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Indirect Sexual Harassment in Conservative Societies: What We Don’t Know
No full textThis study aims to explore the incidence of the sexual harassment of women within conservative Muslim societies. It investigates the factors that contribute to sexual harassment as well as the impact of informal cultural forces on the experiences of sexual harassment faced by women. The study draws on interviews with 22 women in leadership roles in the voluntary and non-profit sector. Three key themes emerged from the data analysis: Indirect sexual acts, causes of sexual harassment, and coercion, each accompanied by its respective subthemes. The implications of the findings for societal change are discussed, together with limitations and ideas for future research
Delusions: A Project in Understanding
No full textThis chapter gives an illustrated overview of recent philosophical work on the concept of delusion. Drawing on a number of case vignettes, examples are given of the wide range of theories that has been advanced to explain this most challenging of experiences. Some have agreed with the philosophical founder of modern descriptive psychopathology, Karl Jaspers, that delusions are (empathically at least) “ununderstandable.” The large majority, though, has sought to understand delusion in terms of aberrations of one kind or another either of beliefs (or related mental contents such as imaginings) or of the grounds or preconditions for beliefs. As a project in understanding, these theories offer helpful insights. A further group of theories focuses on the agential aspects of delusion as reflected, for example, in their role in the insanity defense. Agential theories converge with the person-centered approaches of contemporary empirical and clinical work on delusion. Such approaches bring an additional level of complexity in the form of delusions that are not pathological but adaptive in the life of the person concerned. As such they show the challenge of understanding delusion to be a project not just of understanding but of mutual understanding
Resexualisation of Older Lesbian and Gay Subjects in Film: an Analysis of ‘Cloudburst’ and ‘Gerontophilia’
No full textOlder people’s sexuality is largely pathologised and framed more in terms of constraint or desexualisation and rarely in terms of pleasure. Given the paucity of literature addressing how older people can resexualise themselves to claim a valid sexual citizenship, this chapter analyses two independent Canadian films, Cloudburst and Gerontophilia to explore the possibilities for the normalisation of old lesbian-identified women (Cloudburst) and gay men (Gerontophilia) as legitimate sexual beings. We argue that resexualisation in both films is achieved through thought and practices open to older lesbian and gay people that challenge desexualisation, subvert stereotypes of sexlessness and involve ways of looking that enable ‘seeing’ of the allure and value of older lesbian and gay selves. Such depictions hold out hope for lesbians and gay men who can report feeling desexualised earlier in life compared to their heterosexual peers
Can mindfulness and self-compassion protect from relational aggression and victimization in college?
Get PDFDespite the importance of peer relationships in college, limited research has explored factors protecting students from the development of relational aggression and victimization, despite evidence of the manifestation of these phenomena. This study explored associations between negative emotional states, mindfulness and self-compassion, and relational aggression and victimization in a sample of college students. It was hypothesized that facets of mindfulness and self-compassion would predict lesser relational aggression/victimization and mediate the relationship between negative emotional states and relational aggression/victimization. A total of 389 university students were recruited from United Kingdom tertiary education institutions completing measures on relational aggression and victimization, mindfulness and self-compassion, and negative emotional states. Using regression analyses, results indicated that mindfulness facets of acting with awareness and nonjudgement negatively predicted relational aggression, while acting with awareness and reverse self-isolation negatively predicted relational victimization. The findings supported the hypothesis that mindfulness facets mediated the relationship between negative emotional states and relational aggression/victimization suggesting that these processes may operate protectively. The study considers research and practice implications in colleges
Bridging Academia and Enterprise: A Framework for Collaborative Success
Get PDFUniversity-enterprise collaboration (UEC) is an essential aspect of research and innovation involving cooperation between universities and industry or other organizations. UEC can lead to economic growth, job creation, and enhanced research outcomes. However, the complexity and diversity of UECs present challenges in developing a practical framework that can guide the development and implementation of such collaborations. The aim of this paper is to develop a UEC framework from the key concepts identified in the literature, which can be adapted to various disciplines/contexts. This research paper is part of an ERASMUS+ project, which aims to strengthen enterprise collaboration for resilient communities in Asia (SECRA). The current paper presents the findings of thematic analysis of existing UEC literature and the resultant conceptual framework. Thematic analysis of eligible literature (N = 84) unveiled four themes and thirty-two sub-themes important to UEC. The proposed UEC framework highlights the importance of several structural, cultural, relational, and material themes and their underpinning concepts for developing successful UECs. The findings can inform future research on UECs, guide UEC practice, and provide the foundations for developing successful UECs. However, further research is needed to test the feasibility and validity of the framework in real-world UEC collaborations and to explore the interactions between different themes, sub-themes, and underlying concepts
Consumers’ perceptions of regulatory food hygiene inspections of restaurants and takeaways
Get PDFPurpose: Foodborne illnesses are often attributed to food services such as restaurants and takeaways. This study aims to investigate consumers’ perceptions of regulatory food hygiene inspections of restaurants and takeaways in UK.
