Research in Public Relations : current Status and New Directions

As research into Public Relations progresses, the problems that have arisen between the world of academics and professionals of this activity are revealed. It is evidently far from being a profession based on research, at best, professionals are interested in short-term research, and especially the effects of communication and its incidence on marketing. On many occasions, this is done to give credit to the investment made in PR, aiming to show that these investments are more profitable than advertising. Academics are more critical than professionals, but they should consider that their research must also offer applications for professional activity. But, on the other hand, if researchers do not think theoretically before measuring something, they will not achieve useful or valid results. In the area of organisations, reference is made to the contribution made by Public Relations in terms of the general effectiveness of the organisation. In this aspect, it has become patently evident that research has helped us to develop a global theory of Public Relations Excellence, and its general principles can be applied to several cultures.Al hilo de la investigación en Relaciones Públicas se van desvelando los problemas que entre el mundo de los académicos y los profesionales de esta actividad se han ido suscitando. Queda patente que está lejos de ser una profesión basada en la investigación, como mucho, a los profesionales les interesan las investigaciones a corto plazo y, en especial, los efectos de la comunicación y su incidencia en el marketing. En no pocas ocasiones, se hace en función de acreditar la inversión dedicada a las RR. PP. Y trata de explicar que sus inversiones son más rentables que la publicidad. Los académicos son más críticos que los profesionales pero deben tener en cuenta que su investigación también tiene que tener aplicaciones en la actividad profesional. Pero, por otro lado, si los investigadores no piensan teóricamente antes de medir algo no obtienen resultados útiles y validables. En el ámbito de las organizaciones se hace referencia a la contribución que realizan las Relaciones Públicas en aras de la efectividad, en general, de la organización. En este aspecto se ha hecho patente que la investigación nos ha ayudado al desarrollo de una teoría global de las Relaciones Públicas de la Excelencia, y sus principios generales pueden ser aplicados en plurales culturas

Research on Science Communication: What is Known and What Needs To Be Known

We have a great deal of research data on problems of science communication, but few deep theories which structure that data into an integrated picture of the nature of science communication and how best to carry it out. (Papers from the National Agricultural Science Information Conference, Ames, Iowa.

Prospects for Public Relations: Excellence Study results for communication in organizations

La comunicación en las organizaciones está afectada por variables tanto internas como externas a la organización, como la cultura, la estructura y la gestión organizativa. Algunos de los resultados del Excellence Study discutidos en el presente artículo evidencian que el valor de las relaciones públicas se crea en los relacionamientos que las organizaciones desarrollan con los públicos, especialmente con aquellos que se ubican en el interior mismo de la empresa.The communication in the organizations is affected by variables so much internal as day pupils to the organization, as the culture, the structure and the organizational management. Some of the results of the Excellence Study discussed in the present article demonstrate that the value of the public relations believes itself in the relational processes that the organizations develop with the public ones, specially with those that are located in the interior itself of the company

Genetics and genomics of pulmonary arterial hypertension

Major discoveries have been obtained within the last decade in the field of hereditary predisposition to pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Among them, the identification of bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 2 (BMPR2) as the major predisposing gene and activin A receptor type II-like kinase-1 (ACVRL1, also known as ALK1) as the major gene when PAH is associated with hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia. The mutation detection rate for the known genes is approximately 75 in familial PAH, but the mutation shortfall remains unexplained even after careful molecular investigation of these genes. To identify additional genetic variants predisposing to PAH, investigators harnessed the power of next-generation sequencing to successfully identify additional genes that will be described in this report. Furthermore, common genetic predisposing factors for PAH can be identified by genome-wide association studies and are detailed in this paper. The careful study of families and routine genetic diagnosis facilitated natural history studies based on large registries of PAH patients to be set up in different countries. These longitudinal or cross-sectional studies permitted the clinical characterization of PAH in mutation carriers to be accurately described. The availability of molecular genetic diagnosis has opened up a new field for patient care, including genetic counseling for a severe disease, taking into account that the major predisposing gene has a highly variable penetrance between families. Molecular information can be drawn from the genomic study of affected tissues in PAH, in particular, pulmonary vascular tissues and cells, to gain insight into the mechanisms leading to the development of the disease. High-throughput genomic techniques, on the basis of next-generation sequencing, now allow the accurate quantification and analysis of ribonucleic acid, species, including micro-ribonucleic acids, and allow for a genome-wide investigation of epigenetic or regulatory mechanisms, which include deoxyribonucleic acid methylation, histone methylation, and acetylation, or transcription factor binding. © 2013 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc

Signaling via interleukin-4, receptor alpha chain is required for successful vaccination against schistosomiasis in BALB/c mice

Radiation-attenuated (RA) schistosome larvae are potent stimulators of innate immune responses at the skin site of exposure (pinna) that are likely to be important factors in the development of Th1-mediated protective immunity. In addition to causing an influx of neutrophils, macrophages, and dendritic cells (DCs) into the dermis, RA larvae induced a cascade of chemokine and cytokine secretion following in vitro culture of pinna biopsy samples. While macrophage inflammatory protein 1 and interleukin-1 (IL-1) were produced transiently within the first few days, the Th1-promoting cytokines IL-12 and IL-18 were secreted at high levels until at least day 14. Assay of C3H/HeJ mice confirmed that IL-12 secretion was not due to lipopolysaccharide contaminants binding Toll-like receptor 4. Significantly, IL-12 p40 secretion was sustained in pinnae from vaccinated mice but not in those from nonprotected infected mice. In contrast, IL-10 was produced from both vaccinated and infected mice. This cytokine regulates IL-12-associated dermal inflammation, since in vaccinated IL-10/ mice, pinna thickness was greatly increased concurrent with elevated levels of IL-12 p40. A significant number of IL-12 p40 cells were detected as emigrants from in vitro-cultured pinnae, and most were within a population of rare large granular cells that were Ia, consistent with their being antigen-presenting cells. Labeling of IL-12 cells for CD11c, CD205, CD8, CD11b, and F4/80 indicated that the majority were myeloid DCs, although a proportion were CD11c F4/80, suggesting that macrophages were an additional source of IL-12 in the skin

Public relations and strategic management: Institutionalizing organization – public relationships in contemporary society

Public relations and strategic management: Institutionalizing organization–public relationships in contemporary society  Public relations is a critical profession in contemporary society, which is characterized by global interaction, relationships, and responsibility. Unfortunately, public relations has been institutionalized as a symbolic-interpretive activity that organizations use to exert their power over publics and to disguise the consequences of their behaviors from publics, governments, and the media. This article discusses an alternative role for public relations as a strategic management rather than a messaging activity. It presents a model of public relations in strategic management and examines research that elaborates segments of the model: environmental scanning, stakeholders and publics, issues and crises, scenario building, cultivating and evaluating relationships, tracing the effect of relationships on reputation, planning and evaluating communication programs strategically, and how digital media can be used to further the strategic management process. It concludes that research is needed on how public relations can be empowered and institutionalized as a strategic management activity.Public relations and strategic management: Institutionalizing organization–public relationships in contemporary society  Public relations is a critical profession in contemporary society, which is characterized by global interaction, relationships, and responsibility. Unfortunately, public relations has been institutionalized as a symbolic-interpretive activity that organizations use to exert their power over publics and to disguise the consequences of their behaviors from publics, governments, and the media. This article discusses an alternative role for public relations as a strategic management rather than a messaging activity. It presents a model of public relations in strategic management and examines research that elaborates segments of the model: environmental scanning, stakeholders and publics, issues and crises, scenario building, cultivating and evaluating relationships, tracing the effect of relationships on reputation, planning and evaluating communication programs strategically, and how digital media can be used to further the strategic management process. It concludes that research is needed on how public relations can be empowered and institutionalized as a strategic management activity