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‘The Murder Book: Understanding Homicide Today’
Augusta professor’s latest book is out now The grisly details of murder and true crime fascinate Americans. Whether it’s the current news about the horrific homicide of 22-year-old Gabby Petito, who disappeared while traveling in Wyoming with her boyfriend, Brian Laundrie, or the unsolved killing of child beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey in her home in Boulder, Colorado, almost 25 years ago, people are intrigued by murder. People’s obsession with true crime has also taken the entertainment industry by storm, leading to numerous popular documentaries, movies about murders, television series on cold case investigations and podcasts dedicated to homicide. The genre is so prolific that Hulu’s latest hit — Only Murders In the Building, starring Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez — centers on Upper West Side neighbors and true crime podcast fans who sleuth out a murder podcast on their own. “Murder captures our attention,” said Dr. Kim Davies, dean of Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, who is also a sociologically trained criminologist with an academic focus on homicide and violence. “For a lot of people, I think it’s the idea of solving a mystery. And many people who find murder so fascinating, haven’t ever seen an autopsy and they haven’t seen a death. “When I taught my Sociology of Murder class here at Augusta University, I used to take students to autopsies and it’s gruesome. It’s not like what you see on television or in the movies.” Just last month, Oxford University Press published Davies’ new book, The Murder Book: Understanding Homicide Today. Back in 2007, Prentice Hall published The Murder Book: Examining Homicide by Davies, which was the only comprehensive textbook to focus on homicide. Her new textbook explores additional topics such as the increase in mass murders, the change in Stand Your Ground laws across the country and police shootings as it relates to the Black Lives Matter movement. “Probably the biggest difference in the two books is the chapter on mass murder,” Davies said. “Unfortunately, there have been a number of huge mass murders since the last book such as Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech and the Las Vegas shooting that killed 58 people. In fact, our society and our news media has focused on mass murders much more. “When I wrote the last book, students were fascinated by serial murder, and a lot of students still are, but now it seems like we are more focused on mass murder.” The full release about Davies’ book release is attached, and well worth the read. If you’re a journalist covering true crime or any other aspect of this fascinating topic – then let us help with your stories. Dr. Kim Davies is a sociologically trained criminologist with academic focus is on homicide and violence. Kim is available to speak with media about this subject – simply click on her icon now to arrange an interview today.
ChristianaCare recognized by American Medical Association with 2021 Joy in Medicine distinction
ChristianaCare one of only 44 nationwide to receive the distinction; one of only five to receive the highest level – Gold Recognition (WILMINGTON, Del. – Oct. 7, 2021) ChristianaCare has been named a recipient of the American Medical Association’s Joy in MedicineTM Health System Recognition Program. The distinction recognizes health systems that demonstrate a commitment to preserving the wellbeing of health care team members by engaging in proven efforts to combat work-related stress and burnout. The American Medical Association awarded ChristianaCare a “Gold Recognition” – the highest level within the program. Only 44 health systems nationwide received the Joy in Medicine distinction, with only four other health systems along with ChristianaCare achieving the Gold Recognition. “When caregivers feel supported and fulfilled in their work, the quality of both their experience and their patient’s experience improves,” said Heather Farley, M.D., MHCDS, chief wellness officer and head of ChristianaCare’s Center for WorkLife Wellbeing. “That’s why, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, we deepened our investment of resources to support our caregivers. While there’s still a long way to go, we are grateful to receive this recognition as it affirms our commitment to helping our caregivers foster meaning, connection and joy in work and in life.” ChristianaCare received the “Gold Recognition” for achieving six criteria: An organization-wide commitment to improving physician wellbeing. An assessment of the costs of physician burnout. Evidence-based interventions to reduce and eliminate burnout. Leadership commitment to address areas for improvement. Interventions to improve teamwork. Structured programs that actively engage doctors to cultivate community at work. These criteria align with ChristianaCare’s commitment to support its caregivers in alignment with the organization’s core values of love and excellence. ChristianaCare has implemented structured ways of working that encourages leaders to create environments where their workers feel safe asking questions and feel empowered