bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ginsenoside Rk1 prevents 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced Parkinson’s disease via activating silence information regulator 3-mediated Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway
Authors: Ren Yi , Ye Dan , Ding Yiping , Wei Ning
Published: December 2023

Objectives: Ginsenoside Rk1, a novel ginsenoside isolated from red ginseng, has anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor activities. This study was designed to elucidate the role of RK1 in an in vitro 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) cell model and an in vivo 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) of Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods: The grasping test, pole-climbing test, and rotarod test were performed to measure the effects of RK1 on MPTP-induced motor disorders. The expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and IBA-1 were evaluated by western blotting. CCK-8 and flow cytometry  assays were utilized to assess cell viability and apoptosis. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were detected to analyze the effects of RK1 on oxidative stress. The levels of inflammatory cytokines were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results: The results showed that RK1 allayed motor deficit elicited by MPTP in a mouse model. RK1 administration augmented tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression in the brain striatum and substantia nigra (SN) of MPTP-treated mice. Moreover, RK1 pretreatment promoted viability and suppressed apoptosis in MPP+-induced PC-12 cells. Further, RK1 also attenuated MPP+-stimulated oxidative stress and inflammatory response in PC-12 cells. Besides, RK1 augmented the level of SIRT3, and SIRT3 deletion counteracted RK1-induced repression on MPP+-elicited apoptosis, oxidative stress, and inflammatory response in PC-12 cells via modulating the Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1)  pathway.

Conclusions: RK1 might exert neuroprotective effects against MPP+/MPTP-induced neurotoxicity via activating SIRT3-mediated Nrf2/HO-1 signaling. RK1 might be a promising candidate against PD.
Development and validation of a novel poisoning agitation-sedation score for predicting the need for endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation in acutely poisoned patients with disturbed consciousness
Authors: Abd Elghany Soha A. , Lashin Heba I. , El-Sarnagawy Ghada N. , Oreby Merfat M. , Soliman Eman
Published: December 2023

Background

Accurate assessment of disturbed consciousness level (DCL) is crucial for predicting acutely poisoned patients’ outcomes.

Aim

Development of a novel Poisoning Agitation-Sedation Score (PASS) to predict the need for endotracheal intubation (ETI) and mechanical ventilation (MV) in acutely poisoned patients with DCL. Validation of the proposed score on a new set of acutely poisoned patients with DCL.

Methods

This study was conducted on 187 acutely poisoned patients with DCL admitted to hospital from June 2020 to November 2021 (Derivation cohort). Patients' demographics, toxicological data, neurological examination, calculation of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), Full Outline of Unresponsiveness (FOUR) score, Richmond Agitation–Sedation Scale (RASS), and outcomes were gathered for developing a new score. The proposed score was externally validated on 100 acutely poisoned patients with DCL (Validation cohort).

Results

The PASS assessing sedation consists of FOUR (reflexes and respiration) and GCS (motor) and provides a significantly excellent predictive power (AUC = 0.975) at a cutoff ≤9 with 100% sensitivity and 92.11% specificity for predicting the need for ETI and MV in sedated patients. Additionally, adding RASS (agitation) to the previous model exhibits significantly good predictive power (AUC = 0.893), 90.32% sensitivity, and 73.68% specificity at a cutoff ≤14 for predicting the need for ETI and MV in disturbed consciousness patients with agitation.

Conclusion

The proposed PASS could be an excellent, valid and feasible tool to predict the need for ETI and MV in acutely poisoned disturbed consciousness patients with or without agitation.
What’s in a Name? Reflections on the Tibetan Yatse Dynasty and Nepal’s Role in Its Transition to the Indic (‘Khas’) Malla Dynasty
Authors: Grimes Samuel M.
Published: December 2023

This paper examines three allegedly Sanskrit names that appear on a fourteenth-century kīrtistambha inscription at Dullu in the Jumlā region of west Nepal. The inscription records the matrilineage and patrilineage of the king Pṛthivīmalla. These three names, all with the dynastic name calla attached, are Krāśicalla, Krādhicalla and Krācalla. A fourth calla name that also appears in the regnal list, Aśokacalla, is plainly Sanskritic. These figures feature in several Tibetan annals, but they are given Tibetan names, rather than phonetic renderings or Tibetan translation of these ‘Sanskrit’ names, with the exception of Aśokacalla (Tib. a sog lde). I consider the possibility that the three linguistically obscure names appearing on the Dullu inscription are actually Indic renderings of Tibetan names and that the calla dynasty members themselves were Tibetan stranger kings, with Aśokacalla representing a shift towards a more Indic representation of their dynasty. Furthermore, I argue that this dynasty adopted the dynastic names of the contemporaneous kings of Nepal, Malla, in an effort to further situate themselves in the Indosphere. This effort was most vigorously pursued by Ripumalla, whom I argue made a pilgrimage in Nepal during the same legitimacy campaign that involved similar pilgrimages to Kapilavastu and Lumbinī.
Materiality and Marginalia across the World: The Role of Things in Christopher Columbus’s Annotations on Marco Polo
Authors: Shawcross Teresa
Published: December 2023

