bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Supported accommodations for people with serious mental disorders: Care pathways and predictors of age of entry and length of stay
Authors: Pedrosa Bárbara , Cardoso Graça , Azeredo-Lopes Sofia , Gonçalves-Pereira Manuel , Aluh Deborah , Grigaitė Ugnė , Dias Margarida , Silva Manuela , Caldas-de-Almeida José
Published: September 2024

Introduction:

Supported accommodations (SAs) are key components of community mental health care, but little is known about residents’ care pathways. This study analysed the care pathways of residents of SAs, and factors associated with their age of entry and length of stay.

Methods:

A random sample of SAs’ residents in Portugal was interviewed and a questionnaire was specifically developed to assess their care pathways. Associations between sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, age of entry and length of stay, were analysed using hierarchical regression.

Results:

Overall, 213 residents of 43 different SAs participated. Their mean age was 55 years. Most were male, single, pensioners and had early-onset psychotic disorders. On average, they integrated the current SA at around 50 years old and had a 4.5 year length of stay. Most participants had been in another SA before (35.0% in more supported, 33.8% in less supported and 6.3% in similarly supported SAs).

Conclusions:

Findings suggest that residents spend several years in the residential pathway, with a significant proportion moving to more supported SAs. This calls for increasing the number of SAs with different typologies and developing coordinated community supports.
The mitigating role of social capital on the association between food insecurity and psychological distress among Chinese adults
Authors: Qi Xiang , Pei Yaolin , Li Gen , Liu Yuming , Tang Weiming , Hall Brian J , Wu Bei
Published: September 2024

Background:

Food insecurity, a pervasive global issue exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has been linked to adverse mental health outcomes. However, the role of social capital in mitigating this relationship remains understudied, particularly in the Chinese context.

Aims:

This study investigated the associations between food insecurity and psychological distress (depressive and anxiety symptoms) and examined the potential moderating effects of bonding and bridging social capital among Chinese adults in Shanghai.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study included 3,220 Chinese adults (mean age: 34.45; 51.5% male) in Shanghai. Food insecurity was assessed using the modified Household Food Insecurity Access Scale, psychological distress was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, and social capital was evaluated using the Revised Personal Social Capital Scale.

Results:

Multivariable linear regression analyses revealed that food insecurity was significantly positively associated with both depressive (β = 0.449, SE = 0.024) and anxiety symptoms (β = 0.391, SE = 0.022), after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, health status, and COVID-19-related factors. Higher levels of bonding and bridging social capital were significantly associated with fewer depressive and anxiety symptoms. Significant interactions ( p < .001) between bonding social capital and food insecurity indicated that the associations between food insecurity and psychological distress were less pronounced among adults with higher bonding social capital.

Conclusions:

These findings highlight the critical role of food insecurity as a risk factor for psychological distress and the importance of bonding social capital in mitigating its impact on mental health. Policies and interventions targeting food insecurity prevention and bonding social capital enhancement may promote better mental health outcomes among Chinese adults.
Risk and protective factors for suicidal ideation among Saudi adolescents: A network analysis
Authors: El Keshky Mogeda El Sayed
Published: September 2024

Background:

Suicide is among the leading cause of death in adolescence and suicidal ideation is its most critical precursor. Suicidal ideation being a complex phenomenon involving multiple factors, this study aimed to use network analysis to depict the interplay of risk and protective factors for suicidal ideation.

Methods:

An online survey was conducted with 614 Saudi adolescents (mean age = 16.16, SD = 1.88, range = 12–18, 61% female). Participants completed instruments to assess suicidal ideation, bullying victimization and perpetration, psychache, family cohesion and adaptability, positive parenting, and multidimensional social support. A psychological network analysis was estimated to determine the most central risk and protective factors for suicidal ideation.

Results:

As per strength and expected influence centrality, the risk factors that were central were psychache and bullying victimization, and the central protective factors were family cohesion and support from significant other. The network analysis showed that other factors directly connected with suicidal ideation were bullying perpetration, family adaptability, positive parenting, support from family, and support from friends.

Conclusion:

This network study highlights the importance of addressing both risk and protective factors in an attempt to deal with suicidal ideation. The findings suggest that interventions targeting psychological pain, bullying, and family bonds may be crucial in the treatment and prevention of suicidal ideation among adolescents.
Discontinuity of psychiatric care among patients with bipolar disorder in the Netherlands
Authors: van der Lee Arnold PM , Hoogendoorn Adriaan , Kupka Ralp , Haan Lieuwe de , Beekman Aartjan TF
Published: September 2024

Background:

Patients with bipolar disorder benefit from guidelines recommended continuous community-oriented psychiatric and somatic healthcare, but often discontinue psychiatric care.

