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In the past 5 years since their US introduction, there has been a rapid proliferation of light-based hair removal devices intended for home-use. In the last 2 years in Europe, sales already run into many tens of thousands of units with well-known multi-national companies entering the market. These guidelines provide a definition of light-based home-use technology, to inform healthcare professionals about home-use light-based technology and encourage manufacturers wishing to sell in Europe to adopt 'best practice'. The review presents the current status on standards and regulation issues and considers home-use safety issues, encompassing human, device and electrical safety, given risks to the eyes and skin from optical radiation both to the consumer and persons in the vicinity. Proposed technical measurement methodology is considered with focus on recognized critical parameters for the safe use of light-based hair removal technology including recording the technical performance and safety claims of a range of home-use hair removal devices. The literature review emphasizes potential adverse incidents and safety aspects of treating cosmetic conditions, such as unwanted hair growth. Although some regulations exist, they differ from region to region and there is a specific need for international common principles and guidelines relating to the manufacture, marketing and use of intense pulsed light and laser devices, including manufacturing standards for home-use products intended, amongst others, for cosmetic hair removal and photo-rejuvenation procedures. In these guidelines, the European Society for Laser Dermatology (ESLD) provides a professional view of what 'best practice' may imply for manufacturers and consumers alike., (© 2012 The Authors. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology © 2012 European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.)

This article builds upon prior work by suggesting how public, K-12 education systems across the United States can address longstanding opportunity gaps in STEM education. More specifically, we bring together the work of critical perspectives in education, STEM pathway research, as well as best practices from teaching and learning scholarship. We suggest that through critical, interconnected, and aligned approaches to pedagogy, curricula, and instruction, educators can effectively advance the holistic success of Black youth. We begin by summarizing some of the systemic barriers to STEM pathways for Black students. We then highlight how extant studies have pointed to 3 essential teaching and learning strategies that empower Black youth toward academic, social, and civic engagement. We suggest that through: (1) culturally responsive, relevant, and sustaining pedagogies, (2) problem- and project-based, participatory curricula, and (3) a commitment to civic action and civic engagement, we can reduce and one day remove STEM opportunity gaps. When this collection of practices is offered to students in holistic ways through in and out-ofschool opportunities, studies have shown the positive impact that these teaching and learning approaches can have on Black students' experiences, engagement, and academic success outcomes throughout the K-12 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean meal (SBM) is a premier source of protein for feeding food-producing animals. However, its nutritional value can be compromised by protein oxidation. In this study, a total of 54 sources of solvent extracted SBM (SSBM) and eight sources of mechanically extracted SBM (MSBM), collected from different commercial producers and geographic locations in the United States during the years 2020 and 2021, were examined by chemometric analysis to determine the extent of protein oxidation and its correlation with soybean oil extraction methods and non-protein components. The results showed substantial differences between SSBM and MSBM in the proximate analysis composition, protein carbonyl content, lipidic aldehydes, and antioxidants, as well as subtle differences between 2020 SSBM and 2021 SSBM samples in protein oxidation and moisture content. Correlation analysis further showed positive correlations between protein carbonyl content and multiple lipid parameters, including the ether extract, p-anisidine value, individual aldehydes, and total aldehydes. Among the antioxidants in SBM, negative correlations with protein carbonyl content were observed for total phenolic content and isoflavone glycoside concentrations, but not for Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), α-tocopherol, and γ-tocopherol. Overall, soybean oil extraction methods, together with other factors such as enzyme treatment and environmental conditions, can significantly affect the proximate analysis composition, the protein and lipid oxidation status, and the antioxidant profile of SBM. Lipidic aldehydes and phenolic antioxidants play counteracting roles in the oxidation of soy protein. The range of protein carbonyl content measured in this study could serve as a reference to evaluate the protein quality of SBM from various sources used in animal feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Folate is hypothesized to accelerate cell proliferation in colorectal cancer (CRC) by supporting DNA synthesis, while alcohol is also linked to gastrointestinal epithelial proliferation, despite biological antagonism of folate. We report associations between folate and alcohol consumption with the proliferation marker Ki67 in CRC tumors from the Southern Community Cohort Study. Tumor samples were obtained from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks. The percentage of cells expressing Ki67 was measured immunohistochemically. Exposures were assessed via questionnaire pre-diagnosis. Associations were assessed