American Media Coverage of Animal Protection

ABSTRACT

This is the first in a series of papers that will explore the role of the American media in animal protection. This paper tracks the history of media coverage of animal issues from the early American humane movement of the last century to the animal rights movement of today. In addition, research conducted on trends in print media coverage is presented and reviewed. Future papers will evaluate the media's involvement in social movements, the use of advertising to promote animal protection, and the impact of media coverage on the outcome of public policy decisions concerning animals.     

Advertising Animal Protection

ABSTRACT

Animal protection advocates are making use of paid and public service advertising to promote the interests of animals. One advertising approach, the graphic portrayal of animal suffering, has generated controversy within and beyond the animal protection movement. Research suggests that the approach can be effective in stimulating those viewing the advertisement to take action on behalf of animals. Other advertising strategies that may be capable of provoking more humane treatment of animals include tacit depictions of animal suffering and reversing human-animal traits and situations through therianthropic and unconventional anthropomorphic imagery. Advertisements from current and former animal protection campaigns were reviewed for examples of these animal representational strategies. This is the final in a series of papers on the role of mass media in animal protection. Previous articles detailed a history of media coverage of animal protection issues, the role of the media in the animal rights movement, and the effect of the media on public policy decisions concerning animals (Jones 1996, 1997a and b).     

Evaluation of progress toward universal health coverage in Myanmar: A national and subnational analysis

BackgroundUniversal health coverage (UHC) encompasses 2 main components: access to essential healthcare services and protection from financial hardship when using healthcare. This study examines Myanmar’s efforts to achieve UHC on a national and subnational level. It is a primer of studying the concept of UHC on a subnational level, and it also establishes a baseline for assessing future progress toward reaching UHC in Myanmar.Methods and findingsThe study uses the Demographic and Health Survey (2015) and the Myanmar Living Conditions Survey (MLCS; 2017) and adapts a previously developed UHC index to provide insights into the main barriers preventing the country’s progress toward UHC. We find a negative correlation between the UHC index and the state/region poverty levels. The equity of access analysis reveals significant pro-rich inequity in access to all essential healthcare services. Socioeconomic status and limited availability of healthcare infrastructure are the main driving forces behind the unequal access to interventions that are crucial to achieving UHC by 2030. Finally, financial risk protection analysis shows that the poor are less likely to use healthcare services, and, once they do, they are at a greater risk of suffering financial catastrophe. Limitations of this study revolve around its correlational, rather than causal, nature.ConclusionsWe suggest a 2-pronged approach to help Myanmar achieve UHC: Government and state authorities should reduce the financial burden of seeking healthcare, and, coupled with this, significant investment in and expansion of health infrastructure and the health workforce should be made, particularly in the poorer and more remote states.

Zlatko Nikoloski and colleagues provide analytical insight into Myanmar’s efforts to achieve universal health coverage on a national and sub-national level.     

Amyloid beta increases ABCA1 and HMGCR protein expression,and cholesterol synthesis and accumulation in mice neurons and astrocytes

IntroductionImbalanced cholesterol metabolism in the brain is one of the main pathophysiological mechanisms involved in Alzheimer's disease. We investigated the effect of amyloid-beta (Aβ) on the main proteins involved in regulation of cholesterol metabolism along with cholesterol content in astrocytes and neurons.MethodsAstrocytes and neurons were cultured and treated with Aβ. Apolipoprotein E (apoE) level in the cells and conditioned media, 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR), ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), and cytochrome P450 46A1 (CYP46A1) in cell lysates were determined using immunoblotting. Astrocyte media was added to the Aβ-pretreated neurons then, HMGCR was assessed. Cholesterol was measured in both cells and media.ResultsAβ caused a significant increase in HMGCR and ABCA1 protein levels and cholesterol content in both cells without increasing cholesterol efflux. A similar increase was seen for cellular apoE level in astrocytes with no changes in media with a significant reduction of cholesterol efflux. HMGCR level was restored to near control level when Aβ-pretreated neurons were exposed to media from culture astrocytes.ConclusionAlmost all events related to cholesterol homeostasis in neurons and astrocytes, are somehow affected by Aβ. However, because ABCA1 has the most important role(s) in brain cholesterol homeostasis, all subsequent events associated with astrocytes-cholesterol synthesis and its shuttling to neurons are influenced by the effects of Aβ on ABCA1 which could likely be responsible for altered brain cholesterol metabolism in Alzheimer's disease.     