Aims:

The first objective was to identify predictive factors of discontinuity of psychiatric care among patients who had received psychiatric care. The second objective was to examine if practice variation in discontinuity of psychiatric care existed between providers of psychiatric care.

Method:

Registry healthcare data were used in a retrospective cohort study design using logistic regression models to examine potential predictive factors of discontinuity of care. Patient-related predictive factors were: age, sex, urbanization, and previous treatment (type and amount of psychiatric care, alcohol, and opioid treatment). Patients already diagnosed with bipolar disorder were selected if they received psychiatric care in December 2014 to January 2015. Discontinuity of psychiatric care was measured over 2016.

Results:

A total of 2,355 patients with bipolar disorder were included. In 12.1% discontinuity of care occurred in 2016. Discontinuity was associated with younger age and less outpatient care over 2013 to 2014. Discontinuity of patients who received all eight quarters outpatient care including BD medication was very low at 4%. The final model contained: age, type of psychiatric care, and amount of outpatient care in 2013 to 2014. Practice variation among providers appeared negligible.

Conclusions:

The (mental) health service in the Netherlands has few financial or other barriers toward continuity of care for patients with severe mental disorders, such as bipolar disorder. An active network of providers, aim to standardize care. This seems successful. However, 12% discontinuity per year remains problematic and more detailed data on those most at risk to drop out of treatment are necessary.
Relevance of Dipo Womanhood Rites as a Social Control Mechanism Among People of Yilo-Krobo in the Eastern Region of Ghana
Authors: Asubonteng-Manu Edward , Kyei-Gyamfi Sylvester , Boamah Abrah Prince , Abutima Theophilus
Published: September 2024

This study based on Dipo rites was carried out in Yilo-Krobo Municipality in the Eastern region of Ghana among 350 young people aged 15–24, using mixed methods. The findings show that girls who have not done Dipo are less likely than their initiated counterparts to have sex before marriage. The study also shows that although Dipo is an old custom, it still influences sexual behaviours among young people in the study area. The study concludes that Dipo contributes positively to maintaining young people’s healthy sexual behaviour. It is suggested awareness-raising, and sensitization efforts be intensified in light of this.
Drafting restraint: Are military recruitment policies associated with interstate conflict initiation?
Authors: Margulies Max Z
Published: September 2024

Are countries that use conscription more restrained in their use of military force? A common argument holds that military conscription restrains leaders from using force because it increases the political cost of war and distributes them more evenly and broadly across the population. Despite this intuition, empirical evidence to support it is at best inconclusive. This article introduces a novel perspective on the relationship between military recruitment (MR) policies and conflict initiation (CI) by arguing that the military’s size relative to society – its military participation rate (MPR) – is an important and overlooked part of this story. MPR is a more direct measure of the population’s exposure to the costs of war, but high MPR may also increase CI by enhancing military capacity. By incorporating MPR into the analysis of CI, both independently and in interaction with conscription, this article provides a more comprehensive understanding of how MR practices shape CI. It tests these new hypotheses about the relationship between MPR, conscription and CI using a variety of time-series models that cover all country-years from 1816 to 2011. The findings do not support the conventional wisdom, instead revealing that neither conscription nor volunteerism is independently associated with restrained initiation of military conflicts abroad. On the contrary, these recruitment practices are more likely to be associated with an increase in the likelihood of CI. These findings indicate that we should be skeptical of traditional arguments that assume conscription leads to restraint in the use of force, either independently or conditional on MPR. These counterintuitive results underscore the need for additional research on the complex relationship between MR practices, civil–military relations and foreign policy.
Finding Hope in Finnish Parents Following the Traumatic Death of Their Child
Authors: Mohamed Hussin Nur Atikah , Aho Anna Liisa , Kylmä Jari
Published: September 2024

Hope is a complex and ever-evolving personal phenomenon that plays a vital role in individuals’ abilities to cope with stressful events. This is particularly true for parents who are coping with the traumatic loss of a child. However, the topic of hope in this context is often inadequately addressed. The primary objective of this paper is to gain insight into the hope held by Finnish parents following the traumatic loss of a child. This qualitative study unfolded in two phases. A total of 117 participants took part in the study, including 108 females, 5 males, and 4 individuals who chose not to disclose their sex. Subsequently, 17 parents participated in in-depth phone interviews. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify key themes. Several themes emerged from the analysis, including the endurance of hope amidst uncertainty, the hope for a reunion based on faith, hope directed towards family members, and moments of hopelessness regarding the future. The findings of this research are pivotal in enhancing our comprehension of the challenges faced by grieving parents in the aftermath of a child’s traumatic death. Moreover, this study holds significant relevance for professionals who work with bereaved parents following the traumatic loss of a child.
Efficient fabric anomaly detection: A transfer learning framework with expedited training times
Authors: Simon Thomine , Hichem Snoussi
Published: September 2024

