The Role of Outcome and Experience in Hypothesis Testing about Food Allergy

It is important to understand the reasoning strategies that health behaviours are based on. Croker and Buchanan (2011b) found that the strategies people use when choosing how to test a hypothesis about oral health are affected by whether the participant is seeking to reproduce a positive outcome (i.e., good health) or eliminate an unwanted outcome (i.e., bad health). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of outcome on reasoning strategies in a food allergy context. Participants with and without food allergy were given hypothesistesting tasks and asked to choose which of three alternative patterns of food consumption could be used to test a hypothesis that a person is allergic to a particular food. Participants were more likely to select a controlled test of the hypothesis that a specific food causes an allergic reaction when a reaction to a food had been observed after eating, than when a reaction had not been observed due to food avoidance. Although the potential severity of making an incorrect choice in a food allergy context is both greater and more proximal than in an oral health context, the same bias in reasoning strategy was found. Logically appropriate hypothesis-testing behaviour may not, therefore, underpin real-world decision making

Epistemological Development of Corporate Social Responsibility: The Evolution Continues

This paper investigates the Corporate Social Responsibility / Corporate Social Performance (‘CSR /CSP’) from its inception to 2013 using a bibliometric technique, to examine its epistemological orientation and to determine whether it is primarily comprised of authors building on each other’s work (‘progressive’) or by the development of alternative constructs (‘variegational’) or whether both orientations exist side-by-side within a dynamic, multidimensional concept. The article takes as its point of departure, de Bakker, Groenewegen & den Hond’s (2005) bibliometric analysis of the epistemological evolution of the CSR concept within the management literature from 1972 to 2002 using a dataset to that time of approximately 500 articles. Since then, the evolving CSR /CSP literature has transitioned the main CSR debate from a ‘whether or not to’ to a ‘how to’ implement CSR debate and the body of literature has grown to over 8,000 articles. The research finds that the progression of the CSR construct is both variegational and progressive and identify that the predominant theoretical theme is based on stakeholder theory. The results of this research, identify that the epistemological evolution of the CSR concept within the recent management literature can be characterized as being both variegational and progressive, adds a valuable contribution to the ongoing and increasing body of knowledge relating to CSR. The results of this study maybe of practical importance to scholars in identifying relevant foci for their future research into the CSR construct

Perceived barriers and benefits to physical activity in colorectal cancer patients

There is emerging evidence for the benefits of physical activity (PA) post-diagnosis for colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors. However, population studies suggest activity levels in these patients are very low. Understanding perceived barriers and benefits to activity is a crucial step in designing effective interventions

Recognising and responding to domestic violence: exploring the role of student dentists

Introduction: The role of student dental practitioners in recognising and responding to domestic violence within a clinical setting has not been investigated previously in Australia. JCU students report feeling ill-prepared for responding appropriately to women who experience domestic violence. An innovative partnership between Dentistry, Social Work and the Regional Domestic Violence Service collaboratively addressed this problem through an educational intervention, which was evaluated by dental student researchers. Aim: To explore dental students’ perceptions of the effectiveness and value of the ‘Recognise and Respond to Domestic Violence’ educational intervention and to inform dental curriculum design. Methods: A participatory approach employed mixed with pre and post intervention surveys and focus groups to identify and document undergraduate dental students’ understanding, perceptions and preparedness for responding appropriately to domestic violence. The intervention involved ‘Recognise and Respond’ workshops delivered by expert facilitators for Dental students in Clinical Years 3 – 5. Knowledge of domestic violence before and after the workshops was compared and contrasted. Focus groups then enriched the evaluation data on the value, effectiveness and clinical application of the intervention. Results: Students’ knowledge regarding domestic violence increased significantly. Focus group data confirmed the value of workshops. Students reported feeling enabled to embed awareness of domestic violence into their clinical practice. Discussion: Although the findings cannot be generalised, they suggest that this socially accountable, educational initiative should not only be embedded into the undergraduate curriculum but would also be valuable for other dental programs. Conclusion: Further strengthening of dental students’ capacity to respond to domestic violence should be developed across the clinical years through authentic learning experiences that provide opportunities to practice techniques and employ strategies introduced in the workshops

Examining solution and solid state composition for the solution mediated polymorphic transformation of carbamazepine and piracetam

peer-reviewedSolution mediated polymorphic transformations (SMPT) of the pharmaceutical compounds carbamazepine and piracetam have been investigated. Seeded transformation experiments were performed, and the solution concentration was monitored by in situ infra-red spectroscopy using a calibration free method. Solid samples were also taken over time, and the percentage of metastable and stable polymorphic phases were determined using off line quantitative powder X-ray diffraction analysis. Solution and solid state data were compared for each compound. In the case of carbamazepine, the SMPT from FI to FIII was identified as being controlled by the growth of the stable FIII polymorph. For piracetam, the SMPT was also identified as being controlled by growth of the stable polymorph, but with a more considerable induction time for nucleation of the stable phase. This paper demonstrates how the rate determining steps of the SMPT can be identified if both solution and solid phase data are recorded. The results are compared with other studies reported in the literature and rationalized into four principal scenarios

Allografts Surviving for 26 to 29 Years Following Living-Related Kidney Transplantation: Analysis by Light Microscopy, In Situ Hybridization for the Y Chromosome, and Anti-HLA Antibodies

We studied seven patients aged 14 to 40 years who received living-related kidney transplants and had allograft survivals of 26 to 29 years. The blood urea and creatinine were either within normal limits or marginally elevated. Histopathologic examination showed only mild mesangial expansion, interstitial fibrosis, and arteriosclerosis. Immunoperoxidase staining with anti-HLA antibodies or in situ hybridization with a Y chromosome probe showed persistence of donor tubular epithelium and vascular endothelium within the graft. Recipient-derived glomerular cells were seen in one case, and interstitial lymphocytic infiltrates were seen in all cases. A review of the clinicopathologic data available for these cases indicated that both central and peripheral immunologic mechanisms contributed to the maintenance of prolonged graft survival. This extended survival was independent of six antigen matching, downregulation of donor HLA antigen expression, and ingrowth of host epithelium/endothelium into the allograft. © 1994, National Kidney Foundation. All rights reserved. All rights reserved

Identifying an avid eating profile in childhood: Associations with temperament, feeding practices and food insecurity

This study aimed to identify distinct eating behaviour profiles in young children and examine how other key predictors of children's eating behaviour, including child temperament, the experience of food insecurity, or parental feeding practices, may vary by identified profiles. An online survey was conducted with 995 parents/carers living in England and Wales (N = 995, Mage = 35.4 years, 80% female, 88% White). Participants reported on their child's eating behaviour using the Child Eating Behaviour Questionnaire and completed measures of child temperament, household food security and parental feeding practices. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was carried out to identify distinct eating profiles amongst the children (36–72 months, Mage = 48.8 months, 52% female). Four eating profiles emerged from the sample of children: (a) avid eating, (b) avoidant eating, (c) happy eating, and (d) typical eating. Avid eating (21.9% of children) was characterised by higher levels of food responsiveness, enjoyment of food, and emotional over-eating in combination with lower satiety responsiveness, slowness in eating and food fussiness. Children with an avid eating profile were reported to be more surgent and experienced greater food insecurity than all other eating profiles. Parents of children belonging to the avid eating profile showed significantly greater use of food for emotional regulation, varied and balanced food provision, restriction of food for health, and restriction of food for weight feeding practices than the three other eating profiles