Appearance-based comments, body dissatisfaction and drive for muscularity in males

This study examined the role of positive and negative appearance-based comments on body dissatisfaction and drive for muscularity among young adult males. The direct and moderating effect of self-esteem were also investigated; and BMI, age, and social desirability were included as covariates. The participants were 214 males aged between 18 and 30 years. More frequent negative comments were associated with higher body dissatisfaction whilst more frequent positive comments were associated with lower body dissatisfaction. However, both frequent negative and positive commentary were associated with higher drive for muscularity. Self-esteem was also associated with both body dissatisfaction and the drive for muscularity, but it did not moderate that influence of either positive or negative messages. Longitudinal research is now needed to determine the directionality of these relationships. Further research is required to establish the contexts in which positive and negative messages are associated with body dissatisfaction and the drive for muscularity.

Social comparisons, appearance related comments, contingent self-esteem and their relationships with body dissatisfaction and eating disturbance among women

This study examined social comparisons, appearance related comments and contingent self-esteem, and their relationships with body dissatisfaction and eating disturbance in young adult women. Importantly, the role of both positive and negative appearance related comments, and upward and downward comparisons, were investigated. A self-report questionnaire assessing each of these variables was completed by one hundred and ninety-six women aged 18–35. A higher frequency of negative comments and contingent self-esteem were associated with higher upward comparisons, and more positive comments were associated with higher downward comparisons. Overall, social comparisons were shown to be more important than verbal commentary and contingent self-esteem. More upward comparisons and less downward comparisons uniquely predicted higher body dissatisfaction and eating disturbance. In addition, negative appearance comments were found to be more salient than positive comments. Negative comments and contingent self-esteem uniquely predicted more eating disturbance but positive comments were not a predictor of body dissatisfaction or eating disturbance. Longitudinal studies are now required to establish the direction of these relationships and to more fully examine the interplay among the factors. In addition, given that our study only assessed self-reported social comparisons, our findings need to be validated against experimental methods.

Project SCORE! Coaches’ Perceptions of an Online Tool to Promote Positive Youth Development in Sport

Research points to the potential of youth sport as an avenue to support the growth of particular assets and outcomes. A recurring theme in this line of research is the need to train coaches to deliberately deliver themes relating to positive youth development (PYD) consistently in youth sport programs. The purpose of the study was to design and deliver a technology-based PYD program. Project SCORE! (www.projectscore.ca) is a series of 10 lessons to help coaches integrate PYD into sport. Four youth sport coaches completed the program in this first phase of this research and were interviewed. The goal of this study was to gain some insights from coaches as they completed the program. Positive comments about the program (i.e. ease of use, success of particular lessons, coach’s personal growth) and challenges regarding teaching positive skills to youth are discussed. These results helped to shape the program and make necessary changes so that it may be used for a larger research study. Other implications and future research directions are discussed.

Project SCORE! Coaches’ Perceptions of an Online Tool to Promote Positive Youth Development in Sport

Research points to the potential of youth sport as an avenue to support the growth of particular assets and outcomes. A recurring theme in this line of research is the need to train coaches to deliberately deliver themes relating to positive youth development (PYD) consistently in youth sport programs. The purpose of the study was to design and deliver a technology-based PYD program. Project SCORE! (www.projectscore.ca) is a series of 10 lessons to help coaches integrate PYD into sport. Four youth sport coaches completed the program in this first phase of this research and were interviewed. The goal of this study was to gain some insights from coaches as they completed the program. Positive comments about the program (i.e. ease of use, success of particular lessons, coach’s personal growth) and challenges regarding teaching positive skills to youth are discussed. These results helped to shape the program and make necessary changes so that it may be used for a larger research study. Other implications and future research directions are discussed.

