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Animals are frequently used in the UK for film, television, and advertising, but numerous stakeholders, including charities and industry representatives, have significant concerns regarding their on- and off-set welfare. However, it is unclear to what extent the public can identify animal welfare issues on screen or whether they know where to report any incidents. This survey sought to answer three research questions: (1) What are the levels of awareness and concern around animals used in TV, film, and advertising among the general public? (2) Do people know where or how to report any concerns? (3) What would reassure people that animal welfare is safeguarded? We have analysed and presented the results from the 911 responses to paint a more detailed picture of where the public is on this issue and what mechanisms for improvement they would support. Overall, the results show a clear concern for the welfare of animals used in the media, especially once they had read the eight realistic scenarios of animal use in the survey. Yet the public feel disempowered to report these concerns and lack trust that positive change will result. There is clearly public appetite for better protection of animals used in the media, particularly stronger regulations, independent on-set monitoring of animals, qualified animal trainers, and an accreditation scheme.

Multi-channel dilution analysis (MCDA) is a new calibration method that performs multiple dilutions of a standard solution as it makes its way from an autosampler to an analytical instrument. MCDA is based on the standard dilution analysis (SDA) method that combines the traditional standard additions and internal standardization calibration methods, correcting for both matrix interferences and fluctuations in signal levels associated with variations in the sample environment. Analysts operate the instrument in the normal manner, as all dilutions are performed automatically by splitting the sample stream entering the instrument into multiple channels of different tubing diameters and lengths. This setup results in a signal "stairstep" as portions of solution are measured at different points in time. A calibration curve is prepared from the plateau regions of the signal stairstep. MCDA has been exhibited using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, which is a workhorse for the determination of trace metals in solution. However, MCDA is applicable for any analyte of interest in any sample type, as long as the selected measurement technique accepts samples as a flowing liquid stream. MCDA is applied to the analysis of three certified reference materials by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). Percent recoveries for a suite of analytes range from 87--106%, with relative standard deviations on the order of 1%. MCDA simplifies the analysis process, increasing sample throughput by significantly decreasing the time required for solution preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Adequate preoperative information is known to improve patient outcomes. We aimed to evaluate perioperative education for paediatric patients and families undergoing intestinal stoma formation. Methods: UK paediatric surgery centres were invited to recruit patients aged 6–16 years with a stoma in situ or reversed within the last 2 years. Patient and parent questionnaires were posted for potential participants. Results: Eighty-three patient/parent dyads returned questionnaires. Median age was 11.5 years (range 4.1–17.8), with 48% (n = 40) formed electively. Parents rated how well-informed they felt perioperatively out of 10 (0 poorly, 10 highly informed). Parents were better informed about surgical issues and stoma care than psychological and social impacts (7.45 vs 6.11; p < 0.0001). 54% reported surgical complications but significantly fewer patients listed these amongst the worst things about having a stoma (24.4%) when compared with psychosocial issues: distress from bag leaks (90.8%; p < 0.0001), self-consciousness (54.1%; p = 0.0001), and restricted activity (40.2%; p = 0.03). Conclusion: Parents felt well-informed for medical and practical aspects but less well-informed of psychological and lifestyle impacts of having a stoma. Surgical complications were less important to patients than the impact on daily life. Increased psychosocial information would enable families to be better prepared for life with a stoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early pregnancy loss, defined as pregnancy loss prior to 20 weeks’ gestation, occurs in about one in five pregnancies. Although there has been research on women’s experiences of healthcare and social support following miscarriage, research into workplace support is relatively limited. In this study, we explored women’s experiences of returning to work following early pregnancy loss, drawing on data from semi-structured interviews with 13 Australian women. Thematic analysis generated three main themes: returning to work too soon, decisions about disclosure and the importance of a flexible workplace. Findings revealed that return to work can be a difficult process to navigate, with many reporting feeling pressured to return to work. While disclosure of their miscarriage enabled women to feel supported by their colleagues and connect to those with a similar experience, they often found disclosure challenging. Flexibility with leave, return-to-work arrangements and role adjustments were highly valued and helped women return to work. Findings revealed that workplace context and culture were important in the extent to which women felt supported by their workplace. This suggests that there may be a need for structural workplace changes to improve women's experiences of returning to work following early pregnancy loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proliferation of assisted dying legislative reforms globally is a significant change in the social and medico‐legal landscape of end‐of‐life care. Understanding the impacts of these legislative reforms on family members who care for a dying person is vital, yet under‐theorised in research. In this article, drawing on semi‐structured interviews with 42 carers for a person who has sought assisted dying in Australia, and extending ideas of ontological choreography we explore the new and complex choreographies enacted by carers in their endeavour to arrange a ‘good death’ for the dying person. We find that desires to fulfil the dying person’s wishes are often accompanied by normative pressures, affective tensions and complexities in bereavement. Enacting assisted dying requires carers to perform a repertoire of highly‐staged practices. Yet, institutional obstacles and normative cultural scripts of dying can constrain carer assisted dying practices. Understanding the nuances of carers’ experiences and how they navigate this new end‐of‐life landscape, we argue, provides critical insights about how assisted dying legislation is producing new cultural touchpoints for caring at the end of life. Moreover, we show how emerging cultural scripts of assisted dying are impacting in the lives of these carers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the culture of silence that once surrounded cancer has gradually given way to greater public awareness, normative visions of what cancer survivorship should entail have proliferated. These visions emphasise positivity and perseverance in pursuit of cure. While these visions provide comfort to many, for people with metastatic cancer, the emphasis on cure can undermine their sense of belonging to the broader collective of people living with cancer. Drawing on semi‐structured interviews with 38 Australian women living with metastatic breast cancer, we explore how incurable cancer inflects understandings of self and transforms interpersonal relationships. Extending ideas around biosociality and belonging, we explore the tenuousness of social bonds, revealing how (in)visibility, (in)authenticity and (in)validation circulate within the daily lives of women with metastatic breast cancer. We conceptualise accounts according to four social bonds: (1) threatened bonds where a relationship is strained by misunderstanding, (2) severed bonds where a relationship is ruptured due to misunderstanding, (3) attuned bonds whereby a relationship is based on shared identification and (4) flexible social bonds when a relationship is based on mutual understanding. More broadly, we illustrate the persistence of normative visions of cancer survivorship and their enduring effects on those whom such visions exclude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the potential extension of voluntary assisted dying (VAD) laws in Victoria, Australia to include people with dementia. It discusses the ethical, philosophical, and social questions raised by this extension, such as defining eligibility criteria and assessing suffering in individuals with impaired decision-making capacity. The article emphasizes the importance of maintaining the legitimacy and social consensus of the existing VAD framework and highlights the need for a balanced approach to avoid exacerbating social divisions. It suggests that a renewed social debate and a harmonized national legislative framework are necessary to address the challenges associated with VAD in dementia. [Extracted from the article]