Links of adversity in childhood with mental and physical health outcomes: A systematic review of longitudinal mediating and moderating mechanisms

Hales, G. K., Saribaz, Z. E., Debowska, A., & Rowe, R., Links of adversity in childhood with mental and physical health outcomes: A systematic review of longitudinal mediating and moderating mechanisms, Trauma, Violence, and Abuse (Journal Volume Number and Issue Number) pp. xx-xx. Copyright © [2022] (The Authors). Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications.Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been associated with causes of early death, addiction, mental illness, and poor health. However, studies investigating underlying mechanisms often rely on cross-sectional data or inappropriate study designs. To prevent the negative sequelae associated with ACEs, it is imperative to understand the mechanisms underlying the prospective relationship. The aim of this present review was to provide a synthesis and critical evaluation of the literature regarding the mechanisms underlying this relationship. A search in SCOPUS, MedLine via Ovid, PsycINFO via Ovid, and Web of Science was performed. Studies that utilised a prospective design assessing ACEs in childhood or adolescence, outcomes in adulthood, and analysed either a mediating or moderating relationship were included, unless the study relied on informant report or official records to assess childhood maltreatment types of ACEs. Twenty-two studies examining a longitudinal mediation or moderation were included in a systematic review. A review of the studies found links to psychopathology, delinquent and problem behaviours, poor physical health, and poor socioeconomic outcomes. A clear image of underlying mechanisms is not forthcoming due to (a) poor study design in relation to assessing longitudinal mechanisms, and (b) heterogeneity in the adversities, mechanisms, and outcomes assessed. Based on the review, several gaps and limitations are highlighted and discussed

Prosocial video game as an intimate partner violence prevention tool among youth: A randomised controlled trial

Evidence demonstrates that exposure to prosocial video games can increase players’ prosocial behaviour, prosocial thoughts, and empathic responses. Prosocial gaming has also been used to reduce gender-based violence among young people, but the use of video games to this end as well as evaluations of their effectiveness are rare. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a context-specific, prosocial video game, Jesse, in increasing affective and cognitive responsiveness (empathy) towards victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) among children and adolescents (N = 172, age range 9 – 17 years, M = 12.27, SD = 2.26). A randomised controlled trial was conducted in seven schools in Barbados. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental (prosocial video game) or control (standard school curriculum) condition. Experimental and control group enrolled 86 participants each. Girls and boys in the experimental condition, but not their counterparts in the control condition, recorded a significant increase in affective responsiveness after intervention. This change was sustained one week after game exposure. No significant effects were recorded for cognitive responsiveness. Findings suggest that Jesse is a promising new IPV prevention tool among girls and boys, which can be used in educational settings

Gender-based violence-supportive cognitions in adolescent girls and boys: The function of violence exposure and victimisation

Violence against women and girls is widespread in the Caribbean, which may be due to heightened acceptance of such acts in this specific social context. In spite of this, studies investigating attitudes towards violence and their correlates among participants drawn from the region are missing. In order to address this void in the literature, we examined associations between violence exposure and victimisation and two gender-based violence-related cognitions (attitudes towards male physical domestic violence and social norms regarding physical violence against girls) as well as general beliefs about violence, using structural equation modelling. Participants were a sample of adolescent girls (n = 661; M age = 13.15) and boys (n = 639; M age = 13.22) from two Eastern Caribbean countries, Barbados and Grenada, recruited from 10 primary schools, nine secondary schools, and two youth offender centres. In considering that girls and boys were previously demonstrated to differ in their experiences as well as tolerance of violence, structural models were specified and tested separately for the two sexes. Results indicated that violence victimisation was positively strongly associated with attitudes towards male physical domestic violence and social norms regarding physical violence against girls among boys. Increased violence victimisation among girls, in turn, correlated with increased acceptance of social norms regarding physical violence against girls, but this relationship was weak. Violence exposure did not have any significant associations with any of the attitudinal variables included in the study. We discuss the importance of these findings for the development of appropriate gender-based violence prevention strategies for youths from the Eastern Caribbean

