Ukraine: War, bullets, and bombs - millions of children and adolescents are in danger.

As the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to unfold, the ever-evolving situation can be particularly difficult for children and teenagers. Children living in these areas face serious threats from bombing, landmines and unexploded ordnance. Their lives are also threatened by the destruction of vital infrastructure - health centers, schools and water supplies - because of the fighting. War can have a devastating effect on children's mental and physical health, with potentially lifelong consequences. Fears can generate fantasies of the end of the world, as well as the fear of losing a loved one or life itself, nightmares and regressions to previous evolutionary stages. This situation is creating dramatic scenes at train stations, where families are forced to say goodbye.

Lag time of modern bomb-pulse radiocarbon in human bone tissues: New data from Brazil.

Radiocarbon analysis with reference to the modern bomb-curve was conducted using 68 bone samples of a vertebral body, femoral diaphysis, occipital bone, and parietal bone of 17 adults from Brazil. All individuals were born in 1963, thus analysis focused on the correlation with atmospheric values during the more recent, falling portion of the curve. Ages at death ranged from 43 to 54 years with representation of both sexes. Lag time (difference between the actual death date and the year of correspondence of the radiocarbon value with the curve) was evaluated for each individual and each tissue. The mean of the lag time values was 20.2 years, and the median was 22.0 years. The femur had the highest lag time median (29.5 years) among the bone groups, followed by the occipital (25.5 years), parietal (23.5 years) and the vertebra (8.0 years). The same pattern was observed for both sexes, but females tended to have lower lag time values than males. Different tissues presented considerable variation in lag time with vertebral bodies the least and the femoral diaphysis the greatest. These data suggest that individual age at death and the associated lag time must be considered in estimating the approximate death date. The lag time values for vertebral bodies were lower and with less variability in comparison with values for the occipital, parietal, and femur indicating greater consistency of that bone group for time since death estimation in the studied sample.

Radiocarbon bomb-peak signal in tree-rings from the tropical Andes register low latitude atmospheric dynamics in the Southern Hemisphere.

South American tropical climate is strongly related to the tropical low-pressure belt associated with the South American monsoon system. Despite its central societal role as a modulating agent of rainfall in tropical South America, its long-term dynamical variability is still poorly understood. Here we combine a new (and world's highest) tree-ring 14C record from the Altiplano plateau in the central Andes with other 14C records from the Southern Hemisphere during the second half of the 20th century in order to elucidate the latitudinal gradients associated with the dissemination of the bomb 14C signal. Our tree-ring 14C record faithfully captured the bomb signal of the 1960's with an excellent match to atmospheric 14C measured in New Zealand but with significant differences with a recent record from Southeast Brazil located at almost equal latitude. These results imply that the spreading of the bomb signal throughout the Southern Hemisphere was a complex process that depended on atmospheric dynamics and surface topography generating reversals on the expected north-south gradient in certain years. We applied air-parcel modeling based on climate data to disentangle their different geographical provenances and their preformed (reservoir affected) radiocarbon content. We found that air parcel trajectories arriving at the Altiplano during the bomb period were sourced i) from the boundary layer in contact with the Pacific Ocean (41%), ii) from the upper troposphere (air above the boundary layer, with no contact with oceanic or continental carbon reservoirs) (38%) and iii) from the Amazon basin (21%). Based on these results we estimated the ∆14C endmember values for the different carbon reservoirs affecting our record which suggest that the Amazon basin biospheric 14C isoflux could have been reversed from negative to positive as early as the beginning of the 1970's. This would imply a much faster carbon turnover rate in the Amazon than previously modelled.

Bayonets over bombs: RIPK3 and MLKL restrict Listeria without triggering necroptosis.

RIPK3 induces necroptosis by phosphorylating MLKL, which then induces plasma membrane rupture and necrotic cell death. In this issue, Sai et al. (2019. J. Cell Biol. https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201810014) show that RIPK3-MLKL signaling in epithelial cells promotes Listeria clearance by directly suppressing cytosolic bacterial replication, without activating cell death.

Representación mediática de la acción de protesta juvenil: la capucha como metáfora / Media representaitons of youth protests: The hood as a metaphor / Representação midiática da ação do protesto juvenil: O capuz como metáfora

Este estudio muestra cómo un reportaje televisivo construye a los estudiantes como actores inherentemente agresivos y socialmente desviados, retratándolos como responsables de la colocación de una bomba en una estación de metro en Santiago (Chile) el año 2014. Se aborda la figura del 'encapuchado' como representante de la juventud movilizada, la cual es sistemáticamente marginalizada y excluida de la esfera pública en el relato periodístico. Las metodologías provienen de los Estudios Críticos del Discurso, a partir de las cuales tanto el texto como las imágenes se analizaron en relación con la recontextualización de acciones y motivaciones en la estructura narrativa. Los resultados sugieren que el joven encapuchado se utiliza metafóricamente para deslegitimar al movimiento estudiantil en su conjunto. También se destacan contribuciones interdisciplinarias al campo de los Estudios de Juventud.