Design: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between November 2024-March 2025, and 750 responses were received. Chi-square test was carried out to identify associations between demographic variables and checking of food hygiene rating or information. Ordered logistic regression was carried out to determine if demographics and eating out and/or takeaway consumption practices affect participants’ level of confidence in local authorities’ (LA) food hygiene inspections of restaurants and takeaways.
Findings: Females, individuals with food hypersensitivities, low-risk appetite, those who experienced food poisoning incidents and had reported food safety concerns to local authorities reported checking food hygiene rating or information more frequently. Our findings also revealed that participants who searched for food hygiene rating or information exhibited increased confidence in recent food hygiene inspections (less than a year).
Originality: This is the first study to explore the relationship between consumer perceptions of food hygiene inspection frequency and their confidence in local authorities’ inspection process. Our findings suggest that both perceived inspection frequency and food hygiene rating or information seeking behaviour can influence consumer confidence in local authorities’ food hygiene inspections.
Practical Implications: Local authorities should emphasise the importance of checking hygiene ratings or information before dining out or purchasing takeaways, especially for vulnerable groups. Although not mandatory, restaurants and takeaways in England and Scotland could make their hygiene ratings or information more visible and accessible to build public trust and encourage greater consumer engagement with food hygiene information. Additionally, public awareness on how food hygiene inspections are conducted and the factors influencing inspection schedules could further enhance consumer confidence in the inspection process
Current Trends in Treating Malignant Pleural Effusion: Evidence, Guidelines, and Best Practice Recommendations
Get PDFMalignant pleural effusion (MPE) is common in individuals with cancer and typically reflects advanced disease. Most cases are symptomatic, with dyspnea and pain having a severe effect on the patient's quality of life (QOL). The management of MPE aims to relieve symptoms, improve QOL, prevent repeated pleural interventions, and minimize hospital admissions. Common treatments for MPE that provide symptomatic relief include thoracentesis, chemical (talc) pleurodesis, or indwelling pleural catheters (IPCs). Talc pleurodesis and IPCs are the mainstay of treatment but represent very different treatment strategies: talc pleurodesis is an inpatient procedure, whereas IPCs are an ambulatory strategy. Given their similar efficacy, treatment decisions in MPE are often determined by other factors, such as the patient's clinical characteristics, individual treatment goals, and preferences for hospital-based or home-based care. We provide a summary of the evidence for different interventions for treating MPE and compare recommendations from the major American, European, British, and Spanish guidelines regarding when to consider each treatment. We highlight specific challenging treatment scenarios and key clinical considerations that may influence treatment decisions for different patients. There are barriers to accessing and receiving evidence-based care. Patients with symptomatic MPE would benefit from early referral from oncology teams to pleural services. We provide best practice recommendations for optimal referral and coordination of care to ensure that patients receive maximum benefits from their interventions
Automated Cybersecurity Compliance and Threat Response Using AI, Blockchain & Smart Contracts
Get PDFTo address the challenges of internal security policy compliance and dynamic threat response in organizations, we present a novel framework that integrates artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and smart contracts. We propose a system that automates the enforcement of security policies, reducing manual effort and potential human error. Utilizing AI, we can analyse cyber threat intelligence rapidly, identify non-compliances and automatically adjust cyber defence mechanisms. Blockchain technology provides an immutable ledger for transparent logging of compliance actions, while smart contracts ensure uniform application of security measures. The framework's effectiveness is demonstrated through simulations, showing improvements in compliance enforcement rates and response times compared to traditional methods. Ultimately, our approach provides for a scalable solution for managing complex security policies, reducing costs and enhancing the efficiency while achieving compliance. Finally, we discuss practical implications and propose future research directions to further refine the system and address implementation challenges
Effectiveness of behaviour change techniques to address barriers to follow-up colonoscopy: results from an online survey and randomised factorial experiment
Get PDFBackground. Non-attendance at colonoscopy is associated with reduced colorectal cancer (CRC) survival.
Purpose. The aim of this research was to quantify barriers to colonoscopy and test the effectiveness of behaviour change techniques (BCTs) to address them.
Methods. Two studies were performed. In the first study, participants were asked to imagine their next CRC screening result was abnormal and were presented with the standard abnormal result letter used in the English CRC Screening Programme. Participants then completed a short survey. Multivariate regression tested associations between perceived barriers and intentions. In the second study, participants were randomly presented with a modified version of the abnormal results letter, which incorporated one or more BCTs, designed to target barriers identified in Study 1, using a 28 factorial design. Participants then completed the same survey used in Study 1. Multivariate regression tested the effectiveness of the BCTs to modify target barriers and intentions.
Results. In Study 1, five items were associated with intentions, namely: ‘Lack of understanding that CRC can be asymptomatic’, ‘Perceived importance of screening’, ‘Transport/travel’, ‘Shared decision making and family influenced participation’ and ‘Fear of pain and discomfort’ (all p’s<0.05). In Study 2, the inclusion of a social support message, targeting ‘shared decision-making and family influenced participation’, facilitated independent decision making and increased intentions (both p’s<0.05). There was no evidence to support the remaining seven BCTs to modify barriers or intentions (all p’s <0.05).
Conclusions. Inclusion of a social support message facilitated independent decision making and improved intentions