bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Immune Markers Are Associated With Asymptomatic Intracranial Large Artery Stenosis and Future Vascular Events in NOMAS
Authors: Yang Dixon , Liu Minghua , Khasiyev Farid , Rundek Tatjana , Del Brutto Victor J. , Cheung Ken , Marinovic Gutierrez Carolina , Hornig Mady , Elkind Mitchell S.V. , Gutierrez Jose
Published: November 2023

BACKGROUND:

Inflammation contributes to atherosclerosis but is incompletely characterized in intracranial large artery stenosis (ICAS). We hypothesized that immune markers would be associated with ICAS and modify the risk ICAS confers on future vascular events.

METHODS:

This study included a subsample of stroke-free participants in the prospective NOMAS (Northern Manhattan Study), who had blood samples analyzed with a 60-plex immunoassay (collected from 1993 to 2001) and ICAS assessment with time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography (obtained from 2003 to 2008). We dichotomized ICAS as either ≥50% stenosis or not (including no ICAS). We ascertained post–magnetic resonance imaging vascular events. We used least absolute shrinkage and selection operator procedures to select immune markers independently associated with ICAS. Then, we grouped selected immune markers into a derived composite
Z
score. Using proportional odds regression, we quantified the association of the composite immune marker
Z
score, ICAS, and risk of vascular events.

RESULTS:

Among 1211 participants (mean age, 71±9 years; 59% women; 65% Hispanic participants), 8% had ≥50% ICAS. Using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression, we identified CXCL9 (C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 9), HGF (hepatocyte growth factor), resistin, SCF (stem cell factor), and VEGF-A(vascular endothelial growth factor A) to have the strongest positive relationships with ≥50% ICAS in fully adjusted models. Selected markers were used to derive a composite immune marker
Z
score. Over an average follow-up of 12 years, we found that each unit increase in immune marker
Z
scores was associated with an 8% (95% CI, 1.05–1.11), 11% (95% CI, 1.06–1.16), and 5% (95% CI, 1.01–1.09) increased hazard of death, vascular death, and any vascular event, respectively, in adjusted models. We did not find a significant interaction between immune marker
Z
scores and ICAS in their relationship with any longitudinal outcome.

CONCLUSIONS:

Among a diverse stroke-free population, selected serum immune markers were associated with ICAS and future vascular events. Further study is needed to better understand their role in the pathogenesis of ICAS and as a potential therapeutic target in stroke prevention.
Three new centipede species of the genus Newportia Gervais, 1847 from Colombia (Scolopendromorpha, Scolopocryptopidae, Newportiinae)
Authors: JIMÉNEZ SEBASTIAN GALVIS , CHAGAS-JR. AMAZONAS
Published: November 2023

Three new species of the genus Newportia Gervais, 1847 from Colombia are described and illustrated. They were found in the cloud forests of the eastern Andes and in the rainforests of the biogeographical Chocó, ecosystems where the centipede fauna has been little studied. Newportia (Newportia) florezi sp. nov. differs from other Newportia species in the arrangement of the spinous processes on the prefemur of the ultimate legs, while Newportia (Newportia) anopla sp. nov. has a coxopleuron without any trace of a coxopleural process and possesses an atypically small forcipular coxosternite. Newportia (Newportia) tequendama sp. nov. is morphologically similar to Newportia pusilla Pocock, 1893, but differs in having an undivided tarsus 2 in the ultimate legs and the arrangement of the spinous processes on the prefemur and femur. An identification key for the Colombian species of Newportia is provided.
New data on cave spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) of Iran, with new species and records
Authors: ZAMANI ALIREZA , DARVISHNIA HAMID , MARUSIK YURI M.
Published: November 2023

New data on Iranian spiders is provided based on 92 specimens collected from the interiors or surroundings of 27 caves. These specimens belong to 17 species in nine families, of which five species are described as new to science: Tegenaria pallens Zamani & Marusik, sp. n. (♂♀; Gakal Cave, Kohgiluyeh & Boyer-Ahmad Province) (Agelenidae); Dysdera elamana Zamani & Marusik, sp. n. (♂; Barreh Zard Cave, Ilam Province); and Harpactea zagros Zamani & Marusik, sp. n. (♂; Raad-e Gharbi Cave, Ilam Province) (both Dysderidae); Troglohyphantes megagynus Zamani & Marusik, sp. n. (♀; Kabootarlan Cave, Ilam Province) (Linyphiidae); and Mesiotelus iranicus Zamani & Marusik, sp. n. (♀; Mir Melas Cave, Lorestan Province) (Liocranidae). Additionally, two genera, Scotargus Simon, 1913 and Odontodrassus Jézéquel, 1965, and three species, Odontodrassus mundulus (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) and Synaphosus syntheticus (Chamberlin, 1924) (both Gnaphosidae), and Scotargus pilosus Simon, 1913 (Linyphiidae), are recorded in Iran for the first time. The newly described and recorded species are accompanied by illustrations.
A Field Test of Police Vehicle Presence on Speed(ing): Parked, Unoccupied, and Effective
Authors: Simpson Rylan , Frewing Quentin , Tiwana Sukhdip
Published: November 2023

