Suchergebnisse

This study examined the feasibility of using crowdsourcing to recruit men who self-report sexual interest in children or sexually problematic behavior involving children. Crowdsourcing refers to the use of the internet to reach a large number of people to complete a specific task. A nonrepresentative sample of men ( N = 997) participated in a brief self-report survey examining age of attraction, sexual interest in children, proclivity toward sexual offenses involving children, and history of sexual offending. Almost a quarter of the sample (23.1%) indicated some degree of sexual interest in children, propensity to sexually offend against children, and/or actual offending behavior. We present our data broken down by type of interest or behavior and examine the frequency of these outcomes. Findings are likely to be of value to those considering the viability of crowdsourcing to overcome the limitations or challenges of face-to-face research on stigmatizing interests and behaviors. Findings also contribute to estimating prevalence of self-reported sexual interest in children, and sexual offending behavior toward children, across different countries.

AbstractCryopreservation causes decreased sperm fertility potential due to reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and physical-chemical damage, resulting in reduced sperm viability and motility. The addition of antioxidants to freezing media could protect sperm from cryo-damage, counteracting the harmful effects of ROS. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of curcumin supplementation in freezing medium on preventing cryo-damage in human semen. Semen samples collected from fertile men were cryopreserved in freezing medium supplemented with different concentrations of curcumin (2.5, 5, 10, and 20 μM). After freezing-thawing, sperm parameters, DNA fragmentation, intracellular ROS, and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) gene expression were evaluated. Supplementation with 20 μM curcumin in freezing medium caused increases in progressive and nonprogressive motility and significant reductions in intracellular ROS and DNA fragmentation in frozen-thawed sperm cells. Following cryopreservation,GPX4 mRNA expression was significantly upregulated in thawed semen supplemented with 20 μM curcumin compared to the control. The results showed that curcumin supplementation in freezing medium was protective against human sperm parameters and sperm DNA, counteracting oxidative damage induced by the freeze-thaw process.

OBJECTIVES: Marijuana is the most widely used and fastest growing drug in the United States, with legislation currently broadening legalization for both medical and recreational use. However, there are limited data evaluating associations with fecundity and adverse pregnancy outcomes. A few studies evaluating self-reported use suggest marijuana may not be harmful for pregnancy, yet there is a concern for underreporting due to stigma as marijuana is not universally legalized. Our aim was to examine the association between preconception marijuana use, using both self-reported and urinary levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and fecundability, live birth, and pregnancy loss. METHODS: Women aged 18–40 years old (n = 1212) enrolled in the EAGeR trial were screened for urinary THC at up to 2 time points during preconception using a homogenous enzyme immunoassay from Randox Laboratories, and asked at baseline to report any marijuana use during the past year. Women were followed for up to 6 months while attempting pregnancy. Cox proportional hazard regression was used to calculate fecundability odds ratios (FOR), and log-binomial regression to estimate risk ratios (RR) for live birth and pregnancy loss adjusting for age, race, BMI, education, smoking, alcohol, and detectable levels of opioids. RESULTS: 33 (2.7%) women screened positive for THC during the preconception period, of which 14 also self-reported use during the past year. 62 women (5.1%) either screened positive or self-reported use. Women who screened positive for preconception THC had reduced fecundability (FOR 0.50; 95% CI 0.25, 1.00), as well as women who self-reported marijuana use (FOR 0.54; 95% CI 0.31, 0.94), or who were positive using either urinary or self-report (FOR 0.53, 95% CI 0.33, 0.86). No associations were observed between marijuana use and live birth (RR 0.71; 95% CI 0.41, 1.22) and pregnancy loss (RR 0.78; 95% CI 0.28, 2.18). CONCLUSIONS: Women who screened positive for THC during preconception, or self-reported use during the past year ...

Abstract Lebanon is frequently referred to as a model of a plural and stable democracy in the Middle East: a multi-ethnic and pluri-religious society that guarantees political representation through a power-sharing confessional framework. Numerous authors also see the consociational model as the best democratic alternative given such a high degree of domestic heterogeneity. However, by emphasising Lebanese stability vis-à-vis a troubled regional scenario, these positive perceptions have neglected some elements of how democracy actually works in Lebanon. In this article, I analyse two domestic dimensions that hinder the success of the Lebanese democratic experience (the pre-attribution of seats and distortions of representation) and point to the limits, effects and consequences of consociationalism in this specific confessional reality. The results of this case study indicate that highly institutionalised consociational arrangements can lead to sectarianism, institutional instability, clientelism, and state frailty. I also lay out some lessons and implications that can be derived from such a framework in terms of harmful sectarian narratives at both the local and regional levels.

