Facilitators and Barriers of Bystander Intervention Intent in Image-Based Sexual Abuse Contexts: A Focus Group Study with a University Sample.

Image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) encompasses the taking, sharing, and/or threatening to share nude or sexual images of others without their consent. The prevalence of IBSA is growing rapidly due to technological advancements, such as access to smartphones, that have made engagement in such activities easier. Bystanders offer an important means of intervention, but little is known about what facilitates or inhibits bystander action in these contexts. To address this gap in the literature, seven focus groups (n = 35) were conducted to explore the factors that facilitate and inhibit bystander action in the context of three different IBSA scenarios (taking, sharing, and making threats to share nude or sexual images without consent). Using thematic analysis, eight themes were identified, suggesting that the perceived likelihood of intervention increased with greater feelings of responsibility, empathy with the victim, reduced feelings of audience inhibition, greater feelings of safety, greater anger toward the IBSA behavior, closer relationships with the victim and perpetrator, the incident involving a female victim and male perpetrator, and perception of greater benefits of police involvement. These findings are considered alongside the physical sexual violence literature in highlighting the similarities and nuances across the different contexts. Implications for the development of policies and educational materials are discussed in relation to encouraging greater bystander intervention in IBSA contexts.

Behavioral Intentions of Bystanders to Image-Based Sexual Abuse: A Preliminary Focus Group Study with a University Student Sample.

Image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) represents a form of technology-facilitated sexual abuse that encompasses the taking, creating, and/or sharing (including threats to share) of nude or sexual images without consent. Unlike physical sexual violence contexts, little is known regarding if and how bystanders intervene in IBSA contexts. The current preliminary study aimed to address this gap in the literature. Specifically, seven focus groups with a sample of 35 university students (31 females, 4 males) were conducted to explore how they think they would behave (i.e., their behavioral intentions) if they were bystanders to three different IBSA scenarios: non-consensual taking, non-consensual sharing, and threatening to share nude or sexual images. Transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis and the following themes were identified: perpetrator-centered action, victim-centered action, justice-centered action, and intervention as a well-informed and controlled process. Participants discussed how they would intervene by approaching the perpetrator, either in a confrontational or non-confrontational way, or approach the victim to inform them of what was happening, provide advice, or to support them. They also discussed involving the police. However, some group members were against these forms of intervention, particularly approaching the perpetrator and involving the police. Finally, many participants indicated that their actions need to be well-informed. These findings highlight a wide range of bystander actions in IBSA contexts that have implications for the development of policies, educational materials, and measures of bystander intervention behavior in future research.

A Systematic Review Exploring Variables Related to Bystander Intervention in Sexual Violence Contexts.

This article presents a systematic review of the available literature which has investigated the role of key variables in facilitating or inhibiting bystander intervention (including direct intervention, tertiary and secondary prevention) in sexual violence (SV) contexts. Studies exploring the role of individual, situational and contextual variables were grouped to provide a narrative overview of bystanders' personal characteristics as well as the immediate and wider contexts which may be influencing their bystander behaviour. A systematic search of published literature from four electronic databases identified 2526 articles that were screened, of which 85 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies focused upon the role of individual variables, in particular gender of bystander. This body of work finds females are more likely to intervene than males; however, not all studies report these differences and in some cases, this is influenced by the type of intervention behaviour being considered. Regarding situational variables, the most commonly researched variable was the presence of other bystanders, although the role of this variable as inhibiting or facilitating was not clear. Finally, the most commonly researched contextual variable was social norms towards intervention, which has consistently shown greater bystander intervention when there is a belief that peers support such behaviour. Very few studies considered the interaction between these variables. Therefore, it is important for future research to consider this gap in the literature so that we can obtain a more well-rounded understanding of variables that can inhibit and facilitate bystander intervention in SV contexts.

Psychological contributions to cold case investigations: A systematic review.

This article presents a systematic review of the available literature on 'what works' in cold case investigations, with a specific focus on psychological evidence-based research. Long-term unsolved and cold cases present their own unique set of challenges, such as lack of hard evidence, recall accuracy, and witness credibility. Therefore, this review provides a collated base of research regarding preventative methods and investigative tools and techniques developed to highlight gaps in the literature and inform best practice in cold case investigations. The review features victim and crime characteristics that may contribute to a case becoming cold and displays contributing factors to cold case clearance. Although promising, at present, psychological research in this field is insufficient to inform evidence-based guidance. Future research should aim to explore the wider psychological and criminal justice-based literature (e.g., memory retrieval and cognitive bias) to investigate what could be applicable to cold case investigations.