Development of an online role-play assessment initiative for nursing students in their bioscience studies

Devising assessment tasks for large units that embrace academic goals of authenticity and assessment variety can be a challenge. We developed an online Role-Play Assessment Initiative for first year nursing students in bioscience. Students responded to a case study by preparing two role-play dialogues: as a nurse with the patient, and between two nurses. The aims were to assess whether the students could: 1) understand the underlying disease process (pathophysiology) and relate it to clinical practice; 2) use language appropriate for lay and medical conversation; and 3) apply information using active learning. We conducted a student survey using quantitative questions (Likert scale: 1=strongly disagree to 5=strongly agree), and qualitative questions. 65 completed surveys were received. 80% of respondents agreed (includes agree or strongly agree) that it was a useful way to learn and understand pathophysiology of the case study. 86% agreed that it was useful to apply pathophysiology from lectures to a clinical setting. Overall, students found it enjoyable, which is beneficial for enhanced student engagement, and agreed that it allowed them to work well in a group (74% and 85%, respectively). Most qualitative suggestions for improvement related to group work, despite the encouraging response to group work in quantitative questions. Most positive comments surrounded different communication with a nurse compared with a patient. These results demonstrate that students developed deeper understanding of pathophysiology through active learning and were able to expand their nursing career skills during the role-play. Learning using role-play to simulate the workforce has fostered active learning.

A study of the use of the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale with parent groups outside the postpartum period

The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was sent by post to 206 mothers and 201 fathers of toddlers (aged between 19 and 22 months). At the same time these parents also completed subscales of the Crown—Crisp Experiential Index (CCEI). The responses were used to assess the feasibility of postal completion of the EPDS and its acceptability to parents outside the postpartum year, particularly fathers for whom there have been no previous reports of its use. On a small sub-group, the sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of the measures were assessed using the Present. State Examination. Answers to the depression subscale of the CCEI to the EPDS and to the Present State Examination were compared to assess validity. Completion of the postally-administered EPDS was satisfactory, though some difficulties were experienced in a second postal administration to a subsample. The scale was completed without obvious error or omission and this, combined with positive comments from parents, suggests the acceptability of the scale to both mothers and fathers. The mean scores were higher for mothers than for fathers, but the pattern of distribution was similar with a marked positive skew and a distinct decline in scores above 10. Because the subsample of parents interviewed was small the calculation of sensitivity and specificity has to be treated with caution. However, the results for mothers suggest that the EPDS has satisfactory validity for this group and one superior to the depression subscale of the CCEI. Among the fathers interviewed there were insufficient cases to enable calculation of sensitivity and specificity. Other results were encouraging, however, and suggest the merit of further studies of the application and validity of the EPDS with fathers.

The growing visibility of creationism in Northern Ireland: are new science teachers equipped to deal with the issues?

The growing visibility of various forms of creationism in Northern Ireland raises issues for science education. Attempts have been made at political levels to have such “alternatives” to evolution taught in the science classroom, and the issue has received coverage in local press and media. A sample of 112 pre-service science teachers answered a survey on attitudes toward evolution. Preliminary analysis revealed many of these new teachers held views contrary to scientific consensus—over one fifth doubt the evidence for human evolution, and over one quarter dispute the common ancestry of life. Over two thirds indicated a preference for teaching a “range of theories” regarding these issues in science. In addition, 49 pre-service biology teachers viewed a DVD resource promoting “intelligent design” and completed an evaluation of it. The biology teachers also took part in either focus groups or additional questionnaires. A majority took the resource at face value and made positive comments regarding its utility. Many articulated views contrary to the stated positions of science academies, professional associations, and the UK government teaching directives regarding creationism. Most indicated a perception that intelligent design is legitimate science and that there is a scientific “controversy” regarding the legitimacy of evolution. Concern is raised over the ability of these new teachers to distinguish between scientific and non-scientific theories. The suggestion is made that the issue should be addressed directly with pre-service science teachers to make clear the status of such “alternatives.” The paper raises implications for science education and questions for further research.

