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The integrative model of criminal choice proposes that cognitive and/or affective appraisals partially mediate the personality-crime relationship. The current study tests the integrated model of criminal choice across three different levels of subjective apprehension risk. Participants made hypothetical criminal choices in response to three vignette scenarios presenting criminal opportunities varying in the implied risk of apprehension. Consistent with the integrated model of criminal choice, when risk of apprehension was not manipulated, cognitive and affective appraisals (perceived risk and negative affect) partially mediated the relationship between personality (honesty-humility) and criminal choice. Higher levels of honesty-humility predicted increased perceived risk and negative affect, which in turn predicted decreased intentions to offend. When risk of apprehension was experimentally increased, personality did not affect either variable. As predicted, in both baseline and increased levels of risk of apprehension, higher levels of honesty-humility, perceived risk, and negative affect were found to significantly predict lower intentions to offend. Additionally, decreased perceived risk predicted reduced negative affect. These findings suggest that the mediating relationship between personality and crime may be dependent on the level of subjective risk of apprehension. Future studies may investigate whether different levels of situational risk moderate the relationship between personality and cognitive/affective appraisals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Emerging adulthood is characterized by maturation of executive functions (EF) and changes in health behaviors (HB). Interestingly, EF are bi-directionally related to many specific HB; yet how EF performs in relation to overall patterns of HB engagement is unclear. Groupings of HB and the relationship between these HB groupings and EF were examined. Participants. Full-time college students were recruited from three large Mid- and Southwest universities (N = 1,387). Methods. Online self-report questionnaires assessing demographics, HB, and EF were completed. Results. Latent class analysis of HB revealed three classes: (1) High Substance Use, (2) Moderately Healthy, (3) Healthy. In general, the Healthy class had significantly greater EF compared to no significant differences between the other two classes. Conclusions. Collective engagement in HB is associated with EF. Interventions targeting both HB and EF simultaneously may be most efficacious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New methodologies to unite amines and carboxylic acids that complement the popular amide coupling can significantly expand accessible chemical space if they yield products distinct from the classic R–NHC(O)–R′ amide arrangement. Here we have developed an amine–acid esterification reaction based on pyridinium salt activation of amine C–N bonds to create products of type R–OC(O)–R′ upon reaction with alkyl and aryl carboxylic acids. The protocol is robust and facile as demonstrated by automation on open-source robotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the Flynn effect is a well-recognised phenomenon impacting tests of cognitive ability, limited research has been conducted into its relevance for tests of premorbid ability. Consequently, we aimed to investigate whether estimated FSIQ scores from four commonly used word reading tasks (the NART, the NART2, the WTAR, and the TOPF) were influenced by the Flynn effect. We administered the NART, WTAR, and TOPF to 120 healthy community-dwelling adults. Using these raw scores we calculated estimated FSIQ scores using the predictive models published in the relevant manuals and compared these with scores obtained on the WASI-II. We found a linear increase in estimated FSIQ, with the oldest reading task, the NART, returning the highest scores and the most recent, the TOPF, the lowest. The NART, WTAR US, and TOPF US overestimated intellectual ability compared to current functioning measured by the WASI-II. Our findings indicated tests of premorbid functioning appear to be subject to the Flynn effect, and clinicians should exercise caution in using older word reading tasks such as the NART. Our results support the need for Australian standardisations of these instruments. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: The Flynn effect is the well-known observation that population intelligence is increasing by 3 IQ points per decade. Word reading tasks reliably and validly estimate premorbid intellectual functioning in patients with neuropsychological impairment. There is some evidence indicating word reading tasks might be impacted by the Flynn effect. What this topic adds: We replicated previous research and found results that were consistent with the Flynn effect in estimating premorbid intellectual functioning across the TOPF, WTAR and NART2 and NART. Our results confirmed older tests such as the NART are likely to significantly overestimate premorbid intellectual functioning and should be used with caution. Differences in predicted FSIQ scores based on UK and US norms point to a need for future Australian standardisations of these tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caviomorph rodents became important components of South American faunas after their Eocene arrival from Africa. Here we describe the cavioid, chinchilloid, and erethizontoid caviomorphs of the early Miocene Pampa Castillo fauna of southern Chile. This fauna's age and location make it key for resolving outstanding biostratigraphic questions concerning early Miocene Patagonian fossiliferous strata. Each of the four major caviomorph clades ("superfamilies") is represented in the Pampa Castillo fauna, three whose members are detailed here: cavioids (3 genera; 3 species), chinchilloids (3 genera; 6 species), and erethizontoids (2 genera; 2 species). Abundantly represented taxa, e.g., Neoreomys australis, Perimys erutus, and Prolagostomus pusillus, corroborate previous work assigning the Pampa Castillo fauna to the Santacrucian South American Land Mammal "Age" (SALMA; inclusive of the "Pinturan"). Several taxa, including Eosteiromys, Perimys intermedius, and Perimys sp. nov.?, are also found in the lower and middle Pinturas Formation (lmPF) but not "core" Santacrucian faunas (from the Santa Cruz Formation [SCF] along the Río Santa Cruz and Atlantic coast), suggesting a distinctive resemblance between lmPF and Pampa Castillo rodents. Some authors consider the fauna from the lmPF to form the basis of a "Pinturan" SALMA or subage, considered to slightly predate core Santacrucian faunas, but which has yet to be