The recension of Marco Polo’s Devisament dou monde—an incunable of Francesco Pipino’s Latin translation titled De consuetudinibus et conditionibus orientalium regionum—used by Christopher Columbus is one of five annotated books known to have survived from the explorer’s library. The exemplar contains in its margins copious notes and drawings attributable to Columbus himself and other members of his immediate circle. These marginalia reveal that Columbus was a highly distinctive reader of content transmitted in the Poline textual tradition. He rarely dwelt on topographic, ethnographic or historical information. Rather, he was almost exclusively concerned with material things. His notes consist of brief references either to single objects or to lists of multiple objects associated with specific places. Cross-referencing allowed him to highlight similarities and differences between the regions of the known world, as well as to organise these regions hierarchically depending on the potential value of their manufactured and natural resources to himself and his fellow Europeans. He placed particular emphasis on mineral deposits and other substances such as gold, pearls and spices that he apparently considered to have an especially elevated intrinsic value. This article examines the revision, dissemination and especially interpretation of Polo’s late thirteenth-century work at a particular historical moment in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. In so doing, it draws attention to Columbus’s contribution to a shift in the relationship between materiality and cosmography that would prove to be of key importance to modern colonialism.
A Case Study of Principals’ Sensemaking of the Learning Experiences of Kindergarteners and How this Appears to Affect Them as Instructional Leaders
Authors: Brown Christopher P.
Published: December 2023

In this article, I examine how a sample of principals in Texas and West Virginia made sense of the learning experiences of kindergarteners and how such sensemaking appeared to affect them as instructional leaders. Examining these issues creates the opportunity to consider the types of support school leaders might need to address the changing kindergarten as well as how they might work with teachers, children, and their families so that all students are on a trajectory for school success. I employed case study methodology using sensemaking theory to examine: a) how twelve principals made sense of the learning experiences kindergarten students are and should be having as they begin elementary school, and b) how such sensemaking appears to affect them as instructional leaders. These principals appeared to make sense of kindergarteners’ learning experiences in a complex manner that was shaped by their own beliefs about the purpose of kindergarten as well as the neoliberal contexts in which they worked. Yet, such sensemaking did not appear to translate into their decision-making as instructional leaders, even though these principals worked in different state-level policy contexts and had varying resources available to them within their schools. Instead, policymakers’ neoliberal demands for academic achievement in the later grades seemed to dictate their point of emphasis in their decision-making process. To address these issues, I provide several suggestions to support principals in developing their understanding of early education so that they can instructionally lead these programs in a manner that supports children’s success in school.
Mapping the Active Ingredients and Mechanisms of Change of a Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Intervention Using Mixed Methods
Authors: Frost Kyle M. , Ingersoll Brooke
Published: December 2023

Limited research has examined the active ingredients and mechanisms of change of naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (NDBIs). The present study used an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design to develop a comprehensive Theory of Change of Project ImPACT, an empirically supported NDBI. We used qualitative data from interviews with intervention experts ( n = 10), community providers ( n = 22), and caregivers ( n = 12) to develop a comprehensive causal model of the intervention process. We then tested select paths of the causal model using path analyses with an archival dataset ( n = 92). The causal model described how developmental techniques aimed at supporting children’s attention and engagement lay the foundation for more adult-directed learning opportunities and subsequent child skill growth. However, hypothesized causal relationships were not supported by our quantitative analyses. In the future, this research can be used to develop and prioritize nuanced research questions related to the timing, optimization, and mechanistic process underlying NDBIs.
Risk Factors of Venous Thromboembolism in Inpatients With Colorectal Cancer in China
Authors: Chen Fengjiao , Sun Yixin , Zhang Cui , Li Lei , Du Yu , Zhou Mingyan , Cheng Wen
Published: December 2023

To explore the risk factors for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in inpatients with colorectal cancer. The demographic factors, comorbidities, and hematological indices of patients with colorectal cancer treated in our hospital from 2016 to 2021 were collected and recorded. Venous thromboembolism events, including deep venous thrombosis and/or pulmonary embolism, were recorded and the patients were divided into the VTE group and the non-VTE group. We compared clinical data between the two groups and explored risk factors for VTE. Comparing the clinical data of 293 cases of non-VTE group and 235 cases of VTE group, we found significant differences in age, smoking, temperature, amount of blood loss, differentiation degree, peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC), radiotherapy, anemia, infection, white blood cell count, prothrombin time (PT), PT%, prothrombin ratio, international normalized ratio, thrombin time, CA199 and CEA between the two groups ( P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that age ( P = 0.0444), temperature ( P = 0.0317), amount of blood loss ( P = 0.0067), PICC ( P < 0.0001), chemotherapy ( P = 0.0459), anemia ( P = 0.0007), international normalized ratio ( P = 0.003) and CA199 ( p = 0.0234) were independent risk factors for VTE. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the amount of blood loss predicted thrombosis better (AUC = 0.778, P < 0.001), when the cutoff value was 20 mL, the sensitivity was 76.17%, and the specificity was 79.18%, respectively. And PICC predicted thrombosis better (AUC = 0.808, P < 0.001), the sensitivity was 70.21%, and the specificity was 91.47%, respectively. Clinical parameters are associated with VTE in inpatients with colorectal cancer, which will help to guide clinicians to take effective measures to improve the patients' prognosis.
Incredible Women: Legal Systems Abuse, Coercive Control, and the Credibility of Victim-Survivors
Authors: Reeves Ellen , Fitz-Gibbon Kate , Meyer Silke , Walklate Sandra
Published: December 2023