Enhancing teaching and learning speech acts: action research of Japanese as a foreign language /

This action research observes a second year Japanese class at a university where foreign language courses are elective for undergraduate students. In this study, using the six strategies to teach Japanese speech acts that Ishihara and Cohen (2006) suggested, I conducted three classes and analyzed my teaching practice with a critical friend. These strategies assist learners toward the development of their understanding of the following Japanese speech acts and also keep the learners to use them in a manner appropriate to the context: (I) invitation and refusal; (2) compliments; and (3) asking for a permission. The aim of this research is not only to improve my instruction in relation to second language (L2) pragmatic development, but also to raise further questions and to develop future research. The findings are analyzed and the data derived from my journals, artifacts, students' work, observation sheets, interviews with my critical friend, and pretests and posttests are coded and presented. The analysis shows that (I) after my critical friend encouraged my study and my students gave me some positive comments after each lesson, I gained confidence in teaching the suggested speech acts; (2) teaching involved explaining concepts and strategies, creating the visual material (a video) showing the strategies, and explaining the relationship between the strategy and grammatical forms and samples of misusing the forms; (3) students' background and learning styles influenced lessons; and (4) pretest and posttests showed that the students' Icvel of their L2 appropriate pragmatics dramatically improved after each instruction. However, after careful observation, it was noted that some factors prevented students from producing the correct output even though they understood the speech act differences.

Plan de empresa "Dorcé"

Dorcé es una idea de negocio que responde de manera directa a la necesidad de vestir de las mujeres a través de su innovador sistema operativo “Diseño y confección a tu manera” el cual tiene como objetivo revolucionar la tradicional forma de adquirir prendas de vestir femeninas en la ciudad de Villavicencio. Desde su creación y ejecución, se ha observado una gran aceptación de dicho sistema operativo por parte de los clientes antiguos generando muy buenos resultados económicos partiendo de sus actividades principales, el diseño, la confección y venta de prendas de vestir femeninas. Es por esto que el desarrollo de este trabajo de grado va dirigido a organizar de una manera más administrativa los diferentes procesos que se llevan a cabo dentro de la organización a fin de conseguir incrementar la producción y llegar así a un grupo más amplio de clientes con base en sus necesidades y a las actuales tendencias de la moda. Esta labor tiene como fin, responder y satisfacer a la mujer villavicense en términos de moda, servicio y confección, agregándole un valor adicional en cuanto a menores tiempos de entrega, altos estándares de calidad y exclusividad. Todo lo anterior, en un solo lugar. El sistema operativo (factor diferenciador) de esta idea de negocio consiste en ofrecer a los clientes, diferentes modelos de las partes (cuello, manga, contorno, falda y panty) que componen las prendas que fabrica Dorcé (Blusa, vestido y traje de baño). Con el fin de que el cliente pueda armar la prenda a su gusto teniendo el plus de ir “a la medida”. Dicha prenda de carácter exclusivo, es confeccionada y entregada al cabo de un máximo de 3 días dependiendo de la complejidad que tenga para ser elaborada, garantizándole al cliente no solo la originalidad del diseño de su prenda sino también fabricarla en menor tiempo que la competencia. Es un producto y un servicio innovador que va dirigido a mujeres de quince a setenta años de edad de la ciudad de Villavicencio, mujeres de media y alta sociedad que se caracterizan por su gusto por la moda y la calidad. Una vez se satisfacen las necesidades de nuestros clientes se da lugar a nuevas ventas dentro del grupo social de cada una de ellas, una vez nos refieran de manera positiva con sus amigas y conocidas. Este tipo de publicidad (voz a voz) es la que ha llevado a Dorcé a crecer a través de los años sin perder la exclusividad de su mercado; sin embargo, en la actualidad, la idea de negocio carece de estructura empresarial adecuada, de estrategias que garanticen su crecimiento y sostenibilidad, también carece de recursos financieros inmediatos que faciliten la ampliación y adecuación de la planta de producción y del almacén. Es por ello que las actuales empresarias de esta idea de negocio tienen como objetivo, mediante la elaboración de este plan de empresa, desarrollar, organizar y mejorar las estrategias, acciones, objetivos, alianzas, cambios, inversiones, que se tienen y necesitan para el mejoramiento interno y externo de la compañía. Para el desarrollo de dicho plan, Dorcé cuenta con Doris Blanco, una diseñadora de modas de 25 años de experiencia en el sector textil y confección en la ciudad de Villavicencio, quien está a cargo del área de producción de la empresa, dos estudiantes de Administración de Negocios Internacionales, Fernanda Montes y Juliana Villamizar, quienes están a cargo de la parte administrativa, comercial y estratégica de la empresa. De igual forma cuenta con el conocimiento del mercado textil y de confección, así mismo amplias relaciones que se han venido fortaleciendo a través del tiempo con los diferentes proveedores de materia prima en la ciudad, maquinaria y materia prima inicial, cerca de sesenta mujeres que se han vinculado a la empresa como clientes fieles a la idea de negocio promocionándolo de manera positiva día a día, así como también el interés, empuje y compromiso por parte de las involucradas en desarrollar, ejecutar y sostener esta idea de negocio como proyecto de vida.

