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Introduction: Governments worldwide are committed to reducing the prevalence of peer-to-peer online trolling. The practice of peer-to-peer online trolling, which is broadly defined as where a user intends to cause disruption or conflict online for their own amusement or advantage, is a widespread pervasive and damaging behavior, affecting over one-third of all social media users. There remains, however, a substantial barrier to addressing this behaviour due to a lack of understanding of peer-to-peer online trolling and its unique psychopathology that distinguishes it from other forms of peer-to-peer online abuse such as cyberbullying and flaming, as well as the primary information technology approach used to investigate trolling. Providing a synthesis of peer-to-peer online trolling research will assist organisations, governments and educators in addressing this deviant behaviour online., Methods and Analysis: This protocol follows the six-stage scoping review process proposed by Arksey and O'Malley. Identifying the scoping review research question (stage 1) is followed by discussion on how studies will be selected (stage 2). We then discuss how we will determine which studies will be included in the scoping review (stage 3), as well as chart the data involved for each study included (stage 4). In stage 5, the scoping review protocol gathers, synthesises and reports the results, and consults with stakeholders about the initial protocol specifications (stage 6)., Ethics and Dissemination: As the scoping review methodology focuses on incorporating information from available publications, ethical approval is not required. An article summarising the scoping review results will be submitted for publication to a journal, presented at appropriate conferences and disseminated as part of future workshops with professionals and educators involved in reducing online trolling., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Nutraceutical-based interventions hold promise to reduce blood pressure (BP) and arterial stiffness, which are two cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. However, the effects of coconut sap powder (CSP), an Asian sweetener and novel nutraceutical, on BP and arterial stiffness in middle-aged and older adults (MA/O, ≥45 yr) has yet to be established. We hypothesized CSP will decrease BP and arterial stiffness in MA/O adults. In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study design, 19 (age 55.3 ± 2.1 yr) MA/O adults completed measures of brachial and carotid BP, and arterial stiffness [carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), common carotid artery (CCA) β-stiffness, compliance, distensibility, and Young's and Peterson's Elastic moduli] before and after 8 wk of CSP (1.5 g/day) or placebo (1.5 g/day). A two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to compare group mean differences. Compared with placebo, CSP lowered brachial systolic BP (SBP) (CSP pre: 117.4 ± 2.9 vs. post: 109.0 ± 2.4 mmHg, P < 0.05), but not carotid SBP ( P = 0.12). CSP also lowered Young's (CSP pre: 5,514.4 ± 1,115.4 vs. post: 3,690.6 ± 430.9 kPa) and Peterson's elastic moduli (CSP pre: 22.2 ± 4.4 vs. post: 19.2 ± 4.5 kPa) ( P < 0.05, both). A trend for CSP to lower CCA β-stiffness ( P = 0.06) and increase CCA compliance ( P = 0.07) was also observed. Arterial stiffness assessed by cfPWV did not change ( P > 0.05). No inflammatory or antioxidant biomarkers were affected by CSP. In summary, 8 wk of CSP lowers brachial SBP and CCA mechanical stiffness indicating a potential cardioprotective effect in MA/O adults. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Blood pressure (BP) and arterial stiffness are important predictors of cardiovascular health with aging. Nutraceuticals are an easy-to-implement lifestyle strategy demonstrating promise to effectively lower BP and arterial stiffness with aging and ultimately cardiovascular disease risk. We demonstrate that coconut sap powder (CSP), a traditional Asian sweetener, lowers brachial systolic BP and carotid artery mechanical stiffness in middle-aged and older (MA/O) adults. These findings provide initial evidence for the CSP-related cardioprotective effects in MA/O adults.

There has been limited longitudinal investigation to date into the association between bullying, self-harm, and suicidality in Australia and the impact of specific demographic differences on this relationship. This is despite the continued rise in the incidence of bullying, self-harm, and suicide. As such, the current study draws on data from the Longitudinal Survey of Australian children (LSAC) to examine the association between bullying, self-harm, and suicidality and explore the impact of demographic differences across three bullying related behaviors (being bullied, bullying others and being both bullied and bullying others). The evidence indicates that bully-victims exhibit the highest risk of self-harm and suicidality in Australia. When considering demographic differences, it was identified that females and adolescents aged 16-17-years-of-age had the highest risk of self-harm and suicidality. Further, a direct curvilinear relationship between age and the categories of self-harm was identified with an inflection point around 16-17 years. The study supports the need for further investigation into the association between bullying, self-harm, and suicidality longitudinally with a particular focus on other moderators., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Ahmad et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

School bullying is a global phenomenon with teachers often at the forefront of responding to this behavior. It is, therefore, important that teachers are able both to understand and articulate what bullying is and to recognize bullying behavior. Ninety-five Australian early childhood teachers participated in an online survey to define bullying, fighting and identify the differences between the two behaviors. They were also asked to identify from 20 scenarios whether the behaviors depicted traditional bullying behaviors, cyberbullying behaviors, non-bullying face-to-face behaviors or non-cyberbullying behaviors. Results found that teachers described some of the three characteristics of bullying, that is, the intention to harm, power difference, and repetition; however, many teachers had difficulty clearly explaining the distinguishing differences between bullying and fighting. The majority of teachers identified the bullying behaviors in the scenarios; however, some teachers misinterpreted some non-bullying behaviors as bullying. The need to increase teacher's knowledge of bullying to support the prevention and intervention of bullying are discussed.

This study examined changes in maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) force following dominant (Dm) and nondominant (NDm) unilateral, handgrip isometric holds to failure (HTF) for the exercised ipsilateral (IPS) and non-exercised contralateral (CON) limbs and determined if there are sex- and hand- (Dm vs NDm) dependent responses in the HTF time, performance fatigability (PF) for the exercised IPS limb, and changes in MVIC force for the CON limb after unilateral fatigue. Ten men and 10 women (Age = 22.2 years) completed an isometric HTF at 50% MVIC for the Dm and NDm hand on separate days. Prior to, and immediately after the HTF, an MVIC was performed on the IPS and CON limbs, in a randomized order. The Dm (130.3 ± 36.8 s) HTF (collapsed across sex) was significantly longer (p = 0.002) than the NDm (112.1 ± 34.3 s). The men (collapsed across hand) demonstrated IPS (%Δ = 22.9 ± 10.8%) PF and CON facilitation (%Δ = -6.1 ± 6.9%) following the HTF, while the women demonstrated differences in PF between the Dm and NDm hands for the IPS (%Δ Dm = 28.0 ± 9.4%; NDm = 32.3% ± 10.1%; p = 0.027), but not the CON limb (%Δ Dm = -1.6 ± 5.7%; NDm = 1.7 ± 5.9%). The cross-over facilitation of the CON limb for men, but not women, following a unilateral, isometric handgrip HTF may be related to post-activation potentiation.

