Adolescents with Callous Unemotional Traits and their Roles in Group Crime

The present study examined the relationship between callous-unemotional (CU) traits and self-reported leadership characteristics during group crimes among 614 first-time offenders participating in a large multi-site study. Resistance to peer influence (RPI) and self-esteem (SE) were hypothesized to mediate the relationship between CU traits and leadership during group crime. The results indicated that youth with CU traits were more likely to commit crimes with others. Further, although youth with CU traits reported they came up with the idea for crimes and were leaders during group crimes, these relationships were not mediated by RPI and SE. Future research on youth with CU traits characteristics during group crimes is recommended and implications for tailored treatments of this population are discussed

The Predictive Utility of Emotional Deficits and Callous-Unemotional traits for Important Antisocial Outcomes in Juvenile Justice-Involved Youth

The current study investigated the predictive utility of callous-unemotional (CU) traits and emotional facilitation to distress (EFD) for multiple antisocial outcomes in a sample of juvenile justice-involved males. Although CU traits and EFD did not generally interact to predict antisocial outcomes, CU traits were a consistent predictor of total, proactive, and reactive forms of aggression over 18 months. Similarly, CU traits and time interacted to predict total and violent self-reported offending, such that CU traits were positively associated with both outcomes, but this association weakened over the 18 month timeframe. Racial and ethnic differences only emerged for the prediction of days to any arrest or a violent arrest. Specifically, different factors appear to be important of the prediction of any arrest across racial/ethnic groups, whereas being Black was associated with fewer days to arrest, despite self-reporting similar levels of violent offending. Last, a joint trajectory model for CU traits and EFD was not estimated due to a lack of stability in EFD. However, the majority of the sample exhibited average or increasing levels of CU traits over the 18 month timeframe, highlighting the importance of examining not only the factors that can result in CU traits, but also the factors that can lead to increases in CU traits over time in justice-involved youth

Adolescents with Callous Unemotional Traits and their Roles in Group Crime

The present study examined the relationship between callous-unemotional (CU) traits and self-reported leadership characteristics during group crimes among 614 first-time offenders participating in a large multi-site study. Resistance to peer influence (RPI) and self-esteem (SE) were hypothesized to mediate the relationship between CU traits and leadership during group crime. The results indicated that youth with CU traits were more likely to commit crimes with others. Further, although youth with CU traits reported they came up with the idea for crimes and were leaders during group crimes, these relationships were not mediated by RPI and SE. Future research on youth with CU traits characteristics during group crimes is recommended and implications for tailored treatments of this population are discussed

The Predictive Utility of Emotional Deficits and Callous-Unemotional traits for Important Antisocial Outcomes in Juvenile Justice-Involved Youth

The current study investigated the predictive utility of callous-unemotional (CU) traits and emotional facilitation to distress (EFD) for multiple antisocial outcomes in a sample of juvenile justice-involved males. Although CU traits and EFD did not generally interact to predict antisocial outcomes, CU traits were a consistent predictor of total, proactive, and reactive forms of aggression over 18 months. Similarly, CU traits and time interacted to predict total and violent self-reported offending, such that CU traits were positively associated with both outcomes, but this association weakened over the 18 month timeframe. Racial and ethnic differences only emerged for the prediction of days to any arrest or a violent arrest. Specifically, different factors appear to be important of the prediction of any arrest across racial/ethnic groups, whereas being Black was associated with fewer days to arrest, despite self-reporting similar levels of violent offending. Last, a joint trajectory model for CU traits and EFD was not estimated due to a lack of stability in EFD. However, the majority of the sample exhibited average or increasing levels of CU traits over the 18 month timeframe, highlighting the importance of examining not only the factors that can result in CU traits, but also the factors that can lead to increases in CU traits over time in justice-involved youth

Medical and surgical management of gallbladder sludge and mucocoele development in a Miniature Schnauzer

