bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Freezing of Assets in Swiss Banks
Authors: Staehelin Daniel
Published: November 2024

As the Regulation (EU) No. 655/2014 establishing a European account preservation order is not applicable in Switzerland, this article shows how assets held in a Swiss bank can be frozen. The main grounds for a freezing order are either an executable judgment or the debtor being domiciled outside of Switzerland. The court grants a freezing order without hearing the debtor. The competent court is the court where the assets of the debtor are situated or the court of the debtor’s domicile in Switzerland. The freezing order will be executed by the debt enforcement office. Afterwards the debtor may file an objection within ten days. The bank only has an obligation to inform as to whether there are any assets deposited after the objection has finally been dismissed or if there is no objection. The creditor has to validate the freezing order through a civil action or enforcement proceedings. Enforcement proceedings can be commenced with a summons to pay. According to Swiss doctrine, the Lugano Convention is not applicable as regards the summons to pay. If the validation proceedings are successful, the enforcement proceedings continue. Debt enforcement proceedings against companies or sole merchants continue by way of the commencement of bankruptcy proceedings. The freezing order does not give any preferential right in the bankruptcy proceedings. Against natural persons, the enforcement continues by way of seizing the frozen assets and by selling them and handing over the result to the creditor. The freezing order is also a protective measure according to art. 47 para. 2 of the Lugano Convention if a declaration of enforceability for a judgment has been issued. In Switzerland, a formal declaration of enforceability according to the Lugano Convention is rarely requested. Creditors usually only ask the court to recognise the judgment on a preliminary basis, without a formal declaration of enforceability.
Estimating Phase Transition Rates in Shallow Cumulus Clouds from Mass Flux. Part II: Vertically Dependent Formulation
Authors: Kogan Yefim L.
Published: November 2024

This work continued the investigation of the relationship between phase transition rates and mass flux in trade wind cumulus clouds. The latter was simulated by an LES model initialized with soundings from the Rain in Cumulus over the Ocean (RICO) field project. In Part I, we demonstrated that a very high correlation exists between integral phase transition rates and upward mass flux. In this study, we focused on the vertically dependent variables and showed that a similar high correlation exists between the condensation rate and the upward mass flux . Based on condensation theory, we showed that under quasi-steady approximation condensation rates can be calculated by a linear function of with the slope coefficient dependent only on temperature and pressure. The model data showed that the error of such approximation is less than a few tenths of a percent. The parameterization of the evaporation process is more complex, mostly because of the slow evaporation of raindrops as they fall through the cloud’s unsaturated areas. Nevertheless, it was possible to define the fraction of the evaporation to condensation rate as a function of vertical coordinate z and cloud thickness H. This function can be quite accurately approximated by the third-order polynomials of z and H. It is suggested that the proposed formulation of evaporation together with the quasi-steady formulation of condensation can serve as a parameterization of water phase transition rates in shallow cumulus clouds.

Significance Statement

This study investigated condensation/evaporation processes in tropical cumulus clouds. The energy exchanged during these processes is an important driving force behind a wide range of atmospheric phenomena. It was found that the vertical distribution of this energy source can be expressed as a linear function of cloud updrafts. This finding suggests a new approach to calculate cloud energy transformations in numerical weather prediction models.
Dropsonde Observations of the Stable Marine Boundary Layer beneath Atmospheric Rivers
Authors: Ralph F. M. , Simpson M. , Iacobellis S. , Cordeira J. M. , Cannon F. , Cobb A. , Michaelis A. C. , Delle Monache L.
Published: November 2024

An important source of errors in predicting landfalling atmospheric rivers (ARs) and their associated extreme precipitation and streamflow are inaccuracies in model initial conditions in ARs offshore. These inaccuracies are particularly evident in the marine boundary layer (MBL) where the tendency of ARs to transport warm air poleward over progressively cooler sea surface temperatures (SSTs) generates a stable MBL (SMBL). The SMBL’s vertical structure and key modulating processes are documented using >1000 dropsondes along 99 transects of ARs from the AR reconnaissance and CalWater field campaigns. The SMBL depth, modulated by sensible heat loss to the ocean, is typically 300–800 m in the AR core, with vertical wind shears ranging from 5 to 50 m s−1 km−1, representing a highly variable decoupling of the AR aloft from conditions at the ocean surface. Simulated backward air parcel trajectories originating from dropsonde locations within the AR core are used to calculate the 24-h change in SST experienced by an air parcel (DSST24) beneath each AR. The DSST24 varies from −13° to +2°C and is directly related to the strength of the AR and its orientation relative to the SST gradient. The DSST24, therefore, distinguishes weak and strong decoupling regimes (WDR and SDR). In SDR cases, relative to WDR cases, the SMBL is characterized by greater sensible heat loss to the ocean, as well as stronger static stability, vertical wind shear, low-level jet, and horizontal water vapor transport. In SDR cases, the SMBL is deeper in the core than in adjacent warm and cold sectors.
Pimozide-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers: Repurposing strategy against lung cancer
Authors: AL-Haj Wafa’ A. , Nsairat Hamdi , El-Tanani Mohamed
Published: November 2024

Objective

This study aimed to repurpose pimozide (PMZ) by incorporating it into nanostructured lipid carriers (NLC) using a modified melting emulsion ultrasonication method.