In industrial quality control, anomaly detection plays a critical role in identifying defective products. However, because of the rarity and time-consuming nature of defect collection, training models often rely solely on defect-free samples. This necessitates the use of unsupervised anomaly-detection techniques trained exclusively on defect-free data. Alternatively, defect data can be synthesized to augment the dataset with defective samples. In the textile industry, expeditious model training is crucial to ensure a smooth production flow. Unfortunately, most unsupervised methods require extensive training time. This paper proposes a novel transfer learning approach designed to achieve training times in seconds while effectively adapting the model to the target domain of fabric anomaly detection. The key contributions of our method include significantly reduced training times, up to 10 times faster than current state-of-the-art methods, and comparable performance in anomaly detection, achieving results on par with state-of-the-art approaches on benchmark datasets (MVTEC Anomaly Detection, TILDA, AITEX and DAGM). Additionally, our approach improves inference times, ensuring expedited and efficient anomaly detection during production. The proposed method offers a practical and efficient solution for real-time industrial quality control.
The governance of public space by legally unique bodies: A case study of Vancouver’s Granville Island
Authors: Flynn Alexandra , Stevenson-Blythe Claire
Published: September 2024

This article focuses on the governance of Granville Island, a former industrial stretch of land that operates as an arts destination abutting the City of Vancouver’s waterfront. While Granville Island might look like any other neighbourhood in Vancouver, it is in fact owned and managed by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, a federal agency, on behalf of the Government of Canada. This article examines what it means, democratically speaking, for the federal government to operate public space in a city. Public entities are each legally unique, raising questions as to how they and their relationships with other entities can be understood, evaluated and adjudicated. This article animates how public entities are understood under Canadian law by demonstrating the difficulty in crafting inclusive, participatory governance models that respond to the many interests involved in public space, especially spaces that are explicitly identified as ‘innovative’. Drawing on qualitative data and document review, the article highlights the manner in which Granville Island has been structured and operated by the federal government, its singular focus on commerce and tourism and its weak commitments to accountability, transparency and representation. Granville Island is rendered ‘invisible’ in its governance: it blends into the urban form as though part of the City of Vancouver, while at the same time lacking in accountability, transparency and representation. We conclude that while Granville Island governs public space, making it seem like a neighbourhood in a municipality, it cannot be conceptualised as a ‘democratic body’.
Impact of Intolerance of Uncertainty on Depression in College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Coping Strategies as Mediators
Authors: Wan Peng , Hu Jinsheng , Su Chang , Li Qi
Published: September 2024

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and associated infection control measures have introduced significant uncertainty, and the unbearable nature of this uncertainty has heightened the risk of mental health issues among college students. This study aimed to assess the impact of unbearable uncertainty during the COVID-19 pandemic on college students’ depression and investigate the mediating role of coping strategies between unbearable uncertainty and depression. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 714 Chinese university students using the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale (IUS-12), Brief Coping Style Questionnaire, and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). SPSS PROCESS was used for the partial correlation analyses and structural equation modeling. (1) Negative coping strategies were significantly positively correlated with intolerable uncertainty and depressive symptoms, while positive coping strategies were negatively correlated with both intolerable uncertainty and depressive symptoms. Intolerable uncertainty was significantly and positively correlated with depressive symptoms. (2) Intolerance to uncertainty significantly predicted depressive symptoms. Both negative and positive coping strategies played parallel mediating roles in the relationship between unbearable uncertainty and depressive symptoms among college students. This study found that coping strategies played a mediating role in the relationship between unbearable uncertainty and depression during the pandemic in 2019. Future research and interventions should focus on enhancing tolerance of uncertainty and promoting positive coping strategies.
Occupational Stress and Burnout Among Healthcare Workers in Saudi Arabia During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Abdel-Azeem Amro , Alshowair Abdulmajeed , Alshora Esam , Alotaibi Malak , Alruhaimi Faisal , Tolba Ali , Alshahrani Saad , Amer Samar
Published: September 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a lot of stress for healthcare personnel. They are subjected to arduous and stressful working hours and may contract infection. The objectives of this study were to (i) assess the level of occupational stress and the prevalence of burnout among healthcare workers (HCWs) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic and (ii) to identify some sociodemographic characteristics and work-related factors that may influence the level of stress and burnout among such HCWs. An online survey was distributed on social media websites and groups of HCWs in KSA. The survey depended on the stress domain of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and the work-related burnout domain of Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI). Data were collected using a Google form and then analyzed. Among 478 respondents, 37.7% of studied HCWs reported mild to extremely severe stress, and 47.9% of them reported work-related burnout. Occupational stress and burnout were more prevalent among front-line HCWs (43.9% and 55%) than among second-line HCWs (31.2% and 40.8%). The mean scores of occupational stress and burnout were significantly much higher among frontline physicians and nurses particularly those who are females, of younger age (≤40 years), with few years of work experience (≤15 years), being married, having chronic disease, and those previously infected by COVID-19. HCWs reported a high prevalence of occupational stress and burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic. Establishing policies and guidelines, enhancing working conditions, and providing continuous psychological support and assurance to HCWs are recommended to improve their resilience and increase their coping capacities toward pandemics.
Night cooling by hybrid ventilation – analytical predictions of the purge time
Authors: Waterson Matthew , Hunt Gary R
Published: September 2024