Abstract Lebanon is frequently referred to as a model of a plural and stable democracy in the Middle East: a multi-ethnic and pluri-religious society that guarantees political representation through a power-sharing confessional framework. Numerous authors also see the consociational model as the best democratic alternative given such a high degree of domestic heterogeneity. However, by emphasising Lebanese stability vis-à-vis a troubled regional scenario, these positive perceptions have neglected some elements of how democracy actually works in Lebanon. In this article, I analyse two domestic dimensions that hinder the success of the Lebanese democratic experience (the pre-attribution of seats and distortions of representation) and point to the limits, effects and consequences of consociationalism in this specific confessional reality. The results of this case study indicate that highly institutionalised consociational arrangements can lead to sectarianism, institutional instability, clientelism, and state frailty. I also lay out some lessons and implications that can be derived from such a framework in terms of harmful sectarian narratives at both the local and regional levels.

Abstract Lebanon is frequently referred to as a model of a plural and stable democracy in the Middle East: a multi-ethnic and pluri-religious society that guarantees political representation through a power-sharing confessional framework. Numerous authors also see the consociational model as the best democratic alternative given such a high degree of domestic heterogeneity. However, by emphasising Lebanese stability vis-à-vis a troubled regional scenario, these positive perceptions have neglected some elements of how democracy actually works in Lebanon. In this article, I analyse two domestic dimensions that hinder the success of the Lebanese democratic experience (the pre-attribution of seats and distortions of representation) and point to the limits, effects and consequences of consociationalism in this specific confessional reality. The results of this case study indicate that highly institutionalised consociational arrangements can lead to sectarianism, institutional instability, clientelism, and state frailty. I also lay out some lessons and implications that can be derived from such a framework in terms of harmful sectarian narratives at both the local and regional levels.

Summary: Deliberate self-harm (DSH) patients with alcohol problems present a considerable challenge for clinical services. In a study of a sample of 150 DSH patients who were representative of all such patients seen at a general hospital during the study period, 40 patients with an ICD-10 diagnosis of alcohol dependence or harmful use of alcohol were compared with the remainder of the sample. The treatment of the patients with alcohol disorders before and after the episode of DSH and the outcome 12-20 months later were also investigated. Compared with other DSH patients, those with an alcohol diagnosis were older and more often male, living alone, unemployed, sick, disabled, or with a past history of DSH. They also had higher scores on measures of anger, aggression, and impulsivity. Comorbid psychiatric disorder was present in 37 (92.5%) patients, this being depression in three-quarters of those cases. Fourteen (35.0%) patients were receiving treatment from the psychiatric services prior to DSH, and 33 (82.5%) were subsequently offered treatment. Of the patients who were followed up, 37.9% remained in contact with psychiatric services, 55.2% showed poor compliance with treatment and 44.8% reported a further episode of DSH. All patients presenting after DSH need to be carefully screened for alcohol disorders and for comorbid psychiatric diagnoses. Treatment of DSH patients with alcohol disorders should include the treatment of any comorbid depressive illness.

BEPS Action 5 is one of the four BEPS minimum standards which all Inclusive Framework members have committed to implement. One part of the Action 5 minimum standard is the transparency framework for compulsory spontaneous exchange on certain rulings which, in the absence of transparency, could give rise to BEPS concerns. Over 100 jurisdictions have joined the Inclusive Framework and will take part in a peer review to assess their compliance with the transparency framework. Specific terms of reference and a methodology have been agreed for the peer reviews to assess a jurisdiction's implementation of the minimum standard. The review of the transparency framework assesses countries against the terms of reference which focus on five key elements: i) information gathering process, ii) exchange of information, iii) confidentiality of the information received; iv) statistics on the exchanges of rulings; and v) transparency on certain aspect of intellectual property regimes. This report reflects the outcome of the first peer review of the implementation of the Action 5 minimum standard. It covers the jurisdictions which participated in the BEPS Project prior to the creation of the Inclusive Framework, and it assesses implementation for the 1 January 2016 – 31 December 2016 period.

