Externalizing psychopathology and persistence of offending in childhood first-time arrestees

This study aims to investigate the predictive validity of externalizing psychopathology for persistence in delinquent behavior when controlling for socio-demographic and first arrest characteristics in childhood first-time arrestees. A sample of first-time arrestees aged under 12 (n = 192) was assessed using the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (DISC-IV) parent-version on attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD). Based on child and parent reports of offending as obtained at arrest and at 2-year follow-up, three groups of offenders were differentiated: (1) persistent high (n = 48), (2) occasional (n = 62), and (3) persistent low offenders (n = 82). Over one-third of the sample (33.9%) was diagnosed with an externalizing disorder, and 13.5% with both ADHD and ODD or CD. Higher levels of externalizing psychopathology distinguished persistent high offenders from occasional (comorbid ADHD and ODD/CD: OR 8.2, CI 2.6–25.5) and persistent low offenders (comorbid ADHD and ODD/CD: OR 18.2, CI 4.6–72.3; ADHD: OR 4.1, CI 1.3–13.0), over and above socio-demographic and first offense characteristics. Living with both biological parents distinguished the persistent low offenders from the occasional offenders (OR 2.5, CI 1.2–5.0). Since the prevalence of externalizing disorders was high and predicted re-offending, mental health screening and intervention initiatives, aiming at these conditions, should be investigated for this high-risk sample

Correlates of self-reported offending in children with a first police contact from distinct socio-demographic and ethnic groups

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This study aims to identify risk factors for level of offending among childhood offenders from different socio-economic status (SES) neighborhoods and ethnic origins.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>Three groups of childhood first time police arrestees were studied using standardized instruments for individual and parental characteristics: native Dutch offenders from moderate to high SES neighborhoods, native Dutch offenders from low SES neighborhoods, and offenders of non-Western origin from low SES neighborhoods.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>All subgroups showed high rates of externalizing disorders (27.2% to 41.8%) and familial difficulties (25.7% to 50.5%). Few differences between neighborhoods were found in the prevalence and impact of risk factors. However, the impact of some family risk factors on offending seemed stronger in the low SES groups. Regarding ethnical differences, family risk factors were more prevalent among non-Western childhood offenders. However, the association of these factors with level of offending seemed lower in the non-Western low SES group, while the association of some individual risk factors were stronger in the non-Western low SES group. Turning to the independent correlation of risk factors within each of the groups, in the Dutch moderate to high SES group, 23.1% of the variance in level of offending was explained by ADHD and behavioral problems; in the Dutch low SES group, 29.0% of the variance was explained by behavioral problems and proactive aggression; and in the non-Western low SES group, 41.2% of the variance was explained by substance use, sensation seeking, behavioral peer problems, and parental mental health problems.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Thereby, the study indicates few neighborhood differences in the impact of individual and parental risk factors on offending, while individual and parental risk factors may differ between ethnic groups.</p

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support-free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

IMPORTANCE Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may contribute to poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Objective To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) initiation improves outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In an ongoing, adaptive platform randomized clinical trial, 721 critically ill and 58 non–critically ill hospitalized adults were randomized to receive an RAS inhibitor or control between March 16, 2021, and February 25, 2022, at 69 sites in 7 countries (final follow-up on June 1, 2022). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive open-label initiation of an ACE inhibitor (n = 257), ARB (n = 248), ARB in combination with DMX-200 (a chemokine receptor-2 inhibitor; n = 10), or no RAS inhibitor (control; n = 264) for up to 10 days. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was organ support–free days, a composite of hospital survival and days alive without cardiovascular or respiratory organ support through 21 days. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model. Odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1 represent improved outcomes. RESULTS On February 25, 2022, enrollment was discontinued due to safety concerns. Among 679 critically ill patients with available primary outcome data, the median age was 56 years and 239 participants (35.2%) were women. Median (IQR) organ support–free days among critically ill patients was 10 (–1 to 16) in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 231), 8 (–1 to 17) in the ARB group (n = 217), and 12 (0 to 17) in the control group (n = 231) (median adjusted odds ratios of 0.77 [95% bayesian credible interval, 0.58-1.06] for improvement for ACE inhibitor and 0.76 [95% credible interval, 0.56-1.05] for ARB compared with control). The posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitors and ARBs worsened organ support–free days compared with control were 94.9% and 95.4%, respectively. Hospital survival occurred in 166 of 231 critically ill participants (71.9%) in the ACE inhibitor group, 152 of 217 (70.0%) in the ARB group, and 182 of 231 (78.8%) in the control group (posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitor and ARB worsened hospital survival compared with control were 95.3% and 98.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this trial, among critically ill adults with COVID-19, initiation of an ACE inhibitor or ARB did not improve, and likely worsened, clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0273570

Can organic phosphorus mineralization be quantified with a dual isotope approach?

edition: 6th Symposium on Phosphorus in Soils and Plantsstatus: publishe

Organic phosphorus mineralization: quantification and correlation to selected soil properties

status: accepte

Model-based rationalization of sulphur mineralization in soils using 35S isotope dilution