Methods

We employed stearic and oleic acids in a 1:1 ratio as lipids, with Tween 80 and PEG 4000 as surfactants. The formulation was analyzed for particle size, zeta potential, and encapsulation efficiency. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to confirm the spherical shape of the particles. The release profile of PMZ-NLC was evaluated under different pH conditions, and anticancer activity was tested on A549 cell lines.

Results

The PMZ-NLC exhibited an average particle size of 136 ± 2.9 nm, a zeta potential of −25.1 ± 0.9 mV, and an encapsulation efficiency of 86% ± 11. TEM confirmed the spherical shape of the NLCs. PMZ release from PMZ-NLC was pH-sensitive, enhancing tumor targeting. IC50 values were 16.5 μM for free PMZ and 12.9 μM for PMZ-NLC after 72 h.

Discussion

PMZ-NLC demonstrated improved anticancer activity compared to free PMZ, suggesting that encapsulation enhances the drug's effectiveness. The pH-sensitive release profile supports its potential for targeted therapy in lung cancer.

Conclusions

PMZ-NLC showed potential as a safe and effective strategy for lung cancer treatment. Further investigation is warranted to evaluate its in vivo efficacy, long-term safety, and clinical application.
Perceptions of Stress and Engagement in High-Intensity Caregiving: A Cross-Sectional Study in Lithuania
Authors: Jaruseviciene Lina , Zaborskis Apolinaras , Blazeviciene Aurelija , Valius Leonas , Kontrimiene Ausrine
Published: November 2024

The aging population and overstretched healthcare systems are increasing demand for home nursing by informal caregivers, significantly affecting their mental health. This study aimed to examine the level of population’s engagement in caregiving and the association between high-intensity caregiving and perceived caregiving stress in the general population of Lithuania. A nationally representative sample (N = 1000) of Lithuanian residents aged 18 years and older (mean age 53.1 ± 17.9 years) was interviewed in their households. The results showed that 17.4% (95% CI: 15.1, 19.8) of respondents were involved in home nursing activities to some extent, with 42% of these being high-intensity caregivers (providing 11 or more hours of home care per week). Caregivers were statistically significantly more likely to be female and have higher education levels. Perceived stress was significantly associated with higher education levels (OR = 2.66, 95% CI: 1.41, 5.02), high-intensity caregiving (OR = 2.14, 95% CI: 1.15, 3.97), regular involvement in home nursing (OR = 1.86, 95% CI: 1.01, 3.43), and caring for recipients with dementia or individuals entirely dependent on assistance (OR = 2.52, 95% CI: 1.22, 5.23). Caregivers perceived stress is associated with their level of education, the intensity and regularity of home nursing, as well as the level of dependency of the care recipient, especially in cases of dementia. Comprehensive long-term care policies should be developed to ensure the larger availability of formal care resources, increased societal participation in home nursing, and tailored interventions for high intensity caregivers.
Exploring the experiences of stigma among South African gay men who practice consensual nonmonogamy
Authors: Erasmus Liam P. , Martin Jarred H.
Published: November 2024

Consensual nonmonogamy (CNM) refers to an intimate relationship arrangement in which all the parties involved consent to having multiple romantic or sexual partners simultaneously, with the full knowledge and agreement of everyone involved. Although CNM is becoming increasingly more visible in mainstream media and social discourse, it remains a largely non-normative relationship configuration that can elicit stigma directed at those who practice it. The culture of mononormativity, whereby monogamous relationships are held as the ideal or default way for people to structure their intimate connections, may imply that even in the gay community, where a history of openness towards, and experimentation with, alternative relationship configurations exists, affirmative attitudes towards CNM cannot be guaranteed. This qualitative study explored the experiences of stigma among South African gay men who practice CNM, with a particular focus on stigma reported by CNM practitioners from within the gay community. Seven self-identified gay men who practice CNM were recruited to participate. Each participant took part in an unstructured individual interview which was then transcribed and subject to a thematic analysis. Analysis of the data revealed three main themes: creating CNM as homonormative; interpersonal (in)significance of CNM, and stigmatising narratives of CNM. Together, the findings highlight that while gay men who practice CNM may experience stigma from within the gay community, they adopt different approaches at managing this stigma, such as, by constructing CNM as a cultural norm for gay men and by interpreting their participation in CNM as a personally meaningful and fulfilling alternative to monogamy.
Lay Perspectives on Drug (De)Criminalization and the (De)Stigmatization of People Who Use Illicit Drugs
Authors: Shahid Hamnah , Neufeld Scott
Published: November 2024