As part of the present research, we employed a field study paradigm to test the effects of an unoccupied police vehicle on speed(ing) along a voluminous highway offramp in Western Canada. During the intervention period, a randomly assigned, marked police vehicle was parked nightly at the target location while radar-recording devices captured the speed of passing vehicles. Our analyses of speed data collected before, during, and after the intervention period, both before and at the target location, indicated that the average speed of vehicles and the proportion of speeding vehicles were significantly lower in the presence of the unoccupied police vehicle. We discuss the results of our police-directed field study with respect to theory, research, and practice.
The sleep of reason breeds monsters: Antonfrancesco Grazzini and the vertigo of the irrational
Authors: Spalanca Lavinia
Published: November 2023

The literary work of Antonfrancesco Grazzini known as il Lasca is fueled by the polysemic richness of the dream world. The insertion, especially within his fiction, of visionary, abnormal and macabre elements, contributes to the definition of a universe in which the dividing line between reality and appearance, wakefulness and dream, truth and falsehood is destined to be constantly crossed, in the gradual sliding into mysterious and insidious territories, where the primacy of rationality is undermined by the vertigo of the irrational. This dialectical oscillation also permeates some of the author's comedies, in the name of the satire on the “arte falsa dello ‘ndovinare” – witchcraft, necromancy and popular superstition – encouraged in those years by the Medici power itself as an instrument of consensus and social manipulation.
Analysis of Intervention Employability in Pharmacy-Related Medication Safety Reports at a Tertiary Medical Center
Authors: Crozier Nick , Robinson Elisa , Murtagh Nicole C. , Coyne Briana D.
Published: November 2023

Background: The Institute for Safe Medication Practice (ISMP) suggests that patient safety reports be addressed with systematic, fail-safe, actions to prevent error recurrence. ISMP’s hierarchy of effectiveness of risk reduction strategies places education-related interventions as the least effective and fail-safes at the top. UNM Hospitals creates a positive environment for safety reporting, but often we are limited to education interventions due to resource and technology constraints. This study analyzes the intervention potential and quality of pharmacy-related medication safety reports. Methods: One thousand medication-related safety reports from selected time points between 2012 and 2022 were selected. Safety reports were included in our study if they were actionable by the pharmacy department. Each safety report was categorized by type of safety event and given an intervention potential score of 1 to 10 (1 indicating education-only, 10 being forcing function) by 2 student pharmacists and 1 pharmacy director based on their potential place on ISMP’s hierarchy. Safety report quality was graded based on professionalism, organization, clarity, and completeness. A standardized evaluation form was used for evaluation for all elements. Results: Six-hundred-sixty-five safety reports were pharmacy-related and evaluated by all 3 study team members for analysis. The 3 most common pharmacy-related safety reports were medication delivery, inappropriate order verification, and transcribing errors which accounted for over half of the reports (59.5%) and on average the intervention potential score of these types of safety reports was education only. Overall, safety reports were limited to a maximum actionability of education-only 75.4% of the time. Safety reports were found to be professionally written and well organized. Conclusion: The actionability of most pharmacy-related medication safety reports was limited to low leverage interventions likely because high leverage solutions were addressed with systematic change and did not recur. Errors limited to education interventions repeated and this increased relative counts of low leverage actionability of safety reports. The ISMP hierarchy of effectiveness of risk-reduction strategies is an important guide to intervening in medication-related safety events, but pharmacy staff should not be discouraged if most of the safety reports cannot be addressed through high-leverage interventions.
Salt, smuggling and citizenship: Redefining princely sovereignty through salt in Baroda, 1870–1920
Authors: Boehme Kate
Published: November 2023

The centrality of salt within the political and economic history of India is well established in recent scholarship. Its significance was particularly profound in the western region of Gujarat; long before the arrival of the British, the princely state of Baroda had a tradition of salt manufacturing. With both government-owned pans and widespread ‘home manufacturing’ operating within the state, salt was undeniably critical to the local economy. It also held a cultural significance. In the mid-1800s, with the introduction of the British salt monopoly, these industries were officially subsumed by the colonial state. However, in their efforts to enforce the monopoly and suppress ‘illicit’ production, the British continued to face considerable resistance from all levels of the Baroda administration into the twentieth century. This article examines the contestations that occurred between the colonial and princely authorities over the issue of salt, particularly on the frontiers where jurisdiction was uncertain. It asserts that, through these processes, salt came to represent a crucial battleground for debates concerning legal sovereignty, subjecthood and economic autonomy.
Exploration of Seafarers’ Mobile Proficiency as a Prerequisite for Possible Health App-based Health Promotion on Board
Authors: Arslan Luciano Cemil , Dengler Dorothee , Belz Lukas , Neumann Felix Alexander , Zyriax Birgit-Christiane , Harth Volker , Oldenburg Marcus
Published: November 2023

