Understanding Adolescents Appearance-Related Interactions with Peers on Highly Visual Social Media Platforms

Adolescents’ peer interactions play an important role in the development of personal attitudes, norms and beliefs surrounding appearance and contribute to body image concerns. Appearance-related interactions are abundant on social media, but research is limited. The aim of this thesis was to explore how adolescents understand and experience appearance-related interactions on social media in relation to body image concerns, peer relationships and selfdevelopment, and to explore the role of gender. Study 1 used focus groups to explore adolescents’ (Age M = 12.56; SD = 0.97; Girls = 33) shared understandings of a range of appearance interactions on social media. In Study 2, thirty adolescents (Age M = 14.93; SD = 1.72; Girls = 21) participated in interviews involving the scroll-back technique to better understand their personal experiences of body talk on social media. Seventeen girls (Age M = 15.12; SD = 1.80) further agreed to share their social media data for content analysis. Combined, the findings highlight the complexity of adolescents’ appearance interactions, which are transformed by the social media environment. Some interactions like body talk are experienced more intensely and frequently compared to their offline counterparts. Positive appearance comments are the norm for girls and serve many functions including popularity marker, sign of affinity, and self-presentational strategy. Negative comments were only the norm for girls if self-directed; self-deprecating comments were used as a selfpresentational strategy to convey appearance modesty. Complimenting is less common for boys as it is perceived as contrary to masculine gender norms. Instead, boys tend to engage in appearance-related banter, and this similarly acts as a marker of affiliation, signifier of boy identity and self-presentation strategy. Appearance commentary of all forms reinforced appearance-related expectations for both boys and girls, and as such, contributed body image concerns. These findings have important implications for theory and intervention

Body talk in the digital age: a controlled evaluation of a classroom-based intervention to reduce appearance commentary and improve body image

This research evaluates the efficacy of a classroom-based intervention – Body Talk in the Digital Age (BTIDA) – in reducing adolescents’ appearance commentary and improving body image. British adolescents (N = 314; AgeRange = 12–14) were cluster randomised to intervention or waiting-list control groups. Measures of appearance commentary, appearance ideal internalisation, self-objectification and body satisfaction were completed at baseline (T1), then one-week (T2) and eight-week (T3) post-intervention. Multi-level modelling showed girls who received BTIDA reported less appearance commentary engagement and thin ideal internalisation at T2 and T3, than the control, supporting the partial efficacy of BTIDA for girls. No intervention effects were found among boys

Living with myocardial ischaemia and no obstructive coronary arteries: a qualitative study

Objective To explore the lived experience of people with myocardial ischaemia with no obstructive arteries. Design Qualitative study using semistructured interviews. Setting Telephone interviews with 17 participants living in the UK. Participants 17 people (2 males, 15 females; aged 31–69 years) with a presumed or confirmed diagnosis of myocardial ischaemia with no obstructive arteries, recruited via social media and online patient-led support forums. Results Five themes were generated. Theme 1 describes the wide range of experiences that participants described, particularly the frequency and intensity of symptoms, and the uncertainty and fear that symptoms commonly provoked. Theme 2 describes the major impact on social relationships, employment and other aspects of everyday life. Theme 3 illustrates challenging and traumatising experiences participants described around pathways to diagnosis and accessing medical support. Theme 4 highlights the lack of consensus and clarity that participants had been confronted with around treatment and management. Theme 5 describes coping and supportive strategies valued by participants. Conclusions This study provides insight into the challenges of living with myocardial ischaemia with no obstructive arteries. Findings highlight the significant psychological impact on people living with these conditions and the need for improvements in diagnosis, support and long-term management

Identification of a Mitochondrial Target of Thiazolidinedione Insulin Sensitizers (mTOT)—Relationship to Newly Identified Mitochondrial Pyruvate Carrier Proteins

Thiazolidinedione (TZD) insulin sensitizers have the potential to effectively treat a number of human diseases, however the currently available agents have dose-limiting side effects that are mediated via activation of the transcription factor PPARγ. We have recently shown PPARγ-independent actions of TZD insulin sensitizers, but the molecular target of these molecules remained to be identified. Here we use a photo-catalyzable drug analog probe and mass spectrometry-based proteomics to identify a previously uncharacterized mitochondrial complex that specifically recognizes TZDs. These studies identify two well-conserved proteins previously known as brain protein 44 (BRP44) and BRP44 Like (BRP44L), which recently have been renamed Mpc2 and Mpc1 to signify their function as a mitochondrial pyruvate carrier complex. Knockdown of Mpc1 or Mpc2 in Drosophila melanogaster or pre-incubation with UK5099, an inhibitor of pyruvate transport, blocks the crosslinking of mitochondrial membranes by the TZD probe. Knockdown of these proteins in Drosophila also led to increased hemolymph glucose and blocked drug action. In isolated brown adipose tissue (BAT) cells, MSDC-0602, a PPARγ-sparing TZD, altered the incorporation of (13)C-labeled carbon from glucose into acetyl CoA. These results identify Mpc1 and Mpc2 as components of the mitochondrial target of TZDs (mTOT) and suggest that understanding the modulation of this complex, which appears to regulate pyruvate entry into the mitochondria, may provide a viable target for insulin sensitizing pharmacology