Research has long demonstrated that victim-survivors of intimate partner violence face barriers to being believed when they seek help via the legal system and are simultaneously at risk of their abuser weaponizing the legal system against them. This article draws on the experiences of 54 women victim-survivors of coercive control in Australia who had experienced legal systems abuse within criminal and civil protection order systems. Drawing on feminist legal theory, we highlight that the legal system continues to disbelieve women and validate abusers. These experiences hold implications for victim-survivor views on the merits and risks of criminalizing coercive control.
Beyond Surviving: A Glimpse Into Jewish-Israeli Women's Recovery Trajectories After Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence
Authors: Ella Eini , Goldner Limor
Published: December 2023

The present study identifies and articulates the recovery trajectories of 12 Jewish-Israeli women who experienced intimate partner violence. An interpretative phenomenological analysis of the Clinical Ethnographic Narrative interviews revealed three central themes. The first theme dealt with the chronology of the violence and its escalation. The second theme described the turning points that facilitated the termination of the violent relationship. The third theme reflects these women's attempts to regain control and fulfil their needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness. The findings are discussed through the lens of Jewish-Israeli culture, which is child-oriented and underscores the centrality of motherhood.
Management of Nelarabine induced neurotoxicity in a child with T-cell acute lymphoblastic lymphoma
Authors: Karthik U , Motwani J
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Nelarabine is now increasingly being used for the treatment of relapsed T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma, and about 18% of patients experience ≥ grade 3 toxicity. Despite the increasing use of this drug, there are no guidelines for managing its neurotoxicity. We would like to share our experience with one such case.

Case Report

A sixteen-year-old girl with T-lymphoblastic lymphoma received Nelarabine as part of her relapse treatment. Three weeks post-treatment, patient presented with worsening encephalopathy, bulbar palsy, and seizures.

Management and outcome

After a detailed evaluation, Nelarabine neurotoxicity was strongly considered and was managed with a combination of steroids, intravenous immunoglobulin, and aminophylline, with almost complete recovery starting at 72 hours of treatment initiation.

Discussion

Despite the increasing use of this drug, guidelines for the management of the neurological adverse effects of Nelarabine are lacking. The above-mentioned combination of drugs worked for our patient, but larger numbers are needed to validate this as an approved treatment regimen.
Effects of aroma enhancement fermentation of Zygosaccharomyces rouxii ZR21 and Debaryomyces hansenii DH06 on the sensory properties and consumer liking of Yongchuan douchi
Authors: Liu Yuying , Zhou Jian , Tan Qian , Wang Hongwei , Suo Huayi
Published: December 2023

Yongchuan douchi is a well-loved condiment. However, the aroma of rapid Yongchuan douchi is inferior to that of traditional Yongchuan douchi. The objective of this study was to improve the aroma quality of rapid Yongchuan douchi and evaluate the effect of aroma enhancement from the perspective of consumers. The aroma characteristics of samples were analyzed by consumers through flash profile (FP) ( n = 15) and rate-all-that-apply (RATA) ( n = 75). The results showed improvement in the aroma quality of rapid Yongchuan douchi with the two yeast strains, and consumers could perceive the modification of the aroma characteristics. It shows that the douchi aroma and sour aroma of rapid Yongchuan douchi increased significantly after aroma-enhancing fermentation, while the soy sauce aroma, soybean aroma, and musty aroma decreased. Similar results were obtained from FP and RATA. RATA showed that rapid Yongchuan douchi with aroma-enhancing fermentation aroused higher levels of positive emotions, which may increase the acceptance of consumers to rapid Yongchuan douchi. In summary, the aroma quality and consumer preference of rapid Yongchuan douchi were enhanced. The work provides insights into the quality improvement of rapid Yongchuan douchi from the perspective of consumers.
Prevalence and Correlates of Cervical Cancer Prevention Knowledge Among High School Students in Ghana
Authors: Ampofo Ama Gyamfua , Mackenzie Lisa J , Osei Asibey Shadrack , Oldmeadow Christopher , Boyes Allison W
Published: December 2023

Introduction

Cervical cancer is a preventable yet highly prevalent disease in Africa. Despite female adolescents and young women being a target group for cervical cancer prevention strategies, little research has examined their knowledge of how to prevent the disease. The study aimed to describe: (a) knowledge about cervical cancer prevention and (b) sociodemographic, social, and systemic factors associated with and interacting with knowledge among female senior high school students in Ghana.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey assessed knowledge about (a) risk factors and (b) primary and secondary prevention of cervical cancer among 2,400 female students from 17 public senior high schools in the Ashanti region, Ghana. Descriptive statistics were used to describe knowledge. Linear mixed-effects regression models were used to examine factors associated with knowledge scores.

