How is dementia portrayed in New Zealand newsprint media? Causes, effects and moral evaluation.

AIMS: To evaluate how New Zealand newsprint media shapes discourse about dementia through its framing of the causes, effects and solutions, and who bears responsibility for the disease. METHODS: Using New Zealand's three largest daily newspapers, we examined i) the coverage of dementia between 2012-2016, ii) the framing of causes and effects of dementia, and iii) the most frequent associations of causes and effects of dementia. We integrated the findings to assess the moral evaluation of dementia in New Zealand newsprint media. RESULTS: Of the 361 articles extracted all presented effects of dementia, 35% discussed causes and 7% mentioned solutions for dementia. Medical causes dominated over health behavioural and societal causes, and effects were mostly the negative impact on the individual, family and society. Modifiable medical causes were more likely to be associated with adverse outcomes for society whereas non-modifiable medical causes were more likely to be associated with adverse outcomes for the individual and/or their family. CONCLUSIONS: Between 2012-16 New Zealand newsprint media largely portrayed dementia from a 'powerless victim' frame. Further research is required to assess whether, since 2016, there has been a shift towards media framing of dementia as potentially preventable and a social justice issue.

Neurotensin receptor 1 facilitates intracellular and transepithelial delivery of macromolecules.

G protein-coupled receptors are expressed on the surface of eukaryotic cells and internalise in response to ligand binding. The actions of the hormone and neurotransmitter neurotensin (NT) are predominantly mediated by specific interactions with one such receptor, neurotensin receptor 1 (NTS1), which is upregulated in a variety of cancers, including pancreatic and breast tumours. NTS1 could therefore serve as a target for selective delivery of therapeutics. This study characterised the expression of NTS1 in HEK293 cells, as well as both polarised and non-polarised intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells. NT-conjugated fluorophores were internalised in NTS1-expressing HEK293 and Caco-2 cells in a receptor-mediated fashion. Confocal microscopy revealed fluorophore localisation in the perinuclear region. Cell uptake and transport across the Caco-2 intestinal model of two NT-conjugated fluorophores (GFP and fluorescein) were compared to evaluate the effect of cargo size on cellular uptake. This work demonstrates that NT ligand conjugation is able to deliver relatively large macromolecular cargoes selectively into cells overexpressing NTS1 and the system is able to effectively translocate macromolecules across an intestinal epithelial model. NTS1 therefore shows potential as a drug delivery target not only for targeted but also non-invasive (oral) delivery of biotherapeutics for cancer.

Effects of a guided imagery intervention on stress in hospitalized pregnant women: a pilot study.

Using repeated-measures pre-/posttest design, the effects of guided imagery on maternal stress in 19 hospitalized pregnant women were examined. Mean stress and systolic blood pressure measurements postintervention were significantly lower than mean levels before listening to the guided imagery CD. All participants identified benefits of this holistic intervention. The study provides preliminary evidence that a guided imagery intervention may be effective in reducing maternal stress in hospitalized pregnant women and supports the feasibility of conducting a randomized clinical trial to further support incorporating this intervention into care.