Levels of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine coverage and indirect protection against invasive pneumococcal disease and pneumonia hospitalisations in Australia: An observational study

BackgroundThere is limited empiric evidence on the coverage of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) required to generate substantial indirect protection. We investigate the association between population PCV coverage and indirect protection against invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) and pneumonia hospitalisations among undervaccinated Australian children.Methods and findingsBirth and vaccination records, IPD notifications, and hospitalisations were individually linked for children aged <5 years, born between 2001 and 2012 in 2 Australian states (New South Wales and Western Australia; 1.37 million children). Using Poisson regression models, we examined the association between PCV coverage, in small geographical units, and the incidence of (1) 7-valent PCV (PCV7)-type IPD; (2) all-cause pneumonia; and (3) pneumococcal and lobar pneumonia hospitalisation in undervaccinated children. Undervaccinated children received <2 doses of PCV at <12 months of age and no doses at ≥12 months of age. Potential confounding variables were selected for adjustment a priori with the assistance of a directed acyclic graph.There were strong inverse associations between PCV coverage and the incidence of PCV7-type IPD (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] 0.967, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.958 to 0.975, p-value < 0.001), and pneumonia hospitalisations (all-cause pneumonia: aIRR 0.991 95% CI 0.990 to 0.994, p-value < 0.001) among undervaccinated children. Subgroup analyses for children <4 months old, urban, rural, and Indigenous populations showed similar trends, although effects were smaller for rural and Indigenous populations. Approximately 50% coverage of PCV7 among children <5 years of age was estimated to prevent up to 72.5% (95% CI 51.6 to 84.4) of PCV7-type IPD among undervaccinated children, while 90% coverage was estimated to prevent 95.2% (95% CI 89.4 to 97.8). The main limitations of this study include the potential for differential loss to follow-up, geographical misclassification of children (based on residential address at birth only), and unmeasured confounders.ConclusionsIn this study, we observed substantial indirect protection at lower levels of PCV coverage than previously described—challenging assumptions that high levels of PCV coverage (i.e., greater than 90%) are required. Understanding the association between PCV coverage and indirect protection is a priority since the control of vaccine-type pneumococcal disease is a prerequisite for reducing the number of PCV doses (from 3 to 2). Reduced dose schedules have the potential to substantially reduce program costs while maintaining vaccine impact.

In an observational study, Jocelyn Chan and colleagues investigate associations between pneumococcal conjugate vaccine coverage and incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease and pneumonia among children under 5 years in Australia.     

Attitude to Animals and Empathy: Comparing Animal Protection and General Community Samples

ABSTRACT

Although a number of studies have examined a range of demographic and personality variables that may impact upon attitudes towards the treatment of non-human species, little consensus has been reached within the literature. The aim of the current study was to evaluate and assess levels of human-directed empathy and attitudes towards the treatment of animals in two diverse populations, namely the general community (n = 543) and those within the animal protection field (n = 389). Both groups of participants completed the Attitude Towards the Treatment of Animals Scale (AAS) and the Davis Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), a measure of human-directed empathy. Comparisons between the two samples indicated that those within the animal protection community scored more highly on both the animal attitude and human-directed empathy measures. Correlational analyses revealed a positive relation between AAS and IRI scores for both samples, whilst the strength of the correlation was greater for those within the animal protection sample. These findings are discussed.     

In search of the Holy Grail: Media discourse and the new human genetics

It has widely been recognized that the media play a key role in framing debates about genetic issues. This paper provides an overview of the major areas of debate within the social scientific literature on media, public understanding of science and human genetics. It evaluates current approaches to assessing the role of the media in influencing public policy debates. It argues that an analysis of the strategies of news sources should occupy a central role in furthering understanding about the ways in which various social actors seek to influence public policy agendas. At present, within the field of human genetics, only a handful of researchers have systematically examined the strategies of news sources from the perspective of the sources themselves. While recent research has focused upon identifying the major sources and how they are used in science reporting, there remains much to be done in uncovering the processes of negotiation and contestation among social actors prior to issues gaining media coverage.     

Representing infant feeding: content analysis of British media portrayals of bottle feeding and breast feeding

ObjectiveTo examine how breast feeding and bottle feeding are represented by the British media.DesignContent analysis.Subjects Television programmes and newspaper articles that made reference to infant feeding during March 1999.SettingUK mass media.ResultsOverall, 235 references to infant feeding were identified in the television sample and 38 in the newspaper sample. Bottle feeding was shown more often than breast feeding and was presented as less problematic. Bottle feeding was associated with “ordinary” families whereas breast feeding was associated with middle class or celebrity women. The health risks of formula milk and the health benefits of breast feeding were rarely mentioned.ConclusionsThe media rarely present positive information on breast feeding, even though this feeding practice is associated with the most health benefits. Health professionals and policy makers should be aware of patterns in media coverage and the cultural background within which women make decisions about infant feeding.     

