Exposure to radicalizing information has been associated with support for violent extremism. It is, however, unclear whether specific information use behavior, namely, a distinct pattern of ...incidental exposure (IE) to and active selection (AS) of radicalizing content, indicates stronger violent extremist attitudes and radical action intentions. Drawing on a representative general population sample (N = 1509) and applying latent class analysis, we addressed this gap in the literature. Results highlighted six types of information use behavior. The largest group of participants reported a near to zero probability of both IE to and AS of radicalizing material. Two groups of participants were characterized by high or moderate probabilities of incidental exposure as well as a low probability of active selection of radicalizing content. The remaining groups displayed either low, moderate, or high probabilities of both IE and AS. Importantly, we showed between-group differences regarding violent extremist attitudes and radical behavioral intentions. Individuals reporting near zero or high probabilities for both IE to and AS of radicalizing information expressed the lowest and strongest violent extremist attitudes and willingness to use violence respectively. Groups defined by even moderate probabilities of AS endorsed violent extremism more strongly than those for which the probability for incidental exposure was moderate or high but AS of radicalizing content was unlikely.
The occurrence of antibiotic residues in milk constitutes a potential risk to the health of consumers. The present study describes the optimisation and validation of a high-performance liquid ...chromatographic (HPLC) method for the simultaneous determination of sulphadiazine (SDZ), sulphamethoxazole (SMX), oxytetracycline (OTC), doxycycline (DOX), tetracycline (TC), enrofloxacin (ENRO) and chloramphenicol (CLP) residues in bovine milk using colchicine (COL) as internal standard. The determination of these antimicrobials was carried out on C
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analytical column using high-performance liquid chromatographic-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). The extraction method involving deproteinisation of the milk sample followed by a solid-phase extraction (SPE) clean-up of antibiotic residues has been developed. The method was validated according to the European Commission Decision 2002/657/EC and applied for the analysis of antibiotic residues in 21 raw milk samples collected from Ludhiana, Punjab, India. The recoveries for the studied antibiotics ranged from 83.3–111.8% with relative standard deviations between 3.5 and 16.2%. The limits of quantification for these antibiotics, with the exception of chloramphenicol, were below the maximum residue limits (MRLs), making the method suitable for performing routine analysis.
Hypertension is a complex and modifiable condition in which environmental factors contribute to both onset and progression. Recent evidence has accumulated for roles of diet and the gut microbiome as ...environmental factors in blood pressure regulation. However, this is complex because gut microbiomes are a unique feature of each individual reflecting that individual's developmental and environmental history creating caveats for both experimental models and human studies. Here, we describe guidelines for conducting gut microbiome studies in experimental and clinical hypertension. We provide a complete guide for authors on proper design, analyses, and reporting of gut microbiota/microbiome and metabolite studies and checklists that can be used by reviewers and editors to support robust reporting and interpretation. We discuss factors that modulate the gut microbiota in animal (eg, cohort, controls, diet, developmental age, housing, sex, and models used) and human studies (eg, blood pressure measurement and medication, body mass index, demographic characteristics including age, cultural identification, living structure, sex and socioeconomic environment, and exclusion criteria). We also provide best practice advice on sampling, storage of fecal/cecal samples, DNA extraction, sequencing methods (including metagenomics and 16S rRNA), and computational analyses. Finally, we discuss the measurement of short-chain fatty acids, metabolites produced by the gut microbiota, and interpretation of data. These guidelines should support better transparency, reproducibility, and translation of findings in the field of gut microbiota/microbiome in hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
Diet is an important lifestyle factor that is known to contribute in the development of human disease. It is well established that poor diet plays an active role in exacerbating metabolic diseases, ...such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension. Our understanding of how the immune system drives chronic inflammation and disease pathogenesis has evolved in recent years. However, the contribution of dietary factors to inflammatory conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis and arthritis remain poorly defined. A western diet has been associated as pro-inflammatory, in contrast to traditional dietary patterns that are associated as being anti-inflammatory. This may be due to direct effects of nutrients on immune cell function. Diet may also affect the composition and function of gut microbiota, which consequently affects immunity. In animal models of inflammatory disease, diet may modulate inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract and in other peripheral sites. Despite limitations of animal models, there is now emerging evidence to show that anti-inflammatory effects of diet may translate to human gastrointestinal and inflammatory diseases. However, appropriately designed, larger clinical studies must be conducted to confirm the therapeutic benefit of dietary therapy.
