Twenty five years of world heritage status: Show us the benefits!

In the Solomon Islands and around the Pacific there is commonly a disconnect between government priorities for economic development through resource extraction and community aspirations for local resource management, conservation, and alternative pathways to livelihoods development, which includes tourism. Nowhere is this disconnect more stark than in communities on Rennell Island, within the region's oldest inscribed World Heritage area. These communities have so far resisted extractive industry development but have not yet benefited from inscription. Alternative livelihood opportunities compatible with a conservation economy are a priority. Our research objective was to explore community aspirations and priorities. We used Q-methodology to reveal discourses associated with conservation, livelihoods generation, and drivers of well-being and then evaluated these aspirations in scenarios in a socio-ecological system. We revealed three factors, each aligned with conservation and tourism development with clear opposition to extractive industries. Key differences focussed on immediate personal circumstances, attachment to kastom, and food and water security. Our research points to clear support for the area's continued conservation and for livelihood pathways that might secure this but low capacity to pursue this. Notwithstanding, the communities' patience is wearing thin and there is growing cynicism about the role of World Heritage protection as a route towards livelihoods development.

Evaluating the costs of primary forest conservation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, implications for policy and practice.

Accurate cost information is needed to assess the trade-offs in land management choices for policy and markets to effectively scale forest conservation impact. Choice of valuation method can affect value estimates of the costs associated with forest conservation for heterogenous rural households in poorly functioning markets. We present empirical evidence on the divergence in measures between a market price and contingent valuation estimate for costs of local forest access restrictions from household surveys deploying quantitative valuation methods, conducted in two forest communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Household demographic characteristics and attitudes of the household on forest use significantly influence required levels of compensation to participate in forest protection. Quantitative knowledge of such costs can help in the design of efficient and effective policies to protect primary forests aimed at reducing the drivers of deforestation.

Absence of CCR2 reduces spontaneous intestinal tumorigenesis in the ApcMin /+ mouse model.

The biological activities of chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2) are mediated via C-C chemokine receptor-2 (CCR2). Increased CCL2 level is associated with metastasis of many cancers. In our study, we investigated the role of the CCL2/CCR2 axis in the development of spontaneous intestinal tumorigenesis using the ApcMin/+ mouse model. Ablation of CCR2 in ApcMin/+ mice significantly increased the overall survival and reduced intestinal tumor burden. Immune cell analysis showed that CCR2-/- ApcMin/+ mice exhibited significant reduction in the myeloid cell population and increased interferon γ (IFN-γ) producing T cells both in spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes compared to ApcMin/+ mice. The CCR2-/- ApcMin/+ tumors showed significantly reduced levels of interleukin (IL)-17 and IL-23 and increased IFN-γ and Granzyme B compared to ApcMin/+ tumors. Transfer of CCR2+/+ ApcMin/+ CD4+ T cells into Rag2-/- mice led to development of colitis phenotype with increased CD4+ T cells hyper proliferation and IL-17 production. In contrast, adoptive transfer of CCR2-/- ApcMin/+ CD4+ T cells into Rag2-/- mice failed to enhance colonic inflammation or IL-17 production. These results a suggest novel additional role for CCR2, where it regulates migration of IL-17 producing cells mediating tumor-promoting inflammation in addition to its role in migration of tumor associated macrophages.

Treatment Options in Oligometastatic Disease in Prostate Cancer: Thinking Outside the Box.

OPINION STATEMENT: Due to its relatively indolent disease course, the sensitivity of PSA testing, and the emergence of novel PET imaging, metastatic prostate cancer is particularly likely to present with a limited volume of disease. Patients with up to five metastatic lesions should be considered for an oligometastatic treatment approach. Systemic therapy remains the cornerstone of treatment for these patients. The optimal type and duration are unknown; however, the addition of a second agent to ADT appears to be beneficial. Multiple recent studies have found significant benefits to the integration of systemic therapy and local metastasis-directed therapies (MDT), including radiation and surgery, to the prostate and metastatic sites. MDT may also be used in select patients wishing to delay the initiation of systemic therapy. For patients with isolated regional nodal recurrences, whole pelvic radiotherapy or extensive lymphadenectomy is preferred, in combination with ADT.