Numerous health hazards characterize the profession of a seafarer. The job-specific environment may affect the crews’ well-being and mental health. The options for health promotion are limited, as seafarers are isolated for long periods and are a difficult-to-reach collective. A digital app-based health management system might offer a promising approach in this regard. This study aims to identify seafarers’ technical competencies as a prerequisite for possible health app-based health promotion. A total of 976 seafarers (response rate 75.1%) on 65 ships of a Hamburg shipping company completed the standardized questionnaire MDPQ-16 (Mobile Device Proficiency Questionnaire) that assesses the IT competence in 8 different sub-scales. The results were stratified in respect to occupational groups aboard as well as compared to a reference collective ashore. The seafarers had an MDPQ-16 sum-score of 4.40 (SD 0.84), scoring 0.21 points higher than the land-based reference collective. Significant differences were observed between the ratings and officers in almost every sub-scale and item of the MDPQ-16. The highest sum-score was held by the nautical officers with 4.71. Greater differences between officers and ratings were observed in sub-scales related to rather complex tasks. The seafarers demonstrated a high level of IT proficiency, even surpassing the land-based sample, suggesting that their technical competence is adequate for app-based health promotion. In view of the higher scores of officers, the selection of health apps has to be tailored to the seafarers’ different levels of mobile competence in order to maximize the improvement in mental health and well-being. Further research is needed to determine seafarers’ needs and interests.
Moral Injury as a Transdiagnostic Risk Factor for Mental Health Problems in Detained Youth
Authors: Alexander Ava R. , Mendez Lucybel , Kerig Patricia K.
Published: November 2023

Youth who become involved in the juvenile justice system are at highly elevated risk for many emotional and behavioral problems. Past research has often focused on trauma exposure as a transdiagnostic risk factor in this population. However, distress resulting from perpetrating or witnessing acts that conflict with one’s deeply held moral beliefs, termed moral injury, may also play a role in predisposing these youth toward negative mental health outcomes. This study utilized a sample of 96 youth housed in secure detention centers and tested associations between exposure to potentially morally injurious events (PMIEs) and mental health outcomes, including anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress, and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). After controlling for trauma exposure and demographic variables, PMIEs were significantly and positively associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as engagement in NSSI. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed.
Taking Charge as a Contextual Cue: How New CEO Regulatory Focus Influences Strategic Change
Authors: Andrus Joel L. , Scoresby Richard B. , Lee Jieun , Rainville Alex B. , Smith Ronda M. , Syed Imran
Published: November 2023

Becoming CEO is an emotionally charged event that is characterized by a sharp increase in visibility, responsibilities, expectations, and job vulnerability. Thus, rather than a “honeymoon” period, new CEOs are extremely busy learning about each aspect of the firm, developing relationships with stakeholders, and determining the firm's strategic direction. We suggest that the increased job demands associated with leading the firm, coupled with accentuated job vulnerability, alter the regulatory fit new CEOs experience, thus eliciting unique reactions depending on their regulatory foci. We argue that the increased vigilance and responsibility associated with becoming CEO fit the preferred goal pursuit means of CEOs high in prevention focus, increasing their motivation to engage in strategic change during the first 3 years of their tenure. Conversely, promotion-focused new CEOs engage in less change because they experience a misfit. We also consider how dynamics of the succession event further increase job demands and job vulnerability, moderating these relationships. Using a panel dataset of more than 800 public firms from 2000–2020, we find broad support for our hypotheses. Our primary contribution is showing that the sharp increase in job demands and job vulnerability that executives experience when they first become CEO shifts their regulatory fit and subsequent motivation to engage in strategic change in ways that prior theory would not predict.
Place Attachment and Aging in Place: Preferences and Disruptions
Authors: Clark William A. V. , Ong ViforJ Rachel , Phelps Christopher
Published: November 2023

This paper examines the links between place attachment and older persons’ preferences to age in place, and factors that disrupt these preferences. We use data from the 2001–2021 Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey and panel-data modelling to confirm strong associations between several place attachment dimensions and aging-in-place preferences. Strong ties to children, strong social capital, residence in social housing, homeownership status, housing wealth, and home and neighborhood satisfaction are all positively linked to a stronger preference to age in place. Our findings reveal important differences between older homeowners and older non-owners. For owners, closeness to children is a strong predictor of aging-in-place preferences, although mortgage debt can trigger involuntary moves. For non-owners, tenure security achieved through longer durations at one’s address of residence is linked to stronger aging-in-place preferences. However, private renters are more often exposed to involuntary moves. We discuss the policy implications of these disruptions.
Conducting a Community-Level Needs Assessment Through Dynamic Engagement With Stakeholders
Authors: Henrikson Robin , Bishop Daniel
Published: November 2023

