26207 research outputs found
Sort by
Examining relations between sexualizing media exposure and sexting attitudes and behaviors among U.S. adolescents
Get PDFBased on social cognitive processes (Bandura, 2009), sexualizing media likely provide adolescents with credible role models for their own sexualized self-presentation in other mediated contexts, such as sexting. A survey of 6,093 U.S. adolescents was conducted (Mage = 15.27, SD = 1.37; 69.1% cisgender girls; 26.8% cisgender boys, 4.2% gender-minority participants) to examine relations between three types of sexualizing media exposure (reality television, music videos, pornography) and active sexting behaviors (i.e., requesting and sending). Among cisgender boys, exposure to sexually oriented reality television was positively related to active sexting behaviors, but this link was not found for cisgender girls or gender- minority participants. Music video exposure was related to active sexting behaviors only among cisgender boys, and pornography consumption was positively related to active sexting behaviors among all gender groups. A positive outcome expectancy (i.e., sexting is fun) consistently mediated these relations. A negative outcome expectancy (i.e., sexting is risky) only mediated the relations between pornography consumption and active sexting behaviors among cisgender girls. Results are discussed in light of social cognitive theory (Bandura, 2009) and the 3AM Model (Wright, 2011)
“I can't provide what my child needs”: Early feeding experiences of caregivers of children with craniofacial microsomia
Get PDFPurpose: Craniofacial microsomia (CFM) is a congenital condition that can be associated with feeding challenges in infants. As part of the larger ‘Craniofacial microsomia: Accelerating Research and Education (CARE)’ program, this study described caregivers' early feeding experiences. Design and materials: US-based caregivers of 34 children with CFM participated in remote narrative interviews. Two authors completed inductive thematic analysis in an iterative process until consensus was reached. Results: Caregivers' narratives outlined the inherent challenges of feeding an infant with special healthcare needs. The first theme ‘Navigating Challenges and Managing Expectations' describes the distress participants experienced when they were unable to breastfeed and the negative emotional effect of switching to formula. The second theme ‘Making Adaptations’ outlines the methods participants tried, including breast pumps and feeding tubes. The third theme ‘Accessing Support’ describes participants' interactions with healthcare providers and challenges accessing feeding support. The final theme ‘Growing from Adversity’ recounts participants' relief once their child established a feeding pattern and the personal growth gained from their experiences. Conclusions: Caregivers reported several feeding related challenges associated with CFM, many of which negatively affected their wellbeing. Negative consequences were particularly pronounced in cases where caregivers' feeding experiences differed from their expectations. Participants identified challenges in accessing reliable feeding information and support. Despite difficult experiences, caregivers cited some positive outcomes, including increased confidence and resilience. Practice implications: Holistic feeding information and support for families affected by CFM should be inclusive of several feeding methods to improve care delivery, child health, and the caregiver experience
Two novel Raoultella species associated with bleeding cankers of broadleaf hosts, Raoultella scottia sp. nov. and Raoultella lignicola sp. nov.
Get PDFSeventeen Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic bacterial strains were isolated from bleeding cankers of various broadleaf hosts and oak rhizosphere soil in Great Britain. The strains were tentatively identified as belonging to the genus Raoultella based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA), based on four protein-encoding genes (fusA, leuS, pyrG, and rpoB), separated the strains into three clusters within the Raoultella genus clade. The majority of strains clustered with the type strain of Raoultella terrigena, with the remaining strains divided into two clusters with no known type strain. Whole genome sequencing comparisons confirmed these two clusters of strains as belonging to two novel Raoultella species which can be differentiated phenotypically from their current closest phylogenetic relatives. Therefore, two novel species are proposed: Raoultella scottia sp. nov. (type strain = BAC 10a-01-01T = LMG 33072T = CCUG 77096T) and Raoultella lignicola sp. nov. (type strain = TW_WC1a.1T = LMG 33073T = CCUG 77094T)
Promoting corporate citizenship through clinical legal education
No full textWith the conversation regarding corporations and their role in society becoming mainstay in the public discourse, the broad consensus appears to be that the corporation does in fact owe a duty to more than its investor constituency, even though there remains to be a similar agreement regarding the extent of the aforementioned duty. Corporate citizenship had been devised as a prism by which one might evaluate the role of business in society. However, the perceived voluntarism that often underpins pervasive notions of corporate citizenship and its interchangeability with the parallel concept of corporate social responsibility, meant it had been widely considered to be merely an extension of the latter in its base state. In this article, I argue for an expansion of the concept of corporate citizenship, a paradigm of consideration of the rights and obligations of corporations similar to those of natural citizens. Furthermore, the article considers what role clinical legal education, particularly Business clinics who work with start-ups, might play in ushering corporations along the path to true citizenship
