A Duty to Report: Alternative Journalism as Political Obligation to Resist and Remedy Injustice

Traditional media tenets of objectivity and impartiality have led to amoral and passive journalistic practices, which reinforce problematic status quos and allow inequality to flourish. Journalists ought to utilize their positions of power in democratic societies to address and rectify injustice through responsible reporting practices. This argument is supported with a theory on political obligation and duty by philosopher Candice Delmas, who argues that obeying the law in just states validates a duty to disobey the law in unjust states which infringe on citizen rights. Journalists have the ability to adequately fulfill this duty; however, this is not always acted upon due to the limitations of journalistic objectivity. Alternative forms of journalism are identified as approaches by which journalists may accomplish their duty to resist injustice. Alternative journalism places a greater emphasis on social responsibility and community building and are better models for journalists to achieve ideal media practices to improve societies and challenge injustice

Echographycal and hematological alterations in dogs with visceral leishmaniasis

La leishmaniosis visceral es una enfermedad multisistémica que en los caninos ostenta signos clínicos tales como esplenomegalia, hepatomegalia, linfadenopatía y glomerulonefritis. Es frecuente la presentación de anemia asociada a hiperproteinemia. La ecografía puede revelar anomalías morfológicas y estructurales de los órganos de la cavidad abdominal. El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar mediante eco-grafía las lesiones visibles de los órganos abdominales, así como establecer relaciones con los análisis de laboratorio. La detección del parásito se efectuó mediante diagnósticos parasitológico y serológico indirecto. Los órganos abdominales afectados se evaluaron por ecografía (forma, tamaño, estructura y ecogenicidad). En los riñones se exploró la relación corteza/médula. En el laboratorio se investigaron las variables sanguíneas, serológicas y renales. La estadificación clínica de los caninos resultó del 50% en estadio moderado, 40% grave y 10% muy grave. Las principales alteraciones fueron hepatomegalia (8 pacientes), esplenomegalia (1 caso) e incremento de la ecogenicidad de la corteza renal con disminución de la definición corticomedular y linfoadenomegalia (5 animales). El 90% de los caninos reveló anemia acompañada de hiperproteinemia. Se concluye que el uso de la ecografía en conjunto con los análisis sanguíneos, pueden ayudar a establecer la severidad de las lesiones de los órganos abdominales en pacientes con leishmaniosisCanine visceral leishmaniasis is a multisystemic disease with clinical signs such as plenomegaly, hepatomegaly, lymphadenopathy and glomerulonephritis. The presentation of anemia associated with hyperproteinemia is frequent. Ultrasound can reveal morphologi cal and structural abnormalities of the abdominal organs. The objectives of this work were to evaluate the visible lesions of the abdominal organs by means of ultrasound, and to establish relationships with laboratory analysis. The parasite was detected by indirect parasitologi cal and serological diagnoses. The affected abdominal organs were evaluated by ultrasound (shape, size, structure and echogenicity). The cortex/medulla ratio was explored in the kid neys. At the laboratory, hemogram and blood biochemistry of each patient were investigated. The clinical staging of the dogs was 50% for moderate stage, 40% for severe, and 10% for very severe. The main alterations were hepatomegaly (8 patients), splenomegaly (1 case) and increased echogenicity of the renal cortex with decreased corticomedular definition and lymphadenomegaly (5 animals). Around 90% of the animals revealed anemia accompanied by hyperproteinemia. It is concluded that the use of ultrasound in conjunction with blood tests can help to establish the severity of abdominal organ injuries in dogs with leishmaniasis.Fil: Camoleto, D. A.. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Cs.veterinarias. Departamento de Clinica; ArgentinaFil: Lockett, M. B.. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Cs.veterinarias. Departamento de Clinica; ArgentinaFil: Ludueño, Silvia Fabiana. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Cs.veterinarias. Departamento de Clinica; ArgentinaFil: Mussart, Norma Beatriz. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Cátedra de Fisiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; ArgentinaFil: Perez Gianeselli, Monica Raquel. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Cs.veterinarias. Departamento de Clinica; Argentin