This paper presents the process of conducting a community-wide needs assessment that initially focused on soliciting information about childcare needs of families with school-aged children. The researchers were interested in understanding whether the method designed to conduct the needs assessment helped to foster collaboration, trust, and increased participation amongst multiple levels of stakeholders and subcommunities. Utilizing community-based participatory research principles, the authors will present a 3-phase approach to gaining community support through multiple levels of stakeholder engagement. While initially the needs assessment was focused on childcare, the scope broadened to learning about other needs that families with school-aged children faced. The strategic use of Survey Ambassadors throughout the community who could access families that were typically underrepresented and could provide feedback to the researchers in real time regarding modifications to the process was vital. Lessons learned included the need for further investigation into strategic methods for gaining family voices in underrepresented populations.
Need to belong, daily social engagement, and transient loneliness in late life
Authors: Zhou Zexi , Zhang Shiyang , Kim Yijung K. , Birditt Kira S. , Fingerman Karen L.
Published: November 2023

Social experiences are of great importance in late life, and the need to belong may play a key role in shaping those experiences. A higher need to belong may motivate older adults to maintain a wide variety of social connections (e.g., family ties, friends, acquaintances, group engagement), yet may also lead to higher risks of feeling unsatisfied and lonely. However, little research examines how the need to belong may shape older adults’ social life in the daily context. This study examines the associations between older adults’ need to belong, daily social engagement, and transient loneliness in their everyday life. Older adults ( N = 299) aged 65–89 completed the Need to Belong Scale, measures of their social networks, and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) surveys for five to six days. At each three-hour assessment, they reported in-person and phone contact with a variety of social partners (e.g., family, friends, acquaintances, etc.), whether they engaged in a social group, and rated their feelings of loneliness. In multilevel models, the need to belong did not predict the variety of partners encountered in-person or by phone, but predicted a greater likelihood of engagement with social groups. Older adults with a higher need to belong reported that they felt lonelier at three-hour intervals throughout the day, but this association was attenuated when they had in-person encounters with a greater variety of social partners. Group engagement was associated with feeling less lonely, whereas phone communication was associated with feeling more lonely, regardless of the need to belong. The findings suggest that social engagement with a variety of types of social partners may help satisfy older adults’ need to belong, and highlight the unique benefits that in-person contact (vs. phone contact) and group engagement may confer to mitigate older adults’ loneliness.
Blood-brain barrier disruption imaging in postoperative cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome using DCE-MRI
Authors: Lee Kanghwi , Yoo Roh-Eul , Cho Won-Sang , Choi Seung Hong , Lee Sung Ho , Kim Kang Min , Kang Hyun-Seung , Kim Jeong Eun
Published: November 2023

Little has been reported about the association between cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome (CHS) and blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption in human. We aimed to investigate the changes in permeability after bypass surgery in cerebrovascular steno-occlusive diseases using dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) and to demonstrate the association between CHS and BBB disruption. This retrospective study included 36 patients (21 hemispheres in 18 CHS patients and 20 hemispheres in 18 controls) who underwent combined bypass surgery for moyamoya and atherosclerotic steno-occlusive diseases. DCE-MRI and arterial spin labeling perfusion-weighted imaging (ASL-PWI) were obtained at the baseline, postoperative state, and discharge. Perfusion and permeability parameters were calculated at the MCA territory (CBF(territorial), Ktrans(territorial), Vp(territorial)) and focal perianastomotic area (CBF(focal), Ktrans(focal), Vp(focal)) of operated hemispheres. As compared with the baseline, both CBF(territorial) and CBF(focal) increased in the postoperative period and decreased at discharge, corresponding well to symptoms in the CHS group. Vp(focal) was lower in the postoperative period and at discharge, as compared with the baseline. In the control group, no parameters significantly differed among the three points. In conclusion, Vp at the focal perianastomotic area significantly decreased in patients with CHS during the postoperative period. BBB disruption may be implicated in the development of CHS after bypass surgery.
Abortion Stigma: Attitudes Toward Abortion Responsibility, Illegal Abortion, and Perceived Punishments of “Illegal Abortion”
Authors: Jozkowski Kristen N. , Mena-Meléndez Lucrecia , Crawford Brandon L. , Turner Ronna C.
Published: November 2023