Many low-energy buildings rely on a night purge strategy during periods of excessively warm weather in order to flush out excess heat and thereby help prevent overheating on the following day. A typical purge utilises either a mechanical or a natural displacement ventilation strategy. However, we investigate purging by the simultaneous application of natural and mechanical ventilation, i.e. using a hybrid strategy. Hybrid ventilation is widely promoted as a means of overcoming the inherent limitations of both natural and mechanical ventilation, although relatively little is understood about its operation on a fundamental level. Such was the lack of knowledge on hybrid ventilation that even the time taken to complete a purge was not known at the outset of this work. Through the development of a mathematical model, supported by a series of laboratory experiments, we show that the time taken to purge a room using hybrid ventilation can be established analytically, and is controlled by two ratios: (i) the flow rate of the mechanical supply (the ‘forcing’) relative to the initial flow rate through the vents in the absence of mechanical forcing, and (ii) the ratio of the floor-level and ceiling-level vent areas. The analytical predictions show close agreement with our measurements. Supplementing a natural displacement ventilation strategy with even a modest mechanical supply can reduce significantly the time taken to purge warm air from a room. Some of the implications of our findings for preventing overheating in buildings by increasing the efficacy of a night cooling strategy are discussed. Practical Application This research is directly applicable to practitioners involved in the first-order design of hybrid ventilation systems – particularly designs which incorporate a ‘night purge’ regime. Governing equations are derived and the key parameters controlling the rate of purging of warm air are revealed, allowing informed first-order design decisions to be made without the need for expensive and time-consuming computational simulations.
Crafting alternative work organisations: Paradoxes of workplace democracy and emancipation in worker-buyout cooperatives
Authors: Bretos Ignacio , Ridley-Duff Rory , Wren David
Published: September 2024

Drawing on an interpretative study primarily based on two waves of interviews, the authors traced two cooperativisation experiences over 10 years from an actor-centred approach. The shift to worker ownership did not automatically lead to workplace democratisation and workers’ emancipation. Indeed, the early development of the cooperativisation experiences was marked by internal conflict and worker-owners’ dissatisfaction. Over time, a paradoxical alternative workplace was consolidated, in which worker-owners’ emancipation was ultimately sustained through the exploitation of non-member employees. The study makes a twofold contribution to the cooperativisation literature. First, it moves beyond utopian or sceptical perspectives to provide a more nuanced view of worker-buyout co-ops, emphasising the paradoxical nature of their emancipatory potential. Second, the study’s longitudinal analysis of co-ops formed out of financially sound firms, rather than bankrupted ones, advances knowledge of the diversity of cooperativisation experiences and the mechanisms that contribute to the longevity and sustainability of worker-buyout co-ops.
Connectivity as productivity: Workplace from Meta and organizational datafication
Authors: Bagger Christoffer
Published: September 2024

If social media are generally considered workplace distractions, how does Meta promote their enterprise social medium, Workplace? Analyzing Meta’s corporate communication, I explore their emphasis on “connectivity” as Workplace’s key selling point, aligning with existing research on Meta’s self-construction. Highlighting three pertinent themes in the corporate communication, I explore how Workplace is promised to (1) subsume the gray media of corporate life (2) turn companies into communities where workers share information boundlessly, even about their personal lives and (3) that these streams of communicative data are ultimately used as a datafied proxy for corporate health via Workplace. I propose that the productivity claimed to result from Workplace’s connectivity hinges on a subtle merging of personal and professional aspects in employees’ lives, which is in line with broader Silicon Valley trends and Meta’s own organizational image. I discuss the implications and limitations of these findings.
Externalization Beyond “Immigration Risk”? UK Borderwork Creep in Africa and its Cumulative Rippling Effects
Authors: Ostrand Nicole
Published: September 2024

