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This paper explores how group preferences develop among children living in the post-conflict context of Kosovo and how this development shapes children’s willingness to be close to their outgroup peers among the segregated majority (ethnic Albanian) and minority (ethnic Serb) members. The study was conducted in four ethnically divided primary schools, with 220 participants aged 6–10. Children played a series of games and tasks which measured ethnic ingroup preference, preference for the Kosovar flag, and willingness to be close to ethnic outgroup children. Children in this context where a new national Kosovar identity is developing following independence display very high ethnic ingroup preferences. Kosovar Serb children showed low willingness to engage with outgroup members and remained constant with age, while Kosovar Albanian children’s willingness to engage with the outgroup was present among younger children but diminished with age. Results add to the literature on the underlying process by which identity develops among segregated majority and minority who have little or no opportunities to interact. Lack of intergroup contact hinders the development of more positive intergroup relations. To build a peaceful coexistence, programs which connect the segregated schools and facilitate intergroup contact, especially among the younger age groups, are recommended.

Wei Jia Liu,1 Laura J Taylor,2,3 Robert E MacLaren,2,3 Jasleen K Jolly4 1School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; 2Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; 3Oxford Eye Hospital, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK; 4Vision and Eye Research Institute, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UKCorrespondence: Jasleen K Jolly, Vision and Eye Research Institute, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK, Tel/Fax +44 122 369 5034, Email jasleen.jolly@aru.ac.ukPurpose: Clinical research brings the potential of improved diagnostics, sight-saving treatments, and more accessible services to those suffering with severe sight impairment (SSI). This report investigates whether registered ophthalmology clinical studies address the leading causes of SSI in the general and working populations of the United Kingdom (UK).Methods: The latest statistics on the leading causes of SSI in the UK general and working populations were identified by searching PubMed, Cochrane Library, and TRIP databases. Clinical study registries were searched to identify registered clinical studies (on or prior to 1st December 2022) on the leading causes of SSI. The relationship between the number of clinical studies on leading causes of SSI and the percentage of SSI certifications they account for was analyzed.Results: In the UK general population, the number of registered clinical studies on the leading causes of SSI is statistically significantly correlated (Spearman’s rho = 0.86, p < 0.01) with the percentage of SSI certifications they account for. However, there is no correlation between the two in the UK working population (aged 16– 64) (Spearman’s rho = 0.15, p = 0.70). Eye conditions accounting for the most SSI certifications in individuals of working age have significantly less clinical research activity than those that cause the most SSI certifications in the general population. Out of the lead

BackgroundSynoptic reporting is recommended by many guideline committees to encourage the thorough histologic documentation necessary for optimal management of patients with melanoma.MethodsOne hundred fifty-one pathologists from 40 US states interpreted 41 invasive melanoma cases. For each synoptic reporting factor, the authors identified cases with "complete agreement" (all participants recorded the same value) versus any disagreement. Pairwise agreement was calculated for each case as the proportion of pairs of responses that agreed, where paired responses were generated by the comparison of each reviewer's response with all others.ResultsThere was complete agreement among all reviewers for 22 of the 41 cases (54%) on Breslow thickness dichotomized at 0.8 mm, with pairwise agreement ranging from 49% to 100% across the 41 cases. There was complete agreement for "no ulceration" in 24 of the 41 cases (59%), with pairwise agreement ranging from 42% to 100%. Tumor transected at base had complete agreement for 26 of the 41 cases (63%), with pairwise agreement ranging from 31% to 100%. Mitotic rate, categorized as 0/mm2 , 1/mm2 , or 2/mm2 , had complete agreement for 17 of the 41 cases (41%), with pairwise agreement ranging from 36% to 100%. Regression saw complete agreement for 14 of 41 cases (34%), with pairwise agreement ranging from 40% to 100%. Lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, and microscopic satellites were rarely reported as present. Respectively, these prognostic factors had complete agreement for 32 (78%), 37 (90%), and 18 (44%) of the 41 cases, and the ranges of pairwise agreement were 47% to 100%, 70% to 100%, and 53% to 100%, respectively.ConclusionsThese findings alert pathologists and clinicians to the problem of interobserver variability in recording critical prognostic factors.Lay summaryThis study addresses variability in the assessment and reporting of critical characteristics of invasive melanomas that are used by clinicians to guide pati

Evidence suggests an impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, particularly among emerging adults. However, theories on altruism born of suffering or adversarial growth suggest that we might also see prosocial behavior as a function of the pandemic, which may protect against mental health challenges. Because cultural values are central in determining prosocial behavior, the current study explored how cultural values were differentially associated with adaptive prosocial behaviors that might protect against mental health challenges. Participants for the current study included 5,682 young people aged 18–25 years from 14 different countries around the world (68% female, 62% college students). Path analyses suggested that there were few differences in patterns as a function of culture, but revealed that horizontal individualism and horizontal and vertical collectivism were indirectly associated with lower levels of depression via prosocial behavior toward family members. Discussion focuses on the importance of coping by strengthening family relationships via prosocial behavior during the pandemic.