We examined public opinion regarding unique aspects of abortion legality to better understand potential contexts in which stigma may occur and the extent that people (a) believe actors involved in abortion (i.e., pregnant woman, healthcare provider, man involved in the pregnancy, someone providing information about where to get an abortion, parents of a minor) should be held responsible for illegal abortion, (b) believe abortion should be illegal across different circumstances, and (c) endorse different punishments for pregnant women and healthcare providers, including variation by responsibility. An online survey was administered to 2,489 English and Spanish-speaking U.S. adults, using quota-based sampling, with post-stratification weights applied to match U.S. benchmarks. People scored healthcare providers and women more responsible than other actors. Although the majority did not support abortion being illegal for most circumstances, a substantial proportion were unsure. Additionally, “no punishment” was most frequently selected for the woman and healthcare provider. However, those who endorsed any punishment, compared with no punishment, typically indicated the pregnant woman and healthcare provider were more responsible. Our findings suggest that current laws criminalizing abortion are misaligned with public opinion and that pregnant women and healthcare providers are likely most susceptible to abortion-related stigma.
Racial Differences in Older Adult’s Mental Health and Cognitive Symptomatology: Identifying Subgroups Using Multiple-Group Latent Class Analysis
Authors: Min Se Hee , Topaz Maxim , Lee Chiyoung , Schnall Rebecca
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Little is known on the potential racial differences in latent subgroup membership based on mental health and cognitive symptomatology among older adults.

Methods

This is a secondary data analysis of Wave 2 data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project ( N = 1819). Symptoms were depression, anxiety, loneliness, happiness, and cognition. Multiple-group latent class analysis was conducted to identify latent subgroups based on mental health and cognitive symptoms and to compare these differences between race.

Results

Class 1: “Severe Cognition & Mild-Moderate Mood Impaired,” Class 2: “Moderate Cognition & Mood Impaired,” and Class 3: “Mild Cognition Impaired & Healthy Mood” were identified. Black older adults were more likely to be in Class 1 while White older adults were more likely to be in Class 2 and Class 3.

Discussion

Clinicians need to provide culturally-sensitive care when assessing and treating symptoms across different racial groups.
The Development and Validation of an Intercultural Nursing Educator Profile Using the Delphi Method
Authors: Gradellini Cinzia , Pretorius Marilize , Vermeiren Sofie , Schärli-Lim Susan , Bønløkke Mette , Lorenzo Elena de
Published: November 2023

Introduction:

Educators require focused training to foster the development of intercultural competence in nurses. Training programs for educators need to be based on a comprehensive profile with a focus on intercultural learning. This study aims to define and validate a profile of the Intercultural Nursing Educator (INE).

Method:

The Delphi method was used with an iterative, multi-stage process to transform opinions into group consensus. A total of 46 European, African, and American experts from the nursing and intercultural field participated. Inclusion criteria required English at a level of B2, expertise in the field of intercultural competence, experience in teaching intercultural competence in the nursing context, and publications focused on intercultural topics.

Results:

The INE profile was developed and all 126 competencies were validated.

Discussion and conclusion:

The profile is freely available on the project website and provides the basis for curricula, training programs and assessment of the required competences.
Breast Carcinoma With Tubulopapillary Features Has a Distinct Immunophenotypic and Molecular Signature: A Report of Two Tumors and Literature Review
Authors: Carrasco-Tenezaca Felipe , Moreira-Dinzey Jennifer , Manrai Padmini A. , Bearse Mayara , Burela Sneha , Podany Peter , Singh Kamaljeet , Pareja Fresia , Zheng Jennifer , Muscato Nicole E. , Liang Yuanxin , Zhan Haiying , Krishnamurti Uma , Dolezal Darin , Wang Jianhui , Harigopal Malini
Published: November 2023

Breast carcinoma with tubulopapillary features is a newly described entity associated with poor prognosis with only 14 tumors reported in the literature. We report 2 additional tumors and identify novel immunohistochemical and molecular features of the tumor. The first tumor was from a 72-year-old woman with nonmetastatic breast carcinoma and the second was from a 32-year-old woman with metastatic breast carcinoma who received neoadjuvant therapy. Both tumors had high-grade nuclear features with a distinctive morphology characterized by infiltrating open glands with intratubular papillary and micropapillary projections in >90% of the invasive carcinoma. In addition to the usual predictors of aggressive behavior, both tumors showed a high expression of p16 and SOX10, which has not been previously described. Targeted tumor sequencing revealed pathogenic variants of TP53 in both tumors, in agreement with previous reports. Prior studies have shown a correlation between p16 and SOX10 expression with high-grade features and worse prognosis; typically seen in triple-negative carcinomas as demonstrated in both of our tumors. However, not all reported tumors of breast carcinoma with tubulopapillary features have demonstrated a triple-negative profile as there are a few reports of tumors with estrogen receptor and/or human epidermal growth factor 2 expression. Due to their distinct morphologic and molecular characteristics, breast carcinoma with tubulopapillary features may represent a new breast cancer histologic subtype.
The Public Finance Position of Immigrants in Europe: A Quantile Regression Approach
Authors: Joxhe Majlinda , Scaramozzino Pasquale , Zanaj Skerdilajda
Published: November 2023

