Informal knowledge transfer in the period before formal health education programmes: case studies of mass media coverage of HIV and SIDS in England and Wales

Background: How advances in knowledge lead via behaviour change to better health is not well understood. Here we report two case studies: a rapid reduction in HIV transmission in homosexual men and a decline in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome ( SIDS) that took place in the period before the relevant national education programmes commenced, respectively, in 1986 and 1991. The role of newspapers in transferring knowledge relevant to reducing the risk of AIDS and SIDS is assessed. Methods: HIV. Searches were made of The Times (1981-1985), Gay News (1981-1984) and, for the key period of April to June 1983, of eight newspapers with the highest readership. Information on transmission route and educational messages were abstracted and analysed.SIDS Searches were made of The Times and the Guardian (1985-1991), The Sun ( selected periods only, 1988-1991) and selected nursing journals published in England and Wales. Information on sleeping position and educational messages were abstracted and analysed.Results: HIV Forty-five out of 50 articles identified in newspapers described homosexuals as an at risk group. Sexual transmission of AIDS was, however, covered poorly, with only 7 (14%) articles referring explicitly to sexual transmission. Only seven articles (14%) associated risk with promiscuity. None of the articles were specific about changes in behaviour that could be expected to reduce risk. Gay periodicals did not include specific advice on reducing the number of partners until early 1984.SIDS Out of 165 relevant articles in The Times and 84 in the Guardian, 7 were published before 1991 and associated risk with sleeping position. The reviewed nursing journals reflected a pervasive sense of uncertainty about the link between SIDS and sleeping position. Conclusion: Presumptively receptive audiences responded rapidly to new knowledge on how changes in personal behaviour might reduce risk, even though the 'signals' were not strong and were transmitted, at least partly, through informal and 'horizontal' channels. Advances in knowledge with the potential to prevent disease by behaviour change may thus yield substantial health benefits even without the mediation of formal education campaigns ('interventions'). Formal campaigns, when they came, did make important additional contributions, especially in the case of SIDS

Examining the Relationship Between Supports for Youth Development and School Connectedness in a Police Athletic League After School Program

For the past twenty years, research and practice in recreation and after-school services have utilized the positive youth development (PYD) framework. PYD is guided by principles that emphasize investing in youth through the promotion of developmental assets; it steers clear of past models that view youth as risks (Benson, Scales & Syvertsen, 2011). Internal assets are outcomes for youth that include a commitment to learning, developing positive values and identity, and having social competency (Scales, Benson, Leffert & Blyth, 2000). Schools and after-school recreation programs affect internal assets by supporting external assets such as the establishment of boundaries and expectations, empowerment of youth, constructive use of time, and support from family, peers, schools, neighbors, and other adults (Scales et al.). Staff practices related to supporting developmental assets fall into four categories: (a) safe environment (e.g., psychological and physical safety; (b) supportive environment (e.g., skill building, conflict resolution); (c) interaction (e.g., mentoring, fostering belonging); and (d) engagement (e.g., opportunities to plan and lead) (Smith et al., 2012). While there have been several studies of school-based after-school programs, there is very little research on programs run under the Police Athletic League model. The current study seeks to investigate the following research questions: (1) What program practices do PAL participants identify as important? and (2) What is the relationship between PAL program practices and youths' report of school connectedness? Results suggest that the PAL staff were performing well in all areas; however, two areas, being able to talk to staff about important things and PAL staff treating students fairly, were determined to be practices areas in which the staff could improve upon. Additionally, the results determined that a safe and supportive environment were positively correlated with school connectedness

MG-132, an inhibitor of proteasomes and calpains, induced inhibition of oocyte maturation and aneuploidy in mouse oocytes

BACKGROUND: Although chromosome missegregation during oocyte maturation (OM) is a significant contributor to human morbidity and mortality, very little is known about the causes and mechanisms of aneuploidy. Several investigators have proposed that temporal perturbations during OM predispose oocytes to aberrant chromosome segregation. One approach for testing this proposal is to temporarily inhibit the activity of protein proteolysis during OM. We used the reversible proteasome inhibitor MG-132 to transiently perturb the temporal sequence of events during OM and subsequently analyzed mouse metaphase II (MII) for cytogenetic abnormalities. The transient inhibition of proteasome activity by MG-132 resulted in elevated levels of oocytes containing extra chromatids and chromosomes. RESULTS: The transient inhibition of proteasome-mediated proteolysis during OM by MG-132 resulted in dose-response delays during OM and elevated levels of aneuploid MII oocytes. Oocytes exposed in vitro to MG-132 exhibited greater delays during metaphase I (MI) as demonstrated by significantly (p < 0.01) higher levels of MI arrested oocytes and lower frequencies of premature sister chromatid separation in MII oocytes. Furthermore, the proportions of MII oocytes containing single chromatids and extra chromosomes significantly (p < 0.01) increased with MG-132 dosage. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that the MG-132-induced transient delay of proteasomal activity during mouse OM in vitro predisposed oocytes to abnormal chromosome segregation. Although these findings support a relationship between disturbed proteasomal activity and chromosome segregation, considerable additional data are needed to further investigate the roles of proteasome-mediated proteolysis and other potential molecular mechanisms on chromosome segregation during OM

