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Outdoor PM2.5 samples were collected for 34 months in Pretoria, South Africa from 18 April 2017 to 28 February 2020. The average total PM2.5 concentration was 23.2 ± 17.3 µg.m3 (0.69–139 µg.m−3), with the highest mean recorded during winter and the lowest during summer (p < 0.05). The sources were determined by means of cross referencing the US EPA PMF 5.0 program and the NOAA HYsplit model. The sources of the total PM2.5 were mining (33%), resuspended dust (24%), industry (15%), general exhaust (12%), vehicular emissions (12%) and biomass burning (4%). Sources of air pollutants are both ubiquitous and seasonal. Highlights: In central Pretoria, the largest contributing sources of PM2.5 are resuspended dust matrix and mining from surrounding areas; A winter analysis was run where As, Se and Pb was included in the dataset, confirming biomass burning sources which were typically higher during the winter season; and Air quality management policies should address both ubiquitous and seasonal sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indoor and outdoor pollution has become a worldwide problem; it impacts both the environment and human health. Research-driven air pollution assessment studies were done in some of the larger South African cities like Cape Town and Pretoria, but almost none in the Free State province. The purpose of the present study was to determine PM2.5 levels and its chemical components over a period of more than one year in the Free State capital, Bloemfontein. Particulate matter was collected on PFTE filters, which were then analysed gravimetrically, by smoke stain reflectometry and X-ray fluorescence. The average PM2.5 concentration for the study period was 11 μg/m3, which exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) annual guideline limit (5 μg/m3), but not the annual South African National Ambient Air Quality Standard (20 μg/m3). The daily WHO guideline (15 μg/m3) was exceeded on 28 days, but not the daily South African standard (40 μg/m3). The average soot concentration was 1.2 μg/m3. The five most abundant trace elements detected in the PM2.5 filter samples were K, Ca, Si, S and Fe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study examines how brand gender can influence consumer outcomes when a brand takes a gender equity initiative. We show that brands that are perceived as feminine realize greater positive effects from gender equity initiatives than brands that are perceived as masculine. This effect is mediated by the fit between brand gender and the gender equity initiative. Further, we explore a theoretically and managerially relevant boundary condition: prior equity initiatives. The research presented here contributes to the literature on brand gender, brand fit, and corporate social responsibility. Our work also has implications for practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have shown that psychological distress has a role in the symptomology of localized provoked vulvodynia. Therefore, psychosocial support has been presented as a valuable part of the treatment. However, little is known about which psychological variables that coincide with localized provoked vulvodynia. The purpose of this study was to identify qualities of psychological distress in patients with localized provoked vulvodynia. Patients with localized provoked vulvodynia were consecutively recruited to participate in this cross-sectional questionnaire-based study. Participants completed a self-report questionnaire measuring perfectionism, impostor phenomenon, self-compassion, anxiety and perceived stress. A sample of 30 patients were included. Questionnaire results suggestive of perfectionism was seen in 63%, impostor phenomenon in 80%, low self-compassion in 27%, anxiety in 43% and perceived stress in 23% of the participants. The level of self-compassion was higher in patients in a committed relationship. The investigated qualities appear to be more common in patients with localized provoked vulvodynia than in comparable groups. Impostor phenomenon and perfectionism were particularly common, with more than half of the study population scoring above the cutoff for clinical significance. This motivates research to investigate if interventions targeting impostor phenomenon and perfectionism, may aid in the treatment of localized provoked vulvodynia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies investigating the effect of tread edge highlighters on descent speed differ, but collectively report the potential benefit of reduced fall risk. Here we examine the impact of adding high-contrast black vinyl striping to the front edge of each step's tread and its impact on descending gait speed (intervention), while controlling for illumination. Descending gait speed was estimated from 5,824 video observations using the stairway length and entry and exit times. A second stairway was unaltered (control) to compare to the intervention. Stair users were primarily 18–30 years old with a small percentage being middle-aged and older adults. Descending gait speed was significantly slower on the intervention stairway (Linear mixed effects model: standardised coefficient = −0.07, 95% CI = [−0.12, −0.02], p =.010) compared to the control and may be impacted by illuminance. We propose that the slowed gait speed could be due to changes in gait kinematics (e.g. foot clearance) and may reduce fall-risk. Practitioner summary: Tread-edge contrast enhancement could be a low-cost means to reduce fall-risk on stairways, but its impact on gait kinematics is not well understood. We found that contrast enhancement reduced descending gait speed, but descending gait speed's impact on fall risk reduction ultimately requires further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theoretically-driven inoculation strategy has increasingly become used to counter disinformation regarding pivotal societal issues such as COVID-19 and climate change. The current study examines its ability to cultivate psychological reactance toward unethical public relations attacks called astroturf, ultimately making the disinformation less persuasive. To do so, a between-subjects online experiment (N = 534) was conducted. Results show: 1) the use of inoculation messages outperforms the often-recommended paracrisis no response strategy, 2) combining inoculation with explicit details and autonomy support can elicit reactance toward disinformation, and 3) the use of this strategy can influence attitudes and future behavioral intentions to engage with the attacked organization. Guidance and implications for increasing the development of proactive PR messages within research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined how psychological distance, both social and temporal, can be leveraged in prosocial health behavior messages to mitigate perceived psychological reactance. Following the construal level and psychological reactance theories, we conducted a 2 × 2 between-subjects