Background: Substance use stigma has been framed as contributing to the drug toxicity crisis. We theorize the political function of drug criminalization as contributing to a system of stigma that exerts social control over people who use illicit drugs (PWUID). Consequently, drug decriminalization may be a potential destigmatizing solution. Since decriminalization is often positioned as an antistigma intervention targeting the public, it is important to understand how laypeople conceptualize decriminalization. Methods: We acquired, via a Freedom of Information request, 221 deputations sent to the City of Vancouver regarding Motion B.4, which would advance decriminalization. We used reflexive thematic analysis to explore: (1) how laypeople conceptualized drug (de)criminalization and its relation to the (de)stigmatization of PWUID; and (2) the potential implications of the various conceptualizations of (de)criminalization for the autonomy of PWUID. Results: Supporters of Motion B.4 commonly assumed decriminalization would destigmatize PWUID. Supporters also often argue that the drug toxicity crisis is a public health problem, not a criminal one. However, the public health model of decriminalization advocated by some supporters still limited the autonomy of PWUID. Meanwhile, those opposed commonly positioned social control of PWUID as necessary, including opponents who argued that decriminalization was a form of systemic neglect that abandons PWUID. This view was echoed by some proponents, notably those who argued for a public health model of decriminalization. Finally, some proponents asserted that PWUID should be included in the policymaking process, though few deputations came from self-identified PWUID. All PWUID argued that decriminalization must exclude the police. Conclusion: Our analysis of lay perspectives on decriminalization highlights the importance of models that adequately address all levels of stigma for PWUID. Models that fail to preserve the autonomy of PWUID are likely to reproduce their stigmatization.
An Exploratory Study of Student Perceptions of Ungrading in Upper-Level Psychology Courses
Authors: McNall Laurel A. , Gravelin Claire R.
Published: November 2024

Background

Ungrading is an innovative approach to assessment that relies on feedback rather than numerical grades to deprioritize (or remove) grades, but that has gone relatively unexplored in the psychology classroom.

Objective

The current study examined student perceptions of ungrading in three psychology courses.

Method

Using an inductive approach, we examined patterns and themes in student reflections across two time points (start and end of the semester) in three upper-division psychology courses.

Results

Students generally had positive impressions of ungrading, but stress around grade uncertainty was an area of concern.

Conclusion

Implementation of alternative grading methods has the potential for many benefits in the psychology classroom, but careful consideration is needed to overcome negative student perceptions.

Teaching Implications

Going gradeless is an intriguing option that may potentially impact student learning, engagement, motivation, mental health, and equity. This exploratory study offers insight into student perceptions of ungrading, which can help instructors who are considering this method.
Externally Driven Border Control in West Africa: Local Impact and Broader Ramifications
Authors: Talleraas Cathrine
Published: November 2024

Over the last two decades and with notable increase since 2015, millions of euros have been invested in territorial border governance in West Africa. Targeting migration policy frameworks, capacity building, and the provision of material, the EU and individual European states have sought to improve control mechanisms along these vast and porous borders. This article explores the local impact and broader ramifications of primarily externally funded policy efforts as they are implemented along Ghana's three international borders with Burkina Faso, Côte D’Ivoire, and Togo. Drawing on observations at official checkpoints and interviews with border control officers and border crossers, the article finds that recent initiatives have facilitated the modernization, expansion, and professionalization of border control. Yet, these enhancements have concurrently led to increased reliance on external support, altered local social relations in border checkpoint areas, and triggered the criminalization of legal emigration. The article situates these developments within its geopolitical landscape, illustrating how externally driven migration governance, when detached from local realities, yields both immediate and far-reaching ramifications. Drawing on and extending critical migration governance analysis and border theory, this study underscores the importance of scrutinizing not only explicit, but also the more subtle and rippling effects of European externalization policies in Africa, as they extend beyond local contexts to influence wider societal structures.
Venous disease progression in western Europe (VENPRO): A prospective cohort study
Authors: Westby Daniel , Nezafat Mahtab , McKnight Katherine , Power Foley Megan , Mansoor Tayyaub , Alfaith Ahmmad , Lowery Aoife , Walsh Stewart R
Published: November 2024

Objective: A prospective cohort study aimed to determine factors which influence the progression of chronic venous disease (CVD) in an attempt to aid in the early identification of those at patients who are likely to benefit from early intervention.