formally recognized. The taxonomic composition of rodent fauna from Pampa Castillo, as well as relative abundance data, indicated a paleoenvironment intermediate between the closed forests of the lmPF and the mosaic of open and closed habitats of the core Santacrucian faunas from the SCF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high theoretical lithium storage capacity of Sn makes it an enticing anode material for Li-ion batteries (LIBs); however, its large volumetric expansion during Li–Sn alloying must be addressed. Combining Sn with metals that are electrochemically inactive to lithium leads to intermetallics that can alleviate volumetric expansion issues and still enable high capacity. Here, we present the cycling behavior of a nanostructured MnSn2 intermetallic used in LIBs. Nanostructured MnSn2 is synthesized by reducing Sn and Mn salts using a hot injection method. The resulting MnSn2 is characterized by x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy and then is investigated as an anode for LIBs. The MnSn2 electrode delivers a stable capacity of 514 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at a C/10 current rate with a Coulombic efficiency >99%. Unlike other Sn-intermetallic anodes, an activation overpotential peak near 0.9 V versus Li is present from the second lithiation and in subsequent cycles. We hypothesize that this effect is likely due to electrolyte reactions with segregated Mn from MnSn2. To prevent these undesirable Mn reactions with the electrolyte, a 5 nm TiO2 protection layer is applied onto the MnSn2 electrode surface via atomic layer deposition. The TiO2-coated MnSn2 electrodes do not exhibit the activation overpotential peak. The protection layer also increases the capacity to 612 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles at a C/10 current rate with a Coulombic efficiency >99%. This higher capacity is achieved by suppressing the parasitic reaction of Mn with the electrolyte, as is supported by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we describe the litopterns, a diverse and temporally long-ranging clade of South American native 'ungulates', of the early Miocene Pampa Castillo fauna from the Galera Formation in the Andean Cordillera of southern Chile, and present a new phylogeny of Proterotheriidae, the most speciose litoptern subgroup. Two proterotheriids occur at Pampa Castillo: Thoatherium, the northernmost and first record of this taxon outside Santa Cruz Province, Argentina, and Picturotherium, known previously solely from the Pinturas Formation of north-western Santa Cruz Province. Macraucheniidae are represented at Pampa Castillo by Theosodon. Collectively, these three taxa suggest an early Miocene (Santacrucian South American Land Mammal 'Age' (SALMA)) age for the fossil mammal fauna from Pampa Castillo, reinforcing previous biochronological interpretations. Results of a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis identify Megadolodus molariformis as the earliest-diverging member of Proterotheriidae, a name for which we propose a stem-based definition. Few multi-species proterotheriid genera were recovered as monophyletic in our analysis. Three 'anisolambdid' litopterns, initially assumed to represent outgroups, instead nest deeply within Proterotheriidae, implying long ghost lineages. The phylogenetic placement of the four proterotheriids from the middle Miocene La Venta fauna of Colombia sheds light on the poorly understood long-term isolation of tropical faunas and their degree of exchange with high-latitude regions. Santacrucian SALMA assemblages in Patagonia are notable in that older localities preferentially produce earlier-diverging proterotheriids. Older sites are also marked by a mix of brachyodont and hypsodont taxa, whereas younger sites yield strictly hypsodont forms, supporting the notion of increasing aridity in Patagonia through this interval. Proterotheriids alone cannot be used to discriminate between an early or late Santacrucian age for the Pampa Castillo fauna, but the brachyodonty of Picturotherium suggests a humid climate and closed habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with cognitive impairment in out-of-home care (OOHC) are significantly over-represented in the criminal justice system. Little attention has been given to the connection between those with cognitive impairment who also have a care background and how these combined factors are linked to their criminal behaviour. A qualitative study utilising semi-structured interviews with 11 senior strategic officers and service providers to this cohort was conducted with the aim of investigating the views of these professionals and gaining insight into factors contributing to the criminalisation of children with cognitive impairment in OOHC. Five themes were identified using thematic analysis, suggesting that the primary areas of concern are: (a) increased vulnerability, (b) lack of belonging and security, (c) challenges with identification, (d) steering to the criminal justice system and (e) lack of support. These findings have important implications for both policy and practice, which are discussed in full. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence from both Australian and international jurisdictions show that children in residential care are over-represented in the criminal justice system. In the current study, we interviewed 46 professionals who had contact with young people in residential care settings in New South Wales, Australia. Our sample included police officers, residential care service providers, legal aid lawyers and juvenile justice workers, about their perceptions of the link between residential care and contact with the criminal justice system. Factors identified by the participants included the care environment itself, use of police as a behavioural management tool, deficient staff training and inadequate policies and funding to address the overrepresentation. These factors, combined with the legacy of Australia's colonial past, were a particularly potent source of criminalisation for Aboriginal children in care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyberbullying is an increasingly common characteristic of contemporary online communication. The current study surveyed 320 Internet-active young adults and found up to 80% reported engaging in this behavior at least once. In addition, the ability of the general theory of crime and general strain theory to explain cyberbullying perpetration was tested. Evidence for both theories was observed, with both low self-control and higher levels of strain related to cyberbullying perpetration. Furthermore, opportunity (operationalized as moderate and high number of hours online) interacted