Where to draw the line? The influence of prior relationship, perpetrator-target sex and perpetrator motivation on the point at which behavior 'crosses the line' and becomes stalking.

The present study examines the influence of prior relationship (intimate, non-intimate), perpetrator-target sex (male-female, female-male) and perpetrator motivation (romance, upset) on (1) the point at which behavior crosses the line and becomes stalking, and (2) the likelihood of offering five forms of advice to the target (formal support, informal support, protective measures, avoidance measures, threatening action). The study used a 2 × 2 × 2 between-participants experimental design. Four-hundred and sixty-one UK students read one of eight versions of a hypothetical scenario that they were informed may or may not depict a stalking situation. Analyses revealed that 97.8% (n = 451) of participants believed the perpetrator's behavior constituted stalking, and that behavior was perceived to cross the line earlier in the scenario when the perpetrator's motivation was to upset the target in the context of a non-intimate prior relationship only. Prior relationship, perpetrator-target sex and perpetrator motivation also influenced the likelihood of offering various forms of advice to the target. These findings further demonstrate the impact of situational characteristics on perceptions of stalking and highlight the importance of educational campaigns and programs to increase people's understanding of stalking.

Quantifying yeast colony morphologies with feature engineering from time-lapse photography.

Baker's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is a model organism for studying the morphology that emerges at the scale of multi-cell colonies. To look at how morphology develops, we collect a dataset of time-lapse photographs of the growth of different strains of S. cerevisiae. We discuss the general statistical challenges that arise when using time-lapse photographs to extract time-dependent features. In particular, we show how texture-based feature engineering and representative clustering can be successfully applied to categorize the development of yeast colony morphology using our dataset. The Local binary pattern (LBP) from image processing is used to score the surface texture of colonies. This texture score develops along a smooth trajectory during growth. The path taken depends on how the morphology emerges. A hierarchical clustering of the colonies is performed according to their texture development trajectories. The clustering method is designed for practical interpretability; it obtains the best representative colony image for any hierarchical cluster.

Perpetration of Image-Based Sexual Abuse: Extent, Nature and Correlates in a Multi-Country Sample.

Image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) is a form of technology-facilitated abuse in which intimate (nude or sexual) images of a person are taken, distributed, or threats are made to distribute the images, without a person's consent. It is an increasingly criminalized form of sexual abuse, and yet little is known about the perpetrators of these harms, including the extent, relational nature and correlates of perpetration. This article reports on the first multi-country survey study to comprehensively investigate IBSA perpetration. An online panel survey of the general community (aged 16-64 years) in the United Kingdom (UK), Australia, and New Zealand (NZ) (n = 6109) found that self-reported IBSA perpetration was relatively common, with one in six (17.5%, n = 1070) respondents engaging in at least one form of IBSA. Logistic regression analyses identified nine characteristics that significantly increased the odds of having engaged in IBSA perpetration during their lifetime, namely: residing in the NZ as opposed to the UK or Australia, being male, having disability/assistance needs, holding attitudes that minimize the harms and excuse the perpetrators of IBSA, engaging in online dating behaviors, engaging in sexual self-image behaviors, and experiencing IBSA victimization (images taken, images distributed, and images threatened). Policy and prevention implications of the findings, as well as directions for future research are discussed.

Autonomous Incident Detection on Spectrometers Using Deep Convolutional Models.

This paper focuses on improving the performance of scientific instrumentation that uses glass spray chambers for sample introduction, such as spectrometers, which are widely used in analytical chemistry, by detecting incidents using deep convolutional models. The performance of these instruments can be affected by the quality of the introduction of the sample into the spray chamber. Among the indicators of poor quality sample introduction are two primary incidents: The formation of liquid beads on the surface of the spray chamber, and flooding at the bottom of the spray chamber. Detecting such events autonomously as they occur can assist with improving the overall operational accuracy and efficacy of the chemical analysis, and avoid severe incidents such as malfunction and instrument damage. In contrast to objects commonly seen in the real world, beading and flooding detection are more challenging since they are of significantly small size and transparent. Furthermore, the non-rigid property increases the difficulty of the detection of these incidents, as such that existing deep-learning-based object detection frameworks are prone to fail for this task. There is no former work that uses computer vision to detect these incidents in the chemistry industry. In this work, we propose two frameworks for the detection task of these two incidents, which not only leverage the modern deep learning architectures but also integrate with expert knowledge of the problems. Specifically, the proposed networks first localize the regions of interest where the incidents are most likely generated and then refine these incident outputs. The use of data augmentation and synthesis, and choice of negative sampling in training, allows for a large increase in accuracy while remaining a real-time system for inference. In the data collected from our laboratory, our method surpasses widely used object detection baselines and can correctly detect 95% of the beads and 98% of the flooding. At the same time, out method can process four frames per second and is able to be implemented in real time.