Results

Knowledge gaps were observed for at least two-thirds (>65%) of students. Most students (mean age = 17) did not know that early sexual debut (before 18 years) is a risk factor for cervical cancer (72%) and that a blood test cannot detect cervical cancer (71%). Students in later stages of senior high school education and those who received sexual health education from teachers and parents had significantly greater cervical cancer knowledge scores than their counterparts. Interactive effects showed that school-based sexual health education was associated with higher knowledge scores than home-based education among students.

Conclusions

Most female senior high school students had gaps in knowledge about cervical cancer prevention. Finding new ways to strengthen the capacity of schools and parents to deliver accurate cervical cancer prevention information is warranted.
Improving access to advanced veterinary care for rescued cats and dogs
Authors: Hohenhaus Ann E
Published: December 2023

Objectives

The objectives of this study were as follows: (1) to describe the AMC to the Rescue (AMCTTR) funding criteria and the application process; (2) to describe the distribution of species cared for through the program, the medical conditions treated in cats compared with those treated in dogs and the cost of that care; and (3) to define the successes and challenges of the program.

Methods

The AMCTTR database was reviewed for applications submitted between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2022. Data collected included the following: the date of application; rescue organization seeking financial support; species; age of pet at time of application; expenditures funded by AMCTTR; and the method by which the rescue organization learned about AMCTTR. The animals in the AMCTTR database were sorted into two groups: those accepted for funding and those that did not meet funding criteria. The Animal Medical Center (AMC) medical record system was searched for the total number of individual animals, species and age seen at AMC during the study period.

Results

In total, 267 applications were reviewed and 190 applications from 134 cats, 52 dogs and four rabbits were accepted for advanced veterinary care funded by AMCTTR. Over the 3-year study period, US$612,564 were awarded and over half of those funds were awarded to cats. The average expenditure per animal during this time period was US$3224. The most common referrals to AMCTTR were made to ophthalmology, surgery and dentistry.

Conclusions and relevance

The needs of cats differed from dogs in that feline applications were most commonly submitted for ophthalmology or dentistry. Expenditures per cat were less than per dog because dogs were referred for more expensive orthopedic surgery. The need for advanced veterinary care for rescue animals is enormous, especially for cats. Programs that subsidize advanced veterinary care increase access to that care.
The Role of Substance Use Disorders on Suicidal Ideation, Planning, and Attempts: A Nationally Representative Study of Adolescents and Adults in the United States, 2020
Authors: Jones Abenaa A , Hard Gregory , Gray Joy , Apsley Hannah B , Santos-Lozada Alexis R
Published: December 2023

Few nationally representative studies examine suicidality and substance use during 2020; as such, we explored the role of substance use disorders (SUDs) on suicidality among adults and adolescents in 2020. Data were derived from N = 26,084 adult participants, representing 240 million U.S. adults weighted, and N = 5,723 adolescent participants, representing 25 million U.S. adolescents (12-17 years.). Separate logistic regressions for adults and adolescents were used to assess the association of DSM-5 SUDs, related factors, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors (ideation, planning, and attempts). In 2020, adults with SUDs were nearly 4 times more likely to seriously consider suicide (aOR = 3.94, 95% CI: 3.19, 4.86), 3 times more likely to make a suicide plan (aOR = 3.09, 95% CI: 2.25, 4.25), and nearly 4 times more likely to attempt suicide (aOR = 3.77, 95% CI: 2.29, 6.19) than adults without SUDs. Adolescents with SUDs were 4 times more likely to consider suicide (aOR = 3.69, 95% CI: 2.47, 5.51), 5 times as likely to make a suicide plan (aOR = 5.14, 95% CI: 3.25, 8.13) and to attempt suicide (aOR = 5.27, 95% CI: 2.91, 9.53) than adolescents without SUDs. Adult females and individuals experiencing poverty were twice as likely to attempt suicide than adult males and individuals not living in poverty. Adolescent females were 3-5 times more likely to seriously consider, plan, and attempt suicide than adolescent males. Interventions to curb suicidality among individuals with SUDs are crucial.
A Proof-of-Concept of a Reliability-Based Life-Cycle Cost Optimization Framework for Activated Sludge Processes
Authors: Borobio-Castillo RA , Cabrera-Miranda JM , Corona-Vasquez B
Published: December 2023

