A systematic review of selected interventions to reduce juvenile re-offending. Technical Report.

What do we want to know? Persistent juvenile re-offending remains an area of concern for public policy, due to the social, economic and health impacts of such offending on victims and offenders. A large proportion of criminal offences are committed by repeat offenders. The broad purpose of this systematic review was to review the research evidence on a selected range of interventions to reduce re-offending by juveniles to try and identify more effective interventions. What did we find and what are the implications? When compared to standard diversion (caution and monitoring) there was consistent evidence of reductions in re-offending from the following intervention: Pre-sentencing diversion with personal skills training and reparation The intervention included: - personal skills training/ counselling about anger management, personal responsibility and decision making. - some form of reparation to the community/ victim of crime. - family involvement. When compared to standard residential placement there was consistent evidence of reductions in re-offending from the following intervention: • Community based family residential placement for female juvenile offenders The intervention included: - residential placement for six months to a year in small group supportive ‘family type’ environment. - personal skills training/counselling which is about anger management, personal responsibility and decision making. - monitoring and use of appropriate incentives and sanctions. Promising effects The following interventions were classified as having promising positive effects with limited or inconsistent evidence: • ‘Teen Courts’ compared to other diversion • Community based family residential placements compared to standard residential placements for male juvenile offenders Insufficient evidence There was insufficient evidence identified to assess the impact of the following interventions: • Secure incarceration compared to community sentence • Psycho-dynamic counselling compared to normal court interventions • Pre-sentence diversions compared to court community sentence • Multi-component diversion for persistent offenders (comparison not clear) • Multi-component diversion for mixed groups of offence severity (comparison not clear) • Supported transition from secure incarceration to community compared to no or limited support • Probation plus sports counselling compared to probation only • Violence re-education programme compared to court imposed community service What are the implications? The results suggest that those interventions where there is consistent evidence of beneficial effect could be priorities for possible implementation accompanied by rigorous evaluation in the UK context as the evidence on the effects of this intervention in this review all came from the USA. The ‘promising’ interventions could be considered priorities for further rigorous evaluation. How did we get these results? The review was undertaken in a number of stages. The first stage consisted of identifying all studies that met the review inclusion criteria published between 1998 and 2007. Descriptive information about these studies was collected and used as a ‘map’ of research in the field of interventions to reduce juvenile re-offending. At this point there were 94 studies included the map. A further round of coding was undertaken to help identify sub-groups of studies. The results of this coding were discussed with the steering group and a decision was made at that point to focus on a number of subgroups for the in-depth review. At this stage detailed data extraction was undertaken to assess the quality of the studies and facilitate synthesis of the findings of the selected studies in order to provide answers to the review questions

Science to Service Academic Program of Distinction: Proposal

A low level of scientific knowledge among the U.S. population has considerably hindered its economic preeminence and social development. Science to Serve is a distinctive framework at GCSU that embraces a significant number of formal and informal interdisciplinary practices with the single purpose of advancing the interest, engagement, and understanding of science and technology by people of all ages and backgrounds. That is, Science to Serve aims to make science “real” to those who might not ordinarily be engaged so that they see the role of science to life, in education, and to the economy. Primary support for this unique framework comes from the Office of Academic Outreach, the Department Biological &Environmental Sciences, the Department of Chemistry & Physics, the Science Education Center, and faculty from Middle Grades Education. This rich tradition of effectively communicating and instilling the usefulness of science to diverse communities has resulted in an impressive host of resources, programs, courses, and activities that are cross-disciplinary in scope. Science to Serve garners broad-based support from the university community and myriad constituencies beyond the campus with faculty and students of all majors serving as ambassadors of science. Partnerships with key statewide and national organizations have further strengthened this initiative and external funding has exceeded $2 million to date. For a relatively small liberal arts university in a rural location, this remarkably large number of resources focused on civic engagement through science is extraordinary. The Science to Serve framework will provide a cohesive, coherent and comprehensive structure that will greatly enhance opportunities for acquiring external support if selected as one of GCSU’s academic programs of distinctio

CGH and SNP array using DNA extracted from fixed cytogenetic preparations and long-term refrigerated bone marrow specimens

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The analysis of nucleic acids is limited by the availability of archival specimens and the quality and amount of the extracted material. Archived cytogenetic preparations are stored in many laboratories and are a potential source of total genomic DNA for array karyotyping and other applications. Array CGH using DNA from fixed cytogenetic preparations has been described, but it is not known whether it can be used for SNP arrays. Diagnostic bone marrow specimens taken during the assessment of hematological malignancies are also a potential source of DNA, but it is generally assumed that DNA must be extracted, or the specimen frozen, within a day or two of collection, to obtain DNA suitable for further analysis. We have assessed DNA extracted from these materials for both SNP array and array CGH.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We show that both SNP array and array CGH can be performed on genomic DNA extracted from cytogenetic specimens stored in Carnoy's fixative, and from bone marrow which has been stored unfrozen, at 4°C, for at least 36 days. We describe a procedure for extracting a usable concentration of total genomic DNA from cytogenetic suspensions of low cellularity.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The ability to use these archival specimens for DNA-based analysis increases the potential for retrospective genetic analysis of clinical specimens. Fixed cytogenetic preparations and long-term refrigerated bone marrow both provide DNA suitable for array karyotyping, and may be suitable for a wider range of analytical procedures.</p

Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor Patterns and Their Implications for Intervention Strategies in Vietnam