We contrast the net fiscal position (NFP) of immigrants versus natives using data from the European Survey on Living Conditions for 2007–2015. Using a quantile regression approach, we find that European and non-European migrants have a different fiscal position from natives only on the extreme tails of the NFP distribution. Non-EU migrants contribute even more than natives in the top quantile of the NFP, but they are more fiscally dependent than native citizens in the lowest quantile. These findings suggest that immigrants are not a public finance burden and do not increase public spending in the destination country. We also examine the relationship between migrants’ fiscal position and the fiscal perception of natives versus migrants as measured in the European Social Survey. We believe that by examining the effects of migrants on public spending, we can gain valuable insights into the economic implications of immigration and develop evidence-based migration policies, fostering integration.
Redefining older Australians: moving beyond stereotypes and consumer narratives in print media representations
Authors: Imran Muhammad Asim
Published: November 2023

This paper investigates how Australian print media shape the identities of older individuals through their use of language and reporting techniques. By examining newspaper articles published between 2011 and 2021 through the lens of critical discourse analysis, the study highlights the societal, economic, and journalistic factors that influence the media's portrayal of older persons. The findings reveal that economic discourses dominate the construction of identities, with the financial reliance of older individuals on the government being a significant factor in their representation. The study demonstrates how newspapers create and disseminate narratives that appear to exonerate the government of accountability for providing aged care. Through the application of Fairclough's three-dimensional approach, this study shows how media constructs older individuals as either consumers or a burden in Australia. This study emphasises the need for print media to reflect critically on their representations of older people, avoiding harmful stereotypes and promoting positive and diverse images of ageing.
Social work scope of practice with Parkinson's disease: A qualitative study
Authors: Kreitzer Linda , Shurer Jessica , Book Elaine , Zerden Lisa , Guan Ting
Published: November 2023

The field of social work has seen increased recognition across many sectors in recent years. Evolving racial, political, and medical paradigms and the COVID-19 pandemic have shown the importance of a person-centered approach to health and mental health. One such area of practice is neurology, specifically work with people with Parkinson's disease (PD), which is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, currently impacting more than 10 million people worldwide. While social workers have long played key roles in multidisciplinary teams in PD care settings, research and literature offering assessment and evidence in this area remain limited. This research study used a mixed-methods approach with additional in-depth qualitative interviews conducted with 11 social workers. This article presents findings from the 11 interviewees who are presently working with people with PD using thematic analysis.

Findings

Themes emerging were an in-depth detailed role of the social worker, the importance of strong relationships working with people with PD and their families, multidisciplinary teams, and the community. Institutional challenges were highlighted concerning supporting social work positions and encouraging social work intervention from the beginning of diagnosis to the end stages of the disease. COVID-19 proved very challenging for social workers, multidisciplinary teams, and families, and yet positive practices were identified as well.

Applications

The impact of this study reinforces the essential role specialized PD social workers play in multidisciplinary PD teams and recognition needed to increase their role through early intervention reflected in increasing social work positions in neurology.
Quantitative radial force measurements of Woven EndoBridge devices
Authors: Kutbay Ugurhan , Algin Oktay
Published: November 2023

Background

Lateral/radial forces and the mechanical properties of Woven EndoBridge (WEB) devices have significant importance for therapeutic success. In other words, adequate apposition of the lateral wall of a cerebral aneurysm is critical for preventing recurrence or re-rupture risk.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the pressure values applied by different WEB devices to the lateral walls of aneurysms and the relationships between these pressure measurements and the diameters of WEB devices.

Methods

By placing four WEB devices of different sizes and types between two rigid metal plates, the lateral forces applied by these WEB devices to plates of different apertures were measured quantitatively. We tested a single device of each size over multiple periods. The total number of examined WEB devices is four.

Results

There was a significant negative relationship between plate distances and pressure values (correlation coefficient:–0.956, p = 0.000). The lateral wall apposition pressure of a 4- or 5-mm aperture size was higher than a 6-mm aperture size for SL-type WEB devices with a 7-mm diameter. Similarly, the lateral wall apposition pressure detected for a 3- or 3.5-mm aperture size was higher than a 4-mm aperture size for W5-4.5-3 and W5-5-3.6. It was observed that maximum lateral wall pressure was detected in plate measurements of SLS-type devices compared to SL-type devices. The diameter and height values of 3 of the 4 unconstrained WEB devices analyzed differed from the catalog values.

