Exploring Young People's Experiences on Social Networking Sites

Abstract Online Social Networking Sites (SNS) are a ubiquitous platform for communication and have been considered as one of the most significant changes to how young people interact today. Whilst SNS bring many opportunities, they have also been used as a tool for harassment and abuse online. The term ‘cyberbullying’, is most widely used to describe this phenomenon. A growing body of research demonstrates that cyberbullying has the potential to detrimentally impact young people’s wellbeing. However, this impact is not universal as not all young people describe being negatively affected by cyberbullying. In spite of this, little is known about what mediates the impact of cyberbullying and how resilience is maintained in the face of such challenges. The aim of this study was to qualitatively explore young people’s constructions of negative experiences on SNS and understand the influences and processes mediating such experiences. Fourteen participants (16-18 years old) with previous negative experiences on SNS took part in semi-structured interviews. Interviews were analysed using grounded theory methodology. One core category was constructed: ‘(Re)building self-concept and protective shielding’. It captures the process of making sense of, responding to and resisting the effects of a negative experience online involving complex inter-relationships between the online, individual, social and political context. Central to the findings was participant’s experience of an attack on their self-concept. From being targeted online, participants described harnessing control and responding in several ways (such as using technical strategies, confiding in trusted relationships, re-focusing on meaningful activities and roles) to buffer against the negative impact and (re)build their self-concept. Through this process they gained awareness and took control over their self-narrative which facilitated the development of a protective buffer against future attacks. Limitations of these findings and their implications for future research and practice are considered

Spectrum of quenched twisted mass lattice QCD at maximal twist

Hadron masses are computed from quenched twisted mass lattice QCD for a degenerate doublet of up and down quarks with the twist angle set to pi/2, since this maximally twisted theory is expected to be free of linear discretization errors. Two separate definitions of the twist angle are used, and the hadron masses for these two cases are compared. The flavor breaking, that can arise due to twisting, is discussed in the context of mass splittings within the Delta(1232) multiplet.Comment: 23 pages, 16 figures, added discussion of pion decay constan

Strange quarks in quenched twisted mass lattice QCD

Two twisted doublets, one containing the up and down quarks and the other containing the strange quark with an SU(2)-flavor partner, are used for studies in the meson sector. The relevant chiral perturbation theory is presented, and quenched QCD simulations (where the partner of the strange quark is not active) are performed. Pseudoscalar meson masses and decay constants are computed; the vector and scalar mesons are also discussed. A comparison is made to the case of an untwisted strange quark, and some effects due to quenching, discretization, and the definition of maximal twist are explored.Comment: 37 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publicatio

Parton Distribution Functions with Twisted Mass Fermions

We present a first Wilson twisted mass fermion calculation of the matrix element between pion states of the twist-2 operator, which is related to the the lowest moment of the valence quark parton distribution function in a pion. Using Wilson twisted mass fermions in the quenched approximation we demonstrate that can be computed at small pseudoscalar meson masses down to values of order 250 MeV. We investigate the scaling behaviour of this physically important quantity by applying two definitions of the critical mass and observe a scaling compatible with the expected O(a^2) behaviour in both cases. A combined continuum extrapolation allows to obtain reliable results for at very small pseudoscalar meson masses, which previously could not be explored by lattice QCD simulations.Comment: 15 pages, 3 figure

Lattice QCD with a twisted mass term and a strange quark

There are three quarks with masses at or below the characteristic scale of QCD dynamics: up, down and strange. However, twisted mass lattice QCD relies on quark doublets. Various options for including three quark flavors within the twisted mass approach are explored by studying the kaon masses, both analytically (through chiral Lagrangians) and numerically (through lattice simulations). Advantages and disadvantages are revealed for each ``strange and twisted'' option

Inhibitive action of Cystine on the corrosion of low alloy steel ASTM A213 grade T22 in sulfamic acid solutions

AbstractThe effect of Cystine on the corrosion behavior of low alloy steel ASTM A213 grade T22 in 0.5M sulfamic acid solutions have been investigated by various electrochemical techniques. The study was performed using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and the recent technique electrochemical frequency modulation (EFM). The results of the investigation show that the inhibition efficiency increased with increasing inhibitor concentration, but decreased with increasing the solution temperature and stirring velocity. All the collected results from the two techniques are in good agreements, which confirm the ability of EFM technique for monitoring the corrosion inhibition under the studied conditions

Subtle Radiological Features of Splenic Avulsion following Abdominal Trauma

Splenic trauma in children following blunt abdominal injury is usually treated by nonoperative management (NOM). Splenectomy following abdominal trauma is rare in children. NOM is successful as in the majority of instances the injury to the spleen is contained within its capsule or a localised haematoma. Rarely, the spleen may suffer from an avulsion injury that causes severe uncontrollable bleeding and necessitates an emergency laparotomy and splenectomy. We report two cases of children requiring splenectomy following severe blunt abdominal injury. In both instances emergency laparotomy was undertaken for uncontrollable bleeding despite resuscitation. The operating team was unaware of the precise source of bleeding preoperatively. Retrospective review of the computed tomography (CT) scans revealed subtle radiological features that indicate splenic avulsion. We wish to highlight these radiological features of splenic avulsion as they can help to focus management decisions regarding the need/timing for a laparotomy following blunt abdominal trauma in children

Tissue p53-induced glycolysis and apoptosis regulator (TIGAR) is associated with oxidative stress in benign and malignant colorectal lesions

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-mortality worldwide. Tissue p53-induced glycolysis and apoptosis regulator gene (TIGAR) has an important role in cellular glycolysis and acts as an oncogene.Objectives: We aimed to investigate the diagnostic utility of TIGAR in both CRC and benign bowel deceases.Methods: One-hundred-eighty tissue samples were recruited and classified into 3 groups: group (1) 60 CRC samples from the tumor mass of colorectal cancer patients, group (2), 60 non-neoplastic colorectal tissue samples and group (3), 60 benign bowel lesions samples (ulcerative-colitis, Chron’s disease, adenoma, and familial adenomatous polyposis). The expressions of tissue mRNA and protein levels of TIGAR were determined. Levels of malondialdehyde and reduced glutathione were also measured.Results: Our results showed upregulated expressions of TIGAR gene and protein levels in CRC tissues and benign colonic lesions compared to non-tumor tissues (p < 0.0001). Their levels were higher in inflammatory bowel diseases compared to non-inflammatory benign lesions. There were significant relations among TIGAR expression, protein levels, TNM staging, and the presence of metastasis (p<0.0001). ROC curve analysis showed that TIGAR mRNA expression and its protein can discriminate between CRC and benign lesions and between benign bowel disease and controls.Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge this is the first study to assess the level of TIGAR in different benign bowel diseases. TIGAR might be involved in the pathogenesis of benign and malignant bowel diseases and could be a potential biomarker for diagnosis