Cognitive control training has gained traction as an intervention for reducing anxiety and depression vulnerability in adults. There are, however, a limited number of studies investigating such training interventions for reducing symptomology of anxiety and depression in children and adolescents. Thus, we aimed to provide a robust review and qualitative synthesis of the available research in young people. Twelve articles met the inclusion criteria, and all were randomised control trials. Evidence of the efficacy of cognitive control training for relief of symptoms are reported separately for anxiety, depression, and other related psychological factors, and on the basis of type of cognitive control training paradigm. A lack of standardisation in relation to type of intervention, duration and context, outcome measures and population was observed. Results are discussed in terms of these variations and recommendations for future research are provided., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Despite a large body of literature on the association between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) and various chronic diseases, limited knowledge is available regarding the association between DII and migraine. Therefore, we assessed the relationship between the DII and migraine characteristics, including duration, frequency, and severity of migraine headaches, Headache Impact Test-6 (HIT-6), and serum levels of nitric oxide (NO). This population-based cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2019 to June 2020 among 262 patients (38 men and 224 women; 20-50 years). A 168-item semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was gathered to evaluate dietary intake, and subsequently, an energy-adjusted DII score was calculated. After controlling for potential confounders, an increase of 3.48 in headache frequency was observed when the DII score increased from - 4.04 to - 1.83 (β = 3.48; 95% CI 1.43, 5.54). In the crude model, headache duration tended to be inversely associated with DII in the subjects with the pro-inflammatory diet compared to those with the anti-inflammatory diet (β = - 0.22; 95% CI - 0.46, 0.02). After adjustment for confounders, those with the highest DII values were at a higher risk of severe headaches than those with the lowest values (OR = 2.25; 95% CI 1.17, 4.32). No other significant results were found in terms of the association between DII and HIT-6 or serum NO levels. We found evidence suggesting that higher adherence to a diet with anti-inflammatory properties was significantly and inversely related to headache frequency. Furthermore, our results suggest that the DII score is substantially related to migraine severity., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic response limited access to many traditional forms of physical activity (PA). Purpose:To assess changes in objectively measured PAofUniversity staff during the initial stageofthe COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: We implemented a repeated measures natural experiment design. PA data (walking distance, steps∙d#x2D;1, and Moderate#x2D;to#x2D;Vigorous PA (MVPA) time) from commercial grade triaxial accelerometers were collected from employees (N#x3D;625) of a large, public university in the southeast United States during the months of Jan#x2D;May in calendar years 2019 and 2020., Results: Walking distance (6#x2D;9#x25;, p#x3C;0.001) and steps∙d#x2D;1(7#x2D;11#x25;, p#x3C;0.001) were lower during April and May 2020 compared to 2019. However, MVPA time was not significantly different among calendar years for the months of March#x2D;May. Steps∙d#x2D;1significantly decreased after WHO's worldwide pandemic declaration (10,348#xB1;171 v. 9551#xB1;156 steps∙d#x2D;1, p#x3C;0.001) and campus closure (10,100#xB1;160 v. 9,186#xB1;167 steps∙d#x2D;1, p#x3C;0.001). Conversely, steps∙d#x2D;1significantly increased after implementation of the state's "Healthy at Home" order (9,693#xB1;177 vs. 10,156#xB1;185 steps∙d#x2D;1, p#x3C;0.001)., Conclusion: A decrease in daily steps, but not MVPA, suggests increased sedentary behavior, not reduced participation in exercise, during the early stages of the COVID#x2D;19 pandemic. Specific pandemic response policies may positively or negatively affect PA and sedentary behavior.

Evidence suggests that eating nuts may reduce the risk of CVD. This study was intended to pool the data of all randomised controlled trials (RCT) available to determine if pistachios confer a beneficial effect on anthropometric indices, inflammatory markers, endothelial dysfunction and blood pressure. Without language restriction, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library and Web of Science were searched for articles published from the earliest records to June 2019 investigating the effect of pistachio consumption on inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and hypertension. Mean difference (MD) was pooled using a random effects model. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to evaluate the quality of the studies. The meta-analysis of thirteen RCT with 563 participants indicated that pistachio consumption significantly decreased systolic blood pressure (SBP) (MD: -2·12 mmHg, 95 % CI -3·65, -0·59, P = 0·007), whereas changes in flow-mediated dilation (MD: 0·94 %, 95 % CI -0·99, 2·86, P = 0·813), diastolic blood pressure (MD: 0·32 mmHg, 95 % CI -1·37, 2·02, P = 0·707), C-reactive protein (MD: 0·00 mg/l, 95 % CI -0·21, 0·23, P = 0·942), TNF-α (MD: -0·09 pg/ml, 95 % CI -0·38, 0·20, P = 0·541), body weight (MD: 0·09 kg, 95 % CI -0·38, 0·69, P = 0·697), BMI (MD: 0·07 kg/m2, 95 % CI -0·16, 0·31, P = 0·553) and waist circumference (MD: 0·77 cm, 95 % CI -0·09, 1·64, P = 0·140) were not statistically significant. This systematic review and meta-analysis suggested the efficacy of pistachio consumption to reduce SBP levels. However, further large-scale studies are needed to confirm these results.

