Factors influencing the prevalence of animal cruelty during adolescence

Adolescents’ interactions with animals are of increasing interest and their beneficial developmental outcomes are well known. However, negative interactions such as perpetrating cruelty toward animals during childhood and adolescence have been related with child abuse, domestic violence, and later interpersonal violence. Cruelty toward animals by adolescents has been reported predominately in criminal and clinical samples, and links have been made between animal cruelty and interpersonal violence. However, studies often lack a clear definition of animal cruelty and the animal involved. The present study addresses methodological shortcomings by providing a clear definition of the cruelty acts and the animals involved and the time frame within which cruelty acts have been taken place. Therefore, we investigated the prevalence of animal cruelty of 979 British adolescents (419 male, 497 female, Mage = 15.1 ± 1.57 years) by means of a survey questionnaire administered in school. Animal cruelty was investigated encompassing deliberate and nondeliberate cruelty acts, a clear definition of the target animals was included and a time frame was provided. Furthermore, acceptability of animal cruelty, engaging in antisocial behavior, and family affluence were investigated. Results show high reliabilities for the measures applied. Exploratory factor analysis reveals different types of animal cruelty. Gender differences were observed for deliberate and accidental cruelty acts, with boys reporting higher levels than girls. Younger adolescents reported higher accidental cruelty acts than older ones. Acceptance of animal cruelty played a significant role in predicting animal cruelty, together with antisocial behaviors and place of living. The present study shows for the first time the importance of distinguishing between different types of animal cruelty and defining the animals involved.PostprintPeer reviewe

Adult-perpetrated Animal Abuse: A Systematic Literature Review

Adults perpetrate the majority of animal abuse incidents yet clinicians are left with very little evidence base to advance/enhance their practice. The purpose of this systematic review is to synthesize and evaluate the current literature on adult-perpetrated animal abuse and to identify the etiological factors related to this type of offending. Twenty-three studies met the specific inclusion criteria but most importantly, they examined the characteristics of adult perpetrators of animal abuse. The findings from this review were demarcated by sample type: (1) participants were the perpetrators of the animal abuse or held offence-supportive attitudes; and (2) participants were victims of intimate partner violence reporting incidents of animal abuse perpetrated by their partner. From the perpetrator perspective, there were key developmental (i.e., maladaptive parenting strategies), behavioral (such as varied offending behaviors), and psychological (e.g., callousness, empathy deficits) factors highlighted in the literature. Finally, in the context of intimate partner violence, findings indicated that perpetrators abuse animals to control, coerce, intimidate and/or manipulate their victims (this effect is moderated by the victims’ emotional attachment to their pet). This review inherently underlines treatment targets that could achieve greater clinical gains, but we also conclude that more empirical and theoretical work is needed in order to set an agenda that prioritizes future research and effective practice. Keywords: animal abuse, animal cruelty, adult perpetrators, offending behavior, intimate partner violenc

Adult-perpetrated Animal Abuse: A Systematic Literature Review

Adults perpetrate the majority of animal abuse incidents yet clinicians are left with very little evidence base to advance/enhance their practice. The purpose of this systematic review is to synthesize and evaluate the current literature on adult-perpetrated animal abuse and to identify the etiological factors related to this type of offending. Twenty-three studies met the specific inclusion criteria but most importantly, they examined the characteristics of adult perpetrators of animal abuse. The findings from this review were demarcated by sample type: (1) participants were the perpetrators of the animal abuse or held offence-supportive attitudes; and (2) participants were victims of intimate partner violence reporting incidents of animal abuse perpetrated by their partner. From the perpetrator perspective, there were key developmental (i.e., maladaptive parenting strategies), behavioral (such as varied offending behaviors), and psychological (e.g., callousness, empathy deficits) factors highlighted in the literature. Finally, in the context of intimate partner violence, findings indicated that perpetrators abuse animals to control, coerce, intimidate and/or manipulate their victims (this effect is moderated by the victims’ emotional attachment to their pet). This review inherently underlines treatment targets that could achieve greater clinical gains, but we also conclude that more empirical and theoretical work is needed in order to set an agenda that prioritizes future research and effective practice. Keywords: animal abuse, animal cruelty, adult perpetrators, offending behavior, intimate partner violenc

Differential Muc2 and Muc5ac secretion by stimulated guinea pig tracheal epithelial cells in vitro