Substance Use Profiles Among Gang-Involved Youth: Social Ecology Implications for Service Approaches.

Substance use is a frequently cited health risk behavior in the youth gang literature, yet little is known about how substance use patterns vary among gang-involved youth or the social ecological factors that contribute to potential variation. Developing relevant and effective service approaches will require an understanding of this variation and the malleable factors that are likely to promote or inhibit particular patterns of use. Using latent class analysis, we identified four substance use classes within a school-based sample of gang-involved youth (n = 2,770): Non-Users (38%), Past Users (15%), Casual Users (27%), and Frequent Multi-Users (21%). These classes were distinguished by substance type, frequency of use, and source of access. Demographic and substance use-specific ecological factors across the family, peer, school, and neighborhood contexts were found to significantly differentiate these classes. Specifically, acceptance of use by parents, friends, and neighbors, along with a lack of family rules and high accessibility in the neighborhood, significantly differentiated use patterns. Findings highlight the need for service approaches that are responsive to the unique needs of individuals and their environments. Implications for practice are discussed, including the potential utility of applying a harm reduction service framework to address youth gang substance use.

Evaluating the efficacy of the Family Check-Up Online: A school-based, eHealth model for the prevention of problem behavior during the middle school years.

This study evaluated the efficacy of a family-centered preventive intervention, the Family Check-Up (FCU), delivered as an online, eHealth model to middle school families. To increase accessibility of family-centered prevention in schools, we adapted the evidence-based FCU to an online format, with the goal of providing a model of service delivery that is feasible, given limited staffing and resources in many schools. Building on prior research, we randomly assigned participants to waitlist control (n = 105), FCU Online as a web-based intervention (n = 109), and FCU Online with coaching support (n = 108). We tested the effects of the intervention on multiple outcomes, including parental self-efficacy, child self-regulation, and child behavior, in this registered clinical trial (NCT03060291). Families engaged in the intervention at a high rate (72% completed the FCU assessment) and completed 3-month posttest assessments with good retention (94% retained). Random assignment to the FCU Online with coaching support was associated with reduced emotional problems for children (p = .003, d = -0.32) and improved parental confidence and self-efficacy (p = .018, d = 0.25) when compared with waitlist controls. Risk moderated effects: at-risk youth showed stronger effects than did those with minimal risk. The results have implications for online delivery of family-centered interventions in schools.

Optimizing Assessment of Risk and Protection for Diverse Adolescent Outcomes: Do Risk and Protective Factors for Delinquency and Substance Use Also Predict Risky Sexual Behavior?

Assessments of youth risk and protective factors (RPFs) for substance use, delinquency, and violence have been used by communities to identify priorities and target them with prevention interventions. These same RPFs may also predict other youth problems. This study examined the strength and consistency of relationships of 41 ecological RPFs that predict antisocial behavior and substance use with sexual behavior outcomes in a sample of 2150 urban youth in 10th and 12th grade. After adjusting for controls, findings identify significant associations among the majority of community, school, family, peer, and individual risk factors, and family, peer, and individual protective factors, with sexual behavior outcomes, specifying unique associations among multiple factors with risky sex relative to both safe sex and not being sexually active. Prevention programming that targets common predictors for multiple problems may address a broad array of outcomes, including sexual health risk behaviors.

Cumulative Adversity Profiles Among Youth Experiencing Housing and Parental Care Instability.

This study applies cumulative adversity and stress proliferation theories to examine risk and protective resource profiles of youth with three different levels of housing and parental care instability. Data derive from a state representative sample (n=27,087) of school-based adolescent students. ANCOVA analyses identified significant differences in sociodemographic and psychosocial functioning variables for youth with 0, 1, or 2 forms of housing and parental care instability, with more deleterious functioning being observed among youth with greater levels of instability. Those experiencing either or both housing and parental care instability are more represented by males, sexual minorities, and youth of color; psychosocial risk and protective factors demonstrated consistent differences between instability groups. Dimensions of cumulative adversity operate with social marginalities (e.g., race, sexual minority status) relative to instability, with higher frequency of victimization, lower grades, diminished self-regulation capabilities and school engagement, weakened psychological health, and strained family and peer relationships. The paper discusses theorized mechanisms through which cumulative adversity conveys effects as well as implications for social work prevention and resilience-fostering strategies in schools and other youth-serving settings.