News photography and indigenous peoples: An “encounter” in Guatemala

In March, 1991, a “Continental Encounter” of indigenous peoples took place in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. This paper examines the photographic coverage of that event, based on interviews with the journalists, observation of their work at the Encounter, and analysis of published reports and photos. The news coverage is divided into three phases: expectations (in search of the exotic “type”), transformations (rethinking “Indianness”), and negation (institutional disregard). It is argued that the news media represent indigenous peoples as part of a “vanishing” past; exotic “others” whose existence has no relevance to the “modern” news consumer.     

Evaluation of Local Media Surveillance for Improved Disease Recognition and Monitoring in Global Hotspot Regions

Digital disease detection tools are technologically sophisticated, but dependent on digital information, which for many areas suffering from high disease burdens is simply not an option. In areas where news is often reported in local media with no digital counterpart, integration of local news information with digital surveillance systems, such as HealthMap (Boston Children’s Hospital), is critical. Little research has been published in regards to the specific contribution of local health-related articles to digital surveillance systems. In response, the USAID PREDICT project implemented a local media surveillance (LMS) pilot study in partner countries to monitor disease events reported in print media. This research assessed the potential of LMS to enhance digital surveillance reach in five low- and middle-income countries. Over 16 weeks, select surveillance system attributes of LMS, such as simplicity, flexibility, acceptability, timeliness, and stability were evaluated to identify strengths and weaknesses in the surveillance method. Findings revealed that LMS filled gaps in digital surveillance network coverage by contributing valuable localized information on disease events to the global HealthMap database. A total of 87 health events were reported through the LMS pilot in the 16-week monitoring period, including 71 unique reports not found by the HealthMap digital detection tool. Furthermore, HealthMap identified an additional 236 health events outside of LMS. It was also observed that belief in the importance of the project and proper source selection from the participants was crucial to the success of this method. The timely identification of disease outbreaks near points of emergence and the recognition of risk factors associated with disease occurrence continue to be important components of any comprehensive surveillance system for monitoring disease activity across populations. The LMS method, with its minimal resource commitment, could be one tool used to address the information gaps seen in global ‘hot spot’ regions.     

A Multisite Strategy for Enhancing the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction on a Nano‐Pd Surface in Alkaline Media

The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) on a noble metal surface in alkaline media is more sluggish than that in acidic media due to the limited proton supply. To promote the reaction, it is necessary to transform the alkaline HER mechanism via a multisite catalyst, which has additional water dissociation sites to improve the proton supply to an optimal level. Here, this study reports a top‐down strategy to create a multisite HER catalyst on a nano‐Pd surface and how to further fine‐tune the areal ratio of the water dissociation component to the noble metal surface in core/shell‐structured nanoparticles (NPs). Starting with Pd/Fe₃O₄ core/shell NPs, electrochemical cycling is used to tune the coverage of iron (oxy)hydroxide on a Pd surface. The alkaline HER activity of the core/sell Pd/FeO_x (OH)_2?2x NPs exhibits a volcano‐shaped correlation with the surface Fe species coverage. This indicates an optimum coverage level where the rates of both the water dissociation step and the hydrogen formation step are balanced to achieve the highest efficiency. This multisite strategy assigns multiple reaction steps to different catalytic sites, and should also be extendable to other core/shell NPs to optimize their HER activity in alkaline media.     

基于老年人口卫生服务分析的医保效果评价

目的 通过对某省老年人口卫生服务需求、利用、就医流向及费用负担等卫生服务指标进行测算,了解现行医保制度的实施效果。方法 通过抽取某省第五次卫生服务调查的老年人群数据,对社会人口学特征、卫生服务需求与利用、医疗卫生费用负担及住院流向等指标进行测算与分析。结果 不同医保制度下,老年人口卫生服务需求与利用存在差异性,且在住院就医服务的选择上尚未形成合理格局,卫生费用负担较重。结论 某省现行医保制度对老年人口的经济保护力度仍有待提高,应调整医保制度卫生福利包的覆盖范围并提高补偿水平,通过政策倾斜构建合理就医格局,进而减轻老年人口的疾病经济负担。     

Political rationale,aims, and outcomes of health-related high-level meetings and special sessions at the UN General Assembly: A policy research observational study