via linear regression. In 248 cases (40–78 years), neither dietary folate, folic acid supplements, nor total folate intake were associated with Ki67. Folic acid supplement use was associated with Ki67 in distal/rectal tumors (β [95% confidence interval]: 7.5 [1.2-13.8], p =.02) but not proximal tumors (-1.4 [-7.1-4.3], p=.62). A positive trend for total folate was observed for distal/rectal tumors (1.6 [0.0-3.3] per 200 μcg, p-trend=.05). Heavy drinking (women: ≥1 drink/day, men: ≥2 drinks/day) was associated with higher Ki67 (6.4 [1.0-11.9], vs. nondrinkers, p=.02), especially for distal/rectal tumors (10.4 [1.6-19.1], p=.02). Negative interaction between alcohol, total folate was observed for distal/rectal tumors (p-interaction=.06). Modest associations between folate, alcohol consumption and distal/rectal tumor Ki67 expression suggest accelerated proliferation, consistent with folate's role in DNA synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over two-thirds of individuals aged 65 and older are obese or overweight in the United States. Epidemiological data show an association between the degree of adiposity and cognitive dysfunction in the elderly. In this review, the pathophysiological roles of microvascular mechanisms, including impaired endothelial function and neurovascular coupling responses, microvascular rarefaction, and blood-brain barrier disruption in the genesis of cognitive impairment in geriatric obesity are considered. The potential contribution of adipose-derived factors and fundamental cellular and molecular mechanisms of senescence to exacerbated obesity-induced cerebromicrovascular impairment and cognitive decline in aging are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health promotion/education strive to promote healthful conditions that improve quality of life based on the perceptions of those whose lives are affected Though health promotion/education might have instrumental value in reducing risks for premature morbidity and mortality, their ultimate value lies in contributions to quality of life. Life satisfaction (LS) has been defined as an individual's assessment of their quality of life based upon personal criteria and linked to adolescent health risk behaviors and developmental assets. Purpose: We investigated the psychometrics of the Brief Multidimensional Students' Life Satisfaction Scale [BMSLSS] with an adolescent sample of African Americans (N = 1,658) from four mid-sized cities in the United States. Reliability and validity of the BMSLSS has not been determined for samples of exclusively African American adolescents. Methods: Data analysis included calculating mean ratings, standard deviations and effect sizes (Cohen's d) and inspecting the scale's internal structure, reliability, and relationships to other variables. Results: Evidence of internal structure, internal consistency reliability, and hypothesized relationships to other variables for participants were determined. Translation to Health Education Practice: The BMSLSS is a useful indicator of LS for research and health education assessment purposes among African American adolescents where brevity of psychometric measures is imperative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Durability and long-term performance of concrete exposed to deleterious ions and environmental conditions are major concerns. The rapid chloride permeability (RCP) test is commonly used in specifications in the United States to evaluate the permeability of concrete. To evaluate the critical factors that control the service life of structures, the investigation of various concrete mixtures is required. In this paper, the performance of 54 concrete mixtures containing three types of water-reducing admixtures, two types of aggregates, and two levels of cement contents are evaluated in the RCP and freezing-and-thawing tests and the air void structure of selected mixtures are analyzed. It was found that the use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) significantly enhances the performance of concrete mixtures in the RCP test. In addition, mixtures containing up to 30% of Class C fly ash and 50% slag content achieved exceptional durability performance in both RCP and freezing-and-thawing (F-T) tests. The "very-low" RCP values were found for mixtures containing Class F fly ash and polycarboxylate ether (PCE) admixture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A total of 248 students from one Southeastern U.S. middle school responded to measures of global and domain-based life satisfaction on three occasions, reflecting 5-month, 7-month, and 1-year time intervals. Alpha coefficients were all above .80 for each global and domain-based score on each occasion. The test–retest coefficients were variable, underscoring the importance of contextual factors in life satisfaction reports. Nevertheless, with the exception of the Friends domain, the retest coefficients for the global and domain-based scores all exceeded .50 across all three intervals, suggesting a moderate degree of stability yet potential sensitivity to changing life circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assesses cross-country variation in life-cycle human capital accumulation, using new evidence from US immigrants. The returns to experience accumulated in an immigrant’s birth country before migrating are positively correlated with birth-country GDP per capita. To understand this fact, we build a model of life-cycle human capital accumulation that features three potential theories: differential human capital accumulation, differential selection, and differential skill loss. We use new data on the characteristics of immigrants and nonmigrants from a large set of countries to distinguish between these theories. The most likely theory is that immigrants from poor countries accumulate less human capital in their