A yeast-based complementation assay elucidates the functional impact of 200 missense variants in human PSAT1.

Defects in serine biosynthesis resulting from loss of function mutations in PHGDH, PSAT1, and PSPH cause a set of rare, autosomal recessive diseases known as Neu-Laxova syndrome (NLS) or serine-deficiency disorders. The diseases present with a broad range of phenotypes including lethality, severe neurological manifestations, seizures, and intellectual disability. However, because L-serine supplementation, especially if started prenatally, can ameliorate and in some cases even prevent symptoms, knowledge of pathogenic variants is medically actionable. Here, we describe a functional assay that leverages the evolutionary conservation of an enzyme in the serine biosynthesis pathway, phosphoserine aminotransferase, and the ability of the human protein-coding sequence (PSAT1) to functionally replace its yeast ortholog (SER1). Results from our quantitative, yeast-based assay agree well with clinical annotations and expectations based on the disease literature. Using this assay, we have measured the functional impact of the 199 PSAT1 variants currently listed in ClinVar, gnomAD, and the literature. We anticipate that the assay could be used to comprehensively assess the functional impact of all SNP-accessible amino acid substitution mutations in PSAT1, a resource that could aid variant interpretation and identify potential NLS carriers.

Non classic presentations of a genetic mutation typically associated with transient neonatal diabetes.

SUMMARY: This case report describes a family pedigree of a mother and her children with an E227K mutation in the KCNJ11 gene. People with this particular gene mutation typically present with transient neonatal diabetes; with more than half the cohort relapsing into permanent diabetes in adolescence or early adulthood. However, the mother developed diabetes as an adolescent and thus was initially diagnosed as having Type 1 Diabetes. All her children have inherited the same genetic mutation but with differing presentations. Her second, third and fourth child presented with transient neonatal diabetes which remitted at varying times. Her first child is 16 years old but had not developed diabetes at the time of writing. The KCNJ11 gene codes for the KIR6.2 subunit of the KATP channels of the pancreatic beta cells. Mutations in this gene limit insulin release from beta cells despite high blood glucose concentrations. Most people with diabetes caused by this genetic mutation can be successfully managed with glibenclamide. Learning of the genetic mutation changed the therapeutic approach to the mother's diabetes and enabled rapid diagnosis for her children. Through this family, we identified that an identical genetic mutation does not necessarily lead to the same diabetic phenotype. We recommend clinicians to consider screening for this gene in their patients whom MODY is suspected; especially in those presenting before the age of 25 who remain C-peptide positive. LEARNING POINTS: KATP channel closure in pancreatic beta cells is a critical step in stimulating insulin release. Mutations in the KIR6.2 subunit can result in the KATP channels remaining open, limiting insulin release. People with KCNJ11 mutations may not present with neonatal diabetes as the age of presentation of diabetes can be highly variable. Most affected individuals can be treated successfully with glibenclamide, which closes the KATP channels via an independent mechanism. All first degree relatives of the index case should be offered genetic testing, including asymptomatic individuals. Offspring of affected individuals should be monitored for neonatal diabetes from birth. Affected individuals will require long-term follow-up as there is a high risk of recurrence in later life.

Data-driven multiscale modeling reveals the role of metabolic coupling for the spatio-temporal growth dynamics of yeast colonies.

BACKGROUND: Multicellular entities like mammalian tissues or microbial biofilms typically exhibit complex spatial arrangements that are adapted to their specific functions or environments. These structures result from intercellular signaling as well as from the interaction with the environment that allow cells of the same genotype to differentiate into well-organized communities of diversified cells. Despite its importance, our understanding how this cell-cell and metabolic coupling lead to functionally optimized structures is still limited. RESULTS: Here, we present a data-driven spatial framework to computationally investigate the development of yeast colonies as such a multicellular structure in dependence on metabolic capacity. For this purpose, we first developed and parameterized a dynamic cell state and growth model for yeast based on on experimental data from homogeneous liquid media conditions. The inferred model is subsequently used in a spatially coarse-grained model for colony development to investigate the effect of metabolic coupling by calibrating spatial parameters from experimental time-course data of colony growth using state-of-the-art statistical techniques for model uncertainty and parameter estimations. The model is finally validated by independent experimental data of an alternative yeast strain with distinct metabolic characteristics and illustrates the impact of metabolic coupling for structure formation. CONCLUSIONS: We introduce a novel model for yeast colony formation, present a statistical methodology for model calibration in a data-driven manner, and demonstrate how the established model can be used to generate predictions across scales by validation against independent measurements of genetically distinct yeast strains.

