Risk Of Abuse Research Articles

Una revisión sistemática de las estrategias clave para profesores y padres para el desarrollo de una intervención eficaz que ayuda a reducir el riesgo de abuso sexual infantil en línea.

With the advent of new technologies, cases of online child sexual abuse have become notoriously widespread, rendering it necessary for both teachers and parents to know how to deal with this phenomenon. The aim of this study was to find out which were the main interventions and strategies that both teachers and parents could apply within their immediate environment to reduce the risk of online child sexual harassment. Using the PRISMA approach for systematic reviews, all literature about strategies and interventions for reducing the risk of online child sexual abuse from a variety of databases was analyzed. When possible, Cohen’s d was used to measure the effect size of the interventions. Based on 38 included papers out of a total of 5644, it was found 13 strategies that teachers could commonly use with their students, such as reading real-life testimonies of grooming, as well as 7 strategies that parents could commonly use with their children, such as establishing rules about the use of the internet. The effect sizes showed a reduction in the prevalence of grooming [Experimental (d = -.71 to -.03); Control (d = .00 to .50)] and an increase in knowledge and attitudes [Experimental (d = .45 to 1.66); Control (d = -.03 to .22)] in favor of the students that participated in the interventions. The present results suggest that using these kind of interventions and strategies may bring positive results for children and teenagers in order to prevent and cope with online child sexual abuse.

Pathways to Homelessness: Childhood Maltreatment and Psychiatric Symptoms Increase Risk of Homelessness.

Homelessness is a serious and increasing public health concern. Childhood maltreatment and psychiatric problems have been associated with homelessness as risk factors; however, reliance on cross-sectional studies introduces ambiguity into interpreting previous findings. This study seeks to understand whether psychiatric symptoms in part explain the relationship between childhood maltreatment and homelessness. The authors used data from a prospective cohort design study in which individuals with documented histories of childhood maltreatment (ages 0-11 years) and a demographically matched group of children without those histories (N=1,196) were followed up into middle adulthood and interviewed. Psychiatric symptoms (anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], antisocial personality disorder [ASPD], and alcohol and drug use) were assessed at mean age 29. Homelessness was assessed at mean ages 29, 39, 41, and 47 years. Structural equation modeling was used to test mediation. Twice as many individuals with histories of childhood maltreatment reported ever being homeless (25.6% vs. 12.3%, AOR=2.54, 95% CI= 1.86-3.50) and past year homelessness (5.5% vs. 2.5%, AOR=2.09, 95% CI=1.31-3.43) at age 29, compared to controls. Controlling for past homelessness, psychiatric symptoms predicted future homelessness at mean ages 41 and 47. Three significant paths from childhood maltreatment to future homelessness were identified through depression, PTSD, and ASPD. This longitudinal study with documented cases of childhood maltreatment found that psychiatric symptoms earlier in life predict homelessness. Depression, PTSD, and ASPD represent pathways through which childhood maltreatment increases homelessness risk and warrant greater attention.

Multicultural child maltreatment risk assessment: effective evaluation for diverse populations

Multicultural child maltreatment risk assessment: effective evaluation for diverse populations

Prior Antidepressant Prescription is Associated with Greater Opioid Prescriptions and Complications in Cervical Spine Surgery