The COVID-19 crisis has had a major impact on youth. This study examined factors associated with youth’s attitudes towards their government’s response to the pandemic and their blaming of individuals from certain risk groups, ethnic backgrounds, and countries or regions. In a sample of 5,682 young adults (Mage = 22) from 14 countries, lower perceived burden due to COVID-19, more collectivistic and less individualistic values, and more empathy were associated with more positive attitudes towards the government and less blaming of individuals of certain groups. Youth’s social identification with others in the pandemic mediated these associations in the same direction, apart from the COVID-19 burden on attitudes, which had a positive indirect effect. No evidence of country-level moderation was found.

The COVID-19 crisis has had a major impact on youth. This study examined factors associated with youth's attitudes towards their government's response to the pandemic and their blaming of individuals from certain risk groups, ethnic backgrounds, and countries or regions. In a sample of 5,682 young adults (M-age = 22) from 14 countries, lower perceived burden due to COVID-19, more collectivistic and less individualistic values, and more empathy were associated with more positive attitudes towards the government and less blaming of individuals of certain groups. Youth's social identification with others in the pandemic mediated these associations in the same direction, apart from the COVID-19 burden on attitudes, which had a positive indirect effect. No evidence of country-level moderation was found.

The COVID-19 crisis has had a major impact on youth. This study examined factors associated with youth's attitudes towards their government's response to the pandemic and their blaming of individuals from certain risk groups, ethnic backgrounds, and countries or regions. In a sample of 5,682 young adults (Mage = 22) from 14 countries, lower perceived burden due to COVID-19, more collectivistic and less individualistic values, and more empathy were associated with more positive attitudes towards the government and less blaming of individuals of certain groups. Youth's social identification with others in the pandemic mediated these associations in the same direction, apart from the COVID-19 burden on attitudes, which had a positive indirect effect. No evidence of country-level moderation was found.

Social injustices toward minority groups are pervasive around the world, and further exacerbated by global threats such as COVID-19 and climate change. Prosocial tendencies, such as empathy, moral reasoning, and helping behaviors directed only toward members of one's own social groups, discriminate against outgroups, and can perpetuate an unjust status quo. Yet, recent meta-analyses point to effective intervention programs that can foster prosocial responses across group lines. Developmental science has identified evidence-based interventions, policies, and programs to foster inclusive prosocial tendencies (toward both in-group and out-group members) to redress social injustices and inequities, and ultimately, lead to more just and peaceful societies. The recent developmental science informs five policy principles (e.g., developmental science, resilience, culture, collaboration, and sustainability) that can advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) around inclusion and peace.

Evidence suggests an impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, particularly among emerging adults. However, theories on altruism born of suffering or adversarial growth suggest that we might also see prosocial behavior as a function of the pandemic, which may protect against mental health challenges. Because cultural values are central in determining prosocial behavior, the current study explored how cultural values were differentially associated with adaptive prosocial behaviors that might protect against mental health challenges. Participants for the current study included 5,682 young people aged 18–25 years from 14 different countries around the world (68% female, 62% college students). Path analyses suggested that there were few differences in patterns as a function of culture, but revealed that horizontal individualism and horizontal and vertical collectivism were indirectly associated with lower levels of depression via prosocial behavior toward family members. Discussion focuses on the importance of coping by strengthening family relationships via prosocial behavior during the pandemic.

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and other social dynamics created a myriad of challenges and changes for individuals, groups, and societies. The impacts on youth are particularly noteworthy given developmental processes of adolescence and emerging adulthood. As psychologists, we havemuch to offer in studying how2020 influenced their development and in shaping effective supports. To be useful, theworkmust be nuanced, iterative, and attentive to their lived realities. We argue for a dynamic research framework to study these developmental processes. Through such an approach, psychological science can provide insight into diverse young people s experiences of COVID-19 with a focus on addressing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3, 4, and 16 on increasing a sense of well-being, making education more equitable, and developing more peaceful societies. This paper lays out three theoretical frameworks - Synthetic, Augmentative, Generative, and Experiential,Meanings, Observations, Viewpoints, and Experiences, and the Developmental PeacebuildingModel - that can be used to capture the dynamism of meaning-making and development within changing contexts. We then provide examples from our research with young people in the United States and Ireland. This paper ends with a call for psychologists across the globe to understand and address COVID-19 s impacts on youth through iterative and integrative research methods with a focus on meaning-making. In coordination with macro-levelmetrics, such work can help understand lived psychosocial impacts on diverse groups of young people, while highlighting opportunities to support SDGs 3, 4, and 16.