birth countries before migrating. Our findings imply that life-cycle human capital stocks are much larger in rich countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study of near surface sediments from the Dan River (southeastern USA) was conducted to assess the use of magnetic properties as proxies of coal ash after a recent spill. The watershed geology is diverse and potentially contributes magnetic minerals to riverbed sediment from diabase dikes in the Dan River Triassic Basin and from granitic gneiss outside the basin. Coal ash is heterogeneous, including aluminosilicate spheres, amorphous particles and carbonaceous rods and lacy particles. The magnetic fraction of ash from the failed storage pond is up to 17 wt% and is mostly composed of black spheres with maghemite and magnetite. Ash was detected in riverbed sediment from quiet water settings such as inside of meander bends, the confluence of tributary streams and near islands between the spill site and 20 miles downstream in the Schoolfield Reservoir, Danville, VA. The strong magnetic signal is detected above background in riverbed samples and is strongly positively correlated with total ash; elevated low field magnetic susceptibility ( χ ) is evident in samples with ≥ 12% ash content. Anhysteretic remanent magnetization and hysteresis parameters delineate native sediment, ash-bearing sediment, and diabase dikes. Between 20 and 70 miles downstream of the spill site, ash concentrations were either buried or too low due to dilution with native sediment to be detected with χ in riverbed samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study extended current positive psychological research by examining the mediating role of coping behavior in the relations between environmental and intrapersonal variables as predictors of adolescent global life satisfaction, based on Evans' (Soc Indic Res 33:47-88, ) proposed model. Specifically, we assessed the relations between personality traits (extraversion, neuroticism) and environmental experiences (stressful life events) predicting early adolescents' global life satisfaction as mediated by approach and avoidance coping behaviors using a sample of 529 students from one middle school in the southeastern United States. The results supported portions of Evans' model. Statistically significant relations were found for a number of individual pathways between personality and environmental variables (i.e., predictors) and coping variables (i.e., mediators) as well as between approach coping (i.e., one mediator) and life satisfaction (i.e., outcome). Additionally, a small but statistically significant pathway was found between extraversion and life satisfaction when mediated by approach coping. Results suggest that personality, environmental stressors and coping behaviors may play a role in the development of life satisfaction among early adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agrilus planipennis Fainnaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is a wood-boring pest of Asian origin that has caused widespread mortality of ash, Fraxinus spp., in North America since its accidental introduction in the 1990s. Studies conducted at the epicenter of the infestation in the Great Lakes region have discovered several species of native parasitoids capable of utilizing A. planipennis-, however, little is known of how these natural enemy complexes vary across the shifting forest types and habitats encompassed by the expanding infestation. We characterized the assemblage of native natural enemies being recruited to A. planipennis at five sites in north-central Kentucky, where infestations have been documented since 2009. Through destructive sampling, dissection, and rearing of infested ash material, 12 native parasitoid morpho-species were found being recruited to A. planipennis, nine of which have not been reported previously. Catogenus rufus (F.) (Coleopter: Passandridae), Phasgonophora sulcata Westwood (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae), and Leluthia asgtigma (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) have been discovered utilizing A. planipennis in more northerly infested regions of North America and were present in our study. Native hymenopteran parasitoid responses to A. planipennis presence and associated ash decline, measured using visual assessments of canopy decline, revealed a positive correlation between parasitoid guilds and ash decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors address the hospital outcomes of patient satisfaction, healthcare quality, and net income per bed. They define union density as the percentage of a hospital's employees who are in unions, healthcare quality as its 30-day acute myocardial infraction (AMI; heart attack) mortality rate, and patient satisfaction as its overall Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems score. Using a random sample of 84 union and 84 nonunion hospitals from across the United States, multiple regression analyses show that union density is negatively related to patient satisfaction. Union density is not related to healthcare quality as measured by the AMI mortality rate or to net income per bed. This implies that unions per se are not good or bad for hospitals. The authors suggest that it is better for hospital administrators to take a Balanced Scorecard approach and be concerned about employee satisfaction, patient satisfaction, healthcare quality, and net income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bacillus anthracis is a Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium, which causes anthrax, an often lethal disease of animals and humans. Although the disease has been well studied since the nineteenth century, it has witnessed a renewed interest during the past decade, due to its use as a bioterrorist agent in the fall of 2001 in the USA. A number of techniques aimed at rapidly detecting B. anthracis, in environmental samples as well as in point-of-care settings for humans suspected of exposure to the pathogen, are now available. These technologies range from culture-based methods to portable DNA amplification devices. Despite recent developments, specific identification of B. anthracis still remains difficult because of its phenotypic and genotypic similarities with other Bacillus species. Accordingly, many efforts are being made to improve the specificity of B. anthracis identification. This mini-review discusses the current challenges around B. anthracis identification, not only in reach-back laboratories but also in the field (in operational conditions). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the laboratory moisture susceptibility of low-volume hot mix asphalt (HMA) and warm mix asphalt (WMA) mixtures containing moist aggregates and recycled materials, such as manufactured roofing shingles and coal ash material. These materials were tested after short- and long-term aging procedures. The test properties of these mixtures included indirect tensile strength (ITS), the tensile strength ratio (TSR), and the flow value of virgin and aged specimens. The experimental design included two percentages of coal ash (10 and 5% by weight of the aggregate), two roofing shingle contents (5 and 3% by weight of the aggregate), three WMA additives (Asphamin, Sasobit, and Evotherm), two antistripping agents (hydrated lime and one liquid antistripping agent), and two aggregate sources. A total of 72 mixtures were designed and a total of 416 ITS specimens were tested for short- and long-term aged procedures in this study. The test results indicated that the dry and wet ITS values of low-volume mixtures containing moist aggregate generally satisfied the demand of pavement without requiring additional treatment. Mixtures containing hydrated lime, in general, showed a better moisture resistance than liquid ASA for WMA mixtures. Moreover, the addition of WMA additives in the low-volume mixture was effective and generally showed a similar moisture resistance to HMA, except for when using Asphamin and liquid ASA simultaneously. Research results also indicated that the utilization of recycled coal ash and roofing shingles significantly improved moisture resistance of HMA and WMA mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Federal preemption is perhaps the most important public law issue of the day. The stakes in preemption cases are enormous, as preemption determines whether the federal government or the states control regulatory policy in a host of politically controversial contexts. Congress clearly has primary constitutional authority in setting federal preemption policy, but, for numerous political and practical reasons, cannot be solely responsible for its implementation. Determining which organ of the federal government is best at implementing preemption policy has therefore become the central preoccupation of the academic literature. While this comparative institutional analysis is certainly important in allocating preemption policy-making business, it has elided a very important issue: Congress has an interest not only in what substantive preemption policy should be, but also in who should be primarily responsible for implementing it. In other words, there is a strategic delegation choice to be made by Congress for which current institutional choice approaches to preemption do not fully account. This Article addresses the delegation issue by providing a framework for how Congress should be "legislating preemption." It identifies two previously overlooked challenges posed by delegating preemption implementation responsibility to the federal courts instead of to federal agencies. First, Congress has only weak policing tools when it delegates to federal courts, and therefore has little opportunity to correct the judiciary when it strays from Congress's preemption policy preferences. Second, in its preemption jurisprudence, the Supreme Court has adopted what this Article terms a Centralization Default, which leads it to generally disfavor antipreemption arguments when Congress does not provide clear instructions to the contrary. The Article then proposes that Congress respond to these challenges by drafting broad standards and creating favorable legislative history when preemption policy coincides with the Centralization Default. By contrast, Congress should draft clear rules when it wants to overcome the Centralization Default. After developing the "legislating preemption" framework, the Article uses the Dodd-Frank Act's national bank preemption provisions to illustrate what happens when Congress does not apply the framework. As the Article shows, Congress's failure to account for its weak post-delegation policing tools or the Centralization Default will likely lead to more federal preemption than Congress intended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Substance Use & Misuse is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Situated within a positive psychology perspective, this study explored linkages between adolescent students' positive subjective well-being and their levels of engagement in schooling. Specifically, using structural equation modeling techniques, we evaluated the nature and directionality of longitudinal relationships between life satisfaction and student engagement variables. It was hypothesized that adolescents' life satisfaction and student engagement variables would show bidirectional relationships. To test this hypothesis, 779 students (53% female, 62% Caucasian) in a Southeastern US middle school completed a measure of global life satisfaction and measures of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement at two time points, 5 months apart. A statistically significant