bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Just Enough English to Get by: Language Practices of Transnational Migrants in Chinese Stores in Cape Town, South Africa
Authors: Thompson Miché
Published: March 2022

The presence of a Chinese community in South Africa has become increasingly visible over the last decade, particularly in the trading sector. This is illustrated in the sizable number of new shopping centres settled specifically by groups of Chinese traders, known as China Towns. Shopkeepers and shop assistants come from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds, China and other African countries respectively, but living and working in a multilingual South Africa, they communicate in English, which is the lingua franca. This paper explores their language practices and reflects on a particular language contact situation where shopkeepers and assistants of various migrant origins work closely together. The study adopts a linguistic ethnographic approach to the analysis of the interaction between shopkeepers and assistants and uses conversation analysis to elucidate the ways in which meaning is negotiated and understood in interaction between multilingual speakers. Unscripted audio recorded spoken interaction of the participants throughout the workday is the primary source of data. Additionally, interviews and observational notes are used to supplement the interactional data and illustrate the creative forms of language use that emerge in a in a China Town centre near Cape Town in the Western Cape.
The Power of the Periphery: Circulation of Cross-Cultured Languaging Through the Importation of Francophone Comics in the Nation-State of Sweden, 1900–2020
Authors: Lindberg Ylva
Published: March 2022

The objective with this study is to shed light upon how international exchanges on the comic art market contribute to democratization processes and renegotiation of hegemonies in the literary field worldwide. The focus is on how the variation in imported comics from a central language, in this case French, to the peripheral space of Sweden, can be observed during the time-period 1900–2020, as well as on which diversity importation of comics has been allowed over time. Theoretically anchored in sociological perspectives in literary studies highly influenced by Casanova’s ([1999]2004) seminal work, this contribution challenges established approaches in the field that depart from central cultural spaces in the world. Instead, this analysis highlights how the periphery gains agency on the international market and challenges relations of domination through translation practices. One hypothesis put forward consists of the idea that Francophone author-illustrators from the global South would be identifiable in the data in 1990’s, as is the case in the literary field. However, in the comics field this change emerges later, and does not appear distinctively until 2005. The change is paired with a promotion of Francophone female author-illustrators in Swedish translations, equally from the global South and the global North. The results also highlight that Sweden positions the Francophone space as hyper-central within the comics field. The specific practices adopted in the importation point to how a periphery creates agency to define a medium and a genre locally and play a role in international cultural exchanges.
Re-considering orientations in South African Language Policies
Authors: van der Merwe Chanel
Published: March 2022

What should be taken into account when language policies are developed? It is rarely the case that when language policies are developed, the focus is on issues outside of ‘language’. However, when issues of language are experienced in certain societies as a “cumulative disadvantage” (Piller 2016) together with other forms of domination, normative conceptualisations of language policy seem inadequate. The notion of ‘inhabitance’ is a generative lens through which to illustrate this. In the South African university space, since the #MustFall protests, the question of ‘inhabitance’ has taken centre stage in issues of curriculum and access. Through the act of throwing poo on the statue of Cecil John Rhodes, the #MustFall protests have firmly put on the agenda the need for universities to reflect upon itself, and to ask whose knowledges, bodies, histories and lifeworlds it legitimizes, and therefore, its complicity in maintaining coloniality. This has led to a wider call to decolonize universities. However, while the notion of ‘inhabitance’ has been central to the #MustFall protests, it has not been considered from the position of language and language policy. This paper reflects on institution-wide language policy conversations at a South African university arguing to shift attention from the orientations we take to language in language policy, to how policies “orient” (Ahmed 2007) bodies in university spaces. This paper seeks to add to the conversation in the South African Higher Education space in anticipation of the implementation of the new Language Policy for Higher Education (2020).
Sociolinguistic Protests for Decolonial Future Making: Toward Centering Languaging in the “Streets”
Authors: Lee Eunjeong , Makoni Sinfree
Published: March 2022

In scholarly discussions on “language” and “diversity,” much critique has been offered as to how research on languaging is implicated in perpetuating coloniality and pursuing decolonial options, including the white-gaze understanding and approach to the term, “diversity” (Heller and McElhinny 2017; Mignolo 2009; Rosa and Flores 2017; Walcott 2018). Extending these discussions, this article calls for centering languaging in the “streets” as an important way for sociolinguistics to contribute to building decolonial futures. We see “streets” as an embodied, dynamic space, organized by the goal of decolonial future making, layered with conflicting struggles, discourses, and historicities. Examining languaging in the “streets” can highlight how those oppressed by various colonial conceptualizations and ongoing coloniality work toward social justice and transformation in and beyond classrooms. We suggest three important considerations in sociolinguistic research on languaging in the “streets,” and conclude by emphasizing the importance of reflexivity of individual researchers and the field as a whole.
Novelties in Phyllanthus (Phyllanthaceae) from the Brazilian Cerrado: new records of the rare species P. allemii
Authors: RIBEIRO MENDES JONE CLEBSON , FIGUEIRA MAURÍCIO , SCHINDLER BIANCA , NORONHA SÉRGIO E. , FRAGOMENI SIMON MARCELO , FERREIRA DE SALES MARGARETH , ATHIÊ-SOUZA SARAH MARIA
Published: March 2022

