Epidemiology and Criminology: Managing Youth Firearm Homicide Violence in Urban Areas

Violence is considered a public health problem in the United States, yet little is known about the benefit of using a combined epidemiology and criminology (EpiCrim) approach to focus on urban youth gun violence. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to determine in what ways Akers and Lanier\u27s EpiCrim approach in tandem with Benet\u27s polarities of democracy approach is explanatory of gun homicides by youth in U.S. urban areas and if the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System adequately addresses gun abatement measures. Data were collected through semi structured interviews of 16 criminal justice practitioners and medical professionals with experience relative to juvenile justice policies pertaining to gun violence. Interview data were inductively coded, then subjected to a thematic analysis procedure. The findings indicate that EpiCrim provides a platform to focus research efforts on complex issues that are drivers for behavioral risk factors associated with youth gun violence in urban areas. Participants perceive a necessity for legislative revisions supporting gun violence research and the reduction of privacy issues that pose barriers to EpiCrim research. EpiCrim research can provide data that help identify the root cause of youth gun violence in urban areas, and the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System does not fully address gun abatement measures. The positive social change implications stemming from this study include recommendations to local, state, and federal legislatures to explore legislative action to incorporate EpiCrim strategies as a method to reduce gun violence among youth in urban communities

Epidemiology and Criminology: Managing Youth Firearm Homicide Violence in Urban Areas

Despite violence being considered a public health problem in the United States, little is known about the benefit of using a combined epidemiology and criminology (EpiCrim) approach to focus on urban youth firearm homicides. This general qualitative study identified alignment between Akers and Lanier’s EpiCrim and Benet’s polarities of democracy approaches when used to research an interdisciplinary concern. Data was collected through semi structured interviews of 16 criminal justice practitioners and medical professionals. The positive social change implications identified approaches to reduce gun violence among youth in urban communities. Recommended Citation McMillan, J. A. (2020, October 1-2). Epidemiology and criminology: Managing youth firearm homicide violence in urban areas [Poster presentation]. Walden University Research Conference 2020 (online). https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/researchconference/2020/posters/33

Epidemiology and Criminology: Managing Youth Firearm Homicide Violence in Urban

Violence is considered a public health problem in the United States, yet little is known about the benefit of using a combined epidemiology and criminology (EpiCrim) approach to focus on urban youth gun violence. The purpose of this general qualitative study was to determine in what ways Akers and Lanier’s EpiCrim approach, in tandem with Benet’s polarities of democracy approach, is explanatory of gun homicides by youth in U.S. urban areas and if the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System adequately addresses gun abatement measures. I collected data through semi-structured interviews with 16 criminal justice practitioners and medical professionals with experience relative to juvenile justice policies pertaining to gun violence. After inductively coding the interview data, I performed a thematic analysis procedure. The findings indicate that EpiCrim provides a platform to focus research efforts on complex issues that are drivers for behavioral risk factors associated with youth gun violence in urban areas. EpiCrim research can provide data that help identify the root cause of youth gun violence in urban areas, and the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System does not fully address gun abatement measures

TNF-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) : not so weak after all.

Background: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) is a proinflammatory cytokine belonging to the TNF super family. TWEAK produces a variety of cellular responses through the binding to fibroblast growth factor inducible 14 (Fn14), a member of TNF receptor superfamily. Although Fn14 lacks a death domain, TWEAK has been found to induce apoptosis in some cell types by perturbing the activity of certain pathways such as TNF-receptor signaling. TWEAK is also known to regulate proliferation and differentiation of myogenic cells. We have previously reported that the TWEAK-Fn14 system causes skeletal muscle wasting both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, it has been reported that TWEAK is a mediator of atrophy in disuse conditions such as denervation. However, it remains unknown whether TWEAK can affect the viability of muscle cells. Hypothesis: TWEAK induces oxidative stress and cell death in myotube cultures. Methods: We used primary myogenic cells and biochemical assays to study the effects of recombinant TWEAK protein on the survival of cultured mouse primary myotubes. Results: Our results demonstrate that TWEAK reduces myotube viability in a dose-dependent manner evident by increased levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in culture supernatants. Furthermore, we have found that the levels of cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and cleaved (activated) caspase-3 are increased upon treatment with TWEAK. TWEAK also induces oxidative stress in cultured myotubes. A general antioxidant, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), partially blocked TWEAK-induced cytotoxicity in cultured myotubes. Conclusions: Our results provide initial evidence that in addition to causing atrophy, TWEAK can also diminish skeletal muscle mass by inducing oxidative stress, which diminishes the survival of myofibers in catabolic conditions

Reimagining Public Safety in the Aftermath of George Floyd

Following the murder of George Floyd, the U.S. Congress called upon the National Organization for Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) to play a role in the reimagining of policing in America and a transformation of policing from a warrior to a guardian mentality. In turn, NOBLE partnered with the Institute for Polarities of Democracy (also referred to as the Institute) to conduct an analysis of the 21st century policing report. In this article we summarize the results of a year-long Phase 1 analysis carried out by the Institute and NOBLE. The Phase 1 analysis was conducted with support from the Walden University Center for Social Change through its strategic alliance with the Institute. The purpose of the analysis was to apply the polarities of democracy to a comprehensive approach to organizational and systems anti-racism methodologies and reform efforts that are compatible with NOBLE’s focus on the transformation of policing cultures. Through the analysis, we generated recommendations that might be used to address racism in America through our comprehensive Anti-Racism Initiative. This will encompass not just policing, but organizations, institutions, and systems that include, but are not limited to, mental health, employment, the social economy, public education, healthcare, social work, housing, and the environment as part of a social change effort to advance healthy, sustainable, and just communities

