A methodological review of resilience measurement scales

BACKGROUND: The evaluation of interventions and policies designed to promote resilience, and research to understand the determinants and associations, require reliable and valid measures to ensure data quality. This paper systematically reviews the psychometric rigour of resilience measurement scales developed for use in general and clinical populations. METHODS: Eight electronic abstract databases and the internet were searched and reference lists of all identified papers were hand searched. The focus was to identify peer reviewed journal articles where resilience was a key focus and/or is assessed. Two authors independently extracted data and performed a quality assessment of the scale psychometric properties. RESULTS: Nineteen resilience measures were reviewed; four of these were refinements of the original measure. All the measures had some missing information regarding the psychometric properties. Overall, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, the Resilience Scale for Adults and the Brief Resilience Scale received the best psychometric ratings. The conceptual and theoretical adequacy of a number of the scales was questionable. CONCLUSION: We found no current 'gold standard' amongst 15 measures of resilience. A number of the scales are in the early stages of development, and all require further validation work. Given increasing interest in resilience from major international funders, key policy makers and practice, researchers are urged to report relevant validation statistics when using the measures

Evaluation of Residual Chlorothalonil Levels on Processing Tomato Foliage Using the TOM-CAST Spray Program

Field tomatoes were sprayed with chlorothalonil on a fixed–interval spray program and a TOM–CAST spray program with disease severity value threshold of 18. Foliage samples from upper and lower canopy layers were collected prior to spray re–applications. Chlorothalonil residue data were compared to the chlorothalonil efficacy threshold (1.2 μg/cm2). Using a seven–day interval program, eight of the nine and seven of the nine spray intervals had chlorothalonil residues above the critical level for the upper and lower canopy layers, respectively. Using the TOM–CAST program, four of the five spray intervals had chlorothalonil residues above the critical level for both upper and lower canopy layers when the DSV threshold of 18 was reached. Persistence of chlorothalonil residues at effective concentrations could lengthen the spray interval beyond the DSV–based spray recommendation

Outcomes and patients’ perspectives of transition from paediatric to adult care in inflammatory bowel disease

This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by-nc/4.0/AIM: To describe the disease and psychosocial outcomes of an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) transition cohort and their perspectives. METHODS: Patients with IBD, aged > 18 years, who had moved from paediatric to adult care within 10 years were identified through IBD databases at three tertiary hospitals. Participants were surveyed regarding demographic and disease specific data and their perspectives on the transition process. Survey response data were compared to contemporaneously recorded information in paediatric service case notes. Data were compared to a similar age cohort who had never received paediatric IBD care and therefore who had not undergone a transition process. RESULTS: There were 81 returned surveys from 46 transition and 35 non-transition patients. No statistically significant differences were found in disease burden, disease outcomes or adult roles and responsibilities between cohorts. Despite a high prevalence of mood disturbance (35%), there was a very low usage (5%) of psychological services in both cohorts. In the transition cohort, knowledge of their transition plan was reported by only 25/46 patients and the majority (54%) felt they were not strongly prepared. A high rate (78%) of discussion about work/study plans was recorded prior to transition, but a near complete absence of discussion regarding sex (8%), and other adult issues was recorded. Both cohorts agreed that their preferred method of future transition practices (of the options offered) was a shared clinic appointment with all key stakeholders. CONCLUSION: Transition did not appear to adversely affect disease or psychosocial outcomes. Current transition care processes could be optimised, with better psychosocial preparation and agreed transition plans

Quantum entanglement and Bell violation of two coupled cavity fields in dissipative environment

We study the quantum entanglement between two coupled cavities, in which one is initially prepared in a mesoscopic superposition state and the other is in the vacuum in dissipative environment and show how the entanglement between two cavities can arise in the dissipative environment. The dynamic behavior of the nonlocality for the system is also investigated.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figure

Differences in Inflammatory Markers between Nulliparous Women Admitted to Hospitals in Preactive vs Active Labor

Objective To determine whether labor-associated inflammatory markers differ between low-risk, nulliparous women in preactive vs active labor at hospital admission and over time. Study Design Prospective comparative study of low-risk, nulliparous women with spontaneous labor onset at term (n = 118) sampled from 2 large Midwestern hospitals. Circulating concentrations of inflammatory markers were measured at admission and again 2 and 4 hours later: namely, neutrophil, and monocyte counts; and serum inflammatory cytokines (interleukin -1β, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-10) and chemokines (interleukin-8). Biomarker concentrations and their patterns of change over time were compared between preactive (n = 63) and active (n = 55) labor admission groups using Mann-Whitney U tests. Results Concentrations of interleukin-6 and interleukin-10 in the active labor admission group were significantly higher than concentrations in the preactive labor admission group at all 3 time points. Neutrophil levels were significantly higher in the active group at 2 and 4 hours after admission. The rate of increase in neutrophils and interleukin-10 between admission and 2 hours later was faster in the active group (P \u3c .001 and P = .003, respectively). Conclusion Circulating concentrations of several inflammatory biomarkers are higher and their rate of change over time since admission is faster among low-risk, nulliparous women admitted to hospitals in active labor, as compared with those admitted in preactive labor. More research is needed to determine if progressive changes in inflammatory biomarkers might be a useful adjunct to improving the assessment of labor progression and determining the optimal timing of labor admission

