Press Release Research Articles

Press Release: Bush, Pressley, Jeffries Unveil FIX Clemency Act (December 10, 2021)

Press Release: Bush, Pressley, Jeffries Unveil FIX Clemency Act (December 10, 2021)

Good, Better, Best: How Evolution Optimizes Anatomy and Action

Good, Better, Best: How Evolution Optimizes Anatomy and Action

Colombia: 2022 Article IV Consultation—Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Colombia

"Volume 2022 (2022): Issue 097 (Apr 2022): Colombia: 2022 Article IV Consultation—Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Colombia" published on 04 Apr 2022 by International Monetary Fund.

Representations of Autism in Ontario Newsroom: A Critical Content Analysis of Online Government Press Releases, Media Advisories, and Bulletins

In Ontario, Canada, autism has become widely politicized. In the last 20 years, instances of personal and organizational advocacy developed into wider-scale policy and programs. Government press releases indicate Ontario’s developing response to autism as a social policy issue, while reflecting societal perceptions and priorities surrounding autism. Informed by Critical Disability Studies and Critical Autism Studies, this article uses a content analysis to explore the manifest and latent priorities of Ontario’s provincial government displayed in press releases between 2001-2019 accessed through the Ontario Newsroom, an online repository of press releases and media advisories that features different initiatives published by the government of Ontario. Press releases were selected based on the search term “autism” and analyzed in two steps. First, this article presents the most frequently used words in press release headlines. Second, key themes within press releases are explored. Press releases emphasize the stories of non-autistic people, altruists, positivists, treatment-seekers, autistic children, and normative families. What is left out is a social representation of autism. Prominent themes display ableist perceptions of autism, reproducing power imbalances and inequity based on disability and family status. These findings reveal government objectives and priorities, reflecting broader societal perceptions of autism.

62 Transitioning the Alabama Bermudagrass Hay Summit to a Virtual Workshop

Abstract The Bermudagrass Hay Summit is an in-state Extension workshop that began in 2017. The objective of this workshop has been to provide recent updates and advanced information to bermudagrass hay producers in Northern Alabama. Topics have included insect pests, weed control, soil nutrients, and hay storage techniques. In 2021, organizers of the meeting were left with the conundrum of canceling the event or converting the event into a virtual-only platform as current Alabama Cooperative Extension guidelines would not allow an in-person meeting. As a result of deciding to convert the meeting to a virtual format, the organizers broaden the promotion of the event. The meeting was a 6-hour workshop with multiple speakers. The videoconferencing software Zoom (Zoom Video Communications, Inc., San Jose, CA) was used to register and deliver the workshop. The workshop was advertised on social media, through an Extension communications press release, email blasts, and word of mouth. All presentations were delivered remotely from different locations across Alabama. To ensure technology problems could be resolved quickly, an Extension information technology specialist participated in the videoconference, as well as a graduate student to communicate any chat questions/discussions from participants and assist individual participants as necessary. There were 129 people registered for the meeting, a 1,075% increase over the average from the four previous years (12 participants). Of those registered, 26% were out of state and 1 participant was out of the US. Even though the platform was virtual, the overall satisfaction of the meeting did not change in 2021 (4.7 on a 5-point scale) compared with 2020 (4.8 on a 5-point scale). While it is important to continue in-person and one-on-one interactions in Extension, the ability to provide virtual or hybrid events will allow Extension agents to be relevant to a broader audience, as well as inform potential clients of Extension’s mission.

Scientific research in news media: a case study of misrepresentation, sensationalism and harmful recommendations

Accurate news media reporting of scientific research is important as most people receive their health information from the media and inaccuracies in media reporting can have adverse health outcomes. We completed a quantitative and qualitative analysis of a journal article, the corresponding press release and the online news reporting of a scientific study. Four themes were identified in the press release that were directly translated to the news reports that contributed to inaccuracies: sensationalism, misrepresentation, clinical recommendations and subjectivity. The pressures on journalists, scientists and their institutions has led to a mutually beneficial relationship between these actors that can prioritise newsworthiness ahead of scientific integrity to the detriment of public health.

COVID-19 vaccine perceptions in the initial phases of US vaccine roll-out: an observational study on reddit

BackgroundOpen online forums like Reddit provide an opportunity to quantitatively examine COVID-19 vaccine perceptions early in the vaccine timeline. We examine COVID-19 misinformation on Reddit following vaccine scientific announcements, in the initial phases of the vaccine timeline.MethodsWe collected all posts on Reddit (reddit.com) from January 1 2020 - December 14 2020 (n=266,840) that contained both COVID-19 and vaccine-related keywords. We used topic modeling to understand changes in word prevalence within topics after the release of vaccine trial data. Social network analysis was also conducted to determine the relationship between Reddit communities (subreddits) that shared COVID-19 vaccine posts, and the movement of posts between subreddits.ResultsThere was an association between a Pfizer press release reporting 90% efficacy and increased discussion on vaccine misinformation. We observed an association between Johnson and Johnson temporarily halting its vaccine trials and reduced misinformation. We found that information skeptical of vaccination was first posted in a subreddit (r/Coronavirus) which favored accurate information and then reposted in subreddits associated with antivaccine beliefs and conspiracy theories (e.g. conspiracy, NoNewNormal).ConclusionsOur findings can inform the development of interventions where individuals determine the accuracy of vaccine information, and communications campaigns to improve COVID-19 vaccine perceptions, early in the vaccine timeline. Such efforts can increase individual- and population-level awareness of accurate and scientifically sound information regarding vaccines and thereby improve attitudes about vaccines, especially in the early phases of vaccine roll-out. Further research is needed to understand how social media can contribute to COVID-19 vaccination services.

