title: "The pain, the pain": Modelling music information behavior and the songs we hate

authors: Cunningham, Sally Jo

subjects: user study

abstract: The paper presents a grounded theory analysis of 395 user responses to the survey question, "What is the worst song ever?" Important factors uncovered include: lyric quality, the "earworm" effect, voice quality, the influence of associated music videos, over-exposure, perceptions of pretentiousness, and associations with unpleasant personal experiences.

text: "The pain, the pain": Modelling music information behavior and the songs we hate The paper presents a grounded theory analysis of 395 user responses to the survey question, "What is the worst song ever?" Important factors uncovered include: lyric quality, the "earworm" effect, voice quality, the influence of associated music videos, over-exposure, perceptions of pretentiousness, and associations with unpleasant personal experiences.

year: 2005-09-01

title: Prolactin signalling in murine hair growth

authors: Craven, A.J.

abstract: Although prolactin has been shown to entrain hair growth cycles in seasonally responsive mammals, no comparable role has been identified in the age-dependent pelage replacement of rodents. Prolactin binds to dimerised membrane-associated prolactin receptors (PRLR) on target organs and initiates signalling via a number of intracellular pathways including the JAK-Stat5b pathway. The role of this pathway in murine hair growth was investigated by (i) PRLR gene disrupted mice, (ii) altered circulating prolactin profiles and (iii) impaired PRLR signal transduction with Stat5b gene-disrupted mice. 
The long (PRLR-L), and two short (PRLR-S2 and PRLR-S3) forms of the prolactin receptor were shown by RT-PCR to be expressed in the skin. These receptors were immunolocalised to the outer root sheath of the follicle as well as the epidermis and sebaceous gland. The first hair replacement cycle in PRLR gene-disrupted mice was advanced by 4 days in males and 2 weeks in females compared to wild type controls. Similarly, bromocriptine suppression of prolactin secretion advanced hair replacement by four days, which could be reversed by administration of exogenous prolactin at 18-22 days of age. In contrast, hair replacement in Stat5b-disrupted mice was delayed by two weeks. The duration of anagen, measured as the period of fibre elongation, did not differ between treated and control groups in any of these experiments. Pelage structure, fibre length and fibre diameter was not substantially altered. Pelage renewal across the body was slower during pregnancy and pseudopregnancy, and halted completely during lactation. Only after weaning was follicle reactivation resumed. As a key gestational and lactation hormone, prolactin is a likely candidate as a modulator of hair cycling at this time. An inverse relationship between PRLR-L mRNA and prolactin mRNA demonstrates the high level of prolactin signal regulation in the skin during reproduction. 
Hence, both reduced circulating prolactin levels and PRLR-deficiency results in a shorter telogen and hair renewal at a younger age. In contrast, when the signalling protein Stat5b is absent, follicle growth was retarded and new hair growth occurred later than in wild type mice. This could be explained by the altered pituitary feedback regulation of lactotrophs resulting in hyperprolactinemia in Stat5b-deficient mice. These results provide strong evidence that prolactin inhibits the activation of murine hair follicle growth.

text: Prolactin signalling in murine hair growth Although prolactin has been shown to entrain hair growth cycles in seasonally responsive mammals, no comparable role has been identified in the age-dependent pelage replacement of rodents. Prolactin binds to dimerised membrane-associated prolactin receptors (PRLR) on target organs and initiates signalling via a number of intracellular pathways including the JAK-Stat5b pathway. The role of this pathway in murine hair growth was investigated by (i) PRLR gene disrupted mice, (ii) altered circulating prolactin profiles and (iii) impaired PRLR signal transduction with Stat5b gene-disrupted mice. 
The long (PRLR-L), and two short (PRLR-S2 and PRLR-S3) forms of the prolactin receptor were shown by RT-PCR to be expressed in the skin. These receptors were immunolocalised to the outer root sheath of the follicle as well as the epidermis and sebaceous gland. The first hair replacement cycle in PRLR gene-disrupted mice was advanced by 4 days in males and 2 weeks in females compared to wild type controls. Similarly, bromocriptine suppression of prolactin secretion advanced hair replacement by four days, which could be reversed by administration of exogenous prolactin at 18-22 days of age. In contrast, hair replacement in Stat5b-disrupted mice was delayed by two weeks. The duration of anagen, measured as the period of fibre elongation, did not differ between treated and control groups in any of these experiments. Pelage structure, fibre length and fibre diameter was not substantially altered. Pelage renewal across the body was slower during pregnancy and pseudopregnancy, and halted completely during lactation. Only after weaning was follicle reactivation resumed. As a key gestational and lactation hormone, prolactin is a likely candidate as a modulator of hair cycling at this time. An inverse relationship between PRLR-L mRNA and prolactin mRNA demonstrates the high level of prolactin signal regulation in the skin during reproduction. 
Hence, both reduced circulating prolactin levels and PRLR-deficiency results in a shorter telogen and hair renewal at a younger age. In contrast, when the signalling protein Stat5b is absent, follicle growth was retarded and new hair growth occurred later than in wild type mice. This could be explained by the altered pituitary feedback regulation of lactotrophs resulting in hyperprolactinemia in Stat5b-deficient mice. These results provide strong evidence that prolactin inhibits the activation of murine hair follicle growth.