Phyllanthus (Phyllanthaceae) is widely distributed within Brazilian phytogeographic domains where 101 species occur, including a number of poorly-known taxa, such as P. allemii, which was until now only known from the type collection. Here we report the rediscovery of P. allemii, which was recently collected during a floristic inventory carried out in the Estação Ecológica Serra Geral do Tocantins, which is located on the border between Bahia and Tocantins states in the Cerrado domain. We provide an updated and detailed morphological description of the species, including plates and field images, as well as a taxonomic key for species of Phyllanthus sect. Phyllanthus subsect. Clausseniani that occur in the Cerrado. We also provide habitat, ecology and distribution data, and, finally, a conservation assessment of this rare species.
Interdecadal Variation of the Number of Days with Drought in China Based on the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI)
Authors: Wang Zunya , Zhang Qiang , Sun Shao , Wang Pengling
Published: March 2022

Based on the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI), a significant increase after the mid-1990s is detected in the annual number of days with drought in the zonal belt from southern Xinjiang to southern Northeast China and North China. This change features the predominant mode of the annual number of days with drought in China. Meanwhile, two significant breakpoints in 1981 and 2001 indicate a continuous increase of days with drought in the meridional belt from eastern Northwest China to eastern Southwest China. The increase in days with drought is closely related to the significant warming in the zonal belt but is attributed to both the increase of temperature and the decrease of precipitation in the meridional belt. The typical circulation patterns responsible for the increase of days with drought comprise a wave train stretching from North Atlantic to East Asia, the generally anomalous high pressure over China, the northerly anomalies prevailing over northern and central China, and the suppressed convection in most of the zonal and meridional belt. Both the AMO and the PDO after the 1980s have a close relationship with the interdecadal variation of the number of days with drought. On one hand, either a positive AMO phase or negative PDO phase motivates the typical circulation patterns favorable for the occurrence of drought. On the other hand, both the AMO and PDO affect the warming in the zonal and meridional belt, and the PDO is also closely connected with the precipitation in the meridional belt.
Predictors of Symptomatic Hemorrhage After Endovascular Treatment for Anterior Circulation Occlusions: Turkish Endovascular Stroke Registry
Authors: Sengeze Nihat , Özdemir Atilla Özcan , Eren Alper , Aykac Özlem , Sarıönder Gencer Elif , Giray Semih , Ali Yurekli Vedat , Yıldırım Serhan , Akpınar Çetin K. , Inanc Yusuf , Acar Bilgehan A. , Baydemir Recep , Milanlioglu Aysel , Cenikli Utku , Ozkul Ayca , Gurkas Erdem , Aytac Emrah , Cabalar Murat , Gokce Mustafa , Bas Demet F. , Asil Talip , Sair Ahmet , Karaibrahimoglu Adnan
Published: March 2022

We evaluated the predictive factors of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH) in endovascular treatment of stroke. We included 975 ischemic stroke patients with anterior circulation occlusion. Patients that had hemorrhage and an increase of ≥4 points in their National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) after the treatment were considered as SICH. The mean age of patients was 65.2±13.1 years and 469 (48.1%) were women. The median NIHSS was 16 (13–18) and Alberta Stroke Program Early CT 9 (8–10). In 420 patients (43.1%), modified Rankin Scale was favorable (0–2) and mortality was observed in 234 (24%) patients at the end of the third month. Patients with high diastolic blood pressure ( P<.05) had significantly higher SICH. SICH was significantly higher in those with high NIHSS scores ( P<.001), high blood glucose ( P<.001), and leukocyte count at admission ( P<.05). Diabetes mellitus (DM) (OR 1.90; P<.001), NIHSS (OR 1.07; P<.05), adjuvant intra-arterial thrombolytic therapy (IA-rtPA) (OR, 1.60; P<.05), and puncture-recanalization time (OR 1.01; P<.05) were independent factors of SICH. Higher baseline NIHSS score, longer procedure time, multiple thrombectomy maneuvers, administration of IA-rtPA, and the history of DM are independent predictors of SICH in anterior circulation occlusion.
A Moral Foundations Framing Approach: Retail Investors’ Investment Intention in Ethical Mutual Funds
Authors: Liu Jing , Peifer Jared L.
Published: March 2022