The genomes of two key bumblebee species with primitive eusocial organization

Background: The shift from solitary to social behavior is one of the major evolutionary transitions. Primitively eusocial bumblebees are uniquely placed to illuminate the evolution of highly eusocial insect societies. Bumblebees are also invaluable natural and agricultural pollinators, and there is widespread concern over recent population declines in some species. High-quality genomic data will inform key aspects of bumblebee biology, including susceptibility to implicated population viability threats. Results: We report the high quality draft genome sequences of Bombus terrestris and Bombus impatiens, two ecologically dominant bumblebees and widely utilized study species. Comparing these new genomes to those of the highly eusocial honeybee Apis mellifera and other Hymenoptera, we identify deeply conserved similarities, as well as novelties key to the biology of these organisms. Some honeybee genome features thought to underpin advanced eusociality are also present in bumblebees, indicating an earlier evolution in the bee lineage. Xenobiotic detoxification and immune genes are similarly depauperate in bumblebees and honeybees, and multiple categories of genes linked to social organization, including development and behavior, show high conservation. Key differences identified include a bias in bumblebee chemoreception towards gustation from olfaction, and striking differences in microRNAs, potentially responsible for gene regulation underlying social and other traits. Conclusions: These two bumblebee genomes provide a foundation for post-genomic research on these key pollinators and insect societies. Overall, gene repertoires suggest that the route to advanced eusociality in bees was mediated by many small changes in many genes and processes, and not by notable expansion or depauperation

"I'm a little bit like a small-town preacher, these people are my congregation": conducting professional journalism in rural Alberta

93 pagesIn rural settings, professional work is adapted to fit the needs of the community (Mellow, 2005). I question what, if any, professional adaptations are made by journalists who work in rural communities. The production of journalistic work is highly contextual, and it is important to understand how working in rural areas impacts the development of a professional identity in journalists. I approach this study through a symbolic interactionist lens, utilizing semi-structured interviews with journalists working in a designated rural community in Alberta. Between July- August 2021, nine journalists were interviewed. My findings show deep, ingrained attachments that journalists have to their communities. These participants take the notion of objectivity and mold it to their own unique surroundings and relationships, highlighting the evident subjectivity of objective reporting. These findings are compared with the state of local media in Canada with a discussion on the changing nature of journalistic work

Do we really want to keep the gate threshold that high?

Gold open access articleDrawing upon the survey instruments of Lewis and Neville [1], Nadal [2], and Yang and Carroll [3], we conducted an online survey that captured experiences of discrimination and microaggressions reported by 387 recording engineers, producers, and studio assistants living in 46 different countries. Our statistical analyses reveal highly significant and systemic gender inequalities within the field, e.g., cisgender women experience many more sexually inappropriate comments (p < e-14, large effect size) and unwanted comments about their physical appearance (p < e-12, large effect size) than do cisgender men, and they are much more likely to face challenges to their authority (p < e-13, large effect size) and expertise (p < e-10, large effect size). A comparison of our results with a study about women’s experiences of microaggressions within STEM academia [3] indicates that the recording studio workplace scores 33% worse on the silencing and maginalization of women, 33% worse on gender-related workplace microaggressions, and 24% worse on sexual objectification. These findings call for serious reflection on the part of the community to progress from awareness to collective action that will unlock the control room for women and other marginalized groups of studio professionals