Conclusion

It seems that SLS-type devices apply more pressure on the aneurysm's lateral borders than SL-type devices.
Why Phenomenology Came Into Nursing: The Legitimacy and Usefulness of Phenomenology in Theory Building in the Discipline of Nursing
Authors: Norlyk Annelise , Martinsen Bente , Dreyer Pia , Haahr Anita
Published: November 2023

Phenomenology was introduced to the field of nursing in late ‘70s in the US and Scandinavia. Since then, phenomenology has developed as a commonly used approach within nursing research. However, during the past two to three decades, phenomenological nursing research has come under attack from scholars outside the field of nursing who question the credibility and usefulness of phenomenological nursing research. The aim of this discussion paper is twofold: 1) to illuminate why phenomenology was introduced by nurse scholars to develop theory and as a framework for empirical research in the US and Scandinavia; and 2) to discuss the legitimacy of applying a phenomenological approach in nursing research and practice today. The rationale behind advocating the integration of a phenomenological approach into nursing practice was to defend, apprehend and articulate the essence of caregiving in theory building within nursing. We claim these arguments are maybe even more important today. Using three examples of empirical phenomenological studies, we illustrate how these studies provide theoretically informed insights into existential aspects of care that guide caring practice and accordingly humanise practice. We argue that phenomenology provides the nursing profession with a humanly sensitive approach that challenges the current tendency within healthcare to emphasise an evidence-based, standardised approach to patient care that inclines to neglect each patient’s uniqueness. Nursing profession may lose its very raison d'être, i.e. to deliver humanly sensitive care, if nursing research ceases to address existential aspects of being a human. Thus, it is evident that phenomenological nursing studies have legitimacy and are important for developing theoretically informed insights that promote the discipline of nursing. Consequently, the value of phenomenological nursing research should be assessed based on the findings it provides that promote such knowledge. Hence, credibility and usefulness of phenomenological nursing research must be determined by the discipline itself.
Preferences for telehealth: A qualitative study with people accessing a new mental health service
Authors: Honey Anne , Hines Monique , Barton Rebecca , Berry Bridget , Gilroy John , Glover Helen , Hancock Nicola , Waks Shifra , Wells Karen
Published: November 2023

Objectives

To examine preferences for telehealth versus in-person services for people who sought mental health support from an unfamiliar service during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify the factors that influenced these preferences.

Methods

Data are drawn from semi-structured interviews with 45 participants (32 people who accessed mental health services, 7 informal support people, and 6 people who accessed services themselves as well as identifying as informal supports). Data relating to experiences of telehealth, comparisons with in-person services and preferences were coded inductively and analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Results

Just over half of the participants in our sample preferred telehealth or at least regarded it as a suitable option. Those who preferred telehealth were more likely to have had direct experience, particularly via videoconferencing, as part of their access to this new mental health service. Reasons for preferring in-person services included belief in the superiority of interpersonal communication in these settings, compatibility with personal communication style and discomfort with technology. Those preferring telehealth cited its convenience, elimination of the need to travel for services, the comfort and safety afforded by accessing services at home and the ability to communicate more openly.

Conclusions

Hybrid models of care which harness the unique benefits of both in-person and remote service modalities appear to have a legitimate place in models of mental health care outside of pandemic situations. These results illuminate the potential of telehealth services when engaging with people seeking mental health help for the first time and in situations where existing relationships with service providers have not yet been established.
Challenges and Potentials of Implementing Discussion-Based Instruction in Elementary and Middle School Classrooms: An Interview With Catherine Snow at Harvard Graduate School of Education
Authors: Deng (邓兹韵) Ziyun , Xu (徐敬宜) Jingyi , Jiang (蒋奕楠) Yinan , Choi (최유진) Yoo Jin , Koomplee (สุชาครีย์ คุ้มปลี) Suchakrey , Ye (叶羽) Yu
Published: November 2023

Highlights

This article consists of an interview with Professor Catherine Snow, an expert on English language and literacy education. The interview aims to introduce discussion-based instruction to educational practitioners. Discussion-based instruction inspires students to take initiatives and increases their engagement in the classroom. It is recommended that a dilemma without a singular answer should be set as the discussion topic. Discussion-based instruction can be combined with traditional lecture-based instruction. It helps students become better readers, thinkers, and writers, facilitating their achievements in standardized assessments. The article highlights that teachers can switch their roles from being owners and conveyors of knowledge to becoming fellow knowledge seekers with their students.
The relationship between uncertainty and acute procedure anxiety among surgical patients in Chinese mainland: the mediating role of resilience
Authors: Wu Min , Dai Suwan , Wang Rong , Yang Silan
Published: November 2023

Background

Surgery, as one of the main diagnostic and treatment methods, is a routine work in medical settings. Patients undergoing surgery often experience acute procedure anxiety due to uncertainty. There is ample evidence showing that uncertainty is a risk factor for the acute procedure anxiety in surgical patients. However, little is known about the psychological processes mediating this relationship. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate resilience as a mediator of the association between uncertainty and anxiety.