Gossip, the Common Denominator

Gossip, the Common Denominator

Effectiveness of a workplace intervention to reduce workplace bullying and violence at work: study protocol for a two-wave quasi-experimental intervention study

IntroductionBullying and violence at work are relatively common in Finnish public sector workplaces. Previous research has demonstrated their association with increased risk of poor health and well-being, but only few...

The ongoing battle to address respiratory health in people experiencing homelessness

The ongoing battle to address respiratory health in people experiencing homelessness

Angola: 2021 Article IV Consultation and Six Review under the Extended Arrangement of the Extended Fund Facility and Request for a Waiver of Nonobservance of a Performance Criterion; Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Angola

Angola: 2021 Article IV Consultation and Six Review under the Extended Arrangement of the Extended Fund Facility and Request for a Waiver of Nonobservance of a Performance Criterion; Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Angola

Visiting hospitalized loved ones: a right of family members and patients

. Visiting hospitalized loved ones: a right of family members and patients. In hospitals and nursing homes, regulations apply different limitations to family visits: from a total ban even for critical and/or terminal patients, or in the delivery room (new mothers give birth alone), to limiting the number of visitors (one at a time) or the type (immediate family members only), to the time for the visit (a maximum of 10 to 45 minutes); other facilities allow access for critical and/or end-of-life patients. It is time to return to pre-covid normality. The patient has the right to be accompanied, by the people who matter to her/him; the presence of family members next to the patient is not a concession but a concrete expression of the respect and attention due to the patient and his/her dignity as a human being. To continue the debate on family visits to hospitalised loved ones, we publish two letters/appeals. One, from the relatives of nursing home residents, hospitalised and dead during the pandemics, without any contact with their relatives (edited by Anchise Comitato Nazionale Famiglie RSA RSD Sanità), which in sometimes very harsh, but hardly contestable tones, at the end of August 22 launched an appeal (which is still little heeded) to the future government, to reopen the doors of hospitals and nursing homes. The other, a press release of December 2022, from the Nursing College of Trento, reaffirms the importance of family visits as a right and responsibility to guarantee the care and caring of the person being cared for, recalling the attention and responsibility of nurses, who should consider a fundamental care to be able to care for patients with the closeness of the family.

Major Drugs Used in COVID-19 Treatment: Molecular Mechanisms, Validation and Current Progress in Trials

Background: Currently, the present world is facing a new deadly challenge against a pandemic disease called COVID-19, which is caused by a coronavirus, named SARS-CoV-2. To date, there is no drug or vaccine that can treat COVID-19 completely, but some drugs have been used primarily, and they are in different stages of clinical trials. This review article discussed and compared those drugs which are running ahead in COVID-19 treatments. Methods: We have explored PUBMED, SCOPUS, WEB OF SCIENCE, as well as press release of WHO, NIH and FDA for articles about COVID-19, and reviewed them. Results: Drugs like favipiravir, remdesivir, lopinavir/ritonavir, hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin, ivermectin, corticosteroids and interferons have been found effective in some extents, and partially approved by FDA and WHO to treat COVID-19 at different phases of pandemic. However, some of these drugs have been disapproved later, although clinical trials are going on. In parallel, plasma therapy has been found fruitful in some extents too, and a number of vaccine trails are going on. Conclusions: This review article discussed the epidemiologic and mechanistic characteristics of SARS-CoV-2, and how drugs could act on this virus with the comparative discussion on progress and backwards of major drugs used till date, which might be beneficial for choosing therapies against COVID-19 in different countries.

Briefly Noted

On Tuesday, September 14, the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court (ICC) affirmed the April decision of Pre-Trial Chamber II permitting victims to participate in the trial of Mahamat Said Abdel Kani. According to a press release from the Court, the "Appeals Chamber found that the approach adopted by the Pre-Trial Chamber for transmitting victims' applications for participation to the parties and admitting victims to participate in the proceedings is in principle an adequate tool to ensure the fairness and expeditiousness of the proceedings, while at the same time respecting the rights of both the suspect/accused and the victims." Mr. Said is suspected of crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed in Bangui in the Central African Republic in 2013. The opening of the confirmation of charges in his case will take place on October 12.

Building the Science News Agenda: The Permeability of Science Journalism to Public Relations

The current study examines the influence of press releases about scientific studies in terms of their impact on news coverage. Using an innovative approach that allowed for analysis of a large corpus of text and calculation of similarity scores, we were able to trace the uptake of press release materials into news media articles. In some cases, up to 65% of sentences in science news articles reflected high similarity to press release material—a potent indication of how powerful information subsidies can be. While our results contain some good news for public relations practitioners, they also carry a warning for consumers of journalism and for the public science agenda, which may be left vulnerable to bad actors undermining the trust that the public, and journalists, have in science. News organizations that had a history of producing award-winning science journalism were much less likely to draw on press release materials, indicating the importance of topic area expertise in producing independent science journalism.

