Systems Thinking: The Organisation as a Living System

Systems thinking is a paradigm that challenges the dominant paradigm of linear, or mechanistic thinking. It is a paradigm based on the perspective that everything in a system is inter-connected and interrelated and that the interplay of components in the system creates an emergent quality with its own behaviour and characteristics. Systems thinking as such is suited to be used for analysis of organisations, as organisations can be seen as a system where the interplay of its components create emergent qualities such as the culture of the organisation. Within systems thinking there are living and non-living systems. Living systems, such as humans and nature, are in a state of non-equilibrium which they maintain by interacting with their environment. Living systems have certain principles, which can be observed in nature and should theoretically be applicable to other living systems, such as groups of humans working in organisations together. This paper proposes a model for applying four principles of living systems using a systems thinking lens in an organisational setting. This is set in the context of how we construct knowledge and new models of thinking to create authentic ways of leading

A novel role for Adenomatous Polyposis Coli protein in the transport of mitochondria

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli (APC) is a multifunctional tumour suppressor protein, contributing to pathways in normal cell growth and differentiation. APC gene mutation is one of the earliest events in the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC), and typically gives rise to a truncated protein lacking C-terminal sequences, initiating deregulation of key cellular pathways. This thesis describes a new role for APC in mitochondrial transport. Silencing of wild-type APC by siRNA induced a redistribution of mitochondria from the cell periphery to the perinuclear region. Subsequently, novel interactions for APC were identified at the mitochondria with kinesin-motor complex proteins Miro/Milton. These interactions were mapped to the C-terminus of APC, correlating with defective mitochondrial transport and loss of Miro/Milton binding in CRC cells, which were restored by reconstitution of wild-type APC. Analysis by live cell imaging showed that loss of APC slowed the frequency of mitochondrial anterograde transport towards the cell periphery. It is proposed that APC drives mitochondria to the membrane to supply energy required for directed cell migration, a process disrupted in CRC. This opens up a new route through which CRC-associated APC mutations may contribute to carcinogenesis

A novel role for Adenomatous Polyposis Coli protein in the transport of mitochondria

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli (APC) is a multifunctional tumour suppressor protein, contributing to pathways in normal cell growth and differentiation. APC gene mutation is one of the earliest events in the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC), and typically gives rise to a truncated protein lacking C-terminal sequences, initiating deregulation of key cellular pathways. This thesis describes a new role for APC in mitochondrial transport. Silencing of wild-type APC by siRNA induced a redistribution of mitochondria from the cell periphery to the perinuclear region. Subsequently, novel interactions for APC were identified at the mitochondria with kinesin-motor complex proteins Miro/Milton. These interactions were mapped to the C-terminus of APC, correlating with defective mitochondrial transport and loss of Miro/Milton binding in CRC cells, which were restored by reconstitution of wild-type APC. Analysis by live cell imaging showed that loss of APC slowed the frequency of mitochondrial anterograde transport towards the cell periphery. It is proposed that APC drives mitochondria to the membrane to supply energy required for directed cell migration, a process disrupted in CRC. This opens up a new route through which CRC-associated APC mutations may contribute to carcinogenesis

Through a different lens: Adolescent sexual health in the context of gender, the body, close relationships and well-being

Psychological research on adolescent sexuality has been typified by a focus on risk, biology and female experience. The overarching objective of the current two-part study was to incorporate an analysis of gender and embodiment into our knowledge of adolescent sexuality. This goal was achieved by collecting both quantitative and qualitative data from a sample of 170 Canadian adolescents (81 boys, 89 girls; Mean age= 15.82 years). Participants completed computerized questionnaires assessing self-reported gender role expectations, sexual attitudes, body-esteem, sexual subjectivity, well-being and experiences in close relationships. A subset of the sample (n = 40; 20 girls and 20 boys) was randomly chosen for participation in semi-structured interviews about sexuality, sexual relationships and sexual norms within the school culture. The quantitative data were analyzed using structural equation modeling in MPlus; the interview data were analyzed using thematic analysis. In the first study, we examined how the interplay of heterosexuality and gender produces differences in socially constructed experiences of sexuality. In particular, we examined associations between gender role expectations, sexual attitudes, sexual subjectivity and emotional/social well-being. We also analyzed adolescents’ descriptions of gendered norms for sexual behaviour in their school. Overall, results provided support for the gender similarities hypothesis (Hyde, 2005), however, gender differences in attitudes toward sexual permissiveness impacted many aspects of adolescent personal and interpersonal well-being. In Study 2 explored how sexuality becomes woven into personal and interpersonal experiences of embodiment; specifically, we examined associations between sexual attitudes, body esteem, sexual subjectivity and close relationships. We also analyzed adolescents’ narratives about sexual attraction, desire and pleasure. Results revealed gendered processes of sexual embodiment, namely sexual objectification and subjectification and gender differences in the relationships between sexual permissiveness and body esteem. Taken as a whole, findings provide important new knowledge toward the development of holistic sexuality development programs

