Exploring former collegiate women athletes' experiences of emotional abuse in the coach-athlete relationship

Includes bibliographical references.2022 Fall.Historically, sport has been regarded as inherently good and beneficial in a variety of individual and societal domains; however, more recent research has begun to challenge this idea by examining one pervasive, negative practice within sport, emotionally abusive coaching practices. Emotionally abusive coaching practices are associated with a host of negative psychological, emotional, physical, social, educational, and sporting outcomes, with some lasting years after the athlete has left the competitive sporting role. Much of the literature examining the emotional abuse of athletes has focused on elite child athletes in Canada and the United Kingdom, with little to no research conducted in the United States (US) or on elite adult athletes. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively examine women athletes' perceptions of emotional abuse from a coach who is a man, the impact of emotional abuse on mental well-being and athletic performance, and the potential implications of power on athletes' perspectives and ability to report the abuse within collegiate sport in the United States. This study also aimed to examine the post-traumatic growth experiences, or lack thereof, in the years following the participants' exits from collegiate sport. Due to the relatively new and exploratory nature of this study, a qualitative approach was taken with a symbolic interactionist approach to grounded theory. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 8 former collegiate women athletes with 1-5 years distance from the competitive sporting role. Data was analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding techniques with adherence to the constant comparative method to ensure theoretical saturation. An additional coder was employed to ensure inter-coder reliability in data analysis. Three themes were identified in alignment with the research questions; the first being the impact on athletes during and after their athletic careers, the second being the ways that athletes made sense of their experiences, and the third being the post-traumatic growth experiences reported. Findings demonstrated that emotionally abusive coaching practices are associated with a variety of negative short- and long-term outcomes for former collegiate women athletes in the United States. Moreover, the perceived power held by the coach impacted the ways that athletes made sense of their experiences. Finally, post-traumatic growth experiences were observed in all athletes studied. This study highlights the detrimental impact of emotionally abusive coaching practices on athletes and reinforces the need for athlete protection mechanisms in collegiate sport in the United States

Creative Business in Australia Learnings from the Creative Industries Innovation Centre, 2009 To 2015

As the largest ever Australian government investment in creative industries development, the Creative Industries Innovation Centre delivered tailored business services to more than 1500 creative businesses from 2009 to 2015 and provided industry intelligence and advice for public policy and peak sectoral activity. This collection gives an overview of the current ‘state of business’ in Australia’s creative industries – both as an industry sector in its own right and as an enabling sector and skills set for other industries – and reflects on business needs, creative industries policy and support services for the sector. With contributions from the Centre’s team of senior business advisers and from leading Australian researchers who worked closely with the Centre –including experts on design-led innovation and the creative economy – and case studies of leading Australia creative businesses, the book is intended as and industry-relevant contribution to business development and public policy

Topology of the Galaxy Distribution in the Hubble Deep Fields

We have studied topology of the distribution of the high redshift galaxies identified in the Hubble Deep Field (HDF) North and South. The two-dimensional genus is measured from the projected distributions of the HDF galaxies at angular scales from $3.8''$ to $6.1''$. We have also divided the samples into three redshift slices with roughly equal number of galaxies using photometric redshifts to see possible evolutionary effects on the topology. The genus curve of the HDF North clearly indicates clustering of galaxies over the Poisson distribution while the clustering is somewhat weaker in the HDF South. This clustering is mainly due to the nearer galaxies in the samples. We have also found that the genus curve of galaxies in the HDF is consistent with the Gaussian random phase distribution with no significant redshift dependence.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Ap

Oxidative stress dependent microRNA-34a activation via PI3Kα reduces the expression of sirtuin-1 and sirtuin-6 in epithelial cells

Sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) and SIRT6, NAD(+)-dependent Class III protein deacetylases, are putative anti-aging enzymes, down-regulated in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is characterized by the accelerated ageing of the lung and associated with increased oxidative stress. Here, we show that oxidative stress (hydrogen peroxide) selectively elevates microRNA-34a (miR-34a) but not the related miR-34b/c, with concomitant reduction of SIRT1/-6 in bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS2B), which was also observed in peripheral lung samples from patients with COPD. Over-expression of a miR-34a mimic caused a significant reduction in both mRNA and protein of SIRT1/-6, whereas inhibition of miR-34a (antagomir) increased these sirtuins. Induction of miR-34a expression with H2O2 was phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K) dependent as it was associated with PI3Kα activation as well as phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) reduction. Importantly, miR-34a antagomirs increased SIRT1/-6 mRNA levels, whilst decreasing markers of cellular senescence in airway epithelial cells from COPD patients, suggesting that this process is reversible. Other sirtuin isoforms were not affected by miR-34a. Our data indicate that miR-34a is induced by oxidative stress via PI3K signaling, and orchestrates ageing responses under oxidative stress, therefore highlighting miR-34a as a new therapeutic target and biomarker in COPD and other oxidative stress-driven aging diseases