Methods: A prospective cohort study of patients referred to tertiary vascular services with varicose veins over 7 years was conducted. The primary outcome measure was the rate of disease progression from time of referral to time of consultation. The secondary outcome measure was to the rate of venous complications during the same time period.

Results: 1000 patients from routine varicose vein waiting lists were included in the study. The mean waiting time was 2.96 ± 1.25 years. The majority of patients were female (73% versus 27%), and the average age was 57.8 ± 14.7 years. One fifth of the cohort developed a complication or showed evidence of disease progression. Logistic regression showed that advancing age and previous episodes of cellulitis are significant risk factors for the development of CVD progression.

Conclusions: Varicose veins are more than a cosmetic issue and can be associated with substantial health and economic costs. Continuous identification of risk factors will enable clinicians to implement treatment strategies earlier for at risk patients.
Face to face: Comparing ChatGPT with human performance on face matching
Authors: Kramer Robin S.S.
Published: November 2024

ChatGPT's large language model, GPT-4V, has been trained on vast numbers of image-text pairs and is therefore capable of processing visual input. This model operates very differently from current state-of-the-art neural networks designed specifically for face perception and so I chose to investigate whether ChatGPT could also be applied to this domain. With this aim, I focussed on the task of face matching, that is, deciding whether two photographs showed the same person or not. Across six different tests, ChatGPT demonstrated performance that was comparable with human accuracies despite being a domain-general ‘virtual assistant’ rather than a specialised tool for face processing. This perhaps surprising result identifies a new avenue for exploration in this field, while further research should explore the boundaries of ChatGPT's ability, along with how its errors may relate to those made by humans.
Devious refugees and harmless borders? How Frontex inverts deviance and blame
Authors: Waerp Eline
Published: November 2024

This commentary demonstrates how the risk analysis reports of Frontex (the European Border and Coast Guard Agency) invert deviance and blame by lumping together smugglers, refugees and migrants and portraying the latter as responsible for their own suffering at Europe’s borders while obscuring the role of restrictive migration policies and border controls in producing irregularised migration in the first place. Showing how this discursive framing furthers the securitisation of migration and displaces accountability for border deaths, the author argues that it is important to question the objectivity of Frontex’s risk analyses since they contribute to normalising securitised border controls in response to irregularised migration.
Access to University Mental Health Services: Understanding the Student Experience: L’accès aux services universitaires de santé mentale : comprendre l’expérience des étudiants
Authors: King Nathan , Pickett William , Pankow Kurtis , Dimitropoulos Gina , Cullen Emma , McNevin Stephen , Patten Scott B. , Duffy Anne
Published: November 2024

Objective

To describe student access to university mental health services and barriers and gaps in support.

Methods

This multiple cohort study used self-report data from 4,138 undergraduate students who completed the U-Flourish Well-Being Survey at the start and completion of first year from 2018 to 2023. The survey incorporated validated measures of mental health symptoms, barriers to care, and open-text questions about the mental health care experience and perceived gaps. Quantitative analyses summarized utilization patterns and barriers. An interpretive qualitative analysis identified common themes about support services and opportunities for improvement from the student perspective.

Results

At university entry, 43% of students screened positive for anxiety and/or depression, 30% reported a lifetime mental disorder and 23% a lifetime history of self-harm. Over first year, 15% of students surveyed accessed university mental health services. Access was more likely in students identifying as older, gender diverse, female, having a prior mental disorder and those who screened positive for anxiety or depression. Common attitudinal and practical barriers reported included thinking problems would resolve (74%), being uncomfortable sharing (73%), and not knowing how to get help (50%). Common stigma barriers included concerns about what family or friends might think. Students expressed that both campus-based well-being and mental health care offered during flexible hours and accessible through online booking were important.

Conclusions

Student-tailored mental health literacy may be a sustainable approach to address the attitudinal and practical barriers identified. If such barriers are reduced, an increased service demand would be expected and improved efficiencies needed. A clear Statement of Services, an online singular point of access with embedded triage to signpost students to indicated levels of care, and clearly worked-out care pathways including to community-based services would better align with a stepped care model, improve efficiency and access, and foster realistic expectations around university mental health support.
Determining skill mix and optimal multidisciplinary team composition: A scoping review
Authors: Meadows Donna , Maclaren Joanne , Morton Alec , Ross Darcy
Published: November 2024

