Revisiting the disciplinary home of evaluation: New perspectives to inform PR evaluation standards

From historical analysis of the early development of public relations evaluation (early 1980s to the early 2000s), this paper shows that public relations scholarship and practice have drawn heavily on media and communication studies in developing models and methods of evaluation, but have not significantly engaged with the large related body of knowledge on program evaluation. While communication and media studies are logical and formative disciplinary homes for public relations (PR), this paper argues that PR is a transdisciplinary field and that program evaluation is a mostly overlooked source of influence and heritage in relation to evaluation. This analysis presents evidence that a disciplinary ‘home visit’ to program evaluation, which nestles within program theory and theory of change, offers much to overcome the long-standing stasis in PR evaluation and to inform the search for standards

Insights from Industry Leaders: A Maturity Model for Strengthening Communication Measurement and Evaluation

Much scholarship has been devoted to identifying barriers that prevent the advancement of communication measurement and evaluation. This research focuses on the characteristics, objectives, and practices of chief communication officers (CCOs) with successful measurement and evaluation programs. Three key dimensions of practice emerged from in-depth interviews: communication executives’ measurement practices and evaluation programs were used to adjust communication strategies; were aligned with other business units; and were integrated with business priority plans. Interviewees also focused on the ability of communication measurement practices and evaluation programs to provide insights for executives, to align communication with the work of other business units, and to connect the organization with the outside environment and stakeholders. This study extends strategic communication scholarship by discussing how overcoming barriers and advancing measurement and evaluation work relates to roles adopted by organizational leaders. This article also offers a preliminary, scalable maturity model that aids in the development, formalization, and optimization of strategic communication measurement and evaluation. This study demonstrates the capacity for communication evaluation to overcome perceived barriers, realize appropriate stature with organizations, and grow communication functions accordingly

Functional Characterization of a Putative Disaccharide Membrane Transporter in Crustacean Intestine

The mechanisms of transepithelial absorption of dietary sucrose in the American lobster, Homarus americanus, were investigated in this study to determine whether sugars can be transported across an animal gut intact or as monosaccharides following hydrolysis. Lobster intestine was isolated and mounted in a perfusion chamber to characterize the mechanisms of mucosal to serosal (MS) 14C -sucrose transport across the intestine MS fluxes were measured by adding varying concentrations of 14C-sucrose to the perfusate which resulted in a hyperbolic curve following Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The kinetic constants of the proposed sucrose transporter were KM = 15.84 ± 1.81 µM and Jmax = 2.32 ± 0.07 ρmol cm-2min-1. The accumulation of 14C-sucrose in the bath in the presence of inhibitors, phloretin, phloridzin, and trehalose was observed. Inhibitory analysis showed that phloridzin, an inhibitor of Na+-dependent mucosal glucose transport, decreased MS 14C-sucrose transport suggesting that MS 14C-sucrose radioactive flux may partially involve an SGLT-1-like transporter. Phloretin, a known inhibitor of Na+-independent basolateral glucose transport, decreased MS 14C-sucrose transport, suggesting that some 14C-sucrose radioactivity may be transported to the blood by a GLUT 2-like carrier. Decreased MS 14C-sucrose transport was also observed in the presence of trehalose, a disaccharide containing D-glucose moieties. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) was used to identify the chemical nature of radioactively labeled sugars in the bath following transport. TLC revealed 14C-sucrose was transported across the intestine largely as an intact molecule with no 14C-glucose or 14C-fructose appearing in the serosal bath or luminal perfusate. Bath samples evaporated to dryness and resuspended disclosed only 15% volatile metabolites. Results of this study strongly suggest that disaccharide sugars can be transported intact across animal intestine and provide support for the occurrence of a disaccharide membrane transporter that has not previously been functionally characterized

Connecting mantle flow below passive margins and intraplate melt generation: an application to the Cameroon Volcanic Line.