This study aims to demonstrate how one particular television report constructs an image of students as inherently aggressive and socially deviant social actors, portraying them as the ones responsible for the placement of a bomb in an underground station in Santiago (Chile) in 2014. The authors approach the figure of the hooded demonstrator ('encapuchado') as representative of mobilized youth, who are systematically marginalized and excluded from the public sphere through the news story. Methodologies from Critical Discourse Studies are used in the study, in which textual and visual modes of discourse are analyzed in relation to the recontextualization of actions and motives included in the narrative structure. Results suggest that young hooded students are metaphorically used to delegitimize the student movement as a whole, actively contributing to the interdisciplinary field of Youth Studies.

Este estudo revela como uma reportagem televisiva constrói estudantes como atores sociais intrinsecamente agressivos e socialmente desviados, retratando-os como os responsáveis pela colocação de uma bomba em uma estação do metrô em Santiago (Chile) em 2014. Aproximamo-nos da figura do 'encapuzado' como representante da juventude mobilizada, sistematicamente marginalizada e excluída da esfera pública através da notícia. As metodologias estão ligadas aos Estudos Críticos de Discurso, do qual tanto o texto como as imagens foram analisadas em relação à recontextualização de açôes e motivos na estrutura narrativa. Os resultados sugerem que os jovens encapuzados são usados metaforicamente para deslegitimar o movimento estudantil como um todo. Também são destacadas contribuiçôes interdisciplinares para o campo dos Estudos da Juventude.

Efecto agudo de Complex Training en press banca sobre la distancia del lanzamiento de la granada / Acute effect of a Complex Training over grenade throwing distance

Objetivo: determinar el efecto agudo de un Complex Training en press banca sobre el lanzamiento de la granada en pentatletas militares profesionales y aficionados. Métodos: diecinueve pentatletas militares divididos en dos grupos fueron parte del estudio. Las variables medidas fueron: distancia máxima del lanzamiento de la granada y potencias máximas en press banca. El protocolo consistió en: 4 series de 5 repeticiones al 30 por ciento de una repetición máxima, más 4 repeticiones al 60 por ciento de una repetición máxima, más 3 lanzamientos de granada con pausa de 15 segundos. Para el análisis estadístico se utilizó ANOVA de medias. Resultados: la distancia máxima del lanzamiento de la granada presentó un aumento significativo entre la Serie Control y las cuatro series experimentales para el Grupo Profesional (p= 0,0019, tamaño del efecto= 0,370) y un descenso significativo en el Grupo Aficionado (p= 0,0128, tamaño del efecto = 0,305); las potencias máximas en press banca no sufrieron modificaciones significativas en ambos grupo (Grupo Profesional p= 0,15, tamaño del efecto= 0,166; Grupo Aficionado p= 0,17, tamaño del efecto= 0,199). Conclusión: el efecto agudo positivo del Complex Training fue atribuido a la Potenciación Posactivación de la musculatura involucrada en el lanzamiento. El descenso significativo en el lanzamiento de la granada observado en el Grupo Aficionado fue atribuido a la imposibilidad de sintetizar ATP posesfuerzo, lo que indujo una fatiga muscular(AU)

Purpose: Determining the acute effect of a Complex Training in bench press over grenade throwing in professional and amateur military pentathletes. Methods: Nineteen military pentathletes divided into two groups were part of the study (Professional Group = 10 and Amateur Group = 9). Variables measured were: Distance maximum in grenade throwing and peak power in bench press. Complex Training protocol consisted of: 4 sets of 5 repetitions at 30 percent of one repetition maximum + 4 repetitions at 60 percent of one repetition maximum + 3 grenade throws with a 15-second rest. For the statistical analysis, repeated measures ANOVA was used, the effect size was estimated with Eta Partial Squared. Results: Distance maximum of grenade throwing showed a significant increase between the Control Set and the four experimental sets for the Professional Group (p = 0.0019, effect size = 0.370) and a significant decrease in the Amateur Group (p = 0.0128, effect size = 0.305); peak power in bench press did not suffer significant modifications in both groups (Professional Groupp = 0.15, effect size = 0.166; Amateur Group p = 0.17, effect size = 0.199). Conclusions: The results of the study showed a positive acute effect from Complex Training on the distance of grenade throwing only for professional military pentathletes, such effect was attributed to a Post-Activation Potentiation of the muscles involved in throwing. The significant decline in grenade throwing observed in the amateur military pentathletes was attributed to the impossibility of synthetizing ATP post-workout(AU)

Demining Dogs in Colombia - A Review of Operational Challenges, Chemical Perspectives, and Practical Implications.