to identify and solve problems. ChristianaCare also uses numerous surveys and assessments to track progress in improving the wellbeing and experience of caregivers. ChristianaCare’s Unique Center for WorkLife Wellbeing ChristianaCare established the Center for WorkLife Wellbeing in 2016 to develop support systems to enable clinicians to reconnect with the joy and meaning in medicine. “We recognized the growing problem of stress and burnout in health care, and we made a decision to tackle it head-on,” said Janice E. Nevin, M.D., MPH, ChristianaCare president and CEO. “The work of our psychologists, researchers, clinicians and peer supporters in the Center for WorkLife Wellbeing is built on the understanding that when we care for ourselves, we are better able to care for others, resulting in decreased medical errors and a better experience of care for everyone involved.” The Center soon expanded its mission to support all of ChristianaCare’s caregivers, including those who don’t work in clinical roles. The Center also has received national recognition for its expertise and leadership in the field of workplace wellbeing. Throughout the pandemic, the Center for WorkLife Wellbeing has proactively shared a variety of resources to support caregivers as they work to provide safe, effective care and reduce the spread of COVID-19. This includes: The Care for the Caregiver program, which provides confidential individual peer support and group support to caregivers when they experience stress related to patient care or the workplace. Peer supporters and organizational leaders receive training so they can provide psychological first aid to caregivers whom they recognize are struggling as well as connect them to helpful resources if needed. Emotional support through mindfulness resources and regular rounds where the Center’s experts can check on staff wellbeing. OASIS Rooms, which are quiet sanctuaries inside the hospital where caregivers can go to take a break, de-stress, meditate or enjoy a chair massage. 24/7 mental health services and programs to help caregivers maintain healthy habits including proper exercise, sleep and nutrition. Fitness centers that are free for all caregivers to use and provide easy access to exercise and fitness programs. “I always use the analogy, you can’t take the canary out of the coal mine and teach it to be more resilient and then put it back in the same coal mine and expect it to survive,” Dr. Farley said. “You actually have to change the coal mine – the environment surrounding our caregivers and clinicians. That’s what we’re doing in the Center for WorkLife Wellbeing.” Solutions to a National Problem A national study examining the experiences of physicians and other health care workers who worked in health systems during the COVID-19 pandemic found that 38% self-reported experiencing anxiety or depression, while 43% suffered from work overload and 49% had burnout. “The COVID-19 pandemic has placed extraordinary stress on physicians and other health care professionals,” said American Medical Association President Gerald E. Harmon, M.D. “While it is always important for health systems to focus on the wellbeing of care teams, the imperative is greater than ever as acute stress from combatting the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to higher rates of work overload, anxiety and depression. The health systems we recognize today are true leaders in promoting an organizational response that makes a difference in the lives of the health care workforce.” Launched in 2019, the Joy in Medicine Health System Recognition Program is a component of the American Medical Association’s practice transformation efforts, an ambitious initiative to advance evidence-based solutions to address the physician burnout crisis. Candidates for the program were evaluated according to their documented efforts to reduce work-related burnout through system-level drivers. Scoring criteria were based on demonstrated competencies in commitment, assessment, leadership, efficiency of practice environment, teamwork and support. About ChristianaCare Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, ChristianaCare is one of the country’s most dynamic health care organizations, centered on improving health outcomes, making high-quality care more accessible and lowering health care costs. ChristianaCare includes an extensive network of primary care and outpatient services, home health care, urgent care centers, three hospitals (1,299 beds), a freestanding emergency department, a Level I trauma center and a Level III neonatal intensive care unit, a comprehensive stroke center and regional centers of excellence in heart and vascular care, cancer care and women’s health. It also includes the pioneering Gene Editing Institute. ChristianaCare is nationally recognized as a great place to work, rated by Forbes as the 5th best health system to work for in the United States and by IDG Computerworld as one of the nation’s Best Places to Work in IT. ChristianaCare is rated by HealthGrades as one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals and continually ranked among the nation’s best by Newsweek and other national quality ratings. ChristianaCare is a nonprofit teaching health system with more than 260 residents and fellows. With its groundbreaking Center for Virtual Health and a focus on population health and value-based care, ChristianaCare is shaping the future of health care. #####
