Peer victimization,prison climate,resilience and psychological distress of incarcerated juvenile offenders in Ghana: A serial mediation examination

Most Ghanaian research in the area of victimization among children has focused on the school setting. Little research has been done in an attempt to understand inmate-on-inmate victimization within the juvenile correctional facilities in Ghana. This study, therefore, investigated the extent to which peer victimization influences psychological distress among juvenile offenders in the Senior Correctional Center of Ghana. A cross-sectional design was used to purposively sample 115 juvenile offenders for the study. Following mediation analysis performed in PROCESS, the results revealed that prison climate and resilience serially mediated the relationship between peer victimization and psychological distress. Independently, both prison climate and resilience mediated the relationship between peer victimization and psychological distress. It was recommended that anti-bullying programs ought to be institutionalized to create mental health awareness within the correctional facilities. Also, support systems such as the Listener Scheme need to be deployed within the correctional facilities.     

Reconstruction of a real-world car-to-pedestrian collision using geomatics techniques and numerical simulations

The aim of this study is to provide an improved method for traffic accident reconstruction based on geomatics techniques and numerical simulations. A combination of various techniques was used. First, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), laser scanner and structured-light scanner were used to obtain information on the accident scene, vehicle and victim. The collected traces provided detailed initial impact conditions for subsequent numerical simulations. Then, multi-body system (MBS) simulations were conducted to reconstruct the kinematics of the car-to-pedestrian collision. Finally, a finite element (FE) simulation using the THUMS model was performed to predict injuries. A real-life vehicle-pedestrian collision was used to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of this method. The reconstruction result revealed that the kinematic and injury predictions of the numerical simulations effectively conformed to the surveillance video and investigation of the actual accident. UAV photogrammetry was demonstrated to be more efficient in accident data collection than hand sketch and measurement, and 3D laser scanning enabled an easier and more accurate modeling process of vehicle. The present study shows the feasibility of this method for use in traffic accident reconstruction.     

经胸超声心动图诊断A型主动脉壁间血肿

目的 观察经胸超声心动图诊断A型主动脉壁间血肿的价值。方法 回顾性分析40例经CT血管成像（CTA）确诊的A型主动脉壁间血肿患者的临床资料及超声心动图表现,评价经胸超声心动图诊断A型主动脉壁间血肿的价值。结果 40例A型主动脉壁间血肿患者,男25例（25/40,62.50%）,女15例,发病中位年龄55岁;以胸背部疼痛（36/40,90.00%）为主要症状;其中30例有高血压病史、15例有吸烟史。主动脉壁间血肿超声主要表现为主动脉壁内-中膜与外膜间存在厚薄不均匀低回声;主动脉窦部增宽与年龄、高血压病史相关（r=0.51,P=0.01;r=0.34,P=0.03）。25例（25/40,62.50%）合并主动脉瓣反流,其中21例（21/25,84.00%）为轻度反流;12例合并心包积液,其中10例（10/12,83.33%）为少量积液。结论 经胸超声心动图对诊断A型主动脉壁间血肿有一定价值,并可用于患者随访。     

Biomarkers in the prognostic evaluation of ischemic stroke: Is there benefit in the measurements of TREM-1 and TREM-2 in the acute phase?

