Criminal recidivism of illegal pornography offenders in the overall population - a national cohort study of 4612 offenders in Switzerland

Convictions for taking, possessing and distributing pornographic photographs of children have increased with the growing use of the Internet. Previous studies of any progression to contact offences have been small scale and only a few of these have included an investigation of subsequent reconvictions for use of illegal and especially of child pornography. The aims of the present study are to compare reconviction rates among illegal pornography offenders with and without previous child contact offences. The former are referred to as “dual offenders”. This study is a national cohort study of all individuals in Switzerland convicted of an illegal pornography offence since 1973 and was followed-up until 1st November 2008. Reconvictions were ascertained using criminal records from the Federal Office of Justice of Switzerland, leading to a total of 4612 offenders, consisting of 4249 illegal pornography offenders and 363 dual offenders. Comparison of 3-year reconviction rates showed that only 0.2% of the illegal pornography offenders were convicted of contact child sex offences, whereas 2.6% of the dual offenders were reconvicted. The illegal pornography offenders were also significantly less likely to be convicted of further pornography offences, or indeed other sexual offences. The very low “progression rate” among illegal pornography offenders to contact child sexual offences, and their low rate of even repeat pornography offences suggests that community sentences remain appropriate. It is important, however, to bear in mind that conviction rates tend to underestimate the true offending rates, and that with greater access to the Internet, characteristics of pornography users may change over time

The relationship between the Big Five personality factors, anger-hostility, and alcohol and violence in men and women: A nationally representative cohort of 15,701 young adults

Aims Alcohol consumption is known to have a disinhibiting effect, and is associated with a higher likelihood of aggressive behaviour, especially among men. People with certain personality traits maybe more likely to behave aggressively when intoxicated, and there may also be variation by gender. We aimed to investigate whether the reason why men and women with certain personality traits are more likely to engage in violence may be because of their alcohol use. Method The Big Five personality traits and Anger-Hostility, alcohol consumption and violence were measured by questionnaire in 15,701 nationally representative participants in the USA. We tested the extent to which alcohol mediates the relationship between personality factors and violence in men and women. Results Agreeableness was inversely associated with violence in both genders. Alcohol mediated approximately 11% of the effect in males, but there was no evidence of an effect in females. Anger-hostility was associated with violence in both sexes, but alcohol mediated the effect only in males. We also found that Extraversion was associated with violence and alcohol use in males and females. Alcohol accounted for 15% of the effect of extraversion on violence in males and 29% in females. Conclusion The mechanism by which personality traits relate to violence may be different in men and women. Agreeableness and anger-hostility underpin the relationship between alcohol and violence in men, but not in women. Reducing alcohol consumption in men with disagreeable and angry/hostile traits would have a small but significant effect in reducing violence, whereas in women, reducing alcohol consumption among the extraverted, would have a greater effect

Change in the relationship between drinking alcohol and risk of violence among adolescents and young adults: a nationally representative longitudinal study

ims To quantify the relationship between alcohol and violence with increasing age. Methods Data were from The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (ADD Health) of 20,386 people representative of the US population. Mean age at the first wave of interviews was 16.2 years, with subsequent interviews mean of 1, 6.3 and 12.9 years later. We used random-effects models and predictive marginal effects of the association between varying quantities of alcohol consumption and violence while controlling for possible confounders. Results Violence was reported by 19.1% of participants at wave I but just 2.1% at wave IV. The random-effects model showed that consuming 1–4 drinks on each occasion was associated with a modest increase in risk of violence in both males (odds ratio (OR) 1.36, 95% CI 1.13–1.63) and females (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.03–1.72). For consumption of five or more drinks on each occasion, the risk remained similar for females (OR 1.40 (0.99–1.97)) but increased considerably for males (OR 2.41 (1.96–2.95)). Predictive marginal effects models confirmed that violence rates decreased with age. Conclusions Alcohol is most strongly linked to violence among adolescents, so programmes for primary prevention of alcohol-related violence are best targeted towards this age group, particularly males who engage in heavy episodic drinking

The relationship between the Big Five personality factors, anger-hostility, and alcohol and violence in men and women: A nationally representative cohort of 15,701 young adults