Existing research suggests people with stronger moral character traits are more inclined to ethical investing. We take a moral foundations framing approach that synthesizes framing theory and moral foundations theory to investigate whether a moral state of mind created by moral foundations frames can also increase retail investors’ ethical investment intention. We also hypothesize how this moral foundations framing effect is moderated by the perceived return performance of the ethical fund. We test our hypotheses through two online experiments with retail investors in the United States. Study 1 demonstrates that the moral foundations framing effect varies by moral foundation. Focusing on the Fairness foundation, Study 2 shows that the framing effect is stronger under the win-win dual objective condition, relative to a conflict of interest condition. This stronger effect indicates that the moral foundations framing effect appears to be more effective when the investor perceives that ethical investments are financially lucrative. Our study provides preliminary evidence for the potential of the moral foundations framing approach and contributes to scholarship in both business ethics and ethical investing.
Undergraduate students’ learning experiences as part of an online sexuality education workshop in Japan
Authors: Sato Takahiro , Kataoka Chie , Burge-Hall Valerie , Furuta Yu , Izumi Ayaka , Tomura Takafumi
Published: March 2022

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to investigate Japanese undergraduate students’ learning experiences as part of an online sexuality education workshop.

Design:

We employed a qualitative design using in-depth, semi-structured interviews.

Setting:

The study was conducted at a public university in the Kanto region of Japan.

Method:

Interviews elicited seven Japanese undergraduate students’ perspectives concerning the format of the online sexuality education course and beliefs about sexual health and behaviours. Interviews were analysed using the constant comparative method.

Results:

Three themes were identifiable in informants’ responses: (1) benefits of the online education format, (2) importance of sexuality education for students who live alone and (3) learning about abortion. Students’ learning experiences were influenced and shaped by online communication through the sharing of knowledge regarding sexuality, sexual security and sexual health.

Conclusion:

Although learning took place in a 1-day workshop, there were significant benefits to offering an online sexuality education workshop to Japanese undergraduate students.
Presence, Trust, and Empathy: Preferred Characteristics of Psychedelic Carers
Authors: Thal Sascha , Engel Liam B. , Bright Stephen J.
Published: March 2022

Research into psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) is rapidly increasing with best practice guidelines being continuously updated. Yet the key principals of such guidelines are based on evidence accumulated during earlier research into these treatments and trans-disciplinary psychotherapeutic knowledge. One area of practice-based evidence that has not been considered is that accumulated by people who use psychedelics (PWUP) outside of clinical contexts. We conducted a thematic analysis of 403 posts on two online discussion forums with the aim of gathering information regarding the preferences of PWUP for characteristics they value in their carers in nonclinical contexts. We found three key distinct characteristics that PWUP preferred among their carers: presence, trust, and empathy. The characteristics were often consistent with the existing literature on PAP, though at times extended current understandings of key characteristics of PAP therapists, with the notion of carers being able to “hold space” during the psychedelic experience seen as an integral component of effective therapeutic outcomes that deserves more attention. Data obtained from PWUP in nonclinical contexts can be used to triangulate existing principles contained within PAP treatment guidelines and identify areas for further investigation.
Disasters and civilian victimization: Exploring the dynamic effect in Africa, 1997–2017
Authors: Haer Roos , RezaeeDaryakenari Babak
Published: March 2022

How do natural disasters affect the treatment of civilians by non-state actors? On the one hand, conflict literature argues that adverse shocks influence the strategic interplay between rebel groups and the government, potentially increasing the level of violence against civilians. On the other hand, sociological research on natural disasters argues that they increase social integration and cooperation and are thus expected to reduce the risk of violent behaviour. In this study, we contend that the dynamics of violence against civilians are different in the short term and long term after a disaster strikes. We argue that natural disasters lead to a decrease in violence against civilians perpetrated by rebel groups in the short run. However, over time this temporary improvement in social integration starts to decline, increasing the level of civilian victimization. To examine this potential temporal dynamic, we combine georeferenced information on one-sided violence (Armed Conflict Location & Event Data; ACLED) and data on disasters (Emergency Event Database; EM-DAT). Our results confirm the expected dynamic effects. This research has important implications for our understanding of how disasters can influence the relationship between civilians, rebel groups, and governments.
When do natural disasters lead to negotiations in a civil war?
Authors: Nemeth Stephen , Lai Brian
Published: March 2022

The effect of natural disasters on the end of civil wars has received little attention from scholars. We argue that the effect of disasters on conflict negotiation is dependent on which combatant is victimized by disaster. Drawing on a bargaining model, we argue that disasters create costs that alter the capabilities of the rebels and government. In order for these changes to lead to negotiations, the effects of a disaster have to lead to the mutual expectation that military victory is unlikely in the short term. When both sides are hit by a natural disaster, this mutual expectation is likely to form because both sides face significant costs to engaging in conflict in the short term. When one side is impacted, the non-affected side is likely to see an opportunity to gain against its rival while the side facing the devastation of a natural disaster may see only a temporary setback that it can recover from. This may lead both sides to not update their beliefs about the costs of war, or their chances of victory. We evaluate these hypotheses by examining all territorial civil wars from 1980 to 2005 using a more precise measure of disaster location. We find that when both sides are hit by a disaster, the likelihood of negotiation consistently increases. When only one side is impacted, the effect on negotiations is not consistent across model specifications.
Disasters and the dynamics of interstate rivalry
Authors: Lee Bomi K , Mitchell Sara McLaughlin , Schmidt Cody J , Yang Yufan
Published: March 2022

