A figurational approach to environmental sustainability in the context of sport.

Discourses around environmental sustainability and climate change are increasingly prominent in the sports sector, with a growing range of sports organisations developing policies to address these issues. This paper contends that figurational (or process) sociology can offer a useful framework for examining the development of policy as a process in the context of sport and, specifically, mega-events. The Olympic Games serve as an example for purposes of contextualisation, illustrating four interconnected dimensions of figurational sociology: lengthening chains of interdependence, established-outsider power relations, internalisation of social values, and unintended consequences. Further, the paper seeks to highlight the utility of a figurational perspective particularly when this is enhanced through the integration of complementary concepts, namely knowledge transfer, isomorphism, and diffusion of innovations. Thus, it is asserted that a blended figurational approach can help facilitate understanding of interdependencies and dynamic power relations across expanded stakeholder networks in relation to sports mega-events. Finally, the paper touches on the relevance of sport in relation to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals to highlight the need for policy coherence that is arguably unachievable without the understanding of stakeholder interdependencies and power relationships a figurational lens enables. Such understanding is therefore considered to be important as a foundation for the enactment of meaningful policy in the fight against climate change.

Infrared thermography as a diagnostic tool to detect cranial cruciate ligament deficiency in dogs.

Cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) disease is the leading cause of canine lameness. Diagnosis is based on physical examination and diagnostic imaging findings. Limitations of diagnostic modalities, including patient temperament, cost, availability, and need for general anesthesia, preclude their use for many patients. Infrared thermography is an easy, non-invasive diagnostic screening technique with use in both human and veterinary musculoskeletal conditions. The objective of this study was to investigate the utility of infrared thermography to diagnose CCL disease in a large population of client-owned dogs and investigate for correlations between ability of thermography to diagnose CCL deficiency and recorded explanatory factors. A commercial grade thermal imaging camera was used to collect preoperative images of both stifles in 50 dogs with surgically confirmed CCL rupture in one stifle and a normal opposite stifle. The average maximum temperatures of the affected and unaffected stifles were collected from these images and used for statistical analysis. Infrared thermography was not successful in differentiating between CCL-deficient and unaffected stifles in this cohort. No significant differences in average maximal temperature were observed between stifles when comparing to explanatory factors or variables. Use of infrared thermography should not be relied upon to diagnose canine CCL disease.

La pathologie du ligament croisé crânien (CCL) est la principale cause de boiterie canine. Le diagnostic repose sur l'examen physique et les résultats de l'imagerie diagnostique. Les limites des modalités de diagnostic, y compris le tempérament du patient, le coût, la disponibilité et la nécessité d'une anesthésie générale, empêchent leur utilisation pour de nombreux patients. La thermographie infrarouge est une technique de dépistage diagnostique simple et non invasive, utilisable dans les conditions musculosquelettiques humaines et vétérinaires. L'objectif de cette étude était d'étudier l'utilité de la thermographie infrarouge pour diagnostiquer les problèmes de CCL dans une grande population de chiens appartenant à des clients et d'étudier les corrélations entre la capacité de la thermographie à diagnostiquer une déficience du CCL et les facteurs explicatifs enregistrés. Une caméra d'imagerie thermique de qualité commerciale a été utilisée pour collecter des images préopératoires des deux grassets chez 50 chiens avec une rupture du CCL confirmée chirurgicalement dans un grasset et un grasset opposé normal. Les températures maximales moyennes des grassets affectés et non affectés ont été recueillies à partir de ces images et utilisées pour l'analyse statistique. La thermographie infrarouge n'a pas réussi à différencier les grassets avec atteintes du CCL des grassets non affectés dans cette cohorte. Aucune différence significative dans la température maximale moyenne n'a été observée entre les grassets lors de la comparaison avec des facteurs ou variables explicatifs. L'utilisation de la thermographie infrarouge ne doit pas être utilisée pour diagnostiquer les pathologie du CCL canin.(Traduit par Docteur Serge Messier).

Development and validation of the Body Compassion Questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: The associations between compassion, self-compassion, and body image are well established. However, there is not yet a compassion-informed measure of body compassion that can be applied to any aspect of one's body. METHOD: Items for The Body Compassion Questionnaire (BCQ) were derived from an earlier expressive writing study on self-compassion in body image. In study 1, the BCQ was completed by 728 men and women; with factor analysis, Rasch analysis, content and concurrent validation and reliability assessed. Study 2 compared BCQ scores with investigator-based ratings of spontaneous expressions of body compassion through writing in female undergraduates as well as an existing measure of body compassion. Study 3 examined the associations between BCQ scores, and the emotions expressed in a structured body image writing task. It also examined the relative predictive ability of the BCQ versus self-compassion in predicting eating pathology. RESULTS: A bi-factor structure was identified, with an overall BCQ score and three subscales: body kindness, common humanity, and motivated action. The BCQ and its subscales had good validity and reliability and Rasch analysis showed the item fit was invariant across a range of demographic characteristics. Spontaneous expressions of body compassion showed positive associations with body kindness. Overall BCQ scores and body kindness were also inversely related to negative emotions expressed in relation to body image. The BCQ was a better predictor of eating disorder symptoms than was self-compassion. CONCLUSIONS: The BCQ is the first measure of body compassion that is aligned with theoretical aspects of self-compassion, and which includes aspects of both the first and second psychologies of compassion. It also highlights its potential use as a process measure of body compassion in models of eating disorder symptomology, mood and wellbeing as well as an outcome measure for compassion-based interventions in eating disorders and body image.

Perinatal HIV transmission and pregnancy outcomes in indigenous women in Western Australia.

BACKGROUND: Implementation of obstetric and neonatal interventions has reduced mother to child transmission of HIV. Health outcomes for Aboriginal people are often worse than for non-Aboriginal people; was this the case for HIV infection in pregnancy? AIMS: To compare the management and outcomes of pregnancy in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal HIV-positive women in Western Australia (WA). METHODS: A retrospective study of all pregnancies delivered in WA to HIV-infected women from 1991 until 2005. Managed pregnancies were compared in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women. Outcome measures were HIV status of the babies, birthweight, rates of caesarean delivery and perinatal mortality. RESULTS: Fifty-six pregnancies occurred in 41 HIV-infected women resulting in 54 live births. Of the 41 women, 16 (39%) were Aboriginal. In regard to birthweight, perinatal mortality, rates of caesarean section and rates of HIV perinatal transmission, there was no significant difference between babies born to Aboriginal and those born to non-Aboriginal mothers. In contrast, of the eight pregnancies, with no contact with the multidisciplinary team, five babies (63%) were infected with HIV (2% vs 63%P = 0.001). There was no case of perinatal HIV infection in 22 pregnancies of the Aboriginal women that received care through the multidisciplinary team; perinatally acquired HIV occurred in the first pregnancy of one of these women before she was aware of her status when she was not managed by the team. CONCLUSIONS: Similar outcomes can be achieved in both HIV-positive Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women, through intensive, culturally appropriate, multidisciplinary care and without elective caesarean delivery.

A journey, not an event - implementation of shared governance in a NHS trust.

This article describes the implementation of a trust-wide shared governance structure in Barts and The London National Health Service Trust in the United Kingdom. Barts and The London is a large teaching trust, employing over 6,500 staff. The implementation process is described in detail and is followed by details of the current shared governance structure, an overview of the evaluation of the structure, and the objectives of each of the four nursing teams: the Quality, Management, Education, and Clinical Practice Teams. Also included are examples of the achievements of each of the teams and a personal account of one nurse who joined the Trust after shared governance had been implemented.