My dissertation comprises an integrated approach for assessing the impacts of delayed enforcement and quantification of property rights to water in the American west. Relying on millions of observations over time, I develop the first ever spatial mapping of water quality data relative to American Indian reservations connected to policy changes in property rights enforcement. Specifically, I look at the implementation (and lack thereof) of Winters rights, which refers to the 1908 U.S. Supreme Court case ruling that the U.S. federal government had reserved senior rights to water for tribes in establishing reservations, and that the power to do so “could not be denied.” Yet in the decades that followed, the federal government did not enforce these rights, and allowed states to appropriate water elsewhere in the pursuit of developing western states. In recent decades tribes have been able to begin to claw back these rights by engaging in arduous legal processes with incumbent water users. These cases often span decades and involve vast quantities of water. I study empirically the impact that these negotiation processes have on water use and quality, in addition to factors that incentivize tribes to begin these processes, and why parties settle. I also connect these negotiations to market transactions for water, analyzing how they influence market prices. I find that tribes are more likely to initiate Winters proceedings if there is more scarcity in water supplies, or tribes have intrinsic advantages in terms of reservation land mass. Clear commitments of funding to implement water settlements significantly increase the odds that parties will come to agreement, and the longer negotiations persist, the less likely they are to resolve. I also uncover entrenchment practices, that longer negotiations coincide with increased water use by upstream users. During negotiations, pollution and water use increase, but the former falls, and the latter increases, once rights are settl

The COVID-19 crisis has had a major impact on youth. This study examined factors associated with youth’s attitudes towards their government’s response to the pandemic and their blaming of individuals from certain risk groups, ethnic backgrounds, and countries or regions. In a sample of 5,682 young adults (Mage = 22) from 14 countries, lower perceived burden due to COVID-19, more collectivistic and less individualistic values, and more empathy were associated with more positive attitudes towards the government and less blaming of individuals of certain groups. Youth’s social identification with others in the pandemic mediated these associations in the same direction, apart from the COVID-19 burden on attitudes, which had a positive indirect effect. No evidence of country-level moderation was found.

Millions of children worldwide will not reach their potential in terms of education and development. However, it is widely known that investment in high-quality early childhood development (ECD) pays rich dividends throughout the lifespan of an individual, impacting their own lives, families, and communities in a positive way. Further evidence points to the importance of ECD in delivering the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The multi-sectoral, integrated provision of ECD services is ideally placed to facilitate holistic positive change and enhance social cohesion in some of the most inequitable and vulnerable contexts. The LINKS project brings together an international network of researchers, who work in strategic partnership with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Early Years the Organisation for Young Children in Northern Ireland to support the development, implementation, and evaluation of ECD programs in low- and middle-income countries impacted by divisions and conflict. The project is designed to contribute to the international evidence base on ECD for social cohesion and sustaining peace to make a real difference in the lives of children, caregivers, and communities.

BACKGROUND: Melanoma staging has depended on depth of invasion (Breslow thickness, BT), mitotic rate (MR) and ulceration. In anticipation of the AJCCs eighth edition, variability in pathologists assessment of these factors and consequently in tumor staging was assessed. METHODS: One-hundred and fifteen cases of invasive melanoma, established by a consensus panel, were assessed by 187 pathologists. Variation was studied in BT, the detection of mitotic figures, and ulceration. The sources of this variation and its effect on tumor staging are considered. RESULTS: On average, participant assessments closely approached consensus BT. Greater variation was identified in the classification of mitogenicity, which (like ulceration) upstages a T1 melanoma from T1a to T1b in the seventh but not eighth edition. In cases with a T1a diagnosis by the consensus panel, 15.6% of participants identified one or more mitotic figures (indicative of a false positive); and in cases diagnosed asT1b by the consensus panel, 32.0% of participants failed to find mitotic figures (false negative). CONCLUSION: Variability in the staging of T1 melanoma among pathologists when using the AJCC seventh edition criteria is closely related to the detection of mitotic figures, with BT playing a less prominent role. Decreased variability is expected after implementation of the eighth edition.

Conducting research in violent environments poses particular challenges for researchers and participants. The current chapter explores factors that influence field research in Colombia prior to and immediately following the peace accord in 2016, which formally ended the country’s 50-year conflict between the government and the country’s largest guerrilla group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (after its Spanish abbreviation FARC). The authors include Colombian and international researchers, practitioners, and academics and offer three proposals. First, working in violent contexts demands that the research is flexible and responds to the participants’ voices and needs. This type of research may be particularly coherent with Participatory Action Research (PAR), which explicitly recognizes the power and agency of local actors who navigate conflict issues on a daily basis. Second, we demonstrate how ongoing violence poses obstacles, offers opportunities, and shapes each phase of investigation, such as research design and data collection. For example, we discuss how to select regions to study that are safe for the team and for participants to engage in research. Relatedly, a strong, local network is essential to research on sensitive social issues relating to on-going conflict dynamics. Third, the inclusion of emerging researchers, particularly from the conflict setting, in the team may increase local capacity as well as the longevity of the project. We reflect on the challenges and opportunities to including emerging researchers and conclude the chapter by suggesting how these issues may apply to other conflict and post-agreement settings.