History was made at Arlington – and UConn’s expert was recruited to help with national news coverage
For the first time in the 84 years that soldiers have stood watch over the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery, the duty was carried out by three women. UConn's Micki McElya, a professor in the Department of History and the author of The Politics of Mourning: Death and Honor in Arlington National Cemetery, offered her perspective and insight into the significance of the moment: The images of the three female soldiers were a “visual marker” of the often unrecognized sacrifices that women and other marginalized people in the United States have made for the military, Professor McElya said. “Women have served either officially or unofficially in every single war this country has ever waged, but they have never been drafted,” she said. “So if we want to talk about sacrifice and honor, women have done that because they wanted to.” The changing of the guard was also an important moment in military history, one that showed that women are serving in “the most revered positions,” said Kara Dixon Vuic, a professor of war, conflict and society in 20th-century America at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. “These are the rituals that the nation holds dear,” she said. “Some might call it militaristic and some might say it represents the best of us. But to have women at the heart of it, whatever your perspective is, is important because it shows that women are at the heart of these debates now.” If you are a journalist covering the historic aspects of this occasion or other events taking place, then let our experts help with your stories. Professor McElya is an expert in the histories of women, gender, sexuality, and race in the U.S., with a focus on politics and memory. She’s available to speak with media regarding these topics – simply click on her icon now to arrange an interview today.
It is in the news daily the awareness campaigns are everywhere – but for Spanish-speaking Americans, a lot of the information on COVID-19 and vaccination efforts against the disease weren’t reaching home. That was leaving a large swath of the population unprotected against the virus. Pastor Angel Maestre takes to the airwaves for his radio show, 97 Oasis, each week, speaking about faith to his Spanish-speaking audience. When COVID-19 vaccines rolled out, he began including teachings about health and science. “It was my duty as a leader,” Maestre says. Vaccination rates among the Hispanic population were extremely low at the time. In Richmond County, less than 10 percent of this community was vaccinated. Maestre partnered with Dr. Jose Vaszquez, an infectious diseases physician at Augusta University Health. Vazquez began appearing on Maestre’s radio show. He also spoke and answered questions at Maestre’s church, Centro Cristiano Oasis de Bendicion. “The Hispanic community has been one of the toughest communities to get vaccinated,” Vasquez says. “They’re not anti-vaxxers. But, most of the education put out there is in English. A lot of it is not in Spanish. So, they didn’t understand.” According to Vazquez, the top three concerns among the Hispanic community were that the COVID-19 vaccine contained fetal tissue, caused infertility and could result in undocumented immigrants encountering problems with immigration authorities. “They thought if we took their name and number, that ICE or immigration would come and take them, which is not true.” Vazquez eased concerns, and vaccination rates increased quickly. “I’m proud to say because of our outreach programs with some of our partners, specifically going through the churches, that it has actually increased to 30 to 35 percent.” Are you a journalist looking to know more about how COVID-19 is impacting Hispanic communities and what else can be done to ensure every person in America has access to vaccines? That’s where Augusta University can help. Dr. Jose Vazquez, division chief and professor of medicine in the Medical College of Georgia, is an expert in the realm of infectious diseases. He studies and treats infectious diseases, including antibiotic-resistant superbugs and fungal infections. He has been a reliable source for local, statewide and national media regarding the coronavirus outbreak. Dr. Vazquez is available to speak with media regarding this topic – simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