Relationship between emergency presentation, systemic inflammatory response, and cancer-specific survival in patients undergoing potentially curative surgery for colon cancer

Background Emergency presentation is recognized to be associated with poorer cancer-specific survival following curative resection for colorectal cancer. The present study examined the hypothesis that an enhanced systemic inflammatory response, prior to surgery, might explain the impact of emergency presentation on survival. Methods In all, 188 patients undergoing potentially curative resection for colorectal cancer were studied. Of these, 55 (29%) presented as emergencies. The systemic inflammatory response was assessed using the Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS), which is the combination of an elevated C-reactive protein (>10 mg/L) and hypoalbuminemia (<35 g/L). Results In the emergency group, tumor stage was greater (P < 0.01), more patients received adjuvant therapy (P < 0.01) more patients had an elevated mGPS (P < 0.01), and more patients died of their disease (P < 0.05). The minimum follow-up was 12 months; the median follow-up of the survivors was 48 months. Emergency presentation was associated with poorer 3-year cancer-specific survival in those patients aged 65 to 74 years (P < 0.01), in both males and females (P < 0.05), in the deprived (P < 0.01), in patients with tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage II disease (P < 0.01), in those who received no adjuvant therapy (P < 0.01), and in the mGPS 0 and 1 groups (P < 0.05) groups. On multivariate survival analysis of patients undergoing potentially curative surgery for TNM stage II colon cancer, emergency presentation (P < 0.05) and mGPS (P < 0.05) were independently associated with cancer-specific survival. Conclusions These results suggest that emergency presentation and the presence of systemic inflammatory response prior to surgery are linked and account for poorer cancer-specific survival in patients undergoing potentially curative surgery for colon cancer. Both emergency presentation and an elevated mGPS should be taken into account when assessing the likely outcome of these patients

Blacks, Basketball, and the Predominately White Institution: The Maafa Continues

“Along with the effect of the Maafa, Blacks have been programmed to accept only dehumanizing instance that gives the illusion of freedom, fame, and fortune. One such illusion is college athletics.

Civilian Oversight of Police Through the Lens of Polarities of Democracy

Following the murder of George Floyd, the U.S. Congress called upon the National Organization for Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) to play a role in the reimagining of policing in America, including a transformation of policing from a warrior to a guardian mentality. In turn, NOBLE partnered with the Institute for Polarities of Democracy (the Institute) to conduct an analysis of the 21st Century Policing Report (the Report), which focused on addressing a myriad of issues that challenged the relationship between the police and communities. The Report determined there were six “pillars” necessary for effective policing in America, including (1) Trust and Legitimacy; (2) Policy and Oversight; (3) Technology and Social Media; (4) Community Policing and Crime Reduction; (5) Training and Education; and (6) Officer Wellness and Safety that encapsulated areas in need of attention. This review was an in-depth analysis conducted with support from the Walden University Center for Social Change through its strategic alliance with the Institute. In this article, we summarize the results of the Institute\u27s initial review of Pillar Two of the Report, Policy and Oversight, with a specific focus on civilian oversight of police. Information to support this article was taken from original data that supported the compilation of the Report. The Institute’s analysis of a sampling of responses (from the participants against a survey question) was identified as correlating with polarities of democracy values. Additionally, a separate comprehensive critical analysis was conducted by comparing various principles believed necessary for effective civilian oversight of police against individual polarities of democracies value sets. Finally, the 5-Step SMALL Process (Seeing, Mapping, Assessing, Learning, and Leveraging) was identified as a tool that could be used to implement recommendations contained in the Report. From this tool, Polarity Maps for Justice and Due Process, as well as Participation and Representation, were developed to graphically depict the correlation of the polarities of democracy value sets with the preconditions for effective civilian oversight of police

Motives for Physical Activity and Physiological Variables as Predictors of Exercise Intentions Following a High Intensity Interval Training Protocol in College-Age Females

International Journal of Exercise Science 9(2): 121-135, 2016. More females are classified as insufficiently active and may have little time for physical activity than males (28). Sufficient activity for adults includes a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise, five days per week or 20 minutes of vigorous intensity exercise three days per week, or a combination of these, in addition to the resistance training recommendation of training each muscle group two times per week (14). High intensity interval training (defined as very short intense intervals, usually above 85% maximum heart rate accompanied by alternated passive recovery periods; HIIT) has become a popular alternative to the more traditional continuous training utilized by individuals due to its time efficiency. In fact, HIIT has been shown to induce many of the same physiological changes as moderate intensity training with less training time. It is possible that college-aged females may benefit from HIIT and its inherent time-saving qualities. To test this hypothesis, this study sought to determine the influence of a HIIT protocol on general motives for being physically active and intentions for future HIIT participation. Participants included sixty-five female students between the ages 18 and 25 who were enrolled in a physical activity class that included HIIT as a part of the curriculum. Physiological responses to the HIIT protocol were measured via exercise intensity and calories burned, while motives and intentions were measured through questionnaires. Results revealed no changes in any variables over the course of the study with the exception of blood pressure. Fitness was the only variable that significantly predicted intentions for exercise and thus future HIIT participation. These psychologically oriented results show some promise for the use of HIIT in this population. In order to promote long-term adherence to exercise programs, the nature of the relationship between motives and intentions call for future studies to determine why more intrinsic motives, including competence, were not related to intentions to HIIT