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study of national database. Objective: This study evaluates the impact of antidepressant prescriptions on postoperative outcomes and complications in cervical spine surgery. Summary of Background Data: Patients who underwent cervical spine surgery often receive antidepressant prescriptions (ADP) to address concurrent mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. However, the use of antidepressants can affect bone metabolism. Yet, there is an opacity in the literature regarding the effects of ADP on outcomes of cervical spine surgery. Methods: Utilizing the TriNetX database, ACDF and Cervical Arthroplasty patients were matched on a 1:1 basis according to ADP status. Outcome variables such as emergency department visits, hospital readmissions, opioid prescription, and misuse, pseudoarthrosis, adjacent segment disease, and hardware failure were evaluated over follow-up periods ranging from 2 to 24 months. Results: In a matched sample of 12,838 patients, those with ADP exhibited significantly higher rates of opioid prescriptions at 2 weeks (OR 1.34, P<0.0001), 6 months (OR 1.36, P<0.0001), 12 months (OR 1.36, P<0.0001), and 24 months (OR 1.33, P<0.0001). Emergency Department visits were significantly higher at 6 months (OR 1.11, P=0.0082) and 24 months (OR 1.083, P=0.014). Opioid abuse is notably higher by 24 months (OR 1.37, P=0.0033). Hospitalization rates were significantly increased at 12 months (OR 1.16, P=0.0013) and 24 months (OR 1.18, P<0.0001). Adjacent segment disease (OR 1.54, P<0.0001 at 24 mo), hardware failure (OR 1.42, P=0.013 at 24 mo), and pseudarthrosis (OR 1.48, P<0.0001 at 24 mo) were also significantly higher in the ADP group. Conclusions: Patients with ADP undergoing cervical spine surgery experience higher risks of opioid use and abuse, increased hospital readmissions, emergency department visits, and a higher rate of mechanical complications. Level of Evidence: III

A quantitative analysis of biosafety and biosecurity using attack trees in low‐to‐moderate risk scenarios: Evidence from iGEM

AbstractAs synthetic biology is extensively applied in numerous frontier disciplines, the biosafety and biosecurity concerns with designing and constructing novel biological parts, devices, and systems have inevitably come to the forefront due to potential misuse, abuse, and environmental risks from unintended exposure or potential ecological impacts. The International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition often serves as the inception of many synthetic biologists’ research careers and plays a pivotal role in the secure progression of the entire synthetic biology field. Even with iGEM's emphasis on biosafety and biosecurity, continuous risk assessment is crucial due to the potential for unforeseen consequences and the relative inexperience of many participants. In this study, possible risk points for the iGEM projects in 2022 were extracted. An attack tree that captures potential risks and threats from experimental procedures, ethical issues, and hardware safety for each iGEM‐based attack scenario is constructed. It is found that most of the attack scenarios are related to experimental procedures. The relative likelihood of each scenario is then determined by using an established assessment framework. This research expands the traditionally qualitative analysis of risk society theory, reveals the risk formation in the synthetic biology team, and provides practical implications.

Abstract 4141457: Forms of Childhood Maltreatment and Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Black men and women

Background: Exposure to specific forms of childhood maltreatment have been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and CVD events in adulthood. Heterogenous experiences of childhood maltreatment across race and sex exist, yet there is little evidence regarding these relationships and CVD risk in Black populations. Aims: To investigate the association between various forms of childhood maltreatment (emotional, general, physical, and sexual abuse) and surrogate markers of vascular dysfunction and test whether sex modify these associations. Methods: Forms of childhood maltreatment and indices of vascular function were assessed in a cohort of healthy Black adults without known CVD (n=404) from a large metropolitan southeastern city. Childhood maltreatment was assessed using the Early Trauma Inventory short form (ETISR-SF) consisting of physical, sexual, emotional, and general domains. A trauma severity index score was calculated by summing the indexes for each of the four domains. Higher scores are indicative of higher traumatic life events before age 18 years. Outcomes of central augmentation index (cAIx) corrected for a heart rate of 75 bpm and carotid femoral pulse wave velocity (CfPWV) were measured as indices of wave reflections and arterial stiffness using applanation tonometry (Sphygmocor Inc.), and central pulse pressure (CPP) was calculated as the difference between the aortic systolic and diastolic blood pressures. Associations between each domain and outcomes were assessed using multivariate-adjusted and sex-stratified linear regression models. Results: Mean age of the cohort was 53 + 10.3 years, 61% women. Exposure to emotional [ b = -1.5%, 95%CI: -2.7,-0.3] and physical abuse [ b = -1.3%, 95%CI: -2.5,-0.2] was associated with cAIx overall but not CPP or CfPWV after adjusting for sociodemographic, clinical factors, health behaviors, and depressive symptoms. Significant emotional abuseXsex ( P= 0.014) and physical abuseXsex ( P=< 0.001) interactions were identified for cAIx. Among women, physical abuse was associated with higher cAIx [ b =1.5%, 95%CI: 0.6, 2.4] and among men emotional [ b =-1.6%, 95%CI: -3.2, -0.0] and physical [ b =-1.7%, 95%CI: -3.1, -0.3] abuse was associated with lower cAIx. Conclusions: Exposure to emotional and physical abuse as children was associated with vascular dysfunction; moreover, exposure to physical abuse among women and not men have adverse clinical implications for CVD risk and prospects for enhanced preventive care.