Evaluating betterment projects.

In the past decade Australia has experienced a series of large-scale, severe natural disasters including catastrophic bushfires, widespread and repeated flooding, and intense storms and cyclones. There appears to be a prima facie case for rebuilding damaged infrastructure to a more disaster resilient (that is, to 'betterment') standard. The purpose of this paper is to develop and illustrate a consistent and readily applied method for advancing proposals for the betterment of essential public assets, which can be used by governments at all levels to determine the net benefits of such proposals. Case study results demonstrate that betterment investments have the potential to deliver a positive economic return across a range of asset types and regions. Results, however, are highly sensitive to underlying assumptions; in particular the probability of the natural disaster affecting the infrastructure in the absence of betterment.

Measuring Changes in the Economics of Medical Practice.

For the latter third of the twentieth century, researchers have estimated production and cost functions for physician practices. Today, those attempting to measure the inputs and outputs of physician practice must account for many recent changes in models of care delivery. In this paper, we review practice inputs and outputs as typically described in research on the economics of medical practice, and consider the implications of the changing organization of medical practice and nature of physician work. This evolving environment has created conceptual challenges in what are the appropriate measures of output from physician work, as well as what inputs should be measured. Likewise, the increasing complexity of physician practice organizations has introduced challenges to finding the appropriate data sources for measuring these constructs. Both these conceptual and data challenges pose measurement issues that must be overcome to study the economics of modern medical practice. Despite these challenges, there are several promising initiatives involving data sharing at the organizational level that could provide a starting point for developing the needed new data sources and metrics for physician inputs and outputs. However, additional efforts will be required to establish data collection approaches and measurements applicable to smaller and single specialty practices. Overcoming these measurement and data challenges will be key to supporting policy-relevant research on the changing economics of medical practice.

Effects of Communities That Care on Males' and Females' Drug Use and Delinquency 9 Years After Baseline in a Community-Randomized Trial.

UNLABELLED: This study tested sustained effects of the Communities That Care (CTC) prevention system on health-risking behaviors 9 years after baseline in a community-randomized trial involving 24 towns in seven states. Earlier analyses found sustained effects on abstinence from drug use and delinquency through Grade 12 in a panel of fifth graders. At age 19, 91 % (n = 3986) of the living panel completed the survey. Data were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models. The prevalence of lifetime and current substance use and delinquency were the primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes included substance use disorders, major depression, suicidality, educational attainment, and sexual risk behaviors. CTC had a significant overall effect across lifetime measures of the primary outcomes for males, but not for females or the full sample, although lifetime abstinence from delinquency in the full sample was significantly higher in CTC communities (ARR = 1.16). Males in CTC communities also continued to show greater lifetime abstinence from cigarette smoking (ARR = 1.22). CTC did not have a sustained effect on current substance use and delinquency nor did it improve the secondary outcomes at age 19 for either gender. Communities using CTC may need to extend their prevention planning to include the high school years to sustain effects on drug use and delinquency beyond high school for both genders. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01088542.