This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were conducted to determine the effects of grapes and grape products on inflammation and oxidative stress among adults. PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were searched up to July 2020 to identify RCTs investigating the effects of grape and grape products on inflammatory and oxidative stress markers. Weighted mean differences (WMD) were pooled using a random-effects model. Of the 8,962 identified studies, 24 RCTs (27 arms) were included in the statistical analysis. Grape products significantly reduced serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels (WMD: -0.35 mg/L; 95% CI: -0.62, -0.09, p = .008), but they had no significant effect on serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) (WMD = -1.08 pg/ml; 95% CI: -2.29, 0.11, p = .07), interleukin-6 (IL-6) (WMD = 0.13 pg/ml; 95% CI: -0.35, 0.60, p = .60), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) (WMD = 0.15; 95% CI: -0.35, 0.65, p = .54), or malondialdehyde (MDA) (WMD = 0.14; 95% CI: -0.64, 0.92, p = .72). The analysis indicated possible decreasing effects of grapes and grape products on CRP, but they might not be able to change IL-6, TNF-α, TAC, and MDA concentrations. Nonetheless, further studies are warranted before definitive conclusions may be reached., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Epidemiological studies have suggested that there is an association between diet and mental health. The aim of the current study was to explore the association between dietary zinc intake and risk of depression, anxiety, and sleep quality distortion among female students of the Semnan University of Medical Sciences in a cross-sectional study. From January through October 2019, 142 female students were randomly selected from the Department of Nutrition and Food Science at the Semnan University of Medical Sciences by simple random sampling. Food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) were used to assess participants' dietary intake over the past 12 months. Depression, anxiety, and sleep quality were examined by the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), respectively. In the analysis, the crude model was adjusted for total energy intake (kcal), while the model was adjusted for energy intake (kcal), age, economic status, physical activity level, serum vitamin D level, and body mass index. Dietary zinc intake is significantly associated with depression (odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)): 2.34 (0.38-4.30)) and anxiety (OR (95% CI): 3.43 (2.36-4.50)), sleep disorders (OR (95% CI): 3.65 (2.16-5.13)), sleep duration (OR (95% CI): 2.62 (0.39-4.86)), and daytime dysfunction (OR (95% CI): 5.31 (2.84-7.78)) in the model, as well as sleep delay (OR (95% CI): 1.80 (1.05-2.55)) and mental quality of sleep (OR (95% CI): 1.63 (1.10-2.15)) in the crude analysis. This cross-sectional study supports the inverse association between dietary zinc intake and mood disorders, including depression and anxiety, and some indices of sleep disturbance in the Iranian female students. Further cohort or intervention studies are required to draw a firm link between dietary zinc intake and mental health.

Objectives: Arterial stiffness, particularly of the aorta, is an independent predictor of future cardiovascular disease, all-cause mortality, and hypertension. Arterial stiffening may be caused or exacerbated by the composition of the diet. Current research has indicated that habitual dietary patterns may influence arteriosclerosis, or the thickening and hardening of the artery walls, but has yet to identify a specific food group as the culprit. In young, college-aged adults, dietary fat intake and alcohol consumption tend to be higher compared to other periods throughout the life cycle. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the influence of dietary fat and alcohol consumption on the vascular health of apparently healthy young adults., Methods: The data collected were assessed to determine if dietary fat and alcohol in young (18-30 y), college-aged adults (n = 50) were independent predictors of an increase in arterial stiffening. Vascular health was determined by the carotid-femoral pulse-wave velocity and the augmentation index corrected for a heart rate of 75 beats/min; dietary patterns were assessed using the Dietary Health Questionnaire II., Results: The gold standard marker of aortic stiffness, carotid femoral pulse-wave velocity, was positively correlated with cheese consumption (R 2  = 0.092, P = 0.033), alcohol consumption (R 2  = 0.102, P = 0.024), and total energy/calories (%) from alcohol (R 2  = 0.118, P = 0.015) in univariate analysis. In forward-selection multiple regression analysis, energy from alcohol and cheese consumption accounted for 23.7% of the variance in carotid-femoral pulse-wave velocity (P = 0.009). The augmentation index wave reflection marker was positively correlated with total dietary fat (R 2  = 0.110, P = 0.019), trans fatty acids (R 2  = 0.092, P = 0.032), saturated fatty acids (R 2  = 0.124, P = 0.012), monounsaturated fatty acids (R 2  = 0.012, P = 0.015), red-meat consumption (R 2  = 0.094, P = 0.030), and discretionary fat from solids in univariate analysis (R 2  = 0.137, P = 0.008). Discretionary fat from solids accounted for 13.7% of the variation in augmentation index in forward-selection multiple regression analysis (P = 0.008)., Conclusions: These results indicate the potential roles of dietary fat and alcohol consumption in early vascular aging by stiffening the arteries of young, college-aged adults, which may in turn contribute to future adverse cardiovascular disease outcomes., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Clinical trials considering the effects of artichoke supplementation on blood pressure have yielded different and contradictory outcomes. Thus, a systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to assess effects of artichoke administration on blood pressure., Methods: Related studies were detected by searching the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase and Scopus databases up to 15 March 2020. Weighted Mean Differences (WMD) were pooled using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity, sensitivity analyses, and publication bias were evaluated using standard methods., Results: Pooled analysis of eight randomized controlled trials revealed that artichoke supplementation did not have an effect on systolic blood pressure (SBP), (WMD: -0.77 mmHg, 95 % CI: -2.76 to 1.22) or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (WMD: -0.11 mmHg, 95 % CI: -1.72 to 1.50) when compared to the placebo group. However, subgroup analyses based on health status suggested that artichoke administration among hypertensive patients may significantly reduce SBP (WMD: -3.19 mmHg, 95 % CI: -3.32 to -3.06) and DBP (WMD: -2.33 mmHg, 95 % CI: -2.23 to -2.43), but no such reduction was found in NAFLD patients. Furthermore, our results indicated that artichoke supplementation for 12 weeks led to a significantly decreased DBP (WMD: -2.33 mmHg, 95 % CI: -2.43 to -2.23), but 8 weeks of intervention did not (WMD: 0.80 mmHg, 95 % CI: -1.06 to 2.66)., Conclusion: Artichoke supplementation may potentially lead to SBP and DBP reduction in hypertensive patients. In addition, artichoke supplementation for 12 weeks may significantly improve DBP., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Intense exercise, especially involving eccentric contractions, causes muscle damage concomitant with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can lead to increased fatigue and decrements in physical performance. Additionally, inflammatory cytokines and advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are produced as a result of eccentric exercise and may further lead to decreased exercise performance. Nutritional interventions may provide an avenue to respond to and reduce the symptoms associated with muscle damage. Of recent interest, curcumin, the main constituent in the spice turmeric, has been the focus of various studies considering post-exercise recovery. Curcumin has potent anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and can reduce the accumulation of AGEs. This review considers the current evidence for curcumin to impact muscle recovery following exercise to improve performance and the potential mechanisms of action. To date, clinical studies have considered the potential role of curcumin to reduce muscular damage following treadmill running (downhill and flat), conventional walking/running, cycling (acute and chronic), single-leg jumping (downhill), and eccentric muscular fitness exercises of the upper and lower body (single- and double-leg). Studies have been conducted in sedentary to highly active men and women, both young and old, with supplementation duration lasting from a single, acute dose to daily dosages for three months. Various curcumin-based interventions have improved self-perceived measures of pain and tenderness, reduced evidence of muscle damage, ameliorated inflammatory markers, increased markers of antioxidant capacity, diminished markers of oxidative stress, reduced markers of AGEs, and attenuated loss in mean power of single-leg sprints. However, these findings have not been consistently reported.

