bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Erosion Mechanisms in Unpaved Roads: Effects of Slope, Rainfall, and Soil type
Authors: Valencia-Gallego Verónica , Montoya Luis-Javier
Published: September 2024

Erosion is the main cause of damage to unpaved roads. This study utilized rainfall simulators to quantify erosion on unpaved roads, controlling variables such as rainfall intensity and slope. A laboratory model of an unpaved road was utilized to evaluate soil loss in an experimental setup. A total of 72 tests were conducted to compare simulated conditions on unpaved roads for three soil types with three slope variations, and eight rainfall intensities. The impact of each variable (soil type, slope, and rainfall intensity) on soil loss was analyzed for 30-minute rainfall events. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed to assess soil erosion response to terrain slope for the three soil types, revealing statistical differences in soil loss between low slopes (2%) and steep slopes (7%) with p-values of .04 (sandy soil), .00007 (sandy silt soil), and .00008 (loam silt soil). Correlation analysis demonstrated a strong relationship between rainfall intensity and soil loss ( R2 = .76) for sandy soil and sandy silt soil. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) indicated a linear relationship between soil loss and rainfall intensity, with significant differences ( p < .05). The findings suggest that soil loss on unpaved roads is positively correlated with slope and rainfall intensity. However, this relationship is not always linear; sandy soil exhibited a nonlinear relationship, especially with high rainfall intensities, whereas sandy silt soil showed a linear relationship with evaluated rain intensities. The type of soil influences erosion process, with higher erosion rates observed in sandy silt soils compared to loam silt soils. This paper analyzed the factors essential for addressing erosion on unpaved roads, identifying key elements to minimize soil loss.
A Deep Learning Based Intelligent Decision Support System for Automatic Detection of Brain Tumor
Authors: Ullah Zahid , Jamjoom Mona , Thirumalaisamy Manikandan , Alajmani Samah H , Saleem Farrukh , Sheikh-Akbari Akbar , Khan Usman Ali
Published: September 2024

Brain tumor (BT) is an awful disease and one of the foremost causes of death in human beings. BT develops mainly in 2 stages and varies by volume, form, and structure, and can be cured with special clinical procedures such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgical mediation. With revolutionary advancements in radiomics and research in medical imaging in the past few years, computer-aided diagnostic systems (CAD), especially deep learning, have played a key role in the automatic detection and diagnosing of various diseases and significantly provided accurate decision support systems for medical clinicians. Thus, convolution neural network (CNN) is a commonly utilized methodology developed for detecting various diseases from medical images because it is capable of extracting distinct features from an image under investigation. In this study, a deep learning approach is utilized to extricate distinct features from brain images in order to detect BT. Hence, CNN from scratch and transfer learning models (VGG-16, VGG-19, and LeNet-5) are developed and tested on brain images to build an intelligent decision support system for detecting BT. Since deep learning models require large volumes of data, data augmentation is used to populate the existing dataset synthetically in order to utilize the best fit detecting models. Hyperparameter tuning was conducted to set the optimum parameters for training the models. The achieved results show that VGG models outperformed others with an accuracy rate of 99.24%, average precision of 99%, average recall of 99%, average specificity of 99%, and average f1-score of 99% each. The results of the proposed models compared to the other state-of-the-art models in the literature show better performance of the proposed models in terms of accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and f1-score. Moreover, comparative analysis shows that the proposed models are reliable in that they can be used for detecting BT as well as helping medical practitioners to diagnose BT.
Diagnostic performance of central vein sign versus oligoclonal bands for multiple sclerosis
Authors: Toljan Karlo , Daboul Lynn , Raza Praneeta , Martin Melissa L , Cao Quy , O’Donnell Carly M , Rodrigues Paulo , Derbyshire John , Azevedo Christina J , Bar-Or Amit , Caverzasi Eduardo , Calabresi Peter A , Cree Bruce AC , Freeman Leorah , Henry Roland G , Longbrake Erin E , Oh Jiwon , Papinutto Nico , Pelletier Daniel , Samudralwar Rohini D , Schindler Matthew K , Sotirchos Elias S , Sicotte Nancy L , Solomon Andrew J , Shinohara Russell T , Reich Daniel S , Sati Pascal , Ontaneda Daniel
Published: September 2024

Background:

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) oligoclonal bands (OCB) are a diagnostic biomarker in multiple sclerosis (MS). The central vein sign (CVS) is an imaging biomarker for MS that may improve diagnostic accuracy.

Objectives:

The objective of the study is to examine the diagnostic performance of simplified CVS methods in comparison to OCB in participants with clinical or radiological suspicion for MS.

