Familicide in Canada, 2010 to 2019.

Familicide is rare; however, the high victim counts in each incident and context surrounding these killings underscore the need for further research. The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the circumstances surrounding familicide in Canada. Using univariate statistics, this study analyzed 26 incidents of familicide that occurred in Canada between 2010 and 2019. The results show that familicide is a gendered crime involving primarily male accused who often target female victims, have a history of domestic violence, and commit the killings using firearms. This research highlights the importance of developing risk assessment, risk management, and safety planning strategies to address warning signs and prevent future familicides.

Defluorination of PFAS by Acidimicrobium sp. strain A6 and potential applications for remediation.

Acidimicrobium sp. strain A6 is a recently discovered autotrophic bacterium that is capable of oxidizing ammonium while reducing ferric iron and is relatively common in acidic iron-rich soils. The genome of Acidimicrobium sp. strain A6 contains sequences for several reductive dehalogenases, including a gene for a previously unreported reductive dehalogenase, rdhA. Incubations of Acidimicrobium sp. strain A6 in the presence of perfluorinated substances, such as PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid, C8HF15O2) or PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, C8HF17O3S), have shown that fluoride, as well as shorter carbon chain PFAAs (perfluoroalkyl acids), are being produced, and the rdhA gene is expressed during these incubations. Results from initial gene knockout experiments indicate that the enzyme associated with the rdhA gene plays a key role in the PFAS defluorination by Acidimicrobium sp. strain A6. Experiments focusing on the defluorination kinetics by Acidimicrobium sp. strain A6 show that the defluorination kinetics are proportional to the amount of ammonium oxidized. To explore potential applications for PFAS bioremediation, PFAS-contaminated biosolids were augmented with Fe(III) and Acidimicrobium sp. strain A6, resulting in PFAS degradation. Since the high demand of Fe(III) makes growing Acidimicrobium sp. strain A6 in conventional rectors challenging, and since Acidimicrobium sp. strain A6 was shown to be electrogenic, it was grown in the absence of Fe(III) in microbial electrolysis cells, where it did oxidize ammonium and degraded PFAS.

Enhanced Feammox activity and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) degradation by Acidimicrobium sp. Strain A6 using PAA-coated ferrihydrite as an electron acceptor.

Acidimicrobium sp. Strain A6 (A6) can degrade perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) by oxidizing NH4+ while reducing Fe(Ⅲ). However, supplying and distributing Fe(III) phases in sediments is challenging since surface charges of Fe(III)-phases are typically positive while those of sediments are negative. Therefore, ferrihydrite particles were coated with polyacrylic acid (PAA) with four different molecular weights, resulting in a negative zeta potential on their surface. Zeta potential was determined as a function of pH and PAA loading, with the lowest value observed when the PAA/ferrihydrite ratio was > 1/5 (w/w) at a pH of 5.5. Several 50-day incubations with an A6-enrichment culture were conducted to determine the effect of PAA-coated ferrihydrite as the electron acceptor of A6 on the Feammox activity and PFOA degradation. NH4+ oxidation, PFOA degradation, production of shorter-chain PFAS, and F- were observed in all PAA-coated samples. The 6 K and 450 K treatments exhibited significant reductions in PFOA concentration and substantial F- production compared to incubations with bare ferrihydrite. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed lowered charge transfer resistance in the presence of PAA-coated ferrihydrite, indicating that PAAs facilitated electron transfer to ferrihydrite. This study highlights the potential of PAA-coated ferrihydrite in accelerating PFAS defluorination, providing novel insights for A6-based bioremediation strategies.

Modeling the kinetics of perfluorooctanoic and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid biodegradation by Acidimicrobium sp. Strain A6 during the feammox process.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are emerging contaminants of concern due to their health effects and persistence in the environment. Although perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) are very difficult to biodegrade because they are completely saturated with fluorine, it has recently been shown that Acidimicrobium sp. A6 (A6), which oxidizes ammonium under iron reducing conditions (Feammox process), can defluorinate PFAAs. A kinetic model was developed and tested in this study using results from previously published laboratory experiments, augmented with results from additional incubations, to couple the Feammox process to PFAS defluorination. The experimental results show higher Feammox activity and PFAS degradation in the A6 enrichment cultures than in the highly enriched A6 cultures. The coupled experimental and modeling results show that the PFAS defluorination rate is proportional to the rate of ammonium oxidation. The ammonium oxidation rate and the defluorination rate increase monotonically, but not linearly, with increasing A6 biomass. Given that different experiments had different level of Feammox activity, the parameters required to simulate the Feammox varied between A6 cultures. Nonetheless, the kinetic model was able to simulate an anaerobic incubation system and show that PFAS defluorination is proportional to the Feammox activity.