Parents differ in their sensitivity to the environment: An investigation of the relationship between socioeconomic status, social support, and child maltreatment risks

BackgroundSocioeconomic status (SES) and social support are widely examined factors of child maltreatment. However, it remains unclear whether these factors influence all parents equally. ObjectiveGuided by the environmental sensitivity framework, we examined whether environmental sensitivity, a personality trait describing individuals' susceptibility to external environments, moderates the direct associations of SES and social support with maltreatment risks and their indirect associations via financial stress and psychological distress. MethodsA total of 612 parents of primary school-aged children completed an online survey measuring their SES, social support, financial stress, psychological distress, environmental sensitivity, and psychological and physical maltreatment. Bayesian structural equation modeling was employed for analysis. ResultsWe found that parents' environmental sensitivity moderated the direct association between income sufficiency and psychological maltreatment, as well as the indirect relation between income sufficiency and physical maltreatment via financial stress. Specifically, the negative direct association between income sufficiency and psychological maltreatment was only significant among parents with higher environmental sensitivity. The indirect association between income sufficiency and physical maltreatment was more pronounced among parents with higher environmental sensitivity. Neither the direct nor the indirect associations between social support and psychological or physical maltreatment were moderated by environmental sensitivity. ConclusionsThese results suggest that parents with high environmental sensitivity from low SES backgrounds are at the highest risk of maltreating their children. These findings highlight the importance of prioritizing such parents in interventions aimed at preventing child maltreatment.

Relative-to-resident abuse in Norwegian nursing homes: a cross-sectional exploratory study.

In community settings, relatives often provide care to their older family members, which is sometimes perceived as a high burden, overwhelming and stressful, contributing to an increased risk of elder abuse. In most countries, relatives have no legal obligation to provide care when family members are admitted to nursing homes; nevertheless, studies have shown that relatives continue to provide emotional, instrumental, and personal care after admission, often related to the understaffing and high workload of nursing staff. Despite the growing interest in elder abuse in nursing homes, most studies have concentrated on the abuse perpetrated by nursing staff or co-residents, but few studies have explored the abuse that relatives may perpetrate. This study was a cross-sectional survey of 3,693 nursing staff members recruited from 100 nursing homes in Norway, to examine the extent of relative-to-resident abuse in Norwegian nursing homes, as observed by nursing staff. The findings indicate that 45.6% of the nursing staff had observed one or more episodes of relative-to-resident abuse during the past year. Among the subtypes of abuse, 44.8% of the nursing staff had observed psychological abuse, 8.4% had observed physical abuse, 2.7% had observed financial/material abuse, and 0.7% had observed sexual abuse at least once during the past year. This is the first large study exploring the extent of relative-to-resident abuse in nursing homes, which is a phenomenon that is significantly less addressed than abuse committed by staff and co-residents. The findings in our study illustrate that abuse committed by relatives needs more awareness and attention to improve the well-being of nursing home residents. Further research is recommended to enhance our understanding of such abuse and should include other approaches measuring the proportion of relative-to-resident abuse, as relying solely on staff observations is insufficient for determining the prevalence in this case. Future studies should also examine the cumulative impact of victimization in nursing homes and should include an analysis of how cases of abuse are reported and handled.