The increasing occurrence of sulphur (S) deficiency in soils calls for a better understanding and prediction of the turnover of S in soil. The objectives of this study were to establish an isotope-based method to quantify the total labile S pool and soil-S turnover kinetics and to apply this method to a number of soils with contrasting soil properties. A35SO4 isotope dilution method was used in a closed incubation experiment (84 days) with different soils by measuring Ca(H2PO4)2-extractable 35SO4 and stable SO4 concentrations. The gross S mineralization rates and size of the labile S pools were quantified with a model that considers immobilization of sulphate into a labile organic S (LOS) pool and remineralization of this same pool to SO4. By taking into account the remineralization of previously immobilized S, this model distinguishes itself from previous models, yielding more realistic estimates of gross S transformation rates. Among 19 contrasting soils, the LOS pool ranged from 2 to 43 mg S kg−1, equal to 3–22% of the total S, and was in most soils of similar or larger size than the SO4-S pool. The gross mineralization rate ranged from 0.17 to 0.53 mg S kg−1 d−1 and correlated with total S (r = 0.76), organic S (r = 0.77) and soil organic C (r = 0.66). The average turnover time of the LOS pool was 61 days. Addition of glucose (5 g kg−1) to soils resulted in a rapid decrease in extractable 35SO4 but, surprisingly, no such effect was observed for stable SO4, suggesting a fast turnover of circa 10 mg S kg−1 into newly formed biomass (labile biomass-S; LBS). Finally, several commonly used soil extractants (KCl-40, hot water and NaHCO3) were tested for their predictive power in estimating the total labile S pool (i.e. LOS + SO4-S). Hot water extraction showed the strongest correlation with this labile S (r = 0.86) but underestimated the size of the pool. Taken together, this study proposes a new method to quantify total labile S in soil, which was found to constitute, on average, 21% of the total soil-S. Taking into account the higher mineralization rate compared to previous studies, this suggests that the contribution of organic S to fulfil the S needs of plants can be of a more significant importance than previously thought.status: publishe

Increasing soil organic carbon content can enhance the long-term availability of phosphorus in agricultural soils

The stocks of phosphorus (P) in soil resulting from decades of over-fertilisation can be used as a long-term source of P provided that crop P bioavailability is ensured. This study was set up to identify to what extent soil organic matter (SOM) affects the long-term availability of these stocks, the premise being that OM may limit irreversible P fixation in soil by blocking P sorption sites on sesquioxides. An ensemble of 42 agricultural soils, composed from experimentally amended soils (field and incubation trials) and soils with contrasting properties, was subjected to 288 days of P depletion with anion exchange membranes as a P sink; this method was previously shown to yield P pools with agronomic significance. Cumulative P desorption data were fitted with a two-pool kinetic desorption model, yielding estimates for a fast (labile) and total desorbable P pool. On average, 42% of oxalate extractable P (P-ox) associated with poorly crystalline iron (Fe) and aluminium (Al) (oxy)hydroxides (Fe-ox and Al-ox) were desorbable and 25% of that fraction (i.e. 11% of P-ox) was labile. That labile P pool matched well with the 24 h isotopically exchangeable P (E value) in these soils (R-2 = 0.74). Both the fast and total desorbable fraction of P-ox were larger at higher degrees of phosphorus saturation (DPS). In soils with a low DPS (<0.30), the labile fraction of P-ox increased as the ratio of soil organic carbon to Fe-ox + Al-ox increased (R-2 = 0.70; p < 0.001), but soils with a higher DPS did not exhibit that trend. These results adhere to soil chemical views that enhanced SOM contents reduce fixation of P by competitive sorption and prevention of P diffusion into micropores. No such effects occur in more P saturated soils, probably because orthophosphate sorption and electrostatic effects outcompete effective SOM sorption. The findings suggest that simultaneous application of OM with P fertilisers could keep P better available in the long term, but that this OM application does not affect P fixation when soils are excessively dosed with P. Highlights Long-term availability of P in soil was assessed in contrasting soils in a P depletion experiment. A high ratio of organic C to Fe and Al in soil enhances the P fraction that is readily available. The positive effect of organic matter on soil P availability is only found at low soil P saturation. Residual P in European soils can sustain adequate P for crops for 5-55 years depending on the soil

Individual treatment of hotel and restaurant waste water in rural areas

About 25 hotels, restaurants and pubs in the rural community Heuvelland are situated in the area designated for individual water treatment. In order to meet the legislation by the end of 2015, each business needs to install an individual waste water treatment system (IWTS). To study this situation, three catering businesses were selected for further research. The aim of the study was to quantify the effluent quality and to assess IWTS performance for these catering businesses. First of all, the influence of discharging untreated waste water on the receiving surface water was examined. The results showed a decrease in water quality after the discharge point at every business. With the collected data, simulations with the software WEST (R) were performed. With this software two types of IWTSs with different (buffer) volumes were modelled and tested for each catering business. The first type is a completely mixed activated sludge reactor and the second type is a submerged aerobic fixed-bed reactor. The results of these simulations demonstrate that purification with an IWTS is possible if the capacity is large enough and if an adequate buffer volume is installed and if regular maintenance is performed

Antisocial Behavior and Victimization Over 2-Year Follow-Up in Subgroups of Childhood Arrestees

Not only are childhood onset offenders at high risk of becoming serious persistent offenders, they are also at high risk of becoming victimized themselves. Furthermore, studies in the general population suggest that a combined perpetrator–victim group can be distinguished from a perpetrator-only and a victim-only group on individual and family risk factors. The current study investigated the co-occurrence of offending and victimization among first-time arrestees and the 2-year predictive value of previously found clusters of dynamic risk factors of offending. Childhood first-time arrestees (N = 308; Mage = 10.3, SD = 1.45) were clustered into three groups based on dynamic risk factors of offending in the individual, peer, school, and family domains: a pervasive high, an externalizing intermediate, and a low problem group. Police records and self-report data on re-offending and victimization of these children were collected over a 2-year follow-up period. Compared with the low problem group, the prevalence of re-offending was higher in both the externalizing intermediate group and the pervasive high group. The pervasive high group was most likely to display co-occurring future antisocial behavior and victimization. These findings emphasize that attention should be paid to victimization in addition to future antisocial behavior, especially if additional internalizing and family problems are present. Furthermore, the differences in re-offending and victimization between subgroups of childhood onset offenders stress the need for specific interventions tailored to the risk profile of a child