bidirectional relationship between life satisfaction and cognitive engagement was found; however, non-significant relationships were found between life satisfaction and emotional and behavioral student engagement. The findings provide important evidence of the role of early adolescents' life satisfaction in their engagement in schooling during the important transition grades between elementary and high school. The findings also help extend the positive psychology perspective to the relatively neglected context of education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students from the United States and Japan were surveyed with regard to their levels of satisfaction with school and factors that might facilitate or impede school satisfaction. Results indicated that females and younger students from both countries expressed greater satisfaction with school, with overall satisfaction declining in a linear fashion according to age in the Japanese sample. Among U.S. students, school satisfaction declined significantly in middle school but rebounded, to some extent, in later grades. For both samples, a positive school climate featuring positive peer relationships, high levels of nurturance and support, and opportunities for autonomy predicted school satisfaction. Results of the study are discussed in terms of implications for enhancing motivation and engagement among students from various cultural backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in men and women. Lung cancer accounts for approximately 30% of all cancer deaths in the United States. In addition, it is the most often diagnosed cancer in men, and the second most often diagnosed cancer in women. Five-year survival rates in lung cancer remain very low, around 15%. Approximately 45% of patients present with stage III disease. The majority of these patients are considered non-resectable, leading to the poor survival statistics seen in this disease. Unfortunately, survival rates have not improved in the past 30 years despite much research in diagnostics and therapeutics. Patients with advanced disease often experience multiple symptoms, including fatigue, pain, dyspnea, cough, hemoptysis, and anorexia. This paper will review the enormous toll that lung cancer takes on society, as well as individuals and families affected. In addition, we will examine psychosocial factors pertinent to lung cancer. Specifically, the article briefly discusses treatment approaches to lung cancer, as they relate to quality of life (QOL). QOL as a construct within lung cancer is then reviewed. Comment is made on the evaluation and prognostic importance of QOL. Next, economic and survivorship aspects of lung cancer are discussed. Finally, a summary of relevant psychosocial interventions for patients diagnosed with lung cancer is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence has established the protective effect of folic acid (FA) fortification and periconceptional supplementation on neural tube defects (NTDs). Folic acid fortification and periconceptional supplementation of women may reduce the risk of certain childhood cancers in their offspring. However, recent human studies have suggested that FA supplementation and fortification may promote the progression of already existing, undiagnosed, preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions, thereby corroborating earlier observations from animal and in vitro studies. Following the success of mandatory FA fortification on the reduction of NTD rates in the United States and Canada, several countries are currently considering whether or not, and at what dose, to institute FA fortification. Future debates and decisions regarding FA fortification should take into consideration all potential adverse effects and dose-responses of such a measure because it may be associated with very serious consequences for many generations. In addition to careful monitoring of adverse effects, preclinical and population-based studies are warranted in order to determine the efficacy, safety, and potential deleterious effects of FA fortification and supplementation on cancer risk and other health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Campylobacter jejuni is considered to be the leading cause of enteric illness in the United States and other industrialized nations, causing mild to severe symptoms including serious infections of the extremities and permanent neurological symptoms. The organism is a cytochrome oxidase positive, microaerophilic, curved Gram-negative rod exhibiting corkscrew motility and is carried in the intestine of many wild and domestic animals, particularly avian species including poultry, where the intestine is colonized resulting in healthy animals as carriers. Wildlife have long been considered an infectious reservoir for campylobacters because of their close association with and contamination of surface waters. This review deals with the areas of: phenotypic characteristics of C. jejuni and related human pathogenic species of Campylobacter, their ecological distribution, virulence factors, isolation of C. jejuni from foods, serotyping of Campylobacter isolates, bacteriophage typing, molecular methods of detecting and typing campylobacters, the viable but nonculturable state of campylobacters, the coccoid form of C. jejuni and immunomagnetic capture of C. jejuni. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information about the research program that focuses on the discovery of biologically active natural products produced by endophytic microorganisms associated with plants. This program is funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the U.S. National Science Foundation. It includes a course designed to prepare students for the expedition and laboratory work, a two-week expedition to one rainforest, and an intensive summer laboratory experience.