with low self-control to increase perpetration, and anger partially mediated the relationship between strain and cyberbullying. Implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron nanoparticles are highly-effective magnetic nanoparticles for T 2 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, the stability of their magnetic properties is dependent on good protection of the iron core from oxidation in aqueous media. Here we report the synthesis of custom-synthesized phosphonate-grafted polyelectrolytes (PolyM3) of various chain lengths, for efficient coating of iron nanoparticles with a native iron oxide shell. The size of the nanoparticle-polyelectrolyte assemblies was investigated by transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering, while surface attachment was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Low cytotoxicity was observed for each of the nanoparticle-polyelectrolyte (“Fe-PolyM3”) assemblies, with good cell viability (>80%) remaining up to 100 μg mL −1 Fe in HeLa cells. When applied in T 2 -weighted MRI, corresponding T 2 relaxivities ( r 2 ) of the Fe-PolyM3 assemblies were found to be dependent on the chain length of the polyelectrolyte. A significant increase in contrast was observed when polyelectrolyte chain length was increased from 6 to 65 repeating units, implying a critical chain length required for stabilization of the α-Fe nanoparticle core. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study uses sentencing data from the New South Wales Children’s Court to examine the impact of Indigenous status, age and sex on two outcomes: custodial status at sentence and the imposition of a detention order. Indigenous youth aged 10–16 were more likely to be in custody at sentence net of controls, although the major determinants of custody status were the criminal history of the offender as well as the nature of the offences that had been committed. Age and sex but not Indigenous status were related to the imposition of a detention order, with 17- to 21-year-old males having the highest odds of imprisonment. It is argued that while disparities in justice processing are primarily determined by differences in offending history and profile, some evidence was observed to indicate these differences may in part be a cumulative phenomenon, with early decisions indirectly leading to the later over-representation of Indigenous individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Labeling theory suggests that contact with the criminal justice system leads to feelings of stigmatization, which will consequently have the counterproductive effect of increasing offending. The current study investigated this phenomenon by (a) interviewing 394 young people sentenced in the New South Wales Children’s Court about their emotional reactions to the experience and (b) testing whether differences in these emotional reactions were related to increases or decreases in reoffending. It was found that feeling stigmatized after the hearing was a significant predictor of reoffending for the young women, but not the young men, in the sample. In addition, young men with previous convictions who reported feeling stigmatized were less likely to reoffend. The implications of these findings for the way in which young offenders are treated are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Quality of Life Inventory ( QOLI, Frisch) is an importance-weighted measure of life satisfaction that has been found to possess adequate psychometric properties in US and clinically-based samples. The current study aimed to investigate the normative distribution, factor structure and key psychometric properties of the QOLI in an Australian general community sample. Results indicated that the Australian sample ( n = 259) reported slightly better quality of life than the US-based standardisation sample. Confirmatory factor analyses showed that a three-factor model provided the best fit for the data. Psychometric properties were all generally found to be adequate and close to Frisch's reported levels. In conclusion, this study indicated that the QOLI may be used in the Australian context with confidence. Future research could examine the clinical utility of the three-factor model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the challenge the three assumptions including contact with the court system, efficacy of restorative justice and juvenile involvement in crime that support juvenile justice in Australia. It further discusses the policy implications that might result from their abandonment. It also discusses ways to reform the juvenile justice policy by abandoning the three assumptions and paying attention to the evidence to reduce the risk of juvenile reoffending.

Risk-need assessment is widely accepted as best practice with juvenile offenders and is underpinned by a healthy research literature on risk assessment inventories. Previous studies have found both similarities and differences on risk measures when gender and racial/ethnic subgroups have been compared. Differential validity has been examined, but differential prediction has been overlooked. The current study undertook gender and ethnic comparisons for a large sample (n = 3568) of community-based juvenile offenders who were evaluated using the Australian Adaptation of the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI-AA). Analyses showed various gender and ethnic differences at the item level, across domain scores and on the total inventory score, but not for validity indices. However, 1-year reoffending rates for youth in three classification categories (low, moderate, high) varied by gender and ethnicity. The findings were related to contemporary understandings of the risk factors for offending and the dynamics of crime for gender/ethnic subgroups. It is argued that in spite of these subgroup differences, a generic inventory such as the YLS/CMI-AA can be used fairly with various subgroups. Recommendations for how this could be accomplished are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses propensity score matching to test the proposition that imprisonment deters future criminal activity among juvenile offenders. Using data from all court appearances of juveniles in the NSW Children’s Court (Australia) between 2003 and 2004 (N = 6196), the reoffending of a group of young offenders sentenced to control (i.e. custodial) orders (N = 376) was compared to a matched group of offenders receiving community-based sanctions. No differences were observed between the two groups. The young offenders given detention orders had a slightly lower rate of reoffending, but this difference was not significant. The results of this study indicate that, over the time period