Formality and informality in the summative assessment of motor vehicle apprentices: a case study

This article explores the interaction of formal and informal attributes of competence‐based assessment. Specifically, it presents evidence from a small qualitative case study of summative assessment practices for competence‐based qualifications within apprenticeships in the motor industry in England. The data are analysed through applying an adaptation of a framework for exploring the interplay of formality and informality in learning. This analysis reveals informal mentoring as a significant element which influences not only the process of assessment, but also its outcomes. We offer different possible interpretations of the data and their analysis, and conclude that, whichever interpretation is adopted, there appears to be a need for greater capacity‐building for assessors at a local level. This could acknowledge a more holistic role for assessors; recognise the importance of assessors’ informal practices in the formal retention and achievement of apprentices; and enhance awareness of inequalities that may be reinforced by both informal and formal attributes of assessment practices

Collaboration and contestation in further and higher education partnerships in England: a Bourdieusian field analysis

Internationally, ‘College for All’ policies are creating new forms of vocational higher education (HE), and shifting relationships between HE and further education (FE) institutions. In this paper, we consider the way in which this is being implemented in England, drawing on a detailed qualitative case study of a regional HE–FE partnership to widen participation. We focus on the complex mix of collaboration and contestation that arose within it, and how these affected socially differentiated groups of students following high- and low-status routes through its provision. We outline Bourdieu’s concept of ‘field’ as a framework for our analysis and interpretation, including its theoretical ambiguities regarding the definition and scale of fields. Through hermeneutic dialogue between data and theory, we tentatively suggest that such partnerships represent bridges between HE and FE. These bridges are strong between higher-status institutions, but highly contested between lower-status institutions competing closely for distinction. We conclude that the trajectories and outcomes for socially disadvantaged students require attention and collective action to address the inequalities they face, and that our theoretical approach may have wider international relevance beyond the English case

Challenges to enabling and implementing Natural Flood Management in Scotland

The research for this paper was supported by the Scottish Government RESAS Strategic Research Programme 2011–2016.We explore factors that constrain implementation of Natural Flood Management (NFM), based on qualitative analysis of interviews with those influencing and enabling flood risk management in Scotland. NFM entails collaboration by multiple individuals and organisations to plan and deliver measures such as re-meandering or buffer strips. Our interviewees identified many interacting issues. They particularly focused on difficulties in securing resources, and evidence gaps and uncertainties associated with NFM. Co-ordination was not simple, often requiring new types of skill, expertise, and resources. NFM is thus outside the ‘comfort zone’ of many leading or engaged with flood risk management. These experiences echo and elaborate on other studies of attempts to encourage sustainable flood management. To tackle these challenges, practitioners should reflect how pre-existing ideas and practices may shape and constrain new approaches to managing floods, while research is needed on specific strategies that can assist in enabling change.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Human schistosomiasis

Human schistosomiasis-or bilharzia-is a parasitic disease caused by trematode fl ukes of the genus Schistosoma. By conservative estimates, at least 230 million people worldwide are infected with Schistosoma spp. Adult schistosome worms colonise human blood vessels for years, successfully evading the immune system while excreting hundreds to thousands of eggs daily, which must either leave the body in excreta or become trapped in nearby tissues. Trapped eggs induce a distinct immune-mediated granulomatous response that causes local and systemic pathological eff ects ranging from anaemia, growth stunting, impaired cognition, and decreased physical fi tness, to organ-specifi c eff ects such as severe hepatosplenism, periportal fi brosis with portal hypertension, and urogenital infl ammation and scarring. At present, preventive public health measures in endemic regions consist of treatment once every 1 or 2 years with the isoquinolinone drug, praziquantel, to suppress morbidity. In some locations, elimination of transmission is now the goal; however, more sensitive diagnostics are needed in both the fi eld and clinics, and integrated environmental and health-care management will be needed to ensure elimination. © Chataway et al. Open Access article distributed under the terms of CC BY