Solenis buys acrylic monomer firm SCL

The specialty chemical producer Solenis has acquired SCL, a German company that makes dimethylaminoethyl acrylate, an acrylic monomer used to produce the water treatment chemical polyacrylamide. Based in Ludwigshafen, Germany, SCL was spun out of BASF in 2009. “The acquisition of this business provides Solenis with the backward integration that supports our polyacrylamide growth plan,” Solenis CEO John Panichella says in a press release.

Interpretation of observational studies: the good, the bad and the sensational.

A Nutrition Society member-led meeting was held online on 18th January 2021 to discuss the role of observational studies in developing public health policy and dietary guidelines. In addition, participants debated media reporting of observational studies and the implications for public perception and trust in science. Speakers outlined the benefits of observational studies and how they fit within the suite of research tools available for estimating dietary intakes and determining their impact on health and disease risk. However, there are clear limitations, such as conscious and unconscious bias, measurement error, confounding and representativeness of populations. Researchers can overcome some of these issues with careful design, awareness of inter-individual variation, open and transparent reporting of findings, and hypothesis-driven statistical analysis to avoid multiple testing errors. Although there is evidence that data provided by nutritional epidemiology can be misleading, strong and thoughtful methodology including pre-registration, risk of bias assessment, awareness of confounders, and evidence grading can minimise potential bias, particularly when conducting systematic reviews. Translation of relative risk into population health impact is important and feeds into the need for responsible lay communication of results via mass media, especially regarding assumptions about cause and effect. Although use of mass media can bring benefits to academia, responsible dissemination is essential and starts with the press release. In conclusion, nutritional epidemiology is an important tool for exploring the risk/benefits of dietary patterns and contributing to health improvement via dietary guidelines, evidence-based policy and responsible lay communication provided its limitations are fully understood.

The partisan divide in U.S. congressional communications after the China shock

AbstractEmerging literature shows that rising import exposure resulting from the China shock devastated U.S. manufacturing and contributed to the rise of Donald Trump. However, several studies found that these recent localized economic shocks did not negatively impact the tenure of incumbent politicians, and this outcome remains a puzzle. In this paper, we examine the partisan difference in congressional communication strategies on China and trade‐related issues. We propose a theory of China‐bashing to explain how members of Congress frame the negative impacts of trade to their voters. Using press release data from members of Congress, we show that, even though Chinese import competition impacted both Republican‐ and Democrat‐held districts, Republican politicians in adversely affected districts responded by increasing their anti‐China rhetoric, while there was no similar difference among Democrats. At the same time, there was no difference between Republican and Democratic messaging on general trade issues. In doing so, Republican legislators were able to support trade liberalization during the Bush and Obama administrations while blaming its negative externalities to their constituents on China.

Mixed Messages: Crisis Communication–Dismissal (In)Coherence and Shareholder Trust Following Misconduct

We explore how firms’ post-transgression crisis communication and executive dismissals jointly influence shareholder trust following financial misconduct. We argue the coherence of a firm’s crisis management strategy—the degree to which its elements fit together consistently and logically—plays an important but previously unconsidered role in shareholder trust repair. We utilized multiple methods to abductively develop and test our theory. First, we conducted a qualitative comparative analysis of 51 cases of financial misconduct among S&P 1500 firms that disclosed a misstatement via press release and dismissed either the CEO or CFO within 90 days of the disclosure. Analyzing aspects of these firms’ crisis communication and the type of dismissal executed, this study revealed four configurations that highlight the influence of crisis management (in)coherence on shareholder trust. Second, a policy capturing study examined the underlying mechanisms that drive shareholders’ perceptions and intended behaviors relative to manipulated crisis management strategies in a controlled setting. Together, findings from these studies indicate that shareholder trust following misconduct depends in part on the (in)coherence between what firms say about their misconduct, how they communicate that information, and what they do to resolve the problem.

New language guide promotes positive, inclusive conversations around mental health

Well Beings, a multiyear campaign from public media to address the critical health needs in America, has created the Mental Health Language Guide to help everyone more successfully find the right words when having conversations about mental health. The American Psychiatric Association Foundation is a supporter of the Well Beings initiative and a contributor to the development of the guide, a press release stated. The guide is intended to address stigma around mental illness and equip users with person‐first language and a better understanding of how to discuss mental health concerns with youth. The guide presents an overview of how to talk about mental health, such as the use of person‐first language that places focus on the individual, instead of defining a person by their illness. For example, instead of “He is a schizophrenic,” the suggested language is “He lives with schizophrenia.” It includes guidance on language that is inclusive of people with disabilities, people who are LGBTQIA+ and communities of color, and a glossary of important terms on mental health and identity. The language guide is available at https://wellbeings.org/languageguide and will be distributed as part of the educational outreach for Well Beings.