Innovation and opportunity: review of the UK’s national AI strategy

The publication of the UK’s National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy represents a step-change in the national industrial, policy, regulatory, and geo-strategic agenda. Although there is a multiplicity of threads to explore this text can be read primarily as a ‘signalling’ document. Indeed, we read the National AI Strategy as a vision for innovation and opportunity, underpinned by a trust framework that has innovation and opportunity at the forefront. We provide an overview of the structure of the document and offer an emphasised commentary on various standouts. Our main takeaways are: Innovation First: a clear signal is that innovation is at the forefront of UK’s data priorities. Alternative Ecosystem of Trust: the UK’s regulatory-market norms becoming the preferred ecosystem is dependent upon the regulatory system and delivery frameworks required. Defence, Security and Risk: security and risk are discussed in terms of utilisation of AI and governance. Revision of Data Protection: the signal is that the UK is indeed seeking to position itself as less stringent regarding data protection and necessary documentation. EU Disalignment—Atlanticism?: questions are raised regarding a step back in terms of data protection rights. We conclude with further notes on data flow continuity, the feasibility of a sector approach to regulation, legal liability, and the lack of a method of engagement for stakeholders. Whilst the strategy sends important signals for innovation, achieving ethical innovation is a harder challenge and will require a carefully evolved framework built with appropriate expertise

Building green innovation networks for people, planet, and profit: A multi-level, multi-value approach

In this conceptual paper we explore the problem of how firms balance profit considerations against their contribution to society and the environmental. We theorize how firms build networks that support green transition, enabling them to reconfigure processes that match sustainability goals and maintain profitable. We explore how building networks for green transition supports firms\u27 transition to more sustainable approaches that support the adoption of, and transition to, green strategies. We extend current theorization of how firms build multi-level B2B networks that support green transition that benefits society and the environment. We suggest three propositions that support the development of a multi-level, multi-value model for building green innovation networks. We identify four critical success factors - embedding technological diversity, developing knowledge sharing mechanisms, embracing open innovation strategies, overcoming resistance to change, − that support this process and help firms overcome value creation frictions and deliver multi-value benefits to society (people) and the environment (planet), whilst enabling firms to make a profit. Our conclusion outlines our contribution and highlights areas for future research

New evidence for the intentional use of calomel as a white pigment

In this work we report the results of the in-situ application of micro-Raman spectroscopy to the analysis of two historic painted objects: a 15th-century illuminated manuscript and a late-16th-century portrait miniature. Both objects were unexpectedly found to contain calomel (Hg2Cl2), intentionally used as a white pigment. Calomel was a widespread and popular medicine until it fell out of use at the end of the 19th century due to its toxicity, and a material called ‘mercury white’ is referred to in 16th-century technical literature on painting. However, although calomel has been recognised in the past as a degradation product of cinnabar in both wall and easel paintings, its deliberate use as a pigment on cultural heritage objects has only been documented recently, in white areas painted on 17th-century South American objects. The present study describes the first-ever verified use of calomel as a white pigment on European works of art, both of which pre-date its documented use in South America

Planning and delivery of intensity modulated bolus electron conformal therapy

PURPOSE: Bolus electron conformal therapy (BECT) is a clinically useful, well-documented, and available technology. The addition of intensity modulation (IM) to BECT reduces volumes of high dose and dose spread in the planning target volume (PTV). This paper demonstrates new techniques for a process that should be suitable for planning and delivering IM-BECT using passive radiotherapy intensity modulation for electrons (PRIME) devices. METHODS: The IM-BECT planning and delivery process is an addition to the BECT process that includes intensity modulator design, fabrication, and quality assurance. The intensity modulator (PRIME device) is a hexagonal matrix of small island blocks (tungsten pins of varying diameter) placed inside the patient beam-defining collimator (cutout). Its design process determines a desirable intensity-modulated electron beam during the planning process, then determines the island block configuration to deliver that intensity distribution (segmentation). The intensity modulator is fabricated and quality assurance performed at the factory (.decimal, LLC, Sanford, FL). Clinical quality assurance consists of measuring a fluence distribution in a plane perpendicular to the beam in a water or water-equivalent phantom. This IM-BECT process is described and demonstrated for two sites, postmastectomy chest wall and temple. Dose plans, intensity distributions, fabricated intensity modulators, and quality assurance results are presented. RESULTS: IM-BECT plans showed improved D CONCLUSION: These results demonstrated the feasibility of translating IM-BECT to the clinic using the techniques presented for treatment planning, intensity modulator design and fabrication, and quality assurance processes

Size-dependent spinodal and miscibility gaps for intercalation in nano-particles

Using a recently-proposed mathematical model for intercalation dynamics in phase-separating materials [Singh, Ceder, Bazant, Electrochimica Acta 53, 7599 (2008)], we show that the spinodal and miscibility gaps generally shrink as the host particle size decreases to the nano-scale. Our work is motivated by recent experiments on the high-rate Li-ion battery material LiFePO4; this serves as the basis for our examples, but our analysis and conclusions apply to any intercalation material. We describe two general mechanisms for the suppression of phase separation in nano-particles: (i) a classical bulk effect, predicted by the Cahn-Hilliard equation, in which the diffuse phase boundary becomes confined by the particle geometry; and (ii) a novel surface effect, predicted by chemical-potential-dependent reaction kinetics, in which insertion/extraction reactions stabilize composition gradients near surfaces in equilibrium with the local environment. Composition-dependent surface energy and (especially) elastic strain can contribute to these effects but are not required to predict decreased spinodal and miscibility gaps at the nano-scale