Gender identity and well-being in early adolescence : exploring the roles of peer culture and the gender composition of the school context

Research on gender development draws on two principal hypotheses: gender is a multi-dimensional construct and gender develops within social contexts. The present study examines the associations between gender identity, peer acceptance and self-worth across two contexts, single-sex (all-girls) and mixed-sex schools. The investigation examined whether peer relations mediate the association between gender identity and self-worth and whether type of school moderates the association between gender identity and peer relations. Early adolescents (N = 676, mean age = 10.13 years) rated their gender typicality, felt pressure to conform, social competence and self-worth and indicated which of their peers was a friend. We present competing theories, one favouring a stronger association between gender identity and peer acceptance for the girls in the all-girls schools, the other for the girls in the mixed-sex schools. We hypothesized that the associations between gender identity and peer acceptance would be higher for the boys as compared to girls in the mixed-sex schools. We expected our mediational model to be applicable to all groups. Multi-group structural equation modeling was used. Mediation was found in the case of the girls in the all-girls schools. Higher typicality was related to higher social competence in the all-girls schools while the inverse was true for the girls in the mixed-sex schools. This study provides further evidence for the conceptualization of gender within a social context. It highlights the importance of the association between gender identity and social competence, which has a strong impact on well-being

Predictors of and barriers to service use for children at risk of ADHD: longitudinal study

Objective Many children with, or at risk of, ADHD do not receive healthcare services for their difficulties. This longitudinal study investigates barriers to and predictors of specialist health service use. Methods This is a five year follow-up study of children who participated in a cluster randomised controlled trial, which investigated school-level interventions (provision of books with evidence-based information and/or feedback of names of children) for children at risk of ADHD. 162 children who had high levels of ADHD symptoms at age 5 (baseline) were followed up at age 10 years. Using baseline data and follow-up information collected from parents and teachers, children who had and had not used specialist health services over the follow-up period were compared and predictors (symptom severity, comorbid problems, parental perception of burden, parental mental health, and socio-demographic factors) of specialist service use investigated. Results The most common parent-reported barrier reflected lack of information about who could help. Amongst children using specialist health services who met criteria for ADHD at follow-up, 36% had been prescribed stimulant medication. Specialist health service use was associated with each one-point increase in teacher-rated symptoms at baseline (inattention symptoms (adjusted OR = 1.40; 95% CI 1.12-1.76) and hyperactivity/impulsivity symptoms (adjusted OR = 1.23; 95% CI 1.05-1.44)). Parental mental health problems were also independently associated with service use (for each one-point increase in symptoms, adjusted OR = 1.41; 95% CI 1.04-1.91). Conclusions Severity of teacher-rated ADHD symptoms in early school years is a determinant of subsequent service use. Clinicians and teachers should be aware that parental mental health problems are independently associated with service use for children at risk of ADHD

The use of a 3D Avatar to determine the association between actual and perceived body mass index

Introduction: Literature surrounding body image, body composition and Body Mass Index (BMI) have shown that when participant use visual impressions, they can often lead to a false sense of weight status. Therefore, the main objectives of this investigation was to determine participants BMI and to establish the correlation between actual and perceived BMI. Method: n = 32 female participants ( ± s; body mass = 70.1 ± 13.6 kg, stretched stature = 172.4 ± 8.1 cm) were recruited. A computer generated (Unity Player) 3D Avatar rotated 3600 and permitted a visual slide from an underweight to average to obese continuum. Stretched stature (m) and body mass (kg) was taken and values used to calculate BMI (kg/m2). P value was set at (P<0.001) and a Paired t-Test was used to test for the difference and Pearson's Correlation Coefficient was used to test for the strength of the association between the actual and perceived BMI. Results: Perceived BMI ranged from 16.5 – 32.5 ( 23.5± 4.1), whereas the actual BMI ranged from 17.7 – 31.3 ( 24.3± 3.7). A Paired t-test and Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient found values ranged from -5.3 and 8.6 ( - 0.2± 2.5) and a value of t = 0.81 and r = 0.68 suggesting a significant difference between actual and perceived BMI (P < 0.001). Discussion: This investigation reports that perceived BMI was higher than the participants actual BMI and that the use of visual impressions led to a false sense of weight status. Recommendations: Further research is necessary to investigate the reasons behind these perceived versus actual differences and the creation of a 3D Avatar for male participants and younger populations would be beneficial

