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Intimate partner sexual violence (IPSV) is a concerning, yet understudied form of intimate partner violence. Using data from the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS), the current study builds on prior research to explore variation in tactics used to facilitate IPSV and their relationship with physical and mental health outcomes. Further, this study examines sex differences in both tactics and their associated health outcomes. Results show that all forms of IPSV are related to adverse health outcomes, with physical force being associated with the greatest number physical and mental health consequences. Women are more likely to report a greater number of negative physical health outcomes and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, while male IPSV victims are more likely to report overall worse mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this investigation, we addressed the contribution of the core circadian clock factor, BMAL1, in skeletal muscle to both acute transcriptional responses to exercise and transcriptional remodeling in response to exercise training. Additionally, we adopted a systems biology approach to investigate how loss of skeletal muscle BMAL1 altered peripheral tissue homeostasis as well as exercise training adaptations in iWAT, liver, heart, and lung of male mice. Combining inducible skeletal muscle specific BMAL1 knockout mice, physiological testing and standardized exercise protocols, we performed a multi-omic analysis (transcriptomics, chromatin accessibility and metabolomics) to explore loss of muscle BMAL1 on muscle and peripheral tissue responses to exercise. Muscle-specific BMAL1 knockout mice demonstrated a blunted transcriptional response to acute exercise, characterized by the lack of upregulation of well-established exercise responsive transcription factors including Nr4a3 and Ppargc1a. Six weeks of exercise training in muscle-specific BMAL1 knockout mice induced significantly greater and divergent transcriptomic and metabolomic changes in muscle. Surprisingly, liver, lung, inguinal white adipose and heart showed divergent exercise training transcriptomes with less than 5% of 'exercise-training' responsive genes shared for each tissue between genotypes. Our investigation has uncovered the critical role that BMAL1 plays in skeletal muscle as a key regulator of gene expression programs for both acute exercise and training adaptations. In addition, our work has uncovered the significant impact that altered exercise response in muscle and its likely impact on the system plays in the peripheral tissue adaptations to exercise training. Our work also demonstrates that if the muscle adaptations diverge to a more maladaptive state this is linked to increased gene expression signatures of inflammation across many tissues. Understanding the molecular targets and pathways contributing to health vs. maladaptive exercise adaptations will be critical for the next stage of therapeutic design for exercise mimetics. • Skeletal muscle BMAL1 is required for the acute exercise induced up-regulation of immediate-early genes including Nr4a3 and Ppargc1a. • Exercise training without muscle BMAL1 results in much larger and more divergent transcriptomic and metabolomic adaptations in muscle. • Skeletal muscle BMAL1 is necessary to support metabolic homeostasis of pyruvate and key TCA cycle intermediates following exercise training. • Muscle training responses impact the system; trained mice without muscle BMAL1 exhibit signatures of inflammation across liver, adipose and lung. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Elevated β‐amyloid is used to enroll individuals into preclinical Alzheimer's disease trials, but the screening process is inefficient and expensive. Novel enrichment methods are needed to improve efficiency of enrollment. Methods: Alzheimer's disease incidence rates and a polygenic hazard score were used to create a gene‐ and age‐defined ADAge. An ADAge cutpoint was chosen to optimally predict β‐amyloid positivity among clinically normal Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative participants and applied to an independent Alzheimer's Disease Research Center validation cohort. The impact of ADAge enrichment on screening costs was evaluated in the Anti‐Amyloid Treatment in Asymptomatic Alzheimer's Disease trial data. Results: In the validation cohort, the ADAge‐enriched sample had a higher proportion of individuals with elevated β‐amyloid (difference [95% CI] 0.19[0.07 to 0.33]) than the unenriched sample. ADAge enrichment lowered screening costs by $4.41 million (31.00%) in the real‐world clinical trial scenario. Discussion: ADAge enrichment provides for a more efficient and cost‐effective means to enroll clinically normal individuals with elevated β‐amyloid in clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Elevated β‐amyloid (Aβ) is used to enroll clinically normal (CN) individuals in preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD) trials, but the screening process is inefficient and expensive. Novel enrichment methods are needed to improve efficiency of enrollment of these individuals while reducing costs. We hypothesized that by combining a polygenic hazard score (PHS) and age‐specific risk for AD we could predict elevated Aβ in CN individuals. Method: AD incidence rates and each participant's PHS were used to adjust the