factorial design (N = 245), which manipulated naturalistic messages regarding a prosocial communications campaign. Structural equation modeling showed that far temporal distance combined with far social distance could significantly reduce threat to freedom and therefore positively affect attitudes and behavioral intentions toward prosocial health topics. The effect of social distance was found not significant, differing from past findings. Further, intertwined and parallel psychological reactance models were tested and discussed. We suggest the need for more psychological reactance research, particularly examining prosocial health behavior. Strategies for practical persuasion strategies in prosocial messages are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to outdoor air pollutants poses a risk for both non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic respiratory disease outcomes. A standardized health risk assessment (US EPA) utilizes air quality data, body mass and breathing rates to determine potential risk. This health risk assessment study assesses the hazard quotient (HQ) for total PM2.5 and trace elemental constituents (Br, Cl, K, Ni, S, Si, Ti and U) exposure in Pretoria, South Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guideline (5 µg m−3) and the yearly South African National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) (20 µg m−3) were the references dosages for total PM2.5. A total of 350 days was sampled in Pretoria, South Africa. The mean total PM2.5 concentration during the 34-month study period was 23.2 µg m−3 (0.7–139 µg m−3). The HQ for total PM2.5 was 1.17, 3.47 and 3.78 for adults, children and infants. Non-carcinogenic risks for trace elements K, Cl, S and Si were above 1 for adults. Seasonally, Si was the highest during autumn for adults (1.9) and during spring for S (5.5). The HQ values for K and Cl were highest during winter. The exposure to Ni posed a risk for cancer throughout the year and for As during winters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CD44 protein and its variant isoforms are expressed in cancer stem cells (CSCs), and various CD44 isoforms can have different functional roles in cells. Our goal was to investigate how different CD44 isoforms contribute to the emergence of stem cell (SC) overpopulation that drives colorectal cancer (CRC) development. Specific CD44 variant isoforms are selectively expressed in normal colonic SCs and become overexpressed in CRCs during tumor development. We created a unique panel of anti-CD44 rabbit genomic antibodies to 16 specific epitopes that span the entire length of the CD44 molecule. Our panel was used to comprehensively investigate the expression of different CD44 isoforms in matched pairs (n = 10) of malignant colonic tissue and adjacent normal mucosa, using two (IHC & IF) immunostaining approaches. We found that: i) CD44v8--10 is selectively expressed in the normal human colonic SC niche; ii) CD44v8--10 is co-expressed with the SC markers ALDH1 and LGR5 in normal and malignant colon tissues; iii) colon carcinoma tissues frequently (80%) stain for CD44v8--10 while staining for CD44v6 was less frequent (40%). Given that CD44v8--10 expression is restricted to cells in the normal human colonic SC niche and CD44v8--10 expression progressively increases during CRC development, CD44v8--10 expression likely contributes to the SC overpopulation that drives the development and growth of colon cancers. Since the CD44 variant v8--10 epitope is located on CD44's extracellular region, it offers great promise for targeted anti-CSC treatment approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While contemporary South Korea is fairly westernized but represents a lag in the spheres of culture and politics, it is expected that the current Korean wave or Hallyu 4.0 – popular cultural content, diffused as of 2016 – are cumulatively signified by feminist themes, merged with more traditional Korean and East Asian cultural elements. Five representative Hallyu 4.0 dramas are examined here, based on cultural globalization theory (e.g., hybridization), along with a review of some earlier studies of Korean dramas and relevant strands of feminist scholarship. The findings suggest that much of the moderately modern elements found in earlier waves of Korean drama are still present, while liberal or neoliberal feminist elements are manifest in all five shows, although to different degrees. This ideological shift, in part, reflects recent sociocultural changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews the contingent valuation literature on hypothetical bias and valuation uncertainty, with special emphasis on measures of central tendency suitable for applied welfare analysis. In a theoretical scenario without valuation uncertainty, sample mean willingness to pay (WTP) is an estimator of population mean true WTP, the appropriate welfare measure. It is proposed here that this may not hold under valuation uncertainty. In this case, mean true WTP should be bounded by mean hypothetical WTP and mean actual WTP (in turn, mean actual WTP should exceed mean certain WTP). Based on a theoretical model and a review of existing empirical studies, median hypothetical WTP was found to be an estimator of mean true WTP. It is therefore proposed that contingent valuation researchers should consider using the sample hypothetical median as an estimator of population mean true WTP when supporting data on the degree of valuation uncertainty are absent. This could be a straightforward approach, e.g. in a low income country context, where the possibility of financing elaborate research designs accounting for valuation uncertainty is limited. It can also prove useful to revisit existing contingent valuation studies with these findings in mind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few human health risk assessment studies of air pollution exist in Africa. This study used the US EPA health risk framework to investigate the human health risks due to inhalation exposure to ambient PM2.5 and some of its trace element composition (Cl, Si, and Ti) in Cape Town, South Africa, for 12 months (April 2017 to April 2018). The safe average daily dose was determined using the yearly WHO guideline and South African ambient air quality standard for PM2.5 and the US EPA regional screening levels for trace elements. The average yearly PM2.5 concentration (13 µg/m3) was above the yearly WHO guideline (5 µg/m3), but below the yearly South African standard (20 µg/m3). The average yearly PM2.5 concentration posed a low risk to adults (Hazard Quotient = 0.66) compared to infants (HQ = 2.13) and children (HQ =1.96). Cl posed health risks to all age groups (HQ > 1). The study concludes that PM2.5 and its trace element components pose adverse health effects to all population age groups. The toxicity of PM2.5 depends on its composition; hence this study recommends a source apportionment study to quantify the source contributions and inform the right abatement strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current article examined educational achievement at lower-secondary level in Sweden (Grade 9), using grades and national test results (NTR) as the dependent variables. Linear regressions and bivariate correlations indicated that the proportion of highly-educated individuals in each municipality was positively associated with grades and NTR and that the proportion of welfare recipients and non-natives, as well as rural location, had negative associations. In relation to two case studies with fewer observations, teacher certification rates were more strongly correlated with higher achievement measures. Overall, the NTR of Swedish as a second language (SVA) pupils lowered the overall results in most municipalities. For instance, in low-performing municipalities the native students' NTR was virtually identical to that of the "high-performing" or "best" municipalities when SVA scores were removed. Thus, it seems misguided to highlight "successful" school municipalities whose performance is only average. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent survey data show that belief in the paranormal – including aliens, ghosts, telepathy, mind reading, and unlucky numbers – is widespread in the United States. Given the ubiquitous nature of paranormal beliefs in society, insight into why individuals believe in the paranormal is surprisingly limited. Although the few studies that do exist on this topic show that paranormal beliefs vary somewhat by race/ethnicity, gender, and social class, few studies have applied a rigorous test of theory to quantitatively understand why individuals believe in the paranormal. To address this key gap in research, we use an original dataset and apply the theory of self-control to the understanding of paranormal beliefs. Overall, the data demonstrates that the majority of respondents in our sample report belief in at least one paranormal phenomenon. Multivariate analyses show that individuals with lower levels of self-control report significantly greater belief in the paranormal than those with higher self-control, even after controlling for a range of variables. The characteristics of low self-control – a tendency to choose immediately gratifying courses of action while ignoring long-term consequences – may predispose people to endorse high levels of paranormal beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Finding and securing employment is a huge challenge for those who have been released from prison. In this paper, we argue that carbon capture technology carries the unique potential to positively impact employment opportunities for those who are undergoing the reentry process. Notably, these careers exist nearly entirely in industries which already employ ex-felons. If carbon capture technology were implemented throughout the United States, our estimates suggest that ex-felons would be eligible for nearly 3.6 million careers. Many of these jobs would be created in industries which directly or indirectly support natural resource extraction, ethanol production, electricity generation, and iron, steel, and cement production. In addition to benefiting the economy, these careers would provide returning individuals with financial security and supportive, prosocial peer relationships. Accordingly, carbon capture carries the unique ability to promote environmental justice while simultaneously providing relief to a tremendously overburdened criminal justice system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media is an increasingly popular tool for disseminating health research findings to members of the general public and may contribute to improving the effectiveness of science communication. This study was designed to investigate how retransmission (i.e., social media content shared by a familiar, credible organization) and modality (i.e., how the message is delivered) influence the effectiveness of communicating health research findings via social media. The findings from a 2 (source) X 3 (modality) X 2 (topic) mixed factorial design experiment (N= 517) indicated that source had a significant effect, such that posts that were retransmitted by a credible organization resulted in greater perceived source credibility, greater perceived message effectiveness, and greater likelihood of an individual to engage with the post on Facebook. Modality significantly increased perceived source credibility and perceived message effectiveness when posts were retransmitted by a credible source, indicating that modality made a difference when messages were elaborated as a function of the retransmission. Also, the topic of the post had a significant impact on the study's dependent variables of interest. Overall, the findings illustrate the potential of retransmission and modality as message features that can improve communication of health research findings on social media. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research endeavors to understand how pediatricians and parents discuss – or do not discuss – firearm risks for children during well-child visits. Through individual semi-structured interviews with 16 pediatric providers and 20 parents, the research explores discursive barriers to open conversation, perspectives on anticipatory guidance, and new ideas for culturally competent messaging. The research focuses particularly on how parents' and providers' perspectives on firearm risk communication are tied to cultural norms and expectations. One salient theme that emerged is that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommendation that pediatricians ask parents about ownership status is deemed undesirable by pediatricians and parents because of the delicate intercultural setting. Born out of pediatric and parent experiences, and mindful of culturally salient barriers, this study offers alternative strategies for discussing firearm risk in well-child exams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has established a strong, positive correlation between homicides and substance use and also between homicides and intimate partner violence (IPV). Additionally, there is a well-known, robust, positive relationship between substance use and IPV. Focusing on the opioid crisis and using county-level panel data, this study investigates the possibility that opioid pill prescription trends, IPV, and homicide are intertwined in a complex, interdependent relationship. Objectives: With an eye toward integrated social policy, this study explores the relationships among and between opioid pill distribution patterns, IPV arrests, and homicide arrests within the United States between 2006 and 2012. Methods: Using county-level panel data from several established federal datasets, a series of longitudinal mixed-effects models regress homicide arrests onto the number of pills within each county, IPV arrests, and other relevant controls. Results: While IPV shares a strong, positive main effect relationship with homicide arrests, opioid pill