Mantle plumes are the prevailing explanation for intraplate volcanism, with an age progression along the plume track and a geochemical signature suggesting a core-mantle boundary origin. But these observations do not correlate with some intraplate volcanism examples, requiring alternative mechanisms to explain these outliers. One potential example is the Cameroon Volcanic Line (CVL), a large-scale near-linear chain, lacking an age progression with a suspected asthenospheric origin. Edge-driven convection (EDC) is a proposed mechanism and is a process which forms in regions of lithospheric thickness gradients, such as craton-oceanic boundaries. A self-sustained convection roll may form, bringing material from depth to decompress and melt. However, previous EDC work provides disagreeing results, and shows that melt generation in this process is a complex process. This thesis aims to test a recent hypothesis that an additional ‘fertile layer’, derived from metasomatized material at the base of a craton which has undergone continental collision, could aid in magma genesis and explain why EDC-derived melt is not widespread. The use of 2D numerical models allows for a parameter sensitivity study on rheological parameters, with an ocean spreading model used to test additional parameters and examine the dynamics of this hypothesized fertile layer, which is used as a proxy for melt generation. Results show that oceanic spreading velocity is the most influential parameter in moving fertile material into the continent-ocean transition (COT), as shear-driven upwelling forms at higher velocities. When applying the results to the CVL, fertile material moves into the COT, while EDC occurs as well. However, due to the slow spreading rate of the Atlantic, processes such as shear-driven upwelling is not influential. As such, it is proposed that further additional factors must influence the magmatism, and that modelling of the 3D geological complexities of the CVL is required to gain further insight

Maturity as A Way Forward for Improving Organizations’ Communication Evaluation and Measurement Practices: A Definition and Concept Explication

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to propose an explication of the concept of “maturity,” as it applies to communication evaluation and measurement (E&M) practice, along with contextualization of recent maturity model adoption within academic and professional communities. Design/methodology/approach Drawing from previous work on maturity models within other fields, recent communication scholarship and industry practice, this paper fills a gap in the literature by offering a theoretical conceptualization of communication E&M maturity, including the construct’s core dimensions and sub-dimensions. Findings Communication E&M maturity is conceptualized into four essential elements: holistic approach, investment, alignment and culture. The contribution of E&M efforts is represented as the direct support of corporate strategy, and ultimately increased value, from the communications function. Operational elements of maturity include levels of analysis, time, budget, tools, skills, process, integration, motivations, relationships and standards. Originality/value In exploring the factors necessary for “mature” E&M programs, and specifically emphasizing the need for a holistic approach, along with sufficient investment and alignment, and conducive cultural factors, the research builds upon existing work examining how communication can serve to inform corporate strategy and create value for an organization. Greater understanding and application of the maturity concept has the potential to advance the field by increasing both accountability and credibility for the work done by the communications function

Recognition and Positional Identity in an Elementary Professional Learning Community: A Case Study

Professional learning communities are typically conceived of as spaces for reducing teacher isolation, supporting informed and committed teachers, and fostering student academic gains. Focusing on a professional learning community that supported the teaching and learning of engineering in elementary schools, we also conceived of this learning environment as a space for negotiating a teacher-of- engineering identity. Calling attention to emergent issues of power and status through a lens of positional identity, this article examines a Black female educator’s sense of self as a teacher-of-engineering and how this perception was informed by participation in the professional learning community. Findings reveal that racialized and gendered positionings informed the teacher’s perception of having limited access to being recognized in this space as a teacher-of-engineering. Implications for this work include reimagining the design of professional learning spaces in engineering education that intentionally account for teachers’ identity development, as well as supporting the identity development for teachers from historically marginalized communities