participant's chronological age based on protective or deleterious genetic factors, thus creating an ADAge. An individual's ADAge is defined as the chronological age at which there is equivalent AD risk in the population. Meng's test was used in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) cohort to assess whether the ADAge was more correlated with Aβ than was chronological age. An ADAge cutpoint was chosen to optimally predict Aβ positivity among 306 CN participants from the ADNI and applied to 1000 bootstrap samples of an independent validation cohort of 80 CN participants from the UC San Diego Shiley‐Marcos Alzheimer's Disease Research Center. The differences in means between samples enrolled by each strategy (ADAge enrichment vs no enrichment) were calculated to determine the efficiency of ADAge‐informed Aβ screening for preclinical AD trials as well as to determine the impact of ADAge enrichment on trial population demographics. The screening cost for enrolling 1000 Aβ+ CN participants in a clinical trial using each enrollment strategy was compared. Result: Compared to chronological age, ADAge was more correlated with Florbetapir SUVR in the ADNI cohort (p <.001). In the validation cohort, the ADAge‐enriched sample had a higher proportion of individuals with elevated Aβ (difference[95% CI] 0.19[0.07–0.33]) than the unenriched sample. The ADAge‐enriched sample was older than the unenriched sample (difference 3.00[0.94 – 5.22]). However, the samples were similar in the proportion of APOE ε4 carriers, the dementia rating scale score, and the proportion of female participants. ADAge enrichment lowered screening costs by $5.3 million (34%) in a clinical trial scenario. Conclusion: ADAge enrichment provides for a more efficient and cost‐effective means to enroll CN individuals with elevated Aβ in clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The technological complexities and broad operational scope of eSource impede coordinated, inter-organizational action on advancing at-scale solutions. Methods: We introduce an architectural framework for articulating technological considerations across organizations. The architecture neither implies nor endorses solution implementations; rather, it proposes solution functionality based upon principles and good clinical practices. Results: Key technology considerations include patterns of anticipated use, implications to the current state of clinical trial operations, and the need for new technologies (i.e., IoT, Big Data, Predictive Analytics). Conclusion: Technology considerations drive implications beyond technology—influencing regulatory, process, and ethical realms of clinical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored seasonal variation in the mineral profile of rotationally grazed pastures supporting beef and dairy cattle on commercial farms in Jamaica. While beef and dairy cattle are primarily reared on pasture in Jamaica with minimal supplementary feeding, the mineral profile of Jamaican pastures is largely unknown. Grass samples were collected by "hand plucking" from three (3) dairy and two (2) beef representative farms during the dry (January - March), intermediate (May - July) and wet seasons (September - November) following a stratified random sampling scheme. Laboratory analyses were conducted to determine concentrations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), Zinc (Zn), iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn). Nitrogen concentration was significantly impacted by season (p < 0.05) and was highest in the wet season (18.4 - 27.6 g/kg DM) and lowest in the dry season (10 - 25.2 g/kg DM), as expected, since soil moisture directly influences the availability and uptake of N by grasses. Generally, P concentration ranged from 2.63 - 4.26 g/kg DM and was significantly affected by season on all farms, with the exception of one dairy farm (P=0.034). The high level of P found in the present study could be as a result of P accumulation in the soil because of the immobile nature of P making it resistant to leaching. The range obtained indicated that P levels were adequate to satisfy the nutritional requirements of both beef and dairy cattle. The potassium concentration ranged from 4.16 - 12.3 g/kg DM and was influenced by season only in areas when the dry season was severe combined with locations where soil water retention capacity was low. Calcium ranged from 2.05 - 4.19 g/kg DM and was generally highest in the dry season and lowest in the wet season, suggesting the accumulation of Ca under drier conditions in response to drought and heat tolerance mechanisms in grasses. Only on the dairy farms did season significantly affect Mg concentration. Season had no influence on the concentrations of Na, Zn, Fe and Mn. Calcium/phosphorus ratio was significantly affected by season on all farms (p < 0.05) and was higher in the dry season. It was concluded that the macro-mineral profile of Jamaican pastures supporting beef and dairy cattle is generally superior in the wet season while micro-minerals seem to be less sensitive to seasonal variations. The concentrations of Ca, Na and Cu in these pastures were below the dietary requirement for lactating dairy cattle and would therefore require supplementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a cycle of violence framework, we investigated experiences with physical intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization, perpetration, and