Coping Strategies in Women and Children Living with Domestic Violence: Staying Alive.

Purpose: Children exposed to domestic violence are at risk of adverse short- and long-term psychosocial effects and of being abused themselves. However, mothers and children face systemic gaps when seeking safety from domestic violence services and police. Safety planning typically focuses on women, overlooking their multiple social identities and excluding their children. We explored safety strategies used by mothers and children coping together with severe domestic violence. Method: Interviews with 30 mothers who experienced severe or potentially life-threatening domestic violence and 5 adults who experienced domestic violence in childhood were qualitatively analyzed using thematic analysis, revealing five major themes: ongoing communication, appeasing the abuser, soothing activities, exposure reduction, and fostering independence. Results: Interpreting participants' experiences in terms of the mother-child dyad, we found that mothers and their children worked together to reassure each other, keep each other safe, and make plans to leave their abuser. Conclusions: Safety planning for the mother-child dyad could build on children's existing coping strategies and recognize and support children's desire to protect their mother and themselves effectively and safely according to their developmental stage.

Domestic Violence Risk Assessment Research to Real-World Practice: The Devil Is in the Implementation.

Assessing risk in domestic violence situations is foundational to ensuring safety. Although there is growing information about the reliability and validity of a variety of risk assessment tools across different practice contexts, there is a paucity of research on the feasibility and application of these tools in real world settings. The present qualitative study examined current practices in domestic violence risk assessment in Canada through a survey of professionals working across diverse sectors. Utilizing a thematic analysis of 255 open-text responses, this study presents several themes related to challenges identified at the systemic, organizational, and individual levels. Themes related to promising practices and the practical implication of risk assessment strategies are also explored.

Biodegradation of PFOA in microbial electrolysis cells by Acidimicrobiaceae sp. strain A6.

Acidimicrobiaceae sp. strain A6 (A6), is an anaerobic autotrophic bacterium capable of oxidizing ammonium (NH4+) while reducing ferric iron and is also able to defluorinate PFAS under these growth conditions. A6 is exoelectrogenic and can grow in microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) by using the anode as the electron acceptor in lieu of ferric iron. Therefore, cultures of A6 amended with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were incubated in MECs to investigate its ability to defluorinate PFAS in such reactors. Results show a significant decrease in PFOA concentration after 18 days of operation, while producing current and removing NH4+. The buildup of fluoride and shorter chain perfluorinated products was detected only in MECs with applied potential, active A6, and amended with PFOA, confirming the biodegradation of PFOA in these systems. This work sets the stage for further studies on the application of A6-based per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) bioremediation in microbial electrochemical systems for water treatment.

The Police Role in Domestic Homicide Prevention: Lessons From a Domestic Violence Death Review Committee.

This study examined the role of police in domestic homicide cases reviewed by a multidisciplinary death review committee in Ontario, Canada. Examining the 219 domestic homicide case summaries, this study explored the difference between homicides with, and without, prior police contact. Results indicated that police contacted cases had 63% more risk factors present compared with cases without prior police contact, with 80% of police-involved cases having 10 or more risk factors. Police cases had unique risk factors present including a failure to comply with authority, access to victims after risk assessments, prior threats to kill victims (including with a weapon), history of domestic violence (DV), extreme minimization of DV, addiction concerns, and an escalation of violence. Cases involving child homicide have unique child-specific risk factors such as custody disputes, threats to children, and abuse during pregnancy. Overall, there was a lack of formal risk assessments conducted. Implications are discussed in terms of police intervention being a critical opportunity for risk assessment, safety planning, and risk management. Although there is no certainty in predicting that lives would have been saved, the level of risk presented calls for enhanced efforts at assessment and intervention for adult victims and their children.

Complexities of the Police Response to Intimate Partner Violence: Police Officers' Perspectives on the Challenges of Keeping Families Safe.