examined in this study, the imposition of a custodial sentence had no effect on the risk of reoffending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patulous Eustachian tube is the uncommon condition of a persistently open Eustachian tube, which causes the disturbing symptoms of autophony and respiratory-synchronous tinnitus. We review this condition and propose a specific evaluation protocol that can be performed quickly and easily using standard audiologic test equipment. We have used this protocol in the evaluation of a number of patients and will discuss our findings. Purpose: To establish a standardized protocol for the audiologic evaluation of patulous Eustachian tube using a standard clinical tympanometer and to establish norms with respect to tympanic membrane movement during breathing tasks. Research Design: Quantitative analysis of test results obtained during clinical evaluation of patients referred for suspected patulous Eustachian tube during 2008 and 2009. Study Sample: The cohort was 35 individuals including 25 patients referred for suspected patulous Eustachian tube and 10 control (normal) patients. Of the total group, 25 individuals were female, 10 were male, and the overall age range was 8 yr to 82 yr. Data Collection and Analysis: Patients underwent audiologic and otologic testing including quantitative measurement of middle ear compliance during breathing and nasal endoscopy. Two tympanometers were used to assess middle ear compliance: the Grason-Stadler Instruments Model 33 and Tympstar. Endoscopy was performed using either a Storz Endoskope Xenon Nova 175 or a Pentax EPM 1000. Results of middle ear immittance tests performed during breathing tasks were compared with results of endoscopy as well as the impressions of the examining physician. Magnitude of middle ear compliance was examined for mean and standard deviation, and the control/normal group results were compared with those of individuals complaining of symptoms suggestive of patulous Eustachian tube. Results: We found that slightly greater than 75% of individual ears with patulous Eustachian tube exhibited middle ear compliance greater than 0.07 ml during breathing tasks. All ears with patulous Eustachian tube exhibited a respiratory-synchronous compliance pattern during breathing tasks. Of individual ears without patulous Eustachian tube, 97% exhibited middle ear compliance during breathing of less than 0.07 ml with no respiratory-synchronous pattern. Conclusions: Measurement of middle ear compliance during breathing appears to be a sensitive and specific tool in the examination of patulous Eustachian tube, particularly when both the magnitude of compliance and the pattern of compliance are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The criminal court system remains society's pre-eminent response to criminal activity, despite recent innovations such as youth justice conferences. Little is known, however, about the impact of an appearance before court and, in particular, whether subjective reactions to the court process have any impact on recidivism. The current article reports the results of a longitudinal study conducted in the New South Wales (NSW) Children's Court. Two hundred and six young offenders were interviewed immediately after the conclusion of their sentencing hearing using a questionnaire designed to measure the extent to which they perceived the court hearing to be a deterrent, and the extent to which they felt either stigmatised or reintegrated by the experience of being sentenced. Other factors measured included the developmental background of the young person, their academic record, peer influence, and licit and illicit drug use. Participants with previous convictions and who felt stigmatised by the hearing were more likely to reoffend, while participants rating their likelihood of arrest in the event of future offending as high, and who reported that the sentence they received would prevent future offending, were less likely to reoffend. Some evidence was obtained, therefore, to support both deterrence and labelling theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diversion from court has become a popular solution to perceived weaknesses in the traditional justice system, particularly in recent years with the advent of family group conferences. But evidence for the detrimental effect of court is weak. Previous research into this question shows a number of deficiencies. In particular, the range of controls used to isolate treatment from selection effects are, in most cases, inadequate for this purpose, and the measurement of the dependent variable (recidivism) is typically insensitive. There is also a failure to test for subjective reactions to either court or diversion. Because the theoretical justification for diversion is derived from labelling theory, which predicts that psychological reactions to court such as feelings of stigmatization will influence future behaviour, this is a major deficiency in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An airborne microwave radiometer has been thoroughly characterized by the Met Office, using a thermal-vacuum test facility and flight test data. Scan dependence due to mirror reflectivity considerations, as well as calibration target thermometry, target thermal gradients, radiometer noise, and radiometer stability are quantified. A resultant accuracy of approximately 1 K is achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature on trauma-informed care practices (TIC) indicates that this framework is beneficial for young people, carers, and staff. However, a significant gap in the literature and practice is the absence of psychometrically sound scales to measure carer adherence to TIC principles. Emerging evidence suggests that TIC practices shift carer attitudes and beliefs, which mediate positive outcomes for both carers and young people. To develop a theoretically comprehensive and psychometrically sound measure of carer TIC beliefs using Rasch methodology. Active carers (N = 719, M = 43 years, SD = 10.7 years) from online support groups in Australia, Canada, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland completed the questionnaire online. Based on previous research (e.g., limitations of the Trauma-Informed Belief Scale-Brief [TIBS-B]; Beehag, Dryer, et al., 2023a) and a scoping review of the TIC literature (Beehag, 2023), 61 candidate items were created that covered the three main characteristics of carer-related TIC theory (i.e., beliefs on TIC strategies to manage trauma symptoms, beliefs on the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACE), and beliefs on the importance of self-care/reflection). The resulting data was subjected to Rasch