Creating evil: Can sadism be induced?

Sadism, as with other dark personality features, is generally considered to be a relatively stable trait. However, there has been little examination of the extent to which sadism may also be a state dependent characteristic. This research examines the extent to which sadistic interest or tendencies can be influenced through a specifically developed and very brief mood induction procedure. An anonymous online study, comprising questionnaires and a short picture-based induction procedure was completed by 323 participants. Participants were randomly assigned to an experimental or control condition by the hosting software, Qualtrics. Analysis showed that increased sadistic interest was reported by those in the experimental condition who had higher levels of baseline sadism. The findings indicate that a brief and simple procedure can be used to enhance pre-existing sadistic interest. Further research is needed to examine whether more immersive inductions produce a greater or lasting effect, and to understand the extent to which these might influence behaviour

Antimicrobial resistance and serotype distribution of nasopharyngeal pneumococcal isolates from healthy toddlers of Evros, Greece

Background: Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP) strains carried in the nasopharynx of healthy children reflect the circulating strains implicated in respiratory and invasive infections.Methods: We prospectively analysed the serotype distribution of SP nasopharyngeal isolates in healthy toddlers aged 21 to 78 months (median age 63 months) attending day care centres during the winters of 2010, 2011 and 2012, with the goal of predicting the future coverage of the recently licensed 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) in this population. Serotyping was performed by the Quellung reaction using the 12 pooled antisera Pneumotest panel and specific factor sera. We also studied the in vitro antimicrobial susceptibilities of the isolated pneumococci to several antibiotics by E-test, and for macrolide-resistant isolates of 2010 only, the resistance genes mef(A) and erm(B).Results: Among the 543 toddlers studied, 98.8% had received ≥1 dose of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7), while none was immunized with PCV10 or PCV13. Overall, 27.4% of the children tested were colonized with SP, while 22.8% and 52.3% of the isolates belonged to PCV7 and PCV13 serotypes, respectively. Overall, 25.5% of the isolates had intermediate resistance to penicillin (MIC 0.12-1) and 3.4% were resistant to penicillin (MIC 2μg/ml). All isolates were susceptible to amoxicillin, while 28.2% were resistant to macrolides, with the mef(A) gene-mediated M phenotype being the most common in 2010, the only year that macrolide resistance genes were studied (93.4% of macrolide-resistant isolates). Conclusion: Implementation of PCV13 will increase the coverage of children in our area for invasive pneumococcal serotypes by approximately 30%. Continued post-licensure serotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility surveillance is essential for designing rational immunization strategies and for providing guidance for appropriate treatment options for pneumococcal infections.Εισαγωγή: Τα στελέχη του πενυμονιοκόκκου που αποικίζουν το ρινοφάρυγγα υγιών παιδιών είναι υπεύθυνα για την πρόκληση τόσο αναπνευστικών όσο και διεισδυτικών λοιμώξεων.Aσθενείς και Μέθοδοι: Πραγματοποιήσαμε ανάλυση της οροτυπικής κατανομής στελεχών πνευμονιοκόκκου που απομονώθηκαν από το ρινοφάρυγγα υγιών παιδιών ηλικίας 21-78 μηνών (μέση ηλικία 63 μήνες) σε νηπιαγωγεία κατά τη διάρκεια του χειμώνα των ετών 2010, 2011 και 2012, με κύριο σκοπό να υπολογίσουμε το ποσοστό της μελλοντικής εμβολιαστικής κάλυψης του 13δύναμου συζευγμένου εμβολίου κατά του πνευμονιοκόκκου (PCV13). Η οροτυπία έγινε με τη μέθοδο εξοιδήσεως του ελύτρου. Επίσης μελετήθηκε η αντιμικροβιακή ευαισθησία των στελεχών που απομονώθηκαν σε αρκετά αντιβιοτικά με τη μέθοδο του Ε-test, ενώ για τα στελέχη που απομονώθηκαν το 2010 και ήταν ανθεκτικά στις μακρολίδες μελετήθηκαν και τα γονίδια αντοχής mef(A) and erm(B).Αποτελέσματα: Από το σύνολο των 543 παιδιών στα οποία έγινε λήψη ρινοφαρυγγικού επιχρίσματος, το 98,8% είχε λάβει ≥ 1 δόση του 7δύναμου συζευγμένου εμβολίου κατά του πνευμονιοκόκκου (PCV7), τη στιγμή που κανένα παιδί δεν είχε εμβολιαστεί με τα εμβόλια PCV10 και/ή PCV13. Το 27,4% του συνόλου των παιδιών ήταν αποικισμένα με πνευμονιόκοκκο, τη στιγμή που το 22,8% και το 52,3% των στελεχών αποτελούσαν οροτύπους του PCV7 και του PCV13, αντίστοιχα. Τα στελέχη που παρουσίαζαν ενδιάμεση αντοχή στην πενικιλλίνη (MIC 0,12-1) ανερχόταν σε ποσοστό 25,5%, ενώ 3,4% των στελεχών ήταν ανθεκτικά (MIC 2μg/ml) στην πενικιλλίνη. Όλα τα στελέχη ήταν ευαίσθητα στην αμοξυκιλλίνη, ενώ το 28,2% ήταν ανθεκτικά στις μακρολίδες, με το γονίδιο αντοχής mef(A) να είναι το συχνότερο απομονωθέν το έτος 2010 (93,4% των ανθεκτικών στελεχών στις μακρολίδες).Συμπεράσματα: Η εμβολιαστική κάλυψη των παιδιών στην περιοχή του Έβρου με τη χρήση του PCV13 θα αυξηθεί κατά 30%, όσο αφορά οροτύπους πνευμονιοκόκκου που προκαλούν διεισδυτικές λοιμώξεις. Η διαρκής επιτήρηση της οροτυπίας και της αντιμικροβιακής αντοχής των πνευμονιοκόκκων είναι απαραίτητη για το σχεδιασμό εμβολιαστικών προγραμμάτων και για τη σωστή θεραπευτική αντιμετώπιση των πνευμονιοκοκκικών λοιμώξεω