volume is not significantly related to homicides. However, opioid pill volume within a county significantly attenuates the relationship between IPV and homicide, indicating that pills, IPV, and homicides share a complex, interwoven relationship. Conclusion: While the non-significant main effect of opioid pills suggests that opioids are not consequential for homicide, the highly significant interaction between pills and IPV indicates the opposite. Acknowledging the interwoven link between opioids, IPV, and homicide may be of importance when attempting to develop individual programs aimed at addressing these social problems. Well intentioned, unidimensional policies aimed at reducing opioids or IPV may be unknowingly impacting other social problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients in Sweden's rural community hospitals have not been clinically characterised. We compared characteristics of patients in general practitioner-led community hospitals in northern Sweden with those admitted to general hospitals. Retrospective register study. Community and general hospitals in Västerbotten and Norrbotten counties, Sweden. Patients enrolled at community hospitals and hospitalised in community and general hospitals between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2014. Age, sex, number of admissions, main, secondary and total number of diagnoses. We recorded 16,133 admissions to community hospitals and 60,704 admissions to general hospitals. Mean age was 76.8 and 61.2 years for community and general hospital patients (p <.001). Women were more likely than men to be admitted to a community hospital after age adjustment (odds ratio (OR): 1.11; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09–1.17). The most common diagnoses in community hospital were heart failure (6%) and pneumonia (5%). Patients with these diagnoses were more likely to be admitted to a community than a general hospital (OR: 2.36; 95% CI: 2.15–2.59; vs. OR: 3.32: 95% CI: 2.77–3.98, respectively, adjusted for age and sex). In both community and general hospitals, doctors assigned more diagnoses to men than to women (both p<.001). Patients at community hospitals were predominantly older and women, while men were assigned more diagnoses. The most common diagnoses were heart failure and pneumonia. Our observed differences should be further explored to define the optimal care for patients in community and general hospitals. The patient characteristics at Swedish general practitioner-led rural community hospitals have not yet been reported. This study characterises inpatients in community hospitals compared to those referred to general hospitals. • Patients at community hospitals were predominantly older, with various medical conditions that would have led to a referral to general hospitals elsewhere in Sweden. • Compared to men, women were more likely to be admitted to community hospitals than to general hospitals, even after adjustment for age. To the best of our knowledge, this pattern has not been reported in other countries with community hospitals. • In both community hospitals and general hospitals, doctors assigned more diagnoses to men than to women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

California's rate of food insecurity is nearly double the national goal. Women with lower socioeconomic status are disproportionately affected by higher rates of food insecurity, obesity, and poorer mental health. The study purpose was to investigate the adjusted relationship between likely psychological distress and food insecurity among women with low-income and obesity in California. Secondary data analysis study of the 2016 California Health Interview Survey adult (18+) public-use dataset. Weighted analyses of women with low-income and obesity included univariate, bivariate, and a multivariable logistic regression. Women with likely psychological distress had more than 350% higher adjusted odds of food insecurity (AOR 4.63, 95% CI 2.30–9.32). Findings support the growing literature on the positive association between psychological distress and food insecurity among women living in high-income countries. This study makes a novel contribution by focusing on the effects within a subpopulation of women with low-income and obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tick-borne diseases are emerging and re-emerging threats causing public health concerns in Europe and North America. Prevention and control requires understanding of human exposure and behaviour. The aim was to measure exposure to tick bites across Scandinavia, its spatial distribution and the associated risk factors. Methods We sent a web-based survey to a randomly chosen population and analysed answers by Principal Component Analysis and Chi-Square. Individual responses were aggregated at the municipality level to assess the spatial distribution of bites. Results Nearly 60% of adults reported bites at low levels (1-5 bites); however, the majority were not in their resident municipality. We found two spatial profiles: In their home municipalities, people were most often bitten in less, but not the least, urbanized areas. When visiting other municipalities, people were most frequently bitten in peri-urban areas. Running/walking in the forest, gardening, and paddling/rowing were activities most strongly associated with bites. Conclusion Tick bites affect the entire Scandinavian population, with a higher risk in Sweden compared to Denmark and Norway. The frequency of observation of ticks in the environment or on pets might be used as a proxy for the actual risk of exposure to tick bites. Our results indicates that urban-dwelling outdoor enthusiasts and inhabitants of rural areas must be equally targeted for prevention campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The discovery of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs) and the introduction of new therapeutic options have had profound impacts on early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) care. Since ACPA status, most widely assessed as reactivity to cyclic citrullinated peptides (CCPs), influences treatment decisions in early RA, we aimed to determine whether anti-CCP remains a predictor of disease activity and radiographic joint damage in more recent 'real-world' early RA. Method: Two observational early RA cohorts from Sweden enrolled patients in 1996–1999 (TIRA-1, n = 239) and 2006–2009 (TIRA-2, n = 444). Clinical and radiographic data and ongoing treatment were prospectively collected up to 3 years. Two other cohorts served as confirmation cohorts (TRAM-1, with enrolment 1996–2000, n = 249; and TRAM-2, 2006–2011, n = 528). Baseline anti-CCP status was related to disease activity, pharmacotherapy, and radiographic joint damage according to Larsen score. Results: In the TIRA-1 cohort, anti-CCP-positive patients had significantly higher 28-joint Disease Activity Score, swollen joint count, C-reactive protein level, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate during follow-up compared with anti-CCP-negative patients. In TIRA-2, no such differences were found, but baseline anti-CCP positivity was associated with higher 3 year Larsen score (5.4 vs 3.5, p = 0.039). In TRAM-2, anti-CCP also predicted radiographic damage (8.9 vs 6.7, p = 0.027), with no significant differences in disease activity. Conclusion: In the early RA cohorts recruiting patients in 2006–2011, baseline anti-CCP positivity was not associated with disease activity over time, but was associated with increased radiographic damage at follow-up. Hence, close radiographic monitoring is warranted in early anti-CCP-positive RA regardless of disease activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study is to test whether a peer's self-control is related to deviance and whether it conditions the extent to which an actor's self-control is related to deviance. To examine these research questions, the study begins by highlighting a series of theoretical inconsistencies in expected direction of peer effects in Gottfredson and Hirschi's self-control theory. Using dyadic data, crime is regressed onto measures of attitudinal and behavioral self-control from the actor and the friend. Regardless of how self-control is measured, findings demonstrate that the peer's self-control relates to deviance. Additionally, peer self-control independently and interdependently relates to deviant involvement. Peer self-control is meaningful for deviance in multiple ways among people in friendships, thereby suggesting that the importance of peer self-control on offending behaviors is greater than just being part of a flock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this study is to present and validate a simple method for accounting for peer selection on offending based on a respondent's self-reported preferences for friends who engage in criminal behavior. Using primary panel data (n = 611), having a preference for peers who offend (the measure of peer selection) relates positively and significantly to offending behavior. The selection measure, which carries the advantage of being closely aligned to criminological theory, renders the peer offending/personal offending relationship nonsignificant. Our selection variables also outperform a more traditional means of capturing peer selection effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leptin, an adipocyte-derived hormone, is involved in the regulation of body weight and is associated with obesity-related complications, notably cardiovascular disease (CVD). A putative link between obesity and CVD could be induction of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) synthesis by leptin. In this study, we hypothesized that the beneficial effect of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEi) enalapril on PAI-1 levels is mediated by effects on leptin levels. The association between leptin and components of the fibrinolytic system was evaluated in a non-prespecified post hoc analysis of a placebo-controlled randomized, double-blind trial where the effect of the ACEi enalapril on fibrinolysis was tested. A total of 46 men and 37 women were randomized to treatment with enalapril or placebo after (median 12 months) an uncomplicated myocardial infarction. At baseline, the participants were stable and had no signs of congestive heart failure. Leptin and fibrinolytic variables (mass concentrations of PAI-1, tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and tPA-PAI complex) were measured at baseline, and after 10 days, 6 months and 12 months. Enalapril treatment did not change leptin levels, which increased significantly during 1 year of follow-up (p = .007). Changes in leptin levels were strongly associated with changes of tPA mass (p = .001), tPA-PAI complex (p = .003) and of PAI-1 (p = .006) in men, but not in women. Leptin levels are not influenced by treatment with an ACEi. In contrast, leptin associates strongly with changes in fibrinolytic variables notably with a sex difference, which could be of importance for obesity-related CVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on prison reentry shows that individuals with depression turn to substances to cope with the stress of reintegration. While social support drawn from families, peers, and institutions may help returning individuals avoid substance use, it is unclear how social support might condition the link between depression and substance use. Using longitudinal panel data from the Serious and Violent and Offender Reentry Initiative, results from mixed-models demonstrate that depression is significantly associated with increased substance use. Family support, but not peer support, is tied to lower use, and institutional support relates to decreased alcohol use but increased illicit drug use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concern over animal abuse among policy-makers, law enforcement officials, and the general public remains high. Although research has marked animal abuse as an indicator of a variety of deviant outcomes, fewer projects have examined the correlates of cruelty towards animals. In this study, we apply Agnew's theory of animal abuse to explore how a wide-range of characteristics relate to deviance towards animals. In support of Agnew's theory, results reveal that a combination of individual traits and behaviors, socialization experiences, and mechanisms of social control significantly relate to animal abuse. However, measures of strain do not appear to relate to animal abuse, providing only partial support to the theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite decreases in offending and victimization in schools across the United States, many schools continue to use exclusionary discipline. Although school punishment has been tied to a variety of negative outcomes, the link between suspension and offending remains unclear. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997, this study examines the extent to which school punishment contributes to within-individual increases in offending across time and/or amplifies offending between-individuals. Results of a series of cross-lagged dynamic fixed-effects panel models reveal that school suspensions contribute to within-individual increases in offending. This relationship remains even when accounting for the effect of baseline levels of offending on future offending. Further, repeated suspensions amplify offending differences between-individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering high performance in PISA, a case study of Estonia and Singapore is required. Estonia's economy is not up to par with Singapore. On the other hand, Estonia is more democratic than Singapore. The national IQ levels are higher in Singapore (102) than in Estonia (99.4) but may explain a large portion of the attainment level in both countries. Singapore does also have more highly educated and better paid teachers, as well as a highly skilled foreign workforce. Annual educational quantity is very similar. Therefore, the