Primary Total Laryngectomy versus Organ Preservation for Locally Advanced T3/T4a Laryngeal Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Organ preservation (OP) treatment for advanced laryngeal cancer has increased compared to primary total laryngectomy. Our study compares oncologic and functional outcomes between these approaches. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Single tertiary care institution. METHODS: Retrospective review of patients receiving primary total laryngectomy or OP for laryngeal cancer between 1/1/2000 and 12/31/2018. RESULTS: A total of 118 patients received primary total laryngectomy and 119 received OP. Overall survival was similar between total laryngectomy and OP. When stratified by T stage, disease-free survival was worse among T3 patients receiving OP versus total laryngectomy. In T3 patients, 28 OP patients experienced local recurrence (28.9%) compared to 3 total laryngectomy patients (7.1%; p < 0.01). In total, 20 OP patients with local recurrence received salvage surgery. These patients had similar overall survival to patients who underwent initial total laryngectomy (TL). About 14 OP patients with local recurrence did not receive salvage surgery. About 89 (75.4%) TL patients achieved normal diet as compared to 64 (53.8%) OP patients (p < 0.001). In TL patients, 106 (89.8%) received primary or secondary tracheoesophageal-prosthesis, 82 (77.4%) of whom achieved completely understandable speech. CONCLUSIONS: There was no difference in survival by treatment in T4 patients, possibly because of strict patient selection. However, disease-free survival was worse in T3 patients receiving OP, likely due to a high local recurrence rate. Approximately 40% of patients with local recurrence were not eligible for salvage laryngectomy. TL patients had comparable swallowing and speech outcomes with OP patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Laryngoscope, 133:1122-1131, 2023.

Ethnic Economic Inequality and Fatalities From Terrorism.

Few studies have explored the influence of horizontal (i.e., among group) inequalities on terrorism, yet it seems plausible that these inequalities may be relevant. Employing data from the Global Terrorism Database and Ethnologue, this article examines the effect of ethnic economic inequality on domestic terrorism for 130 countries over the period 2001 to 2018. We present evidence that higher degrees of ethnic inequality lead to higher numbers of terrorist attacks as well as a higher number of people killed or injured. This positive association between ethnic inequality and terrorism is robust to alternative measures of ethnic inequality, omission of influential countries and regions, the inclusion and exclusion of controls, and alternative estimation strategies. In contrast, countries with high degree of political freedom and high governance quality tend to suffer less from terrorism. Promoting economic equality among ethnic groups, therefore, has the potential to reduce the risk of domestic terrorism. We propose that a critical step towards promoting this equality is to enhance social inclusion. The benefits of increasing social inclusion extend beyond simply reducing the incidence of terrorism and inter-racial violence; creating a socially inclusive society is a social justice imperative and the responsibility of policymakers, social institutions, civil society, and the private sector. It is also consistent with the notion of inclusive economic growth, as championed by organizations such as the OECD and the United Nations Development Program.

Study protocol for a cluster-randomized trial of a bundle of implementation support strategies to improve the fidelity of implementation of schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports in rural schools.

Background: Improving the implementation of evidence-based interventions is important for population-level impacts. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is effective for improving school climate and students' behavioral outcomes, but rural schools often lag behind urban and suburban schools in implementing such initiatives. Methods/Design: This paper describes a Type 3 hybrid implementation-effectiveness trial of Rural School Support Strategies (RS3), a bundle of implementation support strategies selected to improve implementation outcomes in rural schools. In this two-arm parallel group trial, 40 rural public schools are randomized to receive: 1) a series of trainings about PBIS; or 2) an enhanced condition with training plus RS3. The trial was planned for two years, but due to the pandemic has been extended another year. RS3 draws from the Interactive Systems Framework, with a university-based team (support system) that works with a team at each school (school-based delivery system), increasing engagement through strategies such as: providing technical assistance, facilitating school team functioning, and educating implementers. The primary organizational-level outcome is fidelity of implementation, with additional implementation outcomes of feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness, and cost. Staff-level outcomes include perceived climate and self-reported adoption of PBIS core components. Student-level outcomes include disciplinary referrals, academic achievement, and perceived climate. Mediators being evaluated include organizational readiness, school team functioning, and psychological safety. Discussion: The study tests implementation strategies, with strengths including a theory-based design, mixed methods data collection, and consideration of mediational mechanisms. Results will yield knowledge about how to improve implementation of universal prevention initiatives in rural schools.

Outcomes After Oral Cavity and Oropharyngeal Salvage Surgery.