Intracellular targets in heme protein-induced renal injury

Intracellular targets in heme protein-induced renal injury. We examined two potential intracellular targets in the glycerol model of acute renal failure, namely, the mitochondrion and the nucleus. Within three hours, alterations in mitochondrial function are already apparent. With either glutamate/malate or succinate/rotenone, state 3 and uncoupled respirations were decreased at three hours, and at 24 hours, such decrements were quite pronounced; in the presence of glutamate/malate, state 2 respiration was also depressed at 24 hours, while with succinate/rotenone state 2 was increased. Marked ultrastructural changes were observed in mitochondria studied at three hours, including the novel finding of degenerate mitochondria in autophagic vacuoles. Since the heme content in mitochondria was increased some tenfold within three hours, mitochondrial function was studied after exposure to concentrations of heme that reproduced such contents of heme: mitochondria initially displayed increased respiration, and subsequently, a persistent decline in oxygen consumption until oxygen consumption was virtually undetectable. With higher concentrations of heme, the early increase in oxygen consumption was blunted and the progressive decline in oxygen consumption was hastened. The antioxidant iron chelator, deferoxamine, prevented the early rise in oxygen consumption but did not prevent or delay the subsequent decline. We also assessed nuclear damage as a potential lesion in the glycerol model. DNA laddering was not observed at any time point. At 3 and 24 hours there was DNA injury by the TUNEL technique in the distal nephron but not in the proximal nephron. The 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine/deoxyguanosine content was increased in the glycerol kidneys at 24 hours but not at three hours. At neither time point was evidence of apoptosis observed by light or electron microscopy. In studies undertaken in cell culture models, heme, at concentrations of 10 μM, failed to evince any such changes in LLC-PK1 cells, a cell line from the proximal tubule, or in MDCK cells, a cell line derived from the distal tubule. At concentrations of 50 μM, heme induced approximately 20% positivity in MDCK cells but none in LLC-PK1 cells by the TUNEL technique. We conclude that mitochondria and nuclei are prominent targets for injury in the glycerol model of acute renal failure. The presence of TUNEL-positive cells in the distal nephron but not at proximal sites in vivo underscores the increasing appreciation of the distinct responses of these nephron sites to nephrotoxic insults

Early visual foraging in relationship to familial risk for autism and hyperactivity/inattention

Objective. Information foraging is atypical in both autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and ADHD; however, while ASD is associated with restricted exploration and preference for sameness, ADHD is characterized by hyperactivity and increased novelty seeking. Here, we ask whether similar biases are present in visual foraging in younger siblings of children with a diagnosis of ASD with or without additional high levels of hyperactivity and inattention. Method. Fifty-four low-risk controls (LR) and 50 high-risk siblings (HR) took part in an eye-tracking study at 8 and 14 months and at 3 years of age. Results. At 8 months, siblings of children with ASD and low levels of hyperactivity/inattention (HR/ASD-HI) were more likely to return to previously visited areas in the visual scene than were LR and siblings of children with ASD and high levels of hyperactivity/inattention (HR/ASD+HI). Conclusion. We show that visual foraging is atypical in infants at-risk for ASD. We also reveal a paradoxical effect, in that additional family risk for ADHD core symptoms mitigates the effect of ASD risk on visual information foraging

The effects of age on health-related quality of life in cancer populations: A pooled analysis of randomized controlled trials using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 involving 6024 cancer patients.

Cancer incidence increases exponentially with advancing age, cancer patients live longer than in the past, and many new treatments focus on stabilizing disease and HRQOL. The objective of this study is to examine how cancer affects patients' HRQOL and whether their HRQOL is age-dependent.Data from 25 EORTC randomized controlled trials was pooled. EORTC QLQ-C30 mean scores for the cancer cohort and five general population cohorts were compared to assess the impact of cancer on patients' HRQOL. Within the cancer cohort, multiple linear regressions (two-sided level P-value = 0.05 adjusted for multiple testing.) were used to investigate the association between age and HRQOL, adjusted for gender, WHO performance status (PS), distant metastasis and stratified by cancer site. A difference of 10 points on the 0-100 scale was considered clinically important.Cancer patients generally have worse HRQOL compared to the general population, but the specific HRQOL domains impaired vary with age. When comparing the cancer versus the general population, young cancer patients had worse financial problems, social and role functioning, while the older cancer groups had more appetite loss. Within the cancer cohort, HRQOL was worse with increasing age for physical functioning and constipation, and better with increasing age for social functioning, insomnia and financial problems (all p < 0.05).HRQOL is impaired in cancer patients compared to the general population, but the impact on specific HRQOL domains varies by age. Within the cancer population, some HRQOL components improve with age while others deteriorate. Optimal care for older cancer patients should target HRQOL domains most relevant to this population