high scores in Estonia relative to the OECD average and many wealthier western nations remain as somewhat of a minor mystery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research in academic development more often articulates stories of success than of failure in our practice. Using a self-study methodology involving written reflections and analysis of recorded conversations, this article explores how two mid-career developers define and learn from feelings of failure in the context of group facilitation. Through reflection and discussion as critical friends, we identified a series of tensions that shape our work and our identities as developers. How we reflect upon and navigate through these potentially uncomfortable places has implications for how we reframe our feelings of failure and evolve our practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilizing frameworks of social control and differential association theories, this study addresses the extent to which deviance (a predictor) is related to friendship quality (the outcome). Using dyadic data, results demonstrate that the highest estimates of friendship quality come from actors who have non-deviant friends and who also refrain from theft and violence themselves. Shared deviance within the friendship, referred to as 'homophily,' harms friendship quality, although it does not mediate or moderate the deviance – friendship quality link. Overall, deviance relates to friendship quality in a way that supports a bonding tradition more than a learning tradition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of reintegrating back into society can be a difficult time for formerly incarcerated individuals in desisting from substance use. Although prior work has shown that experiences like securing employment or abstaining from criminal peers can help individuals desist from substance use, one aspect about which criminologists know considerably less concerns the role of substance abuse treatment programming during reentry. Using the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative data, we explore the role of substance treatment programming on substance use through multiple avenues. Namely, we investigate the impact of substance abuse treatment during prison, during reentry, and over time. Results of longitudinal models demonstrate that individuals who participated in pre-release substance abuse treatment programming report significantly lower levels of substance use than those who did not participate in pre-release substance programming. Yet, we find that individuals who participated in substance treatment programming post-release reported significantly higher levels of substance use than those who did not participate in post-release programming. Finally, we find no evidence that substance use treatment programming relates to decreases in substance use across time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increase in correctional treatment programming options coupled with prison population reduction legislation has driven a widespread transfer of supervision from prisons to community corrections. As a result, medium-to-high risk offenders with substance use needs are increasingly managed through community-based supervision programs such as intensive supervision probation (ISP). ISP programs frequently rely on different types of graduated sanctions to encourage program completion. To further develop research on how graduated sanctions should be applied in response to substance-use-related violations, this study examines whether enhanced treatment sanctions (a rehabilitative approach) and jail sanctions (a punitive approach) may differentially impact successful ISP completion. Using a sample of persons who committed a substance use violation while on ISP, results from multilevel models demonstrate that enhanced treatment sanctions are significantly associated with increased odds of successful ISP completion. On the other hand, jail is not significant, and enhanced treatment and jail do not interact to influence ISP program success. Due to the deleterious nature of the jail environment, findings call into question the utility of jail sanctions on ISP outcomes. Overall, enhanced treatment may be a preferable means through which to sanction probationers and parolees who commit substance-use-related violations while under community supervision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals have been found to "project" their own substance use onto perceptions of their friends' substance use. This study explores whether companionship and conflict relate to incorrect perceptions of a friend's heavy alcohol and marijuana use after controlling for the behavior of the respondent and friend. Mixed models demonstrate that having higher levels of companionship, but not conflict, with a friend result in significantly higher perceptual levels of the friend's heavy alcohol and marijuana use. While beneficial for the friendship, higher levels of companionship may result in a person overestimating the heavy alcohol and marijuana use of a friend. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) prior to radical cystectomy has improved survival but there is an urgent unmet need to identify prognostic and predictive biomarkers to stratify patients who will benefit from treatment. This study aimed to examine the composition of tumor-infiltrating immune cells in MIBC, with particular reference to the clinical outcome and the potential modifying effect of NAC. To this end, the expression of CD8+ and FoxP3+ T cells, CD20+ B cells, PD-1+ and PD-L1+ immune cells and PD-L1+ tumor cells was evaluated by immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays with paired transurethral resection (TURB) specimens, cystectomy specimens and lymph node metastases from 145 patients, 65 of whom had received NAC. Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression analyses were applied to assess the impact of investigated cell subsets on time to recurrence (TTR). In cystectomy specimens, high infiltration of the investigated immune cell populations, but not PD-L1+ tumor cells, were independently associated with a prolonged TTR, whereas in TURB specimens, this association was only seen for CD8+ lymphocytes. An additive beneficial prognostic effect of NAC was seen for the majority of the cell subsets but there was no significant interaction between any immune marker and NAC in relation to TTR. Furthermore, no differences in cell densities prior to NAC treatment were observed between complete and non-complete responders, or pre- and posttreatment in non-complete responders. In conclusion, immune cell infiltration provides important prognostic information in both pre- and postsurgical samples of MIBC, independently of NAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large body of prior research has demonstrated a clear link between family support and desistance from substance use during reentry. Emerging research also suggests that family conflict may play an