More than 50% of the electricity in the United States is produced by coal-burning power plants. The byproduct of coal-burning plants is coal fly ash, which contains increased concentrations of trace metals and is disposed of in collection basins. Southern toads ( Bufo terrestris) frequently use these basins for reproduction. Male toads were collected in spring 2001 and 2002 from an ash basin and a reference site and divided into four groups: toads collected at the control site and maintained on (1) control substrate and food or (2) ash and contaminated food and toads collected at the ash site and maintained in (3) control or (4) ash conditions. Blood was collected periodically during 5 months to determine testosterone and corticosterone concentrations. Reference to ash toads exhibited a significant, transient increase in corticosterone at 4 weeks, but neither corticosterone nor testosterone continued to increase beyond this time. In contrast, toads caught and maintained on ash did not exhibit increased corticosterone. Testosterone in these toads appeared to be unrelated to ash exposure. This unexpected lack of a corticosterone response and no effect on testosterone suggests that toads chronically exposed to trace metals can acclimate to a polluted environment, but they may still experience subtle long-term consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A PCR-based heteroduplex assay was used to determine the presence and composition of Bacillus species in 11,059 Environmental Protection Agency PM2.5 aerosol samples from 11 U.S. cities. The assay differentiated three groups: Type A containing Bacillus anthracis and very closely related, often pathogenic, Bacillus cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis strains; Type B containing other B. cereus and B. thuringiensis strains; and a third group of more-distantly related Bacillus species. Eight of the 11 cities were positive for Bacillus species in 50% or more of the samples, and the percent of aerosol samples that contained the HD Type A group ranged from 3% to 32%. Cities from the eastern half of the United States generally contained a higher frequency and broader diversity of Bacillus species than the western half of the United States. Positive samples were detected throughout the year. These results have implications for pathogen detection in environmental samples, understanding the natural evolution of new pathogenic strains, and incidence of infection caused by strains of the B. cereus subgroup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study builds on existing criminological theories and examines the role of life satisfaction and self-control in explaining youth violence. Using data from a stratified cluster sample of 5,414 public high school students who responded to the South Carolina Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the study examines the relationship between adolescents `perceptions of life satisfaction, behavioral risky acts, and self-reported acts of violence. Analyses indicate that higher levels of life satisfaction are associated with lower violence. Participation in work and involvement in health-related risk-taking behaviors pertaining to sex, drugs, and alcohol are also associated with increased violence. The implications of these findings for criminological theory and for school-based violence prevention programs are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Forest Research is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions constitute a global problem. The need for agricultural involvement in GHG mitigation has been widely recognized since the 1990s. The concept of C sinks. C credits, and emission trading has attracted special interests in herbaceous and woody species as energy crops and source of biofuel feedstock. Bioenergy crops are defined as any plant material used to produce Bioenergy. These crops have the capacity to produce large volume of biomass, high energy potential, and can be grown in marginal soils. Planting bioenergy crops in degraded soils is one of the promising agricultural options with C sequestration rates ranging from 0.6 to 3.0 Mg C ha-1 yr-1. About 60 million hectares (Mha) of land is available in the United States and 757 Mha in the world to grow bioenergy crops. With an energy offset of 1 kg of C in biomass per 0.6 kg of C in fossil fuel, there exists a vast potential of offsetting fossil fuel emission. Bioenergy crops have the potential to sequester approximately 318 Tg C yr-1 in the United States and 1631 Tg C yr-1 worldwide. Bioenergy crops consist of herbaceous bunch-type grasses and short-rotation woody perennials. Important grasses include switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), elephant grass (Pennissetum purpureum Schum.), tall fescue (Fetusca arundinacea L.), etc. Important among short-rotation woody perennials are poplar (Populus spp.), willow (Salix spp.), mesquite (Prosopis spp.), etc. The emissions of CO2 from using switchgrass as energy crop is 1.9 kg C Gj-1 compared with 13.8, 22.3, and 24.6 kg C Gj-1 from using gas, petroleum, and coal, respectively. Mitigation