Perceptions Surrounding Cyberbullying and Self-Disclosure Among the LGBTQ Community: A Qualitative Approach

LGBTQ adolescents, like all youth, face challenges: the push for high academic marks, the desire for positive relationships, and the right to be themselves in a safe environment. Unfortunately, LGBTQ youths are far more likely than their heterosexual peers to experience bullying and cyberbullying. According to a 2005 study by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, the second largest cause of bullying was actual or presumed sexual orientation or identity. Gay males were more than twice as likely to be bullied on school property than their heterosexual peers, 43.1% and 18.3%, respectively (Olsen et al, 2014). In addition, 23.1% of bisexual adolescents were found to have been threatened or injured with a weapon on school property, compared to 7.8% of their heterosexual peers (Mueller, et al., 2015). This stark difference represents a problem that this study sought to address. Using focus group methodology, 13 self-identified LGBTQ youths aged 10 – 19 years old were interviewed about their perceptions of cyberbullying and self-disclosure. Preliminary analysis suggests that these youths share common perceptions of cyberbullying, but they differ in their experiences with direct and indirect effects of cyberbullying. Additionally, these youths are particularly savvy about the complexities involved in managing their privacy and identities online and offline

Negative Urgency Predicts Maladaptive Coping Strategies

Negative urgency is defined as the disposition to act rashly when under distress. This personality subtype is strongly tied to problematic alcohol and substance use, self-harming behaviors, and binge eating following a distressful period (Cyders et al., 2013; Fischer et al., 2004). The current study hypothesized that participants (62.07% Female, M = 19.81, SD = 4.16, 73.28% White, 6.90% Hispanic, 6.90% African American, 3.45% Native American/Alaskan Native, 3.45% Asian American, 3.45% Middle Eastern, 1.72% Other) who scored high in negative urgency would endorse more maladaptive coping strategies after a negative mood induction (n = 57), compared to a neutral mood induction (n = 59). Specifically, analyses examined differences in endorsement of alcohol, marijuana, and self-harm and binge eating cravings between conditions. Results from a series of simple linear regressions offered no support for the hypothesis. The endorsement of alcohol, marijuana, self-harming, and binge eating cravings did not significantly differ between conditions. These results suggest maladaptive cravings are more nuanced in high negative urgency populations. More research is needed to further explore the potentially important relationship between negative urgency and desire to utilize maladaptive coping methods

The Enduring Ones

After a cataclysmic event destroys his home, Balian must lead a ragged group of survivors into a world they know nothing about, a world that has almost entirely forgotten about them

Rethinking Mandatory Detention For Noncitizens

Article published in the Michigan State University School of Law Student Scholarship Collection

Price elasticity of water allocations demand in the Goulburn–Murray Irrigation District

Bid prices for the demand and supply of water allocations between 2001 and 2007, and average monthly prices paid for water allocations from 1997 to 2007 in the Goulburn– Murray Irrigation District are analysed to estimate price elasticities. Based on bid prices, the price elasticity of demand for water allocations appears highly elastic, with elasticities strongly influenced by the season and drought. The price elasticity of supply for water allocations is also elastic, albeit less elastic than demand. Using actual prices paid, water demand is negatively related to price and is inelastic, and appears to be most influenced by demand the previous month, drought and seasonality factors.water allocations demand, water allocations supply, price elasticity, water markets, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Technology-Enabled Control: Effectiveness, Socio-Emotional Consequences, and Ethical Dilemmas

This research study explores the use of technology in managerial control processes, referred to as technology-enabled control (TEC)

Technology-mediated Control: Case Examples and Research Directions for the Future of Organizational Control

This study explores the emerging topic of technology-mediated control (TMC), which refers to an organization’s using digital technologies to influence workers to behave in a manner consistent with organizational objectives. The popular press has discussed many mobile apps, digital sensors, software algorithms, and other technologies that support, or automate, managerial control processes. Building on the rich history of research on organizational and information systems (IS) control and on ubiquitous technology, we explore how TMC approaches have increasingly begun to replace traditional, face-to-face control relationships. In particular, we analyze four illustrative case examples (UPS, Uber, Rationalizer, and Humanyze) to propose a detailed research agenda for future study in this important new topic area