independent role in this process. Accordingly, this study moves towards an understanding of how baseline between-individual differences in both family support and conflict prior to release interact with within-individual change in the respective constructs to affect substance use during the reentry time period. Results of cross-lagged dynamic panel models examining four waves of the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative data demonstrate baseline between-individual differences and within-individual changes in family conflict, but not support, significantly relate to polysubstance use. While these results suggest that families play a criminogenic role in reentry, a series of interaction terms demonstrates that within-individual increases in family support can help offset the negative influence of family conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although criminologists have long recognized the role that peers play in crime, the specific mechanisms responsible for this relationship have been difficult to isolate. Drawing from the perspectives of differential coercion and social support and differential association, we examine how one type of coercion among friends – conflict – moderates the peer deviance/crime relationship. Using dyadic data, greater levels of conflict are related to higher levels of deviance and conflict weakens the peer deviance–crime relationship. Overall, conflict plays a dual role by relating to higher amounts of deviance while jointly reducing the influence of peer deviance on crime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Change in assessment practice in higher education tends to lag behind pedagogical change. Thinking about assessment practice is, in part, related to disciplinary thinking. In this study, 27 faculty members from a broad range of disciplines were interviewed about their conceptions of assessment to help understand the distinctions and priorities of four main categories of disciplines. We uncover why university instructors may be resistant to changes in assessment practice if they perceive them not to support their disciplinary priorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photographs of mid-Victorian cities evoke an unsettling perspective of modernity by calling attention to the spasmodic process of societal and environmental change in this period. Focusing on four diverse commissions undertaken by the professional photographer Thomas Annan in Glasgow in the latter half of the nineteenth century, this article explores intriguing exchanges between photography and other media in an enlarging Victorian print market. This material suggests that we have yet to fully appreciate the ways in which photography participated in the often-fraught public debate on urban space and civic identity in localised environments. The article also explores how recent interventions in digital humanities, particularly in the field of mapping technologies, have opened up new possibilities of animating and reexamining the remote, conventional and impersonal viewpoints that characterise photographic representations of metropolitan areas in this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Using a large panel sample of men who have been released from prison, the current study seeks to explore whether substance use treatment before and after release from prison helps reduce opioid use. Methods. To explore how pre-release and post-release substance abuse treatment might restrain opioid use, we estimate a two-level mixed-effects model which regresses opioid use at several waves of data onto both treatment measures and control variables. Results. Pre-release substance use treatment is not related to opioid use after release from prison. Although post-release substance use treatment is statistically significant, the direction of the post-release substance abuse treatment effect demonstrates that increased odds of opioid use are found among those who participated in treatment programs. Conclusions. Substance use treatment does not appear to have the desired effect on opioid use for those coming home from prison. Instead, it appears to gradually increase opioid use over time. Due to the possibility that returning persons may establish deviant peer ties in substance use treatment programs, there is a strong substantive need to better understand the implications of substance abuse treatment programs on opioid misuse and abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of leaving prison, known as reentry, presents a host of challenges to returning individuals. Research documents that substance use is a pressing issue and widespread among the correctional population. A variety of strategies and programs have been used to promote the desistance from substance use; notably, the use of social/behavioral programs, increased supervision, and jail time. Yet, existing research investigating the respective effects of te strategies in relation to one another is relatively underdeveloped. This issue becomes more salient when considering the extent to which supervision models can impact the outcomes and future prospects associated with reentry. Therefore, this study uses four waves of data from the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative (SVORI) to examine the impact of social/behavioral programming, increased supervision, and jail sanctions on polysubstance use during reentry. Further, we use a series of interaction terms to explore any conditioning effects between approaches on substance use across time. Results from longitudinal crossed-lagged dynamic panel models reveal that social/behavioral programs contribute to within-person decreases in polysubstance use across time while enhanced monitoring and jail-time contribute to within-person increases in polysubstance use. Interactions indicate these programs exert independent, and not interactive, effects on polysubstance use post-release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major allochthon of the Scandinavian Caledonides, the Seve belt has traditionally been considered to be derived from the rifted margin and continent-ocean transition (COT) of Baltica. However, geochronological results obtained from its inferred northern equivalent, the Kalak Nappe Complex (KNC), have been taken to indicate an exotic affinity of this complex and of also Seve terranes, an interpretation adopted in recent palaeogeographic models. In the Kebnekaise Mts., the COT is represented by the Kebnekaise terrane composed of amphibolitized dykes of gabbro and dolerite of depleted magma source and rare felsic and ultramafic rocks. Coronitic dolerite and gabbro with abundant rutile suggest high pressures before or during amalgamation with the underlying Mårma terrane, composed of quartzofeldspathic gneisses intruded by mafic and granitic rocks, the latter including a previously dated c. 845 Ma-old granite. The granite mingled with mildly alkaline dolerites chemically similar to transitional basalts of continental rifts. Following