"The Only Way I Was Going to Be Lovable." A Grounded Theory of Young People's Experiences of Body Dysmorphic Disorder.

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is characterised by a distressing preoccupation with perceived defects or flaws in one’s appearance. BDD most typically emerges in adolescence (Gunstad & Phillips, 2003; Phillips, Menard & Fay, 2006) and is estimated to affect 2.2% of the UK adolescent population (Veale, Gledhill, Christodoulou, & Hodsoll 2016). There is a dearth of research into children’s and young people’s (CYP’s) lived experiences of BDD, particularly in relation to educational contexts (Mataix-Cols et al., 2015). Using Constructivist Grounded Theory methodology (Charmaz, 2014), interview data from 10 young people (YP) between the ages of 16 and 25 were analysed. The emergent theory that, 'Appearance-based identity becomes the focus of adolescent identity formation in young people’s experiences of BDD, informed by relational experiences of shame and low self-worth' encompassed four key themes, namely: (1) Appearance-based identity is informed by and informs relationships in young people’s experiences of BDD; (2) Characteristics of BDD are expressions of shame and low self-worth; (3) Shame-based educational experiences trigger and perpetuate BDD; and (4) Lack of understanding of BDD deepens shame and leads to stagnation of identity formation. These findings informed the development of a psychological model of BDD in young people: The Shame-Identity Model of BDD in Young People. Psychoanalytic conceptualisations, both of shame and of BDD, in addition to the literature on adolescent identity development, are drawn upon in the Discussion. Implications for Educational Psychology (EP) practice and the practice of other educational professionals are discussed

The Liver Toxicity Biomarker Study: Phase I Design and Preliminary Results

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is the primary adverse event that results in withdrawal of drugs from the market and a frequent reason for the failure of drug candidates in development. The Liver Toxicity Biomarker Study (LTBS) is an innovative approach to investigate DILI because it compares molecular events produced in vivo by compound pairs that (a) are similar in structure and mechanism of action, (b) are associated with few or no signs of liver toxicity in preclinical studies, and (c) show marked differences in hepatotoxic potential. The LTBS is a collaborative preclinical research effort in molecular systems toxicology between the National Center for Toxicological Research and BG Medicine, Inc., and is supported by seven pharmaceutical companies and three technology providers. In phase I of the LTBS, entacapone and tolcapone were studied in rats to provide results and information that will form the foundation for the design and implementation of phase II. Molecular analysis of the rat liver and plasma samples combined with statistical analyses of the resulting datasets yielded marker analytes, illustrating the value of the broad-spectrum, molecular systems analysis approach to studying pharmacological or toxicological effects