both IPV victimization and perpetration (IPV overlap). Data included the U.S. subsample of college students in the International Dating Violence Study (n = 4,162). Findings indicated that 40% of participants reported lifetime IPV, with 28% reporting membership in the overlap group. Cycle of violence variables including child sexual abuse, witnessing violence inside the home during childhood, and witnessing violence outside the home during childhood were uniquely related to membership in the overlap group. No relationship between cycle of violence variables and IPV victimization only or IPV perpetration only was identified. Results suggested the cycle of violence might predominantly operate among individuals who are both IPV victims and offenders, rather than among individuals experiencing IPV victimization or perpetrate IPV exclusively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of criminology has devoted considerable time and attention to assessing the main risk factors associated with delinquency and criminal behavior. This line of research consistently documents that certain individual, familial, and situational risk factors are related to offending especially in adolescence. At the same time, there are two limitations to this line of work. The first is that most studies do not consider the extent to which these relationships hold across demographic groups, especially with respect to race/ethnicity. The second has been the reliance on general population/non-offender-based samples. This study aims to fill these two gaps. Using longitudinal data from the Pathways to Desistance, a study of serious adolescent offenders processed in two juvenile court systems, we investigate the extent to which a wide array risk factors relate to the frequency of re-arrests in a seven year follow-up across white, black, and Hispanic offenders. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this study, survival analysis is used to examine time to rearrest for both domestic violence and nondomestic violence crimes among a cohort of domestic violence offenders (N = 286) over a 10-year period. In addition, risk factors for rearrest such as demographic, offending history, and batterer treatment variables are examined to determine their influence on domestic and nondomestic violence recidivism. Overall, the results suggest that approximately half of domestic violence offenders are rearrested. Furthermore, among those who are rearrested, they are rearrested fairly quickly and for generalized (both domestic and nondomestic violence offenses) versus specialized offending. Risk factors associated with both types of rearrest included age, marriage, and domestic violence offense history. Several additional risk factors were unique to rearrest type. Study limitations are explicitly stated and policy implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, survival analysis is used to examine time to rearrest for both domestic violence and nondomestic violence crimes among a cohort of domestic violence offenders (N = 286) over a 10-year period. In addition, risk factors for rearrest such as demographic, offending history, and batterer treatment variables are examined to determine their influence on domestic and nondomestic violence recidivism. Overall, the results suggest that approximately half of domestic violence offenders are rearrested. Furthermore, among those who are rearrested, they are rearrested fairly quickly and for generalized (both domestic and nondomestic violence offenses) versus specialized offending. Risk factors associated with both types of rearrest included age, marriage, and domestic violence offense history. Several additional risk factors were unique to rearrest type. Study limitations are explicitly stated and policy implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives European League against Rheumatism (EULAR) gout management guidelines recommend achieving a target urate level <6.0 mg/dL (<357 µmol/L). Allopurinol is the most widely used urate-lowering therapy; however, many gout patients who are prescribed allopurinol do not have urate levels optimally controlled. The objective of this analysis was to review the efficacy and tolerability of allopurinol up-titration in achieving the EULAR target levels. Method The Febuxostat versus Allopurinol Streamlined Trial (FAST) is an ongoing multi-centre study comparing the cardiovascular safety of febuxostat and allopurinol (target recruitment: 5706 patients). Recruited patients were already taking allopurinol and the protocol required up-titration of daily allopurinol dose, in 100 mg increments, to achieve the EULAR urate target level prior to randomisation. We reviewed pre-randomisation data from the first 400 recruited and subsequently randomised FAST patients. Results Of 400 patients, 144 (36%) had urate levels ≥357 µmol/L at screening and required allopurinol up-titration. Higher urate levels were significantly associated with lower allopurinol dose, male sex, increased BMI, increased alcohol intake and diuretic use. Mean fall in urate levels after a single 100-mg dose increase was 71 µmol/L. The number of up-titrations required ranged from one to five (median = 1) with 65% of patients controlled after one 100-mg up-titration. Overall, 97% of up-titrated patients achieved target urate levels with median final allopurinol dose of 300 mg daily. Side effects and complications of up-titration were