Holistic care models aligned to population care needs are needed to help leaders shed pre-existing mindsets when determining skill mix and Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) composition. Using a PRISMA flowchart, a narrow eligibility criterion, and a research question, this scoping review resulted in 9 frameworks/models published between January 2000 and September 2023. Analysis showed common methodological elements such as a population needs-based approach, a systematic process, engagement, three or more professions reporting task or competency level analysis, change advocacy, and reliance on population and workforce supply data. Key system enablers were sponsorship, access to population needs-based and workforce supply data, a learning management system for MDT development, and health human resource policies and governance to drive health system redesign to distribute an equitable workforce. This scoping review offers health leaders and policy-makers options and next-step considerations to inspire fresh thinking for making evidence-informed decisions about skill mix and MDT composition.
Addressing “Idealism Exploitation” Through Unionization: Causes and Outcomes of Nonprofit Worker Labor Organizing in the U.S.
Authors: Zhao Rong , Anasti Theresa , Welch Rachel
Published: November 2024

Through in-depth interviews with nonprofit workers and full-time union organizers in the nonprofit sector, this qualitative study examines the causes, outcomes, and workers’ perceptions of the recent nonprofit worker unionization movement. We found that chronic low pay, substandard working conditions, and a concern for compromised services to clients were the impetus for workers’ labor organizing. Interviews revealed that existing unionization efforts yielded significant wins for workers. This shows that nonprofit organizations could figure out resources to reprioritize labor costs even though they face constraints by funders. Unionization also benefited nonprofit management, including favorable work policies applying to managers and reduced staff turnover. Previous literature suggests that the highly gendered and value-based labor dynamic in nonprofits is a barrier to labor organizing. We found that workers are reevaluating this sacrificing, “labor-of-love” logic and aligning workers’ rights with clients’ rights. This has transformed a barrier to a powerful facilitator for labor organizing.
“I Would Have Given them a Piece of my Mind”: Spatialized Feelings and Emotion Work Among Racialized Muslim Women in Québec
Authors: Stallone Jessica
Published: November 2024

The 2013 Charter of Values in Québec proposed to ban “ostentatious” religious symbols in the public sphere; while ostensibly neutral, such bans harm women who identify as Muslim, hurting their sense of belonging. This article examines the emotional experiences of Canadian Muslim women and the emotion work they do to manage non-Muslims’ impressions of them in a context of rampant Islamophobia. To understand their experiences, I develop a concept called spatialized feelings—how emotions, relationally accomplished in intersectional hierarchies, are contingent on the spaces social actors occupy. My interviews and participant observation of Muslim women in Québec revealed that their feelings about self and belonging were spatialized. In spaces dominated by whiteness (work, school, in public), my participants felt different, due to experiences of exclusion. In spaces with other Muslims, participants felt connected, but belonging was complicated by intersectional identities. Although their engagement in emotion work indicated agency, emotion work reproduced raced and gendered bodies and spaces. With exclusionary politics on the rise across the Atlantic, targeted minorities will increasingly experience racialization in gendered ways in public spaces; spatialized feelings are at the core of understanding the consequences of these politics for belonging and emotion work.
Neoliberalism and the Global Migrant Crisis: A World-Ecology Perspective
Authors: Gürcan Efe Can
Published: November 2024

What is the nexus between capitalism, agroecological change, and geopolitical conflicts, and how has it historically affected global migratory movements? In answering this question, the present article employs the method of incorporated comparison and world-ecology theory based on the cases of Latin America, specifically Mexico, Venezuela, and Central American countries, and the Broader Middle East, with a particular emphasis on Syria and Afghanistan. A comparative study of these geopolitical hotspots reveals how the US-led cycles of capitalist world-ecology resulted in a global migrant crisis driven by a combination of factors, including neoliberal economic policies, imperialist interventions, narco-colonialism, and extractive capitalism.
The dilemma between innovation and authenticity in safeguarding intangible cultural heritage: Community agency in preserving Suzhou pingtan
Authors: Miao Hui
Published: November 2024

In safeguarding an intangible cultural heritage (ICH), the community is often considered passive and only part of the policy implementation system. While acknowledging the lack of a connection with contemporary audiences in many examples of ICH, such as pingtan (评弹), authenticity-seeking is still a widely accepted goal in safeguarding ICH. But from an authenticity-seeking perspective, attempts to create innovative pingtan are often the target of criticism. This article observes that amid the competing narratives of pursuing authenticity and embracing innovative experimentation, preservation of and innovation in pingtan have developed to disentangle pingtan from a unified conceptualization. Conflicts about preservation and innovation are the enabling forces that allow diverse cultural ideas to be communicated, leading to interactions and experimentation that defy easy definition. Analysis of the contradictions behind an insistence on an authentic form of pingtan suggests that authenticity-seeking is more about cultural anxieties over the changing identity of a city, with pingtan as a tool for such negotiations. This article calls for a more nuanced understanding of community agency in safeguarding ICH. Innovative practices to safeguard ICH may also challenge the concept of community, resulting in fluid, developmental, and mutually sustaining interactions.
Beyond the threshold: Understanding the asymmetric effects of renewable energy on CO2 emissions
Authors: Lee Wen Hui , Husaini Dzul Hadzwan , Lean Hooi Hooi
Published: November 2024

