The Case for Targeted Parenting Interventions with Reference to Intergenerational Transmission of Parenting: Qualitative Evidence from Three Studies of Marginalised Mothers' and Fathers' Participation in Parenting Programmes

The idea that how you were parented is key to how you parent your own children is widely recognisable. It is present in popular cultural references, underpins much policy on families and parenting in the UK, and is supported by a substantive body of academic literature. We explore this concept of intergenerational transmission of parenting, understanding it as the context in which parenting interventions have been implemented. We draw on interview data from three Scottish samples of marginalised parents (n = 54) to explore how participants think their own parenting behaviours have been shaped by their experience of being parented and how they talk about participation in a parenting intervention in relation to this. We find that how these parents have been parented is salient in considering their own parenting behaviour, and is a key context for their engagement with the intervention. We make the case for parenting interventions targeted at marginalised parents, arguing that they are acceptable to, and useful for, these parents and may, potentially, be effective in breaking cycles of negative parenting. Policy-makers should not shy away from implementing targeted parenting programmes as part of endeavours to address negative parenting.Output Status: Forthcoming/Available Onlin

Southern Ocean food-webs and climate change:A short review and future directions

Food-webs are a critical feature of ecosystems and help us understand how communities will respond to climate change. The Southern Ocean is facing rapid and accelerating changes due to climate change. Though having evolved in an isolated and somewhat extreme environment, Southern Ocean biodiversity and food-webs are among the most vulnerable. Here, we review 1) current knowledge on Southern Ocean food-webs; 2) methods to study food-webs; 3) assessment of current and future impacts of climate change on Southern Ocean food-webs; 4) knowledge gaps; and 5) the role of Early Career Researchers (ECRs) in future studies. Most knowledge on Southern Ocean food-webs come from the pelagic environment, both at macro- and microbial levels. Modelling and diet studies of individual species are major contributors to the food-web knowledge. These studies revealed a short food-web, predominantly sustained by Antarctic Krill (Euphausia superba). Additionally, alternative pathways exist, involving other krill species, fish, and squid, which play equally important roles in connecting primary producers with top predators. Advantages and disadvantages of several techniques used to study Southern Ocean food-webs were identified, from the classical analyses of stomach contents, scats, or boluses to the most recent approaches such as metabarcoding and trophic-biomarkers. Observations show that climate change can impact the food-web in different ways. As an example, changes to smaller phytoplankton species can lengthen the food-web, increasing assimilation losses and/or changing nutrient cycles. Future studies need to focus on the benthic-dominated food-webs and the benthopelagic coupling. Furthermore, research during the winter season and below the ice-shelves is needed as these areas may play a crucial role in the functioning of this ecosystem. ECRs can play a significant role in advancing the study of Southern Ocean food-webs due to their willingness for interdisciplinary collaboration and proficiency in employing various methodologies, contributing to the construction of high-resolution food-webs

Higher midlife CAIDE score is associated with increased brain atrophy in a cohort of cognitively healthy middle-aged individuals

Abstract: Background: Structural brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) can occur decades before the onset of symptoms. The Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging, and Dementia (CAIDE) score has been suggested to be associated with accelerated brain atrophy in middle-aged subjects but the regional specificity of atrophic areas remains to be elucidated. Methods: 3T T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans of 160 cognitively healthy middle-aged participants (mean age = 52) in the PREVENT-Dementia cohort, from baseline and from follow-up after 2 years, were examined. Images were preprocessed using Computational Anatomy Toolbox 12. Voxel-based morphometry was performed in FSL 6.0.1 to identify areas of grey matter (GM) volume differences both cross-sectionally and longitudinally between subjects with high and low baseline CAIDE score (CAIDE score was dichotomized at cohort-median). A GM percentage of change map was created for each subject for evaluation of atrophy over 2 years. Analyses were adjusted for age, gender, education and total intracranial volume. Results: Compared to subjects with CAIDE score ≤ 6 (low risk), subjects with CAIDE score > 6 (high risk) showed lower GM volume in the temporal, occipital, and fusiform cortex and lingual gyrus at baseline, and greater percentage of GM loss over 2 years in the supramarginal gyrus, angular gyrus, precuneus, lateral occipital cortex, superior parietal lobule and cingulate gyrus (corrected P < 0.05). Conclusion: This study demonstrated accelerated GM atrophy concentrated in several AD signature cortical regions in healthy middle-aged subjects with high CAIDE scores