PROTOCOL: Risk and protective factors for child sexual abuse and interventions against child sexual abuse: An umbrella review.

This is the protocol for a Campbell Collaboration systematic review. Our objective is to conduct an umbrella review to synthesize published and unpublished systematic reviews focused on risk and protective factors for child sexual abuse and effectiveness of interventions against child sexual abuse perpetration and victimization. Specific research questions are: (i) what are the risk and protective factors for child sexual abuse victimization, and what are their relative strength and/or magnitude for predicting child sexual abuse victimization? (ii) what are the risk and protective factors for child sexual abuse perpetration, and what are their relative strength and/or magnitude for predicting child sexual abuse perpetration? (iii) are interventions aimed at reducing and/or preventing child sexual abuse effective? (iv) what are the moderators that increase or decrease effectiveness of the interventions? Efforts to decrease child sexual abuse need to be based on research, but more accessible evidence regarding the breadth of risk and protective factors and effectiveness of interventions to reduce child sexual abuse needs to be provided to policymakers. This will be the first umbrella review that comprehensively synthesizes findings of the previous systematic reviews that focus on risk and protective factors for child sexual abuse and interventions to prevent or reduce child sexual abuse. The results will be able to inform enhanced prevention policy and programs, and regulatory measures for specific contexts of child sexual abuse.

Beyond child abuse: the array of family problems brought to the child welfare system

ABSTRACT The majority of children referred to child protective services (CPS) system are not suspected of physical or sexual abuse but face other risks, often captured under neglect. This population-based study analyzed data for 145,745 children referred to the Pennsylvania’s child welfare system in 2021. Parental substance use (28%), child behavioral concerns (24%), and unmet material needs (23%) were the most common allegations. Half of referrals included multiple concerns, but only 34% were valadated, indicating service intervention. Child behavioral health was the most frequent standalone concern (14%). Increasing access to mental health and substance use treatment may reduce CPS referrals.

Effective advice on contraceptive choices

Contraception is freely available in the UK from the NHS through pharmacies or private providers, such as Brook clinics. Despite wider societal acceptance of contraception, practical, psychological and social barriers remain to access for a range of groups. A first consultation to assess contraceptive needs will require a longer appointment as there are many issues to discuss alongside those pertaining directly to contraceptive use, such as emergency contraception, safeguarding and sexually transmitted infection risk. Health professionals must consider consent and confidentiality in any consultation and be aware of groups who are at higher risk of abuse, such as vulnerable adults and those from the LGBTQ+ community. This article discusses contraception use, and forms of available contraception in the UK, including common risks and benefits, barriers to accessing contraception and emergency contraception.

Analisis Peraturan Bupati Sampang Nomor 27 Tahun 2021 tentang Pemberhentian Penjabat Kepala Desa

The author analyzes Sampang Regent Regulation Number 27 of 2021 concerning Guidelines for Candidacy, Election, Appointment, Inauguration, and Dismissal of Village Heads, focusing on ambiguity regarding the dismissal of Acting Village Heads. Currently, around 50 villages in Sampang Regency are led by Pj. Kades who are being evaluated, but the regulation does not contain clear provisions regarding their dismissal. This creates legal uncertainty and potential turmoil in society. The author uses a normative method with case studies based on primary and secondary legal materials, such as the relevant Regent Regulation. The results of the analysis show that the lack of clarity in the rules for the dismissal of the Acting Village Head poses a risk of abuse of power and politicization, especially because the evaluation results are not transparent. Therefore, it is necessary to revise the Regent Regulation to provide a clear legal basis for the dismissal of the Acting Village Head, in order to create legal certainty in the village government in Sampang Regency.