Through interviews with police officers (n = 15), the present study examined police perspectives toward their response to intimate partner violence (IPV). Qualitative analyses indicated several challenges police officers face in responding to IPV, including barriers at the systemic, organizational, and individual levels. Police officers in the current study also identified recommendations toward overcoming barriers. Overall, results continue to underscore a lack of police consistency toward addressing IPV, including inconsistent approaches to assessing and managing risk posed to families. Conversely, qualitative results point to several recommendations that heavily involve collaboration between community and justice partners. Implications for future research and practice include further examination of the identified recommendations, a continued focus on developing training that addresses the risk posed to high-risk families, and further development of collaborative approaches toward the prevention and intervention of IPV.

Anaerobic degradation of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in biosolids by Acidimicrobium sp. strain A6.

Anaerobic incubations were performed with biosolids obtained from an industrial wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) that contained perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances- (PFAS) free, laboratory-generated, biosolids that were spiked with PFOA. Biosolid slurries were incubated for 150 days as is, after augmenting with either Acidimicrobium sp. Strain A6 or ferrihydrite, or with both, Acidimicrobium sp. Strain A6 and ferrihydrite. Autoclaved controls were run in parallel. Only the biosolids augmented with both, Acidimicrobium sp. Strain A6 and ferrihydrite showed a decrease in the PFOA concentration, in excess of 50% (total, dissolved, and solid associated). Higher concentrations of PFOA in the biosolids spiked with PFOA and no previous PFAS exposure allowed to track the production of fluoride to verify PFOA defluorination. The buildup of fluoride over the incubation time was observed in these biosolid incubations spiked with PFOA. A significant increase in the concentration of perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) over the incubations of the filter cake samples from the industrial WWTP was observed, indicating the presence of a non-identified precursor in these biosolids. Results show that anaerobic incubation of PFAS contaminated biosolids, after augmentation with Fe(III) and Acidimicrobium sp. Strain A6 can result in PFAS defluorination.

Tropical cyclone effects on water and sediment chemistry and the microbial community in estuarine ecosystems.

Frequent and intense storm disturbances can have widespread and strong effects on the nitrogen and iron cycles and their associated microbial communities in estuary systems. A three-year investigation was conducted in the Pearl River and Zhanjiang estuaries in Guangdong Province, China through repeated sampling at three timepoints, defined as pre-storm (<1 month before storm), post-storm (<1 month after storm), and non-storm (6-8 months after storm). Increased nutrient concentrations (total organic carbon, nitrate, nitrite, ammonium, and sulfate) in both the sediment and water column were observed immediately after storm. The microbial community experienced extensive and immediate changes determined by an observed composition shift in the nitrogen and iron-cycling microbiomes. Analysis of sediment samples displayed a shift from nitrogen-to sulfur-cycling microorganisms and an increase in microbial interactions that were not observed in the water column. The chemical profile and microbial community components both returned to baseline conditions 6-8 months following storm disturbance. Finally, significant correlations were found between chemical and microbial data, suggesting that niche-sharing microbes may respond similarly to stimuli that impact their ecosystem. Increases in nutrient availability can favor the abundance of specific taxa, as demonstrated by an increase in Acidimicrobium that affect both nitrogen and iron cycling.

Challenges in Risk Assessment with Rural Domestic Violence Victims: Implications for Practice.

Through interviews the present study examined the perspectives of service providers (n = 14) in the violence against women (VAW) sector regarding risk factors and challenges in assessing risk for women experiencing domestic violence (DV) in rural locations. The present study also examined what promising practices VAW service providers are utilizing when working with women experiencing DV in rural locations. Interviews were coded and analyzed in a qualitative analysis computer program. Analysis indicated several risk factors including the location (i.e., geographic isolation, lack of transportation, and lack of community resources) and cultural factors (i.e., accepted and more available use of firearms, poverty, and no privacy/anonymity). Moreover, analyses indicated several challenges for VAW service providers assessing risk including barriers at the systemic (i.e., lack of agreement between services), organizational (i.e., lack of collaboration and risk assessment being underutilized/valued), and individual client (i.e., complexity of issues) level. However, participants outlined promising practices being implemented for rural locations such as interagency collaboration, public education, professional education, and outreach programs. The findings support other research in the field that highlight the increased vulnerability of women experiencing DV in rural locations and the added barriers and complexities in assessing risk for rural populations. Implications for future research and practice include further examination of the identified promising practices, a continued focus on collaborative approaches and innovative ways to prevent and manage risk in a rural context.