Who knew that all those posts about what’s cooking and what’s for dinner could lead to a burgeoning belly? It’s a surprising finding that researchers at Georgia Southern University have discovered – and it’s getting attention from American and international media. Researchers at Georgia Southern University in the U.S. recruited 145 students and split them into two groups. Both were given plates of cheese crackers to nibble but half were told to stop and take a picture first. Immediately after eating them, volunteers were asked to rate how much they liked them and whether they wanted more. The results, published in the journal Appetite, showed those taking snaps of the crackers scored higher in terms of enjoyment and wanting seconds. Picture-taking, researchers said, seems to change the way the brain perceives food and increases the craving for more calories. They wrote: ‘Memories of food and the act of recording consumption can affect how much we eat. "Our results indicate picture-taking leads to greater wanting of the food following consumption. "The effects were most noticeable in volunteers given smaller portions – six crackers instead of 12. Researchers warned: "Those seeking to eat smaller portions, especially of tempting foods that they want to cut back on, should avoid taking pictures of what they are eating." October 03, Daily Mail If you’re a journalist looking to cover this research or learn more for a story – then let our experts help. The researchers behind this study are available, simply reach out to Georgia Southern Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
Trailblazing treatment by ChristianaCare physical therapists catches attention of NFL
ChristianaCare physical therapists have developed a trailblazing treatment to prevent muscle strains that has caught the attention of numerous sports teams, including the Los Angeles Rams and Baltimore Ravens. The treatment involves using a screening tool called the “core sling screen” to test the strength of trunk muscles, also known as core muscles, and is combined with a specialized exercise program to strengthen those muscles. Weakness in those muscles can lead to common athletic injuries such as strains in the abdomen, groin, quadriceps and lower back. A study on the treatment’s success was published this spring in the Journal of Sport Rehabilitation. Following that, ChristianaCare physical therapists, Brian Catania, MPT, SCS, ATC, and Travis Ross, PT, DPT, who co-authored the study and spearheaded the treatment, presented it to the NFL’s Professional Football Athletic Trainer Symposium. Athletic trainers with the Los Angeles Rams and the Baltimore Ravens met directly with Catania and Ross to learn how to use it to prevent their players from sustaining muscle injuries. “The research by ChristianaCare Rehabilitation Services regarding core slings is an extremely effective approach that is based off of sound reasoning and practical application,” said Jon Hernandez, PT, DPT, SCS, ATC, CSCS, physical therapist and assistant athletic trainer for the Rams. “The principles of the sling activation series are incorporated into our daily, clinical practice. Whether it be our injury prevention programs, corrective exercises, or rehabilitation practices, the sling activation series is applicable to a myriad of conditions we see in an NFL athletic training room.” Catania and Ross care for patients at ChristianaCare Rehabilitation Services at Glasgow, in Newark, Del. They began working on ways to increase resilience in core muscles nearly nine years ago. Through their research, they developed a screening tool, that they call the “core sling screen,” which detects weakness in those muscles. Strains are among the most common sports injuries, according to the U.S. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. “We reasoned that if we could identify ways to improve the strength of the core muscles, common lower extremity injuries would be less likely to occur,” said Catania, who also is the program manager at ChristianaCare’s Rehabilitation Services location in Glasgow. “But it had to be a two-part approach. We needed to develop a reliable screening tool to examine the core muscles and then also come up with a targeted exercise program to strengthen those muscles.” The study was conducted by ChristianaCare’s departments of Rehabilitation Services and Sports Medicine. “At ChristianaCare, we are relentlessly curious and we continuously look for ways to innovate,” said Bradley Sandella, D.O., director of Sports Medicine at ChristianaCare, who also co-authored the study. “We don’t want to just treat injuries – we want to prevent them from ever occurring, even if it means that we have to come up with novel and progressive approaches.” A randomized-control study was performed to test out traditional exercises and compare them to a newly developed exercise program that involved rotational movements of the torso, known as rotary-based exercises. The study found that the rotary-based exercises increased the activation of targeted abdominal muscles and could make adjacent areas of the body, such as the groin, less injury-prone. The study included 31 female and male students from the University of Delaware. Catania and Ross have provided further instruction to both the Rams and Ravens. In May, they visited the Ravens’ facility in Owings Mills, Md., to personally instruct Ravens athletic trainers and physical therapists on how to perform the treatment. The treatment also has been presented at the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and the Eastern Athletic Trainers Association. “It has been meaningful through this research to contribute to the ongoing evolution in the field of physical therapy and sports medicine,” Ross said. “We are always looking for ways to protect our patients, many of whom are athletes, from injury. It makes physical therapy better, it makes patients better, and it makes players better.” To learn more about this treatment and the expertise ChristianaCare is bringing to organizations like the NFL - contact Bradley Sandella, D.O., director of Sports Medicine at ChristianaCare. He's available to speak with media, simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