BackgroundRecognising the substantial political weight of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), a UN General Assembly special session (UNGASS) and high-level meetings (HLMs) have been pursued and held for 5 health-related topics thus far. They have focused on human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS, 2001), non-communicable diseases (NCDs, 2011), antimicrobial resistance (AMR, 2016), tuberculosis (TB, 2018), and universal health coverage (UHC, 2019). This observational study presents a comprehensive analysis of the political and policy background that prompted the events, as well as an assessment of aims, approaches, and ultimate outcomes.Methods and findingsWe investigated relevant agencies’ official documents, performed a literature search, and accessed international institutions’ websites for the period 1990–2020. Knowledgeable diplomatic staff and experts provided additional information. Outcomes were evaluated from a United Nations perspective based on national and international commitments, and funding trends. Eliciting an effective governmental response through UNGASSs/HLMs is a challenge. However, increased international commitment was evident after the HIV/AIDS (2001), NCDs (2011), and AMR (2016) meetings. The more recent TB (2018) and UHC (2019) HLMs have received general endorsements internationally, although concrete commitments are not yet documented. Although attribution can only be hypothesized, financial investments for HIV/AIDS following the UNGASS were remarkable, whereas following HLMs for NCDs, AMR, and TB, the financial investments remained insufficient to face the burden of these threats. Thus far, the HIV/AIDS UNGASS was the only one followed by a level of commitment that has likely contributed to the reversal of the previous burden trend. Limitations of this study include its global perspective and aerial view that cannot discern the effects at the country level. Additionally, possible peculiarities that modified the response to the meetings were not looked at in detail. Finally, we assessed a small sample of events; thus, the list of strategic characteristics for success is not exhaustive.ConclusionsOverall, UNGASSs and HLMs have the potential to lay better foundations and boldly address key health challenges. However, to succeed, they need to (i) be backed by large consensus; (ii) engage UN authorities and high-level bodies; (iii) emphasise implications for international security and the world economy; (iv) be supported by the civil society, activists, and champions; and (v) produce a political declaration containing specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) targets. Therefore, to ensure impact on health challenges, in addition to working with the World Health Assembly and health ministries, engaging the higher political level represented by the UNGA and heads of state and government is critical.

Paolo Rodi and colleagues analyze the political and policy response to UN General Assembly and high-level meetings focused on HIV/AIDS, non-communicable diseases, antimicrobial resistance, tuberculosis and universal health coverage.     

Metabolic footprinting study of white spruce somatic embryogenesis using NMR spectroscopy

White spruce is an important commercial species for reforestation. The success in its propagation through somatic embryogenesis is well documented; however the physiological processes involved are poorly understood and remain unoptimized. The variable quality embryos generated in vitro from the same genotype suggest control at the protein and metabolite level. In order to probe metabolic changes, we have conducted a “metabolic footprinting” study, whereby culture media from growing cells was quantitatively analyzed to determine which metabolites were consumed and excreted. Such experiments are advantageous in that there is no need to quench cellular metabolism or extract intracellular metabolites through time-consuming protocols. In this paper we demonstrate the application of the footprinting assay to somatic embryo cells of white spruce (Picea glauca) using 1D ¹H NMR spectroscopy. We have surveyed embryogenesis metabolism in two types of media, maintenance (MN) and maturation (MT). MN medium does not result in shoot apical meristem (SAM) formation, while MT medium induces the necessary changes leading to fully developed somatic embryos. The two types of media were easily distinguished using metabolomics analysis, namely multivariate pattern recognition statistics (orthogonal partial least squares discriminatory analysis). From this analysis, we have identified numerous compounds involved with branched chain amino acid pathways such as valine and isoleucine. These results are explained on the basis of known metabolic pathways implicated in plant and animal developmental processes, and ultimately implicate altered CoA biosynthesis.     

Healthcare without borders: A cross-sectional study of immigrant and nonimmigrant children admitted to a large public sector hospital in the Gauteng Province of South Africa