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy: advances in diagnosis and strategies for screening and early intervention.

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common complication of both type 1 and 2 diabetes. It is a leading cause of lower-limb amputation and disabling neuropathic pain. Amputations in patients with diabetes have a devastating effect on quality of life and are associated with an alarmingly low life expectancy (on average only 2 years from the amputation). Amputation also places a substantial financial burden on health-care systems and society in general. With the introduction of national diabetes eye screening programmes, the prevalence of blindness in working-age adults is falling. This is not the case, however, with diabetes related amputations. In this Review, we appraise innovative point-of-care devices that enable the early diagnosis of DPN and assess the evidence for early risk factor-based management strategies to reduce the incidence and slow the progression of DPN. We also propose a framework for screening and early multifactorial interventions as the best prospect for preventing or halting DPN and its devastating sequelae.

Perceptions and Experiences of Intrusive Behavior and Stalking: Comparing LGBTIQ and Heterosexual Groups.

The present research employed a mixed-methods approach and quasi-experimental design to examine perceptions and experiences of intrusive behavior (comprising 47 individual intrusive activities) within individuals identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, or queer (LGBTIQ) with a matched (in terms of age, sex, and income) sample of individuals identifying as heterosexual ( N = 214). Despite only minor differences between the LGBTIQ and heterosexual groups concerning perceptions of the acceptability of intrusive behavior, the LGBTIQ group was more likely to report experiencing a range of individual intrusive activities and to report experiencing stalking victimization (self-reported rates of 35.5% vs. 15.0%). Participant sex and personal experience of being stalked were minimally associated with perceptions of the acceptability of intrusive behavior. Sexual orientation significantly predicted whether a person had experienced stalking victimization, whereas participant sex did not. The qualitative analysis revealed that the two groups shared some experiences of intrusive behavior, whereas others represented a unique subset of intrusions that related to sexual orientation.

Perceptions of exonerees in Australia.

Identifying and preventing miscarriages of justice is paramount; however, it is also imperative to consider what happens to exonerees after they have been exonerated in order to better inform their integration back into the community. The present study examines the influence of the type of evidence used to exculpate the accused, and the length of time spent in prison, on public perceptions of exonerees in Australia. The findings reveal that innocent and exonerated individuals are perceived differently to guilty individuals in terms of desired closeness, and do not suggest that exonerees are stigmatised in the same way as guilty individuals may be. Media coverage of the incidence of wrongful conviction is increasing public awareness; however, targeted education regarding the causes and impact of wrongful conviction may assist exonerees' acceptance once they are integrated back into the community.

Natural Variation in SER1 and ENA6 Underlie Condition-Specific Growth Defects in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Despite their ubiquitous use in laboratory strains, naturally occurring loss-of-function mutations in genes encoding core metabolic enzymes are relatively rare in wild isolates of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Here, we identify a naturally occurring serine auxotrophy in a sake brewing strain from Japan. Through a cross with a honey wine (white tecc) brewing strain from Ethiopia, we map the minimal medium growth defect to SER1, which encodes 3-phosphoserine aminotransferase and is orthologous to the human disease gene, PSAT1 To investigate the impact of this polymorphism under conditions of abundant external nutrients, we examine growth in rich medium alone or with additional stresses, including the drugs caffeine and rapamycin and relatively high concentrations of copper, salt, and ethanol. Consistent with studies that found widespread effects of different auxotrophies on RNA expression patterns in rich media, we find that the SER1 loss-of-function allele dominates the quantitative trait locus (QTL) landscape under many of these conditions, with a notable exacerbation of the effect in the presence of rapamycin and caffeine. We also identify a major-effect QTL associated with growth on salt that maps to the gene encoding the sodium exporter, ENA6 We demonstrate that the salt phenotype is largely driven by variation in the ENA6 promoter, which harbors a deletion that removes binding sites for the Mig1 and Nrg1 transcriptional repressors. Thus, our results identify natural variation associated with both coding and regulatory regions of the genome that underlie strong growth phenotypes.

Female undergraduate's perceptions of intrusive behavior in 12 countries.