The Role of Discrete Emotions in Job Satisfaction: A Meta-Analysis

[Summary] The relationship between emotions and job satisfaction is widely acknowledged via affective events theory (AET). Despite its widespread use, AET was not designed to address why specific emotions might differentially relate to job satisfaction. We utilize appraisal theory of emotion to refine AET and provide this nuanced theorizing. We meta‐analytically test our ideas with 235 samples across 99 883 individuals and 22 600 intra‐individual episodes. We test two approaches—specific emotion experiences (16 discrete emotions) versus general emotion experiences (positive or negative emotions)—and present empirical evidence of their similarities and differences with job satisfaction. Our findings suggest that specific emotions with circumstance‐agency appraisals (e.g., depression and happiness) have the strongest associations with job satisfaction compared to emotions with self‐ and other‐agency appraisals and general emotion experiences. However, more variability is observed for negative emotions and job satisfaction compared to positive emotions. Further, we address and even challenge influential critiques of emotions and job satisfaction via a meta‐analytic test of five moderators—emotion intensity versus frequency, target of emotion, job satisfaction measure, level of analysis, and time referent for emotion and job satisfaction recall. In sum, we advance academic and practitioner understanding of the relationship between emotions and job satisfaction

Lead exposure of mainland Australia\u27s top avian predator

Lead (Pb) toxicity, through ingestion of lead ammunition in carcasses, is a threat to scavenging birds worldwide, but has received little attention in Australia. We analyzed lead exposure in the wedge-tailed eagle (Aquila audax), the largest raptor species found in mainland Australia and a facultative scavenger. Eagle carcasses were collected opportunistically throughout south-eastern mainland Australia between 1996 and 2022. Lead concentrations were measured in bone samples from 62 animals via portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF). Lead was detected (concentration \u3e 1 ppm) in 84% (n = 52) of the bone samples. The mean lead concentration of birds in which lead was detected was 9.10 ppm (±SE 1.66). Bone lead concentrations were elevated (10–20 ppm) in 12.9% of samples, and severe ( \u3e 20 ppm) in 4.8% of samples. These proportions are moderately higher than equivalent data for the same species from the island of Tasmania, and are comparable to data from threatened eagle species from other continents. Lead exposure at these levels is likely to have negative impacts on wedge-tailed eagles at the level of the individual and perhaps at a population level. Our results suggest that studies of lead exposure in other Australian avian scavenger species are warranted

Comparative case studies in integrated care implementation from across the globe : a quest for action

The case studies represent integrated care implementation efforts from five countries and continents (United States, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Israel, and Nigeria), targeting a range of clinical populations and care settings. The study addresses two research objectives: 1) To highlight current integrated care implementation efforts that target a range of healthcare systems, patient populations and implementation strategies and outcomes, and 2) To synthesize the shared and unique challenges and successes across studies using the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS) framework. Funding is a vital condition for successful transformation of healthcare delivery.National Institute of Mental HealthAgency for Healthcare Research and Qualit

Trade-offs between immunity and testosterone in male African ground squirrels

The immunocompetence handicap hypothesis (ICHH) proposes that testosterone has both beneficial effects on male reproductive potential and negative effects by suppressing the immune system. However, support for the ICHH has been variable and an alternative hypothesis suggests that testosterone may be acting indirectly via cortisol to suppress immunity (the stress-linked ICHH). A third hypothesis is that increased energetic investment in immunity results in the suppression of testosterone. We tested these hypotheses in male Cape ground squirrels (Xerus inauris) through two separate manipulations; first by triggering a strong immune response using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection and secondly by increasing circulating testosterone using silastic testosterone implants. Responding to an immune challenge significantly reduced testosterone, supporting the immunity suppression hypothesis, while increasing circulating testosterone had no effect on immunocompetence, body mass, ectoparasite abundances or cortisol levels, failing to support either the ICHH or stress-linked ICHH. Our results add to the increasing body of literature that challenges the ICHH, and we conclude that the trade-off between testosterone and immunity is mediated through immune activation and not through testosterone in male Cape ground squirrels. Being able to test the ICHH, stress-linked ICHH and immune suppression hypotheses in a free ranging mammal gives us a unique opportunity to examine the mechanisms mediating this trade-off.A Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery grant (#04362), Canadian Foundation of Innovation (#27125), and a University of Manitoba Faculty of Science Field Work Support grant awarded to JMW, a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery grant (#311909) awarded to WGA, SARChI chair (# 64756) from the Department of Science and Technology and National Research Foundation, RSA awarded to NCB and awards from the University of Manitoba (Barrett- Hamilton Award; Faculty of Science) to KAO.http://jeb.biologists.org2019-08-23am2018Mammal Research InstituteZoology and Entomolog