The factors enhancing mucocoele development in dogs remain poorly understood. A 7-year-old female spayed Miniature Schnauzer was presented to the Massey University Veterinary Teaching Hospital for progressive lethargy, inappetance and abdominal discomfort. Initial physical examination findings revealed a moderate degree of cranial abdominal pain, with subsequent diagnostic tests confirming the patient as having diabetes mellitus, with a concurrent marked hypertriglyceridaemia. In an attempt to localise the source of pain, an ultrasound examination of the abdomen was performed, revealing a marked degree of gallbladder sludge. With appropriate medical management including ursodeoxycholic acid and insulin therapy, the patient stabilised and was discharged. With persistence of clinical signs three months later, progression of the gallbladder sludge towards mucocoele development was suspected. Exploratory laparotomy was instigated, and an emergency cholecystectomy was performed. This case report therefore entails a suspected gallbladder mucocoele that developed in a diabetic patient with previously diagnosed biliary sludge. A unique feature of this case report is the presence of diabetes mellitus, which has been suggested to be a causative factor in the development of gallbladder mucocoeles. It is also hypothesised that gallbladder sludge and mucocoeles are associated, however it is yet to be ascertained whether this association is causal or contributory. The authors examined the possible relationship between this endocrinopathy and biliary sludge, and their possible effects on mucocoele development. Specific associated factors to sludge formation are also examined. The medical and surgical management of gallbladder mucocoeles is discussed

Multidimensional Flow Cytometry for Testing Blood-Handling Medical Devices

Blood handling devices such as left ventricular assist devices and total artificial hearts offer life-saving treatments for patients suffering from severe heart failure. Current devices have clinically proven that heart assist pumps are a safe and effective therapy, and indeed in many cases they are the only available method of treatment. However, current devices cause side effects including stroke, bleeding, infection, and thrombosis, preventing the technology from reaching its full potential. If the side effects could be reduced, then more patients could benefit from these devices. The complications are related to damage to blood cells and proteins as a result of contact with foreign materials and mechanical stress. There is a need for better devices with minimal blood impact to enable more patients to be safely treated; better tools, especially flow cytometry, could support the device development life cycle. In this chapter we review the clinical, in vivo, and in vitro flow cytometry data available for ventricular assist devices, conduct a gap analysis, and identify areas of future possibilities for device developers to establish new flow cytometry-based methodologies

Owner perceptions of their cat's quality of life when treated with a modified University of Wisconsin-Madison protocol for lymphoma

The objectives of this study were to assess owner perceptions of their cat’s quality of life during treatment for lymphoma with a doxorubicin-containing multi-agent chemotherapy protocol, whether various health-related parameters correlated with quality of life scores, and to assess owner satisfaction with the protocol

Gender review of climate change legislative and policy frameworks and strategies in East Africa

Climate change is currently acknowledged as one of the pressing global threats to the environment and humanity. This threat has moved the global community to take action on adaptation and mitigation efforts to cushion its devastating effects. Cognizance has been taken of the disproportionate impact that climate change poses to women and other vulnerable groups. The various legislative, policy and strategic frameworks on climate change available at the global and regional level is a tacit acknowledgement of the seriousness of the problem and the role of women in adaptation and mitigation strategies. For instance, through several of its decisions, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has included a focus on addressing women’s rights and gender equality with respect to climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. In Africa, the African Union is committed to addressing climate change issues with a gender perspective. Consequently, African countries have formulated their respective climate change policies, strategies and action plans as well as green growth and low carbon strategies aimed at integrating climate change considerations into development and sectoral plans with a gendered perspective. Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia are among the East African States, which have followed suit by responding to the African Union commitments to the course by developing several legislative and policy frameworks to aid the course addressing climate change. The focus of this paper is to establish whether these frameworks are in accordance with international and regional frameworks on climate change in addressing gender-specific impacts of climate change in the areas of climate-smart agriculture, food security, water, health, human rights and security. This paper, therefore, reviews climate change related policies and strategies in East Africa through a gendered lens. The countries whose legislative and policy frameworks are in focus include: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Ethiopia. The study assesses how these countries have integrated gender in their climate change legislation, policies and strategies to support the vulnerable while addressing climate change. Findings show that all four countries include gender terms within their various policies, programs and plans. All the documents reviewed indicted that they were drafted after a gender analysis on climate risks, impacts and vulnerability. Furthermore, all the documents identified gender, vulnerable groups and youth as the target groups most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and mentioned the inclusion of gender responsive monitoring and evaluation systems. The documents also included gender mainstreaming and supported the enhancement of education, training and capacity building for women. Despite this, none of 4 the documents mention direct benefits to women and youth or budget allocations for gender specific actions. In all the policies and plans, women are identified in particular instances as being greatly involved in agriculture and food production and at the forefront of innovations and projects addressing climate change. Most of the frameworks generalised the issue of training and institutional strengthening. There is generally no capacity within existing government departments to consider gender in climate response activities. It is thus pertinent that the frameworks consider building the capacity of gender focal points in all relevant institutions to incorporate gender issues in all climate change responses. This is to ensure that institutions not only deal exclusively with gender are women and children, but that this role will also be considered in every other department