Herrick, LP, Goh, J, Menke, W, Campbell, MS, Fleenor, BS, Abel, MG, and Bergstrom, HC. Effects of curcumin and fenugreek soluble fiber on the physical working capacity at the fatigue threshold, peak oxygen consumption, and time to exhaustion. J Strength Cond Res 34(12): 3346-3355, 2020-The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of curcumin in combination with fenugreek soluble fiber (CUR + FEN) or fenugreek soluble fiber alone (FEN) on the neuromuscular fatigue threshold (PWCFT), peak oxygen consumption (V˙o2peak), and time to exhaustion (Tlim) on a graded exercise test (GXT), in untrained subjects. The PWCFT estimates the highest power output that can be maintained without evidence of neuromuscular fatigue. Forty-seven untrained, college-aged subjects were randomly assigned to one of 3 supplementation groups; placebo (PLA, n = 15), CUR + FEN (500 mg·d, n = 18), or FEN (300 mg·d, n = 14). The subjects completed a maximal GXT on a cycle ergometer to determine the PWCFT, V˙o2peak, and Tlim before (PRE) and after (POST) 28 days of daily supplementation. Surface electromyographic signals were recorded from a bipolar electrode arrangement on the vastus lateralis of the right leg during each test. Separate one-way analysis of covariances were used to determine if there were between-group differences for adjusted POST-PWCFT, POST-V˙o2peak, and POST-Tlim values, covaried for the respective PRE-test scores. The adjusted POST-PWCFT for the CUR + FEN group (mean ± SD: 196 ± 58 W) was greater (p = 0.016) than the PLA group (168 ± 49 W) but the FEN group (185 ± 32 W) was not different from the CUR + FEN or PLA groups (p > 0.05). There were no differences for adjusted POST-V˙o2peak (p = 0.612) or POST-Tlim (p = 0.508) among the groups. These findings suggested curcumin combined with fenugreek soluble fiber might delay neuromuscular fatigue.

Purpose: Studies on the association between sleep and frailty risk have yielded contradictory outcomes. Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analysis were designed to examine the relationship between sleep and frailty risk., Methods: Relevant studies were identified by searching PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases until 30 November 2019. Data were available from ten studies. Selected articles were published between 2009 and 2019. The odds ratios of 41,233 individuals were used for the meta-analysis., Results: Pooled analysis demonstrated that when compared to the reference category of 6 to 8 hours nightly sleep duration, both the highest category (more than 8 hours, OR 1.21; 95% CI 1.10-1.32) and lowest category of sleep (under 6 hours, OR 1.13; 95% CI 1.08-1.18), were significantly correlated with increased risk of frailty. Furthermore, daytime drowsiness (OR 1.25; 95% CI 1.02-1.52), sleep disordered breathing (OR 1.28; 95% CI 1.03-1.58), and prolonged sleep latency (OR 1.18; 95% CI 1.06-1.31) enhanced the risk of frailty. Subgroup analyses by frailty status suggest that a shorter sleep duration was associated with risk of frailty but not pre-frailty. However, prolonged sleep time was significantly related with enhanced risk of pre-frailty and frailty. In addition, subgroup analyses via sex revealed that longer and shorter sleep durations increased risk of frailty in both men and women., Conclusion: The present study revealed that longer and shorter sleep durations are associated with increased risk of frailty.