This article examines UK “borderwork creep” into ever more sites in states across Africa and considers how it is transformed and produced by practitioners on the ground. The aim is to go beyond research focusing on the EU and Northern and Western Africa to show the more expansive and, in some cases, unexpected reach of UK borderwork. Drawing on interviews, documentary research, and freedom of information requests, I find UK-funded “training” and “capacity building” in 17 African states. This creep, in many cases, is driven less by the UK perceptions of “immigration risk” and more by opportunism based on African counterparts’ interests and the ability of UK immigration liaison officers to establish relationships on the ground. This complicates conventional narratives, and government claims, where externalization is largely seen as a response to perceived “migration crises” and increases in “unwanted” and illegalized mobility. The paper adds to the rich and growing body of research on externalization in Africa by attuning specifically to the productive role of relationships and cumulative dimensions, which have received limited attention to-date. It does so by proposing the metaphor of rippling to better highlight how previous actions and interactions build on each other and spread outward, generating new actions. The result is UK borderwork diffused and distanced from the original goals of externalized migration control.
Resilient parents; resilient kids: How parental self-awareness is critical to helping smart kids thrive
Authors: Post Gail
Published: September 2024

Resilience, or the ability to bounce back from hardship, has been studied extensively and identified as a protective factor against negative long-term physical and mental health outcomes. Most research has addressed the child’s resilience in the face of adversity; however, the parent’s capacity for resilience has received limited attention. Parents of gifted children, in particular, face unique stressors that differ from those observed among families of typically developing children; an unanticipated degree of parental resilience is often required in response to the gifted child’s cognitive, social, and emotional needs. In this article, factors that contribute to resilience among gifted children and their parents are reviewed. It is proposed that parental resilience directly affects the child’s well-being and that increased self-awareness enhances the parent’s capacity for greater emotional availability, patience, tolerance, and resilience. In essence, parental resilience is a necessary component for fostering resilience in the child.
Wasting and wanting: An extractive supply chain approach to outer space geographies
Authors: Klinger Julie Michelle , Armstrong Eleanor , Richaud Romain
Published: September 2024

This article conceptualizes outer space geographies through the Earthly geographies of extractive supply chains, focusing on mines and discarded electronics (e-waste), in order to examine the material relations through which contemporary human engagements with outer space are being produced. It considers the emergence of billionaires-turned-astronauts within the waste-making practices of supply chain capitalism, critiquing this as a particularly stark example of the politics of sacrifice that need to be centered in debates concerning the present and future of human engagements with outer space. Drawing together literatures on waste, discard, supply chains, and frontiers, and informed by fieldwork in several mining and launch sites on four continents, the article argues that waste-making on Earth is constitutive of a set of contemporary space activities and shapes the manner in which the immensity of the cosmos is understood and engaged by diverse publics. It concludes by reflexively examining the potential epistemic violence of waste-making as a spatial analytic to link Earthly and outer space geographies.
Geographies of missing data: Spatializing counterdata production against feminicide
Authors: D’Ignazio Catherine , Cruxên Isadora , Martinez Cuba Angeles , Suárez Val Helena , Dogan Amelia , Ansari Natasha
Published: September 2024

Feminicide is the gender-related killing of cisgender and transgender women and girls. It reflects patriarchal and racialized systems of oppression and reveals how territories and socio-economic landscapes configure everyday gender-related violence. In recent decades, many grassroots data production initiatives have emerged with the aim of monitoring this extreme but invisibilized phenomenon. We bridge scholarship in feminist and information geographies with data feminism to examine the ways in which space, broadly defined, shapes the counterdata production strategies of feminicide data activists. Drawing on a qualitative study of 33 monitoring efforts led by civil society organizations across 15 countries, primarily in Latin America, we provide a conceptual framework for examining the spatial dimensions of data activism. We show how there are striking transnational patterns related to where feminicide goes unrecorded, resulting in geographies of missing data. In response to these omissions, activists deploy multiple spatialized strategies to make these geographies visible, to situate and contextualize each case of feminicide, to reclaim databases as spaces for memory and witnessing, and to build transnational networks of solidarity. In this sense, we argue that data activism about feminicide constitutes a space of resistance and resignification of everyday forms of gender-related violence.
Study on the microstructure, mechanical and corrosion behaviors of 2A12 Al matrix composites containing B4C and 50% K2TiF6 flux
Authors: Cai Yuxiang , Khan Muhammad Abubaker , Yao Weili , Wang Jinjun , Dai Shang , Afifi Mohamed A , Li Jingyuan
Published: September 2024