Background and purposeTriggering receptors expressed on myeloid cells 1 and 2 (TREM-1 and TREM-2) are cell surface receptors important for modulation of microglia immune response. In this study, we evaluate serum levels of TREM-1 and TREM-2 as potential biomarkers in acute ischemic stroke (AIS).Material and methodsProspective cohort study of 50 patients with AIS admitted at our hospital. Serum TREM-1 and TREM-2 was evaluated within 24 h of the acute event and on the third and fifth days after the stroke. Neurological stroke severity and global disability were determined with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at the same three times and at the time of hospital discharge.ResultsTREM-1 and TREM-2 levels were elevated in stroke. TREM-1, but not TREM-2, exhibited correlations with NIHSS and mRS within 24 h (NIHSS and TREM-1: r_S = 0.31, p = 0.029; mRS and TREM-1: r_S = 0.32, p = 0.023). The serum level of TREM-1 within 24 h correlated with the neurological outcomes at hospital discharge (NIHSS and TREM-1: p = 0.021; mRS and TREM-1: p = 0.049). The serum concentrations of TREM-1 protein within 24 h after stroke was significantly higher in patients with poor outcome (mRS > 2) at hospital discharge (p = 0.021). After Exact Logistic Regression, large segmental stroke (O.R. = 4.14; 95CI = 1.07–16.09; p = 0.040) and initial sTREM levels (O.R. = 1.02; 95CI 1.00–1.04; p = 0.045) remained independent prognostic factors for AIS poor outcome (mRS > 2).ConclusionIn our study, TREM-1 and TREM-2 were significantly increased in AIS. Early elevation of TREM-1 correlated with stroke severity and it was an independent prognostic factor for stroke outcome.     

IRF5通过对巨噬细胞极化的调节影响脂质摄取及排出的探究

动脉粥样硬化（AS）是严重危害人类生命健康的一类慢性血管疾病,局部胆固醇的大量蓄积和炎症的发生是其主要原因。现已证明许多细胞因子通过调节巨噬细胞向M1及M2型的转化,影响巨噬细胞对脂质的摄取及排出。该文将阐述干扰素调节因子5（IRF5）是否通过调节巨噬细胞的极化而对巨噬细胞的脂质摄取及排出产生影响,从而为以IRF5为作用靶点治疗AS的可能性提供一些前期理论研究。     

Effects of propofol on cardiac function and miR-494 expression in rats with hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the effects of propofol on cardiac function and miR-494 expression in rats with hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury.MethodsForty healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were allocated to the sham operation group and three hepatic I/R injury groups. The I/R injury groups included I/R injury only (I/R group), treatment with propofol (propofol group), and treatment with propofol + overexpressed miR-494 (propofol+miR-494 group). Apoptosis of myocardial cells and changes in cardiac function indices, including left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, left ventricular end-systolic diameter, and left ventricular posterior wall thickness, as well as changes in miR-494, were monitored.ResultsThe apoptotic rate of myocardial cells in the I/R group was higher, cardiac function was deteriorated, and miR-494 levels were elevated compared with the sham group. The apoptotic rate was lower, cardiac function was improved, and miR-494 levels were suppressed in the propofol group compared with the I/R group. The apoptotic rate was higher, cardiac function was deteriorated, and miR-494 levels were elevated in the propofol+miR-494 group compared with the propofol group.ConclusionPropofol plays a vital role in preventing myocardial cell apoptosis and improvement of cardiac function by suppressing miR-494 in a hepatic I/R injury rat model.     

Genetic structure and forensic characterisation of 19 X-chromosomal STR loci in Guizhou Sui population

Background: Guizhou Sui people are an officially recognised ethnic group living in southwest China, but have seldom been studied genetically.

Aim: To investigate the polymorphisms of 19 X-chromosome STR loci in a typical Sui population and enrich the East Asian X-STR reference database for forensic DNA analysis.

Subjects and methods: A total of 400 Sui individuals (195 males and 205 females) were genotyped at 19 X-STR loci using the AGCU X19 STR Kit. The allele frequencies and forensic parameters were calculated and illustrated and the data of Guizhou Sui were merged with 18 other nationwide populations to explore genetic polymorphisms and population relationships.

Results: A total of 215 alleles were observed with corresponding frequencies ranging from 0.0017–0.6512 in Sui using male and female pooled allele frequencies. Large values were observed, at least 0.9999999933, in combined powers of discrimination of Sui males and females, as well as the four mean paternity exclusion chances (MECs). The phylogenetic analysis among 19 populations showed that Sui have close genetic affinities with other Tai-Kadai populations, as well as the Sinitic populations living in southern China.

Conclusions: The AGCU X-19 STRs are highly polymorphic and informative in Guizhou Sui people. The genetic relationships between Sui and other populations in China are generally consistent with the language classification and geographical distance.