Methods

A population-based cross-sectional survey with a convenience sampling method was conducted, involving 243 surgical patients in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province of China was carried out. Relevant data were collected by self-reporting questionnaires, including demographic characteristics questionnaire, Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS-C), Mishel’s Illness Uncertainty Scale (MUIS), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Pearson correlation analysis was employed to examine correlations between various variables. A path model was used to assess the mediation effect of resilience with respect to uncertainty and acute procedure anxiety.

Results

In the path model, uncertainty have an indirect effect on acute procedure anxiety through resilience. The results suggest that resilience has a mediating role in uncertainty and acute procedure anxiety among surgical patients.

Conclusions

These findings call for the development of interventions targeting the role of resilience in effectively predicting and preventing acute procedure anxiety and uncertainty among surgical patients.
Cluster features in fibrosing interstitial lung disease and associations with prognosis
Authors: Wang Yuanying , Sun Di , Wang Jingwei , Yu Shiwen , Wu Na , Ye Qiao
Published: November 2023

Background

Clustering is helpful in identifying subtypes in complex fibrosing interstitial lung disease (F-ILD) and associating them with prognosis at an early stage of the disease to improve treatment management. We aimed to identify associations between clinical characteristics and outcomes in patients with F-ILD.

Methods

Retrospectively, 575 out of 926 patients with F-ILD were eligible for analysis. Four clusters were identified based on baseline data using cluster analysis. The clinical characteristics and outcomes were compared among the groups.

Results

Cluster 1 was characterized by a high prevalence of comorbidities and hypoxemia at rest, with the worst lung function at baseline; Cluster 2 by young female patients with less or no smoking history; Cluster 3 by male patients with highest smoking history, the most noticeable signs of velcro crackles and clubbing of fingers, and the severe lung involvement on chest image; Cluster 4 by male patients with a high percentage of occupational or environmental exposure. Clusters 1 (median overall survival [OS] = 7.0 years) and 3 (OS = 5.9 years) had shorter OS than Clusters 2 (OS = not reached, Cluster 1: p < 0.001, Cluster 3: p < 0.001) and 4 (OS = not reached, Cluster 1: p = 0.004, Cluster 3: p < 0.001). Clusters 1 and 3 had a higher cumulative incidence of acute exacerbation than Clusters 2 (Cluster 1: p < 0.001, Cluster 3: p = 0.014) and 4 (Cluster 1: p < 0.001, Cluster 3: p = 0.006). Stratification by using clusters also independently predicted acute exacerbation (p < 0.001) and overall survival (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The high degree of disease heterogeneity of F-ILD can be underscored by four clusters based on clinical characteristics, which may be helpful in predicting the risk of fibrosis progression, acute exacerbation and overall survival.
States’ racial resentment correlates with administrative distancing and lower rates of health plan selection in affordable care act marketplaces: a cross sectional analysis
Authors: Snowden Lonnie R , Graaf Genevieve
Published: November 2023

Background

In the United States, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) pursued equity in healthcare access and treatment, but ACA implementation varied, especially limiting African Americans’ gains. Marketplaces for subsidized purchase of coverage were sometimes implemented with limited outreach and enrollment assistance efforts. Reflecting state’s ACA receptivity or reluctance, state’s implementation may rest on sociopolitical stances and racial sentiments. Some states were unwilling to provide publicly supported healthcare to nonelderly, non-disabled adults— “the undeserving poor” —who evoke anti-black stereotypes. The present study assessed whether some states shunned Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplaces and implemented them less vigorously than other states, leading to fewer eligible persons selecting insurance plans. It assessed if states’ actions were motivated by racial resentment, because states connote marketplaces to be government assistance for unworthy African Americans.

Methods

Using marketplace and plan selection data from 2015, we rated states’ marketplace structures along a four-level continuum indicating greater acceptance of marketplaces, ranging from states assuming sole responsibility to minimal responsibility. Using national data from a four-question modern racism scale, state-wide racial resentment estimates were estimated at the state level. Analysis assessed associations between state levels of racial resentment with states’ marketplace structure. Further analysis assessed relationships between both state levels of racial resentment and states’ marketplace structure with states’ consumer plan selection rates—representing the proportion of persons eligible to enroll in insurance plans who selected a plan.

Results

Racial resentment was greater in states with less responsibility for the administration of the marketplaces than actively participating states. States higher in racial resentment also showed lower rates of plan selection, pointing to less commitment to implementing marketplace provisions and fulfilling the ACA’s coverage-improvement mission. Differences persisted after controlling for differences in conservatism, uninsurance, poor health, and rejection of Medicaid expansion.

Conclusions

Resentment of African Americans’ purported irresponsibility and entitlement to government assistance may interfere with states structuring and operating marketplaces to maximize health insurance opportunities for everyone available under the ACA.

Trial registration

N/A.