Ethics review of COVID-19 human challenge studies: a joint HRA/WHO workshop

This report of a joint World Health Organization (WHO) and United Kingdom (UK) Health Research Authority (HRA) workshop discusses the ethics review of the first COVID-19 human challenge studies, undertaken in the midst of the pandemic. It reviews the early efforts of international and national institutions to define the ethical standards required for COVID-19 human challenge studies and create the frameworks to ensure rigorous and timely review of these studies. This report evaluates the utility of the WHO's international guidance document Key criteria for the ethical acceptability of COVID-19 human challenge studies (WHO Key Criteria) as a practical resource for the ethics review of COVID-19 human challenge studies. It also assesses the UK HRA's approach to these complex ethics reviews, including the formation of a Specialist Ad-Hoc Research Ethics Committee (REC) for COVID-19 Human Challenge Studies to review all current and future COVID-19 human challenge studies. In addition, the report outlines the reflections of REC members and researchers regarding the ethics review process of the first COVID-19 human challenge studies. Finally, it considers the potential ongoing scientific justification for COVID-19 human challenge studies, particularly in relation to next-generation vaccines and optimisation of vaccination schedules. Overall, there was broad agreement that the WHO Key Criteria represented an international consensus document that played a powerful role in setting norms and delineating the necessary conditions for the ethical acceptability of COVID-19 human challenge studies. Workshop members suggested that the WHO Key Criteria could be practically implemented to support researchers and ethics reviewers, including in the training of ethics committee members. In future, a wider audience may be engaged by the original document and potential additional materials, informed by the experiences of those involved in the first COVID-19 human challenge studies outlined in this document

Long-term weight loss with metformin or lifestyle intervention in the Diabetes prevention Program outcomes study

© 2019 American College of Physicians Background: Identifying reliable predictors of long-term weight loss (LTWL) could lead to improved weight management. Objective: To identify some predictors of LTWL. Design: The DPP (Diabetes Prevention Program) was a randomized controlled trial that compared weight loss with metformin, intensive lifestyle intervention (ILS), or placebo. Its Outcomes Study (DPPOS) observed patients after the masked treatment phase ended. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00004992 and NCT00038727) Setting: 27 DPP and DPPOS clinics. Participants: Of the 3234 randomly assigned participants, 1066 lost at least 5% of baseline weight in the first year and were followed for 15 years. Measurements: Treatment assignment, personal characteristics, and weight. Results: After 1 year, 289 (28.5%) participants in the metformin group, 640 (62.6%) in the ILS group, and 137 (13.4%) in the placebo group had lost at least 5% of their weight. After the masked treatment phase ended, the mean weight loss relative to baseline that was maintained between years 6 and 15 was 6.2% (95% CI, 5.2% to 7.2%) in the metformin group, 3.7% (CI, 3.1% to 4.4%) in the ILS group, and 2.8% (CI, 1.3% to 4.4%) in the placebo group. Independent predictors of LTWL included greater weight loss in the first year in all groups, older age and continued metformin use in the metformin group, older age and absence of either diabetes or a family history of diabetes in the ILS group, and higher fasting plasma glucose levels at baseline in the placebo group. Limitation: Post hoc analysis; examination of nonrandomized subsets of randomized groups after year 1. Conclusion: Among persons with weight loss of at least 5% after 1 year, those originally randomly assigned to metformin had the greatest loss during years 6 to 15. Older age and the amount of weight initially lost were the most consistent predictors of LTWL maintenance

The genomes of two key bumblebee species with primitive eusocial organization

Background: The shift from solitary to social behavior is one of the major evolutionary transitions. Primitively eusocial bumblebees are uniquely placed to illuminate the evolution of highly eusocial insect societies. Bumblebees are also invaluable natural and agricultural pollinators, and there is widespread concern over recent population declines in some species. High-quality genomic data will inform key aspects of bumblebee biology, including susceptibility to implicated population viability threats.Results: We report the high quality draft genome sequences of Bombus terrestris and Bombus impatiens, two ecologically dominant bumblebees and widely utilized study species. Comparing these new genomes to those of the highly eusocial honeybee Apis mellifera and other Hymenoptera, we identify deeply conserved similarities, as well as novelties key to the biology of these organisms. Some honeybee genome features thought to underpin advanced eusociality are also present in bumblebees, indicating an earlier evolution in the bee lineage. Xenobiotic detoxification and immune genes are similarly depauperate in bumblebees and honeybees, and multiple categories of genes linked to social organization, including development and behavior, show high conservation. Key differences identified include a bias in bumblebee chemoreception towards gustation from olfaction, and striking differences in microRNAs, potentially responsible for gene regulation underlying social and other traits.Conclusions: These two bumblebee genomes provide a foundation for post-genomic research on these key pollinators and insect societies. Overall, gene repertoires suggest that the route to advanced eusociality in bees was mediated by many small changes in many genes and processes, and not by notable expansion or depauperation