Parent modeling and child food consumption

Obesity, among both children and adults, is a growing public health epidemic. One area of interest relates to how and why obesity is developing at such a rapid pace among children. Despite a broad consensus about how controlling feeding practices relate to child food consumption and obesity prevalence, much less is known about how non-controlling feeding practices, including modeling, relate to child food consumption. This study investigates how different forms of parent modeling (no modeling, simple modeling, and enthusiastic modeling) and parent adiposity relate to child food consumption, food preferences, and behaviors towards foods. Participants in this experimental study were 65 children (25 boys and 40 girls) aged 3-9 and their parents. Each parent was trained on how to perform their assigned modeling behavior towards a food identified as neutral (not liked, nor disliked) by their child during a pre-session food-rating task. Parents performed their assigned modeling behavior when cued during a ten-minute observation period with their child. Child food consumption (pieces eaten, grams eaten, and calories consumed) was measured and food behaviors (positive comments toward food and food requests) were recorded by event-based coding. After the session, parents self-reported on their height and weight, and children completed a post-session food-rating task. Results indicate that parent modeling (both simple and enthusiastic forms) did not significantly relate to child food consumption, food preferences, or food requests. However, enthusiastic modeling significantly increased the number of positive food comments made by children. Children's food consumption in response to parent modeling did not differ based on parent obesity status. The practical implications of this study are discussed, along with its strengths and limitations, and directions for future research.^

Prospective case review of a global e-health system for doctors in developing countries

The Swinfen Charitable Trust has managed email consultations for doctors in developing countries since 1999. The process was handled manually for the first three years and then subsequently using an automatic message-handling system. We conducted a prospective review of email consultations between referring doctors and consulting specialists during six months of automatic operation (December 2003 to May 2004). During the study period 125 consultations took place. These concerned a wide range of specialties (e.g. orthopaedics 17%, dermatology 16%, obstetrics and gynaecology 11%, radiology 10%). Of these referrals, 33% (41) were for paediatric cases. Consulting specialists, who were based in five countries, were volunteers. Referring doctors were from 24 hospitals in 12 developing countries. The median time from referral to definitive reply was 1.5 days (interquartile range 0.6-4.9). There was an 85% response rate (n = 106) to a survey concerning the value of the consultation to the referring doctor. All the referring doctors who responded made positive comments about the service and half said that it improved their management of the case. The second-opinion consultation system operated by the Swinfen Charitable Trust represents an example of a global e-health system operated for altruistic, rather than commercial, reasons.