This study examined the effects of curcumin and fenugreek soluble fiber supplementation on the ventilatory threshold (VT) and peak oxygen consumption ( V ˙ O 2 peak)., Methods: Forty-five untrained men and women were randomly assigned to one of three supplementation groups: placebo (PLA, n = 13), 500 mg·day -1 CurQfen ® (CUR, n = 14), or 300 mg·day -1 fenugreek soluble fiber (FEN, n = 18). Participants completed a maximal graded exercise test on a cycle ergometer to determine the VT and V ˙ O 2 peak before (PRE) and after (POST) 28 days of daily supplementation. Separate, one-way analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) were used to examine the between-group differences for adjusted POST VT and V ˙ O 2 peak values, covaried for the respective PRE-test values., Results: The adjusted POST VT V ˙ O 2 values for the CUR (mean ± SD = 1.593 ± 0.157 L·min -1 ) and FEN (1.597 ± 0.157 L·min -1 ) groups were greater than ( p = 0.039 and p = 0.025, respectively) the PLA (1.465 ± 0.155 L·min -1 ) group, but the FEN and CUR groups were not different ( p = 0.943). There were no differences in the adjusted V ˙ O 2 peak values (F = 0.613, p = 0.547) among groups., Conclusion: These findings indicated that fenugreek soluble fiber was responsible for the improvements in the submaximal performance index for both CUR and FEN groups.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Fenugreek is a traditional herbal medicine that has been used for centuries to treat hyperglycemia, muscle spasms, gastritis, constipation, edema, and other metabolic disorders. Recently, lipid-lowering effects of fenugreek have been identified., Aim of the Study: The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine and clarify the impact of fenugreek supplementation on anthropometric indices and serum lipid levels., Materials and Methods: We searched PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar from inception to June 2019 using relevant keywords. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effects of fenugreek on anthropometric indices and plasma lipids in adults were included. A random-effects model was used for quantitative data synthesis. A sensitivity analysis was conducted using the leave-one-out method., Results: A meta-analysis of 12 RCTs (14 arms) with 560 participants suggested a significant decrease in plasma concentrations of total cholesterol (WMD = -9.371 mg/dL; 95% CI: -15.419, -3.323, p = 0.002), triglycerides (WMD = -13.776 mg/dL; 95% CI: -26.636, -0.916, p = 0.036), and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (WMD = -6.590 mg/Dl; 95% CI: -13.042, -0.137, p = 0.045), as well as an increase in plasma high density lipoprotein cholesterol (WMD = 3.501 mg/dL; 95% CI: 1.309, 5.692, p = 0.002), while body weight (WMD = 0.223 kg; 95% CI: -0.509, 0.955, p = 0.551) and body mass index (WMD = 0.091 kg/m2; 95% CI: -0.244, 0.426, p = 0.596) were not altered., Conclusion: Fenugreek supplementation improved lipid parameters in adults. However, to confirm these results, more studies, particularly among hyperlipidemic patients, are needed., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background & Aims: Several clinical trials have shown that cinnamon can reduce blood pressure, but the results are controversial. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to provide a more precise estimate of the overall effects of cinnamon supplementation on blood pressure in adults., Methods: We searched PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, ISI Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases through September 2019 to identify randomized clinical trials (RCTs) investigating the effect of cinnamon supplementation on blood pressure. Data were pooled by using the random-effects model, and weighted mean difference (WMD) was considered as the summary effect size. Sensitivity analysis was conducted using the leave-one-out method., Results: Meta-analysis of 9 RCTs with 641 participants showed significant reductions in both systolic (WMD: -5.17 mmHg, 95% CI: -9.35 to -0.99, P = 0.01) and diastolic blood pressure (WMD: -3.36 mmHg, 95% CI: -5.67 to -1.04, P ≤ 0.001) after cinnamon supplementation. Subgroup analyses indicated that these results were significant only when cinnamon was administered at the dosages of ≤2 g/day, for a period longer than 8 weeks, and in participants with a baseline BMI of ≥30 kg/m 2 ., Conclusion: The present meta-analysis suggests that cinnamon supplementation can improve blood pressure by a modest degree. However, due to limited availability of studies with hypertensive cases and relatively small sample sizes of available studies, well designed trials with adequate sample sizes aimed at hypertensive populations are recommended., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest All authors confirm that they have no conflict of interests to declare., (Copyright © 2020 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is an increasingly common, under-recognized, and under-treated health concern in older adults. Its prevalence is expected to reach unprecedented levels as the Canadian population ages. In response, Health Canada commissioned the Canadian Coalition of Seniors' Mental Health to create guidelines for the prevention, screening, assessment, and treatment of AUD in older adults., Methods: A systematic review of English language literature from 2008-2018 regarding AUD in adults was conducted. Previously published guidelines were evaluated using AGREE II, and key guidelines updated using ADAPTE method by drawing on current literature. Recommendations were created and assessed using the GRADE method., Results: Twenty-two recommendations were created. Prevention recommendations: Best advice for older adults who choose to drink is to limit intake to well below the national Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines. Screening recommendations: Alcohol consumption should be reviewed and discussed on an annual basis by primary care providers. This type of discussion needs to be normalized and approached in a simple, neutral, straight-forward manner. Assessment recommendations: Positive screens for AUD should be followed by a comprehensive assessment. Once more details are obtained an individualized treatment plan can be recommended, negotiated, and implemented. Treatment recommendations: AUD falls on a spectrum of mild, moderate, and severe. It can also be complicated by concurrent mental health, physical, or social issues, especially in older adults. Naltrexone and Acamprosate pharmacotherapies can be used for the treatment of AUD in older adults, as individually indicated. Psychosocial treatment and support should be offered as part of a comprehensive treatment plan., Conclusion: These guidelines provide practical and timely clinical recommendations on the prevention, assessment, and treatment of AUD in older adults within the Canadian context., Competing Interests: CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURES The project was funded by Health Canada (Substance Use and Addictions Program). The funder had no role in the creation or approval of the recommendations. Authors received an honorarium for their work. A rigorous process was undertaken to ensure that members of the working group did not have any significant conflict of interest., (© 2020 Author(s). Published by the Canadian Geriatrics Society.)

Bullying is a perplexing and persistent problem with negative consequences for all involved. Schools are assigned considerable responsibility for the management of bullying because of its prevalence amongst youth. Despite considerable efforts over decades to curtail bullying through the use of anti-bullying policies and other school-based interventions, the rates of young people who frequently bully has not decreased significantly. Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a relational and affirming conversational method that strengthens an individual's motivation and commitment to change, overcoming ambivalence toward the problem. The aim of the current study was to provide preliminary insight into the feasibility of incorporating MI into student service repertoires for addressing bullying. Ten staff participants from six secondary schools, who had roles in bullying intervention within their respective schools, were offered training in MI and invited to use and monitor this method in their practice as an intervention for students who perpetrate bullying. Results indicated a number factors which influenced the uptake of MI in schools. Facilitators enabling the use of MI included practitioner's professional background, administrative support, training and implementation of MI. Barriers to the use of MI included time pressure and administrative expectations, school roles and system limitations, and preconceptions and the stigma of bullying., (© 2018 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Purpose of Review: The purpose of this review is to provide a concise overview of the polyphenol curcumin for improving arterial health, specifically endothelial function and arterial stiffness, to reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and to highlight potential mechanisms of action by which curcumin may improve artery function., Recent Findings: The primary findings of this review support the notion for curcumin to improve arterial health both with aging and obesity. There are few clinical trials on curcumin, and those that currently exist are small in scale but provide evidence for curcumin to improve endothelial function in older adults and reduce arterial stiffness in young, obese men. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of curcumin appear to be important targets of curcumin that are related to improved arterial health. Mechanistic studies have revealed superoxide dismutase, heme oxygenase-1 and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 as emerging targets for the beneficial effects of curcumin on the vasculature., Summary: In summary, the efficacy of curcumin for improving arterial function is promising in the limited number of clinical studies performed to date. Still, much investigation is needed to elucidate the effectiveness of curcumin for improving arterial health to lower CVD risk.

Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether an enhanced bioavailable curcumin formulation, CurQfen®, would improve circulating cardiovascular disease-related blood biomarkers and arterial function in young (age 18-35 y), obese (body mass index ≥ 30.0 kg/m 2 ) men., Methods: This double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial evaluated 22 men. The participants were matched based on body mass index and randomized to the intervention (curcumin formulated with fenugreek soluble fiber, for enhanced absorption) or control (fenugreek soluble fiber) group for 12 wk at 500mg/d without dietary modification or exercise. Blood samples and endothelial function measures were acquired at 0 and 12 wk, and blood samples were analyzed for cardiovascular disease-related blood biomarkers. Furthermore, central (aortic) blood pressure and augmentation index were monitored at 0, 4, 8, and 12 wk., Results: After 12 wk of intervention, homocysteine levels were lower (curcumin before: 12.22 ± 2.29 µg/mL, after: 8.62 ± 1.02 µg/mL versus placebo before: 9.45 ± 0.84 µg/mL, after: 11.84 ± 1.63 µg/mL; P = 0.04) and high-density lipoprotein levels were higher (curcumin before: 40.77 ± 5.37 mg/dL, after: 54.56 ± 11.72 mg/dL versus placebo before: 61.20 ± 5.76 mg/dL, after: 48.82 ± 5.49 mg/dL; P = 0.04) in the curcumin group relative to the placebo group. However, there was no significant difference in changes between the circulating concentrations of glucose, insulin, leptin, adiponectin, or oxidative stress biomarkers in the curcumin group compared with the placebo group (P > 0.05). No changes were found with endothelial function, augmentation index, or central blood pressure in the curcumin group compared with the placebo group (P > 0.05)., Conclusions: Our data provide evidence for an enhanced bioavailable curcumin to improve homocysteine and high-density lipoprotein concentrations, which may promote favorable cardiovascular health in young, obese men. Improvements in endothelial function or blood pressure were not observed with curcumin supplementation, thus further investigation is warranted., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The significant psychosocial harms from bullying among adolescents create major challenges for mental health promotion programs and services in schools. While the negative consequences of bullying victimisation are well known, to date there is scarce empirical analysis of inverse associations, in which mental health problems make children more vulnerable to bullying victimisation and perpetration. Based on a short-term longitudinal study among adolescents in Vietnam, this study examined reciprocal associations between children's depressive symptoms, psychological distress, suicidal ideation and bullying victimisation experiences (i.e., victims or bully-victims)., Methods: Secondary and high school students (n = 1167; age range: 11-16 years old; 55% female) in urban areas in northern Vietnam completed two self-administered questionnaires, 6-months apart in the academic year 2014-2015. Measures estimated bullying victimisation and perpetration in the past 6 months, depressive symptoms, psychological distress, and suicidal ideation. A cross-lagged analysis was performed to test the reciprocal associations., Results: About one-third of students in the sample were involved as victims, bullies or bully-victims at both times, with more males than females reporting these experiences. Females reported a higher level of depressive symptoms than males at Time 1 but not at Time 2. After adjusting for outcome variables and other covariates measured at Time 1, nine of 12 cross-lagged associations across three models were statistically significant, with different patterns for females and males. There were reciprocal associations between bullying victimisation and mental health problems. Bullying victimisation was shown as an independent predictor of subsequent mental health problems; in turn, mental health problems preceded students' experience of becoming victims or bully-victims. Females with mental health problems were more likely to be victims; whereas similarly distressed males were vulnerable to both being bullied and being perpetrators., Conclusion: This study is the first of its kind in Vietnam and in the Southeast Asian region to examine reciprocal associations between bullying victimisation and mental health problems among adolescents. Anti-bullying intervention and prevention programs and school-based mental health promotion programs should be integrated and be sensitive to gender differences in order to maximise their impact., Competing Interests: Competing interestsThe authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Although physical activity (PA) is associated with decreased risk of chronic diseases, fewer than half of American adults meet the recommendations for daily PA, in part, due to large amounts of sedentary time in the workplace., Purpose: To determine the efficacy of an incentivized workplace PA intervention., Design: Retrospective cohort design., Setting: Large southeastern university., Participants: Of the 16 588 eligible employees working ≥8 h/wk, 6246 (37.6%) participated and 2206 (13.3%) were included in data analysis., Intervention: Six-week PA intervention with tiered incentives (value: $10.50-$29.00)., Measures: Steps/day measured via consumer-grade PA monitors for 1-week pre-, 6-weeks during, and 1-week postintervention., Analysis: Participants were grouped by preintervention PA into 4 groups: <6000 (I); 6000 to 7999 (II); 8000 to 9999 (III); and ≥10 000 (IV) steps/d ( n = 481, 540, 485, and 700, respectively) in accordance with the tiered incentive schedule. Statistical comparisons were made by repeated-measures analysis of variance., Results: During the intervention, participants achieving ≥10 000 steps/d increased by 60%. Groups I, II, and III significantly increased steps/day during the intervention (46%, 24%, and 11%, respectively), which was partially maintained in groups I and II 1-week postintervention. Group IV did not increase steps/day during the intervention and significantly decreased steps/day 1-week postintervention. The estimated cost per participant of this intervention increased with from group I ($55.41) to IV ($71.90)., Conclusion: An incentivized, workplace PA intervention preferentially increases PA and is most cost-effective among university employees with low initial PA who may benefit substantially from increased levels of PA.

Objectives: Protein balance is a crucial determinant of myocellular size and function. The effects of fatty acids on myocellular protein balance remain controversial. The aim of this study was to determine the direct effects of a mixed-species fatty acid environment on myocellular protein synthesis and degradation., Methods: C2C12 myotubes were cultured in media containing equimolar (250 μM) palmitic acid and oleate (PO) or bovine serum albumin control for ≤72 h. Myocellular protein balance was determined via incorporation (synthesis) or release (degradation) of 3 H-tyrosine after 24, 48, and 72 h of treatment. Expression of major proteolytic genes was measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction., Results: PO significantly increased myocellular protein content at 24, 48, and 72 h. Basal myocellular protein synthesis was unchanged by PO. However, PO significantly decreased basal rate of protein degradation at 24 h and this effect persisted throughout 72 h of treatment. Expression of the proteolytic genes Atrogin-1 (MAFbx), MuRF-1, LC3, and ATG4 B, was reduced during the 72 h PO., Conclusions: A mixed-species fatty acid environment increases myocellular protein content by decreasing the rate of protein degradation, which may be regulated at the level of gene transcription., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Curcumin, when administered in a bioavailable form, has potential to influence vascular health of various populations, leading to decreases in cardiovascular disease risk. Clinical intervention studies with curcumin have demonstrated significant improvements in endothelial function, arterial compliance, arterial stiffness, and other measures of vascular hemodynamics in young, middle-aged, old, post-menopausal, healthy, diabetic, and obese individuals. Mechanistically, curcumin is believed to improve vascular function through its effects on inflammation, oxidative stress, nitric oxide bioavailability, and structural proteins of the artery. Current data give support for curcumin to be administered for improvements in vascular health to individuals that may or may not be at risk for cardiovascular disease. This review briefly summarizes the techniques used for the establishment of vascular health and overviews the literature investigating the role of curcumin in the improvement of vascular health.

Objective: Obesity is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease that increases aortic stiffness, which predicts future cardiovascular events. Additionally, obesity is associated with overconsumption, which contributes to aortic stiffening. Recent work has highlighted the role of various foods and nutrients on aortic stiffness among the general population. The objective of the present study was to explore the influence of dietary factors on obesity-associated aortic stiffness, as food choices might be a potential explanation for accelerated aortic stiffening in obesity rather than overconsumption alone., Methods: Data collected in our laboratory were evaluated in aggregate considering obese men with available measures of aortic stiffness and habitual dietary intake (n = 22). Aortic stiffness was assessed with the gold standard carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity, and habitual dietary intake was determined with the National Institutes of Health's Dietary History Questionnaire-II., Results: Whole grain consumption predicted obesity-associated aortic stiffness in regression analyses (R 2  = 0.29, P = 0.010). This correlation remained significant after adjusting for traditional risk factors (age, body mass index, blood pressure) (R 2  = 0.27, P = 0.027). Overconsumption determined by daily caloric intake was not predictive of aortic stiffness (R 2  = 0.09, P = 0.17) nor was total fiber content (R 2  = 0.06, P = 0.29)., Conclusions: These findings suggest a potential role of whole grains to protect against aortic stiffness even when dietary overconsumption is present. Fiber content has been proposed as a major beneficial component in whole grains, but it did not correlate with obesity-related aortic stiffness, suggesting whole grains may have a unique and potentially synergistic role in the protection of obesity-associated aortic health., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We hypothesized a sweet potato intervention would prevent high-fat (HF) diet-induced aortic stiffness, which would be associated with decreased arterial oxidative stress and increased mitochondrial uncoupling. Young (8-week old) C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: low fat (LF; 10% fat), HF (60% fat), low-fat sweet potato (LFSP; 10% fat containing 260.3 μg/kcal sweet potato), or high-fat sweet potato diet (HFSP; 60% fat containing 260.3 μg/kcal sweet potato) for 16 weeks. Compared with LF and LFSP, HF- and HFSP-fed mice had increased body mass and percent fat mass with lower percent lean mass (all, P < 0.05). Sweet potato intervention did not influence body composition (all, P > 0.05). Arterial stiffness, assessed by aortic pulse wave velocity and ex vivo mechanical testing of the elastin region elastic modulus (EEM) was greater in HF compared with LF and HFSP animals (all, P < 0.05). Advanced glycation end products and nitrotyrosine abundance were greater in aortic segments from HF mice compared with LF and HFSP animals (all, P < 0.05). Aortic elastin and uncoupling protein 2 expressions, however, were reduced in HF compared with LF and HFSP mice (all, P < 0.05). Aortic segments cultured with 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP), a mitochondrial uncoupler, for 72 h reduced the EEM of HF arteries compared with nontreated HF segments (P < 0.05). DNP had no effect on the EEM of aortic segments from HFSP mice. In conclusion, sweet potato attenuates diet-induced aortic stiffness independent of body mass and composition, which is associated with a normalization of arterial oxidative stress possibly due to mitochondrial uncoupling.

Although many cross-sectional studies have examined bullying experiences and correlated factors among adolescents in schools, relatively little is known about the extent to which bullying roles are stable or fluid over time. This short-term quantitative longitudinal study in Vietnam examined temporal patterns and predictors of bullying roles over an academic year. A total of 1424 middle and high school students aged 12-17 years completed two anonymous, self-administered questionnaires six months apart in 2014 and 2015. Young people were classified into different bullying roles as follow: not-involved (38.9%), victims only (24%), bullies only (6.6%), and bully-victims (40.4%) across the two times. About 60% of all surveyed students experienced bullying either as victim, bully, or bully-victim during the year. Of these students, nearly three in four indicated unstable bullying roles over time. Multivariate multinomial logistic regressions indicated factors ranging from individual (age, gender, and mental health) to family (social support, parental supervision and monitoring, witnessing parental violence, and conflict with siblings), school (perceived social support, teachers' attempt to stop bullying at school), and peers (social support, students' attempt to stop bullying at school) have significant associations with levels of bullying involvement. Implications for bullying prevention programs nationally and internationally are discussed.