BACKGROUND: Mucus overproduction is a characteristic of inflammatory pulmonary diseases including asthma, chronic bronchitis, and cystic fibrosis. Expression of two mucin genes, MUC2 and MUC5AC, and their protein products (mucins), is modulated in certain disease states. Understanding the signaling mechanisms that regulate the production and secretion of these major mucus components may contribute significantly to development of effective therapies to modify their expression in inflamed airways. METHODS: To study the differential expression of Muc2 and Muc5ac, a novel monoclonal antibody recognizing guinea pig Muc2 and a commercially-available antibody against human MUC5AC were optimized for recognition of specific guinea pig mucins by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blot, and immunohistochemistry (IHC). These antibodies were then used to analyze expression of Muc2 and another mucin subtype (likely Muc5ac) in guinea pig tracheal epithelial (GPTE) cells stimulated with a mixture of pro-inflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), and interferon- γ (IFN-γ)]. RESULTS: The anti-Muc2 (C4) and anti-MUC5AC (45M1) monoclonal antibodies specifically recognized proteins located in Muc2-dominant small intestinal and Muc5ac-dominant stomach mucosae, respectively, in both Western and ELISA experimental protocols. IHC protocols confirmed that C4 recognizes murine small intestine mucosal proteins while 45M1 does not react. C4 and 45M1 also stained specific epithelial cells in guinea pig lung sections. In the resting state, Muc2 was recognized as a highly expressed intracellular mucin in GPTE cells in vitro. Following cytokine exposure, secretion of Muc2, but not the mucin recognized by the 45M1 antibody (likely Muc5ac), was increased from the GPTE cells, with a concomitant increase in intracellular expression of both mucins. CONCLUSION: Given the tissue specificity in IHC and the differential hybridization to high molecular weight proteins by Western blot, we conclude that the antibodies used in this study can recognize specific mucin subtypes in guinea pig airway epithelium and in proteins from GPTE cells. In addition, Muc2 is highly expressed constitutively, modulated by inflammation, and secreted differentially (as compared to Muc5ac) in GPTE cells. This finding contrasts with expression patterns in the airway epithelium of a variety of mammalian species in which only Muc5ac predominates

In Vivo Fluorescence Imaging of Bacteriogenic Cyanide in the Lungs of Live Mice Infected with Cystic Fibrosis Pathogens

10.1371/journal.pone.0021387PLoS ONE67

Capability of modern tank floor scanning with Magnetic Flux Leakage

The article below depicts the current state of MFL technology utilized in testing of storage tanks floor. The main advantage of the MFL is the capability of locating and appraising the size of the defects on large areas in a fast and effective way. Similarly as with other testing methods there are limitations which can have influence on consistency and credibility of the reported defects, however quite often the MFL is considered to be an easy screening method, in which every competent inspector can easily interpret the results. There are many wrong opinions concerning MFL which are mainly caused by lack of knowledge or awareness. Additionally, the article will also cover the solutions used in MFL scanners available on the market that allow the users to obtain high resolutions of scanning as well as the making the distinction between faults and defects located on the surface from the tested side and those located on the opposite side.Niniejszy artykuł przedstawia obecny stan metody magnetycznego strumienia rozproszenia (MFL) wykorzystywanej do badania den zbiorników magazynowych. Podstawową zaletą MFL jest możliwość zlokalizowania i oszacowania wielkości defektów na dużych obszarach. Istnieją ograniczenia, które mogą mieć wpływ na spójność i wiarygodność raportowanych wad. Często metoda MFL jest traktowana jako prosta metoda przesiewowa, w której każdy kompetentny inspektor może łatwo interpretować wyniki. Istnieje wiele błędnych opinii dotyczących MFL, które wynikają głównie z braku wiedzy lub nieświadomości. W artykule zostaną przedstawione ograniczenia oraz wskazówki, w jaki sposób je zredukować. Omówione zostaną rozwiązania stosowane w skanerach MFL pozwalające na uzyskanie wysokich rozdzielczości skanowania oraz rozróżnienie wad na powierzchniach od strony badania od wad po przeciwległej stronie

Full-field Fabry-Perot interferometer

This paper describes the use of a Fabry-Perot interferometer for simultaneously measuring velocity at many points on the surface of a shock-loaded solid. The method is based upon work reported by S. Gidon and G. Behar in 1986, but the data analysis has been improved by the application of image-processing techniques. Light from a pulsed single-frequency laser is focused onto a moving target and the returned Doppler-shifted image passed through a Fabry-Perot interferometer. Output of the interferometer is a set of fringes that are formed for specific combinations of wavelength and light angle. These fringes are recorded on film for subsequent analysis. Fringe position determines the velocity for each point on the target that forms a fringe. A method for determining the velocity as a function of both position and time will also be discussed. 5 refs., 6 figs