Statisticians, as well as machine learning and computer vision experts, have been studying image reconstitution through denoising different domains of photography, such as textual documentation, tomographic, astronomical, and low-light photography. In this paper, we apply common inferential kernel filters in the R and python languages, as well as Adobe Lightroom's denoise filter, and compare their effectiveness in removing noise from JPEG images. We ran standard benchmark tests to evaluate each method's effectiveness for removing noise. In doing so, we also surveyed students at Elon University about their opinion of a single filtered photo from a collection of photos processed by the various filter methods. Many scientists believe that noise filters cause blurring and image quality loss so we analyzed whether or not people felt as though denoising causes any quality loss as compared to their noiseless images. Individuals assigned scores indicating the image quality of a denoised photo compared to its noiseless counterpart on a 1 to 10 scale. Survey scores are compared across filters to evaluate whether there were significant differences in image quality scores received. Benchmark scores were compared to the visual perception scores. Then, an analysis of covariance test was run to identify whether or not survey training scores explained any unplanned variation in visual scores assigned by students across the filter methods., Comment: 16 pages

This study purports to find out from family members of persons living with dementia about primary healthcare services available, challenges faced by relatives living with dementia when accessing these services, and their responses on how to improve access to these services in Manitoba. A literature review was conducted to describe what other scholars have reported on this matter or field of study. The researcher adopted the social model of disability as the underlying concept for this study. As this model holds that social and attitudinal barriers affect persons living with disabilities, it is incumbent on society to provide all the essential accommodations for persons living with dementia to improve their health and well-being. This study employed a qualitative methodology with a case study design. Through a working relationship with the Alzheimer Society of Manitoba, eight people who had relatives living with dementia were interviewed. Ethical procedures were followed and approval was given by the Joint-Faculty Research Ethics Board (JFREB). A consent form was given to each of the study participants who voluntarily agreed to engage in this project to sign. Based on the information shared by the family members, a case study approach was used to write their stories. The findings revealed that relatives living with dementia used various forms of primary healthcare services and other services such as specialists, home care, nursing homes, and personal care home services. In addition, relatives living with dementia faced difficulties when using primary healthcare and other services. As a result, the family caregivers made suggestions to improve access to primary healthcare and other services. Themes were created in order to discuss the results of this study. The researcher gave some recommendations that could be used to tackle dementia care and support for persons living with dementia in Manitoba and across Canada.

Empowerment is important for those with mental illness as they are often stigmatized and/or experience self-stigma. This thesis examines the connections between art and empowerment for people with mental illness through a Disability Studies lens. I Adopted a social model perspective and used Crip, Disability and Feminist theories as the theoretical framework; artmaking is explored as a key element in gaining empowerment and reducing stigma. Using autoethnography this thesis examines the author’s experiences with mental illness through memories, personal journals and artwork dating back to childhood. As most research into the lives of those with mental illness is not written by those who have mental illnesses, this thesis differs as it does just that, which is important so that people with disabilities can add their perspective and experiences to the literature available to provide a more accurate and complex description of mental illness.

This study examined, through a narrative phenomenological framework, the experiences of Korean female caregivers in Canada, and the ways in which filial piety obligations affected their quality of life. The existing literature is scarce on information about caregiving by Korean females in both North America and Canada. Further, caregiving issues regarding caregiving stress have mostly investigated the medical aspects. It was crucial, therefore, to investigate and understand the social aspects of the caregiving experience. Korean daughters-in-law (DILs), who lived with their aging parents-in-law (PILs) in environments profoundly rooted in Confucian values, experienced conflicts with their parents/mothers-in-law. A number of caregiving hardships were identified and categorized according to the following two themes: cultural obligations and direct caregiving practices. Some DILs’ caregiving hardships were heavier when they moved to Canada and adopted a new culture. The findings of this study show that the caregiving practices of these Korean female caregivers in Canada are changing as the DILs have been influenced by their new environment, but the findings also demonstrate that the DILs are still strongly affected by the traditional cultural values in which they were raised. This study investigated their attitudes and behaviours of these women in their caregiving roles by employing a qualitative research design. As little research has been done on immigrant women’s caregiving experience, this study provides an important contribution by examining the lived experience of immigrant women as it is affected by the traditional cultural value of filial piety.