Spliceosomal vulnerability of MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma is contingent on PRMT5-mediated regulation of epitranscriptomic and metabolomic pathways
Get PDFApproximately 50% of poor prognosis neuroblastomas arise due to MYCN over-expression. We previously demonstrated that MYCN and PRMT5 proteins interact and PRMT5 knockdown led to apoptosis of MYCN amplified (MNA) neuroblastoma. Here we evaluate the highly selective first-in-class PRMT5 inhibitor GSK3203591 and its in vivo analogue GSK3326593 as targeted therapeutics for MNA neuroblastoma. Cell-line analyses show MYCN-dependent growth inhibition and apoptosis, with approximately 200-fold greater sensitivity of MNA neuroblastoma lines. RNA sequencing of three MNA neuroblastoma lines treated with GSK3203591 reveal deregulated MYCN transcriptional programmes and altered mRNA splicing, converging on key regulatory pathways such as DNA damage response, epitranscriptomics and cellular metabolism. Stable isotope labelling experiments in the same cell lines demonstrate that glutamine metabolism is impeded following GSK3203591 treatment, linking with disruption of the MLX/Mondo nutrient sensors via intron retention of MLX mRNA. Interestingly, glutaminase (GLS) protein decreases after GSK3203591 treatment despite unchanged transcript levels. We demonstrate that the RNA methyltransferase METTL3 and cognate reader YTHDF3 proteins are lowered following their mRNAs undergoing GSK3203591-induced splicing alterations, indicating epitranscriptomic regulation of GLS; accordingly, we observe decreases of GLS mRNA m6A methylation following GSK3203591 treatment, and decreased GLS protein following YTHDF3 knockdown. In vivo efficacy of GSK3326593 is confirmed by increased survival of Th-MYCN mice, with drug treatment triggering splicing events and protein decreases consistent with in vitro data. Together our study demonstrates the PRMT5-dependent spliceosomal vulnerability of MNA neuroblastoma and identifies the epitranscriptome and glutamine metabolism as critical determinants of this sensitivity
When is organisational resizing helpful or harmful for innovation outputs?
Get PDFStudies on the effect of downsizing on organisational innovation have generated mixed and often contradictory results. Recent evidence has attempted to reconcile such inconsistencies by showing that downsizing has a dual effect on innovation, contingent on the firm’s level of resources prior to downsizing. Since firms seek to downsize as well as upsize their staffing levels, the effect of resizing (downsizing and upsizing) on innovation and the magnitude of such effect is still unknown. Using a longitudinal dataset of UK firms, we examine the effect of resizing on innovation outputs in firms experiencing resource slack and constraints. Our results suggest that upsizing in firms experiencing resource constraints and downsizing in firms experiencing resource slack have positive effects on innovation outputs, whereas upsizing in firms experiencing resource slack and downsizing in firms experiencing resource constraints have the reverse effects. Compared with firms experiencing resource slack, the effect of resizing on innovation outputs is more pronounced in firms experiencing resource constraints. These results suggest revisiting existing policy and managerial implications on the effectiveness of resizing strategies
Planning for healthy places: A practical guide for local authorities on embedding health in local plans and planning policies in England
Get PDFLocal plans are key documents through which local authorities can plan, design and influence environments to create and maintain health, and yet they are often weak and inconsistent on how exactly this can be achieved.The Planning for healthy places guide provides practical evidence, guidance, and inspiration to help local authorities create healthier places for everyone.The guidance, written for planning officers, those working in public health and others, outlines the importance of planning in creating healthier places, provides an overview of the scope of Local Plans in England, signposts to key national evidence an guidance, notes proposed planning reforms; and provides an approach to preparing healthy Local Plans organised under three guidance themes – universal, policy and implementation – and includes examples of adopted policy from across England
Attitudes towards advance care planning amongst community-based older people in England