Assessing the influence of CCAFS’ climate data and tools: findings from an Outcome Harvesting evaluation

The CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) integrates climate change research across all CGIAR Research Centres and Research Programs. Some of CCAFS’ work since 2010 has involved the development of high quality, accessible and easy-to-use climate data and tools. With an increased focus on achieving development outcomes influenced by such data and tools, a study was carried out starting in 2016 to evaluate the development effectiveness of some of CCAFS’ climate products: the GCM Climate Portal, MarkSimGCM, and the Climate Analogues tool (Box 1). The study was designed to explore whether use of these three products has led to development outcomes, and if so, what type of changes have been observed and how exactly the products have contributed to such changes. Outcomes here are defined as behavioural changes in individuals, groups or institutions doing something differently with respect to climate-change-related knowledge, attitude, capacity, policy or practice. Outcome Harvesting (Box 2) was used for the evaluation, along with some elements from Impact Pathways thinking (Douthwaite et al. 2008) and Contribution Analysis (Mayne 2008). We started the harvest by collecting outcome leads from project documents and an online survey. These leads provided the basis for selecting those cases that appeared promising to be turned into SMART outcomes (Box 3). A majority (70%) of the 30 cases investigated that employed CCAFS’ climate products were new in the sense that they were not directly related to the CCAFS program. Results from the survey indicated that the data and tools frequently were employed in countries not directly targeted by the CCAFS program and that users often discovered the tools via web search. These observations suggest strongly that CCAFS’ climate data and tools are widely used even without specific promotion, which is consistent with CCAFS’ mandate as a provider of international public goods (IPGs). After email exchanges and phone interviews, we identified a total of 14 cases with a plausible linkage to one of the tools and sufficiently detailed information to qualify as SMART outcomes (Box 4). Of these 14 SMART outcomes, eight related to the GCM Climate Portal and six to the use of the Climate Analogues tool. We found several MarkSimGCM leads, but no SMART outcomes at this stage. One SMART outcome was developed into an extended outcome story (“Farms of the Future, Africa”, Box 5) and one (“Seeds for Needs, India”, Box 6) was unpacked in considerable detail

The Origin of Citizen Genet’s Projected Attack on Spanish Louisiana: A Case Study in Girondin Politics

In 1792 the Girondin ministry decided to send Edmond Genet to the United States with plans to recruit western frontiersmen and invade Spanish Louisiana. The episode is well known in American history, but the literature on its French origin is sparse and overemphasizes the contribution of revolutionary leader Jacques- Pierre Brissot. This essay contextualizes the French decision within the debate between Brissot, Minister of Foreign Affairs Pierre Lebrun, and General Charles-François Dumouriez over whether France should send troops against Spanish colonies in South America. The essay argues that Lebrun promoted the western scheme in order to attack Spanish interests without straining French resources. Rather than merely embodying a spirit of universal freedom, Lebrun’s plan was grounded in the geopolitical advantages the mission might afford France in its European wars