Youth in Gangs: Who Is at Risk?

Youth gangs pose a significant challenge for communities across the United States, in urban, suburban, and rural areas alike. Nationwide, 23% of students report the presence of gangs at their schools (Dinkes, Kemp, & Baum, 2009), and approximately 35% of law enforcement agencies indicate gang problems (such as gang-related crime) in their jurisdictions (Egley & O'Donnell, 2009).(see footnote 1) Self-reported youth surveys show varying estimates of gang membership, from single digits among a national sample of students to about 30% among high-risk youth in large cities (Howell & Egley, 2009).For this Focus, NCCD analyzed data from national, state, and local youth surveys and drew on the results of previous gang research to provide a snapshot of youth gangs. This includes a summary of risk factors for gang membership and selected characteristics of gang-involved youth. California, which has faced significant and disproportionate levels of gang membership for decades, serves as a state case study. The local data highlight the San Francisco Bay Area cities of Oakland and Richmond; both Oakland and Richmond have entrenched gang problems and very high homicide rates.(see footnote 2

Shoring Up Shortfalls: Women, Retirement and the Growing GigSupp Economy

In recent years, high-profile Silicon Valley firms have engineered billion-dollar IPOs through developing online and app-based platforms that connect service providers and sellers with customers and process their payments (the “online platform economy”). Today, millions of Americans earn income using platforms developed by Uber, Etsy, and Airbnb; and research has identified the limitations of existing federal tax rules to facilitate tax compliance of these workers and considered the consequences of their failure to pay self-employment taxes. However, questions remain as to the changing demographics and motivations of online platform economy workers and their retirement income security. Titled, Shoring Up Shortfalls: Women, Retirement and the Growing Gig Economy, we propose to identify and analyze: (i) the existing demographic data on this workforce; (ii) their economic motivations and retirement income needs; and (iii) the federal tax, retirement policy, and financial literacy proposals that would enable the gig economy workforce to support itself in retirement

Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate: Developing Technology to Protect America

In response to a congressional mandate and in consultation with Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T), the National Academy conducted a review of S&T's effectiveness and efficiency in addressing homeland security needs. This review included a particular focus that identified any unnecessary duplication of effort, and opportunity costs arising from an emphasis on homeland security-related research. Under the direction of the National Academy Panel, the study team reviewed a wide variety of documents related to S&T and homeland security-related research in general. The team also conducted interviews with more than 200 individuals, including S&T officials and staff, officials from other DHS component agencies, other federal agencies engaged in homeland security-related research, and experts from outside government in science policy, homeland security-related research and other scientific fields.Key FindingsThe results of this effort indicated that S&T faces a significant challenge in marshaling the resources of multiple federal agencies to work together to develop a homeland security-related strategic plan for all agencies. Yet the importance of this role should not be underestimated. The very process of working across agencies to develop and align the federal homeland security research enterprise around a forward-focused plan is critical to ensuring that future efforts support a common vision and goals, and that the metrics by which to measure national progress, and make changes as needed, are in place

Ionogel-biosensor: novel ionogels based on ionic liquids as a platform to measure enzyme activity of glucose oxdase in real time

It is estimated that there are 170 million diabetics worldwide, and the number continues to rise alarmingly. The management of diabetes is therefore critical to future society, and this is driving demand for point-of-care (POC) glucose biosensors, and they play a central role in the management blood sugar levels in patients with diabetes. Glucose Oxidase (GOx) is a biorecognition enzyme, which recognises the glucose molecule and acts as a catalyst to produce gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide in the presence of glucose and oxygen.[1] Ionic Liquids are organic salts, which are liquid at ambient temperature. Their non-volatile character and thermal stability makes them an attractive alternative to conventional organic solvents. We are interested in studying the characteristics of GOx in ionic liquids, and in polymer materials incorporating ionic liquids known as ionogels. Herein we report the enzyme activity of GOx in a biosensor fabricated using a novel hybrid ionogel. This approach potentially offers several advantages over conventional materials. For example, the ionogels can be chemically and physically tailored for a particular requirement. [3] The design of these ionogels ensures that the enzyme is effectively retained in the polymer, thus preventing leaching. The ionogel-biosensor has been incorporated into a compact, portable and low cost device, which allows the real time monitoring of enzyme activity of GOx. Based on this model, we project that this device will provide the platform for measuring the enzyme activity of a wide range of enzymes

Biogenic synthesis of gold nanoparticles using red and green pear fruit extracts

>Magister Scientiae - MScThere has been a growing interest in the design of biocompatible and environmentally affable nanoparticles (NPs) among scientists to develop novel and safe biomaterials for use in various biomedical applications. This can be obtained through the use of plant and/ or fruit-derived phytochemicals that are capable of reducing gold ions into gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Several studies have shown that different plant and fruit extracts possess different pharmacological properties as a result of their phytochemical profile and are capable of synthesising AuNPs with potential applications in medicine. Pears possess a unique phytochemical profile and these phytochemicals vary in the different parts of the pear and allows pears to exhibit beneficial pharmacological activities such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anticarcinogenic as well as anti-inflammatory properties. Anthocyanins are important pigments responsible for the colouration of fruits but also have multiple uses in traditional Chinese medicine. Anthocyanins are strong antioxidants and since these molecules are present in pears, they could possibly be able to reduce gold (III) chloride to form NPs. The red-coloured ‘Bon Rouge’ pear contains higher levels of anthocyanins in comparison to the green-coloured ‘Williams Bon Chretien’ pear of which it is a mutant bud. A comprehensive study of the capability of the ‘Williams Bon Chretien’ and ‘Bon Rouge’ pears as the novel materials for the biogenic synthesis of AuNPs was conducted. Differences in the physicochemical properties of these AuNPs and potential biological applications based on the influence of anthocyanins and other phytochemicals within the pears were also explored. In addition, the effect of reaction temperature and extract concentration as well as kinetics as a function of time on the synthesis of AuNPs were conducted. The synthesized AuNPs were characterised for their size, polydispersity, morphology, crystallinity, active functional groups and in vitro stability