Aims Alcohol consumption is known to have a disinhibiting effect, and is associated with a higher likelihood of aggressive behaviour, especially among men. People with certain personality traits maybe more likely to behave aggressively when intoxicated, and there may also be variation by gender. We aimed to investigate whether the reason why men and women with certain personality traits are more likely to engage in violence may be because of their alcohol use. Method The Big Five personality traits and Anger-Hostility, alcohol consumption and violence were measured by questionnaire in 15,701 nationally representative participants in the USA. We tested the extent to which alcohol mediates the relationship between personality factors and violence in men and women. Results Agreeableness was inversely associated with violence in both genders. Alcohol mediated approximately 11% of the effect in males, but there was no evidence of an effect in females. Anger-hostility was associated with violence in both sexes, but alcohol mediated the effect only in males. We also found that Extraversion was associated with violence and alcohol use in males and females. Alcohol accounted for 15% of the effect of extraversion on violence in males and 29% in females. Conclusion The mechanism by which personality traits relate to violence may be different in men and women. Agreeableness and anger-hostility underpin the relationship between alcohol and violence in men, but not in women. Reducing alcohol consumption in men with disagreeable and angry/hostile traits would have a small but significant effect in reducing violence, whereas in women, reducing alcohol consumption among the extraverted, would have a greater effect

Accelerated aging: A marker for social factors resulting in cardiovascular events?

Background: Medicine and public health are shifting away from a purely personal responsibility model of cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention towards a societal view targeting social and environmental conditions and how these result in disease. Given the strong association between social conditions and CVD outcomes, we hypothesize that accelerated aging, measuring earlier health decline associated with chronological aging through a combination of biomarkers, may be a marker for the association between social conditions and CVD. Methods: We used data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study (CARDIA). Accelerated aging was defined as the difference between biological and chronological age. Biological age was derived as a combination of 7 biomarkers (total cholesterol, HDL, glucose, BMI, CRP, FEV1/h(2), MAP), representing the physiological effect of wear and tear usually associated with chronological aging. We studied accelerated aging measured in 2005-06 as a mediator of the association between social factors measured in 2000-01 and 1) any incident CVD event; 2) stroke; and 3) all-cause mortality occurring from 2007 through 18. Results: Among 2978 middle-aged participants, mean (SD) accelerated aging was 3.6 (11.6) years, i.e., the CARDIA cohort appeared to be, on average, 3 years older than its chronological age. Accelerated aging partially mediated the association between social factors and CVD (N=219), stroke (N=36), and mortality (N=59). Accelerated aging mediated 41% of the total effects of racial discrimination on stroke after adjustment for covariates. Accelerated aging also mediated other relationships but to lesser degrees. Conclusion: We provide new evidence that accelerated aging based on easily measurable biomarkers may be a viable marker to partially explain how social factors can lead to cardiovascular outcomes and death

Évaluation de la composition spécifique des glossines, vectrices de la Trypanosomose Humaine Africaine, dans la région de Ndendé au sud du Gabon