analyses. Following analyses and minor modifications, a 35-item version of the questionnaire was confirmed, which fitted the Rasch model and demonstrated unidimensionality, reasonable targeting, and sound internal consistency reliability (Person Separation Index = 0.81). The TIBS-C is a psychometrically sound measure of child welfare carer TIC beliefs. Future studies are needed to provide further evidence of its validity (e.g., predictive validity), reliability (e.g., test-retest reliability) and clinical utility. • First comprehensive trauma-informed care beliefs scale developed for welfare carers; • Measures three characteristics of carers, including carer beliefs on trauma-informed strategies to manage trauma symptoms, carer beliefs on the impact of ACE on young people, and carer beliefs on their self-care and self-reflection; • The candidate items were administered to 719 active child welfare carers from Australia, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the Republic of Ireland; • Following Rasch analyses, a 35-item version of the questionnaire was confirmed; • The final items fitted the Rasch model, demonstrated unidimensionality, sound targeting of lower scores, and sound internal consistency reliability (PSI =.81). The application of the Rasch model demonstrated the TIBS-C to be a psychometrically sound measure of carer beliefs about TIC practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Difference between static and dynamic behaviour of bolted connections is investigated. • Ductility in the connections is investigated and splitting failures prevented using selftapping screws. • Adequacy of modeling and analysis techniques is investigated and discussed. • Design recommendations are presented including yielding in slender connections. An experimental program to investigate the response of steel-wood-steel bolted connections subjected to simulated blast loads has been undertaken. The study aimed at investigating the dynamic increase in resistance and stiffness for stocky and slender bolts in both parallel and perpendicular to grain directions. Bolted wood connections were investigated under both static and simulated blast loading using the University of Ottawa's shock tube. The study found a dynamic increase in resistance and stiffness when the failure mode was dominated by wood crushing/embedment in both the parallel and perpendicular to grain directions. No increase in resistance or stiffness was observed when bolt yielding dominated the failure. A loss of ductility was observed under dynamic loading for the parallel to the grain connections designed to fail in wood crushing/embedment. It was found that the use of self-tapping screw reinforcement was an effective method of preventing premature splitting failures and enhancing the performance of a connection. The results showed that connections which engaged the fastener in bending exhibited more favourable behaviour than connections which engaged only in wood crushing/embedment. A two degree-of-freedom model was capable of modelling the connections even when the support frame system had some flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on newborn hearing assessment of Rhode Island for 2010 in line to its mandated universal newborn hearing screening (UHNS). It mentions that failure to observe hearing loss in children may lead the children to suffer from lifelong deficits in speech and language acquisition, poor academic performance and emotional difficulties. In the U.S., neonatal hearing loss is one of the most commonly occurring birth defects with an incidence of 12,000 to 16,000 babies each year. The Rhode Island Hearing Assessment program (RIHAP) was founded to monitor and coordinate the screening programs at eight birthing hospitals in the state. Meanwhile, benefits of newborn hearing screening, updates to hearing programs, and the developments of hearing assessment are also presented.

Abstract: Starbug is a new concept for a robotic positioning system able to deploy many payloads, such as pickoff optics, optical fibres, integral field units over the focal surface of a telescope. Aimed at addressing some of the weakness of current positioning systems, Starbug employs micro-robotic actuators to independently and simultaneously position multiple small payloads accurately on an arbitrarily large field plate. Targeted at offering a cost-effective positioning system for both optical and infrared instrumentation it is being developed to; operate in cryogenic environments, position to micron level resolution, simultaneous move arbitrary numbers of payloads and included micro-tracking for minor positional adjustments that could compensate for differential atmospheric refraction effects and instrument flexure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We describe two new macraucheniid litopterns from the late middle Miocene (ca. 13 Ma) Quebrada Honda Fauna of southern Bolivia. The holotype of ‘Theosodon’ arozquetai, sp. nov., is a partial cranium preserving RI2-M3 and LP1-M3, elements of the hind limb, and two metapodials. An upper cheek tooth series is also referred to this species. The holotype of Llullataruca shockeyi, gen. et sp. nov., is a mandible preserving nearly the entire lower dentition. A dentary, several upper teeth, and a variety of postcranial elements are also referred to this species. Two specimens from the slightly older locality of Cerdas, Bolivia, are assigned to L. cf. shockeyi. A phylogenetic analysis recovers ‘T.’ arozquetai as sister to Theosodon spp., and we provisionally refer it to that genus pending its revision. Llullataruca shockeyi forms a polytomy with three late Oligocene-early Miocene ‘cramaucheniines’ and the later-diverging macraucheniids. The body mass of ‘T.’ arozquetai is estimated at 80.8-116.2 kg, slightly smaller than early Miocene T. garretorum. Llullataruca shockeyi is among the smallest known macraucheniids based on dental dimensions and is estimated at 35.3-54.6 kg. Theosodon' arozquetai and L. shockeyi are the first well-characterized macraucheniids from the middle Miocene, and the latter species demonstrates that relatively early-diverging lineages persisted at least 7 million years longer in tropical latitudes than they did in Patagonia. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D26BB67B-D8E1-4D36-9552-4391874CF69C SUPPLEMENTAL DATA—Supplemental materials are available for this article for free at www.tandfonline.com/UJVP Citation for this article: McGrath, A. J., F. Anaya, and D. A. Croft. 2018. Two new macraucheniids (Mammalia: Litopterna) from the late middle Miocene (Laventan South American Land Mammal Age) of Quebrada Honda, Bolivia. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2018.1461632. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seagrasses are regarded as indicators and first line of impact for anthropogenic activities affecting the coasts. The underlying mechanisms driving seagrass cover however have been mostly studied on small scales, making it difficult to establish the connection to seagrass dynamics in an impacted seascape. In this study, hyperspectral airborne imagery, trained from field surveys, was used to investigate broadscale seagrass cover and genus distribution along the coast of Adelaide, South Australia. Overall mapping accuracy was high for both seagrass cover (98%, Kappa = 0.93), and genus level classification (85%, Kappa = 0.76). Spectral separability allowed confident genus mapping in waters up to 10 m depth, revealing a 3.5 ratio between the cover of the dominant Posidonia and Amphibolis. The work identified the absence of Amphibolis in areas historically affected by anthropogenic discharges, which occasionally contained Posidonia and might be recovering. The results suggest hyperspectral imagery as a useful tool to investigate the interplay between seagrass cover and genus distribution at large spatial scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amines and carboxylic acids are abundant chemical feedstocks that are nearly exclusively united via the amide coupling reaction. The disproportionate use of the amide coupling leaves a large section of unexplored reaction space between amines and acids: two of the most common chemical building blocks. Herein we conduct a thorough exploration of amine–acid reaction space via systematic enumeration of reactions involving a simple amine–carboxylic acid pair. This approach to chemical space exploration investigates the coarse and fine modulation of physicochemical properties and molecular shapes. With the invention of reaction methods becoming increasingly automated and bringing conceptual reactions into reality, our map provides an entirely new axis of chemical space exploration for rational property design. Amines and carboxylic acids are abundant chemical feedstocks, however, the current reaction space of those two building blocks is focused on amide coupling. Here, the authors extensively explore the amine–acid reaction space via systematic reaction enumeration using graph editing and demonstrate its utility in retrosynthetic analysis as well as late-stage diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First trauma informed beliefs scale designed for frontline child welfare carers. • Child welfare carers play the most important role in supporting young people with a history of adverse childhood experiences. • This scale provides a brief, efficient, and accurate method to assess carers' beliefs about trauma informed care. • Beliefs can be an efficient way to assess the likelihood of carers implementing trauma informed care practices. • The first trauma informed beliefs scale that used Rasch analysis, which increased the precision in understanding less favourable TIC beliefs. Trauma informed care (TIC) practices have been developed to diminish the range of negative consequences associated with adverse childhood experiences (e.g., unemployment, welfare, incarceration, and medical and psychiatric treatment). They have been demonstrated to benefit young people, their carers, and child welfare staff. However, a gap that has been identified in this area is the absence of psychometrically sound TIC instruments, which has hindered the TIC literature in terms of transitioning to a more methodologically robust and data driven research area. The current study aimed to develop a psychometrically sound instrument (i.e., the TIC Belief Scale) that could assess the TIC beliefs of child welfare carers who reside with youth. Initially, 143 items were developed based on widely used TIC models. After a review by an expert panel of 10 experienced trauma practitioners, 85 items were retained and administered to a sample of 469 child welfare carers. The psychometric properties of the scale were investigated using Item Response theory (Rasch analyses). Following analyses, a final scale of 13 items was accepted. The scale had good internal reliability (PSI = 0.77), showed evidence of unidimensionality, and there was no evidence of differential performance across sub-groups. The application of the Rasch model in this study provides support for the TIC Belief Scale as a psychometrically sound scale for measuring child welfare carers' beliefs about TIC practices. An algorithm proposed here for converting ordinal to interval scoring increases the precision in understanding carers' less favourable TIC beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the origins and development of University of Cincinnati's Critical Visions Certificate Program and its biennial student-produced publication "CVSN." It examines the practical, pedagogical, and institutional concerns of managing a program. It also offers information on how the curriculum was designed, the program's funding, and the use of design software in teaching the program.

Problem and pathological gambling refers to subclinical and clinical levels of maladaptive gambling, respectively, and is associated with specific sociodemographic characteristics as well as a number of poor health outcomes. We examined such demographic, physical health, mental health, and health-related behaviors in a sample of 7045 low-risk gamblers and 244 problem/pathological gamblers. Participants completed the 2014 North Carolina Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System telephone survey. Using the National Opinion Research Center’s Diagnostic Screen for Gambling Disorders-CLiP, participants were categorized as either “problem/pathological gamblers” or “low-risk gamblers.” Problem/pathological gamblers were younger, more likely to be male, of ethnic minority status, unmarried, and of lower education than low-risk gamblers. No physical health variables differentiated the groups but problem/pathological gamblers reported experiencing significantly more adverse childhood experiences and engaging in significantly more tobacco and alcohol use compared to low-risk gamblers. Moreover, gender moderated relationships between gambling group and several of the alcohol use variables such that male problem/pathological gamblers exhibited greater alcohol use behavior than male low-risk gamblers but no such relationship was present in females. Overall, this study expands the current knowledgebase on disordered gambling and highlights the need to assess disordered gambling in public health samples. Clinical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides an answer to a question of how much time an audiologist can save by using a digital scanner.

