía computacional) prueba el estatus de necesidad conceptual de Merge. Una tercera vía que considera ‘las lenguas como tales,’ propuesta que incluye tanto a lenguas humanas como a las artificiales, podría ofrecer la justificación adecuada, pero, tal y como insta Chomsky (1980), el estudio de las ‘lenguas como tales’ probablemente no resultaría en conclusiones empíricamente interesantes. En concreto, esta vía de justificación no localizaría a Merge como parte de la Gramática Universal si el contenido de esta es una cuestión empírica. Esta conclusión daña la idea (Hauser et al., 2002) de que la aparición de la recursividad (y de Merge) es la principal novedad que propició la evolución del lenguaje, una propuesta empírica, si bien es cierto que en un contexto diferente, que sitúa firmemente a Merge dentro de la Gramática Universal.A operação Compor, aplicada a dois objetos sintáticos para produzir um terceiro e instanciar a propriedade de recursividade, tem sido uma característica fundamental e indiscutível ao longo do desenvolvimento do Programa Minimalista. Nas primeiras formulações, como Chomsky (1995a, b), Compor é descrito como uma propriedade da faculdade da linguagem humana que ilustra a necessidade conceptual virtual. É a análise desta caracterização que motiva este artigo, onde defendemos que nem a satisfação das condições da interface nem a economia computacional conseguem justificar a necessidade conceptual do estatuto de Compor. Um terceiro aspeto, via entendimento das ‘linguagens como tal’, uma noção que inclui a linguagem humana e as linguagens artificiais, pode fornecer a justificação pretendida. No entanto, como Chomsky (1980) reforça, o estudo das ‘linguagens como tal’ poderá não surtir resultados empiricamente interessantes. Mais especificamente, esta proposta de justificação não localiza Compor na Gramática Universal (UG) se o conteúdo da Gramática Universal (UG) for de natureza empírica. Esta conclusão não suporta a perspetiva (Hauser et al., 2002) de que a emergência da recursividade (e Compor) é o único desenvolvimento crucial para a evolução da linguagem, uma proposta empírica, embora num discurso diferente, que coloca indiscutivelmente Compor na UG

Convergence of expansions in Schr\"odinger and Dirac eigenfunctions, with an application to the R-matrix theory

Expansion of a wave function in a basis of eigenfunctions of a differential eigenvalue problem lies at the heart of the R-matrix methods for both the Schr\"odinger and Dirac particles. A central issue that should be carefully analyzed when functional series are applied is their convergence. In the present paper, we study the properties of the eigenfunction expansions appearing in nonrelativistic and relativistic $R$-matrix theories. In particular, we confirm the findings of Rosenthal [J. Phys. G: Nucl. Phys. 13, 491 (1987)] and Szmytkowski and Hinze [J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 29, 761 (1996); J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 29, 6125 (1996)] that in the most popular formulation of the R-matrix theory for Dirac particles, the functional series fails to converge to a claimed limit.Comment: Revised version, accepted for publication in Journal of Mathematical Physics, 21 pages, 1 figur

Statistical modeling of ground motion relations for seismic hazard analysis

We introduce a new approach for ground motion relations (GMR) in the probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA), being influenced by the extreme value theory of mathematical statistics. Therein, we understand a GMR as a random function. We derive mathematically the principle of area-equivalence; wherein two alternative GMRs have an equivalent influence on the hazard if these GMRs have equivalent area functions. This includes local biases. An interpretation of the difference between these GMRs (an actual and a modeled one) as a random component leads to a general overestimation of residual variance and hazard. Beside this, we discuss important aspects of classical approaches and discover discrepancies with the state of the art of stochastics and statistics (model selection and significance, test of distribution assumptions, extreme value statistics). We criticize especially the assumption of logarithmic normally distributed residuals of maxima like the peak ground acceleration (PGA). The natural distribution of its individual random component (equivalent to exp(epsilon_0) of Joyner and Boore 1993) is the generalized extreme value. We show by numerical researches that the actual distribution can be hidden and a wrong distribution assumption can influence the PSHA negatively as the negligence of area equivalence does. Finally, we suggest an estimation concept for GMRs of PSHA with a regression-free variance estimation of the individual random component. We demonstrate the advantages of event-specific GMRs by analyzing data sets from the PEER strong motion database and estimate event-specific GMRs. Therein, the majority of the best models base on an anisotropic point source approach. The residual variance of logarithmized PGA is significantly smaller than in previous models. We validate the estimations for the event with the largest sample by empirical area functions. etc

High Effective Coverage of Vector Control Interventions in Children After Achieving Low Malaria Transmission in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

\ud \ud Formerly a high malaria transmission area, Zanzibar is now targeting malaria elimination. A major challenge is to avoid resurgence of malaria, the success of which includes maintaining high effective coverage of vector control interventions such as bed nets and indoor residual spraying (IRS). In this study, caretakers' continued use of preventive measures for their children is evaluated, following a sharp reduction in malaria transmission. A cross-sectional community-based survey was conducted in June 2009 in North A and Micheweni districts in Zanzibar. Households were randomly selected using two-stage cluster sampling. Interviews were conducted with 560 caretakers of under-five-year old children, who were asked about perceptions on the malaria situation, vector control, household assets, and intention for continued use of vector control as malaria burden further decreases. Effective coverage of vector control interventions for under-five children remains high, although most caretakers (65%; 363/560) did not perceive malaria as presently being a major health issue. Seventy percent (447/643) of the under-five children slept under a long-lasting insecticidal net (LLIN) and 94% (607/643) were living in houses targeted with IRS. In total, 98% (628/643) of the children were covered by at least one of the vector control interventions. Seasonal bed-net use for children was reported by 25% (125/508) of caretakers of children who used bed nets. A high proportion of caretakers (95%; 500/524) stated that they intended to continue using preventive measures for their under-five children as malaria burden further reduces. Malaria risk perceptions and different perceptions of vector control were not found to be significantly associated with LLIN effective coverage While the majority of caretakers felt that malaria had been reduced in Zanzibar, effective coverage of vector control interventions remained high. Caretakers appreciated the interventions and recognized the value of sustaining their use. Thus, sustaining high effective coverage of vector control interventions, which is crucial for reaching malaria elimination in Zanzibar, can be achieved by maintaining effective delivery of these interventions

