Attachment goes to court: child protection and custody issues

Attachment theory and research are drawn upon in many applied settings, including family courts, but misunderstandings are widespread and sometimes result in misapplications. The aim of this consensus statement is, therefore, to enhance understanding, counter misinformation, and steer family-court utilisation of attachment theory in a supportive, evidence-based direction, especially with regard to child protection and child custody decision-making. The article is divided into two parts. In the first, we address problems related to the use of attachment theory and research in family courts, and discuss reasons for these problems. To this end, we examine family court applications of attachment theory in the current context of the best-interest-of-the-child standard, discuss misunderstandings regarding attachment theory, and identify factors that have hindered accurate implementation. In the second part, we provide recommendations for the application of attachment theory and research. To this end, we set out three attachment principles: the child’s need for familiar, non-abusive caregivers; the value of continuity of good-enough care; and the benefits of networks of attachment relationships. We also discuss the suitability of assessments of attachment quality and caregiving behaviour to inform family court decision-making. We conclude that assessments of caregiver behaviour should take center stage. Although there is dissensus among us regarding the use of assessments of attachment quality to inform child custody and child-protection decisions, such assessments are currently most suitable for targeting and directing supportive interventions. Finally, we provide directions to guide future interdisciplinary research collaboration

Densidad poblacional en Chocó, Colombia, de dos árboles de importancia económica: Huberodendron patinoi (Malvaceae) e Hymenaea oblongifolia (Fabaceae)

The status of two economically important tree species, Huberodendron patinoi and Hymenaea oblongifolia, in Chocó, Colombia, was unknown. We used 50x50m plots to survey seedlings and trees. We found 19 adult H. oblongifolia; and 19 adults and 66 seedlings of H. patinoi (i.e. 4 Ind/ha and 33 Ind/ha, respectively). Management action is needed to increase the density of both species.El estado de dos especies arbóreas de importancia económica, Huberodendron patinoi e Hymenaea oblongifolia, en Chocó, Colombia, era desconocido. Usamos parcelas de 50x50m para estudiar plántulas y árboles. Encontramos 19 H. oblongifolia adultas; y 19 adultos y 66 plántulas de H. patinoi (es decir, 4 Ind/ha y 33 Ind/ha, respectivamente). Es necesario ejecutar acciones de manejo para aumentar la densidad de ambas especie

Surface Spectroscopy of Pyrite Obtained during Grinding and Its Magnetisation

During grinding with forged steel media, sulphides such as pyrite undergo surface changes due to the occurrence of oxidation–reduction reactions, which affect its depression during the concentration process. For this reason, in this work, the surface modification of pyrite during grinding was studied; FTIR, ICP-OES, XRD and SEM-EDS were used for the materials’ characterisation. It was found that the pyrite obtained during grinding showed magnetic susceptibility due to the absorption and superficial formation of magnetite Fe3O4, Fe–O bonds identified by FTIR at 598 cm−1, and of other species, such as oxy-hydroxy-sulphates at 696 cm−1 and goethite α-FeOOH at 875 cm−1. This caused the reversal of the zeta potential magnitude (ζ) from positive to negative at pH 8.3 and 30 min of grinding. The ζ of the pyrite throughout the studied pH ranges was, overall, positive, i.e., +5 mV. However, at pH 10.5 and 15 min of grinding, the ζ turned negative. This was associated with the formation of Fe–CO3 (−2) bonds in the siderite, which were identified with the absorption bands corresponding to 756, 1448 and 1493 cm−1

Surface Spectroscopy of Pyrite Obtained during Grinding and Its Magnetisation

During grinding with forged steel media, sulphides such as pyrite undergo surface changes due to the occurrence of oxidation–reduction reactions, which affect its depression during the concentration process. For this reason, in this work, the surface modification of pyrite during grinding was studied; FTIR, ICP-OES, XRD and SEM-EDS were used for the materials’ characterisation. It was found that the pyrite obtained during grinding showed magnetic susceptibility due to the absorption and superficial formation of magnetite Fe3O4, Fe–O bonds identified by FTIR at 598 cm−1, and of other species, such as oxy-hydroxy-sulphates at 696 cm−1 and goethite α-FeOOH at 875 cm−1. This caused the reversal of the zeta potential magnitude (ζ) from positive to negative at pH 8.3 and 30 min of grinding. The ζ of the pyrite throughout the studied pH ranges was, overall, positive, i.e., +5 mV. However, at pH 10.5 and 15 min of grinding, the ζ turned negative. This was associated with the formation of Fe–CO3 (−2) bonds in the siderite, which were identified with the absorption bands corresponding to 756, 1448 and 1493 cm−1

