The architectures of media power: editing, the newsroom, and urban public space

This paper considers the relation of the newsroom and the city as a lens into the more general relation of production spaces and mediated publics. Leading theoretically from Lee and LiPuma’s (2002) notion of ‘cultures of circulation’, and drawing on an ethnography of the Toronto Star, the paper focuses on how media forms circulate and are enacted through particular practices and material settings. With its attention to the urban milieus and orientations of media organizations, this paper exhibits both affinities with but also differences to current interests in the urban architectures of media, which describe and theorize how media get ‘built into’ the urban experience more generally. In looking at editing practices situated in the newsroom, an emphasis is placed on the phenomenological appearance of media forms both as objects for material assembly as well as more abstracted subjects of reflexivity, anticipation and purposiveness. Although this is explored with detailed attention to the settings of the newsroom and the city, the paper seeks to also provide insight into the more general question of how publicness is material shaped and sited

Association between cigarette smoking status and voting intentions: Cross sectional surveys in England 2015-2020

Background and aims: Cigarette smoking takes place within a cultural and social context. Political views and practices are an important part of that context. To gain a better understanding of smoking, it may be helpful to understand its association with voting patterns as an expression of the political views and practices of the population who smoke. This study aimed to assess the association between cigarette smoking and voting intentions and to examine how far any association can be explained by sociodemographic factors and alcohol use. Methods: Pooled monthly representative repeat cross-sectional household surveys of adults (16+) in England (N = 55,482) between 2015 and 2020 were used to assess the association between cigarette smoking status and voting intentions, and whether this was accounted for by age, occupational grade, gender, region and alcohol use. Voting intention was measured by asking ‘How would you vote if there were a General Election tomorrow?’ Respondents chose from a list of the major English political parties or indicated their intention not to vote. Results: In adjusted multinomial regression, compared with intending to vote Conservative (majority party of government during the period), being undecided (aOR1.22 [1.13-1.33] <0.001), intending to vote Labour (aOR1.27 [1.16-1.36] <0.001), to vote “Other” (aOR1.54 [1.37-1.72] <0.001), or not to vote (aOR1.93 [1.77-2.11] <0.001) was associated with higher odds of current relative to never smoking rates. Intending to vote for the Liberal Democrats was associated with a significant lower odds of current smoking prevalence (aOR0.80 [0.70-0.91] <0.001) compared with intending to vote Conservative. Conclusions: Controlling for a range of other factors, current as compared with never-smokers appear more likely to intend not to vote, to be undecided, to vote for Labour or a non-mainstream party, and less likely to vote for the Liberal Democrats, compared with the Conservative party

Superchiral hot-spots in “real” chiral plasmonic structures

Light scattering from chiral plasmonic structures can create near fields with an asymmetry greater than the equivalent circularly polarised light, a property sometimes referred to as superchirality. These near fields with enhanced chiral asymmetries can be exploited for ultrasensitive detection of chiral (bio)molecules. In this combined experimental and numerical modelling study, we demonstrate that superchiral hot-spots are created around structural heterogeneities, such as protrusions and indentations, possessed by all real metal structures. These superchiral hot-spots, have chiral asymmetries greater than what would be expected from an idealised perfect structure. Our work indicates that surface morphology could play a role in determining the efficacy of a chiral structure for sensing

Methodology of a novel risk stratification algorithm for patients with multiple myeloma in the relapsed setting

Introduction Risk stratification tools provide valuable information to inform treatment decisions. Existing algorithms for patients with multiple myeloma (MM) were based on patients with newly diagnosed disease, and these have not been validated in the relapsed setting or in routine clinical practice. We developed a risk stratification algorithm (RSA) for patients with MM at initiation of second-line (2L) treatment, based on data from the Czech Registry of Monoclonal Gammopathies. Methods Predictors of overall survival (OS) at 2L treatment were identified using Cox proportional hazards models and backward selection. Risk scores were obtained by multiplying the hazard ratios for each predictor. The K-adaptive partitioning for survival (KAPS) algorithm defined four groups of stratification based on individual risk scores. Results Performance of the RSA was assessed using Nagelkerke’s R2 test and Harrell’s concordance index through Kaplan–Meier analysis of OS data. Prognostic groups were successfully defined based on real-world data. Use of a multiplicative score based on Cox modeling and KAPS to define cut-off values was effective. Conclusion Through innovative methods of risk assessment and collaboration between physicians and statisticians, the RSA was capable of stratifying patients at 2L treatment by survival expectations. This approach can be used to develop clinical decision-making tools in other disease areas to improve patient management

Visual Causality: Investigating Graph Layouts for Understanding Causal Processes

Causal diagrams provide a graphical formalism indicating how statistical models can be used to study causal processes. Despite the extensive research on the efficacy of aesthetic graphic layouts, the causal inference domain has not benefited from the results of this research. In this paper, we investigate the performance of graph visualisations for supporting users’ understanding of causal graphs. Two studies were conducted to compare graph visualisations for understanding causation and identifying confounding variables in a causal graph. The first study results suggest that while adjacency matrix layouts are better for understanding direct causation, node-link diagrams are better for understanding mediated causation along causal paths. The second study revealed that node-link layouts, and in particular layouts created by a radial algorithm, are more effective for identifying confounder and collider variables

Cultivating reflexive research practice when using participants’ photographs as research data

This chapter reflects on a study exploring the development of a feminist consciousness. During the interviews participants were invited to share photographs that were significant to their feminist becoming. Various ethical and methodological challenges arose through the use of visual data, in particular the ethics of the interpretation and dissemination of participants’ personal photographs. Both issues were highlighted and addressed through reflexive research practice, which exposed how the researcher’s reaction to and feelings about the photographs impacted upon how they were interpreted and shared. Reflexivity demands that researchers interrogate their research choices and is essential for ethical and rigorous research. This chapter argues that visual methods, whilst posing new ethical challenges, can enhance the reflexive research practice necessary for responding to and navigating its challenges

Fairy tale tourism: the architectural projection mapping of magically real and irreal festival lightscapes

This paper explores how established light festivals such as the Fête des Lumières in Lyon and Lumiere in Durham were first conceived by Robert-Houdin as illusory illuminations in the Loire in the 1950s. The research investigates the concept of spectacles as inversions of reality; re-situating light works within authenticity theory by exploring their manipulation of magical reality and irreality. The research uses the authors’ experience of event design to assess different interactions of light with the tri-dimensional architectural canvas, suggesting three classifications of animated projection mapping events: architecturally passive, architecturally physically active and architecturally metaphysically active. Each category has implications for how spectators perceive these installations. Architecturally passive events may use fairy tale content, evoking atavistic and affective responses, the ‘skinning’ of buildings with magical reality is designed to evoke perceptual duality, and the wobbling unfolding of irreality may ultimately create a state of ‘illuminated flow.

Development of the Galaxy Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Model Using Data from ECLIPSE: Internal Validation of a Linked-Equations Cohort Model

BACKGROUND: The recent joint International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research / Society for Medical Decision Making Modeling Good Research Practices Task Force emphasized the importance of conceptualizing and validating models. We report a new model of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (part of the Galaxy project) founded on a conceptual model, implemented using a novel linked-equation approach, and internally validated. METHODS: An expert panel developed a conceptual model including causal relationships between disease attributes, progression, and final outcomes. Risk equations describing these relationships were estimated using data from the Evaluation of COPD Longitudinally to Identify Predictive Surrogate Endpoints (ECLIPSE) study, with costs estimated from the TOwards a Revolution in COPD Health (TORCH) study. Implementation as a linked-equation model enabled direct estimation of health service costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) for COPD patients over their lifetimes. Internal validation compared 3 years of predicted cohort experience with ECLIPSE results. RESULTS: At 3 years, the Galaxy COPD model predictions of annual exacerbation rate and annual decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second fell within the ECLIPSE data confidence limits, although 3-year overall survival was outside the observed confidence limits. Projections of the risk equations over time permitted extrapolation to patient lifetimes. Averaging the predicted cost/QALY outcomes for the different patients within the ECLIPSE cohort gives an estimated lifetime cost of £25,214 (undiscounted)/£20,318 (discounted) and lifetime QALYs of 6.45 (undiscounted/5.24 [discounted]) per ECLIPSE patient. CONCLUSIONS: A new form of model for COPD was conceptualized, implemented, and internally validated, based on a series of linked equations using epidemiological data (ECLIPSE) and cost data (TORCH). This Galaxy model predicts COPD outcomes from treatment effects on disease attributes such as lung function, exacerbations, symptoms, or exercise capacity; further external validation is required

Feasibility and acceptability of a motivational interviewing breastfeeding peer support intervention

An uncontrolled study with process evaluation was conducted in three U.K. community maternity sites to establish the feasibility and acceptability of delivering a novel breastfeeding peer-support intervention informed by motivational interviewing (MI; Mam-Kind). Peer-supporters were trained to deliver the Mam-Kind intervention that provided intensive one-to-one peer-support, including (a) antenatal contact, (b) face-to-face contact within 48 hr of birth, (c) proactive (peer-supporter led) alternate day contact for 2 weeks after birth, and (d) mother-led contact for a further 6 weeks. Peer-supporters completed structured diaries and audio-recorded face-to-face sessions with mothers. Semistructured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of mothers, health professionals, and all peer-supporters. Interview data were analysed thematically to assess intervention acceptability. Audio-recorded peer-support sessions were assessed for intervention fidelity and the use of MI techniques, using the MITI 4.2 tool. Eight peer-supporters delivered the Mam-Kind intervention to 70 mothers in three National Health Service maternity services. Qualitative interviews with mothers (n = 28), peer-supporters (n = 8), and health professionals (n = 12) indicated that the intervention was acceptable, and health professionals felt it could be integrated with existing services. There was high fidelity to intervention content; 93% of intervention objectives were met during sessions. However, peer-supporters reported difficulties in adapting from an expert-by-experience role to a collaborative role. We have established the feasibility and acceptability of providing breastfeeding peer-support using a MI-informed approach. Refinement of the intervention is needed to further develop peer-supporters' skills in providing mother-centred support. The refined intervention should be tested for effectiveness in a randomised controlled trial