The general consensus on the security-development nexus is that both are key to achieving sustainable peace in war-torn societies. However, this debate has largely taken place among international actors, with little empirical evidence about how security and development relate to each other or are even considered by local actors. The current paper applies the security-development nexus to the case of land restitution in Colombia. Following decades of internal armed conflict, in 2012 the national government passed sweeping land restitution legislation amid ongoing violence. Through in-depth interviews and focus groups with multiple actors involved in this process, ranging from international organisations to national government units, from regional institutions to local communities, the paper analyses the objectives, impact, challenges and opportunities for land restitution related to security and development. Undermining peace-building, a lack of coherence in the integration of security and development priorities limits the extent to which either supports, or is promoted by, land restitution efforts in Colombia. The paper concludes with reflections on how the security-development nexus may promote peace-building amid ongoing conflict.

This comprehensive book instructs IT managers to adhere to federally mandated compliance requirements. FISMA Compliance Handbook Second Edition explains what is meant by Certification and Accreditation and why the process is mandated by federal law. The different Certification and Accreditation laws are cited and discussed, including the three leading types of C&A: NIST, NIAP, and DITSCAP. Next, the book explains how to prepare for, perform, and document a compliance project. The following section of the book shows how to address security awareness, end-user rules of behavior, and incident response requirements. Once this phase of the compliance project is complete, you will learn to perform security tests and evaluations, business impact assessments, system risk assessments, business risk assessments, contingency plans, business impact assessments, and system security plans. Finally, you will learn to audit your entire compliance project and correct any failures. FISMA Compliance Handbook Second Edition, also includes all-new coverage of federal cloud computing compliance from author Laura Taylor, the federal government’s technical lead for FedRAMP, the government program used to assess and authorize cloud products and services. Includes all new information on cloud computing compliance from Laura Taylor, the federal government’s technical lead for FedRAMP Includes coverage for both corporate and government IT managers Learn how to prepare for, perform, and document FISMA and FedRAMP compliance projects Laura Taylor’s security research has been used by the FBI, FDIC, and the White House

This thesis uses the social model of disability as a theoretical framework in order to examine the way that blogs contribute to the integration of people with autism in society. An online ethnography approach is used in order to examine posts from eight blogs that were written by individuals with autism or by parents of individuals with autism in 2015. The thesis identifies issues that concern individuals with autism. In addition, the thesis explores how the writers of the blogs address these issues and therefore, provides people with autism and their parents with the opportunity to share their own point of view. The thesis compares the findings of blogs that are written by individuals with autism to blogs that are written by parents of individuals with autism in order to find similarities and differences in the way that both groups perceive issues that are important for people with autism.

The voices of eleven Aboriginal and ten non-Aboriginal adult social work educators who volunteered to participate in this qualitative research study represent a diverse range of practice and teaching experiences. Participants with experience teaching social work courses that included the enrollment of Aboriginal students were interviewed to gain knowledge about their self-location, lived experiences, their insight, and their perceptions of the ways in which they have and continue to support and influence the retention of Aboriginal post-secondary students. This study utilized phenomenology as a philosophical approach. The interview process was guided by a phenomenological investigation to identify and explore themes that emerged from the data. The major findings of the study revealed the the many facets to the social work educator-student relationship. The major findings of the study revealed the ways social work educators with experience teaching Aboriginal social work students from northern and remote communities, are involved in providing personal and academic support. Examples of the support provided includes the daily maintenance of an open door policy, reaching out and providing offers of help to students, and assuming roles as advocates, resource brokers, mentors, advisors and counsellors.

Understanding how disability is perceived from a cultural perspective, helps create knowledge about the issues related to disability in a particular culture. It helps to understand how much cultural beliefs impact the social status of a person with a disability in a society. In addition to culture, religion also plays a significant role in most South Asian people’s lives. This thesis explores the lives of South Asian Muslim immigrant women in Winnipeg with various disabilities in order to obtain a specific cultural as well as religious perspective on disability in the form of personal stories. A descriptive thematic analysis was performed on the data collected directly from participants. The thematic analysis attempts to understand the meaning of disability from the participants’ and community’s perspective.

Given the increase of reconciliation processes initiated amid ongoing violence, this study focuses on community reconciliation and its relation to structural transformation, or social reconstruction through reforming unjust institutions and practices that facilitate protracted violent conflict. Drawing lessons from the Caribbean coast of Colombia, mixed-methods analyses include 8 in-depth interviews and 184 surveys. Four key dimensions of reconciliation – truth, justice, mercy and peace – are examined. In the interviews, participants prioritise reconstructing the truth and bringing perpetrators to justice as essential aspects of reconciliation. Notions of mercy and forgiveness are less apparent. For the participants, sustainable peace is dependent on structural transformation to improve livelihoods. These data, however, do not indicate how this understanding of reconciliation may relate to individual participation in reconciliation processes. Complementing the qualitative data, quantitative analyses identify some broad patterns that relate to participation in reconciliation events. Compared to those who did not participate, individuals who engaged in reconciliation initiatives report higher levels of personal experience with violence, live alongside demobilised paramilitaries, are more engaged in civic life and express greater preference for structural transformation. The paper concludes with policy implications that integrate reconciliation and structural transformation to deepen efforts to rebuild the social fabric amid violence.