year: 2003

title: “It was… like a fight and rape club”: A foucauldian discourse analysis of New Zealand’s abuse in care inquiry, exploring child sexual abuse in residential care

authors: Simpson, Karen

subjects: child sexual abuse

abstract: Children and adolescents brought to the attention of New Zealand care and protection authorities are sometimes removed from their homes and placed into State-run residential care facilities. While the aim placing young people into residences is to improve their wellbeing, child sexual abuse is common in this setting and more pronounced than in the general population. There are many psychological theories, perspectives and movements which have attempted to explain child sexual abuse spanning from the 1800s to the present day. These partial and, at times, unsupported understandings of abuse have been shaped by socio-cultural and socio-political conditions. This has had serious implications for our collective (mis)understanding of child sexual abuse and the ways in which we respond to abuse with dominant discourse often transcending into policy, law, and the courtroom where social (in)justice occurs. In addition, despite there being three centuries of child sexual abuse research, to-date there has been limited exploration of the phenomenon in residential care settings both globally and within Aotearoa. However, the opportunity to explore child sexual abuse in this setting has availed itself with the New Zealand Government launching a Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care in 2018 to better understand abuse across State and faith-based settings between 1950 and 1999. This thesis aims to provide additional insights to the inquiry by exploring the different ways in which child sexual abuse in residential care is understood as well as the conditions which legitimise or silence these understandings.

A Foucauldian Discourse Analysis was used to analyse 47 publicly available documents from the inquiry including statements, transcripts, and evidence briefs from survivors, survivor advocates, counsel, and representatives from institutions that provide care and protection for young people. Analysis found six discourses: control and punishment, fabrication, harmful, power and oppression, shameful, and State and institutional failure. These discourses reaffirm previous findings in sexual abuse research including sexual abuse as shameful and notions of fabrication. New insights were also found and include the use of sexual abuse as a method of controlling and punishing young people; predatory sexual behaviour in young people as a method of self-protection; cultural genocide and intergenerational care placement as victim sequelae; and the development of adaptive survival behaviours in residents in response to the State’s failures to protect them. In addition, systemic failures were uncovered including inadequacies in internal and external monitoring, failures in vetting, poor investment in professional capabilities of frontline workers, and a culture of tolerance toward abuse. Overall, the analysis found cultures of sexual violence and cultures of tolerance toward abuse within residential care, which emerge from the young person’s status as a State Ward.

text: “It was… like a fight and rape club”: A foucauldian discourse analysis of New Zealand’s abuse in care inquiry, exploring child sexual abuse in residential care Children and adolescents brought to the attention of New Zealand care and protection authorities are sometimes removed from their homes and placed into State-run residential care facilities. While the aim placing young people into residences is to improve their wellbeing, child sexual abuse is common in this setting and more pronounced than in the general population. There are many psychological theories, perspectives and movements which have attempted to explain child sexual abuse spanning from the 1800s to the present day. These partial and, at times, unsupported understandings of abuse have been shaped by socio-cultural and socio-political conditions. This has had serious implications for our collective (mis)understanding of child sexual abuse and the ways in which we respond to abuse with dominant discourse often transcending into policy, law, and the courtroom where social (in)justice occurs. In addition, despite there being three centuries of child sexual abuse research, to-date there has been limited exploration of the phenomenon in residential care settings both globally and within Aotearoa. However, the opportunity to explore child sexual abuse in this setting has availed itself with the New Zealand Government launching a Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care in 2018 to better understand abuse across State and faith-based settings between 1950 and 1999. This thesis aims to provide additional insights to the inquiry by exploring the different ways in which child sexual abuse in residential care is understood as well as the conditions which legitimise or silence these understandings.

A Foucauldian Discourse Analysis was used to analyse 47 publicly available documents from the inquiry including statements, transcripts, and evidence briefs from survivors, survivor advocates, counsel, and representatives from institutions that provide care and protection for young people. Analysis found six discourses: control and punishment, fabrication, harmful, power and oppression, shameful, and State and institutional failure. These discourses reaffirm previous findings in sexual abuse research including sexual abuse as shameful and notions of fabrication. New insights were also found and include the use of sexual abuse as a method of controlling and punishing young people; predatory sexual behaviour in young people as a method of self-protection; cultural genocide and intergenerational care placement as victim sequelae; and the development of adaptive survival behaviours in residents in response to the State’s failures to protect them. In addition, systemic failures were uncovered including inadequacies in internal and external monitoring, failures in vetting, poor investment in professional capabilities of frontline workers, and a culture of tolerance toward abuse. Overall, the analysis found cultures of sexual violence and cultures of tolerance toward abuse within residential care, which emerge from the young person’s status as a State Ward.

year: 2024-02-25