Get PDFBackgroundAdvance care planning has been advocated as a way for people to have their wishes recorded and respected in relation to types of treatment and place of care. However, uptake in England remains low.AimsTo examine the views of older, well, adults towards Advance Care Plans (ACPs) and planning for end-of-life care, in order to inform national policy decisions.MethodsA mixed methods approach was adopted, involving individual and mini-group qualitative interviews (n = 76, ages 45–85), followed by a quantitative survey (n = 2294, age 55+). The quantitative sample was based on quotas in age, gender, region, socio-economic grade, and ethnicity, combined with light weighting to ensure the findings were representative of England.ResultsKnowledge and understanding of advance care planning was low, with only 1% of survey respondents reporting they had completed an ACP for themselves. Common reasons for not putting wishes into writing were not wanting/needing to think about it now, the unpredictability of the future, trusting family/friends to make decisions, and financial resources limiting real choice.ConclusionWhilst advance care planning is seen as a good idea in theory by older, well, adults living in the community, there is considerable reticence in practice. This raises questions over the current, national policy position in England, on the importance of written ACPs. We propose that policy should instead focus on encouraging ongoing conversations between individuals and all those (potentially) involved in their care, about what is important to them, and on ensuring there are adequate resources in community networks and health and social care systems, to be responsive to changing needs
Assessment of optical quality of ready‐made reading spectacles for presbyopic correction
Get PDFPurposeMany presbyopic patients in both developed and developing countries use ready-made reading spectacles for their near vision correction even though the quality of these spectacles cannot always be assured. This study assessed the optical quality of ready-made reading spectacles for presbyopic correction in comparison with relevant international standards.MethodsA total of 105 ready-made reading spectacles with powers ranging from +1.50 to +3.50 dioptres (D) in +0.50 D steps were randomly procured from open markets in Ghana and assessed for their optical quality, including induced prisms and safety markings. These assessments were done in line with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 16034:2002 [BS EN 14139:2010]) as well as the standards used in low-resource countries.ResultsAll lenses (100%) had significant induced horizontal prism that exceeded the tolerance levels stipulated by the ISO standards, while 30% had vertical prism greater than the specified tolerances. The highest prevalence of induced vertical prism was seen in the +2.50 and +3.50 D lenses (48% and 43%, respectively). When compared with less conservative standards, as suggested for use in low-resource countries, the prevalence of induced horizontal and vertical prism reduced to 88% and 14%, respectively. While only 15% of spectacles had a labelled centration distance, none had any safety markings per the ISO standards.ConclusionThe high prevalence of ready-made reading spectacles in Ghana that fail to meet optical quality standards indicates the need for more robust, rigorous and standardised protocols for assessing their optical quality before they are sold on the market. This will alleviate unwanted side effects including asthenopia associated with their use. There is also the need to intensify public health awareness on the use of ready-made reading spectacles, especially by patients with significant refractive errors and ocular pathologies
“Being really confidently wrong”: Qualitative researchers’ experiences of methodologically incongruent peer review feedback
No full textAlthough peer review is one of the central pillars of academic publishing, qualitative researchers’ experiences of this process has been largely overlooked. Existing research and commentary have focused on peer reviewers’ comments on qualitative manuscripts, which are often described as indicative of a quantitative mindset or hostility to non-positivist qualitative research. We extend this literature by focusing on qualitative researchers’ experiences of methodologically incongruent reviewer and editor comments – comments that are incommensurate with the conceptual foundations of the reviewed research. Qualitative researchers (N=163) from a range of health and social science disciplines, including psychology, responded to a brief qualitative survey. Most contributors reported that peer reviewers and editors universalised the assumptions and expectations of post-positivist research and reporting. Some also reported that peer reviewers and editors universalised the norms and values particular to specific qualitative approaches. Contributors were concerned that peer reviewers often accept review invitations when they lack relevant methodological expertise and editors often select peer reviewers without such expertise. In response to methodologically incongruent comments, many contributors described a process of initially “pushing back” and explaining why these comments were incongruent with their research. When this educative approach was unsuccessful, some knowingly compromised the methodological integrity of their research and acquiesced to reviewer and editor requests. Earlier career researchers especially highlighted the powerlessness they felt in the peer review process in the context of a “publish or perish” academic climate. We end by outlining contributors’ recommendations for improving methodological integrity of the peer review of qualitative research