MODULATION OF MORPHINE ANTINOCICEPTIVE AND REWARDING EFFECT BY MIRTAZAPINE IN AN ANIMAL MODEL OF OSTEOARTHRITIC PAIN

People with chronic pain mitigate their suffering by the action of opioids. Adverse reactions aside, opioids are not exempt from potential complications like addiction and abuse, which have posed a global public health problem lately. Finding new therapeutic strategies to improve analgesia and to reduce opioid side effects has become a priority. In this regard, the association of different adjuvant therapies has been postulated. Despite preclinical and clinical evidence supporting the use of antidepressants as analgesics, it is not clear whether they could help reduce the risk of addiction in combination with opioids. To further explore this idea a model of chronic osteoarthritis pain was employed, and a combination of mirtazapine and morphine was used in a chronic regimen in male and female rats. The effects on the development of tactile allodynia, movement-evoked pain, reward, analgesic tolerance, naloxone-induced withdrawal symptoms, impaired locomotor activity and anxiety were evaluated under a 25-day experimental protocol. Additionally, protein expression of μ-opioid receptors and clusterin (related with substance abuse) was evaluated in plasma and in brain structures of the reward system. Chronic morphine caused analgesic tolerance, reward and naloxone-induced withdrawal symptoms. The combination reduced the analgesic tolerance and prevented the development of withdrawal symptoms but showed sex-based differences regarding reward. Increased levels of clusterin in plasma were observed in females treated with morphine, but not with combined therapy. The combination of mirtazapine and morphine could be a promising strategy to improve the management of long-term opioid treatment and its risk of abuse, especially in females.

Policy and legislative approaches to address the social determinants of violence against children: an umbrella review.

BackgroundGlobally, a billion children are estimated to experience violence each year. Aiding efforts in prevention, WHO and partners developed the INSPIRE technical package, presenting seven evidence-based strategies to prevent and respond to violence against children. Many strategies focus on interventions that modify individual and interpersonal risk factors and less is known about policy and legislative approaches that influence the social determinants of violence against children. We conducted an umbrella review of reviews that examined the influence of policy and legislative approaches on violence against children or its social determinants (e.g. poverty, food security, housing stability, educational outcomes, parental mental health). MethodsWe systematically searched academic and grey literature sources to identify review articles that used a systematic approach (e.g. systematic review, scoping review), adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. From 18 165 identified articles, 110 reviews were included. FindingsFindings indicate that numerous policy and legislative approaches have the potential to prevent violence against children and/or improve the wider social determinants of violence against children. The greatest level of evidence was found for social protection policies, which can reduce risks of child maltreatment and beneficially influence multiple social determinants. Approaches with evidence of effectiveness were categorised into seven broad strategies and narratively synthesised: promoting economic security and equality; improving access to quality education; providing safe environments; strengthening social and community context; reducing exposure to health-harming influences; improving access to quality health care; and governance. InterpretationThere is substantial evidence for social determinant approaches in preventing violence against children, but gaps exist for certain policies and direct evidence for impacts on violence against children is lacking. Findings will form the basis of a WHO social determinants framework for the prevention of violence against children, aiming to support governments, policymakers and those working in prevention. FundingThis review was conducted as part of a wider project, funded by the World Health Organization. Manuscript drafting was funded by Public Health Wales NHS Trust.

Science in the clutches of elite sports: hard science, relational skills and power in Norwegian sports coaching

In this article, we examine the professionalization coaching in Norway, focusing on the years between 1990 and 2020. During this period, Norway started to perform comparatively well in international elite sport. Data are drawn from two relatively separate fields of Norwegian elite sport, namely elite football for men and the Norwegian organization for elite sports’ (Olympiatoppen) programme for future elite sport coaches. In our analysis, we rely on two sets of concepts: Giddens’ notion of reflexivity in late modern society, and Foucault’s concept of pastoral power. When concepts and methods from both the natural and the social sciences enter the clutches of elite sport, academic perspectives transform into recipes that aim to help athletes achieve more. The more the coach knows about the athlete, the better she can plan for training sessions. On the other hand, it creates a risk of manipulation and abuse of power.