of GHG emissions cannot be achieved by C sinks alone, a substantial reduction in fossil fuel combustion will be necessary. Carbon sequestration and fossil fuel offset by bioenergy crops is an important component of a possible total societal response to a GHG emission reduction initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of Responding In Peaceful and Positive Ways (RIPP), a violence prevention program originally developed for urban middle schools serving a predominantly African American student population, was evaluated in rural schools serving an ethnically diverse student population. A between-school design was used to compare outcomes over two years for a cohort of students at four intervention schools where the RIPP program was implemented and four no-intervention control schools. Although results were not consistent across all measures and time points, several significant intervention effects were found on self-report measures of aggression, victimization, life satisfaction and mediating variables including knowledge and attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural sociologists are currently debating the pace and extent of industrialization in the dairy sector of the United States. We offer the perspective of historical sociology to this debate, arguing that time and place significantly determine the outcomes of processes such as industrialization. We present an historically grounded explanation for the rise of industrial dairying, which first occurred in Los Angeles County. Beginning with the immigration of Dutch dairy farmers to Los Angeles (L.A.) in the 1920s, a contingent and sequential process—embedded within the local/California political economy—of exploding population growth, rapid urbanization, and skyrocketing land prices led to repeated geographical relocations and expansions of large-scale dairies during the next three decades. We conclude that agricultural industrialization is not inevitable but instead is the result of contingent factors (cultural and political-economic) as well as the particular sequencing of events and processes. In thus historicizing the industrialization debate, we seek limited, rather than universal, generalizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One aspect of charter schools that is often overlooked when one evaluates their success is the support that they receive from students. By using data from a survey of Texas charter school students, supplemented with statistics from the Texas Education Agency, the author examined students' satisfaction with their charter school, especially as it compared with their previous educational experiences. Results suggest that when students perceived that the charter school had higher quality teachers, better classes, and a more caring environment, they were more satisfied with their charter school than with their previous school. Furthermore, students most at risk for dropping out also were those who tended to be more supportive of their charter school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the performance of Diagnostic Cost Groups (DCGs) in explaining variation in concurrent utilization for a defined subgroup, patients with substance abuse (SA) disorders, within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).Data Sources: A 60 percent random sample of veterans who used health care services during Fiscal Year (FY) 1997 was obtained from VA administrative databases. Patients with SA disorders (13.3 percent) were identified from primary and secondary ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes.Study Design: Concurrent risk adjustment models were fitted and tested using the DCG/HCC model. Three outcome measures were defined: (1) "service days" (the sum of a patient's inpatient and outpatient visit days), (2) mental health/substance abuse (MH/SA) service days, and (3) ambulatory provider encounters. To improve model performance, we ran three DCG/HCC models with additional indicators for patients with SA disorders.Data Collection: To create a single file of veterans who used health care services in FY 1997, we merged records from all VA inpatient and outpatient files.Principal Findings: Adding indicators for patients with mild/moderate SA disorders did not appreciably improve the R-squares for any of the outcome measures. When indicators were added for patients with severe SA who were in the most costly category, the explanatory ability of the models was modestly improved for all three outcomes.Conclusions: Modifying the DCG/HCC model with additional markers for SA modestly improved homogeneity and model prediction. Because considerable variation still remained after modeling, we conclude that health care systems should evaluate "off-the-shelf" risk adjustment systems before applying them to their own populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the fine-root decomposition on coniferous forests in Oregon. Effects of species, initial substrate quality and site differences on the decomposition in litter bags; Importance of fine roots on forested ecosystems; Biotic factors affecting root decomposition.