This article examines how disasters influence conflict dynamics in interstate rivalries. Building on insights from the disaster, rivalry, and diversionary conflict literatures, the authors argue that disasters act as political shocks that disrupt a rivalry relationship. Hostility levels in rivalries are stable over time and shift only through major shocks. While the rivalry literature suggests that some shocks may lead to peace, the authors argue that disaster shocks are more likely to be associated with increased conflict. Disasters often strain the state’s capacity to provide security for its people, while leaders who fail to prepare or respond can face domestic costs. To avoid potential removal from office, leaders have incentives to divert the public’s attention away from poor disaster response by adopting a more aggressive foreign policy. The authors hypothesize that the time between militarized disputes is shortened when pairs of states experience rapid onset disasters. However, the conditions for diversionary conflict depend on the degree of intrastate turmoil and the number of interstate rivalries, with disaster diversionary conflict happening most frequently in rivalry dyads with significant internal strife and multiple rivalries. Duration model analyses from 1900 to 2010 provide strong support for the theory and highlight the limits of disaster diplomacy in rivalry contexts. Given the increased frequency and severity of disasters globally, the findings suggest that environmental shocks are likely to increase interstate hostilities in conflict-prone regions.
Puberty onset curve in CD (Sprague Dawley) and Long Evans outbred male rats
Authors: Fuochi Sara , Galasso Marica E , Colombo Rita , Giaquinto Daniela , De Girolamo Paolo , D’Angelo Livia
Published: March 2022

The exact timing of puberty is fundamental in preclinical studies. In male rats, the age at sexual maturity varies considerably between 40 and 60 days of age. Here, we summarize pubertal onset evaluation of two outbred rat strains (Crl:CD(SD) and Crl:LE), relying on the balano-preputial separation test. Evaluation was carried out on animals under standard barrier conditions, from four to nine weeks of age. In the Crl:CD(SD) population, 90% of males gained puberty at week 6, and 100% in the following weeks, whereas 75% of Crl:LE reached puberty at week 6, 90% at week 7 and 100% from week 8. Remarkably, in both strains, puberty onset was gained at the average weight of 200 g, suggesting that weight range, not only age range, can be considered a biomarker of puberty onset in these two strains. On the contrary, descended testes cannot be considered an additional factor to identify full puberty onset either in Crl:CD(SD) or Crl:LE rats.
Quality of Life and Illness Acceptance among End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Patients on Hemodialysis: The Moderating Effect of Death Anxiety during COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Mushtaque Iqra , Awais-E-Yazdan Muhammad , Zahra Rabab , Anas Muhammad
Published: March 2022

The purpose of the study was to examine the quality of life and illness acceptance among ESRD patients with the moderating effects of death anxiety. The cross-sectional design was incorporated. The sample was comprised of 240 participants. Individuals with ESRD on hemodialysis were approached above 20 years of age. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. The results revealed that COVID-19 has a significant impact on the quality of life of patients and their illness acceptance. Covid-19 affected the general health of patients, their psychological health, as well as their social relationships. The results also confirmed that death anxiety negatively moderates the relationship between quality of life and illness acceptance among ESRD patients. This study will shed light on the need to provide appropriate psychosocial care as well as supportive therapies to people with end-stage renal disease who are experiencing mental distress during and after the COVID-19 outbreak.
Effects of Prior English Exposure on Hong Kong Tertiary Science Students’ Experiences in EMI Learning
Authors: Pun Jack
Published: March 2022

One of the driving forces for a wider adoption of English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) in higher education is that students may demonstrate improvements in English language proficiency through an increased English exposure from content learning. However, to what extent previous English exposure has an impact on students’ learning experiences remains unanswered. This paper contributes to filling this gap by analysing quantitative data of 73 undergraduate science students from Hong Kong, classified by their prior English language exposure. Students completed a survey exploring their perceptions of their (1) exposure to EMI prior to university admission and the actual language use in classrooms; (2) English abilities in different learning activities; (3) English language challenges; and (4) learning strategies. Results showed that students’ perceptions of EMI learning varied with their levels of English exposure prior to university admission. Despite encountering more difficulties in using English among first-year students with lower-level English exposure, all students perceived the importance of English skills in science education and adopted different learning strategies to overcome the EMI study challenges.
Changing notions of teacher autonomy: The intersection of teacher autonomy and instructional improvement in the US
Authors: Lyle Angela M , Peurach Donald J
Published: March 2022

Historically, teachers had been delegated the primary responsibility for the organization and management of classroom instruction in US public schools. While this delegation afforded teachers professional autonomy in their work, it has also resulted in disparities in students’ educational experiences and outcomes within and between classrooms, schools, and systems. In the effort to improve instruction and reduce disparities for students on a large scale, one reform effort in the US has focused on building instructionally focused education systems (IFESs) where central office and school leaders collaborate with teachers to organize and manage instruction. These efforts are playing out in a variety of contexts in the US, including in public school districts, non-profits, and other educational networks, and it is shifting how teachers carry out the day-to-day work of instruction. In this comparative case study, we investigate two IFESs in which efforts to improve instruction pushed against historic norms of teacher autonomy. We found that these new systems are not at odds with teacher autonomy, but rather these systems reflect a transition to more interdependent notions of teacher autonomy.
Staying Safe or Staying Popular? Popularity and Reputation Concerns Predict Adherence and Adjustment During the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Ellis Wendy E. , Dumas Tara M. , Hutchinson Lynda R. , Talebi Sarah
Published: March 2022

Adherence to COVID-19 social distancing restrictions may be challenging for adolescents, especially those concerned about social status. This study examined self-perceived popularity and reputation concerns as predictors of adherence to health guidelines and the effects of self-perceived popularity on adjustment. Adolescents ( n = 1,068, 14–18 years at Time 1, Mage = 16.86 years) completed three self-report surveys across 10 months during the COVID-19 pandemic. Consistent with hypotheses, greater self-perceived popularity and concerns about peer reputation predicted less adherence, controlling for COVID-19 threat. Further, greater self-perceived popularity predicted less internalizing symptoms at Time 3. Adolescents’ perceptions of their popularity may simultaneously act as a public health risk and provide social protection. Results emphasize the importance of acknowledging adolescents’ social pressures and concerns regarding reputations and popularity during COVID-19.
The Supervisor Effect: A Note on Teaching Field Methods
Authors: Rasch Elisabet Dueholm , Cremers Gijs , Simon Thomas Marc , Verschuuren Bas
Published: March 2022

In this article we reflect on our experiences as supervisors in a field methods course in order to explore how ethnographic research practices can be used as tools in the supervision of students that conduct field research for the first time and as such to provide insights about what constitutes “good supervision.” Our reflections follow the three main stages of fieldwork: preparing and designing research, doing fieldwork, and reporting on research, as the role of the supervisor and their relationship with students transforms accordingly. We describe how we use the parallels between “doing research” and “teaching how to do research” as tools for teaching field methods through learning by doing. We pay specific attention to three central elements of ethnographic practice: building rapport, social interaction (the “supervisor effect”), and reflexivity that we use in our supervision.
Students’ Fear of Missing Out Predicts In-Class Social Media Use
Authors: Shane-Simpson Christina , Bakken Tatiana
Published: March 2022

Background

College students frequently identify social media sites (SMSs) as in-class distractions, although students continue to use these sites during class. In a technology-driven world, students’ fear of missing out (FOMO) may drive SMS behaviors, whereby classes and study time serve as obstacles to fulfilling one’s social desires.

Objective

The current study investigated whether students’ use of SMSs during class and study time was predicted by demographic characteristics and students’ FOMO.

Method

Participants ( N = 198) completed an online survey assessing their media use during class and study time, FOMO, and their perceived advantages/disadvantages of media use.

Results

In-class Twitter and Instagram use were predicted by students’ FOMO, whereas Snapchat and Facebook use were only predicted by age. Age also predicted Snapchat use during study time. Most participants indicated that media was a distraction, while also reporting a range of benefits from media multitasking.

Conclusion

Given that students recognize both benefits and drawbacks of media multitasking, they may trade-off between their desire to engage with learning materials and their desire to stay socially connected with others.

Teaching Implications

Educators can begin to address the socio-emotional needs of students through modifications made to course design and student-centered learning materials.
Rhyme over time: Vocabulary learning through daily reading aloud at home with children
Authors: Read Kirsten , Rogojina Alena , Hauer-Richard Olivia
Published: March 2022

There is robust evidence that reading aloud with young children can help them learn new vocabulary. Building upon prior research, this study tested the effects of both book text features and readers’ spontaneous extra-textual word-highlighting strategies on 3- to 4-year-olds’ vocabulary retention from repeated read alouds of a story in their own homes. Parent–child dyads ( n = 30) were provided with either a rhymed or unrhymed version of the same story featuring novel names and illustrations of eight imaginary monsters, along with an audio recorder to take home. Parents recorded reading the book aloud with their child daily for five consecutive days, then children were tested on their monster name recall. Recordings of each dyad’s five progressive read alouds were transcribed, and coded for conversational elements and novel word-highlighting strategies. Findings indicate that children retained the novel monster names with equal success from rhymed and unrhymed books. While individual variation among dyads in their extra-textual commentary was high, each tended to adopt a consistent amount while reading the book across days in both rhymed and unrhymed formats, even as they became more familiar. The one extra-textual vocabulary highlighting behavior during readings that was most predictive of children’s later monster name recall was their own frequency of making guesses of the monster names before they were heard during the read alouds. A close look at the interactions between book format, book familiarity, and the extra-textual commentary around a storybook, and the implications of these interactions for vocabulary building are discussed.
Kitchen sink dramas and the search for common culture: a comparative analysis of migrant domestic worker abuse in Hong Kong’s English and Chinese-language news media
Authors: Groves Julian M , Siu Tsz-chun , Wong Mei-yue
Published: March 2022

What can cultural studies contribute to our understanding of Hong Kong’s print and broadcast media? We reorient the current preoccupation with politics in Hong Kong’s local media to focus upon culture. Drawing from cultural studies, and specifically the search for ‘common culture’, we explain divergent perspectives on migrant domestic worker (MDW) abuse in Hong Kong’s English and Chinese-language print and broadcast media. Whereas the English-language media relies upon international experts and NGOs to tell a story of human rights abuses against MDWs, the Chinese-language media is more likely to take us into local homes and to present the employer and community as victims of trickery from domestic workers and agencies. We use the kitchen sink drama as a metaphor to describe this reportage. What forces shape the production of these dramas? and what are the implications for the public understanding of MDW abuse and human rights?
A web-based information intervention for family caregivers of patients with Dementia: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Salehinejad Simin , Jannati Nazanin , Azami Mohammad , Mirzaee Moghaddameh , Bahaadinbeigy Kambiz
Published: March 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a web-based health information intervention on knowledge, care burden and attitudes of family caregivers of patients with dementia. This study is a unblinded randomised controlled trial. The study population consisted of family caregivers of patients with dementia ( n = 50) which were randomly allocated to the intervention group (access to the web-based health information) or control group (access to information as usual). The participants completed knowledge, care burden and attitude questionnaire at baseline and at two months follow-up. A total of 50 caregivers participated in this study. Before the intervention, there was no statistically significant difference between the knowledge, care burden and attitude score between the two groups. In comparison to the control group after the intervention, participants in the intervention group showed significant improvements in all outcomes. These findings provide further evidence that web-based information interventions helped caregivers feel more confident, empathetic and concerned about dementia care with less care burden.
Research knowledge utilisation for societal impact: Information practices based on abductive topic modelling
Authors: Zheng Han , Pee LG
Published: March 2022

Information science researchers are increasingly seeking to understand the utilisation of knowledge generated through scientific research outside of academia. Although the conceptual levels of knowledge utilisation are well established, our understanding of the various information practices for knowledge utilisation employed by researchers remains limited. This study identified such information practices by text-mining 6637 case studies documented under the United Kingdom’s Research Excellence Framework. The results were augmented with expert judgement to develop a framework consisting of nine types based on the theoretical framework of research knowledge utilisation. Three emerging types were identified: deliberation, co-creation and foresighting. They indicate the rise of information practices leveraging social media and analytical capabilities to engage potential beneficiaries in using and realising the value of research.
Reconstruction and Adaptation in Times of a Contagious Crisis: A Case of African Newsrooms’ Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic
Authors: Matsilele Trust , Tshuma Lungile , Msimanga Mbongeni
Published: March 2022

This is a cross-national comparative study of how media in Zimbabwe, Botswana, and South Africa reconstructed their operations in response to Covid-19 global pandemic. The study is grounded in a qualitative research design that uses semi-structured interviews with journalists from Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa. The study investigated how news operations, newsroom cultures, news gathering, and news dissemination practices were impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Informed by the sociology of news production theoretical lens, the study noted that journalists and editors were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic which ensured they change some journalistic practices. The findings of this study reveal that journalists suffered traumatic experiences such as job losses, covid-19 related illness and fatalities. At a regulatory level, findings confirm the perennial challenges with media freedoms in the region with South Africa remaining a lone outlier. Lastly, interviews with journalists further demonstrate that newsrooms have had to maximise digital affordances for news gathering and dissemination as old revenue streams dried up. As a result, print media scaled back in its operations as a response to containing the spread of the virus.
Low-carbohydrate diets and men's cortisol and testosterone: Systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Whittaker Joseph , Harris Miranda
Published: March 2022

Background: Low-carbohydrate diets may have endocrine effects, although individual studies are conflicting. Therefore, a review was conducted on the effects of low- versus high-carbohydrate diets on men's testosterone and cortisol. Methods: The review was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42021255957). The inclusion criteria were: intervention study, healthy adult males, and low-carbohydrate diet: ≤35% carbohydrate. Eight databases were searched from conception to May 2021. Cochrane's risk of bias tool was used for quality assessment. Random-effects, meta-analyses using standardized mean differences and 95% confidence intervals, were performed with Review Manager. Subgroup analyses were conducted for diet duration, protein intake, and exercise duration. Results: Twenty-seven studies were included, with a total of 309 participants. Short-term (<3 weeks), low- versus high-carbohydrate diets moderately increased resting cortisol (0.41 [0.16, 0.66], p < 0.01). Whereas, long-term (≥3 weeks), low-carbohydrate diets had no consistent effect on resting cortisol. Low- versus high-carbohydrate diets resulted in much higher post-exercise cortisol, after long-duration exercise (≥20 min): 0 h (0.78 [0.47, 1.1], p < 0.01), 1 h (0.81 [0.31, 1.31], p < 0.01), and 2 h (0.82 [0.33, 1.3], p < 0.01). Moderate-protein (<35%), low-carbohydrate diets had no consistent effect on resting total testosterone, however high-protein (≥35%), low-carbohydrate diets greatly decreased resting (−1.08 [−1.67, −0.48], p < 0.01) and post-exercise total testosterone (−1.01 [−2, −0.01] p = 0.05). Conclusions: Resting and post-exercise cortisol increase during the first 3 weeks of a low-carbohydrate diet. Afterwards, resting cortisol appears to return to baseline, whilst post-exercise cortisol remains elevated. High-protein diets cause a large decrease in resting total testosterone (∼5.23 nmol/L).
Daily consumption of ultra-processed foods and cardiometabolic risk factors in children aged 7 to 10 years in Northeast Brazil
Authors: Ribeiro Isabella da Costa , Santos de Almeida Oliveira Tafnes Laís Pereira , Santos Gabriela Carvalho Jurema , Nobre Isabele Góes , dos Santos Ravi Marinho , Rodrigues Camilla Peixoto Santos , dos Santos Costa Maria Vitória , Damasceno Maria Carla Melo , Ferreira e Silva Wylla Tatiana , Leandro Carol Góis
Published: March 2022

Background: Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) consumption is associated with pediatric overweight and obesity. Aim: To evaluate the UPFs consumption in children classified either as eutrophic or with excess weight (overweight and obesity). It was also described the fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and the correlation between UPFs consumption and cardiometabolic risk factors. Methods: A total of 139 children aged 7–10years of both sexes, living in Northeast Brazil were classified as eutrophic ( n = 65) or excess weight ( n = 62). Waist circumference (WC), percentage of body fatness (% BF), fat-free-mass and fat mass were evaluated. Fasting blood sample were collected for biochemical analysis. Food consumption was classified according to the degree of processing. Results: Children with excess weight had a reduction in plasma HDL concentration (45.00; IQR:36.00–54.50 mg/dL vs. 40.00; IQR:35.75–45.25 mg/dL; p = 0.021) and an increase in blood glucose (82.00; IQR:79.00–86.00 mg/dL vs. 86.00; IQR:81.00–90.00 mg/dL; p < 0.001) and TG (64.00; IQR:45.00–92.50 mg/dL vs. 81.00; IQR:57.50–111.75 mg/dL; p < 0.021) when compared with the eutrophic children. UPFs accounted for 43.43% of the total calories consumed by children. Children with excess weight had higher total energy consumption resulting from consumption of UPFs (714.30 ± 26.32 kcal vs. 848.06 ± 349.46 kcal; p = 0.011). The absolute consumption of the UPFs showed a positive correlation with WC ( r = 0.202; p = 0.023) and %BF ( r = 0.198; p = 0.026). Conclusion: UPFs consumption was higher for children with excess weight and positively correlated with two cardiometabolic risk factors, suggesting the need for strengthening public policies that discourage the consumption of these foods.
Long-term partners – Reflections on the shifts in partnership responses to domestic violence
Authors: Welsh Kirsty
Published: March 2022

Whilst pioneering partnership work first took place in the battered women’s or refuge movement in England and Wales, the response that came to dominate in the 1990s and 2000s mirrored that associated with crime prevention more generally and Home Office crime prevention in particular. This reflected the increasing positioning of domestic violence as ‘real crime’ and the moves at this time to view domestic violence through a ‘crime lens’. In the last 10 years or so, there has been a clear shift, with the prevailing approach now dominated by initiatives such as Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences, Independent Domestic Violence Advisors and Specialist Domestic Violence Courts. These initiatives have achieved considerable success in reducing risks to high-risk victims. Yet, in doing so, they establish a very particular framework for responding to domestic violence, positioning and promoting it as high-risk victimisation and moving to see it through an ‘exceptional risk’ lens. This paper examines shifts in the partnership response to domestic violence in England and Wales. It argues that, not only are the vast majority of lower risk women excluded from the prevailing framework but, in focusing on high-risk reduction, intervention within this framework fails to address women’s complicated and often contradictory needs in relation to abuse. The prevailing partnership response rests on a notion of safety as risk cessation rather than one which prioritises expansion of women’s space for action and freedom from the legacies of abuse. It concludes that, whilst partnership has huge practical and philosophical potential as a response to domestic violence, only by seeing domestic violence through the lens of diminished possibilities and with a broader conceptualisation of safety can a partnership framework support women to achieve theirs.
Perceptions of safety, subjective effects, and beliefs about the clinical utility of lysergic acid diethylamide in healthy participants within a novel intervention paradigm: Qualitative results from a proof-of-concept study
Authors: Hendricks Peter S , Copes Heith , Family Neiloufar , Williams Luke TJ , Luke David , Raz Shlomi
Published: March 2022

Background:

Classic psychedelics show promise in the treatment of mental health conditions; however, more scalable intervention protocols are needed to maximize access to these novel therapeutics. In this proof-of-concept study, perceptions of safety, subjective effects, and beliefs about the clinical utility of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) were evaluated among healthy participants ( N = 31) administered 50 to 100 µg LSD in a treatment paradigm conceptualized as more scalable than traditional approaches to administering classic psychedelics.

Methods:

Semi-structured interviews assessed participants’ expectations, experience, and thoughts on the safety and efficacy of the study design. These interviews were transcribed for thematic analysis relating to perceptions of safety, subjective effects, and beliefs about the clinical utility of LSD.

Results:

Most participants felt safe throughout the study, with a minority reporting concerns related to having a challenging experience that diminished over time. Participants attributed their feelings of safety to the study structure and support of their attendants, which allowed them to “let go” and immerse themselves in the experience without pre-occupation. Furthermore, participants reported transcendent, mystical-type experiences characteristic of classic psychedelics, with almost half highlighting the prominent role played by music during the acute period of drug action. Finally, participants endorsed support for the clinical utility of LSD in controlled environments, expressing the belief that LSD is safe and has the potential to help others.

Conclusion:

Findings provide preliminary support for the feasibility of this scalable interventional paradigm and set the stage for future critical research with clinical populations.
The Acceptance/Avoidance-Promoting Experiences Questionnaire (APEQ): A theory-based approach to psychedelic drugs’ effects on psychological flexibility
Authors: Wolff Max , Mertens Lea J , Walter Marie , Enge Sören , Evens Ricarda
Published: March 2022

Background:

Many benefits and some harms associated with psychedelic use could be attributable to these drugs’ acceptance/avoidance-promoting effects and corresponding changes in psychological flexibility. Underlying psychological mechanisms are insufficiently understood.

Aim:

The purpose of this study was the validation of a psychological model of acceptance/avoidance-promoting psychedelic experiences, which included the development of a theory-based self-report instrument: the Acceptance/Avoidance-Promoting Experiences Questionnaire (APEQ). Its two main scales, acceptance-related experience (ACE) and avoidance-related experience (AVE), represent the theorized model’s core constructs. We aimed to test the model’s central assumptions of complementarity (ACE and AVE may occur alternatingly but not simultaneously, and are therefore empirically independent), intertwinedness (subaspects within ACE and AVE are mutually contingent and therefore highly inter-correlated), context-dependence (ACE and AVE depend on context factors) and interaction (longer-term outcomes depend on the interplay between ACE and AVE).

Method:

A bilingual retrospective online survey including 997 English- and 836 German-speaking participants. Each participant reported on one psychedelic experience occasioned by lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, mescaline, or ayahuasca.

Results:

Whereas ACE and AVE were found to be relatively independent aspects of participants’ reported psychedelic experiences (complementarity), their subaspects were mostly distinguishable but strongly correlated among each other (intertwinedness). Therapeutic, escapist, and hedonic use motives were differentially associated with ACE and AVE (context-dependence), which were in turn associated with retrospective changes in psychological flexibility following participants’ reported experiences. The positive association between ACE and increased psychological flexibility was significantly moderated by AVE (interaction).

Conclusion:

These results provide an initial validation of the APEQ and its underlying theoretical model, suggesting the two can help clarify the psychological mechanisms of psychedelic-induced benefits and harms. Both should be further investigated in prospective-longitudinal and clinical studies.
The House That Built Me: The ‘House of God’ and Its Role in the Construction of Fear in Nehemiah 6.1–15
Authors: Yap Timothy
Published: March 2022

Nehemiah 6.1–15 abounds with questions: Why do Sanballat and Geshem insist — not once, but five times — that Nehemiah should meet them outside of Jerusalem? Why are we told that Shemaiah is ‘shut in at his house’, yet he demands to have a meeting in the temple? How does Nehemiah know that Shemaiah is a false prophet, such that ‘God had not sent him’ (6.12)? The present study is an attempt to answer these questions. The author suggests that the key to understand this passage lies in Ezra-Nehemiah’s understanding of the ‘house of God’. This article argues that in both meetings, the enemies of Nehemiah try to frighten Nehemiah outside and inside God’s house. The ‘house of God’ also plays an important role in Nehemiah’s response to his antagonists and how Nehemiah can discern the authenticity of Shemaiah’s oracle.