Objectifs: Afin d’évaluer la composition spécifique des glossines dans les biotopes savanicoles et forestiers, une étude entomologique a été réalisée sur ces insectes dans la région de Ndendé (province de la Ngounié), ancien foyer de la Trypanosomose Humaine Africaine (THA) pour identifier les sites potentiels de transmission de cette parasitose.Méthodologie et résultats: Un total de 14 pièges vavoua a été utilisé dont 7 pièges placés le long des cours d’eau présents dans la galerie forestière et 7 autres en savane proche des villages, du 23 octobre au 7 novembre 2015. Au total, 697 glossines ont été capturées (DAP=3,32 glossines/piège/jour). La plus forte abondance des glossines a été obtenue en forêt avec 678 spécimens. Cependant, ces glossines ont été faiblement capturées en savane (19 spécimens). Ces glossines se répartissent en quatre espèces dont Glossina fuscipes fuscipes, Glossina frezili, Glossina nashi et Glossina palpalis palpalis. G. fuscipes fuscipes (95%) a été l’espèce la plus abondante alors que G. frezili (1%), G. nashi (2%) et G. palpalis palpalis (2%) ont été très faiblement capturées.Conclusion et application: Cette étude a permis d’identifier dans la région de Ndendé, quatre espèces de glossines qui vivent en sympatrie. Par ailleurs, la forte abondance de G. fuscipes fuscipes et la présence de G. palpalis palpalis, vecteurs de la THA dans les différents biotopes prospectés, avec une forte prédominance enforêt, suggèrent une existence probable d’un risque de transmission des trypanosomes dans la région de Ndendé. Par conséquent, le biotope forestier serait une zone prioritaire pour une lutte antivectorielle afin de limiter les risques de transmission de cette parasitose. Aussi, ces résultats invitent à la réalisation des travaux plus détaillés visant à identifier la dynamique spatio-temporelle des glossines et leur rôle dans la transmission éventuelle de la THA dans la région de Ndendé au sud du Gabon.Mots-clés: Trypanosomose humaine africaine, glossine, composition spécifique, savane, forêt, GabonEnglish AbstractObjectives: In order to assess the species composition of tsetse flies among savannah and forested biotopes, an entomological survey was conducted on these insects in the Ndende region (province of Ngounié), ancient focus of Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) for identifying the potential sites of the HAT transmission.Methodology and results: A total of 14 Vavoua traps was used with 7 traps installed along the rivers present in the forest gallery and 7 others in the savannah near the villages. The study was done from 23rd October to 7th November 2015. In total, 697 tsetse flies were captured (ADT=3.32 tsetse flies/trap/day). The highest abundance of tsetse flies was found in the forest with 678 specimens, while the lowest abundance was observed in the savannah with 19 specimens. The identified tsetse flies are G. fuscipes fuscipes, G. nashi, G. frezili and G. palpalis palpalis. G. fuscipes fuscipes (95%) was the most abundant species. Conversely, G. frezili (1%), G. nashi (2%) and G. palpalis palpalis (2%) were less in number.Conclusion and application: The results of this study showed the presence of four tsetse flies species, biological vectors of HAT, in the Ndendé region. The high abundance of G. fuscipes fuscipes and the presence of G. palpalis palpalis, vectors of HAT, in different savannah and forested biotopes, with strong predominance inforest, suggest a probable risk of transmission of trypanosomes in the Ndende region. Thus, the forested biotope would be the priority areas for implementing a vector control in order to limit the risks of HAT transmission. Therefore, these results require studies aiming at identifying spatial and temporal dynamics of tsetse flies and their role in the eventual transmission of HAT in the Ndendé region, southern of Gabon.Keywords: Human African trypanosomiasis, tsetse fly, species composition, savannah, forest, Gabo

hSSB1 phosphorylation is dynamically regulated by DNA-PK and PPP-family protein phosphatases

This work was supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council project grant [1066550], an Australian Research Council project grant [DP 120103099] and by a Queensland Health Senior Clinical Research Fellowship awarded to K.J.O. This work was also supported by the Wellcome Trust [094476/Z/10/Z], which funded the purchase of the TripleTOF 5600 mass spectrometer at the BSRC Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, University of St Andrews. NWA was supported by a scholarship awarded by Cancer Council Queensland. E.B. is supported by an Advance Queensland Research Fellowship.The maintenance of genomic stability is essential for cellular viability and the prevention of diseases such as cancer. Human single-stranded DNA-binding protein 1 (hSSB1) is a protein with roles in the stabilisation and restart of stalled DNA replication forks, as well as in the repair of oxidative DNA lesions and double-strand DNA breaks. In the latter process, phosphorylation of threonine 117 by the ATM kinase is required for hSSB1 stability and efficient DNA repair. The regulation of hSSB1 in other DNA repair pathways has however remained unclear. Here we report that hSSB1 is also directly phosphorylated by DNA-PK at serine residue 134. While this modification is largely suppressed in undamaged cells by PPP-family protein phosphatases, S134 phosphorylation is enhanced following the disruption of replication forks and promotes cellular survival. Together, these data thereby represent a novel mechanism for hSSB1 regulation following the inhibition of replication.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