This study explored demographic, environmental and personality correlates of adolescents' positive life satisfaction reports. First, demographic variables did not relate to life satisfaction, except socioeconomic status. Second, the findings indicated that acute events and chronic life experiences, both positive and negative, were related significantly to life satisfaction. Third, locus of control attributions mediated the relationships between negative life events and chronic stressors and adolescent life satisfaction. The findings demonstrated the importance of integrative models of adolescent life satisfaction that reflect the interplay of both intrapersonal and environmental variables. The findings are discussed in the context of the promotion of positive psychological health among adolescents. Future research directions are proposed, emphasizing the need for cross-cultural studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the levels and demographic correlates of adolescents' perceptions of their overall life satisfaction and satisfaction with five specific domains of their lives (i.e. family, friends, school, self, living environment). Data were collected from 5545 students in public high schools in South Carolina, USA as part of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey of the Center for Disease Control. Similar to findings in studies of adults, the results revealed that most adolescents reported positive levels of life satisfaction, both with respect to global and domain-specific life satisfaction. Global and family reports were not related to gender, race or grade level. Although not large, some race and gender effects were suggested for the other specific domains. Relative to the other satisfaction domains, these adolescents reported most dissatisfaction with their school experiences. Implications for future research, theory and practice related to adolescent well-being were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interrelationships among life experiences, academic self-efficacy, and school satisfaction reports from a sample of 92 adolescents in a private secondary school were investigated. Results revealed that life experiences, both positive and negative, were significantly associated with school satisfaction reports. Students' perceptions of their academic self-efficacy did not moderate the relationship between life events and school satisfaction; however, self-efficacy perceptions did contribute significant variance in a linear fashion beyond life experiences. The authors concluded that both a wide array of negative and positive environmental experiences and individual difference variables need to be considered to understand adolescents' reactions to schooling and to design prevention and intervention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The psychometric properties of the Self-Description Questionnaire-II (SDQ-II) were assessed with an American middle school sample comprising 291 students. Results revealed acceptable internal consistency and four-week stability coefficients for all domain scores and the Total score of the instrument. The results of confirmatory factor analyses supported the convergent validity of the SDQ-II. Although the hypothesized factor structure provided a reasonable fit to the data, the relatively high intercorrelations among some of the SDQ-II scales raised issues related to discriminant validity. Implications of the findings for future research with American children are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study on the effects of different feedstocks on the composting process, end quality and agronomic performance at the Washington State University compost facility. Methodology of the study; Results and discussion; Summary.

Fly ash samples were collected in November and December of 1994, from generating units at a Kentucky power station using high- and low-sulfur feed coals. The samples are part of a two-year study of the coal and coal combustion byproducts from the power station. The ashes were wet screened at 100, 200, 325, and 500 mesh (150, 75, 42, and 25 mu m, respectively). The size fractions were then dried, weighed, split for petrographic and chemical analysis, and analyzed for ash yield and carbon content. The low-sulfur ''heavy side'' and ''light side'' ashes each have a similar size distribution in the November samples. In contrast, the December fly ashes showed the trend observed in later months, the light-side ash being finer (over 20 % more ash in the 500 mesh [25 mu m] fraction) than the heavy-side ash. Carbon tended to be concentrated in the coarse fractions in the December samples. The dominance of the 325 mesh (42 mum) fractions in the overall size analysis implies, though, that carbon in the fine sizes may be an important consideration in the utilization of the fly ash. Element partitioning follows several patterns. Volatile elements, such as Zn and As, are enriched in the finer sizes, particularly in fly ashes collected at cooler, light-side electrostatic precipitator (ESP) temperatures. The latter trend is a function of precipitation at the cooler-ESP temperatures and of increasing concentration with the increased surface area of the finest fraction. Mercury concentrations are higher in high-carbon fly ashes, suggesting Hg adsorption on the fly ash carbon. Ni and Cr are associated, in part, with the spinel minerals in the fly ash. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the element composition of ashes from 18 municipal refuse incinerators in the U.S. The study involves 15 kilogram (kg) of ash, including bottom ash, fly ash, and mixtures of both which are mixed by tumbling, which were obtained from 18 incinerators during 1987. The result shows that the total concentration of elements in refuse ashes include aluminum, iron (Fe), and magnesium (Mg), in forms that may include precipitates, metal oxides and soluble salts.

This paper examines the influence of economic factors on re-enlistment decisions in the U.S. Navy. The effect of civilian wage opportunities on re-enlistment behavior is of particular interest. The study employs a unique longitudinal data base to track the actual civilian employment experiences of Navy personnel who enlisted between 1973-77. The data base was created by merging the records of the Defense Military Data Center and the U.S. Social Security Administration. This data base is used to estimate the opportunity costs of re-enlisting and these estimates are then used in the two-step regression procedure to predict re-enlistment behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines laterite in relation to soils of the tropics by researchers from the U.S. Variance of soils in perennially hot and warm regions of low altitudes; Geographic line of division between soils of tropical regions and those of temperate climates; Control of precipitation effectiveness on the general type of vegetation.