Kinetics of the Thermal Decomposition of Rhodochrosite

Manganese is a widely used element in the steel industry; its main source is a mineral named rhodochrosite (MnCO3). For industrial usage, rhodochrosite is reduced to different manganese oxides by means of nodulation furnaces. In this study, rhodochrosite was thermally analyzed at temperatures ranging from 100 °C to 1200 °C. XRD (Powder X-ray diffraction), XRF (X-ray fluorescence), AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectrometry), and FESEM-EDX (Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry) were used to characterize the mineral and the residues were analyzed by XRD and FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy) to determine the stoichiometry of the thermal decomposition reactions. Three mass losses were observed, the first attributed to the transformation from carbonate to manganese (III) oxide, the second to the reduction to manganese tetroxide, and the third to the decomposition of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) present as a contaminant in the studied mineral. Thermal decomposition kinetics shows that the first mass loss required 17.91 kJ mol−1, indicating a control by mass transport-controlled process. For the second and third mass loss, the apparent activation energy of 112.41 kJ mol−1 and 64.69 kJ mol−1 was obtained respectively, indicating that both mass loss events were rate-controlled

Kinetic Analysis of the Thermal Decomposition of a Synthetic Mercury Jarosite

Jarosites are widely used in the hydrometallurgical industry of zinc to eliminate iron and other impurities contained in the concentrates. However, these compounds can also incorporate elements of significant environmental concern such as Tl+, Hg2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, Cr(VI), and As(V). In this work, the characterization of a synthetic mercury jarosite and its thermal decomposition kinetics are reported. XRD and FTIR analyses confirm that a mercury jarosite—Hg0.40(H3O)0.2]Fe2.71(SO4)2.17(OH)4.79(H2O)0.44—was successfully synthesized. Four mass loss events were observed by thermogravimetric analysis at 290 °C, 365 °C, 543 °C, and 665 °C. The third event corresponds to mercury decomposition into mercury oxide, whilst the forth is related to the jarosite to hematite transformation determined by X-ray diffraction starting at around 600 °C. According to the kinetic parameters (activation energy and frequency factor) of the thermal decomposition process, the fourth stage required the highest energy (Ea = 234.7 kJ∙mol−1), which corresponds to elimination of sulfur and oxygen from the jarosite lattice. Results show that jarosite-type compounds have the capability to incorporate heavy metals into their structure, retaining them even at high temperatures. Therefore, they can be used as a remediation strategy for heavy metals, such as mercury and others elements of environmental concern

Influence of Temperature on the Formation of Ag Complexed in a S2O32−–O2 System

Metallic elements of higher economic value, occurring in the mineralogy of Zimapán, are Pb, Zn, Cu, and Fe; said elements are sold as concentrates, which, even after processing, generally include significant concentrations of Mo, Cd, Sb, Ag, and As that can be recovered through different leaching methods. In this work, the influence of temperature in the complexation of silver contained in a concentrate of Zn using the technology of thiosulfate with oxygen injection was studied. Chemical and mineralogical characterization of the mineral concentrate from the state of Hidalgo, Mexico confirmed the existence of silver contained in a sulfide of silver arsenic (AgAsS2) by X-ray Diffraction (XRD). The results obtained by Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (AAS) reported abundant metallic contents (% w/w) (48% Zn, 10.63% Fe, 1.97% Cu, 0.84% Pb, 0.78% As, and 0.25% Ag). These results corroborate the presence of metallic sulfides such as pyrite, chalcopyrite, and wurtzite; this last species was identified as the matrix of the concentrate by X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Pourbaix diagrams were constructed for the AgAsS2–S2O32−–O2 system at different temperatures, which allowed the chemical reaction of leaching to be established, in addition to determining Eh-pH conditions in which to obtain silver in solution. The highest recoveries of the precious metal (97% Ag) were obtained at a temperature of 333 K and [S2O32−] = 0.5 M. The formation of silver dithiosulfate complex (Ag(S2O3)23−) was confirmed by the characterization of the leach liquors obtained from the experiments performed in the temperature range of 298 to 333 K using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)

Thigh-length compression stockings and DVT after stroke

Controversy exists as to whether neoadjuvant chemotherapy improves survival in patients with invasive bladder cancer, despite randomised controlled trials of more than 3000 patients. We undertook a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the effect of such treatment on survival in patients with this disease

Epigenetic regulation of muscle development

In eukaryote cells, chromatin appears in several forms and is composed of genomic DNA, protein and RNA. The protein content of chromatin is composed primarily of core histones that are packaged into nucleosomes resulting in the condensation of the DNA. Several epigenetic mechanisms regulate the stability of the nucleosomes and the protein-protein interactions that modify the transcriptional activity of the DNA. Interestingly, epigenetic control of gene expression has recently emerged as a relevant mechanism involved in the regulation of many different biological processes including that of muscle development, muscle mass maintenance, function, and phenotype in health and disease. Recent investigations have shed light into the epigenetic control of biological mechanisms that are key regulators of embryonic muscle development and postnatal myogenesis. In the present review article, we provide a summary of the contents discussed in session 08, titled "Epigenetics of muscle regeneration", during the course of the 45th European Muscle Conference, which was celebrated in Montpellier (France) in September 2016. The main theme of that session was to highlight the most recent progress on the role of epigenetics in the regulation of muscle development and regeneration. The current mini-review has been divided into two major sections. On the one hand, a brief introduction on the topic of myogenesis is offered for the non-specialized reader. On the other, a brief overview of the most relevant epigenetic players that have been shown to control muscle development and regeneration is give