emplacement at shallow (andalusite stability) crustal levels, the igneous complex and host rocks underwent extensive deformation, metamorphism within the sillimanite-kyanite stability field and local migmatization. The Kebnekaise and Mårma terranes amalgamated in early Ordovician as indicated by the U-Pb age of 487±7 Ma obtained from titanite fabrics of deformed granite in thrust vicinity, and by 40Ar-39Ar results. The pressure increase in both terranes suggests that amalgamation occurred during initial subduction and imbrication. Correlation of the Mårma terrane with the KNC is discussed. Results obtained in this study give no reason to ascribe an exotic affinity to the Seve terranes of the Kebnekaise Mts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Underage drinking remains a pressing issue on college campuses across the United States. Though the most common form of addressing underage alcohol use on campuses is through deterrence-based policies, evidence suggests deterrence-based methods are ineffective and may produce negative outcomes. Objectives: Using dyadic data, the objective of this study is to use a friendship-informed perspective on deterrence theory to examine how an individual's and his/her friend's perceptions of sanction certainty relate to self-reported underage alcohol use. Results: Using multilevel mixed models which fall under the actor-partner interdependence modeling class, results demonstrate that respondents who perceive high levels of sanction certainty drink and heavily use alcohol more frequently than those who perceive low levels of sanction certainty. Additionally, those who have friends who perceive high levels of sanction certainty tend to drink at young ages significantly more frequently and in more dangerous patterns than those who have friends who perceive a low sanction certainty. The dyad members' levels of sanction certainty do not interact in relation to alcohol use. Conclusions: The significant relationships of the friends' sanction certainty support the notion of friendship-based deterrence. However, the consistent positive direction of all sanction certainty measures is the opposite of what deterrence theory hypothesizes. As such, it appears that deterrence is not only ineffective at stopping underage alcohol use on college campuses, but may be harmful due to increased rates of both drinking and high-risk drinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A new biomarker, suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) has been introduced as a marker for fibrosis and hypertrophy. Its clinical value in comparison with N-terminal pro-hormone of brain natriuretic peptide /Amino-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP) in predicting mortality in elderly patients with symptoms of heart failure (HF) is still unclear. Aim: To evaluate the prognostic value for all-cause- and cardiovascular mortality of ST2 or NTproBNP and the combination of these biomarkers. Patients and methods: One hundred seventy patients patients with clinical symptoms of HF (77 (45%) were with verified HF) were recruited from one selected primary health care center (PHC) in Sweden and echocardiography was performed in all patients. Blood samples were obtained from 159 patients and stored frozen at -70 °C. NTproBNP was analyzed at a central core laboratory using a clinically available immunoassay.ST2 was analyzed with Critical Diagnostics Presage ST2 ELISA immunoassay. Results: We studied 159 patients (mean age 77 ± 8.3 years, 70% women). During ten years of follow up 78 patients had died, out of which 50 deaths were for cardiovascular reasons. Continuous NTproBNP and ST2 were both significantly associated with all-cause mortality (1.0001; 1.00001-1.0002, p = 0.04 and 1.03; 1.003-1.06, p = 0.03), NTproBNP but not ST2 remained significant for cardiovascular mortality after adjustments (1.0001; 1.00001-1.0002, p = 0.03 and 1.01; 0.77-1.06, p = 0.53), respectively. NTproBNP above median (>328 ng/L) compared to below median was significantly associated with all-cause mortality(HR: 4.0; CI :2.46-6.61; p < 0.001) and cardiovascular mortality (HR: 6.1; CI: 3.11-11.95; p < 0.001). Corresponding analysis for ST2 above median (25.6 ng/L) was not significantly associated neither with all-cause mortality (HR; 1.4; CI: 0.89-2.77) nor cardiovascular mortality (HR: 1.3; CI: 0.73-2.23) and no significant interaction of NTproBNP and ST2 (OR: 1.1; CI: 0.42-3.12) was found. Conclusion: In elderly patients with symptoms of heart failure ST2 was not superior to NTproBNP to predict all cause or cardiovascular mortality. Furthermore, it is unclear if the combination of ST2 and NTproBNP will improve long-term prognostication beyond what is achieved by NTproBNP alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a dual framework of differential association and the risk-need-responsivity model, this study uses data from the Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative to investigate how peer criminality, peer support, and religious or spiritual support impact substance use during reentry. Results indicate that less peer criminality and more religious/spiritual support relate to lower levels of substance use, and in both independent and interdependent ways. However, results also suggest that religious/spiritual support interacts with high amounts of peer support to increase substance use. Collectively, the three elements of risks, needs, and responses may be intertwined in the case of peer influence and religious/spiritual support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:This interview study is a part of a project that evaluated sensor technology as a support in everyday activities for patients with memory impairment. Aim:To explore patients with memory impairment and their partners’ experiences of using sensor technology in their homes. Methods and material:Five patients with memory impairment after stroke and three partners were interviewed. Individual semi-structured interviews were analyzed with qualitative content analysis. Results:Installing sensor technology with individually prerecorded voice reminders as memory support in the home had a broad impact on patients’ and their families’ lives. These effects were both positive and negative. The sensor technology not only supported activities but also influenced the patients by changing behavior, providing a sense of security, independence and increased self-confidence. For the partners, the sensor technology eased daily life, but also gave increased responsibility for maintenance. Technical problems led to frustration and stress for the patients. Conclusion:The results indicate that sensor technology has potential to increase opportunities for persons with memory impairment to perform and participate in activities and to unburden their partners. The results may promote an understanding of how sensor technology can be used to support persons with memory impairment in their homes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]