BackgroundHuman migration is a worldwide phenomenon that receives considerable attention from the media and healthcare authorities alike. A significant proportion of children seen at public sector health facilities in South Africa (SA) are immigrants, and gaps have previously been noted in their healthcare provision.The objective of the study was to describe the characteristics and differences between the immigrant and SA children admitted to Kalafong Provincial Tertiary Hospital (KPTH), a large public sector hospital in the urban Gauteng Province of SA.Methods and findingsA cross-sectional study was conducted over a 4-month period during 2016 to 2017. Information was obtained through a structured questionnaire and health record review. The enrolled study participants included 508 children divided into 2 groups, namely 271 general paediatric patients and 237 neonates. Twenty-five percent of children in the neonatal group and 22.5% in the general paediatric group were immigrants. The parents/caregivers of the immigrant group had a lower educational level (p < 0.0001 neonatal and paediatric), lower income (neonatal p < 0.001; paediatric p = 0.024), difficulty communicating in English (p < 0.001 neonatal and paediatric), and were more likely residing in informal settlements (neonatal p = 0.001; paediatric p = 0.007) compared to the SA group. In the neonatal group, there was no difference in the number of antenatal care (ANC) visits, type of delivery, gestational age, and birth weight. In the general paediatric group, there was no difference in immunisation and vitamin A supplementation coverage, but when comparing growth, the immigrant group had more malnutrition compared to the SA group (p = 0.029 for wasting). There was no difference in the prevalence of maternal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, with equally good prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) coverage. There was also no difference in reported difficulties by immigrants in terms of access to healthcare (neonatal p = 0.379; paediatric p = 0.246), although a large proportion (10%) of the neonates of immigrant mothers were born outside a medical facility.ConclusionsAlthough there were health-related differences between immigrant and SA children accessing in-hospital care, these were fewer than expected. Differences were found in parental educational level and socioeconomic factors, but these did not significantly affect ANC attendance, delivery outcomes, immunisation coverage, HIV prevalence, or PMTCT coverage. The immigrant population should be viewed as a high-risk group, with potential problems including suboptimal child growth. Health workers should advocate for all children in the community they are serving and promote tolerance, respect, and equal healthcare access.     

The effect of isolation and culture methods on epithelial stem cell populations and their progeny—toward an improved cell expansion protocol for clinical application

Background aimsThe use of cultured epithelial keratinocytes in the treatment of burns and skin graft donor sites is well established in clinical practice. The most widely used culture method for clinical use was originally developed by Rheinwald and Green 40 years ago. This system uses irradiated mouse dermal fibroblasts as a feeder cell layer to promote keratinocyte growth, a process that is costly and labor-intensive for health care providers. The medium formulation contains several components of animal origin, which pose further safety risks for patients. Improvements and simplification in the culturing process would lead to clear advantages: improved safety through reduction of xenobiotic components and reduction in cost for health care providers by dispensing with feeder cells.MethodsWe compared the Rheinwald and Green method to culture in three commercially available, feeder-free media systems with defined/absent components of animal origin.ResultsDuring the isolation process, short incubation times in high-strength trypsin resulted in increased numbers of liberated keratinocyte stem cells compared with longer incubation times. All three commercially available media tested in this study could support the expansion of keratinocytes, with phenotypes comparable to cells expanded using the established Rheinwald and Green method. Growth rates varied, with two of the media displaying comparable growth rates, whereas the third was significantly slower.Discussion.Our study demonstrates the suitability of such feeder-free media systems in clinical use. It further outlines a range of techniques to evaluate keratinocyte phenotype when assessing the suitability of cells for clinical application.     

Cloning humans,cloning literature: genetics and the imagination deficit

Abstract

After the birth of Dolly, media stories on cloning were replete with references to well-known science fiction plots. This essay criticizes the ‘imagination deficit’ of scientists and journalists, first by problematizing the uncritical adoption of attenuated science fiction plots in the media coverage of Dolly, and second, by proposing to look at more expansive science fiction novels that carefully examine issues such as uniqueness and identity in relation to the new genetics.     

口腔颌面部爆炸伤的研究现状

口腔颌面部爆炸伤是指由致伤物爆炸所造成的口腔颌面部组织损伤,两种主要致伤因素是冲击波和高速破片,较一般火器伤而言,爆炸伤的致伤机制及致伤特点都有不同之处。对爆炸伤害的物理机制和病理生理反应方面研究有助于改进防护及改善治疗策略。本文在简述口腔颌面部爆炸伤的致伤因素和损伤特点的基础上,着重综述了动物模型和有限元模型的研究方法及结果,旨在为以后的模型研究提供思路和参考。     

Managing the boundaries between maverick cloners and mainstream scientists: the life cycle of a news event in a contested field

Abstract

In January 2004, the ‘maverick cloner’, Dr Panos Zavos called a press conference in London to announce that he had implanted a freshly cloned human embryo in the womb of an infertile woman. Reports of this press conference gained prominent coverage in the national newspapers the following day and led television bulletins that evening. This article discusses the ways in which expertise was claimed by or attributed to Dr Zavos and other key media sources. It argues that three key boundaries were demarcated in the coverage as journalists framed the stories in terms provided by Zavos's antagonists, ‘mainstream scientists’. It also discusses the engagement in tactics of news management by an organised grouping of UK scientists who attempted to shape the terrain of news coverage on the subject of cloning. The question of the extent to which interested scientists should be able to set the terms of media debate is explored.