Exploring the professionalisation of sports coaching from the athlete’s point of view: a study of professional players from Sweden

The professionalisation of sports coaching is approached in different ways depending on the country. In Sweden, social welfare ideals and traditions of volunteering have allowed coaching to be less professionalised. The aim of this article is to explore the impact of the professionalisation of sports coaching from the athlete’s perspective. Interviews with six top-level Swedish players in women’s and men’s team sports were analysed using Bourdieu’s theory of social fields. We found that the players’ experiences with coaching reflect the doxa, power relations and capitals of their specific fields. Professionalisation was found to have multi-facetted effects on players and their careers. The environments of semi-professionalised Swedish clubs appear to benefit youth and holistic player development, however limited resources encourage players to migrate. Top professionalised clubs boost player performance and career development but run the risk of commodification and abuse. In conclusion, sport organisations are advised to keep local practices and athletes’ perspectives in mind when navigating the global push towards the professionalisation of sport.

Do Children With Accidental Gunshot-related Fractures Experience Greater Risk of Mental Illness and Psychiatric Disorders? A Propensity-matched Study.

Firearm violence is the leading cause of death and is a major source of morbidity for children in the United States. While gunshot wounds (GSWs) are known to cause lasting psychological repercussions beyond physical injury, these effects are not well documented compared with the physical implications. Our study explores the association between accidental gunshot-related fractures in children and subsequent psychiatric outcomes. Relative to non-GSW-related fractures, do children sustaining an accidental GSW-related fracture experience higher risk of mental illness and psychiatric disorders? This study utilized the TriNetX US Collaborative Network as it provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient data, longitudinal follow-up, and complete medical records across different facilities, closely reflecting real-world patient outcomes in orthopaedic practice. We retrospectively evaluated children diagnosed with an accidental GSW-related fracture and compared mental health diagnoses to children who experienced non-GSW-related fractures. Between January 1, 2003, and March 1, 2023, a total of 5071 children in the United States without preexisting anxiety, mood, psychotic, substance use, or insomnia disorders were reported to have experienced an accidental GSW-related fracture. Among these patients, 55% (2773) had a follow-up period of at least 1 year and met the inclusion criteria for the exposure cohort. In the non-GSW-related fracture cohort, a total of 61% (985,070) of children among 1,613,891 without the preexisting aforementioned conditions had a minimum follow-up period of 1 year and met the inclusion criteria. A total of 2769 children were successfully matched in each cohort using a greedy nearest neighbor propensity score-matching algorithm. Matching was based on age, gender, race, fracture location, and BMI, as these characteristics were identified through a regression analysis as potentially associated with psychiatric outcomes (p < 0.01). The mean ± SD age was 15 ± 4 years, and 16% (451) in the GSW cohort were girls. In the non-GSW cohort 17% (474) were girls. With respect to race and ethnicity, 62% (1709 in the GSW cohort; 1679 in the non-GSW cohort) were Black and 14% (384 in the GSW cohort; 386 in the non-GSW cohort) were Hispanic. Outcomes of interest were recorded for up to 3 years after the index event. The accidental GSW-related fracture cohort experienced a greater hazard of developing anxiety disorders (HR 3.8 [95% confidence interval (CI) 3.2 to 4.6]; p < 0.001), substance use disorders (HR 3.6 [95% CI 3.0 to 4.2]; p < 0.001), mood disorders (HR 2.4 [95% CI 1.9 to 3.1]; p < 0.001), non-mood psychotic disorders (HR 2.4 [95% CI 1.5 to 3.9]; p < 0.001), and insomnia (HR 1.8 [95% CI 1.4 to 2.3]; p < 0.001). Orthopaedic surgeons should implement early psychiatric screenings and integrate mental health support for children with gunshot-related fractures to address elevated risk of anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, mood disorders, substance abuse, and insomnia. Future studies should focus on identifying effective interventions that mitigate these long-term psychological outcomes, with an emphasis on practical, targeted approaches in clinical care. Level III, prognostic study.