While renewable energy deployment is essential to mitigate climate change, the interplay between renewable energy consumption and environmental degradation may not be linear. The environmental aspect of renewable energy consumption may change over time, depending on the scale and technique effects. This may be due to asymmetry in the relationship. Nonetheless, most current literature either assumes linearity, or ignores the turning point of the behavioral change. This results in inconclusive empirical findings at the disaggregated level of renewable energy consumption. This paper utilizes threshold estimation technique to capture the asymmetry in the renewable energy-CO2 emissions relation in the top ten renewable energy consumers covering the period 1990–2020. The literature gap is addressed by deriving the threshold effect at the aggregate and disaggregated levels to prevent aggregation bias. Understanding the thresholds of different renewable energy sources would improve policy effectiveness and resource allocation at different consumption levels to better curb climate change. The threshold estimation technique measures total renewables, hydro, solar, wind, and others (bioenergy and geothermal) as threshold variables. The findings indicate that total renewables and solar consumptions have stronger mitigating effects on CO2 emissions beyond the consumption levels of 4363.37 and 43.58 kWh, respectively. The advantageous environmental effect of wind consumption only manifests above the consumption level of 657.40 kWh. For policy implication, this study recommends an increase in the weightage of renewables in the energy mix by formulating energy-specific policies, in order to optimize the environmental benefits of renewable energy adoption.
Australian community and inpatient general public sector mental health services between 2017–18 and 2021–22: Relative stasis in bed capacity, increasing outpatient demand, and stunted expenditure
Authors: Cornell Hayden , Allison Stephen , Bastiampillai Tarun , Kisely Stephen R , Looi Jeffrey CL , Brazel Matthew
Published: November 2024

Objective

To descriptively analyse Australian public sector General Mental Health Services (GMHS) expenditure, ambulatory, and inpatient services, including key performance indicators (KPIs) in comparison with other subspeciality mental health services (MHS).

Method

We descriptively analysed data published by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW), including inpatient, ambulatory services, expenditure, and KPIs.

Results

From 2017–18 to 2021–22, per capita expenditure for Australian GMHS (18–64) rose by an average annual inflation-adjusted change of 2%. Overall bed numbers remained static, with non-acute beds declining, and commensurate expansion of acute beds. Community GMHS had high outpatient utilisation, with high rates of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar affective disorders as primary diagnoses in mid-life. From 2017–18 to 2021–22, GMHS inpatient and ambulatory episodes had decreasing rates of significant improvement and increasing rates of significant deterioration.

Conclusions

Although GMHS has the highest overall population and service utilisation, there has been static bed availability and relatively small increases in expenditure which are occurring concurrently with worsening clinical outcomes. Evidence-based modelling of GMHS and outcomes is required to inform future service improvement.
The Morality of Care: Female Family Caregivers’ Motivations for Providing Care to Older Migrants
Authors: Shrestha Sunita , Arora Sanjana , Hunter Alistair , Debesay Jonas
Published: November 2024

Finding suitable long-term care arrangements for older migrants in Europe, including Norway, has been a major concern for healthcare policymakers in the last decade. However, many older people with migrant backgrounds, and to a certain extent their descendants, often prefer that care arrangements are managed within the family. Although caring for family members may be personally satisfying, it can also be a source of distress. This study explores the motivations of care among female family caregivers of older Pakistani migrants within the Norwegian Ahmadiyya community. Our data are derived from a qualitative study including individual and group interviews with 19 female family caregivers. The study participants were aged 25–62 and resided in Norway. The interviews were conducted in Urdu and English and later transcribed verbatim in English. Our findings resulted in four main themes regarding motivations for caregiving: (1) “Who else, if not the family?”: care perceived as a family obligation; (2) The divine duty of caregiving; (3) Women are better at caregiving; and (4) “What will people say?”: fear of judgments. The intersection of culture, religion, gender, and migration shaped caregiving as a moral practice, and those providing care were considered individuals with high moral identity. The moral identity assigned to the role of family caregivers appears to exacerbate rather than alleviate the care burden on women of migrant origin. Understanding the motivations for caregiving can shed light on ways in which better support can be provided to ethnic minority families with aging members.
Integration of interdisciplinary connections between chemistry, physics, and biology in the education of secondary school students
Authors: Dyachenko Ariana , Mukanova Roza , Erkibayeva Meruert
Published: November 2024

