Dublin City University

About: Dublin City University is a education organization based out in Dublin, Ireland. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Machine translation & Laser. The organization has 5904 authors who have published 17178 publications receiving 389376 citations. The organization is also known as: National Institute for Higher Education, Dublin & DCU.

Disclosure of Child Sexual Abuse: Delays, Non‐disclosure and Partial Disclosure. What the Research Tells Us and Implications for Practice

Abstract: This paper reviews the research on disclosure of child sexual abuse with specific reference to delays in disclosing, non-disclosure and partial disclosure of experiences of child sexual abuse. Findings from large-scale national probability studies highlight the prevalence of both non-disclosure and delays in disclosure, while findings from small-scale qualitative studies portray the complexity, diversity and individuality of experiences. The possible explanations regarding why children are reluctant to disclose such experiences have significant implications for addressing the issue of child sexual abuse from the perspectives of child protection, legal and therapeutic professionals. The importance of understanding the dynamics of disclosure, in particular the needs of young people to maintain control over the disclosure process, the important role that peers play in this process, the responses of adults in both informal and formal networks, and the opportunities to tell, is key to helping young people speak more promptly about their experiences of sexual abuse. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. ‘The importance of understanding the dynamics of disclosure’ Key Practitioner Messages Children typically delay disclosing experiences of abuse. Asking children questions about their wellbeing gives them the opportunity to tell when they are ready. The challenge is to find the right questions at the right time. Peers can be the right people to ask these questions. Adolescents need to know about how to ask and what to do if someone tells. Adolescents need to know about how to ask and what to do if someone tells.

Evaluating the neurophysiological evidence for predictive processing as a model of perception

Abstract: For many years, the dominant theoretical framework guiding research into the neural origins of perceptual experience has been provided by hierarchical feedforward models, in which sensory inputs are passed through a series of increasingly complex feature detectors. However, the long-standing orthodoxy of these accounts has recently been challenged by a radically different set of theories that contend that perception arises from a purely inferential process supported by two distinct classes of neurons: those that transmit predictions about sensory states and those that signal sensory information that deviates from those predictions. Although these predictive processing (PP) models have become increasingly influential in cognitive neuroscience, they are also criticized for lacking the empirical support to justify their status. This limited evidence base partly reflects the considerable methodological challenges that are presented when trying to test the unique predictions of these models. However, a confluence of technological and theoretical advances has prompted a recent surge in human and nonhuman neurophysiological research seeking to fill this empirical gap. Here, we will review this new research and evaluate the degree to which its findings support the key claims of PP.

The Health Promoting Properties of the Conjugated Isomers of α-Linolenic Acid

Abstract: The bioactive properties of the conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) isomers have long been recognised and are the subject of a number of excellent reviews. However, despite this prominence the CLA isomers are not the only group of naturally occurring dietary conjugated fatty acids which have shown potent bioactivity. In a large number of in vitro and in vivo studies, conjugated α-linolenic acid (CLNA) isomers have displayed potent anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anti-obese and anti-carcinogenic activity, along with the ability to improve biomarkers of cardio-vascular health. CLNA isomers are naturally present in high concentrations in a large variety of seed oils but can also be produced in vitro by strains of lactobacilli and bifidobactena through the activity of the enzyme linoleic acid isomerase on α-linolenic acid. In this review, we will address the possible therapeutic roles that CLNA may play in a number of conditions afflicting Western society and the mechanisms through which this activity is mediated.

Notch and Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotype

Abstract: The Notch signaling pathway is critical for cell fate determination during embryonic development, including many aspects of vascular development. An emerging paradigm suggests that the Notch gene regulatory network is often recapitulated in the context of phenotypic modulation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), vascular remodeling, and repair in adult vascular disease following injury. Notch ligand receptor interactions lead to cleavage of receptor, translocation of the intracellular receptor (Notch IC), activation of transcriptional CBF-1/RBP-Jkappa-dependent and -independent pathways, and transduction of downstream Notch target gene expression. Hereditary mutations of Notch components are associated with congenital defects of the cardiovascular system in humans such as Alagille syndrome and cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL). Recent loss- or gain-of-function studies have provided insight into novel Notch-mediated CBF-1/RBP-Jkappa-dependent and -independent signaling and cross-regulation to other molecules that may play a critical role in VSMC phenotypic switching. Notch receptors are critical for controlling VSMC differentiation and dictating the phenotypic response following vascular injury through interaction with a triad of transcription factors that act synergistically to regulate VSMC differentiation. This review focuses on the role of Notch receptor ligand interactions in dictating VSMC behavior and phenotype and presents recent findings on the molecular interactions between the Notch components and VSMC-specific genes to further understand the function of Notch signaling in vascular tissue and disease.