Introduction: 'Button' gastrostomy insertion is traditionally a two‐step procedure with an initial longer gastrostomy tube inserted followed by placement of the shorter 'button' gastrostomy in 6 weeks when the track is mature. The aim of this study is to assess whether the placement of a Button gastrostomy de novo is a safe and effective method of radiologically inserted gastrostomy (RIG) insertion. Methods: Using our Picture Archive and Communication System (PACS) and electronic patient charts we identified all patients who underwent primary 'button' gastrostomy over an 8‐year period with at least a 1‐year follow‐up period. We evaluated technical success rate, indications for insertion, major and minor complications, 30‐day mortality and the number of exchanges performed. Results: Overall, 482 patients underwent a primary button RIG insertion during this period with an overall success rate of 97.1%. Indications for RIG insertion included neurological and neurosurgical disorders 236 (48.9%), head and neck malignancy 182 (37.8%), oesophageal malignancy 27 (5.6%) and other indications in 37 (7.7%). The mean age was 59.55 years (range 18–88 years) with 290 men (60.2%) and 192 women (39.8%). Major complications were recorded in 0.8% and minor complications in 1.7%. A 30‐day mortality of 1% was identified (five patients), mortality was directly related to the RIG insertion in one patient (0.2%). A total of 65 exchanges/replacements took place over this period of time, with 33 (50.1%) due to 'inadvertent removal'. Conclusion: Primary button RIG insertion is a procedure that has a high success rate and low morbidity and mortality. We believe it is a safe and effective alternative to deliver enteral nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS; Zigmond ‐ Snaith, 1983) is widely used; however, its factor structure is unclear, with studies reporting differing unidimensional, two‐factor and three‐factor models. We aimed to address some key theoretical and methodological issues contributing to inconsistencies in HADS structures across samples. We reviewed existing HADS models and compared their fit using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). We also investigated methodological effects by comparing factor structures derived from Rasch and Principal Components Analysis (PCA) methods, as well as effects of a negative wording factor. An Australian community‐dwelling sample consisting of 189 females and 158 males aged 17–86 (M = 35.73, SD = 17.41) completed the 14‐item HADS. The Rasch Analysis, PCA and CFA all supported the original two‐factor structure. Although some three‐factor models had good fit, they had unacceptable reliability. In the CFA, a hierarchical bifactor model with a general distress factor and uncorrelated depression and anxiety subscales produced the best fit, but the general factor was not unidimensional. The addition of a negative wording factor improved model fit. These findings highlight the effects of differing methodologies in producing inconsistent HADS factor structures across studies. Further replication of model fit across samples and refinement of the HADS items is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Empathy is an important competence in our social world, a motivator of prosocial behavior, and thought to develop throughout the second year of life. The current study examined infants' responses to naturalistic peer distress to explore markers of empathy and prosocial behavior in young babies. Seventeen 8-month-old infants participated in a repeated measures design using the 'babies-in-groups' paradigm, with maternal presence as the independent variable. Significant differences were found between response types: Gaze was the standard response to infant distress, followed by socially directed behaviors and affect, with self-distress rarely occurring. Maternal presence was not found to impact the nature or frequency of babies' responses to peer distress. During distress episodes, babies looked preferentially at the distressed peer, then other mothers, and least to their own mother. Data revealed that infant responses to peer distress resulted in a successful cessation of that distress episode over one third of the time. Case studies are provided to illustrate the quantitative data. The results provided evidence of empathic concern and prosocial behavior in the first year of life, and provoke a challenge to developmental theories of empathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Salla Beds of Bolivia reveal a rich, late Oligocene (Deseadan, South American Land Mammal "Age") fauna composed of at least 50 mammalian species. Many taxa (e.g., rodents and typotherian notoungulates) are represented by dozens to hundreds of specimens. Litopterns are much less common but are represented by one macraucheniid and two adianthid species. Until now, only fragmentary postcrania of proterotheriids have been described from Salla. The recent discovery of a maxillary fragment with two molars, examination of previously recovered mandibular fragments, and a phylogenetic analysis, allow us to recognize Promylophis cifellii gen. et sp. nov. It is characterized by small size, absence of a metaconule on M1–2, and lower molars with a short "paracristid" and reduced or absent "paraconid." Postcranial elements referred to cf. P. cifellii resemble geologically younger (e.g., Miocene) proterotheriids by way of anatomically tridactyl, but functionally monodactyl pes, and distal femora with a supra-trochlear fossa that forms a "patellar pit" that appears to function as a passive stay apparatus for the knee joint. Such a mechanical means of diverting forces from muscle to bone and sinew could save biologically significant amounts of metabolic energy in long-standing animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Symptomatic rectus muscle sheath hematoma may be the result of bleeding originating from the inferior epigastric artery. We report the technique and the results from a series of consecutive patients treated by transcatheter embolization, evaluating both ipsilateral and contralateral retrograde approaches. Methods: This was a retrospective study including patients with verified rectus muscle sheath hematoma as a result of active extravasation from the inferior epigastric artery referred for transcatheter embolization. Technical success, clinical success and major complications were calculated. In addition, minor complications, blood transfusions required after a technically successful embolization, length of stay, peri-procedural and 30-day mortality and overall survival at 6 months were obtained. All statistical analysis was performed using SPSS. Results: Twenty-one patients (mean age = 59.67 ± 19.51 years old) were included. The cause of the bleeding in the vast majority was iatrogenic trauma (n = 12/21, 57.14%). Both contralateral (n = 12/21, 57.14%%) and ipsilateral (n = 9/21, 42.86%) retrograde approaches were used. Embolic materials included micro-coils (n = 13/20, 65%), microspheres (PVA) (n = 1/20, 5%), a combination of PVA and micro-coils (n = 5/20, 25%) and gel-foam (n = 1/20, 5%). Overall technical success was 95.2% (n = 20/21) while clinical success was achieved in all but one of the technically successful cases 95% (n = 19/20). One patient died peri-procedurally due to profound hemodynamic shock. There were no other major complications. Additional transfusion was necessary in 7 patients (n = 7/21, 33.33%). There was a significant increase in the hemoglobin levels after the embolization (7.03 ± 1.78 g/dL pre-procedure Vs 10.91 ± 1.7 g/dL post-procedure, p = 0.048). The median hospital stay was 8 days. The peri-procedure and 30-day mortality was 4.8% (n = 1/21) and 28.6% (n = 6/21) respectively. The 6-month survival was 61.9% (13/21). Conclusion: Percutaneous embolization of the inferior epigastric artery is a minimally invasive method with satisfactory results. Both ipsilateral and contralateral retrograde approaches are feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) is a commonly administered battery for assessing intellectual and cognitive abilities. Despite its popularity, construct validation studies primarily utilize the WAIS-IV normative sample rather than ecologically-valid clinical samples. The current study expands the literature on the validity of WAIS-IV by testing a bifactor model in such a sample. We examined archival data from 300 concurrent psychological evaluations performed at a university-based community clinic. Participants received the full WAIS-IV standard battery. Consistent with recent literature, confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) favored a direct hierarchical model, where the g factor has a direct influence on WAIS-IV subtest performance and index scores explain only modest degrees of residual variance. Results challenge traditional intelligence nosologies and suggest consideration of a two-step method of WAIS-IV interpretation in clinical samples, whereby the Full Scale IQ score (FSIQ) score is examined first and individual subtest scores are analyzed second. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Problem and pathological gambling refers to subclinical and clinical levels of maladaptive gambling, respectively, and is associated with specific sociodemographic characteristics as well as a number of poor health outcomes. We examined such demographic, physical health, mental health, and health-related behaviors in a sample of 7045 low-risk gamblers and 244 problem/pathological gamblers. Participants completed the 2014 North Carolina Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System telephone survey. Using the National Opinion Research Center's Diagnostic Screen for Gambling Disorders-CLiP, participants were categorized as either "problem/pathological gamblers" or "low-risk gamblers." Problem/pathological gamblers were younger, more likely to be male, of ethnic minority status, unmarried, and of lower education than low-risk gamblers. No physical health variables differentiated the groups but problem/pathological gamblers reported experiencing significantly more adverse childhood experiences and engaging in significantly more tobacco and alcohol use compared to low-risk gamblers. Moreover, gender moderated relationships between gambling group and several of the alcohol use variables such that male problem/pathological gamblers exhibited greater alcohol use behavior than male low-risk gamblers but no such relationship was present in females. Overall, this study expands the current knowledgebase on disordered gambling and highlights the need to assess disordered gambling in public health samples. Clinical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Declining forest health can affect crucial ecosystem functions, such as carbon storage in biomass and soils, the regulation of water regimes, the modulation of regional climate and conservation of biodiversity. Airborne laser scanning (ALS) and imaging spectroscopy (IS) are two potentially complementary remote sensing technologies capable of characterizing and monitoring regional forest health. However, the combined use of ALS and IS data to classify the health of individual trees has not yet been assessed. In this study we propose a new approach utilizing ALS and IS combined to characterize the health of individual trees. Firstly, we applied a recently developed bottom-up individual tree delineation algorithm across a structurally complex floodplain eucalypt forest that has experienced episodes of severe dieback over the past six decades. We further calculated ALS and IS indices for delineated tree crowns and used them as predictor variables in machine learning models. We trained and evaluated an object-oriented random forest classifier against field-measured tree crown dieback and transparency ratios, as indicators of eucalypt tree health and crown density, respectively. Our results showed that dieback levels of individual trees can be classified using ALS and IS with an overall accuracy of 81% and a kappa score of 0.66, while the classification of tree crown transparency levels had an overall accuracy of 70% and a kappa score of 0.5. Returned pulse width, intensity and density related ALS indices were the most important predictors in the tree health classification, as they accounted for > 40% of the variance in the data. At the forest level in terms of dieback, 81.5% of correctly delineated trees were classified as healthy, 12.3% as declining and 6.2% as dying or dead. Dieback occurred primarily in areas that were flooded < 5% of the time, as quantified by Landsat derived flooding frequency (1986–2011). Our results provide a novel application of ALS and IS to accurately classify the health of individual trees in a structurally complex eucalypt forest, enabling us to prioritize areas for forest health promotion and conservation of biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a case of a 63-year-old man with a complicated postsurgical bronchopleural fistula (BPF), which was treated with a minimally-invasive hybrid procedure using fluoroscopy, bronchoscopy, and thoracoscopy. A previous surgical attempt had failed to seal the pathologic tract. An Amplazter II vascular plug was successfully deployed into the BPF, followed by autologous blood and glue injection. An adjunctive endoscopically-guided glue embolization was deemed necessary. The 14-month clinical and imaging follow-up confirmed the successful exclusion of the BPF. No migration of the device was noted and the patient remained asymptomatic. The combined endoscopic and fluoroscopic guided management of a BPF using the Amplatzer II vascular plug and glue was proven safe and effective after mid-term follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Well-established models of colorectal cancer progression are based on the idea that the disease evolves through a multistep process involving sequential genetic mutations, suggesting that progression through clinically defined stages should correlate with well-defined patterns of gene expression. The majority of studies to date, however, have assessed these processes one gene and one protein at a time. We report the first comprehensive assessment of both gene and protein expression performed in parallel across progressive stages of human colorectal neoplasia. Remarkably, despite the global nature of the gene expression assessment, very few genes could be linked with certainty to specific proteins through currently available annotations. Furthermore, the correlation of expression between identified genes and proteins was poor. Nevertheless, both produced expression signatures that differentiated normal mucosa and nonmalignant adenomas from each other and from the malignant carcinomas and both produced fairly consistent subclasses of the malignancies, suggesting that a molecular staging might be more appropriate provided that these profiles can be tied to clinical outcome. This is potentially important as clinical staging is widely used as a prognostic indicator and used in the decision to pursue adjuvant therapies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

BT is a leading international supplier of telepresence in the form of telephony. Telepresence enables "people as content," and there are rapidly developing and wideranging opportunities for broadband, mobile, multimedia telepresence services. This paper outlines work in progress at BT Adastral Park, including projects on large-scale inhabited applications, networked immersion or "through-the-screen" conferencing, and wearable computing for ubiquitous telepresence. We conclude that research into future services requires a reappraisal of traditional methods, with an emphasis on multidisciplinary collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]