Framing Biotechnology: A Comparison of U.S. and British National Newspapers

Despite the potential promise of agricultural biotechnology, consumers’ trust and acceptance varies in some parts of the world. To develop a deeper understanding of the differences in news media coverage of agricultural biotechnology in U.S. and British newspapers, a framing analysis study was conducted, focusing on the news coverage of three major national “newspapers of record” during the calendar year 2002: The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Guardian. No single frame was dominant in U.S. or British national newspaper coverage of agricultural biotechnology in 2002. Some of the prominent frames were contamination of the food supply, human risk, environmental risk, scientific progress, and world hunger. There were more different frames used in The Guardian (concepts as consumer choice, dependency, and politics) than in the U.S. newspapers. Additionally, this study reiterated findings that British news coverage included more editorial coverage of agricultural biotechnology

Self as Teacher: Preliminary Role Identification of the Potential Teaching Candidate

In this study, the researchers used qualitative surveys to explore potential teaching candidates’ preliminary perceptions of self as teacher and examine how roles are identified, defined and constructed in the context of a tutoring lab that provides support to English Language Learners. Prospective candidates’ perceptions of their tutees, children whose cultural identities and backgrounds differ from their own, are also examined. Findings indicate participants’ teaching identities and conceptualizations of their roles as teachers became more specific and elaborated over the course of the semester. Additionally, the significance of multiple practicum experiences in diverse settings for ongoing identity development and for developing knowledge about culturally and linguistically diverse school children was also clear

Employing the Houseless as Corporate Social Responsibility

Purpose Many hospitality organizations see the benefits of engaging in corporate social responsibility (CSR), which can take many forms. This study aims to examine one relatively unique form of CSR: hiring individuals experiencing houselessness. This research aimed to investigate the impact of hiring individuals experiencing houselessness on customers’ behavioral intentions, attitudes toward an organization and perceptions of CSR actions. Design/methodology/approach Across two experiments, this study investigated the impact of employing individuals experiencing houselessness on customers’ perceptions of the employee and organization using organizational legitimacy theory. Findings Results demonstrate that employees known to be houseless elicited more positive employee and organizational perceptions from the customers, mediated by CSR perceptions. In addition, the gender of the employees or the quality of the organization did not impact these findings. Practical implications Hospitality and tourism organizations should consider using available resources or tax benefits to make a deliberate effort to employ those experiencing houselessness. Originality/value Using organizational legitimacy theory, this study examines CSR perceptions as a potential explanatory mechanism between houselessness and customers’ reactions

GNC University: A Case Study in Partnering Business and Education through Distance Learning

In 2002, General Nutrition Corporation, Inc. contacted the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Florida to collaborate in offering a series of courses in introductory nutrition for GNC employees in order to equip them with basic nutrition knowledge. The purpose of this case study was to describe the GNC University program as a model for business-education partnerships via distance education, to describe student expectations for the GNC University experience, to describe student reactions to the GNC University experience, and to describe the reaction of teaching assistants to their experience with GNC University. There were several key findings in this study. Students’ expectations are to increase in nutrition knowledge, professionally and personally, and to increase in their technological skills. There is a need, in future evaluation of this program, to measure whether students feel their expectations of increased knowledge and technological skills are being met. Additionally, focus groups with teaching assistants revealed a need for greater preparation for assisting students with technical difficulties. Overall, this program shows promise for business-education partnerships through distance education

The HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Miami: Perspectives of Stakeholders and Frontline Providers