Wastewater treatment plants need their reliability to be properly assessed to preserve society’s health and availability of water resources. To date, no wastewater treatment plant framework comprehends the reliability of the system, considering the influence of uncertain parameters, and the total costs during the lifespan of the project. Here, an innovative framework combining a reliability analysis, a reliability-sensitivity analysis, and a life-cycle cost assessment is presented as a proof-of-concept tool for reliability-based life-cycle cost optimization of an activated sludge process due to its common application in sanitation worldwide. The results indicate (1) great variability of the reliability scenario due to the influent loads, (2) the sludge volumetric index exerts the most influence on the system’s reliability and risk expenditures, and (3) an optimum scenario associated with the lowest life-cycle cost and an annual failure rate of 19 day of failure year−1 can be obtained via an exhaustive simulation protocol. The framework demonstrates to be a promising tool for techno-economic analysis of activated sludge processes, as well as to optimize project expenditures based on its reliability to withstand different influent loads. This proof-of-concept optimization framework is expected to find multiple applications not only in sanitation and water treatment but also in other industries while supporting sustainable development goals.
Evaluation of Depression and Anxiety in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients During COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Abd EL-Khalik Dina M , Eltohamy Mohamed
Published: December 2023

Background:

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity, associated comorbidities, and therapy-related side effects impair the physical, social, and emotional dimensions of the patient’s health. Presently, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with a broad range of psychosocial disorders in various populations. Patients with RA are especially vulnerable to such effects.

Objectives:

Detect the prevalence of recent COVID-19 infection among patients with RA, assess depression and anxiety in these patients and their associated factors during the COVID-19 pandemic and their potential relation to disease activity.

Design and Methods:

This is a cross-sectional study conducted on 120 adult Egyptian patients diagnosed with RA during the COVID-19 pandemic. The prevalence of recent COVID-19 infection among the patients was evaluated. The patients underwent psychological assessment using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (Ham-D) and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (Ham-A) to measure levels of depression and anxiety levels. The RA disease activity was assessed using Disease Activity Score (DAS) Das-28-ESR.

Results:

This study encompasses a total of 120 RA patients. The prevalence of patients with a recent history of COVID-19 infection was 40.8%. Both groups exhibited significantly elevated mean scores on the Das-28-ESR scale and also scored higher on measures of depression and anxiety. Interestingly, the COVID-19 group exhibited a higher percentage of unmarried individuals, had educational attainment below the university level, and were unemployed. Patients with recent COVID-19 had significantly lower numbers of children, higher disease duration, higher Das-28-ESR scores, and elevated depression and anxiety scores. The statistical analysis revealed that the COVID-19 infection and disease duration were significant predictors of depression and anxiety. The results also exhibited that the depression score was positively correlated with age and DAS scores.

Conclusions:

It was observed that patients diagnosed with RA revealed a higher prevalence of COVID-19 infection. The occurrence of depression and anxiety was observed to be widespread among patients diagnosed with RA and, more significantly, prevalent in RA patients who had a recent COVID-19 and had a higher level of disease activity. The occurrence of COVID-19 and disease duration were identified as factors that can anticipate the development of depression and anxiety.
Countertopographies of copper: Martha Rosler, Chris Kraus and the Great Arizona Copper Strike of 1983–1986
Authors: Tucker-Abramson Myka
Published: December 2023

Chris Kraus is often read as a chronicler of women artists’ experience: their frustrated desires, stifled creativity and stolen labour. But while these are the struggles that her protagonists face, the novel sets such struggles within the pressing context of American Empire's expansion and reorganisation in the post-Vietnam era. The juxtaposition between these levels is what generates the drama of Kraus’ work. Foregrounding these juxtapositions, this article situates Kraus’ novels within a longer tradition of feminist conceptual artists like Martha Rosler who took the labour and domination of predominantly white middle-class housewives as a standpoint from which to attempt to understand the expansion of US-backed global capitalism. Specifically, the article draws on the concept of ‘countertopographies’ developed by feminist geographer Cindi Katz to argue that Rosler and Kraus’ work offers a form of ‘countertopographic aesthetics’. That is, they both turn to the sphere of the reproductive as a site from which to map the uneven effects of global capitalism, while also foregrounding their own uneasy relationship with the imperialist project of mapping itself, by drawing attention to the ideological practices and limits of their very mappings. To illustrate this claim, the article concludes by turning to a partially buried event in Kraus’ Summer of Hate (2012): the 1983 Clifton-Morenci Copper Strike, a crucial but often overlooked flashpoint in the roll-out of neoliberalism. This eighteen-month strike was fought by a largely Mexican-American workforce, and the Women's Auxiliary, who joined a long history of working-class housewives like the Housewives’ Committee of Siglo X in Bolivia in becoming strike leaders. I argue that the strike is both crucial to the conjecture that Kraus’ narrative traces, and also illuminating of the limit point of the protagonists’ politics and the form of mapping that is possible from such a perspective.
From silicon valley to silicon savannah: Conceptualizing tech hubs in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Züfle Simon
Published: December 2023