The incorporation of interdisciplinary connections is a key element of contemporary education and plays a crucial role in the development of secondary school students. The purpose of the study is to analyze the features of the introduction and influence of interdisciplinary education on the study of physics, chemistry, and biology in the secondary school. To achieve research goals, various works of authors were used, who studied the issues of interdisciplinary connections of natural sciences, as well as such methods: generalization, survey, and axiomatic. The results of the work determined that interdisciplinary education of schoolchildren in Kazakhstan plays an important role in the development of complex and critical thinking, as well as the ability to apply knowledge in various contexts. This approach to learning integrates physics, chemistry, and biology to help students see the connections between them and apply what they have learned to real situations. As a result of the analysis, it was found that the implementation of interdisciplinary connections had a positive effect on about 90% of schoolchildren who, within the framework of this educational paradigm, learned to develop integrative abilities, the ability to see the relationship between subjects, apply analytical and creative skills, and work in a team. Moreover, the study highlighted that interdisciplinary education fostered greater student motivation and enthusiasm for learning, as it provided a more comprehensive understanding of how their subjects could be applied in practice. However, the research also identified several challenges, with the most significant being the insufficient preparation and readiness of teachers to engage in collaborative and integrated teaching activities.
Gender, Racial-Ethnic, and Cohort Effects on STEM Interests: A Fourteen-Year Comparison
Authors: Elmer John W. , Schmiedeler Anthony , Rottinghaus Patrick J. , Morris Michael L.
Published: November 2024

Gender and racial-ethnic disparities continue to exist in participation within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Because vocational interests predict career choice and educational interventions to help promote STEM interest among underrepresented groups have increased, research is needed to assess if meaningful changes have occurred with STEM-related interests, particularly among women and people of color who have historically been underrepresented in the STEM workforce. The present study examines vocational interests in large samples of college students across two cohorts who completed the Strong Interest Inventory in 2005 ( N = 6,496) and 2019 ( N = 21,146). Results indicate that STEM-related interest levels have increased both across gender (i.e., men and women) and racial-ethnic groups, specifically for Black, Latinx, Asian, and White college students over this period. Notably, STEM-related interests declined or stayed the same across cohorts for Native American students. Additionally, the gap between women and men narrowed for the Investigative General Occupational Theme and STEM-related Basic Interest Scales. Finally, these results are discussed within the context of vocational interest development and societal STEM-related initiatives and focus on increasing STEM interests among underrepresented youth living in the United States.
Charting Peptide Shared Sequences Between ‘Diabetes-Viruses’ and Human Pancreatic Proteins, Their Structural and Autoimmune Implications
Authors: James Stephen A , Joshua Istifanus A
Published: November 2024

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic syndrome characterized by hyperglycaemia, polydipsia, polyuria, and weight loss, among others. The pathophysiology for the disorders is complex and results in pancreatic abnormal function. Viruses have also been implicated in the metabolic syndrome. This study charted peptides to investigate and predict the autoimmune potential of shared sequences between 8 viral species proteins (which we termed ‘diabetes-viruses’) and the human pancreatic proteins. The structure and immunological relevance of shared sequences between viruses reported in DM onset and human pancreatic proteins were analysed. At nonapeptide mapping between human pancreatic protein and ‘diabetic-viruses’, reveal 1064 shared sequences distributed among 454 humans and 4288 viral protein sequences. The viral results showed herpesviruses, enterovirus (EV), human endogenous retrovirus, influenza A viruses, rotavirus, and rubivirus sequences are hosted by the human pancreatic protein. The most common shared nonapeptide was AAAAAAAAA, present in 30 human nonredundant sequences. Among the viral species, the shared sequence NSLEVLFQG occurred in 18 nonredundant EVs protein, while occurring merely in 1 human protein, whereas LGLDIEIAT occurred in 8 influenza A viruses overlapping to 1 human protein and KDELSEARE occurred in 2 rotaviruses. The prediction of the location of the shared sequences in the protein structures, showed most of the shared sequences are exposed and located either on the surface or cleft relative to the entire protein structure. Besides, the peptides in the viral protein shareome were predicted computationally for binding to MHC molecules. Here analyses showed that the entire 1064 shared sequences predicted 203 to be either HLA-A or B supertype-restricted epitopes. Fifty-one of the putative epitopes matched reported HLA ligands/T-cell epitopes majorly coming from EV B supertype representative allele restrictions. These data, shared sequences, and epitope charts provide important insight into the role of viruses on the onset of DM and its implications.
How can specialist investigation agencies inform system-wide learning for patient safety? A qualitative study of perspectives on the early years of the English Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch
Authors: Crompton Amanda , Waring Justin , Macrae Carl , Overton Charlotte , Benneyworth Rosie
Published: November 2024

Objectives

System-wide learning for patient safety is a core challenge for the health care sector, despite the prevalence of localised reporting and learning approaches. There is growing interest in how health care services could emulate other safety-critical sectors with the introduction of specialist safety investigation agencies to inform sector-wide safety. This paper reports on a study of the introduction and early operation of one such agency in the English health and care system.