• Summary: Current UK Government policy is concerned with the possible connections between childhood adversity, social exclusion and negative outcomes in adulthood. Understanding the impact of adverse childhood experiences on outcomes in adulthood is therefore key to informing effective policy and practice. In this article, the research on the impact of childhood adversity on outcomes in adulthood is reviewed in the broad categories of: mental health and social functioning; physical health; offending; service use; and economic impact. The literature on resilience that focuses on those who experience adversity, but do not have associated negative outcomes is also briefly considered. The strengths and limitations of the range of research methods used are then examined.• Findings: Previous studies have tended to focus on specific forms of adversity, predominantly abuse and neglect, and either: specific populations and specific outcomes; specific populations and general outcomes; or general populations and specific outcomes. This means there may be incomplete understanding of the inputs (the range of adverse experiences in childhood), the processes (how these may affect people) and the outcomes (across domains in adulthood).• Applications : It is concluded that it is important for social work researchers to engage in the current debate about how to prevent harmful childhood adversity and there is an important gap in the research for more interdisciplinary large-scale general population studies that consider the full range of childhood adversity and associated impacts across time and the possible processes involved.

BEPS Action 5 is one of the four BEPS minimum standards which all Inclusive Framework members have committed to implement. One part of the Action 5 minimum standard is the transparency framework for compulsory spontaneous exchange of information on certain tax rulings which, in the absence of transparency, could give rise to BEPS concerns. Over 135 jurisdictions have joined the Inclusive Framework and take part in the peer review to assess their compliance with the transparency framework. Specific terms of reference and a methodology have been agreed for the peer reviews to assess a jurisdiction's implementation of the minimum standard. The review of the transparency framework assesses jurisdictions against the terms of reference which focus on five key elements: i) information gathering process, ii) exchange of information, iii) confidentiality of the information received; iv) statistics on the exchanges on rulings; and v) transparency on certain aspects of intellectual property regimes. Recommendations are issued where improvements are needed to meet the minimum standard. This report reflects the outcome of the annual peer review of the implementation of the Action 5 minimum standard and covers 112 jurisdictions. It assesses implementation for the 1 January - 31 December 2018 period.

BEPS Action 5 is one of the four BEPS minimum standards which all Inclusive Framework members have committed to implement. One part of the Action 5 minimum standard is the transparency framework for compulsory spontaneous exchange of information on certain tax rulings which, in the absence of transparency, could give rise to BEPS concerns. Over 120 jurisdictions have joined the Inclusive Framework and take part in the peer review to assess their compliance with the transparency framework. Specific terms of reference and a methodology have been agreed for the peer reviews to assess a jurisdiction's implementation of the minimum standard. The review of the transparency framework assesses jurisdictions against the terms of reference which focus on five key elements: i) information gathering process, ii) exchange of information, iii) confidentiality of the information received; iv) statistics on the exchanges on rulings; and v) transparency on certain aspects of intellectual property regimes. Recommendations are issued where improvements are needed to meet the minimum standard. This report reflects the outcome of the second annual peer review of the implementation of the Action 5 minimum standard and covers 92 jurisdictions. It assesses implementation for the 1 January 2017 – 31 December 2017 period.

INTRODUCTION: Every year millions of people in developing countries suffer from snakebite, causing a large number of deaths and long term complications. Prevention and appropriate first aid could reduce the incidence and improve the health outcomes for those who suffer bites. However, many communities where snakebite is a major issue suffer from a lack of information about prevention and first aid measures that a family or community member could take to prevent severe envenoming, complications and poor outcomes. Myanmar suffers from a high burden of snakebites with a large number of deaths. As part of a health services and community development program, a community survey was conducted to identify communities' knowledge about snakebite and their sequelae, and knowledge and practice about first aid and health services use. METHOD: 4,276 rural residents of Kyaukse and Madaya townships in the Mandalay region were recruited by cluster sampling, involving random selection of 144 villages and random sampling of 30 households from each village. One adult member of each household was interviewed using a structured questionnaire. RESULTS: The incidence of snakebite was 116/100,000 people. Respondents reported 15 different types of snakes in the area, with Russell's Viper, Cobra and Green snakes as the most common. 88% of the people informed that working in the fields and forests was when most of the bites occur. A majority knew about snakebite prevention methods such as wearing long boots. However, only a few people knew about the specific symptoms caused by snakebites. Only 39% knew about the correct methods of first aid. More than 60% mentioned tourniquet as a first aid method, though this may cause significant complications such as ischaemia of the limb. 88% said that they would take a snakebite victim to a government hospital, and 58% mentioned availability of antivenom as the reason for doing this. At the same time, the majority mentioned that traditional methods existed for first aid and treatment and 25% mentioned ...