Numerous studies argue that perceived group deprivation is a risk factor for radicalization and violent extremism. Yet, the vast majority of individuals, who experience such circumstances do not ...become radicalized. By utilizing models with several interacting risk and protective factors, the present analysis specifies this relationship more concretely. In a large United Kingdom nationally representative survey (
= 1,500), we examine the effects of group-based relative deprivation on violent extremist attitudes and violent extremist intentions, and we test whether this relationship is contingent upon several individual differences in personality. The results show that stronger group-based injustices lead to increased support for and intentions to engage in violent extremism. However, some of the effects are much stronger for individuals who exhibit a stronger need for uniqueness and for status and who demonstrate higher levels of trait entitlement. Conversely, several effects are lessened for those individuals high in trait forgiveness, demonstrating a strong capacity for self-control and for those who are exerting critical as well as open-minded thinking styles, thus constituting buffering protective factors, which dampen the adverse effects of perceived group injustice on violent extremism. The results highlight the importance of considering (a) the interaction between individual dispositions and perceptions of contextual factors (b) the conditional and cumulative effects of various risk and protective factors and (c) the functional role of protective factors when risk factors are present. Collectively, these findings bring us one step closer to understanding who might be more vulnerable to violent extremism as well as how. Overall, the study suggests that preventing and countering violent extremism (P/CVE) programs must take account of the constellation of multiple factors that interact with (and sometimes enable or disable) one another and which can be targeted in preventions strategies.
Acetic acid is a short-chain fatty acid that has demonstrated biomedical potential as a dietary therapeutic agent for the management of chronic and metabolic illness comorbidities. In human beings, ...its consumption may improve glucose regulation and insulin sensitivity in individuals with cardiometabolic conditions and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Published clinical trial evidence evaluating its sustained supplementation effects on metabolic outcomes is inconsistent.
This systematic review and meta-analysis summarized available evidence on potential therapeutic effects of dietary acetic acid supplementation via consumption of acetic acid–rich beverages and food sources on metabolic and anthropometric outcomes.
A systematic search was conducted in Medline, Scopus, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, and Web of Science from database inception until October 2020. Randomized controlled trials conducted in adults evaluating the effect of dietary acetic acid supplementation for a minimum of 1 week were included. Meta-analyses were performed using a random-effects model on fasting blood glucose (FBG), triacylglycerol (TAG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), body mass index (BMI), and body fat percentage. Statistical heterogeneity was assessed by calculation of Q and I2 statistics, and publication bias was assessed by calculation of Egger’s regression asymmetry and Begg’s test.
Sixteen studies were included, involving 910 participants who consumed between 750 and 3600 mg acetic acid daily in interventions lasting an average of 8 weeks. Dietary acetic acid supplementation resulted in significant reductions in TAG concentrations in overweight and obese but otherwise healthy individuals (mean difference MD = −20.51 mg/dL 95% confidence intervals = −32.98, −8.04, P = .001) and people with type 2 diabetes (MD = −7.37 mg/dL −10.15, −4.59, P < .001). Additionally, acetic acid supplementation significantly reduced FBG levels (MD = −35.73 mg/dL −63.79, −7.67, P = .01) in subjects with type 2 diabetes compared with placebo and low-dose comparators. No other changes were seen for other metabolic or anthropometric outcomes assessed. Five of the 16 studies did not specify the dose of acetic acid delivered, and no studies measured blood acetate concentrations. Only one study controlled for background acetic acid-rich food consumption during intervention periods. Most studies had an unclear or high risk of bias.
Supplementation with dietary acetic acid is well tolerated, has no adverse side effects, and has clinical potential to reduce plasma TAG and FBG concentrations in individuals with type 2 diabetes, and to reduce TAG levels in people who are overweight or obese. No significant effects of dietary acetic acid consumption were seen on HbA1c, HDL, or anthropometric markers. High-quality, longer-term studies in larger cohorts are required to confirm whether dietary acetic acid can act as an adjuvant therapeutic agent in metabolic comorbidities management.
Recent research on lone-actor terrorism has found a high prevalence of mental health disorders among these offenders. This research note addresses two shortcomings in these existing studies. First, ...it investigates whether selection effects are present in the selection process of terrorist recruits. Second, it builds on the argument that mental health problems and terrorist behavior should not be treated as a yes/no dichotomy. Descriptive results of mental health disorders are outlined utilizing a number of unique datasets.
This research note argues that the "lone wolf" typology should be fundamentally reconsidered. Based on a three-year empirical research project, two key points are made to support this argument. ...First, the authors found that ties to online and offline radical milieus are critical to lone actors' adoption and maintenance of both the motive and capability to commit acts of terrorism. Second, in terms of pre-attack behaviors, the majority of lone actors are not the stealthy and highly capable terrorists the "lone wolf" moniker alludes to. These findings not only urge a reconsideration of the utility of the lone-wolf concept, they are also particularly relevant for counterterrorism professionals, whose conceptions of this threat may have closed off avenues for detection and interdiction that do, in fact, exist.
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