Poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEG-DA) hydrogels are widely utilized to probe cell-material interactions and ultimately for a material-guided approach to tissue regeneration. In this study, PEG-DA hydrogels were fabricated via solvent-induced phase separation (SIPS) to obtain hydrogels with a broader range of tunable physical properties including morphology (e.g. porosity), swelling and modulus (G′). In contrast to conventional PEG-DA hydrogels prepared from an aqueous precursor solution, the reported SIPS protocol utilized a dichloromethane (DCM) precursor solution which was sequentially photopolymerized, dried and hydrated. Physical properties were further tailored by varying the PEG-DA wt% concentration (5 wt%–25 wt%) and Mn (3.4k and 6k g mol −1). SIPS produced PEG-DA hydrogels with a macroporous morphology as well as increased G′ values versus the corresponding conventional PEG-DA hydrogels. Notably, since the total swelling was not significantly changed versus the corresponding conventional PEG-DA hydrogels, pairs or series of hydrogels represent scaffolds in which morphology and hydration or G′ and hydration are uncoupled. In addition, PEG-DA hydrogels prepared via SIPS exhibited enhanced degradation rates.
The intersection of homelessness and transportation is an overlooked component of transport-related exclusion research, yet mobility is recognized as playing a significant role in anyone’s well-being. The lack of research in this field is concurrent with the lack of understanding of homeless individuals’ mobility needs and travel behavior. As a result, there is little that can guide the policy-making process for the travel needs of homeless individuals. In 2015, as a response to this research gap, an interview was designed and then conducted with 159 homeless individuals across eight shelters and drop-in agencies in the city of Toronto, Canada. The interview included stated adaptation experiments to reveal how transportation affected or hindered homeless individuals’ activity participation processes. Decision choice models were estimated with econometric modeling methods, which indicated the influence of variables such as age, income, and duration of homelessness on the decision to reject or accept employment opportunities. The results also showed that a person’s accustomed mode choice and daily number of trips had an effect on the decision to travel for social activity purposes.
Background
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pressing phenomenon whose consequences are associated with severe physical and mental health outcomes. Every minute, around 24 people in the United States are raped, physically injured, or emotionally abused by their intimate partner. Although having experienced IPV is not modifiable, emotional support is a protective factor to prevent victims from committing suicide. The psychological state of IPV victims is critical in post-traumatic events and this is evidenced in numerous qualitative interviews. Therefore, the objective of this study is to explore the association between IPV with emotional support, life satisfaction, and perceived health status in the United States.
Methods
This study analyzed the data from the 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Univariate analyses, multivariable logistic regression analyses, and ordinal logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for factors associated with IPV. Analyses were conducted using SPSS version 25.
Results
The analyses show that there is a strong association between IPV experience and emotional support (AOR:1.810; 95% CI = 1.626–2.015). Participants who had either physical violence or unwanted sex with an intimate partner in the past 12 months have 2.28 higher odds to receive less emotional support and 2.05 higher odds to perceive poor life satisfaction. Also, participants who reported experiencing IPV were associated with (AOR: 3.12; 95% CI =2.68–3.62) times the odds of having ≥6 days more mentally unhealthy days in a month. For perceived health outcomes, people who had been threatened with violence by a sex partner have 1.74 (95% CI =1.54–1.96) times the odds of having poor perceived general health status. IPV survivors have 3.12 (95% CI =2.68–3.62) times the odds of having ≥6 days more mentally unhealthy days in a month.
Conclusions
People reported with any IPV experience are more likely to receive less emotional support, perceive dissatisfaction in life, and poor health outcomes. This study shows the need for policies centered on the development of interventions that focus on mental health for those who have experienced IPV.
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