The present study examines young women's (N = 1,734) perceptions of the unacceptability of 47 intrusive activities enacted by men. Female undergraduate psychology students from 12 countries (Armenia, Australia, England, Egypt, Finland, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Scotland, Trinidad) indicated which of 47 intrusive activities they considered to be unacceptable. Responses were compared with parasite-stress values, a measure of global gender equality and Hofstede's dimensions of national cultures. There was no unanimous agreement on any of the items, even for those relating to forced sexual violence. Cluster analysis yielded four clusters: "Aggression and surveillance" (most agreement that the constituent items were unacceptable), "Unwanted attention," "Persistent courtship and impositions," and "Courtship and information seeking" (least agreement that the constituent items were unacceptable). There were no significant relationships between the "Aggression and surveillance" or "Courtship and information seeking" clusters and the measure of gender equality, Hofstede's dimensions of national cultures or the measure of parasite stress. For the "Unwanted attention" and "Persistent courtship and impositions" clusters, women residing in countries with higher gender inequality and higher parasite-stress were less accepting of behavior associated with uncommitted sexual relations, and women in more individualistic societies with higher levels of gender equality were less accepting of monitoring activities. Culture may take precedence over personal interpretations of the unacceptability of intrusive behavior that is not obviously harmful or benign in nature.

Analysis of Cytochrome c Release by Immunocytochemistry.

Cytochrome c is normally localized between the inner and outer membranes of mitochondria in healthy cells. However, during apoptosis, it is released into the cytoplasm, where it binds to apoptotic protease activating factor. Caspase-9 is then recruited and activated by this complex in a process known as the induced proximity model. Release of cytochrome c from mitochondria is therefore a critical event in apoptosis and various protocols are available for its measurement. Cytochrome c in mitochondria has a punctate localization pattern in the cell and its translocation to the cytoplasm results in a diffuse distribution. This is visually striking and easily observed by immunocytochemistry. This protocol describes the use of immunocytochemistry to assay cytochrome c release during apoptosis.

Dead Cert: Measuring Cell Death.

Many cells in the body die at specific times to facilitate healthy development or because they have become old, damaged, or infected. Defects in cells that result in their inappropriate survival or untimely death can negatively impact development or contribute to a variety of human pathologies, including cancer, AIDS, autoimmune disorders, and chronic infection. Cell death may also occur following exposure to environmental toxins or cytotoxic chemicals. Although this is often harmful, it can be beneficial in some cases, such as in the treatment of cancer. The ability to objectively measure cell death in a laboratory setting is therefore essential to understanding and investigating the causes and treatments of many human diseases and disorders. Often, it is sufficient to know the extent of cell death in a sample; however, the mechanism of death may also have implications for disease progression, treatment, and the outcomes of experimental investigations. There are a myriad of assays available for measuring the known forms of cell death, including apoptosis, necrosis, autophagy, necroptosis, anoikis, and pyroptosis. Here, we introduce a range of assays for measuring cell death in cultured cells, and we outline basic techniques for distinguishing healthy cells from apoptotic or necrotic cells-the two most common forms of cell death. We also provide personal insight into where these assays may be useful and how they may or may not be used to distinguish apoptotic cell death from other death modalities.

Quantitation of Apoptosis and Necrosis by Annexin V Binding, Propidium Iodide Uptake, and Flow Cytometry.

The surface of healthy cells is composed of lipids that are asymmetrically distributed on the inner and outer leaflet of the plasma membrane. One of these lipids, phosphatidylserine (PS), is normally restricted to the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane and is, therefore, only exposed to the cell cytoplasm. However, during apoptosis lipid asymmetry is lost and PS becomes exposed on the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane. Annexin V, a 36-kDa calcium-binding protein, binds to PS; therefore, fluorescently labeled Annexin V can be used to detect PS that is exposed on the outside of apoptotic cells. Annexin V can also stain necrotic cells because these cells have ruptured membranes that permit Annexin V to access the entire plasma membrane. However, apoptotic cells can be distinguished from necrotic cells by co-staining with propidium iodide (PI) because PI enters necrotic cells but is excluded from apoptotic cells. This protocol describes Annexin V binding and PI uptake followed by flow cytometry to detect and quantify apoptotic and necrotic cells.

Triggering Apoptosis in Hematopoietic Cells with Cytotoxic Drugs.

Cytotoxic agents are commonly added to cultured cells in the laboratory to investigate their efficacy, mechanism of action, and therapeutic potential. Most of these agents trigger cell death by apoptosis, which is also the most common form of cell death during development, aging, homeostasis, and eradication of disease. Treatment of cells with cytotoxic agents is therefore useful for investigating basic mechanisms of cell death in the human body. Actinomycin D, a cytotoxic agent isolated from Streptomyces, induces apoptosis in a variety of cell lines including the histiocytic lymphoma cell line U937. Treatment of U937 cells with actinomycin D provides an ideal model of drug-induced apoptosis that can also be used as a positive control for comparison with other treatments.