Background: Miami, Florida persists as an epicenter of HIV/AIDS nationally and has been more delayed than other areas with high HIV burden in implementing public health measures that mitigate transmission risk. These issues among other social and structural-level determinants have complicated progress in addressing HIV/AIDS in Miami. Purpose: The stagnated progress in improving HIV outcomes in Miami necessitated a more comprehensive understanding of the experiences and insights of stakeholders within the system. We used a stakeholder analysis approach to understand the complexity of driving factors and key challenges facing this HIV epidemic. Methods: A stakeholder analysis was conducted through 11 focus groups (64 participants) with front line workers working in non-profit, community-based agencies in Miami. The interview guide was designed to elicit a broad discussion on the social and intermediary determinants of HIV/AIDS, as well as the context surrounding barriers to treatment. Data were analyzed using qualitative software for thematic analysis. Results: Participants highlighted particular populations vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and insufficiently engaged in treatment, including immigrants and people who use drugs. Stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS as well as sexual orientation, mental health, and drug use was a noted persisting barrier. Participants expressed needs for more targeted outreach and education for both prevention and treatment. Numerous systemic gaps were identified as barriers to treatment engagement and retention. Other comorbidities and socioeconomic challenges, including criminal justice histories, housing instability and low educational attainment, also hamper HIV/AIDS management. Discussion: Through these discussions with stakeholders representing a diversity of voices, findings can inform comprehensive and coordinated strategies for curbing the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Miami. The development of prevention and treatment interventions should consider cultural contexts of health behaviors, multi-level stigma related to HIV/AIDS and other comorbid and socioeconomic challenges, and increased implementation of harm reduction programs such as PrEP delivery and syringe exchange programs

An Ounce of Prevention: How Are We Managing the Early Assessment of Residents\u27 Clinical Skills?: A CERA Study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Clinical skills deficits in residents are common but when identified early can result in decreased cost, faculty time, and stress related to remediation. There is currently no accepted best practice for early assessment of incoming residents\u27 clinical skills. This study describes the current state of early PGY-1 clinical skills assessment in US family medicine residencies. METHODS: Eleven questions were embedded in the nationwide CERA survey to US family medicine residency directors regarding the processes, components, and barriers to early PGY-1 assessment. Responses are described, and bivariate analyses of the relationship between assessment variables and percentage of international medical graduates (IMGs), type of program, and barriers to implementation were performed using chi square testing. RESULTS: Almost four of five (78.4%) responding programs conduct formal early assessments to establish baseline clinical skills (89.6%), provide PGY-1 residents with a guide to focus their learning goals (71.6%), and less often, in response to resident performance problems (34.3%). Barriers to implementing PGY-1 early assessment programs include cost of faculty time (56.3%), cost of tools (42.1%), and time for the assessment during the PGY-1 resident\u27s schedule (41.0%). Cost of faculty time and time for assessment from the PGY-1 resident\u27s schedule were statistically significant major/insurmountable barriers for community-based, non-university-affiliated programs. CONCLUSIONS: Early PGY-1 assessments with locally developed tools for direct observation are commonly used in family medicine residency programs. Assessment program development should be targeted toward using existing, validated tools during the PGY-1 resident\u27s patient care schedule

Development of a Diagnostic Test Set to Assess Agreement in Breast Pathology: Practical Application of the Guidelines for Reporting Reliability and Agreement Studies (GRRAS)

Diagnostic test sets are a valuable research tool that contributes importantly to the validity and reliability of studies that assess agreement in breast pathology. In order to fully understand the strengths and weaknesses of any agreement and reliability study, however, the methods should be fully reported. In this paper we provide a step-by-step description of the methods used to create four complex test sets for a study of diagnostic agreement among pathologists interpreting breast biopsy specimens. We use the newly developed Guidelines for Reporting Reliability and Agreement Studies (GRRAS) as a basis to report these methods