Strong Decays of Strange Quarkonia

In this paper we evaluate strong decay amplitudes and partial widths of strange mesons (strangeonia and kaonia) in the 3P0 decay model. We give numerical results for all energetically allowed open-flavor two-body decay modes of all nsbar and ssbar strange mesons in the 1S, 2S, 3S, 1P, 2P, 1D and 1F multiplets, comprising strong decays of a total of 43 resonances into 525 two-body modes, with 891 numerically evaluated amplitudes. This set of resonances includes all strange qqbar states with allowed strong decays expected in the quark model up to ca. 2.2 GeV. We use standard nonrelativistic quark model SHO wavefunctions to evaluate these amplitudes, and quote numerical results for all amplitudes present in each decay mode. We also discuss the status of the associated experimental candidates, and note which states and decay modes would be especially interesting for future experimental study at hadronic, e+e- and photoproduction facilities. These results should also be useful in distinguishing conventional quark model mesons from exotica such as glueballs and hybrids through their strong decays.Comment: 69 pages, 5 figures, 39 table

A randomised controlled trial and cost-effectiveness evaluation of "booster" interventions to sustain increases in physical activity in middle-aged adults in deprived urban neighbourhoods

Background: Systematic reviews have identified a range of brief interventions which increase physical activity in previously sedentary people. There is an absence of evidence about whether follow up beyond three months can maintain long term physical activity. This study assesses whether it is worth providing motivational interviews, three months after giving initial advice, to those who have become more active. Methods/Design: Study candidates (n = 1500) will initially be given an interactive DVD and receive two telephone follow ups at monthly intervals checking on receipt and use of the DVD. Only those that have increased their physical activity after three months (n = 600) will be randomised into the study. These participants will receive either a "mini booster" (n = 200), "full booster" (n = 200) or no booster (n = 200). The "mini booster" consists of two telephone calls one month apart to discuss physical activity and maintenance strategies. The "full booster" consists of a face-to-face meeting with the facilitator at the same intervals. The purpose of these booster sessions is to help the individual maintain their increase in physical activity. Differences in physical activity, quality of life and costs associated with the booster interventions, will be measured three and nine months from randomisation. The research will be conducted in 20 of the most deprived neighbourhoods in Sheffield, which have large, ethnically diverse populations, high levels of economic deprivation, low levels of physical activity, poorer health and shorter life expectancy. Participants will be recruited through general practices and community groups, as well as by postal invitation, to ensure the participation of minority ethnic groups and those with lower levels of literacy. Sheffield City Council and Primary Care Trust fund a range of facilities and activities to promote physical activity and variations in access to these between neighbourhoods will make it possible to examine whether the effectiveness of the intervention is modified by access to community facilities. A one-year integrated feasibility study will confirm that recruitment targets are achievable based on a 10% sample.Discussion: The choice of study population, study interventions, brief intervention preceding the study, and outcome measure are discussed

Discrete population balance models of random agglomeration and cleavage in polymer pyrolysis

The processes of random agglomeration and cleavage (both of which are important for the development of new models of polymer combustion, but are also applicable in a wide range of fields including atmospheric physics, radiation modelling and astrophysics) are analysed using population balance methods. The evolution of a discrete distribution of particles is considered within this framework, resulting in a set of ordinary differential equations for the individual particle concentrations. Exact solutions for these equations are derived, together with moment generating functions. Application of the discrete Laplace transform (analogous to the Z-transform) is found to be effective in these problems, providing both exact solutions for particle concentrations and moment generating functions. The combined agglomeration-cleavage problem is also considered. Unfortunately, it has been impossible to find an exact solution for the full problem, but a stable steady state has been identified and computed

UG or not UG: Where is Recursion?

The operation Merge, applying to two syntactic objects to produce a third and instantiating the property of recursion, has been a fundamental and largely uncontroversial feature in the development of the Minimalist Programme. In early formulations, such as Chomsky (1995a, b), Merge is cited as a feature of the human language faculty that illustrates virtual conceptual necessity, and it is an examination of this characterisation that stimulates the concerns addressed here, where we argue that neither of the familiar routes (satisfaction of interface conditions or computational economy) provides a justification for the conceptually necessary status of Merge. A third route, via considerations of ‘languages as such,’ a notion that includes human and artificial languages, may provide the required justification, but, as Chomsky (1980) urges, the study of ‘languages as such’ is unlikely to yield empirically interesting results. Specifically, this route to justification will not locate Merge in UG if the content of UG is an empirical matter. This conclusion is damaging to the view (Hauser et al., 2002) that the emergence of recursion (and Merge) is the single development crucial to the evolution of language, an empirical proposal, albeit in a different discourse, that firmly places Merge in UG.