Tech hubs (THs) and cognate structures are nowadays ubiquitous in the innovation ecosystem of Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. However, the concept of THs is fuzzy due to the lack of a clear and universally accepted definition. This ambiguity is further compounded by the diverse range of organizations that self-identify as hubs, or are categorized as such by others. As a result, research on THs in SSA remained limited. Against the backdrop of established research on the interconnectedness of technology, innovation and entrepreneurship in different organizational forms, this paper is meant to provide fresh insights into the study of THs in SSA. To advance future research, first, it reveals what is special about THs in SSA and how they are related to existing concepts. I particularly argue that they contour a fourth-wave model of incubation. Second, four main categories are unfolded to delineate THs in SSA which is the cornerstone for future research.
Children’s communicative capital: Promoting inclusive storying in a diverse preschool community through critical participatory action research
Authors: Farndale Amy , Reichelt Vicki
Published: December 2023

Advocating for inclusive literacy teaching pedagogies, to support 3–5-year-old children’s multimodal and multilingual storying, is fundamental in diverse nations. In Australia, for example, there are over 26% of 5-year-old children connecting with language backgrounds other than English, 7% are Aboriginal, and over 5% are diagnosed with special needs ( AEDC, 2021 ). Arguably, children draw from their own cultural, linguistic, and neuro diverse ways of expressing; hence, visual, gestural, spatial, auditory, and touch-type modes of expression, deserve greater recognition in literacy. Our critical participatory action research advocates for an expanded view of literacy focusing on children’s assets to communicate stories beyond vocal or written versions of story’telling’ in English, by incorporating translanguaging. We consider ‘storying’ to be a more inclusive term that incorporates multiple and multilingual modes in story creation. Our research on Kaurna country (the Adelaide Plains), involved 66 three to five-year-old culturally, linguistically and neuro diverse preschoolers, and their families. They interacted and translanguaged with 10 educators to explore multilingual, Aboriginal, and autistic children’s storying. The 6-month research project questioned: ‘How do diverse children communicate stories and how can children’s storying be encouraged with culturally responsive community involvement?.’ Observation, interview, questionnaire, artefact and reflective journaling data identified diverse children’s storying capabilities, highlighting touch, embodied expression and movement of props, as children expressed imagined stories. Thematic analysis led to the emergence of the concept, ‘communicative capital,’ a component nestled within Bourdieu’s (1991) ‘cultural capital,’ highlighting multiple modes of expression beyond named languages (as per the concept of ‘linguistic capital’). We argue that children’s communicative funds of knowledge and semiotic systems for meaning-making deserve increased value in inclusive literacy education, curriculum development, teacher education, pedagogy, practice and policy, so to embrace and expand the storying strengths of children with autism, First Nations children, multilingual children, and all children worldwide.
Diary studies in research: More than a research method
Authors: Olorunfemi Doyin
Published: December 2023

This paper proposes diary studies as a methodological choice for addressing crucial questions in qualitative process research. Diary studies unearth within-individual relationships that capture individual experiences and sense-making of these experiences in a processual manner. Therefore, using diary studies not only addresses the need for more dynamic methodological designs in qualitative research, but is advantageous for providing a process view of how the individual engages with the constructs studied. While process-studies, studied longitudinally, are often fraught with challenges of attrition or disengagement, this paper discusses how a methodological choice which is perceived as being beneficial by the participant can sustain engagement and consequently, research rigour. On one hand, a comparison of interview and diary data from the same participants show evidence of memory decay in interviews and reinforce the rigour of diary studies in the study of processual phenomenon. On the other hand, this study also showcases how researcher know-how, unintentionally imparted through reflective and processual questions asked in the study positively impacts the participants, and when reflected on, enhanced learning. This paper therefore demonstrates the ability of a research method to benefit both the research and the researched, and suggests a step-by-step design to implement a rigorous and impactful diary study using user-friendly forms and reflective questioning.
Lottocracy or psephocracy? Democracy, elections, and random selection
Authors: Hutton Ferris Daniel
Published: December 2023

Would randomly selecting legislators be more democratic than electing them? Lottocrats argue (reasonably) that contemporary regimes are not very democratic and (more questionably) that replacing elections with sortition would mitigate elite capture and improve political decisions. I argue that a lottocracy would, in fact, be likely to perform worse on these metrics than a system of representation that appoints at least some legislators using election – a psephocracy (from psēphizein, to vote). Even today's actually existing psephocracies, which are far from ideally democratic, are better suited than a lottocracy would be to meet the demands of democratic citizenship (politics must be legible to ordinary people, who must have low-cost opportunities to participate) and the demands of democratic leadership (powerful representatives should be specialized and constrained by competitions for popular support). Democrats therefore have weighty instrumental reasons to reject lottocracy and work to democratize psephocracy, instead.
Access or Experience? Determinants of Distrust in US Elections
Authors: Freeder Sean , Shino Enrijeta
Published: December 2023