Covering Breast Cancer Awareness Month? Our experts are ready for your questions and coverage
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Did you know that on average, every 2 minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States. And according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation: In 2021, an estimated 281,550 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in the U.S. as well as 49,290 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer. 63% of breast cancer cases are diagnosed at a localized stage (there is no sign that the cancer has spread outside of the breast), for which the 5-year survival rate is 99%. This year, an estimated 43,600 women will die from breast cancer in the U.S. Although rare, men get breast cancer too. In 2021, an estimated 2,650 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year in the U.S. and approximately 530 will die. 1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime Breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, except for skin cancers. It is estimated that in 2021, approximately 30% of all new women cancer diagnoses will be breast cancer. There are over 3.8 million breast cancer survivors in the United States. This year's theme is It's Time to Rise and the National Breast Cancer Foundation has a host of materials to watch and read for anyone looking to test themselves, find support or learn how they can help. If you're a journalist looking to know more about this topic or if you are covering Breast Cancer Awareness month - then let our experts help with your stories. Dr. Alicia Vinyard is a Board-Certified General Surgeon and Fellowship Trained Breast Surgical Oncologist at the Georgia Cancer Center and Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. Dr. Vinyard is also an expert in breast cancer, cancer surgery and cancer survivorship. She is available to speak to media about Breast Cancer Awareness Month – simply click on her icon to now arrange an interview today.
Economic benefits of hosting a sporting mega event are overestimated, new research finds
Experts from Aston University and New York University (NYU) studied how industrial firms in Beijing fared in the run-up to the 2008 Olympics Dr Johan Rewilak and Ted Hayduk (NYU) looked at whether industrial firms in Beijing disproportionately increased their investment ahead of the Games compared to similar Chinese firms The results are interesting for academics, policy makers, businesses and entrepreneurs. Economic experts from Aston University and New York University (NYU) have found that host cities do not receive any disproportionate economic benefits from hosting a sporting mega event. Dr Johan Rewilak from Aston Business School and Ted Hayduk (NYU) studied how industrial firms in Beijing fared in the run-up to the 2008 Summer Olympics. Most studies of this kind focus on the service sector, but this is one of the first examining industrial firms. They looked at whether industrial firms in Beijing disproportionately increased their investment ahead of the Games compared to similar Chinese firms, and explored how those firms compared when it came to profitability. The study found that hosting the 2008 Olympic Games did not provide disproportionate benefits in terms of capital investment or earnings relative to other comparable cities in China. Dr Johan Rewilak, lecturer in economics at Aston Business School, said: “One criticism of having cities host the Olympics is that it funnels public funds into a specific region or area of a country. However, our findings do not support that hypothesis. “Specifically, manufacturing firms in the host city did not receive greater economic benefits compared with firms in similar cities across China, and we found evidence that complements previous arguments that SMEs typically have limited to no disproportional positive impact on the local economy. Ted Hayduk, clinical assistant professor at New York University, said: “In terms of capital investment, we found that the host region had no differential effect for both the Summer and the Winter Games. Given that we found no significant result in 2008, it is somewhat unsurprising to find an insignificant result for the 2022 Winter Games. “This is because the budget for Beijing 2022 is only 10% of what was spent in 2008, and/or alternatively, as the necessary infrastructure has already been built, it has yet to depreciate sufficiently to warrant investment in its replacement.” You can find out more about the study HERE. You can also listen to Dr Rewilak on Aston University’s podcast series, EURO 2020: The Business and Science of Football. He joined journalist Steve Dyson, Dr Danny Fitzpatrick and Dr Robert Thomas to discuss the benefits of holding EURO 2020 across the continent, and whether it was likely to bring an economic spike in a world still living through Coronavirus.