In order for axon regeneration to result in functional recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI), axons must grow beyond lesion sites and form synapses with neuronal targets in distal host tissue. We tested the hypothesis that neurotrophic factor gradients established distal to lesion sites in adult rats would promote growth of sensory axons into and beyond a site of injury and support synapse formation in denervated targets. First, gradients of neurotrophin expression were established rostral to cell- filled C3 dorsal column lesion sites using delivery of NT- 3-expressing lentiviral vectors. Sensory axons regenerated for short distances beyond lesion sites in animals treated with NT-3, but not control vectors. Long distance axon growth along neurotrophin gradients was not observed. However, when conditioning lesions, which are thought to initiate an overall growth program in neuronal cell bodies, were combined with NT-3 gradients beyond lesion sites, significantly more axons regenerated over greater distances into distal host tissue than when either treatment alone was given. We next tested the hypothesis that combinatorial treatment would promote growth of sensory axons originating from hindlimb dorsal root ganglia across C1 lesion sites into the nucleus gracilis, the termination site for these axons. Animals subjected to high cervical lesions and combinatorially treated with conditioning lesions and NT-3 exhibited significantly more axons within the nucleus gracilis than animals receiving control lentiviral vectors. Ultrastructural examination of nucleus gracilis tissue indicated the presence of possible synaptic contacts formed by regenerated axons in the denervated target. These data demonstrate that combined stimulation of a neuronal growth program (conditioning lesions) and provision of a positive stimulus at the level of the growth cone (NT-3) can promote long distance axon growth in the inhibitory environment beyond a spinal cord lesion site. In addition, com

The case study examined physical and social privacy for nine residents residing in personal care homes in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The study explored how residents’ well-being and quality of life was affected by the privacy afforded to them in various room accommodations. The case study explored residents’ social location, room preference, safety and security, communication with family, interaction with staff, and interaction with roommates. The study found that residents benefit from having access to locks for doors; specialized units for cognitively impaired residents; private health assessment rooms; phasing out multi-bed room; use of room barriers; privacy for intimacy; access to private lounges for visiting; and private room with a public telephone. The study assists health care providers and students in health fields in becoming aware of privacy issues. The study may be useful in assisting residents to prepare for adjustment to a personal care home.

The Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales (PSYRATS) is an instrument designed to quantify the severity of delusions and hallucinations and is typically used in research studies and clinical settings focusing on people with psychosis and schizophrenia. It is comprised of the auditory hallucinations (AHS) and delusions subscales (DS), but these subscales do not necessarily reflect the psychological constructs causing intercorrelation between clusters of scale items. Identification of these constructs is important in some clinical and research contexts because item clustering may be caused by underlying etiological processes of interest. Previous attempts to identify these constructs have produced conflicting results. In this study, we compiled PSYRATS data from 12 sites in 7 countries, comprising 711 participants for AHS and 520 for DS. We compared previously proposed and novel models of underlying constructs using structural equation modeling. For the AHS, a novel 4-dimensional model provided the best fit, with latent variables labeled Distress (negative content, distress, and control), Frequency (frequency, duration, and disruption), Attribution (location and origin of voices), and Loudness (loudness item only). For the DS, a 2-dimensional solution was confirmed, with latent variables labeled Distress (amount/intensity) and Frequency (preoccupation, conviction, and disruption). The within-AHS and within-DS dimension intercorrelations were higher than those between subscales, with the exception of the AHS and DS Distress dimensions, which produced a correlation that approached the range of the within-scale correlations. Recommendations are provided for integrating these underlying constructs into research and clinical applications of the PSYRATS.