This study presents an innovative exploration into the development and characterization of boron carbide (B4C) reinforced aluminum (Al) metal matrix composites (AMMCs), specifically focusing on the 2A12 Al alloy. Utilizing a cutting-edge vacuum induction melting process, the research investigates the effects of varying B4C particle concentrations in conjunction with 50% K2TiF6 flux additions. This novel approach aims to enhance the microstructural integrity, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance of the AMMCs. The research unveils a significant improvement in microhardness and tensile strength with the increase of B4C content. This enhancement is attributed to the efficient load transfer mechanism from the aluminum matrix to the B4C phase and the thermal expansion coefficient mismatch-induced dislocations. A critical finding of this study is the uniform distribution of B4C particles and the formation of a Ti-rich layer around these particles, facilitated by the K2TiF6 flux. This layer acts as a barrier, minimizing interfacial reactions. Electrochemical testing reveals that there is a slight decrease in corrosion resistance with increased B4C content. The outcomes of this research contribute to the field of metal matrix composites, offering a path forward for the application of B4C-reinforced AMMCs in demanding industrial environments where high strength, stiffness, and durability are critical. The study's findings open new avenues for advanced materials development in aerospace, automotive, and energy sectors.
Place and mobility in Wales: Challenges and opportunities for reducing car use in a car-dependent, low-density country
Authors: Calafati Luca , Froud Julie , Haslam Colin , Johal Sukhdev , Williams Karel
Published: September 2024

The related concepts of 15‐minute city and 20‐minute neighbourhood have gained increased attention, contributing to planning and transport strategies and policies in many cities with the objectives of reducing car use, boosting local economies, improving liveability of places and the health of those who live there. However, there has been relatively little consideration of whether and how the 15/20‐minute place concept can be applied beyond world cities to the towns and suburbs where many people live. Taking the example of Wales, the paper develops empirical analysis to explore the nature of and variation in car-dependence in a range of different places, from densely populated city centres to residential suburbs and small towns. This analysis shows that the potential for developing more liveable, less car-dependent places exists not only in central cities but in some smaller places where there is a resident live-work population and relatively short commuting distances. For places like Wales, which has already incorporated the 15/20‐minute place ideal into its planning framework and transport strategy, the aspiration to reduce car dependency will require policies that reflect the very different starting points in Welsh places.
Increased peripheral leukocyte aggravates brain injury and leads to poor outcome in stroke patients receiving intravenous thrombolysis: A study based on clinical evidence
Authors: Zhang Ke-Jia , Qu Yang , Abuduxukuer Reziya , Zhang Peng , Zhang Yu , Gao Jian-Hua , Zhang Xian-Kun , Liu Xiao-Dong , Li Chun-Ying , Li Guang-Cai , Wang Jun-Min , Jin Hui-Min , He Ying , Jiang Li-Gang , Liu Liang , Jiang Yongfei , Teng Rui-Hong , Jia Yan , Zhang Bai-Jing , Chen Zhi-Bo , Qi Yingbin , Liu Xiu-Ping , Li Song , Nguyen Thanh N , Yang Yi , Guo Zhen-Ni ,   on behalf of the Biomarkers of Brain Injury Investigator Study Group, Wang Li-Juan , Chen Yu-Mei , Zheng Yang , Yuan Zhi-Mei , Ju Dong-Sheng , Ba Yun-Fei , Chen Jin-Hua , Gu Ji-Liang , Wang An-Ying , Zhao Li-Li , Dong Chen-Peng , Liu Li , Pei Zhong-Rui , Yu Shuang , Liu Xue , Jiang Chun-Li , He Ling , Zhang Xun-Juan
Published: September 2024

Whether the dynamic development of peripheral inflammation aggravates brain injury and leads to poor outcome in stroke patients receiving intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), remains unclear and warrants further study. In this study, total of 1034 patients with acute ischemic stroke who underwent IVT were enrolled. Serum leukocyte variation (whether increase from baseline to 24 h after IVT), National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), infarct volume, early neurologic deterioration (END), the unfavorable outcome at 3-month (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score ≥3) and mortality were recorded. Serum brain injury biomarkers, including Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), ubiquitin c-terminal hydrolase L1 (UCH-L1), S100 β, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), were measured to reflect the extent of brain injury. We found that patients with increased serum leukocytes had elevated brain injury biomarkers (GFAP, UCH-L1, and S100 β), larger infarct volume, higher 24 h NIHSS, higher proportion of END, unfavorable outcome and mortality. Furthermore, an increase in serum leukocytes was independently associated with infarct volume, 24 h NIHSS, END, and unfavorable outcome at 3 months, and serum UCH-L1, S100 β, and NSE levels. These results suggest that an increase in serum leukocytes indicates severe brain injury and may be used to predict the outcome of patients with ischemic stroke who undergo IVT.
The Future of Marketing and Marketing Education
Authors: Grewal Dhruv , Guha Abhijit , Beccacece Satornino Cinthia , Becker Marc
Published: September 2024