A new approach to entrepreneurship and regional development: key roles of purpose and well-being in the Swansea Bay City Region

PurposeThis paper critically evaluates regional development through the lens of well-being and purpose. The paper provides insight into the key roles that well-being and purpose play in regional development and the way in which various actors are engaged in this process. This paper focuses on the Swansea Bay City Region within Wales, a country at the forefront of well-being legislation.Design/methodology/approachThis paper analyses a case study of 4theRegion, a membership organisation that undertakes regional development activities underpinned by a social purpose and well-being across the Swansea Bay city region. 4theRegion has been selected due to (1) its unique business model; (2) its clear focus on well-being and purpose; and (3) the influence of its regional development actions bringing together various stakeholder groups under a common aim.FindingsThis paper extends existing debates on collaborative development approaches and underlines the unique emphasis on asset-based local development influenced by well-being, which seeks to engage with a variety of community stakeholders to derive “holistic flourishing”. This emphasises inclusive development activities across the region, through people, place, process and purpose, underpinned by well-being. The research also underlines debates about the subjectivity of well-being and how the impact of well-being legislation can be evaluated.Originality/valueThis research provides a new way of looking at regional development, through the lens of well-being and purpose and provides insight into the way in which various actors are engaged in this process. Implications of this research could influence policymaking in supporting regional development activities, as well as practical lessons for those involved in place-based development

A new approach to entrepreneurship and regional development: The key roles of purpose and well-being in the Swansea Bay City Region

Purpose – This paper critically evaluates regional development through the lens of well-being and purpose. The paper provides insight into the key roles that well-being and purpose play in regional development and the way in which various actors are engaged in this process. This paper focuses on the Swansea Bay City Region within Wales, a country at the forefront of well-being legislation. Design/methodology/approach – This paper analyses a case study of 4theRegion, a membership organisation that undertakes regional development activities underpinned by a social purpose and well-being across the Swansea Bay city region. 4theRegion has been selected due: to (1) its unique business model; (2) its clear focus on well-being and purpose; and (3) the influence of its regional development actions bringing together various stakeholder groups under a common aim. Findings – This paper extends existing debates on collaborative development approaches and underlines the unique emphasis on asset-based local development influenced by well-being, which seeks to engage with a variety of community stakeholders to derive ‘holistic flourishing’. This emphasises inclusive development activities across the region, through people, place, process and purpose, underpinned by well-being. The research also underlines debates about the subjectivity of well-being and how the impact of well-being legislation can be evaluated. Originality/value – This research provides a new way of looking at regional development, through the lens of well-being and purpose and provides insight into the way in which various actors are engaged in this process. Implications of this research could influence policymaking in supporting regional development activities, as well as practical lessons for those involved in place-based development