minimal. Conclusion Overall, 36% of FAST patients were not at target urate levels and required up-titration. Allopurinol up-titration was effective in achieving urate target levels and was generally well tolerated by patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous in vitro ruminal fermentation techniques have been developed to estimate forage digestibility. However, these methods are costly, time consuming, and require access to fistulated animals. This study aims to develop predictive models for in vitro ruminal organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) from pasture chemical components (CP, NDF, ADF, ADL, cellulose and hemicellulose) by examining the relationships between chemical composition and IVOMD of tropical pastures harvested at ground level (G-L) or by hand-plucking (H-P) during the dry, intermediate and wet season in Jamaica. Relationships were determined using simple linear and multivariate forward step-wise regression procedures. Selection of the best approximating multivariate models was done by finite Akaike Information Criterion. Chemical components were better predictors of IVOMD in the dry season than in intermediate and wet seasons. Dry season ADF was the best single predictor of IVOMD (R2 = 0.76). Crude protein accounted for 63.8% of variability of IVOMD during the dry season; 30.8% and 11.5% higher than in the intermediate and wet seasons, respectively. Neutral detergent fiber (R2 = 0.60 - 0.63) was consistently a moderate predictor of IVOMD across seasons. Hemicellulose poorly predicted IVOMD. Crude protein was the best single parameter for predicting IVOMD of G-L harvested herbage, but, with low accuracy (R2 = 0.31). Multivariate models improved the prediction accuracy of IVOMD. The best approximating models for dry, intermediate and wet season IVOMD prediction were; Y= 992 - 0.61ADF + 0.99CP - 1.24ADL - 0.32NDF, Y= 1306 - 0.81NDF - 0.46ADF + 0.83CP - 1.39ADL and Y=1211 - 1.02NDF + 0.90CP - 1.10ADL, respectively. The optimum predictive models for G-L and H-P harvested herbage were; Y= 1225 + 1.05CP - 0.75NDF - 0.73ADF and Y= 1093 - 0.70NDF = 0.78CP - 0.40ADF, respectively. It was concluded that the accuracy of predicting IVOMD from chemical components was greatest during dry season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Purpose: Each day in the United States, approximately 100,000 youth are under correctional supervision. The purpose of this study is to examine the early risk and protective factors for incarceration using a high-risk sample of urban youth. Methods: Data were obtained from 2,165 (54 who were incarcerated) youth who participated in Project Northland Chicago. Participants were matched exactly on gender, race/ethnicity, and aggressive behavior in sixth grade. Bivariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression analyses were used to examine the risk and protective factors present at sixth grade that increased the odds of incarceration at 12th grade. Results: The early risk factors for incarceration were age (odds ratio [OR] = 2.51; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.71–3.69), having been sent to detention (1–3 times: OR = 2.24; 95% CI 1.15–4.37; 4+ times: OR = 3.49; 95% CI 1.40–8.72), and the number of hours spent participating in a sport (OR = 1.11; 95% CI 1.03–1.20). Substance use was not significantly related to incarceration after adjusting for other behavioral and contextual risk factors. Conclusions: General problem behaviors (nonaggressive) strongly predict incarceration among at-risk youth. Implications for prevention programs are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Purpose: To understand the etiology of violence among ethnically diverse men using a nationally representative and longitudinal sample of youth. Methods: Participants included 4,322 adolescent men observed from ages 13 to 32 years from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). We estimated trajectories of violence and used multinomial regression procedures to evaluate multiple domains of risk and protective factors for violence. Results: We identified three profiles of violence (nonviolent, desistors, and escalators). There were no substantial differences in the patterns of violent behavior across race or ethnicity; however, the prevalence of violence differed by racial or ethnic group. After accounting for violent behavior at Wave I, we identified peer marijuana use (odds ratio [OR] = 1.20), alcohol use (OR = 1.50), group fighting (OR = 2.23), and Wave I violence (OR = 4.34) as risk factors for desistance, whereas only Wave I violence predicted escalation (OR = 2.27). Conclusions: We identified three trajectories of serious violence, including a late-onset group; however, few risk and protective factors were associated with membership in this group. Risk and protective factors for violence before age 13 years should be targeted for prevention. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The purpose of this evaluation was to examine the effectiveness of prison-based treatment for sex offenders to reduce recidivism. The study compared a group of 95 inmates who received sex offender treatment, with 67 treatment completers and 28 non-completers, to a comparison group of 64 inmates who did not receive treatment. The results demonstrated that offenders who completed sex offender treatment had the lowest prevalence of post-release sex re-arrests followed by treatment non-completers and control group subjects. Furthermore, survival analysis results showed that average time to first re-arrest after release from incarceration was longest for treatment completers in comparison to the treatment non-completers and the control group but this difference was not statistically significant. Study limitations and directions for future research are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of criminal careers has resulted in important descriptive information about the longitudinal patterns of offending over the life-course. Much of this research has examined more common patterns of general offending, typically among street offenders. An under-explored question is the extent to which distinct types of offenders display similar patterns on key criminal career dimensions. The current study examines this particular issue with a focus on sex offenders using longitudinal data from a cohort of South London males participating in the Cambridge Study in Delinquent Development. Results show that, contrary to popular opinion, sex offending is quite rare, with less than 3% of the Cambridge males being convicted for 13 sex offenses through age 50. Further, there was no continuity in sex offending from the juvenile to adult periods and very few recidivist sex offenders. Directions for future research are addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study examines whether the recidivism trajectories post-prison release for post-sex offender registration and community notification (SORN) sex offenders are similar to or different from the recidivism trajectories post-prison release for post-SORN non-sex offenders who are released from prison via parole. Furthermore, this study also focuses on whether or not a series of collateral consequences are experienced similarly or differently among these post-SORN sex and post-SORN non-sex offender parolees. Using random samples of 247 post-SORN sex offenders and 250 post-SORN non-sex offenders released from prison in New Jersey via parole, the results indicate that sex offender and non-sex offender trajectories are similar with the exception being that there is a higher prevalence of non-sex offenders who exhibit a high-risk trajectory. Additional results demonstrate that, although sex offenders and non-sex offenders share the experience of collateral consequences, several collateral consequences including not living with friends, living in group facilities, and residential relocation appear to differentially impact sex offenders post-prison release. Study limitations and policy implications are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to the special issue of the "Journal of Crime and Justice" is presented.

Abstract: Purpose: To estimate trajectories of aggression among African Americans and Hispanics using a longitudinal sample of urban adolescents, and test multiple domains of risk factors to differentiate profiles of aggression. Methods: Participants included 3,038 adolescents followed from sixth to eighth grade. Trajectories of aggression were estimated for African Americans and Hispanics separately, and multinomial regression procedures were used to evaluate the effect of multiple domains of risk and protective factors. Mediation analyses were conducted to evaluate the indirect effects of contextual variables on aggression. Results: Four profiles of aggression were identified. Among Hispanics, groups included: (1) low-aggression, (2) desistors, (3) escalators, and (4) consistent aggression; among African Americans: (1) low-aggression, (2) escalators, (3) moderate-consistent aggression, and (4) consistent aggression. Differences in the multiple domains of risk factors emerged between racial/ethnic groups. Conclusions: Contextual variables (peer alcohol use, adult alcohol consumption, and access to alcohol at home) increased risk for aggression differentially by racial/ethnic group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Purpose: To estimate trajectories of aggression among African Americans and Hispanics using a longitudinal sample of urban adolescents, and test multiple domains of risk factors to differentiate profiles of aggression. Methods: Participants included 3,038 adolescents followed from sixth to eighth grade. Trajectories of aggression were estimated for African Americans and Hispanics separately, and multinomial regression procedures were used to evaluate the effect of multiple domains of risk and protective factors. Mediation analyses were conducted to evaluate the indirect effects of contextual variables on aggression. Results: Four profiles of aggression were identified. Among Hispanics, groups included: (1) low-aggression, (2) desistors, (3) escalators, and (4) consistent aggression; among African Americans: (1) low-aggression, (2) escalators, (3) moderate-consistent aggression, and (4) consistent aggression. Differences in the multiple domains of risk factors emerged between racial/ethnic groups. Conclusions: Contextual variables (peer alcohol use, adult alcohol consumption, and access to alcohol at home) increased risk for aggression differentially by racial/ethnic group. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: To examine putative mediators of a 12-month motivationally tailored physical activity (PA) promotion intervention. Design: We randomly assigned 239 healthy, underactive adults (moderate-vigorous physical activity <90 minAveek; mean age = 47.5 years; 82% women) to receive (a) print-based feedback, (b) phone-based feedback, or (c) contact control. Primary Outcome: PA at baseline, 6, and 12 months, as measured by the 7-Day Physical Activity Recall interview. Mediators: Four TransTheoretical Model constructs explicitly targeted by the intervention (i.e., self-efficacy, decisional balance, cognitive and behavioral processes of change), as well as four additional constructs linked to PA behavior change (i.e., social support, outcome expectancy, PA enjoyment, exercise-induced feelings). Results: Multivariate mediation analyses were used to analyze longitudinal PA outcomes. Changes in behavioral processes and one aspect of exercise-induced feelings (revitalizaüon) satisfied both Action Theory (i.e., treatment effects on mediators) and Conceptual Theory (i.e., mediator effects on PA) tests at 6 and 12 months and emerged as statistically significant mediators of treatment effects on PA across delivery channels (ps <.O14). Cognitive processes, self-efficacy, decisional balance, and social support for PA participation satisfied Action Theory tests at both 6 and 12 months, but failed Conceptual Theory tests. Delayed intervention effects were observed on other aspects of exercise-induced feelings, PA enjoyment, and outcome expectancies, but these variables failed mediation testing at 12 months. Conclusion: Findings are consistent with previous research illustrating the importance of behavioral processes of change, but also indicate that affective response to PA may warrant more attention as a potential target of behavior change programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To enhance a previously efficacious individually tailored physical activity (PA) promotion intervention by adding theoretical constructs to the tailored feedback. Design: We randomly assigned 248 healthy, underactive (moderate to vigorous physical activity [MVPA] min/week < 90) adults (mean age = 48.8 years, SD = 10.0) to receive either (a) a theoretically tailored (based on 5 constructs from the transtheoretical model and social-cognitive theory [SCT]) print-based PA promotion intervention (print) or (b) the same theoretically tailored print-based PA promotion intervention plus enhanced tailoring addressing 5 additional SCT constructs (enhanced print). Main Outcome Measure: The 7-day physical activity recall administered at baseline. Month 6, and Month 12, with outcomes operationalized as percentage achieving 150 min/week of MVPA. Results: When controlling for covariates. there was a nonsignificant trend in favor of the enhanced print condition reflecting 46% and 50% greater odds of achieving 150 min/week of MVPA at Month 6 and Month 12, respectively. Conclusion: Enhanced tailoring based on additional theoretical constructs may result in marginal improvements in physical activity outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which aims to identify the effects of moderate exercise on smoking cessation. Sedentary, healthy female smokers were enrolled in an 8-week program of baseline smoking cessation counseling, nicotine patch and moderate intensity exercise. Results indicated that moderate intensity exercise may improve smoking cessation of women.

Abstract: The Knuth–Morris–Pratt (KMP) pattern-matching algorithm guarantees both independence from alphabet size and worst-case execution time linear in the pattern length; on the other hand, the Boyer–Moore (BM) algorithm provides near-optimal average-case and best-case behaviour, as well as executing very fast in practice. We describe a simple algorithm that employs the main ideas of KMP and BM (with a little help from Sunday) in an effort to combine these desirable features. Experiments indicate that in practice the new algorithm is among the fastest exact pattern-matching algorithms discovered to date, apparently dominant for alphabet size above 15–20. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

There is little argument that the crisis in the savings and loan (S&L) industry of the 1980s was one of the most significant economic calamities of the twentieth century. While much data exists on the factors leading to the crisis, its impact on the American economic and financial systems, and its import for criminological theories of corporate and organizational illegality, there has yet to have been an attempt to investigate regional variations in sentence length for S&L offenders. This study found evidence of regional variations among sentencing for white-collar offenders with the Southwest being significantly more punitive than all the other regions while controlling for fine and the defendant's position within the institution. Implications for further research oh how regional variations apply to offenders convicted of white-collar crimes other than those studied here are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addresses the issues of how to determine the mental fitness of a pro se defendant and whether the competency standards that U.S. courts apply today need altering. Background on the right to pro se representation; Capability of a defendant with a diagnosed mental illness to represent himself if he is able to understand his surroundings, the nature of the proceeding against him and can function as a normal person in society; Ability of the defendant to consult with his lawyer with a reasonable degree of rational understanding in order to be deemed competent to stand trial.