Employers expect university graduates seeking entry-level marketing jobs to be well-versed in contemporary topics, such as sustainable development, digital marketing, big data, analytics, and the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in both traditional and contemporary marketing domains. Because many of today’s cutting-edge technological advances are deeply relevant to marketing, marketing educators must reconsider how they prepare marketing students to enter the technology-enabled world and workforce. The authors propose that marketing educators adapt their teaching of foundational marketing concepts to reflect the technology-augmented marketing era. Such reconsiderations span multiple arenas, including how classes are conducted, which topics are covered, how assignments are crafted, and how technology—and AI and generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) in particular—will transform future marketing roles. The authors also suggest ways educators can modify and reimagine existing marketing courses to prepare students for a successful entry into technology-enabled marketing jobs, as exemplified with some sample class assignments.
Antibiotic prescription patterns in the emergency department of a tertiary healthcare center in Nepal: a descriptive cross-sectional study
Authors: Basnet Samjhana , Koju Pramesh , Silwal Prabhat , Karki Aashish , Mainali Sumina , Sapkota Prakash , Madhup Surendra Kumar , Shrestha Sanu Krishna
Published: September 2024

Objective

To describe antibiotic prescription patterns in the emergency department (ED) of a tertiary healthcare center in Nepal.

Methods

This was a descriptive cross-sectional study of hospital records of patients who visited the ED.

Results

Of the 758 ED patients included in the study, 384 (50.6%) received a total of 536 antibiotic prescriptions. Common indications for antibiotic prescriptions included respiratory infection (37.5%), gastrointestinal infection (19.3%), urinary infection (10.4%), and prophylaxis (29.9%). Antibiotics listed as essential in the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) and generic formulations were used in 77.1% and 61.9% of the antibiotic prescriptions, respectively. Injectable antibiotics were prescribed to 54.9% of the 384 patients. Frequently prescribed antibiotics included ceftriaxone (34.1%), metronidazole (18.5%), amoxicillin + clavulanic acid (15.9%), and cefixime (14.3%). Bacterial culture testing was performed in 15.1% of the patients who received antibiotics.

Conclusions

This study showed that overuse of antibiotics, prescription of branded antibiotics, prescription of antibiotics not listed in the NLEM, prophylactic use of antibiotics, and empirical treatment of suspected infections without isolation of pathogens were all prevalent. We recommend more research to determine the causes underlying these practices and develop interventions to limit such practices.
Novel experimental method to simulate reduction behaviour of burden in blast furnace shaft
Authors: Wang Guang , Wang Xu , Yi Qingshan , Lyu Binbin , Wang Jingsong , Xue Qingguo
Published: September 2024

In order to evaluate the effects of CO and H2 for the gas–solid reaction behaviour of the ferrous burden and coke in blast furnace shaft, a near-steady-state simulation test method of the blast furnace shaft was designed. The reduction behaviour of the ferrous burden, carbon solution loss reaction under different temperatures and atmospheres, and the effect of hydrogen enrichment on the CO gas utilisation ratio were investigated. The results show that above 830 °C, the reduction degrees of different ferrous burden structures under H2 atmosphere are higher than that under CO atmosphere. Better reduction degradation behaviour could be obtained under the hydrogen-rich atmosphere. The H2O generated under H2 atmosphere could promote the carbon solution loss reaction. The solution loss ratio reaching the maximum at 950 °C. Under hydrogen-rich atmosphere, CO gas utilisation ratio increased with the increased H2 concentration due to the effects of the products H2O and CO2.
Police Job Stress, Workload and Burnout in Nigeria: The Tired and Frustrated Cops
Authors: Ugwuoke Cyril O. , Stephen Monday O. , Ugwueze Michael I. , Onah Vincent C. , Akwaji Fidelis
Published: September 2024

Job stress is a critical factor of concern in police work across the world. While frustrations, exhaustion and emotional burnout in work places, particularly as they relate to police job, have been academically emphasized in more advanced climes, they are marginally addressed in less developed societies like Nigeria. Thus, this paper examines the psychological and physical impacts of job stress, workload, and burnout among police officers in Nigeria. Using a nation-wide cross-sectional survey involving 528 police personnel, this paper notes that the police in Nigeria work longer hours than normal, including working under tensions with poor logistics that expose them to dangers on regular basis. This increases their level of frustrations, exhaustion and emotional burnout in work places besides greatly impacting their service delivery. To ensure effective performance of the police in an atmosphere of increasing complex crime networks, therefore, the study recommends clear strategies for improving police wellbeing.
GIScience I: The rise, fragmentation, and future of VGI
Authors: Fast Victoria
Published: September 2024

Since the inception of volunteered geographic information in 2007, this area of study has seen a proliferation of terms and concepts representing diverse forms of user-generated geographic data and systems. Despite the rich development of VGI (volunteered geographic information) in geography, recent trends indicate a disjointed research field. This progress report critically examines the trajectory of VGI, mapping its journey from an emergent set of practices to a fragmented research domain. Moving forward, it is up to the research community to either reignite the interaction and integration required to build a subdiscipline of GIScience or allow this research domain to extinguish.
Not just a ‘nice to have’: Team compassionate care behaviours and patient safety
Authors: Wang Karyn L , de Montemas William , Dey Shanta , Johnson Anya , Nguyen Helena , Tuqiri Karen , Crawford Barb , Murray Suzanne
Published: September 2024