Most of the published research on cyberbullying has been conducted with children and adolescents, so little is known about cyberbullying in other populations. This study examined cyberbullying within an emerging adult population in a university setting ( N = 282), and explored what coping strategies these individuals intended to use in response to future cyberbullying incidents. Blocking of the sender of the bullying message was found to be the most frequent intention to cope with cyberbullying among these emerging adults. It was also found that both gender and victimisation status (i.e., whether the emerging adult had, in the preceding twelve months, been a victim of cyberbullying) influenced coping strategy intentions. The implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Objectives: This study measured bullying roles across an academic year and examined how change in bullying experiences is associated with symptoms of depression, psychological distress, and suicidal ideation among adolescents in Vietnam., Methods: 1424 students in middle and high schools completed two self-administered questionnaires, six months apart in 2014-2015., Results: Students who were victimised often and those who were classified as highly involved as both victims and bullies at one or both survey times showed significantly higher levels of depression, psychological distress, and suicidal ideation than other students. The mental health of adolescents who were involved in bullying as a victim or bully remained at low levels was generally similar to those not involved in any bullying. However, females who had stable but low level in victimisation or bully-victim status had worse mental health than males with stable-low-level exposure., Conclusion: This is the first longitudinal analysis of bullying among adolescents in Vietnam. Persistent and frequent bullying was strongly linked with poor mental health for males and females. A new observation is that Vietnamese girls appear to be more sensitive to low level but long-term bullying involvement than were boys.

This study investigated bullying among siblings in both traditional and cyber forms, and the associations of gender, grade, peer bullying perpetration, trait anger, and moral disengagement. The participants were 455 children in Grades 5 to 12 (262 girls and 177 boys with 16 unknown gender) who had a sibling. As the number of siblings who only bullied by technology was low, these associations were not able to be calculated. However, the findings showed that the percentage of sibling traditional bullying perpetration (31.6%) was higher than peer bullying perpetration (9.8%). Sibling bullies reported engaging in complex behaviors of perpetration and victimization in both the physical and in cyber settings, although the number was small. Gender, trait anger, moral disengagement, and bullying peers at school (but not grade) were all significantly associated with sibling traditional bullying perpetration. The implications of the findings are discussed for bullying intervention and prevention programs to understand childhood bullying in diverse contexts., (© The Author(s) 2014.)

Fish oils (FOs) have anti-inflammatory effects and lower serum triglycerides. This study examined adipose and muscle inflammatory markers after treatment of humans with FOs and measured the effects of ω-3 fatty acids on adipocytes and macrophages in vitro. Insulin-resistant, nondiabetic subjects were treated with Omega-3-Acid Ethyl Esters (4 g/day) or placebo for 12 weeks. Plasma macrophage chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) levels were reduced by FO, but the levels of other cytokines were unchanged. The adipose (but not muscle) of FO-treated subjects demonstrated a decrease in macrophages, a decrease in MCP-1, and an increase in capillaries, and subjects with the most macrophages demonstrated the greatest response to treatment. Adipose and muscle ω-3 fatty acid content increased after treatment; however, there was no change in insulin sensitivity or adiponectin. In vitro, M1-polarized macrophages expressed high levels of MCP-1. The addition of ω-3 fatty acids reduced MCP-1 expression with no effect on TNF-α. In addition, ω-3 fatty acids suppressed the upregulation of adipocyte MCP-1 that occurred when adipocytes were cocultured with macrophages. Thus, FO reduced adipose macrophages, increased capillaries, and reduced MCP-1 expression in insulin-resistant humans and in macrophages and adipocytes in vitro; however, there was no measureable effect on insulin sensitivity.

The rate of emotional and behavioural disturbance in children with intellectual disability (ID) is up to four times higher than that of their typically developing peers. It is important to identify these difficulties in children with ID as early as possible to prevent the chronic co-morbidity of ID and psychopathology. Children with ID have traditionally been assessed via proxy reporting, but appropriate and psychometrically rigorous instruments are needed so that children can report on their own emotions and behaviours. In this study, the factor structure of the self-report version of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was examined in a population of 128 children with ID (mean age=12 years). Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis showed a three factor model (comprising Positive Relationships, Negative Behaviour and Emotional Competence) to be a better measure than the original five factor SDQ model in this population., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Research has consistently found that school students who do not identify as self-declared completely heterosexual are at increased risk of victimization by bullying from peers. This study examined heterosexual and nonheterosexual university students' involvement in both traditional and cyber forms of bullying, as either bullies or victims. Five hundred twenty-eight first-year university students (M=19.52 years old) were surveyed about their sexual orientation and their bullying experiences over the previous 12 months. The results showed that nonheterosexual young people reported higher levels of involvement in traditional bullying, both as victims and perpetrators, in comparison to heterosexual students. In contrast, cyberbullying trends were generally found to be similar for heterosexual and nonheterosexual young people. Gender differences were also found. The implications of these results are discussed in terms of intervention and prevention of the victimization of nonheterosexual university students.

Children and adolescents now communicate online to form and/or maintain relationships with friends, family, and strangers. Relationships in "real life" are important for children's and adolescents' psychosocial development; however, they can be difficult for those who experience feelings of loneliness and/or social anxiety. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in usage of online communication patterns between children and adolescents with and without self-reported loneliness and social anxiety. Six hundred twenty-six students ages 10 to 16 years completed a survey on the amount of time they spent communicating online, the topics they discussed, the partners they engaged with, and their purposes for communicating over the Internet. Participants were administered a shortened version of the UCLA Loneliness Scale and an abbreviated subscale of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A). Additionally, age and gender differences in usage of the online communication patterns were examined across the entire sample. Findings revealed that children and adolescents who self-reported being lonely communicated online significantly more frequently about personal and intimate topics than did those who did not self-report being lonely. The former were motivated to use online communication significantly more frequently to compensate for their weaker social skills to meet new people. Results suggest that Internet usage allows them to fulfill critical needs of social interactions, self-disclosure, and identity exploration. Future research, however, should explore whether or not the benefits derived from online communication may also facilitate lonely children's and adolescents' offline social relationships.

While the subject of cyberbullying of children and adolescents has begun to be addressed, less attention and research have focused on cyberbullying in the workplace. Male-dominated workplaces such as manufacturing settings are found to have an increased risk of workplace bullying, but the prevalence of cyberbullying in this sector is not known. This exploratory study investigated the prevalence and methods of face-to-face bullying and cyberbullying of males at work. One hundred three surveys (a modified version of the revised Negative Acts Questionnaire [NAQ-R]) were returned from randomly selected members of the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union (AMWU). The results showed that 34% of respondents were bullied face-to-face, and 10.7% were cyberbullied. All victims of cyberbullying also experienced face-to-face bullying. The implications for organizations' "duty of care" in regard to this new form of bullying are indicated.