The role of the National Audit Office in Private Finance Initiative endurance

The Private Finance Initiative (PFI) has become one of the UK’s most contentious public policies. Despite New Labour’s advocacy of PFI as a means of achieving better value for money, criticisms of PFI have centred on key issues such as a lack of cost effectiveness, exaggerated pricing of risk transfers, excessive private sector profits, inflexibility and cumbersome administrative arrangements. Nevertheless, PFI has persisted as a key
infrastructure procurement method in the UK and has been supported as such by successive governments, as well as influencing policy in the Republic of Ireland and other European Nations. This paper explores this paradoxical outcome in relation to the role played in the UK by the National Audit Office (NAO). Under pressure to justify its support for PFI, the Blair government sought support for its policies by encouraging the NAO to investigate issues relating to PFI as well as specific PFI projects. It would have been expected that in fulfilling its role as independent auditor, the NAO would have examined whether PFI projects could have been delivered more efficiently, effectively or economically through other means. Yet, in line with earlier research, we find evidence that the NAO failed to comprehensively assess
key issues such as the value for money of PFI projects, and in so doing effectively acted as a legitimator of PFI policy. Using concepts relating to legitimacy theory and the idea of framing, our paper looks into 67 NAO private finance reports published between 1997 and 2011, with the goal of identifying the preferences, values and ideology underpinning the
NAO’s view on PFI during this period. Our analysis suggests that the NAO sought to legitimise existing PFI practices via a selective framing of problems and questions. Utilising a longitudinal approach, our analysis further suggests that this patterns of selective framing persisted over an extended time period during which fundamental parameters of the policy (such as contract length, to name one of the most important issues) were rarely addressed.
Overall the NAO’ supportive stance toward PFI seems to have relied on 1) a focused on positive aspects of PFI, such as on time delivery or lessons learned, and 2) positive comments on aspects of PFI that were criticised elsewhere, such as the lack of flexibility of underlying contractual arrangements. Our paper highlights the possibility that, rather than providing for a critical assessment of existing policies, national auditing bodies can
contribute to the creation of legitimatory environments. In terms of accounting research we would suggests that the objectivity and independence of accounting watchdogs should not be taken for granted, and that instead a critical investigation of the biases which can characterise these bodies can contribute to a deeper understanding of the nature of lobbying networks in the modern state.

Response to comments on "Productivity is a poor predictor of plant species richness"

Pan et al. claim that our results actually support a strong linear positive relationship between productivity and richness, whereas Fridley et al. contend that the data support a strong humped relationship. These responses illustrate how preoccupation with bivariate patterns distracts from a deeper understanding of the multivariate mechanisms that control these important ecosystem properties.

Comments on 'Current GCMs' Unrealistic Negative Feedback in the Arctic'

In contrast to prior studies showing a positive lapse-rate feedback associated with the Arctic inversion, Boé et al. reported that strong present-day Arctic temperature inversions are associated with stronger negative longwave feedbacks and thus reduced Arctic amplification in the model ensemble from phase 3 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP3). A permutation test reveals that the relation between longwave feedbacks and inversion strength is an artifact of statistical self-correlation and that shortwave feedbacks have a stronger correlation with intermodel spread. The present comment concludes that the conventional understanding of a positive lapse-rate feedback associated with the Arctic inversion is consistent with the CMIP3 model ensemble.

Cytogenetic characterization of six species of flatfishes with comments to karyotype differentiation patterns in Pleuronectiformes (Teleostei)

The karyotypes and cytogenetic characteristics of flatfishes species Paralichthys orbignyanus, Paralichthys patagonicus, Citarichthys spilopterus and Etropus crossotus (Paralichthyidae), Bothus ocellatus (Bothidae) and Symphurus tessellatus (Cynoglossidae) were investigated by conventional [Giemsa staining, C-banding, Ag- and chromomycin (CMA(3))-stainings] and molecular [in situ hybridization (ISH)] cytogenetic techniques. The results showed 2n = 46 and FN = 48 (2msm + 46sta) in P. orbignyanus, 2n = 46 and FN = 46 (46sta) in P. patagonicus, 2n = 26 and FN = 44 (18msm + 8sta) in C. spilopterus, 2n = 38 and FN = 64 (26msm + 12sta) in E. crossotus, 2n = 32 and FN = 50 (18msm + 14sta) in B. ocellatus, and 2n = 46 and FN = 62 (46msm + 62sta) in S. tessellatus. All species exhibited weak C-band positive segments in terminal and centromeric positions of some chromosome pairs. Silver staining of the nucleolus organizer regions (Ag-NOR) technique showed a single Ag-NOR-bearing chromosome pair in all species except E. crossotus. All these sites were CMA(3) positive and showed clear ISH signals after probing with a 18S rRNA probe. Etropus crossotus presented until seven chromosomes with Ag-NORs and CMA(3) positively stained segments in five chromosome pairs. Conversely only one chromosome pair was identified with the ISH experiments in this species. The available results show that the fishes of the order Pleuronectiformes experienced a marked chromosome evolution that included reduction in diploid number, mainly due to Robertsonian rearrangements, and several chromosome inversions. (c) 2007 the Authors Journal compilation (c) 2007 the Fisheries Society of the British Isles.