‘Babies are a massive money spinner’: data, reproductive labour and the commodification of pre-motherhood in fertility and pregnancy apps

This article investigates how users of self-tracking apps evaluate the imperative to share intimate data. Through 42 interviews with 24 women in the United Kingdom who had used fertility and pregnancy tracking apps with the hope of giving birth to a baby in the future, this article empirically examines the lived experiences of sharing, withholding and managing intimate data. Research participants perceived their sharing of data with their apps as a transaction or payment in return for improved access to knowledge and information about fertility, pregnancy and parenthood. By critically examining the intersection of digitised reproductive labour and intensive mothering ideologies, I argue that these evaluations of data sharing as transactional were heavily influenced by a digitally intensified consumer culture of pre-motherhood

‘Catching ovulation’: Exploring women’s use of fertility tracking apps as a reproductive technology

This article is accepted for publication in Body & Society

Nutritional Adequacy and Performance of Raw Food Diets in Kittens

Feeding raw food diets to domestic cats is controversial. The objective of this study was to determine if raw feline diets were nutritionally adequate for kittens and whether they enhance immune function, reduce oxidative stress and improve digestibility. Twenty-four 9-week-old kittens underwent a 10-week growth feeding trial with two raw diet groups and one control group (commercial heat-processed canned diet) of eight kittens each. Anthropomorphic measurements, feed efficiency, oxidative stress, and blood biomarkers for innate and humoral immune function were evaluated. Additionally, 6 kittens and 4 adults participated in a 14 day digestibility trial using a 3 x 3 latin square design. Composite fecal cultures were periodically monitored for common bacterial pathogens. Both raw diets passed an American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) growth trial and had similar growth performance compared to the control diet. Minimal differences were measured in markers of innate or humoral immune function. Over time, higher lymphocyte and immunoglobulin responses were measured in kittens consuming the raw diets. A trend toward higher IgM levels was noted in one raw diet group. Higher exposure to bacterial degradation products, pathogen exposure, or nutritional differences may have stimulated a more robust immune response in the raw-fed groups. No differences in levels of oxidative stress were noted among the three groups. All kittens had decreasing levels of urinary isoprostanes over the 10-week testing period. Significantly higher digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, protein and energy were noted in the raw vs. control groups for both kittens and adult cats, despite similar levels of intake. These changes may be attributed to structural changes in proteins following processing, alterations in gastrointestinal flora, or differences in ingredient quality among diets. In conclusion, there was neither an advantage nor disadvantage of the two raw feline diets when compared with the commercial heat-processed, control diet and both diets would be deemed nutritionally adequate for feline growth based on AAFCO feeding trials. The raw food diets were associated with higher digestibility and decreased fecal matter. Future research on methods to reduce pathogen load while minimizing processing of animal tissue proteins is recommended

The effects of stream channelization on salmonid habitats in western Norway

Amidst the Anthropocene era’s heightened human influence on the environment and escalating habitat degradation, this study delves into the impacts of channelization on salmon and sea trout habitats in small streams in western Norway. Employing hydraulic measurements, habitat mapping, and juvenile fish surveys, the research aimed to assess channelization effects on spawning gravel proportion, shelter availability, and juvenile fish density. Surprisingly, while shelter availability was lower in channelized sites, no significant effects of channelization were observed on spawning gravel proportion or juvenile fish density, challenging initial hypotheses. These findings underscore the complexity of relationships between channelization, habitat, and fish population dynamics in these ecosystems. In conclusion, the study highlights the necessity for comprehensive pre-intervention assessments and consideration of diverse approaches to preserve habitat integrity while addressing flood management in these environments, while also highlighting the limitations of standardized habitat mapping methods.Masteroppgave i biologiBIO399MAMN-BIOMAMN-HAVS

The crafting of hope: Contextualising add-ons in the treatment trajectories of IVF patients

The proliferation and popularity of additional treatments in IVF, also known as add-ons, has generated widespread discussion and controversy in the UK, where concerns have addressed the lack of evidence to support the efficacy and safety of these treatments, their cost, and their connection to a wider context of privatisation of fertility treatment. Drawing on 42 interviews with IVF patients, this article explores the role of hope in the appeal of add-ons from the patient perspective. The analysis is presented in two parts: firstly, we investigate the role of hope in patients’ decision-making on treatment, contextualising add-ons in the broader trajectory of their IVF experience; secondly, we examine how patients navigate the offer of add-ons, focusing on the role of hope in how they rationalise their decisions on whether to include them in their fertility treatment. Our analysis shows how patients craft their hope to navigate the increasing number of available options in their quest to find the treatment(s) that will “work” for them. We suggest that the imperative for patients to explore all options is intensified with the emergence of add-ons, which produces a novel context and version of a “hope technology”

The Synthesis of Deuterated Isohumulones for Use as Internal Standards in LC-MS Stable Isotope Dilution Assays

Humulones are compounds that are prevalent in the hops flowers (Humulus Lupulus) used in beer brewing. These compounds undergo isomerization during the brewing process, and the resulting isohumulones are considered to be the primary contributors to the bitter flavors present in beer. As such, quantifying their presence, and the relative presence of their homologs(n-, co-, ad-), is of great importance in the characterization of beer. In this effort, one of the homologs of humulone (co) was isolated before being subsequently isomerized and deuterated for the purpose of analyzing beer by stable isotope dilution assay mass spectrometry(SIDA-MS). The addition of this stable isotopically substituted isohumulone as an internal standard can potentially allow the comparative quantification of humulones, isohumulones, and oxidized humulinones present in a beer sample

A Comparative Analysis of the Australian and German eHealth System

The Australian and German healthcare system share extensive similarities in their financial and administrative structures. Both countries follow a two-tiered system offering both public and private insurance. As Germany adapted the Australian DRG system in 2003 to bill patients according to diagnosis-related case rates, patient treatment and accounting also follow similar practices. Despite their common preconditions in the “offline” setting, the goals and execution of their nationally initiated eHealth solutions show vast differences. While Australia’s platform-based My Health Record offers an opt-in solution for patients and doctors to exchange healthcare data under shared control between patient and service provider, Germany’s Electronic Health Card (EHC) mandatorily includes personal and insurance data that can be further expanded with medical data and electronic health records. Information on the EHC is mainly managed by healthcare providers. The differing approaches are linked to different opportunities and weaknesses. This paper provides a systematic overview of the Australian and German eHealth system and gives suggestions on strategies and challenges from both countries. By conducting a SWOT analysis, both eHealth systems are critically reflected considering supported processes, applied technologies, and user acceptance. We furthermore discuss the impact of the individual systems on current healthcare issues and the success rate of their initial intentions

Decision Makers and Criteria for Patient Discharge - A Qualitative Study

The decision to discharge a patient involves multiple stakeholders and criteria that need to be considered during this process. This paper aims at identifying the issues, behaviours, and needs for patient discharge with regards to the risk of readmission and the available information in that process using a qualitative approach. For this purpose, focus groups are conducted at an Australian not-for-profit tertiary hospital group and analysed according to three main areas: Decision makers and factors influencing the time of patient discharge, the risk of unplanned readmission and available information. The results of the focus groups indicate the complexity of admission and initial diagnosis as influencing factors and consequences of the time of patient discharge and suggest requirements on how to include this knowledge into future decision making using data analytics