Community science for coastal acidification monitoring and research

© The Author(s), 2021. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Gassett, P. R., O’Brien-Clayton, K., Bastidas, C., Rheuban, J. E., Hunt, C., Turner, E., Liebman, M., Silva, E., Pimenta, A., Grear, J., Motyka, J., McCorkle, D., Stancioff, E., Brady, D., & Strong, A. Community science for coastal acidification monitoring and research. Coastal Management, 49(5), (2021): 510-531, https://doi.org/10.1080/08920753.2021.1947131.Ocean and coastal acidification (OCA) present a unique set of sustainability challenges at the human-ecological interface. Extensive biogeochemical monitoring that can assess local acidification conditions, distinguish multiple drivers of changing carbonate chemistry, and ultimately inform local and regional response strategies is necessary for successful adaptation to OCA. However, the sampling frequency and cost-prohibitive scientific equipment needed to monitor OCA are barriers to implementing the widespread monitoring of dynamic coastal conditions. Here, we demonstrate through a case study that existing community-based water monitoring initiatives can help address these challenges and contribute to OCA science. We document how iterative, sequential outreach, workshop-based training, and coordinated monitoring activities through the Northeast Coastal Acidification Network (a) assessed the capacity of northeastern United States community science programs and (b) engaged community science programs productively with OCA monitoring efforts. Our results (along with the companion manuscript) indicate that community science programs are capable of collecting robust scientific information pertinent to OCA and are positioned to monitor in locations that would critically expand the coverage of current OCA research. Furthermore, engaging community stakeholders in OCA science and outreach enabled a platform for dialogue about OCA among other interrelated environmental concerns and fostered a series of co-benefits relating to public participation in resource and risk management. Activities in support of community science monitoring have an impact not only by increasing local understanding of OCA but also by promoting public education and community participation in potential adaptation measures.AGU Centennial Grant NOAA OAP OFFICE North American Association for Environmental Education Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation Sea Grant programs within the region Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions Funding acknowledgment: MIT Sea Grant award NA18OAR4170105 to Bastidas NERACOOS The WestWind foundation (to Rheuban) Woods Hole Sea Grant (NOAA Grant No. NA18OAR4170104

What is a hospital bed day worth? A contingent valuation study of hospital Chief Executive Officers

BACKGROUND: Decreasing hospital length of stay, and so freeing up hospital beds, represents an important cost saving which is often used in economic evaluations. The savings need to be accurately quantified in order to make optimal health care resource allocation decisions. Traditionally the accounting cost of a bed is used. We argue instead that the economic cost of a bed day is the better value for making resource decisions, and we describe our valuation method and estimations for costing this important resource. METHODS: We performed a contingent valuation using 37 Australian Chief Executive Officers’ (CEOs) willingness to pay (WTP) to release bed days in their hospitals, both generally and using specific cases. We provide a succinct thematic analysis from qualitative interviews post survey completion, which provide insight into the decision making process. RESULTS: On average CEOs are willing to pay a marginal rate of $216 for a ward bed day and$436 for an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) bed day, with estimates of uncertainty being greater for ICU beds. These estimates are significantly lower (four times for ward beds and seven times for ICU beds) than the traditional accounting costs often used. Key themes to emerge from the interviews include the importance of national funding and targets, and their associated incentive structures, as well as the aversion to discuss bed days as an economic resource. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the importance for valuing bed days as an economic resource to inform cost effectiveness models and thus improve hospital decision making and resource allocation. Significantly under or over valuing the resource is very likely to result in sub-optimal decision making. We discuss the importance of recognising the opportunity costs of this resource and highlight areas for future research. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12913-017-2079-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Biotransformation of Silver Released from Nanoparticle Coated Titanium Implants Revealed in Regenerating Bone

Antimicrobial silver nanoparticle coatings have attracted interest for reducing prosthetic joint infection. However, few studies report in vivo investigations of the biotransformation of silver nanoparticles within the regenerating tissue and its impact on bone formation. We present a longitudinal investigation of the osseointegration of silver nanoparticle-coated additive manufactured titanium implants in rat tibial defects. Correlative imaging at different time points using nanoscale secondary ion mass spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), histomorphometry, and 3D X-ray microcomputed tomography provided quantitative insight from the nano- to macroscales. The quality and quantity of newly formed bone is comparable between the uncoated and silver coated implants. The newly formed bone demonstrates a trabecular morphology with bone being located at the implant surface, and at a distance, at two weeks. Nanoscale elemental mapping of the bone−implant interface showed that silver was present primarily in the osseous tissue and colocalized with sulfur. TEM revealed silver sulfide nanoparticles in the newly regenerated bone, presenting strong evidence that the previously in vitro observed biotransformation of silver to silver sulfide occurs in vivo

High Levels of Physical Activity in Later Life Are Associated With Enhanced Markers of Mitochondrial Metabolism

The age-associated reduction in muscle mass is well characterized; however, less is known regarding the mechanisms responsible for the decline in oxidative capacity also observed with advancing age. The purpose of the current study was therefore to compare mitochondrial gene expression and protein content between young and old recreationally active, and older highly active individuals. Muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis of young males (YG: 22 ± 3 years) and older (OG: 67 ± 2 years) males not previously engaged in formal exercise and older male master cyclists (OT: 65 ± 5 years) who had undertaken cycling exercise for 32 ± 17 years. Comparison of gene expression between YG, OG, and OT groups revealed greater expression of mitochondrial-related genes, namely, electron transport chain (ETC) complexes II, III, and IV (p &amp;lt; .05) in OT compared with YG and OG. Gene expression of mitofusion (MFN)-1/2, mitochondrial fusion genes, was greater in OT compared with OG (p &amp;lt; .05). Similarly, protein content of ETC complexes I, II, and IV was significantly greater in OT compared with both YG and OG (p &amp;lt; .001). Protein content of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma, coactivator 1 α (PGC-1α), was greater in OT compared with YG and OG (p &amp;lt; .001). Our results suggest that the aging process per se is not associated with a decline in gene expression and protein content of ETC complexes. Mitochondrial-related gene expression and protein content are substantially greater in OT, suggesting that exercise-mediated increases in mitochondrial content can be maintained into later life