Impact of historic sediment characterisation on predicting polychaete distributions: a case study of so-called muddy habitat shovelhead worms (Annelida: Magelonidae)

Shovelhead worms are common polychaetes around the British Isles and have been recorded in numerous ecological surveys. Yet, understanding of their habitat conditions is poor, based heavily on visual observations of sediments from historical records. In this study, the drivers of abundance and geographical distribution of two morphologically and behaviourally diverse species Magelona alleni and Magelona minuta are investigated by reanalysing sediment characteristics and depths from museum marine monitoring surveys. Although both species are historically associated with muddy sediments, the records herein suggest that M. alleni occurs in an extensive range of sediments, but is more abundant at localities with more than 25% sand. In comparison, M. minuta shows a negative linear relationship between grain diameter and abundance, corroborating previous work that the species is abundant in fine-grained mud. The depth records show that while M. alleni predominates below 60 m, M. minuta is a distinct offshore species. These differences may be attributed to the interspecific variation in morphology and motility between the species: M. alleni is stout and tube-dwelling, while M. minuta is fragile, small, and fairly motile. To corroborate these findings, sediment grains from tubes of M. alleni were classified using the Udden–Wentworth grain size scale and suggest sand is the key component for tube construction. Overall, this study highlights that sediment parameters for M. alleni have been misinterpreted and generalised in historical records, emphasising the importance of quantitative sediment analysis in defining the habitat of Magelona

Self-Perceived versus actual Body Mass Index using a 3D Avatar

Introduction: Literature surrounding, body image, body composition and Body Mass Index (BMI) have shown that there is a huge under-diagnosis for both children and adults being overweight (Lemay et al., 2003), further demonstrating that improvement in the diagnosis of overweight is needed (Perrin, Flower & Ammerman, 2004). Previous research have incorporated both perceived body image (PBI) and measured BMI, have reported that there has been an underestimation of BMI through PBI (Madrigal et al., 2000). Therefore, the main objectives of this investigation was to determine participants BMI, investigate participants perceived BMI and finally to establish the correlation between actual and perceived. BMI. Methods: n = 20 female participants ( ± s; weight = 68.1 ± 12.4 kg, height = 168.9 ± 7.6 cm) were recruited from the same University. Participants were over 18 years of age were selected using the convenient sampling technique and gave their informed consent and were aware of their right to withdraw. A quantitative research design was adopted alongside the use of a computer generated (Unity Player) ‘Avatar’. P value was set at (P<0.001), Paired t-test and Pearson's Correlation Coefficient (r) was used to test for the strength and significance between the actual and perceived BMI. Results: Results indicated that perceived BMI ranged from 16.5-29.0 with an average of 23.4 (± 3.6). Whereas the actual BMI ranged from 17.7-31.3 with an average of 23.7 (± 3.6). t = 0.64 and r = 0.67 were found, suggesting a significant difference (P <0.003) between the actual and perceived BMI. Conclusion: This investigation has found that it contradicts findings from Madrigal et al., (2000) where there was often an underestimation of perceived BMI within females, whereas it is in agreement with research conducted by Caccamese, Kolodner & Wright (2002) who also discovered that the use of visual impressions often led to a false sense of weight status. These results suggests that perceived BMI was higher than the participants actual BMI, however, further research is necessary to investigate the reasons behind these perceived versus actual differences

Punnett Square or Protein Production? The Expert-Novice Divide for Conceptions of Genes and Gene Expression

Concepts of molecular biology and genetics are difficult for many biology undergraduate students to master yet are crucial for deep understanding of how life works. By asking students to draw their ideas, we attempted to uncover the mental models about genes and gene expression held by biology students (n = 23) and experts (n = 18) using semistructured interviews. A large divide was identified between novice and expert conceptions. While experts typically drew box-and-line representations and thought about genes as regions of DNA that were used to encode products, students typically drew whole chromosomes rather than focusing on gene structure and conflated gene expression with simple phenotypic outcomes. Experts universally described gene expression as a set of molecular processes involving transcription and translation, whereas students often associated gene expression with Punnett squares and phenotypic outcomes. Follow-up survey data containing a ranking question confirmed students’ alignment of their mental models with the images uncovered during interviews (n = 156 undergraduate biology students) and indicated that Advanced students demonstrate a shift toward expert-like thinking. An analysis of 14 commonly used biology textbooks did not show any relationship between Punnett squares and discussions of gene expression, so it is doubtful students’ ideas originate directly from textbook reading assignments. Our findings add to the literature about mechanistic reasoning abilities of learners and provide new insights into how biology students think about genes and gene expression