Cost-effectiveness of HCV case-finding for people who inject drugs via dried blood spot testing in specialist addiction services and prisons

ObjectivesPeople who inject drugs (PWID) are at high risk for acquiring hepatitis C virus (HCV), but many are unaware of their infection. HCV dried blood spot (DBS) testing increases case-finding in addiction services and prisons. We determine the cost-effectiveness of increasing HCV case-finding among PWID by offering DBS testing in specialist addiction services or prisons as compared to using venepuncture.DesignCost-utility analysis using a dynamic HCV transmission model among PWID, including: disease progression, diagnosis, treatment, injecting status, incarceration and addition services contact.Setting uk interventionDBS testing in specialist addiction services or prisons. Intervention impact was determined by a meta-analysis of primary data.Primary and secondary outcome measuresCosts (in UK £, £1=US$1.60) and utilities (quality-adjusted life years, QALYs) were attached to each state and the incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER) determined. Multivariate uncertainty and one-way sensitivity analyses were performed.ResultsFor a £20 000 per QALY gained willingness-to-pay threshold, DBS testing in addiction services is cost-effective (ICER of £14 600 per QALY gained). Under the base-case assumption of no continuity of treatment/care when exiting/entering prison, DBS testing in prisons is not cost-effective (ICER of £59 400 per QALY gained). Results are robust to changes in HCV prevalence; increasing PWID treatment rates to those for ex-PWID considerably reduces ICER (£4500 and £30 000 per QALY gained for addiction services and prison, respectively). If continuity of care is >40%, the prison DBS ICER falls below £20 000 per QALY gained.ConclusionsDespite low PWID treatment rates, increasing case-finding can be cost-effective in specialist addiction services, and in prisons if continuity of treatment/care is ensured

Understanding patient choices for attending sexually transmitted infection testing services: a qualitative study

Objectives: To establish which aspects of sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing services are important to STI testing service users. Methods: 10 focus groups consisting of previous or existing users of STI testing services were conducted in community settings in the south east of England. Groups were quota sampled based on age, gender and sexual orientation. Data were analysed using Framework Analysis. Results: 65 respondents (58% men) participated. Perceived expertise of staff was the key reason for attendance at genitourinary medicine services rather than general practice. Although some respondents voiced a willingness to test for STIs within general practice, the apparent limited range of tests available in general practice and the perceived lack of expertise around sexual health appeared to discourage attendance at general practice. The decision of where to test for STIs was also influenced by past experience of testing, existing relationships with general practice, method of receiving test results and whether the patient had other medical conditions such as HIV. Conclusions: No one type of STI testing service is suitable for all patients. This is recognised by policymakers, and it now requires commissioners and providers to make services outside of genitourinary medicine clinics more acceptable and attractive to patients, in particular to address the perceived lack of expertise and limited range of STIs tests available at alternative testing sites

Molecular biological techniques and genome sequencing/bioinformatics analysis converge to identify RNA secondary structures in the genome of foot-and-mouth disease virus essential for replication

Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV) causes perennial infections of both domestic and wild cloven-hoofed animalsaround the globe causing severe economic damage and restrictions on World trade. Economies of the developingWorld are disproportionally affected by FMDV outbreaks. Present FMDV vaccines are ‘killed’: large quantities ofhighly virulent virus are grown in bulk, particles purified, then chemically inactivated. This requires expensive, high-containment, production facilities with attendant risks of breaches in biosecurity. The RNA structures we, andothers, have identified could be partially weakened, or destabilised, rather than be completely disrupted, to produceattenuated FMDV strains. These could serve to either (i) enhance the biosecurity of conventional inactivated vaccineproduction methods, or, (ii) serve as a basis for the rational design of a new generation of live-attenuated vaccines.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe