bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding women’s views of and preferences for accessing postpartum contraception: a qualitative evidence synthesis
Authors: Freeman-Spratt Grace J , Botfield Jessica R , Lee Grace Soeun , Rajiv Prithi , Black Kirsten I
Published: January 2023

Background

Nearly half of women experience unintended pregnancies. These are associated with increased risk of poor maternal physical and psychosocial health outcomes. Many pregnancies in the first year postpartum are unintended, further increasing risks of poor outcomes and complications. We undertook a qualitative evidence synthesis to evaluate qualitative research on women’s views and preferences for accessing postpartum contraception, and identify evidence gaps and opportunities for postpartum contraception provision.

Methods

Five databases were searched to identify relevant qualitative studies. Included studies focused on views of, and preferences for, accessing postpartum contraception for women of reproductive age in high-income countries.

Results

Of 1854 studies identified, 28 full texts were assessed and 19 studies included. These were critically appraised using Confidence in the Evidence from Reviews of Qualitative research (GRADE-CERQual) and analysed using thematic synthesis. Included studies indicated the majority of women desire postpartum contraception, but face a range of financial, health system and personal barriers. Women felt unclear about the ideal interpregnancy interval (IPI) and the rationale for this. Women preferred contraceptive counselling at varying times both antenatally and postnatally, and commonly preferred to receive contraception in the immediate postpartum period before hospital discharge. Women commonly saw their obstetrician or general practitioner for contraceptive counselling, but welcomed midwifery involvement.

Conclusions

Most women were interested in postpartum contraception and pregnancy spacing, but felt unclear about the optimal IPI, highlighting the need for further education and support around this issue. Contraceptive counselling was viewed as valuable antenatally and postnatally, and by varying maternal health providers, as was the provision of immediate postpartum contraception.
Integrating person-centred care and social justice: a model for practice with larger-bodied patients
Authors: Kanagasingam Deana , Hurd Laura , Norman Moss
Published: January 2023

Person-centred care (PCC) has been touted as a promising paradigm for improving patients’ experiences and outcomes, and the overall therapeutic environment for a range of health conditions, including obesity. While this approach represents an important shift away from a paternalistic and disease‐focused paradigm, we argue that PCC must be explicitly informed by a social justice lens to achieve optimal conditions for health and well-being. We suggest that existing studies on PCC for obesity only go so far in achieving social justice goals as they operate within a biomedical model that by default pathologises excess weight and predetermines patients’ goals as weight loss and/or management, regardless of patients’ embodied experiences and desires. There remains a dearth of empirical research on what social justice-informed PCC looks like in practice with larger patients. This interview study fills a research gap by exploring the perspectives of 1) health practitioners (n=22) who take a critical, social justice-informed approach to weight and 2) larger patients (n=20) served by such practitioners. The research question that informed this paper was: What are the characteristics of social justice-informed PCC that play out in clinical interactions between healthcare practitioners and larger-bodied patients? We identified five themes, namely: 1) Integrating evidence-based practice with compassionate, narrative-based care; 2) Adopting a curious attitude about the patient’s world; 3) Centring patients’ own wisdom and expertise about their conditions; 4) Working within the constraints of the system to advocate for patients to receive equitable care; 5) Collaborating across professions and with community services to address the multifaceted nature of patient health. The findings illustrate that despite participants’ diverse perspectives around weight and health, they shared a commitment to PCC by upholding patient self-determination and addressing weight stigma alongside other systemic factors that affect patient health outcomes.
The influence of training status and parasympathetic blockade on the cardiac rate, rhythm, and functional response to autonomic stress
Authors: Berthelsen Lindsey F. , Douglas Andrew J.M. , Dawkins Tony G. , Curry Bryony A. , Philips Daniel , Zaidi Abbas , Yousef Zaheer , Stembridge Mike , Steinback Craig D.
Published: January 2023

Apnea (breath-holding) elicits co-activation of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, affecting cardiac control. In situations of autonomic co-activation (e.g., cold water immersion), cardiac arrhythmias are observed during apnea. Chronic endurance training reduces resting heart rate in part via elevation in parasympathetic tone, and has been identified as a risk factor for development of arrhythmias. However, few studies have investigated autonomic control of the heart in trained athletes during stress. Therefore, we determined whether heightened vagal tone resulting from endurance training promotes a higher incidence of arrhythmia during apnea. We assessed the heart rate, rhythm (ECG lead II), and cardiac inotropic (speckle-tracking echocardiography) response to apnea in 10 endurance trained and 7 untrained participants. Participants performed an apnea at rest and following sympathetic activation using post-exercise circulatory occlusion (PECO). All apneas were performed prior to control (CON) and following vagal block using glycopyrrolate (GLY). Trained participants had lower heart rates at rest ( p = 0.03) and during apneas ( p = 0.009) under CON. At rest, 3 trained participants exhibited instances of junctional rhythm and 4 trained participants developed ectopy during CON apneas, whereas 3 untrained participants developed ectopic beats only with concurrent sympathetic activation (PECO). Following GLY, no arrhythmias were noted in either group. Vagal block also revealed increased cardiac chronotropy (heart rate) and inotropy (strain rate) during apnea, demonstrating a greater sympathetic influence in the absence of parasympathetic drive. Our results highlight that endurance athletes may be more susceptible to ectopy via elevated vagal tone, whereas untrained participants may only develop ectopy through autonomic conflict.
Assessment of time effects on capacities of large-scale piles driven in dense sands
Authors: Wen K. , Kontoe S. , Jardine R.J. , Liu T. , Cathie D. , Silvano R. , Prearo C. , Wei S. , Schroeder F.C. , Po S.
Published: January 2023

This paper considers the axial resistances of open-ended, highly instrumented, 763 mm diameter steel pipe piles driven in sands for the EURIPIDES (EURopean Initiative on PIles in DEnse Sands) project at a well-characterized research site at Eemshaven, in the northern Netherlands. It offers new analyses of previously unreported dynamic tests and considers their relationship with four heavily instrumented static compression tests. Rigorous signal matching employing two distinct pile–soil interaction models is reported, supported by careful sensitivity analyses, to interpret the recorded driving signals. The back-calculated shaft resistance profiles show good agreement between the models as well as calculations performed with a global wave equation analysis approach. The study highlights the need to account for the internal soil column resistance. The combined interpretation of the dynamic and static test data indicates a 50% gain in shaft resistance over the 10 days after driving and threefold shaft capacity growth over a total period of 533 days after driving. The outcomes have important implications for driven pile design and field quality monitoring; the case history contributes an important benchmark in the study of long-term set-up trends.
Tools for climate resilience in tree fruit II: a calcium carbonate-based foliar spray showed potential for protecting fruit quality during an unprecedented heat event
Authors: Hannam Kirsten D. , MacDonald Jesse L.
Published: January 2023

In 2021, an unprecedented heat event caused widespread damage to tree fruit crops across western North America. In a preliminary trial conducted that summer in an apple (var. “Fuji”) orchard in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, a calcium carbonate-based foliar protectant reduced severe sunburn by 9% and fruit asymmetry by 17% but had no other effects on fruit quality, water stress, or leaf gas exchange. With climate change, extreme heat events are projected to become more frequent and extreme. Foliar protectants show potential for preserving fruit quality, but further research is urgently required to optimize their use in Canada.
Optimization Design of Laminated Functionally Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced Composite Plates Using Deep Neural Networks and Differential Evolution
Authors: Tran Zing L. T. , Truong Tam T. , Nguyen-Thoi T.
Published: January 2023

This study presents a new approach as an integration of deep neural networks (DNN) into differential evolution (DE) to give the so-called DNN-DE for frequency optimization of laminated functionally graded carbon nanotube (FG-CNT)-reinforced composite quadrilateral plates under free vibration. In the presented approach, the DNN is applied to predict the objective and constraints during the optimization process instead of using the time-consuming finite element analysis (FEA) procedures while the DE is used as an optimizer for solving the optimization problem. Several numerical examples are performed to illustrate the performance of the proposed method. Optimal results obtained by the DNN-DE are compared with those achieved by other methods in order to show the reliability and effectiveness of the proposed methodology. Additionally, the influence of various parameters such as the boundary condition, the carbon nanotube (CNT) volume fraction, the CNT distribution on the optimal results is also investigated. The obtained results indicate that the proposed DNN-DE is an effective and promising method in solving optimization problems of engineering structures.
A Box-Shaped Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Basketball Training Monitoring
Authors: Fei Xiaoyan , Cai Jun
Published: January 2023

The posture monitoring of basketball is very important for daily training and skill improvement, and the research and development of related sensor technology is extremely urgent. Here, we design a box-shaped triboelectric nanogenerator (BS-TENG) to harvest mechanical energy and serve as the smart sport sensor. The BS-TENG can realize two working modes, leading to harvest both active and passive mechanical energy. This unique box structure enables to be integrated on the floor, which can play the role of smart sport floor. Furthermore, under different basketball posture (such as walk with the ball, dribble and shoot), the BS-TENG can generate different voltage signal, which make BS-TENG can serve as the self-powered sport sensor. We think this design will promote the development of intelligent sports devices.
Ordovician of Kazakhstan
Authors: Popov Leonid , Zhylkaidarov Aidarkhan , Zhemchuzhnikov Vyacheslav , Stepanets Wladimir , Gridina Nina Mikhailovna , Antonyuk Rostislav Mikhailovich
Published: January 2023

A comprehensive review of the current state of research on Kazakh Ordovician litho-, bio- and chronostratigraphy is presented. An Ordovician lithostratigraphic framework applied to eight Kazakh first-order tectonic units is outlined and its correlation with the International Chronostratigraphic Scale is given. Presently used criteria for definition of the Kazakh Ordovician regional stages are critically discussed and revaluated. The archipelago model is considered as the most appropriate for reconstruction of the relative position of inferred Kazakh volcanic island arcs and microcontinents in the Ordovician Period. A biogeographical assessment of Kazakh Ordovician benthic faunas suggests strongest affinity to the contemporaneous faunas of Tarim, South and North China and to a lesser degree to the Australian sector of Gondwana, while biogeographical connections with Siberia and Baltica are negligible. During the Sandbian to Katian, a loose cluster of Kazakh microcontinents and island arcs became a major biodiversity hotspot and species pump located at low latitudes on both sides of the equator. Radiolarian cherts from accretionary complexes preserved an almost complete record of biogenic sedimentation for at least 30 Ma from the Furongian to Darriwilian, providing a unique opportunity to study biotas and environments in Ordovician oceans.
Detection of Moving Object Using Superpixel Fusion Network
Authors: Li Yang
Published: January 2023

Moving object detection is still a challenging task in complex scenes. The existing methods based on deep learning mainly use U-Nets and have achieved amazing results. However, they ignore the local continuity between pixels. In order to solve this problem, a method based on a superpixel fusion network (SF-Net) is proposed in this article. First, the median filter is used to extract the candidate foreground (called
pixel features
) and the image sequence is segmented by superpixel. Then, the histogram features (called
superpixel features
) of the candidate foreground superpixels are extracted. Next, the pixel features and the superpixel features are the inputs of SF-Net, respectively. Experiments show the effectiveness of SF-Net on 34 image sequences and the average F-measure reaches 0.84. SF-Net can remove more background noise and has stronger expression ability than a network with the same depth.
Cardiac remodeling in well-healed burn survivors after 6 months of unsupervised progressive exercise training
Authors: McKenna Zachary J. , Moralez Gilbert , Romero Steven A. , Hieda Michinari , Huang Mu , Cramer Matthew N. , Sarma Satyam , MacNamara James P. , Jaffery Manall F. , Atkins Whitley C. , Foster Josh , Crandall Craig G.
Published: January 2023

Aerobic exercise is important in the rehabilitation of individuals with prior burn injuries, but no studies have examined whether adult burn survivors demonstrate cardiac remodeling to long-term aerobic exercise training. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that 6 months of progressive exercise training would improve cardiac magnetic resonance imaging-based measures of cardiac structure and function in well-healed burn survivors. Our findings highlight the ability of exercise training to modify cardiac structure and function in well-healed burn survivors and nonburned sedentary controls alike.
Genome-wide association studies of cardiovascular disease
Authors: Walsh Roddy , Jurgens Sean J. , Erdmann Jeanette , Bezzina Connie R.
Published: January 2023

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) aim to identify common genetic variants that are associated with traits and diseases. Since 2005, more than 5,000 GWAS have been published for almost as many traits. These studies have offered insights into the loci and genes underlying phenotypic traits, have highlighted genetic correlations across traits and diseases, and are beginning to demonstrate clinical utility by identifying individuals at increased risk for common diseases. GWAS have been widely utilized across cardiovascular diseases and associated phenotypic traits, with insights facilitated by multicenter registry studies and large biobank data sets. In this review, we describe how GWAS have informed the genetic architecture of cardiovascular diseases and the insights they have provided into disease pathophysiology, using archetypal conditions for both common and rare diseases. We also describe how biobank data sets can complement disease-specific studies, particularly for rarer cardiovascular diseases, and how findings from GWAS have the potential to impact on clinical care. Finally, we discuss the outstanding challenges facing research in this field and how they can be addressed.
Exploring Customer Awareness towards Their Cyber Security in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A Study in the Era of Banking Digital Transformation
Authors: Johri Amar , Kumar Shailendra
Published: January 2023

The annual rate of cybersecurity breaches has risen in the last few years, exposing millions of records in some cases. The average data breach cost in 2021 was a massive $4.24 million. This study examines customer awareness and satisfaction with cybersecurity in the context of the digital transformation of banking in Saudi Arabia. The study is empirical and based on the data collected from 355 banking customers in Saudi Arabia. Three significant aspects of cybersecurity, including cyberattacks, phishing, and hacking, have been analyzed through various dimensions. Customer satisfaction with bank cybersecurity assistance and their expectations of technical support and services on cybersecurity has also been studied. ANOVA and bivariate regression analysis are used to study the impact of cyberattack, phishing, hacking, cybersecurity assistance, and expectations on cybersecurity’s technical awareness on customer satisfaction. The results show that digital transformation has boosted the banking sector, and users benefit from online services. However, an increase in the awareness level of customers on cyberattack, phishing, and hacking activities will influence customers’ satisfaction with digital transactions. The results also revealed that customers need more satisfaction on security level aspects from the bank’s side, and banks should provide regular training programs to safeguard customers from cyberattacks. If banks prepare more secure cybersecurity management, their long-term sustainability goals could be easily achieved.
Promoting COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance through Community Engagement: An Ethnographic Study in Ghana
Authors: Aberese-Ako Matilda , Ebelin Wisdom , Doegah Phidelia Theresa , Kuatewo Mawulom , Kpodo Lebene , Kpordorlor Atsu Godsway , Kaba Alhassan Robert , Baba Atubiga Alobit , Djokoto Senanu , Ansah Evelyn K.
Published: January 2023

Introduction. To successfully manage COVID-19 and to meet the target of vaccinating 22.9 million people in Ghana, the government has adopted community engagement as one of the strategies. Yet, the Volta Region continues to record the lowest rate of vaccine acceptance in Ghana. This study explored how government institutions engaged communities on COVID-19 vaccine preparedness and acceptance in two administrative municipalities in Ghana. Methods. This qualitative study employed face-to-face in-depth interviews among thirty-six respondents comprising of government officials and community leaders and ten focus group discussions among 87 people made up of men and women most of whom were natives and some migrants in two administrative municipalities in Ghana. Data were collected from June to September 2021. Audio interviews were transcribed and uploaded to Nvivo 12 to support triangulation, coding, and thematic analysis. Ethical approval was obtained from the requisite authority, and all COVID-19 restrictions were observed. Results. Government institutions focused on informing communities of vaccines and vaccination with little input from the communities. The Ghana Health Service carried out the most extensive engagement because they had more decentralized institutions. Successful engagement activities resulted in vaccine acceptance among some community members. Challenges in community engagement included insufficient logistics and myths and misconceptions about vaccines, which accounted for some community members’ lack of trust in vaccines, resulting in their unwillingness to vaccinate. Government officials used innovative approaches such as comparing the safety of COVID-19 vaccines to vaccines designed for children under the age of five years to deal with misinformation. Conclusion. Government needs to provide more resources to institutions that are mandated to carry out engagement activities to enable them carry out their tasks. It is further recommended that government institutions should intensify community engagement in distant communities to support the country to meet the target.
The Carthamus tinctorius L. and Lepidium apetalum Willd. Drug Pair Inhibits EndMT through the TGFβ1/Snail Signaling Pathway in the Treatment of Myocardial Fibrosis
Authors: Zhou Zhou , Ma Dufang , Zhou Yu , Zhang Keke , Liu Yang , Wang Zhen , Wang Yong
Published: January 2023

Background. Myocardial fibrosis (MF) is an essential pathological factor for heart failure. Previous studies have shown that the combination of Carthamus tinctorius L. and Lepidium apetalum Willd. (C‐L), two types of Chinese herbal medicine, can ameliorate MF after myocardial infarction (MI) in rats and inhibit the activation of myocardial fibroblasts. However, the mechanism of C‐L in the treatment of MF remains unclear. Methods. A rat model of MF with left anterior descending coronary ligation‐induced MI was first established. Then, the effects of C‐L on cardiac function, MF, and endothelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EndMT) were evaluated by the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), serum N‐terminal pro‐brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) levels, Masson’s trichrome staining, and immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining. Next, a hypoxia‐induced cardiac microvascular endothelial cell (CMEC) model was established to observe the effects of C‐L on EndMT. The supernatant of CMECs was collected and used to culture cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) and observe the effects of CMEC paracrine factors on CFs. Results. Animal experiments indicated that C‐L improves the cardiac function of rats after MI, inhibits the progression of EndMT and MF, and downregulates TGFβ1, Snail, and CTGF expression. Cell experiments showed that drug‐loaded serum containing C‐L inhibits the EndMT of CMECs under hypoxic conditions. The culture supernatant of CMECs grown under hypoxic conditions significantly activated CFs. After treatment with C‐L, the activating factor for CFs in hypoxic CMEC culture supernatant was substantially downregulated, and the effect of the culture supernatant on CF activation was also reduced. However, TGFβ1 agonists inhibited the effects of C‐L on CMECs and CFs. Conclusion. Our data demonstrated that by regulating the TGFβ1/Snail pathway, C‐L inhibits EndMT of CMECs and reduces the release of CF‐activating factors in cells undergoing EndMT.
Optimization and Numerical Modeling of TCO/SnO2/CdS/CdTe Solar Cells
Authors: Khaledi Parinaz , Behboudnia Mahdi , Karimi Mohammad
Published: January 2023

Due to the excellent performance of the CdTe solar cells, research is ongoing to increase the efficiency of these cells. The first purpose of this study is to increase the accuracy of the physical parameters of a solar cell in the electron ̶hole production rate equation. In previous studies, this section was neglected because of using only ready-made software. Simulations were performed using a one-dimensional diffusion model in MATLAB and Maple software. Then, in theory, we simulated cadmium telluride-based layered solar cells for the first time without using ready-made software and with coding in MATLAB and Maple software. We designed and optimized the thickness of the layers in solar cells in detail. Then we studied the effect of layer thickness on the short-circuit current (Jsc), open-circuit voltage (Voc), filling factor (FF), and its efficiency. It is found that the efficiency of solar cells layered with TCO/SnO2/CdS/CdTe layers is as follows: the thickness of the TCO layer is 0.1 μm, that of the SnO2 layer is equal to 0.1 μm, that of the CdS layer as the window layer is 0.1 μm and the thickness of the CdTe layer as the absorber layer is 3.9 μm. The efficiency of the solar cell with the TCO/SnO2/CdS/CdTe structure increases significantly and reaches a maximum value of more than 20%.
Gear Tooth‐Forming Mechanism and Experimental Research of a Spiral Bevel Gear Rolling Process Using Local Induction Heating
Authors: Wang Shitao , Gao Zhenshan , Deng Xiaozhong
Published: January 2023

The gear tooth near‐net rolling process is a novel technique to enhance the tooth strength of spiral bevel gears. To study the gear tooth‐forming mechanism, high‐temperature rheological experiments of the material 20CrMnTiH were conducted using the Gleeble 1500D thermosimulation machine, and numerical simulations of the spiral bevel gear rolling forming process based on local induction heating were performed with the use of DEFORM‐3D. According to the numerical and rolling experimental results, it is feasible to produce spiral bevel gears using the rolling process with local induction heating. In order to solve the uneven material flow of the gear tooth during the tests, the material compensation coefficient k for gear forming was proposed and the shape of the gear blank was optimized. The simulation results show that the effective height of the tooth heel‐end and toe‐end in the optimized design increases by about 1 mm.
5α-Reductase Inhibitors and Risk of Kidney and Bladder Cancers in Men with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Population-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Doherty Niamh , Cardwell Chris R. , Murchie Peter , Hill Christopher , Azoulay Laurent , Hicks Blánaid
Published: January 2023

Background:

Preclinical evidence suggests that 5α-reductase inhibitors (5ARi), commonly used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), are associated with reduced incidence of certain urologic cancers, yet epidemiologic studies are conflicting. This study aimed to determine whether 5ARi's are associated with a reduced risk of kidney and bladder cancers.

Methods:

We conducted a new-user active-comparator cohort study in the United Kingdom Clinical Practice Research Datalink. From a base cohort of patients with incident BPH, new users of 5ARi's and α-blockers were identified. Patients were followed up until a first ever diagnosis of kidney or bladder cancer, death from any cause, end of registration, or December 31, 2017. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for incident kidney and bladder cancer.

Results:

There were 5,414 and 37,681 new users of 5ARi's and α-blockers, respectively. During a mean follow-up of 6.3 years, we found no association between the use of 5ARi's and kidney (adjusted HR, 1.26; 95% CI, 0.74–2.12; n = 23) or bladder (adjusted HR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.64–1.23; n = 57) cancer risk compared with α-blockers. Similar results were observed across sensitivity analyses.

Conclusions:

In this study, we found no association between the use of 5ARi's and kidney or bladder cancer incidence in men with BPH when compared with α-blocker use.

Impact:

The findings of this study indicate that 5ARi's are unlikely to reduce kidney or bladder cancer risk.
Determinants of Lung Cancer Screening in a Minnesota Urban Indigenous Community: A Community-Based, Participatory, Action-Oriented Study
Authors: Anderson Madison D. , Pickner Wyatt J. , Begnaud Abbie
Published: January 2023

Although lung cancer screening (LCS) with annual low-dose chest CT has been shown to reduce lung cancer deaths, it remains underutilized. Northern Plains American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities experience extreme lung cancer disparities, and little is known about the acceptance and adoption of LCS in these groups. We conducted interviews with healthcare professionals and focus groups with patients in an urban Minnesota community clinic serving AI/AN. Data collection took place during winter 2019–2020. Indigenous researchers collected and analyzed the data for emergent themes using simultaneous collaborative consensus with a LCS researcher. Participants reported some similar barriers to LCS as previous studies reported but also shared some new insights into traditional ways of knowing and recommendations for effectively implementing this evidence-based preventive care service. Lung screening is largely acceptable to patients and healthcare personnel in an AI/AN–serving community clinic. We identified barriers as previously reported in other populations but also identified some unique barriers and motivators. For example, the concept of the seven generations may provide motivation to maintain one's health for future generations while providing additional support during screening for persons traumatized by the Western medicine health system may facilitate increased screening uptake.

Prevention Relevance:

Secondary prevention of lung cancer through screening is potentially lifesaving considering that overall survival of lung cancer is 20% at 5 years but curable if detected at an early stage. This work provides insight into culturally tailored approaches to implementing the service in individuals at high risk of the disease.
Therapist Interpersonal Behavior: An Investigation of Various Constructs and Underlying Abilities
Authors: Wolfer Christine , Hilpert Peter , Flückiger Christoph
Published: January 2023

Objective: Psychotherapists differ in their treatment effectiveness as measured by the therapy outcome of their patients. One possible factor for therapist effects seems to be the therapists’ interpersonal skills. Therapist assessments of interpersonal skills have demonstrated sufficient predictive validity, but little is known about underlying skills and related constructs. The purpose of the present study is to compare the different constructs of interpersonal skills with each other and to investigate possible underlying abilities. Study Population and Methods: In this exploratory study, the concept of interpersonal skills was investigated using three survey methods (questionnaires, computer tests, and assessments) and comparing two measurements each. For this purpose, 6 measures of interpersonal skills were collected from 20 prospective psychotherapists as well as 28 psychology students (total N = 48). Alongside more traditional methods, the correlations and overlaps of the constructs were examined using partial and Bayesian networks. Results: Moderate to high correlations are found within the self-report measures. The assessments, however, did not correlate with self-report measures nor with computer tests. Discussion and Conclusion: The similarities in the self-assessments indicate stable self-concepts of interpersonal skills, which, however, cannot be explained by the underlying skills nor by the observer-based evaluations. The marginal correlation between the assessments also indicates that interpersonal, therapy-related abilities must be interpreted in a situation-specific manner.
The Impact of Tunneled Central Venous Hemodialysis Catheter on Mortality of Elderly Hemodialysis Patients Hospitalized in a Long-Term Care Hospital
Authors: Banshodani Masataka , Marubayashi Seiji , Kawai Yusuke , Hashimoto Shinji , Shintaku Sadanori , Moriishi Misaki , Tsuchiya Shinichiro , Kawanishi Hideki
Published: January 2023

Introduction: The association between tunneled central venous hemodialysis catheters (TCVCs) and mortality in hospitalized elderly hemodialysis (HD) patients remains unclear. Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted in a long-term care hospital. We evaluated the association between TCVC and mortality in HD patients hospitalized between 2015 and 2020. Results: A total of 463 patients were compared: TCVC group (n = 53) and non-TCVC group (n = 410) including arteriovenous fistula (AVF, n = 369), arteriovenous graft (AVG, n = 30), and superficialized brachial artery (SBA, n = 11). The mean ages were 80 and 78 years in the TCVC and non-TCVC groups, respectively. Overall mortality rates for all-cause and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) were higher in the TCVC group than in the non-TCVC group (log-rank, p = 0.01, and p = 0.009). Overall mortality was higher in the TCVC group than in the AVF group (p = 0.04), but there were no significant differences between the TCVC, AVG, and SBA groups. In Cox proportional hazards regression models, age, dialysis vintage, male sex, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and serum albumin level were associated with all-cause, CVD, and infectious disease (ID) mortalities, but TCVC was not associated with all-cause (hazard ratio, 1.31; 95% confidence interval, 0.95–1.80; p = 0.1), CVD (1.54; 0.99–2.39; p = 0.051), and ID (0.91; 0.48–1.70; p = 0.8) mortalities. Among patients aged ≥80 years, with dialysis vintage ≥7 years and CCI ≥10, the overall mortality rates were comparable between the two groups. Conclusions: Among elderly HD patients in the long-term care hospital, TCVC was not associated with mortality.
Elaborate Evaluation of Farnsworth Dichotomous D-15 Panel Test Can Help Differentiate between Best Vitelliform Macular Dystrophy and Autosomal Recessive Bestrophinopathy
Authors: Nowomiejska Katarzyna , Nasser Fadi , Brzozowska Agnieszka , Rejdak Robert , Zrenner Eberhart
Published: January 2023

Introduction: The colour vision in bestrophinopathies has not been assessed in detail so far. The aim of this study was to explore the extent to which distinct types of bestrophinopathies differ in regard to colour vision deficiencies using Farnsworth Dichotomous D-15 and Lanthony Desaturated D-15 panel tests. Methods: Both D-15 tests were performed in 52 eyes of 26 patients with Best vitelliform macular dystrophy (BVMD) and 10 eyes of 5 patients with autosomal recessive bestrophinopathy (ARB). Two methods were used for a quantitative assessment of the colour vision deficiencies: moment of inertia method and Bowman method. The following parameters were calculated: confusion angle, confusion index (C-index), selectivity index (S-index), total error score (TES), and colour confusion index (CCI). Results: The median value of confusion angle for all stages of BVMD fell into a narrow range around 62, indicating normal results. The median confusion angle value was 57 in ARB patients within a very wide range down to −82, indicating non-specific deficits. These differences were statistically significant. Significantly abnormal C-index and CCI values were found only in ARB patients, being 2.0 and 1.49, respectively. The majority of parameters of D-15 tests were independent of the visual acuity in both bestrophinopathies. Conclusions: Elaborate evaluation of the D-15 panel tests might help establish a differential diagnosis between different bestrophinopathies, as the pattern of the colour vision loss is different between BVMD and ARB. The quantitative parameters of colour vision tests in bestrophinopathies are independent of the visual acuity.
Oxygen Uptake and Heart Rate On-Kinetics during Prehabilitation in Patients with Scheduled Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Resection
Authors: Gravier Francis-Edouard , Buekers Joren , Smondack Pauline , Boujibar Fairuz , Prieur Guillaume , Medrinal Clément , Combret Yann , Muir Jean-François , Baste Jean-Marc , Cuvelier Antoine , Debeaumont David , Bonnevie Tristan
Published: January 2023

Background: Oxygen uptake (V̇O2) and heart rate (HR) kinetics during a constant work-rate test (CWRT) are used to evaluate the response to exercise in healthy subjects as well as subjects with various pathologies. Objectives: This study aimed to explore the feasibility of these measures and their responsiveness to a prehabilitation program in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Method: This study is preregistered (NCT04041297) ancillary analysis of a subgroup of individuals with NSCLC included in the Preo-Dens study (NCT03936764). Thirty individuals performed a moderate-CWRT before and after a 15-session prehabilitation program between July 2019 and April 2021. V̇O2 and HR on-kinetics were extracted from the first 240 s of breath-by-breath data using Box-Jenkins transfer functions. Results: Pre/post V̇O2 on-kinetic feature values were reliable for 25/30 participants, and pre/post HR kinetic feature values were reliable for 19/30. V̇O2 time constant (τ) and mean response time reduced from pre-post prehabilitation (mean difference −7.8 s; 95% CI: −14.6 to −1.0, and −8.4 s; 95% CI: −14.7 to −2.0, respectively). For HR on-kinetics, τ did not change from pre-post prehabilitation (median difference −4.0 s; 95% CI: −36.0 to +11.0). V̇O2 and HR response amplitudes reduced significatively from pre-post prehabilitation (mean difference −38.6 mL/min; 95% CI: −73.3 to −3.9, and −3.1 beats/min; 95% CI: −6.4 to −0.2, respectively). Conclusion: V̇O2 on-kinetic analysis during moderate-CWRT is feasible in individuals with scheduled NSCLC resection, and results are responsive to prehabilitation. These results support a true speeding of the adaptation of aerobic metabolism after a 15-session prehabilitation program.
Emended description of the South American genus Elephantomene (Menispermaceae)
Authors: DE SOUSA JULIO DOS SANTOS , GURGEL ELY SIMONE CAJUEIRO
Published: January 2023

Elephantomene is a monospecific genus, distributed in South America. To our knowledge, there are no studies about the pistillate flower in Elephantomene eburnea. This is the first complete taxonomic description involving all floral whorls of staminate and pistillate flowers. Between January 2018 and October 2021, including types housed at 32 national and foreign herbaria. In the Neotropics, the Amazonian is the main center of concentration for the genus. The tripartite gynophores, the internal sepals fused forming a solid column and the stamens inserted in this column were the main characters used to identify the species. Descriptions and illustrations of the species are presented, as well as data concerning geographical distribution and additional comments of the species.
Passiflora acreana, a new species of Passiflora subgenus Passiflora (Passifloraceae sensu stricto) from Acre, Brazil
Authors: MEZZONATO-PIRES ANA CAROLINA , SILVEIRA MARCOS , HONÓRIO DE OLIVEIRA MAYK
Published: January 2023

The new species described here was collected during expeditions carried out in the Lago do Amapá Environmental Protection Area, located in Acre State, Brazil. Morphological analysis and comparisons with close species confirmed that the collected specimens are a new species for science. Passiflora acreana was placed in P. subg. Passiflora, sect. Granadillastrum Triana & Planch., and can be distinguished by the presence of foliaceous, reniform, awned stipules, 4–8 pedunculate petiolar glands, with apex concave, and corona with 10 series of filaments. Descriptions, illustrations, distribution map, and conservation status are presented.
Typifications of Andean Arenaria names (Caryophyllaceae), with a nomen novum
Authors: MONTESINOS-TUBÉE DANIEL B. , IAMONICO DUILIO
Published: January 2023

The nomenclature of the names Alsine weberbaueri, Arenaria musciformis, and Scleranthus peruvianus is investigated. The names were typified on specimens preserved at HOXA, MOL, and P. All these names are to be included in Arenaria. Concerning Alsine weberbaueri, a new combination (Arenaria weberbaueri) is proposed, whereas for Arenaria humboldtiana, a new name is provided for Scleranthus peruvianus since a previous Arenaria peruviana by Poeppig ex Rohrbach was validly published (Art. 53.1 of ICN).
Breaching the family walls: Modelling the impact of prolonged visa insecurity on asylum-seeking children
Authors: Ratnamohan Lux , Silove Derrick , Mares Sarah , Krishna Yalini , Hadzi-Pavlovic Dusan , Steel Zachary
Published: January 2023

Objective:

Children in asylum-seeking families are increasingly subject to deterrent host nation policies that undermine security in the post-migration context, however, little is known on the mental health consequences of such policy. This study examined the impact of prolonged visa insecurity on child mental health, by comparing two cohorts of refugee children entering Australia between 2010 and 2013, distinguished by visa security.

Methods:

The insecure visa sample comprised children from Tamil asylum-seeking families, while the secure visa sample was drawn from refugee families participating in the multi-ethnic ‘Building a New Life in Australia’ cohort study. Children in each sample were assessed for current mental health problems and trauma exposure. Mothers were assessed for trauma exposure, post-migration family stressors and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The effects of prolonged visa insecurity on child mental health via family-and child-level variables were modelled using multi-level path analysis.

Results:

Data comprised 361 children, aged 10–18, and 242 mothers across three levels of visa insecurity: permanent protection ( n = 293), temporary protection ( n = 40) and bridging visa ( n = 28). Modelling showed that (1) visa insecurity was associated with poorer child mental health, (2) the association was mediated sequentially by post-migration family stressors and maternal PTSD and (3) the association was moderated by maternal PTSD.

Conclusion:

Our findings suggest that when government policy persistently undermines post-migration security, the capacity of families to protect children from accrued stressors is lowered, leaving a significantly higher proportion of children developing along trajectories of risk rather than resilience.
Désaffiliation chez les évangéliques de deuxième génération au Québec : le rôle de l’inatteignable conversion et de l’insoutenable pureté sexuelle
Authors: Gagné Benjamin
Published: January 2023

Canadian evangelicals are known for their high religious retention, meaning that a good proportion of the children from these communities preserve the same religious faith as their parents once they become adults. For this reason, Canadian evangelical communities have not received much attention in recent years regarding disaffiliation, even though this phenomenon exists throughout Canada and most notably in the Quebec province. Canadian statistics reveal a certain religious resilience over the past two decades, but they conceal a significant proportion of those who have disaffiliated at the same time. This article examines this disaffiliation movement from a socio-anthropological and qualitative perspective and highlights the role of two key dimensions in the disaffiliation process among young evangelicals socialized in this context. On the one hand, he argues that the dominant model of conversion transmitted by the first generation, namely a rupture-conversion model, contributes to disaffiliation. Subjected to strong pressures, the disaffiliated claim to have inherited a conversion model that is difficult, if not impossible, to adopt. In addition, the ideal of sexual purity and marriage that can be linked to American purity culture has a strong impact on the issues of identity and belonging to these religious communities. Young adults disengage in significant proportions from their church communities when they cease to observe this ideal, which is built around a social “all or nothing” logic.
Uncanny Phenomenon: Existential Experiences Among Iranian International Students
Authors: Didehvar Mina , Wada Kaori
Published: January 2023

Cross-cultural transitions can evoke reflections about existential concerns. Yet, the literature on international students’ adjustment has neglected this important aspect. To explore existential concerns that may arise during acculturation, we conducted semistructured interviews with six Iranian international graduate students studying in Canada. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, we identified three overarching themes: (a) Migration as a Boundary Situation, (b) Facing Existential Concerns, and (c) Coping with Existential Concerns. Results highlighted a connection between feelings of not-being-at-home or uncanniness in an unfamiliar host culture and existential reflections. Results also revealed that existential inquiries may be masquerading as adjustment problems. Overall, the findings challenge pathologizing views of cross-cultural adjustment difficulties and highlight the lack of attention to geopolitical factors affecting international students’ experiences. We call for practitioners to consider the possible presence of existential concerns during acculturation, and the sociopolitical contexts into which international students acculturate.
Brief Measure of Affective Lability Among Portuguese Community and Justice Samples: Psychometrics and Measurement Invariance
Authors: Almeida Telma Catarina , Fernandes Raquel Margarida , Cunha Olga
Published: January 2023

Affective lability is a central feature of several emotional disturbances and is linked to aggressive and risky behaviors. This study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the Affective Lability Scale-18 (ALS-18) among a community sample and a sample of justice-involved adults. We also aimed to test the measurement invariance between sex and sample type. Results revealed good to excellent values of internal consistency. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the original three-factor structure of the ALS-18 obtained good fits. The ALS-18 demonstrated measurement invariance across sex and sample type. The results support that ALS-18 is a valuable brief and useful measure of affective lability among male and female individuals for use in community and justice samples.
Improving university students’ mental health literacy using experiential learning opportunities
Authors: Reis Arianne , Nguyen Vivien , Saheb Rowena , Rutherford Erin , Sperandei Sandro
Published: January 2023

Objectives:

University students represent a vulnerable population to mental health and wellbeing issues. However, young people are likely to delay or fail to engage in help-seeking behaviours. Embedding mental health learning opportunities in curriculum design may improve the mental health and wellbeing of students, but there are challenges to embedding this material in non-health disciplines where students’ intrinsic interests may not align with mental health–themed coursework. To explore this challenge, the present study involved embedding mental health literacy learning into an Event Management course through an experiential learning opportunity.

Design:

A quasi-experimental design involving university students divided into intervention groups ( n = 40) and control groups ( n = 83).

Setting:

Students in the intervention groups managed events across campuses of a major Australian university in support of a University Mental Health and Wellbeing Day. Students in the control groups managed non-mental health events.

Method:

Pre- and post-event surveys compared students’ perceptions of experiential learning, of the effectiveness of student-led events in promoting mental health literacy and help-seeking behaviours in themselves and peers, and of embedding mental health learning into an experiential learning framework.

Results:

Results suggest that experiential learning opportunities that contain mental health literacy content in addition to course content can be valuable without interruption to core learning aims.

Conclusion:

This study is one of the first to evaluate the impact of innovative curriculum designs that embed mental health literacy in non-health disciplines, highlighting the opportunities for creative approaches to improving mental health education in universities.