OBJECTIVES: Investigate outcomes following oral cavity and oropharyngeal salvage surgery. METHODS: Adult patients who underwent salvage surgery for recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and oropharynx from 1996 to 2018 were analyzed using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression. Disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), associated factors, and basic quality measures were analyzed. RESULTS: One hundred and eight patients (72% oral cavity, 28% oropharynx) were followed for a median of 17.9 months. Median DFS and OS were 9.9 and 21 months, respectively. Surgery with adjuvant chemoradiotherapy compared to surgery alone (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.15, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.03-0.78) and negative margins (HR = 0.36, 95% CI: 0.14-0.90) were associated with better DFS, while lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI) (HR = 2.66, 95% CI: 1.14-6.19) and higher stage (III vs. I-II, HR = 3.94, 95% CI: 1.22-12.71) were associated with worse DFS. Higher stage was associated with worse OS (HR = 3.79, 95% CI: 1.09-13.19). Patients were hospitalized for a median of 8 days with 24% readmitted within 30 days. A total of 72% and 38% of patients, respectively, underwent placement of a feeding tube or tracheostomy. CONCLUSIONS: After oral cavity and oropharyngeal salvage surgery, adjuvant chemoradiotherapy, negative margins, negative LVSI, and lower stage were associated with a lower risk of recurrence. Only lower-stage disease was associated with improved survival. The majority of patients had feeding tubes, half underwent free tissue transfer, a third required tracheostomy, and a quarter was readmitted. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Laryngoscope, 132:1984-1992, 2022.

A Reappraisal of Definitive Chemoradiotherapy for Older Adults With Advanced Head and Neck Cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Definitive treatment for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LAHNSCC) is often compromised in older adults due to concerns about potential treatment toxicity intolerance. We reviewed our institutional experience with definitive management of older adults with LAHNSCC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From our Institutional Review Board-approved registry, we identified patients aged >60 years with stage III-IV, M0 LAHNSCC (seventh/earlier editions of the American Joint Committee on Cancer classification) treated with definitive radiotherapy from 1993-2019. Indications for concurrent chemotherapy included T3-4 or N2-3 disease. Multivariable analysis using Fine and Gray regression was performed to identify risk factors associated with recurrence. The cumulative incidence method was used to calculate recurrence rates. RESULTS: Overall, 350 patients were identified: 223 aged 60-69, 82 aged 70-74, and 45 aged ≥75 years. Median follow-up was 36.3 months. Two-year recurrence rates were 13.7%, 20.2% and 34.8%, respectively; human papillomavirus-positive disease was present in 190 (85%), 44 (54%), and 25 (56%), respectively; and systemic therapy was given to 194 (87%), 64 (88%), and 23 (56%) patients, respectively. Factors significantly associated with increased risk of recurrence included age ≥75 years, Karnofsky performance status 70-80, clinical N2c-N3, and Charlson score 2-3. CONCLUSION: Patients aged ≥75 years received less aggressive therapy and experienced increased recurrence compared to younger patients. Outcomes for those aged 70-74 years were similar to younger patients treated with aggressive therapy, despite their inferior performance status/comorbidity, and such patients should not routinely be excluded from standard-of-care therapy. Further study is needed to optimize therapy for a redefined older adult (age ≥75 years) population.

Limited Toxicity of Hypofractionated Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy for Head and Neck Cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Hypofractionated radiation therapy is not commonly used in head and neck cancers (HNC) due to increased toxicity observed in historical cohorts. This study reviews our institutional experience using hypofractionated intensity modulated radiation therapy (H-IMRT) for HNC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of 56 patients with HNC treated with H-IMRT with ≥50 Gy in 20 fractions was conducted. The primary outcomes were acute and late toxicity. RESULTS: Two-year locoregional control was 87% and median overall survival was 46 months. There were no acute or late grade 4 or 5 toxicities. Acute grade 2 and 3 toxicity was seen in 79% (N=44) and 25% (N=14), respectively. Late grade 2 toxicity was seen in 9% (N=5). No patients required the placement of a feeding tube or tracheostomy. CONCLUSION: H-IMRT for the definitive or post-operative treatment of HNC using ≥50 Gy in 20 fractions appears safe and well tolerated with modest toxicity.

Nasopharyngeal cancer: Incidence and prognosis of human papillomavirus and Epstein-Barr virus association at a single North American institution.