5-teilige Sonderausgabe des KOBV-Newsletters – 24. bis 30. Oktober 2016

An der internationalen Open-Access-Woche 2016 vom 24.-28. Oktober war der KOBV erstmalig mit einem Online „Publishing Event“ beteiligt. An fünf aufeinanderfolgenden Tagen erschien täglich eine Sonderausgabe des KOBV- Newsletters zu ausgewählten Open-Access-Themen. Die einzelnen Beiträge sind in dieser Sonderedition als Online-Reader zusammengestellt. Der aktuelle Diskussionsstand zum jeweiligen Thema wird von Expertinnen und Experten in kurzen Übersichtsartikeln vorgestellt und mit Praxistipps ergänzt. Zielgruppe sind vor allem Bibliothekare und Bibliothekarinnen, die sich einen schnellen Überblick zu Open Access verschaffen wollen

Direct interaction of TrkA/CD44v3 is essential for NGF-promoted aggressiveness of breast cancer cells

Background CD44 is a multifunctional membrane glycoprotein. Through its heparan sulfate chain, CD44 presents growth factors to their receptors. We have shown that CD44 and Tropomyosin kinase A (TrkA) form a complex following nerve growth factor (NGF) induction. Our study aimed to understand how CD44 and TrkA interact and the consequences of inhibiting this interaction regarding the pro-tumoral effect of NGF in breast cancer. Methods After determining which CD44 isoforms (variants) are involved in forming the TrkA/CD44 complex using proximity ligation assays, we investigated the molecular determinants of this interaction. By molecular modeling, we isolated the amino acids involved and confirmed their involvement using mutations. A CD44v3 mimetic peptide was then synthesized to block the TrkA/CD44v3 interaction. The effects of this peptide on the growth, migration and invasion of xenografted triple-negative breast cancer cells were assessed. Finally, we investigated the correlations between the expression of the TrkA/CD44v3 complex in tumors and histo-pronostic parameters. Results We demonstrated that isoform v3 (CD44v3), but not v6, binds to TrkA in response to NGF stimulation. The final 10 amino acids of exon v3 and the TrkA H112 residue are necessary for the association of CD44v3 with TrkA. Functionally, the CD44v3 mimetic peptide impairs not only NGF-induced RhoA activation, clonogenicity, and migration/invasion of breast cancer cells in vitro but also tumor growth and metastasis in a xenograft mouse model. We also detected TrkA/CD44v3 only in cancerous cells, not in normal adjacent tissues. Conclusion Collectively, our results suggest that blocking the CD44v3/TrkA interaction can be a new therapeutic option for triple-negative breast cancers

Ex vivo drug response profiling detects recurrent sensitivity patterns in drug-resistant acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Drug sensitivity and resistance testing on diagnostic leukemia samples should provide important functional information to guide actionable target and biomarker discovery. We provide proof of concept data by profiling 60 drugs on 68 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) samples mostly from resistant disease in cocultures of bone marrow stromal cells. Patient-derived xenografts retained the original pattern of mutations found in the matched patient material. Stromal coculture did not prevent leukemia cell cycle activity, but a specific sensitivity profile to cell cycle-related drugs identified samples with higher cell proliferation both in vitro and in vivo as leukemia xenografts. In patients with refractory relapses, individual patterns of marked drug resistance and exceptional responses to new agents of immediate clinical relevance were detected. The BCL2inhibitor venetoclax was highly active below 10 nM in B-cell precursor ALL (BCP-ALL) subsets, including MLL-AF4 and TCF3-HLF ALL, and in some T-cell ALLs (T-ALLs), predicting in vivo activity as a single agent and in combination with dexamethasone and vincristine. Unexpected sensitivity to dasatinib with half maximal inhibitory concentration values below 20 nM was detected in 2 independent T-ALL cohorts, which correlated with similar cytotoxic activity of the SRC inhibitor KX2-391 and inhibition of SRC phosphorylation. A patient with refractory T-ALL was treated with dasatinib on the basis of drug profiling information and achieved a 5-month remission. Thus, drug profiling captures disease-relevant features and unexpected sensitivity to relevant drugs, which warrants further exploration of this functional assay in the context of clinical trials to develop drug repurposing strategies for patients with urgent medical needs.Peer reviewe