The Use of Harmonic Scalpel for Free Flap Dissection in Head and Neck Reconstructive Surgery

Surgeons conventionally use electrocautery dissection and surgical clip appliers to harvest free flaps. The ultrasonic Harmonic Scalpel is a new surgical instrument that provides high-quality dissection and hemostasis and minimizes tissue injury. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and advantages of the ultrasonic Harmonic Scalpel compared to conventional surgical instruments in free flap surgery. This prospective study included 20 patients who underwent head and neck reconstructive surgery between March 2009 and May 2010. A forearm free flap was used for reconstruction in 12 patients, and a fibular flap was used in 8 patients. In half of the patients, electrocautery and surgical clips were used for free flap harvesting (the EC group), and in the other half of the patients, ultrasonic dissection was performed using the Harmonic Scalpel (the HS group). The following parameters were significantly lower in the HS group compared to the EC group: the operative time of flap dissection (35% lower in the HS group), blood loss, number of surgical clips and cost of surgical materials. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of the Harmonic Scalpel in forearm and fibular free flap dissections that may be extended to other free flaps

Simple barcode system based on ionogels for real time pH-sweat monitoring

This paper presents the fabrication, characterization and the performance of a wearable, robust, flexible and disposable barcode system based on novel ionic liquid polymer gels (ionogels) for monitoring in real time mode the pH of the sweat generated during an exercise period. Up to now sweat analysis has been carried out using awkward methods of collecting sweat followed by laboratory analysis. The approach presented here can provide immediate feedback regarding sweat composition. The great advantage of sweat analysis is the fact that it is a completely non-invasive means of analyzing the wearer's physiological state and ensuring their health and well-being

Pain in malignant pleural mesothelioma: a prospective characterisation study.

INTRODUCTION: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is associated with severe pain. The underlying neurobiology of this is complex. The primary aim of this study was to characterize pain in MPM. METHODS: This study was undertaken as part of a trial examining radiotherapy for the treatment of pain in MPM (ISRCTN 10644347). Patients had MPM with associated pain for which radiotherapy was planned and a worst pain score ≥ 4/10. The following assessments were undertaken: clinical neuropathic pain assessment, Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (LANSS), Short form of the McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), and Quantitative Sensory Testing (QST). The relationship of these characteristics and response to radiotherapy was assessed. Unless stated, medians and interquartile range (IQR) are used. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients were recruited. Average pain and worst pain was 4 (4-6) and 8 (6-8), respectively. Higher average pain and higher worst pain scores were associated with higher interference scores on the BPI, P < 0.001 and P < 0.0005. Twenty patients (54%) had a clinical diagnosis of neuropathic pain, and of these, only six patients (40%) screened positively for neuropathic pain using the LANSS. Patients with a high LANSS also had higher BPI and SF-MPQs. The presence of neuropathic pain (clinically or by LANSS) did not predict response to radiotherapy, P < 0.05. The SF-MPQ scores were higher in those with abnormal cool sensation on QST (P = 0.016). CONCLUSION: Pain in mesothelioma varies among patients and may have neuropathic components. An adequate pain assessment is necessary to guide the clinician in the appropriate choice of analgesics

The UK paediatric ocular trauma study 2 (POTS2):Demographics and mechanisms of injuries

Freda Sii,1,2 Robert J Barry,1 Joseph Abbott,3 Richard J Blanch,1,4 Caroline J MacEwen,5 Peter Shah1,2,6,7 1Department of Ophthalmology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, 2Birmingham Institute for Glaucoma Research, Institute of Translational Medicine, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, 3Department of Ophthalmology, Birmingham Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, 4Academic Department of Military Surgery and Trauma, Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Birmingham, 5Department of Ophthalmology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, 6National Institute of Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, 7Centre for Health and Social Care Improvement, School of Health and Wellbeing, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, UK Purpose: Pediatric ocular trauma is an important cause of visual morbidity worldwide, accounting for up to one-third of all ocular trauma admissions. It has long-term implications for those affected and significant economic consequences for healthcare providers. It has been estimated that 90% of all ocular trauma is preventable. Targeted strategies are required to reduce the incidence and the severity of pediatric ocular trauma; this requires an understanding of the epidemiology and characteristics of these injuries and the children involved. Methods: Prospective, observational study of pediatric ocular trauma cases presenting to UK-based ophthalmologists over a 1-year period; reporting cards were distributed by the British Ophthalmological Surveillance Unit, and clinicians were asked to report incidents of acute orbital and ocular trauma in children aged ≤16 years requiring inpatient or day-case admission. A validated, standardized questionnaire was sent to reporting ophthalmologists to collect data on the demographics and circumstances of injury. Results: Median age at presentation was 7.7 years, with boys more than twice as likely to be affected than girls (M:F =2.1:1.0). Almost 50% of injuries occurred at home, with 25% occurring in school or nursery. A total of 67% of injuries occurred during play, and 31% involved a sharp implement. Conclusion: Pediatric ocular trauma remains an important public health problem. At least three-quarters of all injuries are preventable through measures, including education of children and responsible adults, restricting access to sharp implements, improving adult supervision, and appropriate use of eye protection. Keywords: etiology, childhood eye injury, epidemiology, penetrating eye injury, perforating eye injury, preventio