Comorbid Depression and Substance Abuse in Domestic Homicide: Missed Opportunities in the Assessment and Management of Mental Illness in Perpetrators.

Almost 40% of murdered women are victims of domestic homicide across the world. However, research has yet to examine comorbid depression and substance abuse in domestic homicide perpetrators, despite comorbid mental health conditions being associated with homicide in the general population. A retrospective case analysis approach was performed using domestic homicide cases that had been reviewed by the Domestic Violence Death Review Committee in Ontario, Canada. Group comparisons were made by compiling cases into groups based on perpetrators with depression and/or substance abuse: a no history of depression and/or substance use group, depression only group, substance abuse only group, and comorbid depression and substance abuse group. Statistical analyses compared groups on number and types of risk factors and service provider contacts. A major finding of the current study was the resounding lack of mental health care and batterer intervention program engagement across groups. Results also indicated that perpetrators with comorbid depression and substance abuse have an elevated number of risk factors for domestic homicide and elevated number of service provider contacts. Furthermore, results indicated that perpetrators with comorbid depression and substance abuse had an increased likelihood of having engaged in hostage-taking behavior and increased likelihood of having contact with mental health and health care providers. The study demonstrates the necessity for future research into the barriers associated with help-seeking by perpetrators, family and friends, as well as the barriers to agency referral and to mental health agencies providing service to perpetrators. It also highlights the need for service providers to take multiple mental health conditions into account when working with perpetrators of domestic homicide. Overall, this study underscores the importance of mental health and domestic violence training for service providers in different sectors. Moreover, it emphasizes the necessity of collaboration among service providers to address both violence-specific and mental health-specific concerns in perpetrators of domestic violence.

Examining Depression Among Perpetrators of Intimate Partner Homicide.

Male depression has been recognized as an important factor in some cases of intimate partner violence but there is a paucity of literature connecting depression and intimate partner homicide (IPH). This retrospective study provides a preliminary analysis that distinguished depressed from nondepressed perpetrators of IPH from a sample of 135 cases analyzed by a coroner's homicide death review committee in Ontario, Canada. Depressed perpetrators were more likely to commit homicide-suicide and had almost 1.5 times the number of risk factors present than nondepressed perpetrators. Consistent with the existing literature, the results indicated that depressed perpetrators were significantly older, more likely to commit homicide-suicide than homicide only, more likely to have prior threats or attempts of suicide, more likely to have been abused or witnessed domestic violence as a child than nondepressed perpetrators and more likely to exhibit sexual jealousy. The implications for these findings are outlined in terms of training of mental health professionals and public awareness about the potential lethality of domestic violence.

A critical review of modeling Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in the soil-water environment.

Due to their health effects and the recalcitrant nature of their CF bonds, Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) are widely investigated for their distribution, remediation, and toxicology in ecosystems. However, very few studies have focused on modeling PFAS in the soil-water environment. In this review, we summarized the recent development in PFAS modeling for various chemical, physical, and biological processes, including sorption, volatilization, degradation, bioaccumulation, and transport. PFAS sorption is kinetic in nature with sorption equilibrium commonly quantified by either a linear, the Freundlich, or the Langmuir isotherms. Volatilization of PFAS depends on carbon chain length and ionization status and has been simulated by a two-layer diffusion process across the air water interface. First-order kinetics is commonly used for physical, chemical, and biological degradation processes. Uptake by plants and other biota can be passive and/or active. As surfactants, PFAS have a tendency to be sorbed or concentrated on air-water or non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL)-water interfaces, where the same three isotherms for soil sorption are adopted. PFAS transport in the soil-water environment is simulated by solving the convection-dispersion equation (CDE) that is coupled to PFAS sorption, phase transfer, as well as physical, chemical, and biological transformations. As the physicochemical properties and concentration vary greatly among the potentially thousands of PFAS species in the environment, systematic efforts are needed to identify models and model parameters to simulate their fate, transport, and response to remediation techniques. Since many process formulations are empirical in nature, mechanistic approaches are needed to further the understanding of PFAS-soil-water-plant interactions so that the model parameters are less site dependent and more predictive in simulating PFAS remediation efficiency.

Barriers to police addressing risk to children exposed to domestic violence.

