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Objective Dating violence is an important but understudied public health concern in adolescents. This study sought to examine the lifetime prevalence of serious forms of dating violence in 12- to 17- year-olds, risk and protective factors associated with dating violence, and the relation between dating violence and mental health. Method A nationally representative sample of adolescents (N = 3,614) completed a telephone-based interview that assessed serious forms of dating violence (i.e., sexual assault, physical assault, and/or drug/alcohol-facilitated rape perpetrated by a girlfriend, boyfriend, or other dating partner). Results Prevalence of dating violence was 1.6% (2.7% of girls, 0.6% of boys), equating to approximately 400,000 adolescents in the U.S. population. Risk factors included older age, female sex, experience of other potentially traumatic events, and experience of recent life stressors. Findings also suggested that dating violence is associated with posttraumatic stress disorder and major depressive episode after controlling for demographic variables, other traumatic stressors, and stressful events. Conclusions These findings indicate that dating violence is a significant public health problem in adolescent populations that should be addressed through early detection, prevention, and intervention.

The quantum yields of the UV photolysis of free chlorine (OCl − and HOCl) at 254 nm were measured in a series of batch reactor experiments from pH 5 to 10 and at various concentrations. When the concentration of free chlorine is low (3.5 mg Cl/L) to moderate (70 mg Cl/L), the quantum yields of HOCl and OCl − are 1.0 ± 0.1 and 0.9 ± 0.1, respectively. When the concentration increases to higher levels (>70 mg Cl/L), the quantum yield of HOCl photolysis increases significantly, whereas the quantum yield of OCl − photolysis is essentially independent of concentration. In addition, based on the experimental results obtained in this research, a mathematic model was developed that can be used for the prediction of the quantum yield for the UV photolysis of free chlorine at 254 nm. The quantum yields predicted by this model agree very well with the measured data. Also, the dependence of free chlorine decomposition on the fluence (UV dose) and the effect of water quality on the quantum yield of free chlorine species were investigated in this research.Résumé : Les rendements quantiques de la photolyse UV à 254 nm du chlore libre (OCl − et HOCl) ont été mesurés dans une série d'expériences en réacteur discontinu à des pH de 5 à 10 et à diverses concentrations. Lorsque la concentration en chlore libre est de faible (3,5 mg Cl/L) à modérée (70 mg Cl/L), les rendements quantiques du HOCl et du OCl − sont de 1,0 ± 0,1 et 0,9 ± 0,1 respectivement. Lorsque la concentration augmente à des niveaux plus élevés (>70 mg Cl/L), le rendement quantique de la photolyse du HOCl augmentait de manière significative, alors que le rendement quantique de la photolyse du OCl − est essentiellement indépendante de la concentration. De plus, en se basant sur les résultats expérimentaux obtenus au cours de cette recherche, un modèle mathématique a été mis au point qui peut être utilisé pour prédire le rendement quantique de la photolyse UV du chlore libre à 254 nm. Les rendements quantiques prédits par ce modèle concordent très bien avec les données mesurées. La dépendance de la décomposition du chlore libre sur la fluence (dose UV) et l'effet de la qualité de l'eau sur le rendement quantique des espèces de chlore libre ont également été examinés au cours de cette recherche.Mots-clés : rayonnement ultraviolet, chlore libre, fluence, dose UV, rendement quantique, désinfection.[Traduit par la Rédaction]

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Cyanobacteria toxins have quickly risen in infamy as important water contaminants that threaten human health. This paper provides a broad overview of cyanobacteria toxins and the current state of knowledge about water treatment options to reduce these toxins. The first part of the paper focuses on cyanobacteria as organisms and their ability to produce a variety of toxins, the proposed or accepted regulatory guidelines for these toxins, and common detection techniques. Then a review is presented of the past 25 years worth of work on cyanobacteria toxin removal using both conventional and advanced water treatment processes and operations. The paper concludes by identifying directions for future research required to advance the abilities of utilities and water treatment plant designers to deal with these toxins while long-term, watershed management and surveillance plans are developed and implemented. As well, some suggestions are provided for immediate steps that a water utility facing cyanobacteria blooms could take to minimize human exposure to these toxins. Key words: cyanobacteria, blue-green algae, microcystin, cylindrospermopsin, cyanotoxins, water treatment, membrane filtration, advanced oxidation, UV photolysis, drinking water.

Unequal Treatment conceptual framework was used. Six racially/ ethnically homogenous focus groups were conducted at five sites in three counties. Themes within groups and cross-cutting themes were identified. The NVIVO program was used for data classification. The data were reviewed for final coding and consensus. Shared solutions included addressing costs, recruiting in community contexts, conducting community and individualized patient education, and sharing patient safety information. Participants were unanimously in favor of clinical trials navigation recruitment interventions. Solutions specific to African Americans included diversifying research teams, recognizing past research abuses, and increasing community trust. Solutions specific to Latinos included providing low-literacy materials, providing Spanish-speaking clinicians and advocates, and clarifying that immigration status would neither be documented nor prevent participation. Solutions from African Americans and Latinos reflect their cultural backgrounds and historical experiences. The results suggest the importance of developing a tailored, barriers-focused navigation intervention to improve participation among diverse racial and ethnic populations.

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This paper reviews the literature on help-seeking behavior among adult victims of crime. Specifically, the paper summarizes prevalence rates for formal and informal help seeking and reviews predictors of and barriers to service use following victimization. Research suggests that only a small fraction of crime victims seek help from formal support networks; however, many seek support from informal sources. Several variables are associated with increased likelihood of formal help seeking, although the manner in which these variables affect reporting behavior is not clear. From this review, it is concluded that much remains to be learned regarding patterns of help seeking among victims of crime. Gaps in the literature and directions for future research are discussed.