Methods

This was a qualitative interview study carried out between 2019 and 2021 and co-designed through a partnership between University researchers and the Executive Team from the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB) to explore the organisational development of this ‘first of type’ organisation. The study involved interviews with 33 internal and external stakeholders and documentary analysis of HSIB reports.

Results

The study findings highlight the organisational competencies and developmental challenges experienced in the early years of HSIB operations focusing on (i) independence and fit within the wider system; (ii) the selection and scope of investigations; (iii) the methodology and investigation approach; and (iv) the skill and competencies of investigators.

Conclusions

This study offers practical learning to health care decision-makers about the importance of securing independence and integration, about the production of system-wide learning, the standardisation of robust methodologies and the support for a multidisciplinary specialist workforce.
The use of Language ENvironment Analysis in autism research: A systematic review
Authors: Putnam Orla C , Markfeld Jennifer E , Wright Sarah Towner , Feldman Jacob I , Goldblum Jessica , Karpinsky Maia , Neal Amanda J , Swanson Meghan R , Harrop Clare
Published: November 2024

The Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) system has been used increasingly in research to record and evaluate the everyday speech of autistic children and their families. However, it is unclear how researchers are using LENA and whether the system is well-suited for work with autistic individuals. The purpose of this systematic review is to summarize the use of LENA in autism research, to highlight the strengths and limitations of the system as identified by researchers, and to provide recommendations for future research and clinical use. Forty-two studies that used LENA with samples of autistic children were identified through a systematic database search. Researchers using LENA in autism did so across a variety of ages, settings, and analytical approaches. Most studies used LENA within recommended guidelines. The most common purpose of using LENA was for exploratory research. Noted strengths of the LENA system included ecological validity, cost-effectiveness, and timely clinical feedback. Limitations included lower rates of speaker identification compared to human coders and limited information regarding speech context and language development. This systematic review provides key insights into the methods surrounding LENA use in autism research and serves to inform researchers and clinicians on best practices for future use with this technology.

Lay abstract

In research, language ability has historically been measured using structured tasks in laboratory settings. In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on the need to instead capture language ability in an individual’s natural setting (i.e. through social interaction or in their home). Considering natural language may be particularly important for the autistic population, as an autistic child’s language ability can be very different depending on the setting. One common tool for capturing natural language is the LENA recording system, which takes audio recordings over long periods of time and provides estimates of children’s and caregivers’ speech. The purpose of this systematic review is to summarize the use of LENA in autism research, to highlight the strengths and limitations of the system as identified by researchers, and to provide recommendations for future research and clinical use. We identified 42 autism studies that used LENA in a variety of ways and settings. Most studies used LENA within the guidelines put forth by its creators, and it was most commonly used to understand speech or speech development for autistic children. LENA is a useful tool for clinicians and caregivers to gain some insights into child speech, but those considering using it should be aware of concerns about its accuracy and limitations about the information it provides. In this review, we supplement the official LENA guidelines with specific suggestions for use with the autistic population.
Abolition, scholar-activism, and deterrence: Reflections on Tommie Shelby’s The Idea of Abolition
Authors: Murphy Colleen
Published: November 2024

In The Idea of Prison Abolition, philosopher Tommie Shelby critically analyzes the case for prison abolition advanced by scholar-activists such as Angela Davis. Abolition is understood as the dismantling and permanent abandonment of incarceration as a method of responding to a social problem like crime. In Shelby's view, abolitionists do not successfully show that prisons must be abolished. Prisons for him retain a necessary and morally defensible function: preventing serious crime. In my commentary, I first suggest that Shelby implicitly evaluates some of Davis's arguments on the terms of success of a scholar, not those of a scholar-activist, and does not consider an objection to his conclusions that scholar-activists are likely to raise. Second, I problematize the basis for Shelby's claim that punishment remains necessary to prevent the most serious crimes.
Predicting Pediatric Genetic Epilepsy Through Electronic Medical Records: A Data-Driven Biomarker Discovery Approach
Authors: Li Yi
Published: November 2024

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Responding to Life Itself: A Proposed Understanding of Domain, Goal and Interventions for Chaplaincy in a Secular Age
Authors: Smit Job , Schuhmann Carmen , Damen Annelieke
Published: November 2024

In this article, we present a model of chaplaincy in a secular age which includes, in one coherent system: domain, goal and an intervention pathway. The domain is presented as the process of “responding to life itself”. A corresponding goal of chaplaincy is considered in the context of “existential well-being”. This goal can be achieved through the proposed “The Ritual Bath Model” based on these new defined concepts.