Child Rights, Abuse and Mitigating Options in Nollywood Films: A Study of &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Wives on Strike&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; and &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Itoro&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;

Child rights are those fundamental privileges that contribute to the overall development of children in society. The increasing rate of child abuse impinges on the rights of children resulting in numerous negative effects that are harmful to their growth and well-being. Although some Nollywood films portray the problem of child abuse in society, not much has been done to examine the rights of children and how these rights are violated as a result of cultural and social factors that condition the well-being of children. The study examined the representation of child rights, abuse and mitigating options in Omoni Oboli’s &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Wives on Strike&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; (2016) and Precious Adeyemi’s &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Itoro&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; (2017). These Nollywood films were selected through a purposive sampling technique because the have thematic importance relevant to the problem of the study. James Garbarino’s Social Habitability theory was adopted as the theoretical framework for the study. Findings revealed that child labour and marriage are dominant abuses of children and teenagers in Nigeria with adverse consequences on their development. It also revealed that the girl child is at the greatest risk of abuse due to cultural and social factors. The study recommended further exposition of this crime, especially other forms of child abuse by Nollywood film practitioners to mitigate its scourge because the future of every nation depends on children.

Combat readiness, alcohol abuse, and posttraumatic stress disorder among Uganda peoples’ defence forces soldiers

BackgroundThis cross-sectional study assessed combat readiness, alcohol abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among Uganda Peoples’ Defense Forces (UPDF) soldiers returning from Operation Lightning Thunder (OLT) in South Sudan and Central African Republic.MethodsOne hundred fifty participants recruited from UPDF soldiers who had recently withdrawn from OLT, and were based in Singo Peace Support Operation School were screened for combat readiness, alcohol abuse and PTSD. The Perceived Combat Readiness Questionnaire, Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test, and PTSD checklist military version were used to measure the variables. Inferential analyses were performed to determine the association between combat readiness, alcohol abuse, and PTSD, while controlling for sociodemographic factors.ResultsWe found that 16% of UPDF soldiers met positive screening results for PTSD, and 21% met the positive screening results for moderate substance use disorder. UPDF soldiers who benefited from combat readiness were less likely to develop PTSD or alcohol abuse. Our results showed a mediating effect of alcohol abuse on combat readiness and PTSD among soldiers with UPDF.ConclusionOur results highlight the high rates of PTSD and alcohol abuse among UPDF soldiers returning from military deployment. These findings provide insight into the role of combat readiness in reducing the risk of alcohol abuse and vulnerability to PTSD in the aftermath of military deployment.

Cannabidiol exerts antipyretic effects by downmodulating inflammatory mediators in LPS-induced fever

Contrasting to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD) has virtually no psychoactive effects and thus presents a minor risk for abuse. Furthermore, emerging preclinical and clinical evidence indicates that CBD exerts several beneficial pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Even though fever is one of the responses associated with systemic inflammation, no previous study assessed the putative impact of CBD on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced fever. The present study aimed to evaluate whether CBD exerts effects on febrile responses, by modulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and the inflammatory reflex, in this response. CBD caused no change in euthermic mice, indicating that it does not alter euthermia. Conversely, CBD blunted all the assessed systemic inflammation parameters including fever (a hallmark of infection), plasma pro-inflammatory cytokines and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) surges, and hypothalamic PGE2 (the proximal mediator of fever) synthesis. Moreover, CBD also reduced LPS-induced increase in plasma corticosterone levels and spleen TNF-α. These data are consistent with the notion that CBD has antipyretic effects, reducing peripheral febrigenic signaling (plasma pro-inflammatory cytokines levels), and eventually down-modulating hypothalamic PGE2 production, possibly in a corticosterone- and inflammatory reflex-dependent manner.