Within the framework of an internal armed conflict in Colombia, the use of antipersonnel mines by revolutionary armed forces represents a strategic factor for these groups. Antipersonnel mines are used by these revolutionary forces as a mean to hinder the advancement of the national armed forces in the recovery of territory and to protect tactical natural resources and illegal economies within a given area. These antipersonnel mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are not of industrial manufacturing, and have a variety of activating mechanisms as well as non-metal materials which make them difficult for successful detection. The Colombian experience strongly represents the current need for advanced research and development of effective field operations within its affected territory. Current efforts are focused on a more operational demining perspective in coca cultivation sites in charge of mobile squadrons of eradication (EMCAR) from the National Police of Colombia working towards a future humanitarian demining upon an eventual peace process. The objectives of this review are not only to highlight already existing mine detection methods, but present a special emphasis on the role of mine detection canine teams in the context of this humanitarian issue in Colombia. This review seeks to bring together a description of chemical interactions of the environment with respect to landmine odor signatures, as well as mine detection dog operational perspectives for this specific detection task. The aim is to highlight that given the limited knowledge on the subject, there is a research gap that needs to be attended in order to efficiently establish optimal operating conditions for the reliable performance of mine detection dogs in Colombian demining field applications.

Effects of Blast Exposure on Subjective and Objective Sleep Measures in Combat Veterans with and without PTSD.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: This study examined the extent to which self-reported exposure to blast during deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan affects subjective and objective sleep measures in service members and veterans with and without posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). METHODS: Seventy-one medication-free service members and veterans (mean age = 29.47 ± 5.76 years old; 85% men) completed self-report sleep measures and overnight polysomnographic studies. Four multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVAs) were conducted to examine the impact of blast exposure and PTSD on subjective sleep measures, measures of sleep continuity, non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep parameters, and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep parameters. RESULTS: There was no significant Blast × PTSD interaction on subjective sleep measures. Rather, PTSD had a main effect on insomnia severity, sleep quality, and disruptive nocturnal behaviors. There was no significant Blast × PTSD interaction, nor were there main effects of PTSD or Blast on measures of sleep continuity and NREM sleep. A significant PTSD × Blast interaction effect was found for REM fragmentation. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that, although persistent concussive symptoms following blast exposure are associated with sleep disturbances, self-reported blast exposure without concurrent symptoms does not appear to contribute to poor sleep quality, insomnia, and disruptive nocturnal disturbances beyond the effects of PTSD. Reduced REM sleep fragmentation may be a sensitive index of the synergetic effects of both psychological and physical insults.

[Clinical and microbiological profiles of anti-personnel mine injuries in the Medellín area of northwestern Colombia]. / Perfil clínico y microbiológico de las lesiones por minas antipersonal en el Hospital Pablo Tobón Uribe, Medellín, 2003-2005.

INTRODUCTION: The counts of antipersonnel mine injuries are increasing worldwide, but in Colombia, documentation of the clinical and microbiological characteristics of these lesions is lacking. OBJECTIVES: To determine the clinical and microbiological characteristics of antipersonnel mine injuries for patients admitted for treatment during a 2 and a half year period. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical records were reviewed for 151 patients hospitalized with injuries caused by antipersonnel mines. The admissions occurred between January 1st 2003 and July 31st 2005 at a highly specialized university hospital, the Pablo Tobón Uribe Hospital in Medellín, Colombia. RESULTS: All patients were male, mean age 24 years old, and all but 8 of them military. The length of stay averaged 20 days and hospital mortality 4%. Multiple lesions occurred in 66.8% of the cases, 88.0% of the injuries affected the limbs, and amputations were mandated in 52.3% of patients. A total of 313 specimens were cultured--68.7% of cultures were positive, and 386 microorganisms were identified. The most prevalent bacteria in the first culture were Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. In subsequent cultures, P. aeruginosa and Enterococcus faecalis appeared. Most of the patients (93.4%) received standard antibiotic therapy, ampicillin/sulbactam. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical and microbiological characteristics of patients were related to their military occupation and the complex injuries produced by the mines. Knowledge of these characteristics will permit the design of better management strategies and empirical treatments.