BACKGROUND: The prognostication of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human papillomavirus (HPV) status in nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is unclear. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed NPC from 2000 to 2019. RESULTS: Seventy-eight patients were included: 43 EBV+ , 12 HPV+ , 23 EBV- /HPV- , and 0 EBV+ /HPV+ . All p16+ tumors were also positive for HPV-CISH. Baseline characteristics were not different between groups except age, N-classification, and Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) (p < 0.05). For EBV+ , HPV+ , and EBV- /HPV- respectively, 3-year overall survival (OS) was 89.9%, 69.8%, and 52.5% (p = 0.006). EBV- /HPV- status was significantly associated with worse OS but not freedom from progression (FFP) on univariate analysis, and did not remain a significant predictor of OS after adjusting for KPS, age, and group stage. CONCLUSIONS: EBV+ NPC tumors were seen in younger, healthier patients than HPV+ and EBV- tumors, and there were no cases of coinfection. The association of viral status with OS was insignificant after adjusting for KPS and age.

The Effect of the Moscow Theatre Siege on Expectations of Well-Being in the Future.

We employ the Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey-Higher School of Economics (RLMS-HSE), a survey of 6,000 individuals, and a difference-in-differences estimation strategy to examine the effect of the 2002 Moscow theatre siege on the level of self-reported expectations of life in the future of the Russian population. The longitudinal nature of the data allows us to explore both the short- and long-term effects of terrorism on this population as well as contribute to the limited number of quasi-experimental studies in this area. By focusing on expectations of life in the future, we broaden our understanding of the social consequences of terrorism. Controlling for a range of sociodemographic variables including self-assessed relative income, our findings suggest that the well-being effects of terrorism are complex and the net effect of a terrorism incident on well-being may not necessarily be negative. This can be explained, at least in part, by the theory of posttraumatic growth-a theory that refers to the positive psychological change experienced as a result of adversity, with terrorism incidents inadvertently promoting more meaningful interpersonal relationships, new views of the self and new views of the world. That is not to suggest that terrorism is a positive phenomenon-rather, that individuals have a lifelong plasticity rendering them capable of recovery from adversity. The primary objectives of terrorists, therefore, are unlikely to be fully achieved. It is hoped that our research allows for the development of more refined policies that aim to encourage posttraumatic growth while simultaneously attempting to minimize posttraumatic stress disorder. This may involve engaging with the psychological community to devise policies and programs that target those in the population who are most vulnerable and for these groups devise strategies to enhance their psychological resilience following a terrorist (or other traumatic) event.

Social-Ecological Predictors of Opioid Use Among Adolescents With Histories of Substance Use Disorders.

Adolescent opioid misuse is a public health crisis, particularly among clinical populations of youth with substance misuse histories. Given the negative and often lethal consequences associated with opioid misuse among adolescents, it is essential to identify the risk and protective factors underlying early opioid misuse to inform targeted prevention efforts. Understanding the role of parental risk and protective factors is particularly paramount during the developmental stage of adolescence. Using a social-ecological framework, this study explored the associations between individual, peer, family, community, and school-level risk and protective factors and opioid use among adolescents with histories of substance use disorders (SUDs). Further, we explored the potential moderating role of poor parental monitoring in the associations between the aforementioned risk and protective factors and adolescent opioid use. Participants included 294 adolescents (M age = 16 years; 45% female) who were recently discharged from substance use treatment, and their parents (n = 323). Results indicated that lifetime opioid use was significantly more likely among adolescents endorsing antisocial traits and those whose parents reported histories of substance abuse. Additionally, adolescents reporting more perceived availability of substances were significantly more likely to report lifetime opioid use compared to those reporting lower perceived availability of substances. Results did not indicate any significant moderation effects of parental monitoring on any associations between risk factors and lifetime opioid use. Findings generally did not support social-ecological indicators of opioid use in this high-risk population of adolescents, signaling that the social-ecological variables tested may not be salient risk factors among adolescents with SUD histories. We discuss these findings in terms of continuing care options for adolescents with SUD histories that target adolescents' antisocial traits, perceived availability of substances, and parent histories of substance abuse, including practical implications for working with families of adolescents with SUD histories.