Aston University to officially launch Cyber Security Innovation Centre at Birmingham Tech Week
It will take place at Conference Aston on 13 October, during Birmingham Tech Week 2021 Line up of speakers includes experts from Security Exports Department for International Trade, DCMS and the IoD The event will be of relevance to companies, alumni, academic staff interested in cybersecurity. The Cyber Security Innovation (CSI) Centre at Aston University will host its inaugural event during Birmingham Tech Week 2021. The CSI Centre, established in 2020, brings together stakeholders from industry, government and leading cyber security research institutions with the aim to deliver industry-aligned research outcomes. CSI members include globally-recognised academics undertaking research projects that address real-world cyber security challenges through innovative solutions. Cyber (In)Security, Requires a Robust Approach Through Continuous Innovation, will see a broad range of contributors taking part across the face-to-face event on 13 October. They include speakers from the UK Defence and Security Exports Department for International Trade, the Institute of the Directors (IoD), Cyber Senior Policy Lead, DCMS, Opel/Vauxhall and Professor Vladlena Benson, Director of CSI Centre. Professor Vladlena Benson, director of the CSI at Aston Business School, said: “I am delighted to officially launch the CSI Centre at Conference Aston during Birmingham Tech Week 2021 and am looking forward to welcoming everyone to our first face-to-face event. “This is a wonderful opportunity to meet face-to-face with industry-leading experts, academics and start-ups. With most of the UK confined to working from home for over a year, there is no better opportunity to meet and build relationships with the people who can help business owners grow, innovate and make their companies more resilient. “Statistics shows that UK small businesses are successfully hacked every 19 seconds2 and new certification standards coming into play for consumer IoT devices and cyber-physical access control systems. It is time to find a robust approach maximising the effectiveness of cybersecurity investment now. “The bad guys are winning the cyber security war - the good guys need to do better. Although organisations are investing more and more in cyber security, the average number of days to detect a breach is increasing year on year, not reducing. So, we need to do something different.” To attend the event on 13 October 2021, you can sign up HERE.
International security scholar's thoughts on Biden, military decision-making in Afghanistan
Baylor University's Peter Campbell, Ph.D., associate professor of political science, penned a column for City Journal, in which he discusses who deserves scrutiny following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Getty Images In a column published Sept. 23 in City Journal, international security scholar Peter Campbell, Ph.D., associate professor of political science at Baylor University, explained the civilian-military dynamic in the United States and argued that President Biden -- not the U.S. military -- should shoulder the blame for what Campbell described as the president's "ill-conceived plan for withdrawing U.S. troops." During the withdrawal in August, many dozens of people were killed in a terrorist bombing, including 13 U.S. soldiers. Also, more than 100,000 people were airlifted from the country. Right now, we can only speculate about precisely what advice Biden’s military advisors shared with him, but it’s unlikely that American military leaders would have sanctioned on their own the accelerated withdrawal that the president demanded. My years of studying military history and military doctrine have taught me that fighting withdrawals are among the most difficult military operations to undertake, even for a highly disciplined and well-trained military force. Moreover, the Afghanistan withdrawal was to take place during the active fighting season, when favorable weather tends to increase the tempo of Taliban operations. The Afghan government requested that Biden delay the withdrawal until the winter, when conditions reduce the mobility of forces in the region. Wedded to his timeline, the president refused. In the column, Campbell wrote that America and the international community should not be left to speculate as to what advice the president received prior to his decision. He called for U.S. Congressional committees to investigate. "Americans deserve to know exactly what the military and the intelligence community told the president," he wrote. ABOUT PETER CAMPBELL, Ph.D. Peter Campbell, Ph.D., associate professor of political science at Baylor University, is a scholar on international security, civil-military relations, insurgency and counterinsurgency, the just war tradition, and cyber warfare. He is the author of Military Realism: The Logic and Limits of Force and Innovation in the U.S. Army, published by University of Missouri Press.