Methods:

Participants from the CentrAl Vein Sign in MS (CAVS-MS) pilot study with CSF testing were included. Select-3 and Select-6 (counting up to three or six CVS+ lesions per scan) were rated on post-gadolinium FLAIR* images. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value for Select-3, Select-6, OCB, and combinations thereof were calculated for MS diagnosis at baseline and at 12 months.

Results:

Of 53 participants, 25 were OCB+. At baseline, sensitivity for MS diagnosis was 0.75 for OCB, 0.83 for Select-3, and 0.71 for Select-6. Specificity for MS diagnosis was 0.76 for OCB, 0.48 for Select-3, and 0.86 for Select-6. At 12 months, PPV for MS diagnosis was 0.95 for Select-6 and 1.00 for Select-6 with OCB+ status.

Discussion:

Results suggest similar diagnostic performance of simplified CVS methods and OCB. Ongoing studies will refine whether CVS could be used in replacement or in conjunction with OCB.
Brain reserve and timing of clinical onset in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Petracca Maria , Ruggieri Serena , Nistri Riccardo , Tomasso Ilaria , Barbuti Elena , Pozzilli Valeria , Haggiag Shalom , Tortorella Carla , Gasperini Claudio , Pozzilli Carlo , Prosperini Luca
Published: September 2024

Background:

A latent period of variable length elapses between multiple sclerosis (MS) biological onset and the occurrence of the first clinical episode reflecting a central nervous system (CNS) demyelinating event. Factors affecting the duration of such interval are unknown.

Objective:

To explore whether brain reserve, which moderates the impact of structural damage along MS course, could also affect the timing of MS clinical onset.

Methods:

We conducted a time-to-event analysis in 326 relapsing-onset multiple sclerosis patients to ascertain the effect of brain reserve, that is, larger maximal lifetime brain growth (MLBG) estimated as intracranial volume, on the risk of an earlier disease onset. For this purpose, we carried out a Cox proportional hazards regression model stratified by sex and adjusted by site and pre-morbid MS risk factors. All patients reached the event (i.e. the disease onset) with no censored case; the age (years) at disease onset was set as the main time variable.

Results:

We identified a protective effect of brain reserve on the time to disease onset (HR = 0.11, 95% CI = 0.02–0.83, p = 0.032), unchanged when accounting for MS risk factors.

Conclusion:

Brain reserve might counteract the pathological mechanisms ongoing after biological initiation, thus delaying the disease overt clinical manifestation.
Gamification and economic behavior: Geospatial insights into mobile exercise app usage in South Korea
Authors: Jang Seongsoo , Kim Jinwon , Kim Changwook
Published: September 2024

This study investigates how mobile exercise app-enabled gamified benefits (epistemic, personal integrative, and social integrative) independently and interactively influence economic outcomes from a nationwide perspective. Utilizing unique data on physical exercise and shopping activities collected from 7558 South Korean exercise app users over 3 years, we employed aspatial and spatial econometric models, along with visualization techniques, to examine the spatially varying relationships between gamified benefits and shopping behaviors at the municipality level. The results indicate that while social integrative benefits decreased shopping frequency and amount, the interaction terms of epistemic and social integrative benefits positively influenced shopping frequency. Furthermore, our spatial analysis suggests that the gamification–shopping relationship varied based on specific gamified benefits and across individual and clustered districts, cities, and counties across South Korea. These insights can guide local governments and tourism firms, suggesting opportunities to promote destination-specific gamified services for boosting the local economy.
Motivation and anxiety in Chinese EFL students’ listening process: An idiodynamic approach
Authors: Zhang Fan , Wu Xuande
Published: September 2024

This study pioneers the use of the idiodynamic approach to investigate the dynamic interplay between motivation and anxiety in Chinese learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) during listening tasks. Despite the acknowledged importance of understanding moment-to-moment fluctuations in language learning motivations and emotions, research has yet to explore these dynamics within listening comprehension contexts using this approach. To address this gap, the authors enlisted five Chinese EFL learners to examine how motivation and anxiety fluctuate and interact during two distinct listening activities: a multiple-choice English listening test and a listening practice task. Utilizing the Anion Variable Tester V2 software, we captured real-time changes in participants’ motivation and anxiety levels, offering a novel lens through which to view these psychological dynamics. Quantitative analysis, including Pearson correlation per task, Pearson correlation in segment, and moving correlation analysis, revealed significant variations in the relationship between motivation and anxiety across individuals and tasks and patterns of positive, negative, and non-significant correlations emerging within tasks. Qualitatively, the study identified that the factors interactively influence the fluctuations of motivation and anxiety. These findings contribute to our understanding of motivation and anxiety’s nuanced roles in language learning and underscore the value of the idiodynamic method in capturing these complex psychological processes. The implications of this research extend to developing more responsive and emotionally attuned language teaching practices.
Atypical vocal imitation of speech and song in autism spectrum disorder: Evidence from Mandarin speakers
Authors: Wang Li , Pfordresher Peter Q , Jiang Cunmei , Liu Fang
Published: September 2024

