A qualitative perspective on multiple health behaviour change: views of smoking cessation advisors who promote physical activity

There are mixed views on whether smoking cessation advisors should focus only on quitting smoking or also promote simultaneous health behaviour changes (e.g. diet, physical activity), but no studies have qualitatively examined the views and vicarious experiences of such health professionals. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 trained smoking cessation advisors who promote physical activity to their clients. The data were categorised into themes using thematic analysis supported by qualitative data analysis software. We report themes that were related to why advisors promote multiple health behaviour change and issues in timing. Physical activity could be promoted as a cessation aid and also as part of a holistic lifestyle change consistent with a non-smoker identity, thereby increasing feelings of control and addressing fear of weight gain. Multiple changes were promoted pre-quit, simultaneously and post-quit, and advisors asserted that it is important to focus on the needs and capabilities of individual clients when deciding how to time multiple changes. Also, suggesting that PA was a useful and easily performed cessation aid rather than a new behaviour (i.e. structured exercise that may seem irrelevant) may help some clients to avoid a sense of overload

iRFP is a real time marker for transformation based assays in high content screening

Anchorage independent growth is one of the hallmarks of oncogenic transformation. Here we show that infrared fluorescent protein (iRFP) based assays allow accurate and unbiased determination of colony formation and anchorage independent growth over time. This protocol is particularly compatible with high throughput systems, in contrast to traditional methods which are often labor-intensive, subjective to bias and do not allow further analysis using the same cells. Transformation in a single layer soft agar assay could be documented as early as 2 to 3 days in a 96 well format, which can be easily combined with standard transfection, infection and compound screening setups to allow for high throughput screening to identify therapeutic targets

Development of an inducible mouse model of iRFP713 to track recombinase activity and tumour development in vivo

While the use of bioluminescent proteins for molecular imaging is a powerful technology to further our understanding of complex processes, fluorescent labeling with visible light fluorescent proteins such as GFP and RFP suffers from poor tissue penetration and high background autofluorescence. To overcome these limitations, we generated an inducible knock-in mouse model of iRFP713. This model was used to assess Cre activity in a Rosa Cre-ER background and quantify Cre activity upon different tamoxifen treatments in several organs. We also show that iRFP can be readily detected in 3D organoid cultures, FACS analysis and in vivo tumour models. Taken together we demonstrate that iRFP713 is a progressive step in in vivo imaging and analysis that widens the optical imaging window to the near-infrared spectrum, thereby allowing deeper tissue penetration, quicker image acquisition without the need to inject substrates and a better signal to background ratio in genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs)

Violating Social Norms when Choosing Friends: How Rule-Breakers Affect Social Networks

Social networks rely on basic rules of conduct to yield functioning societies in both human and animal populations. As individuals follow established rules, their behavioral decisions shape the social network and give it structure. Using dynamic, self-organizing social network models we demonstrate that defying conventions in a social system can affect multiple levels of social and organizational success independently. Such actions primarily affect actors' own positions within the network, but individuals can also affect the overall structure of a network even without immediately affecting themselves or others. These results indicate that defying the established social norms can help individuals to change the properties of a social system via seemingly neutral behaviors, highlighting the power of rule-breaking behavior to transform convention-based societies, even before direct impacts on individuals can be measured

Proposing a Research Model for Slot Machine Usage

In this article, we combine the Technology Acceptance Model with social psychology research to propose a research model for slot machine usage. More specifically, we postulate positive influences of Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Enjoyment, Perceived Ease of Use, and Perceived Belonging on the Actual System Use of slot machines. Overall, we provide an interdisciplinary view on slot machine usage behavior that promises important practical implications for operators. Foremost, if confirmed, our hypotheses would suggest that operators need to focus on both utilitarian and hedonic aspects when designing/choosing their slot machines or gambling halls, and that they need to focus on factors driving people’s Perceived Belonging, such as friendly waitpersons, in order to (indirectly) drive the usage of slot machines

Effects of Handling on Hatchability of Eggs of the Leatherback Turtle, Dermochelys coriacea (L.)

The infertility rate among clutches of leatherback sea turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) eggs incubated in the hatchery at Rantau A bang, Malaysia is estimated at 22%. Variance in hatchability among fertile clutches ranges from 35.7- 96. 7% (x = 78%) for eggs handled with maximum care. For such eggs hatchability did not show a correlation with the time between oviposition and reburial. Leatherback eggs can tolerate rough handling only up to 5 hours after oviposition. Beyond this threshold, careful handling to prevent rolling, bumping, rotation and disorientation of the vertical axis will enhance hatch rates

Readiness to use physical activity as a smoking cessation aid: a multiple behaviour change application of the Transtheoretical Model among quitters attending Stop Smoking Clinics

Objective: Physical activity (PA) reduces cigarette cravings during smoking abstinence. However, little is known about quitters’ use of PA. This study aimed to: (1) determine the extent of quitters’ past and current use of PA as a cessation aid, while attempting to quit; (2) examine the relationship between use of PA and quitter characteristics and cognitions, within the Transtheoretical Model framework. Methods: Self-report surveys were completed by 181 smokers attending Stop Smoking Services in England and Scotland. Results: Twenty-two percent of quitters reported currently using PA to control their smoking, and 35% had used it during a previous quit attempt. Those in a more advanced stage of readiness for using PA as a cessation aid, held more positive beliefs regarding self-efficacy and outcome efficacy. Conclusion: Quitters were more likely to use PA to help them quit when they had greater belief in their own ability to use PA and in the efficacy of PA to help them to quit, and were also meeting weekly PA targets for health. Practice implications: Strategies by stop smoking advisors that aim to enhance client self-efficacy and outcome efficacy beliefs regarding PA as a cessation aid may help to increase the use of this behavioural strategy, since it seems that most quitters do not use PA