Editor's Choice - Bypass versus Angioplasty for Severe Ischaemia of the Leg (BASIL) Prospective Cohort Study and the Generalisability of the BASIL-2 Randomised Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE: The Bypass versus Angioplasty in Severe Ischaemia of the Leg-2 (BASIL-2) randomised controlled trial has shown that, for patients with chronic limb threatening ischaemia (CLTI) who require an infrapopliteal (IP) revascularisation a vein bypass (VB) first revascularisation strategy led to a 35% increased risk of major amputation or death when compared with a best endovascular treatment (BET) first revascularisation strategy. The study aims are to place the BASIL-2 trial within the context of the CLTI patient population as a whole and to investigate the generalisability of the BASIL-2 outcome data.METHODS: This was an observational, single centre prospective cohort study. Between 24 June 2014 and 31 July 2018, the BASIL Prospective Cohort Study (PCS) was performed which used BASIL-2 trial case record forms to document the characteristics, initial and subsequent management, and outcomes of 471 consecutive CLTI patients admitted to an academic vascular centre. Ethical approval was obtained, and all patients provided fully informed written consent. Follow up data were censored on 14 December 2022.RESULTS: Of the 238 patients who required an infrainguinal revascularisation, 75 (32%) had either IP bypass (39 patients) or IP BET (36 patients) outside BASIL-2. Seventeen patients were initially randomised to BASIL-2. A further three patients who did not have an IP revascularisation as their initial management were later randomised in BASIL-2. Therefore, 95/471 (20%) of patients had IP revascularisation (16% outside, 4% inside BASIL-2). Differences in amputation free survival, overall survival, and limb salvage between IP bypass and IP BET performed outside BASIL-2 were not subject to hypothesis testing due to the small sample size. Reasons for non-randomisation into the trial were numerous, but often due to anatomical and technical considerations.CONCLUSION: CLTI patients who required an IP revascularisation procedure and were subsequently randomised into BASIL-2 accounted for a small subset of the CLTI population as a whole. For a wide range of patient, limb, anatomical and operational reasons, most patients in this cohort were deemed unsuitable for randomisation in BASIL-2. The results of BASIL-2 should be interpreted in this context.</p

Antiplatelet Therapy Changes for Patients With Myocardial Infarction With Recurrent Ischemic Events: Insights Into Contemporary Practice From the TRANSLATE-ACS (Treatment With ADP Receptor Inhibitors: Longitudinal Assessment of Treatment Patterns and Events After Acute Coronary Syndrome) Study

BACKGROUND: Guidelines recommend P2Y12 inhibitor therapy for 1 year after myocardial infarction (MI), yet little guidance is provided on antiplatelet management for patients with recurrent ischemic events during that year. We describe changes in P2Y12 inhibitor type among patients with recurrent ischemic events in the first year after MI. METHODS AND RESULTS: The TRANSLATE-ACS (Treatment With ADP Receptor Inhibitors: Longitudinal Assessment of Treatment Patterns and Events After Acute Coronary Syndrome) study enrolled 12 365 patients with MI treated with percutaneous coronary intervention. We examined whether P2Y12 inhibitor choice changed among patients with recurrent MI, stent thrombosis, and/or unplanned revascularization during the first year after MI, and modeled factors associated with P2Y12 inhibitor intensification (changing clopidogrel to prasugrel or ticagrelor). In the first year after MI, 1414 patients (11%) had a total of 1740 recurrent ischemic events (771 recurrent MIs, 969 unplanned revascularizations, and 165 stent thromboses). Median time to the first recurrent ischemic event was 154 days (25th-75th percentiles, 55-287 days). Of those with recurrent ischemic events, 101 of 1092 (9.3%) occurring in clopidogrel-treated patients led to P2Y12 inhibitor intensification. Recurrent events involving stent thrombosis or MI were the strongest factors associated with P2Y12 inhibitor intensification, yet only 40% of patients with stent thrombosis and 14% of patients with recurrent MI had P2Y12 inhibitor intensification. Increasing age and longer time from the index MI were associated with lower likelihood for intensification. CONCLUSIONS: Few patients after MI with a recurrent ischemic event who were taking clopidogrel switched to a more potent P2Y12 inhibitor, even after stent thrombosis events. Specific guidance is needed for patients who have recurrent ischemic events, particularly when closely spaced. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01088503