Recent partisan claims about the illegitimacy of the 2020 election highlight a need to better understand the determinants underlying Americans' trust in the electoral process. In this study, we focus on African Americans and conservatives, two groups that stand out both historically and contemporaneously for high levels of distrust in elections. Utilizing nationally representative survey data, we analyze the degree to which election distrust is associated with respondents’ attitudes towards policies addressing voter access (photo ID requirements, vote by-mail, and felon voting), perceptions of disenfranchisement, and their personal experience while voting. We find evidence that distrust is not tied to one’s personal voting experience, but rather to one’s policy attitudes towards electoral access. Importantly, for conservative and Black voters, the policy remedies that would lead to increased trust for one group would only further exacerbate the concerns of the other, suggesting that distrust towards American elections will be difficult to attenuate.
Occupational Experiences of Medication Management Among Adults Living With Multiple Chronic Conditions
Authors: Lorino Amy , Talero Cabrejo Pamela , Coppola Susan
Published: December 2023

Adults with multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) often face difficulties with medication management, affecting their experiences of well-being and illness. The objective of this study was to identify and describe the occupational experiences of medication management and their impact on well-being and illness in adults living with MCCs. We used document analysis methods to analyze 134 illness narrative blog posts authored by 52 adults aged 18 and older with MCCs. Content and thematic analysis of their textual content was based on the Pan Occupational Paradigm. Medication management is enacted through the dimensions of doing, belonging, becoming, being, and knowing, in an interconnected, nonlinear manner, with a more notable impact on illness than well-being due to the complexities associated with medication management for MCCs. Occupational therapy practices for medication management should consider all occupational dimensions and their impact on health rather than focusing primarily on the performance of medication tasks and routines.
“It Doesn’t Die Within You”: Outdoor Recreation Participation Following Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Ryan Sheryl J. , Bolten Elisabeth , Abolhosn Nader , Adams Julia , Bocianski Heather
Published: December 2023

Although some people with spinal cord injury (SCI) return to outdoor recreation, many have low activity levels and encounter significant environmental barriers. The purpose of the study was to describe how people with SCI engage in outdoor recreation activities, what meaning they attribute to these, and to inform occupational therapists in promoting outdoor recreation post-SCI. The study used qualitative, descriptive phenomenology. Thirteen participants completed semi-structured interviews, and data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Outdoor recreation contributes to personal well-being. It is a way to share life with loved ones and other disabled people. Having the right equipment and using a trial-and-error approach facilitated participation, which was sometimes supported and frequently constrained by physical, built, and information environments. Findings suggest implications for occupational therapists in the areas of direct intervention, entrepreneurship, and advocacy. These are consistent with the American Occupational Therapy Association Vision 2025 to collaborate for inclusion and accessibility in occupational performance.
Exploring Food Allergy Management and Food-Related Social Occupations in Elementary School-Aged Children
Authors: Mason Ashley Elizabeth , Benson Lindsey , Hale Victoria , Oslund Meagan , Robinson Ashlyn
Published: December 2023

Rationale:

Elementary school-aged children with food allergies face barriers to navigating safe food practices in concert with socializing while eating. Little research examines children’s role in managing their health (i.e., a food allergy).

Objectives:

This qualitative descriptive study explores the experiences of preadolescent children with food allergies relating to food allergy management and socialization in various foodscapes in the United States.

Method:

Data gathering strategies included interviews, diaries, and photo elicitation. The analysis involved coding, discussion, and thematic development.

Findings:

Participants shared food allergy management with caregivers depending on the environment. They learned to educate others, respond to emergencies, and prepare daily relating to food allergies. They faced conflict with managing food allergies with peers but overall perceived food allergy management as a low burden.

Conclusion:

When provided with positive social and environmental supports, school-aged children with food allergies can learn to safely manage social food environments without direct parental involvement.
Preferences for Participation Measurement Among Individuals Diagnosed With Cancer: A Qualitative Content Analysis
Authors: L’Hotta Allison J. , Varughese Taniya E. , Lyons Kathleen D. , Trebelhorn Audrey , Manohar Annamayil , King Allison A.
Published: December 2023

Individuals with cancer experience occupational participation restrictions, but there is no consensus on how to measure this construct. The objective of this study is to describe the perspectives and preferences of individuals with cancer regarding participation measurement. Forty individuals with brain, breast, colorectal, and lung cancer provided feedback on three participation measures in semi-structured interviews. Through an iterative, team-based content analysis approach, interview text was coded using the study codebook and organized into themes. Core themes included (a) participation measures highlighted occupational priorities, (b) measuring participation can identify supportive care needs, (c) measures must balance thoroughness with speed of completion, (d) measurement timeframe varies by treatment phase, and (e) evaluating community engagement is not a priority for some individuals with cancer. Integrating participation measures into cancer care can support referrals to occupational therapy and supportive services. It is essential to consider time since cancer diagnosis and client priorities when selecting participation measures.
Occupational Therapy Practice: Time From Stroke Onset to Outpatient Upper Limb Rehabilitation
Authors: Roberts Pamela S. , Ouellette Debra , Benham Sara , Proffitt Rachel
Published: December 2023