The experience of suffering is ubiquitous in healthcare facilities, but against this backdrop, is compassion a ‘nice to have’ or does it also affect patient safety? This article uses mixed methods across two studies to understand team compassionate care behaviours as a shared unit property and its association with patient safety outcomes. Using data from 188 healthcare teams, Study 1 finds that team compassionate care behaviours mediated the relationship between team psychological safety and fewer patient hospital-associated infections. Furthermore, the positive relationship between team psychological safety and team compassionate care behaviours was weakened when team workload demands were high. In Study 2, we interviewed 25 nurses to understand the experiences and gain further insights into the relationships between the focal variables. Together, our findings provide evidence that compassion emerges at the team level, is driven by team antecedents, moderated by team environments and tangibly affects patient safety.

JEL Classification: M00
A male-specific mechanism of meningeal nociceptor sensitization promoting migraine headache
Authors: Kopruszinski Caroline M. , Lee Grace , Martin Laurent K. , Barber Kara R. , Moutal Aubin , Dodick David W. , Navratilova Edita , Porreca Frank
Published: September 2024

Background

We wished to explore possible sexual dimorphism in mechanisms sensitizing or activating meningeal nociceptors that can promote the headache phase of migraine.

Methods

Male and female C57BL6J mice received either supradural orexin B and an inflammatory mediator cocktail (IM) with migraine-like pain behaviors and photophobia recorded. Expression of orexin 2 receptor (OX2R) in trigeminal ganglion (TG) and phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) levels in trigeminal nucleus caudalis (TNC) were evaluated. Orexin B-induced excitability of TG cells was assessed with patch-clamp electrophysiology. Intranasal delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 plasmids was used to edit the expression of OX2R in the TG.

Results

Supradural orexin B induced migraine-like pain behaviors, photophobia and increased TNC ERK phosphorylation exclusively in males. Blockade of orexin signaling with supradural suvorexant, a dual orexin receptor antagonist, prevented, but did not reverse, migraine-like pain in males induced by supradural IM cocktail. OX2R expression was higher in male TG and orexin B increased TG neuron excitability in males. Intranasal OX2R CRISPR/Cas9 reduced TG receptor expression and orexin B-induced TNC ERK phosphorylation and prevented migraine-like pain induced by supradural orexin B in males.

Conclusions

Our studies reveal a male-specific mechanism of TG nociceptor sensitization and migraine-like pain behavior mediated by orexin B/OX2R signaling. Sexually dimorphic mechanisms of trigeminal nociceptor sensitization and activation offer opportunities to improve patient outcomes by considering patient sex and may influence clinical trial design and interpretation.
Implication of IL-12A, IL-12B, IL-6, and TNF single-nucleotide polymorphisms in severity and susceptibility to COVID-19
Authors: Benmansour R. , Tagajdid M. R. , Lahlou I. A , Oumzil H. , El Hamzaoui H. , Fjouji S. , Doghmi N. , Houba A. , Elkochri S. , Aabi R. , Elannaz H. , Laraqui A. , El Mchichi B. , Touil N. , Ennibi K. , Bouhouche A.
Published: September 2024

Background

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to significant global morbidity and mortality. Understanding the genetic factors that influence disease outcomes can provide critical insights into pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the potential correlation between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Interleukin 12 Subunit Alpha (IL-12A), Interleukin 12 Subunit Beta (IL-12B), Interleukin 6 (IL-6), and Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) genes and the severity as well as susceptibility to COVID-19 among Moroccan patients.

Patients and Methods

Next-Generation sequencing (NGS) was conducted on 325 Moroccan participants, 207 patients with PCR-confirmed Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and 118 controls. Among these patients, 51% presented moderate to severe symptoms requiring hospitalization, while 49% were asymptomatic or experienced mild symptoms and did not require hospitalization. Statistical analysis was performed using codominant, dominant, and recessive logistic regression models to assess correlations with the severity and susceptibility to COVID-19 infection.

Results

No association was found between SNPs of IL-12A, IL-12B, IL-6 or TNF and COVID-19 severity and susceptibility. However, our results unveiled a noteworthy association with IL-6 rs2069840, which exhibited a negative correlation (OR = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.07-0.69, p = .006), suggesting a protective effect against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Conclusion

Polymorphisms in IL-12A, IL-12B, IL-6, and TNF genes are not correlated to the severity and susceptibility of COVID-19.