AbstractAlthough there is consensus among scholars that red tape has negative consequences, there is a lack of synthesis on these negative effects. We conduct a meta‐analysis and meta‐regression of public administration evidence and ask: What is the impact of red tape on organizational performance and employee outcomes, and which conditions moderate this impact? Our meta‐analysis finds that red tape has a significant, negative, and small‐to‐medium impact on both organizational performance and employee outcomes. Meta‐regression shows that red tape imposed by the organization itself is more harmful than red tape imposed by external parties. Moreover, red tape's negative impact remains quite stable across sectors, administrative traditions, and research methods. In conclusion, an agenda for future public administration research on red tape is presented. We recommend that future research syntheses on red tape include research on concepts that bear a family resemblance (e.g., sludge, administrative burden) and also encourage analyses of differing discourses to identify common themes.

Introduction: The number of cosmetologists and hairdressers is increasing. According to the data of US Bureau of Labor Statistics in 1991, there were more than half million people worked as cosmetologists in America. The number is keeping increasing during decades. In 2008, the number of licensed manicurists has increased by 345%, to more than 393000 since 1991 and the 10-year employment growth of nail technicians is 28%. The booming of cosmetologists leads to many potential health problems. As the occupation which is labor intensive and frequently exposed to cosmetics, the health conditions of cosmetologists and hairdressers should be taken seriously. The frequent exposure of harmful cosmetic ingredients and intensive labor work increase the health risks of cosmetology practitioners. Serious health outcomes are reported by cosmetology practitioners. However their health conditions of is seldom considered in public health policy making due to the low proportion of population. Moreover, the low income level of cosmetology practitioner makes them harder to access qualified healthcare services and insurance. In this case, the study of the health outcome of cosmetology practitioners is needed. Objective: The aim of this review is to examine the association between occupation of cosmetologist and different adverse health outcomes. Method: A narrative review is conducted to examine the cosmetology practitioners' adverse health outcomes, which are adverse pregnancy outcome, loss of fertility, cancer, diabetes and certain kind of physical disorders. This review identified 20 researches for further analysis, in the identified studies, 9 from North America (1 from Canada and 8 from USA), 9 from EU, 1 from Asia (Taiwan) and 1 from Africa (Egypt). The reference groups are people from other professionals and average prevalence in the whole population. Result: Serious health outcomes are reported by cosmetology practitioners. The adverse pregnancy outcome was reported by 13 studies. The occupation of cosmetologists would not only affect pregnant cosmetologists, but also their children. Spontaneous abortion, SGA (small for gestational age) and stunted development for children were mainly reported as adverse health outcomes of fetus and children. One of those 13 studies had examined the cohort from two different period of time, and found out that the prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes were decreasing over time due to the development of technology and regulation. The loss in fertility (n=2), diabetes (n=1), cancer (n=3) and physical disorders (n=3) were also significantly associated with the occupation of cosmetology practitioners. Two studies examined the loss in fertility of cosmetology practitioners; one study from Sweden indicated a higher risk of conceiving failure among cosmetologists, while one study from UK indicated a no significant association of premature ovarian failure. One study from USA found out a higher prevalence of gestational diabetes among manicurists and cosmetologists. 3 studies were about the health outcome of cancer, all those three studies indicted significant associations. 3 researchers studied the health outcome of physical disorders; one study from Egypt indicated a significant association of elbow, shoulder, back and knee pain, especially among old and male cosmetologists. However, other two studies indicated no significant association. Conclusion and implication: the review of adverse health outcomes of cosmetology practitioners indicated that cosmetologists have higher risks of adverse pregnancy outcome, loss of fertility, cancer, diabetes and certain kind of physical disorders, in comparison with people from other professionals. In order to improve the health condition of cosmetology practitioners, Restrict occupational performance regulation and guidelines, policy supports for cosmetologists and hairdressers, and comprehensive health education and information will be helpful for the health promotion for cosmetology practitioners and common people who contact with cosmetic products frequently. ; published_or_final_version ; Public Health ; Master ; Master of Public Health