Background. Data on cardiovascular disease risk factors (CVDRFs) in Vietnam are limited. This study explores the prevalence of each CVDRF and how they cluster to evaluate CVDRF burdens and potential prevention strategies. Methods. A cross-sectional survey in 2009 (2,130 adults) was done to collect data on behavioural CVDRF, anthropometry and blood pressure, lipidaemia profiles, and oral glucose tolerance tests. Four metabolic CVDRFs (hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes, and obesity) and five behavioural CVDRFs (smoking, excessive alcohol intake, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and stress) were analysed to identify their prevalence, cluster patterns, and social predictors. Framingham scores were applied to estimate the global 10-year CVD risks and potential benefits of CVD prevention strategies. Results. The age-standardised prevalence of having at least 2/4 metabolic, 2/5 behavioural, or 4/9 major CVDRF was 28%, 27%, 13% in women and 32%, 62%, 34% in men. Within-individual clustering of metabolic factors was more common among older women and in urban areas. High overall CVD risk (≥20% over 10 years) identified 20% of men and 5% of women—especially at higher ages—who had coexisting CVDRF. Conclusion. Multiple CVDRFs were common in Vietnamese adults with different clustering patterns across sex/age groups. Tackling any single risk factor would not be efficient

Systematic comparison of 2A peptides for cloning multi-genes in a polycistronic vector

Cloning of multiple genes in a single vector has greatly facilitated both basic and translational studies that require co-expression of multiple factors or multi-units of complex protein. Many strategies have been adopted, among which 2A "self-cleaving" peptides have garnered increased interest for their polycistronic nature, small size and high "cleavage" efficiency. However, broad application of 2 A peptides is limited by the lack of systematic comparison of different 2As alone or in combination. Here we characterized the effect of varying gene position and 2As on the expression of proteins encoded in bi-, tri-, or quad-cistronic constructs. Using direct cardiac reprogramming as an example, we further determined the effect of varied 2As on the efficiency of fluorescent cell labeling and cell fate conversion. We found that the expression of fluorophores decreased as it was moved towards the end of the construct while reprogramming was most efficient with the fluorophore at the second position. Moreover, quad-cistronic TPE2A constructs resulted in more efficient reprogramming than 3P2A or PTE2A constructs. We expect that the bi-, tri-, and quad-cistronic vectors constructed here and our results on protein expression ratios from different 2A constructs could serve to guide future utilization of 2A peptides in basic research and clinical applications

Being a woman: Perspectives of Low German-Speaking Mennonite women

Sherpa Romeo green journal. Permission to archive accepted author manuscriptUnderstanding the beliefs and knowledge related to women’s sexuality is important when working with unique religious groups in order to provide culturally appropriate care. An exploratory, descriptive qualitative study generated knowledge, beliefs and practices related to menstruation, ovulation and family planning among Low German-speaking Mennonite women (n = 38). There is a pervasive silence that surrounds sexuality among this group with limited understanding of the physiological changes they experience. Honoring religious principles and family and community expectations through acceptable female behavior is essential. Adherence to religious principles varies by family but is not shared with the group to avoid disfavor

Childbearing practices in Kanadier Mennonite Women

© Canadian Nurses Association. Reproduced with permission. Further reproduction is prohibited.Cross-cultural nursing practices call for attention to be paid to the unique beliefs and practices of the groups with which nurses come in contact. The Kanadier Mennonites are a conservative religious group who live in Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario. An exploratory, descriptive study was conducted with this group in southern Alberta to generate information about their health and illness beliefs. This article focuses on their knowledge, beliefs and practices in relation to childbearing interviews were conducted with 45 women, the majority of whom were married and had been born in Mexico. Among the sample there had been a range of one to 16 pregnancies. The participants noted that childbearing Is not a topic openly discussed with others. Women learn about childbearing from their mothers and other women but also from physicians and books. During pregnancy there are particular activities to be avoided including the use of strong cleaning fluids and hand milking of cows. Foods such as milk need to be ingested to ensure a healthy pregnancy. Prenatal care was not emphasized in Mexico nor has it become a customary practice in Canada but deliveries in hospital are the norm in both these countries. During the postpartum the women receive support from their immediate and extended family in order to recuperate. Nurses need to explore individual Kanadier Mennonite beliefs regarding childbearing and work with this group in developing acceptable health promotion programs to help ensure healthy pregnancy outcomes. The blending of nursing practice knowledge in a non-intrusive manner with a group of people with differing belief systems is a necessary and achievable goal.Ye

Disease-related factors affecting timely lymphoma diagnosis : a qualitative study exploring patient experiences

Background Expediting cancer diagnosis is widely perceived as one way to improve patient outcomes. Evidence indicates that lymphoma diagnosis is often delayed, yet understanding of issues influencing this is incomplete. Aim To explore patients' and their relatives' perceptions of disease-related factors affecting time to diagnosis of Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Design and setting Qualitative UK study involving patients with indolent and aggressive lymphomas, and their relatives, from an established population-based cohort in the north of England. Method Semi-structured interviews with 35 patients and 15 of their relatives. Interviews were audiorecorded and transcribed, and qualitative descriptive analysis was undertaken. Results Participant accounts suggest that certain features of lymphoma can impact on patients' and healthcare providers' (HCPs) responses to disease onset. Three characteristics stand out: disease occurrence (rare), manifestation (varied), and investigative options (often inconclusive). Interviewees described how they, and some HCPs, lacked familiarity with lymphoma, seldom considering it a likely explanation for their symptoms. Symptoms reported were highly variable, frequently non-specific, and often initially thought to be associated with various benign, self-limiting causes. Blood tests and other investigations, while frequently able to detect abnormalities, did not reliably indicate malignancy. Interviewees reported the potential for improvements among HCPs in information gathering, communication of uncertainty, and re-presentation advice for non-resolving/ progressive health changes. Conclusion This study demonstrates the complex characteristics of lymphoma, perceived by patients as prolonging time to diagnosis, often despite significant effort by themselves, their relatives, and HCPs to expedite this process. The findings also illustrate why simple solutions to delayed diagnosis of lymphoma are lacking