Upper limb stroke rehabilitation has been understudied in usual occupational therapy. The study’s purpose was to describe the timing and amount of usual occupational therapy in the stroke population for hospital-based outpatient upper limb rehabilitation. A multi-site study of timing and amount of occupational therapy was calculated for mild and moderate upper limb stroke impairments using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremity (FMA-UE). Mild stroke participants ( n = 58) had a mean of 164.25 days, and the moderate stroke participants ( n = 64) had a mean of 106.75 days from the date of stroke onset to first treatment which was significantly different ( p = .047). There were no significant differences in the amount of therapy between mild or moderate stroke patients. Mild stroke patients experience a longer delay in receiving outpatient occupational therapy compared with moderate impairments which may be attributed to the subtlety of the impairments that impact participation in daily activities.
Exploring the Evolution and Utility of Neuro-Occupation: A Scoping Review
Authors: Ringold Sofronia M. , Gruskin Bethany A. , Cogan Alison M.
Published: December 2023

Neuro-occupation was developed to study the relationship between the nervous system and occupation. Pragmatic implications of neuro-occupation have not been previously summarized. This study aimed to determine how neuro-occupation has been defined, applied across relevant fields, and evolved over time. We performed a scoping review following the Arksey and O’Malley framework. Twenty-five works related to neuro-occupation published between 1997 and 2020 were included. We found that neuro-occupation evolved from utilization primarily in the United States to an international term applied to different clinical populations. Common themes were: (a) the reciprocal relationship between the nervous system and occupations; (b) the Intention, Meaning, and Perception (IMP) model of neuro-occupation; and (c) pragmatic implications for occupational therapy practice and interventions. We suggest an updated definition of neuro-occupation. In addition, we contend that although the term neuro-occupation was developed in response to historical debates in occupational therapy, continued use creates more confusion than clarity.
Comparisons of Occupational Balance Within Informal Caregivers of Individuals With Schizophrenia
Authors: Pekçetin Emel , Ekici Gamze , Çetinkaya Mehmet , Pehlivan Fahriye , Torpil Berkan , Pekçetin Serkan
Published: December 2023

The caregiving burden experienced by informal caregivers of individuals with schizophrenia (ICIWS) can affect their perceived occupational balance (OB). This study examines the differences in OB among ICIWS with different caregiving burden levels. This cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 149 ICIWS. The Occupational Balance Questionnaire 11–Turkish Version (OBQ11-T) was used to assess the participants’ OB. The Zarit Caregiver Burden Scale was employed to evaluate caregiving burden levels. Statistically significant differences were found in the total score of OBQ11-T, Item 3 (time for doing things wanted), Item 5 (having sufficient time for doing obligatory occupations), and Item 9 (balance between obligatory/voluntary occupations) between the severe and little caregiving burden groups ( p < .05). Caregiving for individuals with schizophrenia can lead to varying levels of caregiving burden, which negatively affects OB. Occupational therapists working with ICIWS should assess OB and address OB-related challenges to alleviate caregiver burden.
Unraveling the “Greener Pastures” Concept: The Phenomenology of Internationally Educated Occupational Therapists
Authors: Pineda Roi Charles , Abad-Pinlac Brenda , Yao Daryl Patrick G. , Toribio Fides Nadine Raya B. , Josephsson Staffan , Sy Michael Palapal
Published: December 2023

The Philippines is one of the major labor exporters for health care workers in the world and occupational therapists are the second most likely professionals behind nurses to work in “greener pastures” overseas. This phenomenological study describes the migration experiences of Philippine-trained occupational therapists working in high-income, Anglophone countries. Researchers conducted online interview for 15 participants who were previously/currently unemployed/underemployed. Following an inductive approach to qualitative data analysis, themes were drawn from the migrant therapists’ lived experiences. Four themes describe the migration experiences of Filipino occupational therapists: (a) realities of being an occupational therapist in the Philippines, (b) contradictions faced by Filipino occupational therapists upon migration, (c) when the pastures overseas are not greener, and (d) when the pastures overseas are indeed greener. The study contributes to the labor migration discourse in occupational therapy and the critical examination of the idea of “greener pastures.”
Examining Justice System Exposure Among Youth on Health in Young Adulthood: Does Dosage of Contact Matter?
Authors: Krupa Julie M.
Published: December 2023

Drawing on juvenile justice and social determinants of health literature, this study examines the influence of three levels of justice system contact among juveniles – police stop, arrest, adjudication – on depression, suicide ideation, and general health in young adulthood. Mahalanobis distance matching utilizing National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health data test whether dosage of system contact negatively impacts health in young adulthood. Additional analyses compare within system contact differences to identify magnitude of health consequences for systems-involved individuals. Arrest and adjudication experiences as a juvenile negatively impacted at least one health outcome in young adulthood relative to those with no contact. Depression was significantly higher among those with an adjudication experience relative to those with an arrest experience. Results support further exploring juvenile justice system experiences as a social determinant of health.