Screening of Asparagus officinalis L. seeds for occurence and ploidy of twin embryos

We used germination tests to assess the frequency of polyembryony in 9 asparagus cultivars with a high propensity to produce double embryos with different ploidy levels: Alpha, Andreas, Boonlim, Cipres, Eposs, Helios, Limbras, Ravel and Sartaguda. Twin embryos inside a single seed were found in 3 cultivars: Eposs 2n, Ravel 2n and Sartaguda 2n, at 0.60% frequency (15 seeds with twin embryos out of 2500 seeds). Of 30 obtained seedlings, 14 were separated diploid-diploid twins, 6 were conjoined diploid pairs, 8 were separated diploid-haploid and 2 were diploid-haploid pairs conjoined in the hypocotyl region. Some embryos showed unilateral dominance of one embryo (size and shape). The haploid status of the smallest embryo was confirmed by chromosome number (n=x=10) and flow cytometry (nuclear C DNA amount 1.95 pg). The haploid obtained in this manner possessed enough vegetative vigor to undergo chromosome doubling

Assessing polyphenols content and antioxidant activity in coffee beans according to origin and the degree of roasting

Background. The roasting stage constitutes a key component in the manufacturing process of natural coffee because temperature elicits changes in bioactive compounds such as polyphenols and that Maillard-reaction compounds appear, thus affecting the product’s sensory and antioxidant properties. Actual contents of these compounds may depend on which region the coffee is cultivated as well as the extent to which the beans are roasted. Objectives. To determine polyphenols content and antioxidant activity in the ‘Arabica’ coffee type coming from various world regions of its cultivation and which have undergone industrial roasting. Also to establish which coffee, taking into account the degree of roasting (ie. light, medium and strong), is nutritionally the most beneficial. Materials and Methods. The study material was natural coffee beans (100% Arabica) roasted to various degrees, as aforementioned, that had been cultivated in Brazil, Ethiopia, Columbia and India. Polyphenols were measured in the coffee beans by spectrophotometric means based on the Folin-Ciocalteu reaction, whereas antioxidant activity was measured colourimetrically using ABTS+ cat-ionic radicals. Results. Polyphenol content and antioxidant activity were found to depend both on the coffee’s origin and degree of roasting. Longer roasting times resulted in greater polyphenol degradation. The highest polyphenol concentrations were found in lightly roasted coffee, ranging 39.27 to 43.0 mg/g, whereas levels in medium and strongly roasted coffee respectively ranged 34.06 to 38.43 mg/g and 29.21 to 36.89 mg/g. Antioxidant activity however significantly rose with the degree of roasting, where strongly roasted coffee had higher such activity than lightly roasted coffee. This can be explained by the formation of Maillard-reaction compounds during roasting, leading then to the formation of antioxidant melanoidin compounds which, to a large extent, compensate for the decrease in polyphenols during roasting. Conclusions. Polyphenols levels and antioxidant activities in the studied Arabica coffee beans that had undergone roasting depended on the cultivation region of the world. Longer roasting caused a significant decline in polyphenols compound levels (from 7.3% to 32.1%) in the coffee beans. Antioxidant activities of coffee increased with roasting, despite reduced levels of natural antioxidants. From a nutritional standpoint, the most favoured coffees are those lightly or medium roasted.Wprowadzenie. Kluczowym procesem w czasie produkcji kawy naturalnej jest etap prażenia, w wyniku którego pod wpływem wysokiej temperatury w ziarnach kawy zachodzą zmiany zawartości związków bioaktywnych, takich jak polifenole, powstają związki Maillarda, mające wpływ na ich właściwości sensoryczne oraz właściwości antyoksydacyjne. Zawartość tych związków może zależeć od rejonu upraw kaw, a także od zastosowanego procesu prażenia. Cel badań. Celem niniejszych badań była ocena zawartości polifenoli oraz aktywności antyoksydacyjnej kaw rodzaju Arabika pochodzących z różnych rejonów upraw, poddanych procesowi prażenia, stosowanych w warunkach przemysłowych, a także określenie jaki czas prażenia kawy jest najkorzystniejszy dla produktu z żywieniowego punktu widzenia. Materiał i metody. Materiał do badań stanowiły ziarna kawy naturalnej (100% Arabika) o różnym stopniu prażenia: lekko, średnio i mocno prażone, pochodzące z czterech różnych rejonów upraw: z Brazylii, Etiopii, Kolumbii i Indii. W pracy oznaczono zawartość polifenoli metodą spektrofotometryczną z wykorzystaniem odczynnika Folina-Ciocalteu’a oraz aktywność antyoksydacyjną przy zastosowaniu metody kolorymetrycznej z wykorzystaniem kationorodników ABTS+. Wyniki. Przeprowadzone badania wykazały wpływ zarówno pochodzenia kaw, jak i procesu ich prażenia na zawartość polifenoli i ich właściwości antyoksydacyjne. Proces prażenia powodował degradację polifenoli ze względu na termolabilny charakter tych związków. Największą zwartość polifenoli zaobserwowano w kawie lekko prażonej, a wraz ze wzrostem stopnia prażenia zawartość polifenoli istotnie malała. W zależności od stopnia prażenia wynosiła odpowiednio 39,27- 43,00 mg kwasu galusowego/g dla kaw słabo prażonych, 34,06-38,43 mg/g dla kaw średnio prażonych i 29,21-36,89 mg/g dla kaw mocno prażonych. Wykazano, że wraz ze wzrostem stopnia prażenia kawy następuje obserwuje się istotny wzrost aktywności antyoksydacyjnej. Kawy mocno prażone cechowały się wyższą aktywnością antyoksydacyjną niż słabo prażone. Można to tłumaczyć faktem, że w czasie prażenia zachodzą reakcje Maillarda, które prowadzą do powstania melanoidynów, związków o charakterze antyoksydacyjnym, które w znacznym stopniu kompensują ubytek polifenoli w czasie prażenia. Wnioski. Zawartość polifenoli w ziarnach kawy Arabika oraz ich właściwości antyoksydacyjne zależą w znacznym stopniu od ich pochodzenia (rejonu uprawy). Proces prażenia powoduje znaczne (od 7,3% do 32,1%) obniżenie zwartości związków polifenolowych w kawach, co jest związane z termolabilnym charakterem tych związków. W wyniku prażenia właściwości przeciwutleniające kaw zostają istotnie zwiększone, pomimo znacznego spadku naturalnych przeciwutleniaczy. Z żywieniowego punktu widzenia najkorzystniejsze jest spożywanie kawy o krótkim lub średnim czasie prażenia