Children are harmed by exposure to domestic violence (DV) and in extreme cases can become homicide victims themselves. A critical role for police responding to domestic violence calls is to assess risk for future violence. Training and procedural guidelines for assessment and intervention are often focused on adult victims, and children tend to be overlooked. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the current study is to identify the challenges police officers perceive in dealing with children in the context of DV occurrences. PARTICIPANTS, SETTING & METHODS: Interviews with police officers (n = 15) in Ontario, Canada were used to explore police officers' experiences addressing the needs of families experiencing DV. A dual deductive/inductive approach to a thematic analysis at the semantic level was undertaken (Braun & Clarke, 2006) to explore themes. RESULTS: The major themes from the interviews centered on: (a) challenges relating to knowledge, skills, and resources; (b) challenges from discrepancies in required procedures; and (c) challenges associated to police relations with families. These challenges all impact the police response to children in DV occurrences. CONCLUSIONS: Police recognize the challenges they face in addressing children in DV occurrences. The implications for improved practice are discussed and include the need for increased collaboration, awareness, and training.

Performance of sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification and denitrifiers for wastewater treatment under acidic conditions.

Autotrophic denitrification under acidic conditions using sulfide (S2-), elemental sulfur (S0), and thiosulfate (S2O32-) as electron donors are evaluated. Results from batch and column experiments show that when different S species were supplied, different pH conditions and denitrifier communities were required for denitrification to occur. Nitrate and nitrite were removed via autotrophic denitrification at pH ranging from 4 to 8, when S2- or S2O32- was the electron donor, while with S0 denitrification was only observed at pH > 6. When S2- was used as electron donor, it was converted to S0, and S0 was not used while S2- was available. When addition of S2- was discontinued, or S2- depleted, S0 that had accumulated was used as electron donor for denitrification. These findings demonstrate that sulfur-based autotrophic denitrification can proceed under acidic conditions, but that the addition of appropriate S species and the presence of an effective denitrifier community are required.

Remembering the forgotten victims: Child-Related themes in domestic violence fatality reviews.

BACKGROUND: The needs of children exposed to domestic violence have been historically overlooked. One way in which service provision for children exposed to this violence can be explored is through an examination of Domestic Violence Fatality Review Teams (DVFRT's), who review cases of fatal domestic violence to identify possible areas for improvement. OBJECTIVE: This study explored key themes relative to children exposed to domestic violence and homicide published by DVFRT's in order to identify the services that exist for children exposed to domestic violence, barriers to providing these services, and recommendations for improvement. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: This study reviewed annual reports from three DVFRT jurisdictions with regular annual reports from 2004 to 2016. METHODS: A generic thematic analysis was performed by the primary author, in consultation with the second author, in order to identify dominant themes present in the DVFRT annual reports. The analysis utilized a codebook that was created beforehand in order to capture pertinent information within the reports. Trustworthiness of the data was established through a consistent application and thorough reporting of the coding procedures. RESULTS: The analysis highlighted key barriers to child-specific service provision among agencies involved (e.g., lack of professional training and public awareness), recommendations for enhanced intervention (e.g., enhanced child-specific services) and promising practices (e.g., policy and legislation development). CONCLUSIONS: The three DVFRTs identified several gaps in service provision for children affected by fatal domestic violence that will require increased engagement and resources targeting these vulnerable children.

Defluorination of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) by Acidimicrobium sp. Strain A6.

Incubations with pure and enrichment cultures of Acidimicrobium sp. strain A6 (A6), an autotroph that oxidizes ammonium to nitrite while reducing ferric iron, were conducted in the presence of PFOA or PFOS at 0.1 mg/L and 100 mg/L. Buildup of fluoride, shorter-chain perfluorinated products, and acetate was observed, as well as a decrease in Fe(III) reduced per ammonium oxidized. Incubations with hydrogen as a sole electron donor also resulted in the defluorination of these PFAS. Removal of up to 60% of PFOA and PFOS was observed during 100 day incubations, while total fluorine (organic plus fluoride) remained constant throughout the incubations. To determine if PFOA/PFOS or some of their degradation products were metabolized, and since no organic carbon source except these PFAS was added, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was tracked. At concentrations of 100 mg/L, PFOA/PFOS were the main contributors to DOC, which remained constant during the pure A6 culture incubations. Whereas in the A6 enrichment culture, DOC decreased slightly with time, indicating that as defluorination of PFOS/PFOA occurred, some of the products were being metabolized by heterotrophs present in this culture. Results show that A6 can defluorinate PFOA/PFOS while reducing iron, using ammonium or hydrogen as the electron donor.