Intestinal parasites are a public health problem and cabbage is a possible vehicle. In order to determine the enteroparasites contamination of cabbages marketed in major cities of Lara, Yaracuy and Portuguesa States, during the period from July to November 2012, we conducted a cross-sectional study with a convenience sample accidental, in 120 cabbages using the Alvarez technique modified by Traviezo et al. It was found that 10.83% had presence of intestinal parasites. The frequency in Yaracuy State was 17,50%, 12,50% Lara and Portuguesa 2,50%. The species found were Blastocystis hominis, Chilomastix mesnili, Entamoeba histolytica, Balantidium coli, Endolimax nana and Strongyloides sp., Dipylidium caninum, Blastocystis hominis being the most common pathogen enteroparasites with 38,46%. Depending on the source of the contaminated samples were from 12,50% MERCABAR, whose exact origin is unknown, followed by those who came from Mérida with 11.10%. Depending on the type of establishment, it was found that 16,70% of the samples were contaminated acquired by enteroparasites markets, 11,10% supermarket and 7,60% for supplies. In relation to the hygiene of the establishment, it was observed that were contaminated by enteric 13,51% of the samples acquired local poor sanitation, 10% in the optimum, 7,14% in good and 4,54% in regular. Conclude that the percentage of enteroparasites contamination of cabbages in the region was low, however, constitutes a risk factor for the development of food-borne parasitic diseases., Las parasitosis intestinales representan un problema de salud pública y el repollo constituye un posible vehículo. Con el objetivo de determinar la contaminación por enteroparásitos de repollos comercializados en las principales ciudades de los estados Lara, Yaracuy y Portuguesa, período Julio - Noviembre de 2012, se realizó un estudio descriptivo, transversal con una muestra no probabilística accidental, en 120 repollos utilizando la técnica de Álvarez modificada por Traviezo y col. Se obtuvo que 10,83% presentaron contaminación por enteroparásitos. La frecuencia en el estado Yaracuy fue 17,50%, Lara 12,50% y Portuguesa 2,50%. Las especies encontradas fueron Blastocystis hominis, Chilomastix mesnili, Entamoeba histolytica, Balantidium coli, Endolimax nana, Dipylidium caninum y Strongyloides sp, siendo Blastocystis hominis el enteroparásito patógeno más frecuente con 38,46%. Según la procedencia de las muestras contaminadas 12,50% provenían de MERCABAR, cuyo origen exacto de cultivo es desconocido, seguido por los que procedía del estado Mérida con 11,10%. Según el tipo de establecimiento, se obtuvo que 16,70% de las muestras adquiridas en mercados presentaron contaminación por enteroparásitos, 11,10% de supermercados y 7,60% de abastos. En relación a las condiciones de higiene del establecimiento, se observó que presentaron contaminación por enteroparásitos 13,51% de las muestras adquiridas en locales con condiciones higiénicas deficientes, 10% en los óptimos, 7,14% en los buenos y 4,54% en los regulares. Se concluye que el porcentaje de contaminación por enteroparásitos en repollos comercializados en la región Centroccidental fue bajo, sin embargo representa un factor de riesgo para el desarrollo de las enfermedades parasitarias transmitidas por alimentos.

This qualitative study explored the experiences of employed women with breast cancer. The narrative approach using Frank’s (1995) illness types and the feminist perspective were applied in looking at the women’s diversity of experiences and meanings. Purposive sampling was used to recruit women aged 30-49 (n=8) who continued working during treatment and after treatment ended. Face to face, semi-structured interviews were conducted. The findings discovered that all the women got reasonable accommodations; work environment was supportive; and the majority was successful in returning to work despite treatment challenges. Two separated participants reported being locked into job because of medical insurance and discrimination. Concerns identified were: More support from health care professionals, information, dietary, counselling and the need to be listened to. This study can help social workers and other health care professionals to review their roles in supporting women who return to work and in managing the cancer experience.

This qualitative exploratory research study examined the experiences of older women (over age 55) whose husbands had been admitted to a personal care home (PCH) in Winnipeg, Manitoba within the previous twelve (12) months. In-depth, semi-structured, one-on-one interviews were conducted with six (6) women. Socialist feminist and feminist caregiving theoretical frameworks along with narrative analysis were used gain insight into the participants’ needs surrounding their experiences of the admission. Findings include the fact that changes in women’s formal and informal supports began occurring years before their husbands’ admissions. The all-encompassing role as caregiver for their families continued to be central in their lives even after the admission. While women met their material and emotional needs through a range of formal and informal services, the participants were more likely to see needs met through informal means. Themes emerging from the research included those of guilt, entitlement, obligation, and reciprocity.

Numerous studies have been published that consider the relationship between open spaces and property values. In this study, we examine the potential impact of water restrictions on the value of different types of green space. Restrictions on the use of water on outdoor areas are a popular means for governments or utilities to limit water use in urban areas. In this paper, a hedonic pricing model is used to analyse the effects that increasingly severe water restrictions might have on the perceived value of public and private green spaces in Adelaide, South Australia. A hedonic pricing model is estimated that contains housing characteristics, neighbourhood amenities, fixed effects to control for unobserved neighbourhood characteristics and temporal control variables for inflation. The findings suggest that water restrictions are not having a significant impact of the value of outdoor spaces on private properties. There are indications that substitutions may be occurring with the proximity to playgrounds, which are watered more regularly, becoming significant with increasing severity of water restrictions. However, close proximity to large public parks with trails for walking which remain in a natural state throughout the year (brown and dry in summer) is negatively correlated with the selling price regardless of water restrictions. This suggests that households in this market may be using some public green spaces for recreation in lieu of private areas but not all public open spaces are equal. This has implications for urban and landscape planners, especially given the likelihood of ongoing water restriction under climate change. Crown