Profiles of intimate partner violence (IPV) victimisation: A systematic review

Person-centred approaches, such as latent class (LCA) and latent profile (LPA) analyses, aid the identification of sub-groups within sample populations. These methods can identify patterns of co-occurrence between different forms of intimate partner violence (IPV), providing valuable information for prevention and intervention efforts. The aim of this systematic review was to yield a summary and conduct a critical evaluation of the current research that utilises LCA/LPA to investigate IPV victimisation profiles. We provide an outline of 14 relevant studies, retrieved from searches conducted on PsycInfo, Scopus, and Eric databases. There was a large amount of variability in relation to the forms of IPV assessed, measures utilised, number of classes identified, and the sample populations recruited. However, broad similarities were revealed as there were some commonly identified classes, including the no/low violence class, the physical and psychological victimisation class, and the multiple victimisation class, yet the labels assigned to those classes differed across studies. A range of external criteria (risk factors and consequences) were also identified as being associated with class membership. We highlight methodological features which may have impacted data collection and class enumeration, including the differences in sample population, the range of IPV indicators assessed, the time period from which IPV data was recorded, and whether data was collected regarding participants’ current or previous relationships. Marginalised populations were underrepresented, and psychological abuse was most inconsistently operationalised. Recommendations for future research are provided, including recommendations with regards to labelling the classes for greater consistency across studies