Traditional environmental and resource economics uses rational choice theory to guide the evaluation of alternative policy options to correct market failure. Behavioral economics, however, has challenged this conventional mindset by showing how people frequently make choices and state values that deviate from the presumption of rationality, i.e., behavioral failures. This article explores the potential of behavioral economics to advance the science of environmental and resource economics. We address four questions: (1) How can behavioral failures affect thinking about environmental policy? (2) When are behavioral failures relevant to the science of environmental economics? (3) Is behavioral failure just another form of market failure? (4) Do we have a new behavioral-environmental second best problem? We conclude that the evidence from behavioral economics remains insufficient to support the wholesale rejection of rational choice theory within environmental and resource economics. But this does not mean anomalous behavior is non-existent; nature's goods and services frequently lack the active market-like arbitrage needed to encourage consistent and rational choice. We believe it is crucial to identify the economic circumstances, institutional designs, and social contexts in which rational choice theory works and those where it fails to capture observed behavior.

This study estimates the economic benefits of remediation in the Buffalo River, NY Area of Concern (AOC) using two distinct empirical methods. One method analyzes the effects of proximity to the AOC on prices in the residential property market. The second uses a choice survey of recent home purchasers concerning the characteristics of homes and the river. After controlling for numerous structural, community, and spatial effects, the market analysis shows that single-family residential property prices south of the river are depressed due to their proximity to the AOC by $118 million (5.4% of total market value). The impacts are greater for properties closer to the AOC. Prices to the north of the AOC do not appear to be affected. Recovery of $118 million in property value losses could produce approximately $4.7 million/year in new property tax revenues. Considering only the area for which the market study shows price discounts, the survey-based estimates reveal a willingness to pay (WTP) for full cleanup of the AOC of approximately $250 million (14% of median-based market value). The reasons for discrepancies between the results of the two methods is a matter for further research.

This study estimates the economic benefits of remediation in the Sheboygan River, WI Area of Concern (AOC) using two distinct empirical methods. The methodology parallels that described by Braden et al. (2008). The results are mixed. Using hedonic analysis of property sales, for owner-occupied homes within a 5-mile radius of the Sheboygan River AOC, the overall estimated loss of value is $158 million (8% of market value). Of this total, only $49 million in losses for homes closest to the upper river segment has strong statistical support. The impacts are greatest proportionally for properties closest to the AOC. A survey-based method yields a mean estimate of $218 million (10% of property value) in willingness to pay for full cleanup of the AOC. If remediation were to induce recovery of property values, then the local communities could benefit through increased property tax revenues.

La violencia intrafamiliar es un problema en gran medida cultural tan arraigado que lo cantan en las rondas infantiles perpetuando nosotros mismos una cultura violatoria de la dignidad humana afectando fundamentalmente a los menores que hacen parte del núcleo familiar. Cuando un padre incurre en actos de violencia intrafamiliar no solo lesiona el derecho del menor a su integridad personal, si no que transgrede el derecho de los menores al afecto a tener un vinculo familiar sano, libre de violencia, y le niega al niño la posibilidad de crecer y desarrollarse plenamente como ser humano autónomo (Barbosa, 1997)

Heat shock proteins (HSPs), play an essential role in housekeeping functions in the body. When these are mis-used, HSPs are thought to play a significant role in the mechanisms leading to cancer cell development, a main aspect of this being metastasis. Metastasis is the spread of cancer cells to other areas of the body, and is often linked to a poor prognosis for diagnosed patients. This makes metastasis a very important issue to understand, and control. The blocking of metastasis, resulting in the tumour to stay in one tissue, provides better scope for treatment, especially in the case of surgery. One such HSP of interest, Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is found in all tissues of the body, with its cumulative expression level under non-stress conditions being very high. A target to reduce of halt metastasis needs to be identified, this could also be used as a biochemical marker for cancer prognosis. The aims of this study are to observe HSP90 output over time, analyse its role in cancer cell motility, assess for the use of HSP90 as a potential biomarker for cancer prognosis, and to analyse the synergy between HSP90 and TOR inhibitors, with the possibility of therapeutic use of dual drugging regimes. HSP90, plays a role in many cellular processes, such as signally pathways and cell survival. Due to this, HSP90 has been identified as a promising cancer drug target due to its critical role in stabilization and activation of several of the oncoproteins required for driving cancer cell progression, including being implicated in metastasis. In this investigation, wound assays were used to visualise cancer cell metastasis over time, with and without a drugging regime. Rapamycin and 17-allylamino-17-demethoxy-geldanamycin (17-AAG) were investigated as a drugging regime to analyse synergistic lethality as a dual treatment for cancer. Cancer cells were analysed using Western Blot to identify presence and concentration of HSP90 in the cells, to identify the effectiveness of th