Vocal imitation in English-speaking autistic individuals has been shown to be atypical. Speaking a tone language such as Mandarin facilitates vocal imitation skills among non-autistic individuals, yet no studies have examined whether this effect holds for autistic individuals. To address this question, we compared vocal imitation of speech and song between 33 autistic Mandarin speakers and 30 age-matched non-autistic peers. Participants were recorded while imitating 40 speech and song stimuli with varying pitch and duration patterns. Acoustic analyses showed that autistic participants imitated relative pitch (but not absolute pitch) less accurately than non-autistic participants for speech, whereas for song the two groups performed comparably on both absolute and relative pitch matching. Regarding duration matching, autistic participants imitated relative duration (inter-onset interval between consecutive notes/syllables) less accurately than non-autistic individuals for both speech and song, while their lower performance on absolute duration matching of the notes/syllables was presented only in the song condition. These findings indicate that experience with tone languages does not mitigate the challenges autistic individuals face in imitating speech and song, highlighting the importance of considering the domains and features of investigation and individual differences in cognitive abilities and language backgrounds when examining imitation in autism.

Lay abstract

Atypical vocal imitation has been identified in English-speaking autistic individuals, whereas the characteristics of vocal imitation in tone-language-speaking autistic individuals remain unexplored. By comparing speech and song imitation, the present study reveals a unique pattern of atypical vocal imitation across speech and music domains among Mandarin-speaking autistic individuals. The findings suggest that tone language experience does not compensate for difficulties in vocal imitation in autistic individuals and extends our understanding of vocal imitation in autism across different languages.
Techno-feudalism or platform capitalism? Conceptualising the digital society
Authors: Gilbert Jeremy
Published: September 2024

A number of popular commentaries in recent years have contended that the emergence of an advanced, platform-oriented digital economy marks the end of capitalism as such. This paper evaluates these claims from theorists such as Mckenzie Wark and Yannis Varoufakis. Ultimately the paper suggests that a more useful and plausible alternative to them is to be found in the Regulation School assertion that ‘platform capitalism’ constitutes a new ‘regime of accumulation’: a successor to ‘Fordism’ and ‘post-Fordism’. The paper explains the historical origins of this approach, arguing for its continued usefulness and its compatibility with important recent developments in institutional, technological and media sociology. It explains the compatibility of an approach characterising ‘platform capitalism’ as a new regime of accumulation with a range of other perspectives on both ‘platformization’ and contemporary capitalism, and discusses both recent changes to popular music culture and broad trends in populist politics in recent decades as exemplifying cultural, social and political features of platform capitalism.
Investigation of seismic response amplification effects of diverse multi-support earthquake excitations on cable-stayed bridges
Authors: Waqas Hafiz Ahmed , Su Di , Nagayama Tomonori
Published: September 2024

This study addresses the critical need to understand the seismic behavior of cable-stayed bridges under Multi-Support Excitation (MSE) in order to mitigate earthquake-induced damage to these structures. The primary focus is on the investigation of response amplification phenomena and their seismic implications for cable-stayed bridges. Through a detailed comparative analysis of MSE and Synchronous Excitation (SE) across various structural locations, the study evaluates the impact of site-specific recorded ground motions of different earthquake categories. A pragmatic framework is developed to simulate realistic MSE ground motions for diverse earthquake scenarios, emphasizing the necessity of considering MSE in bridge design. The findings reveal a significant amplification of the design requirements due to antisymmetric mode excitation and increased tower and pier motions. The study also identified the need for in-depth analysis of cable-stayed bridges to address the increased vulnerability of tower-adjacent areas and to devise targeted reinforcement strategies of vulnerable components. These insights are critical for advancing seismic design practices and improving the resilience of cable-stayed bridges, contributing to safer urban infrastructure.
Impact of buildings’ configuration in an urban context on the spread pattern of NO2 and indoor air quality: A CFD simulation
Authors: Kamali Mozhgan , Heidari Aliakbar , Peyvastehgar Yaghowb
Published: September 2024

The influence of the building’s configuration on the air flow pattern and the amount of pollutant entering the buildings was investigated. Six common forms of low-rise buildings in Shiraz City were evaluated as investigated patterns. Each of these forms were placed in four rotation modes (24 case studies in total) in an urban regular pavilion-shaped context, placed in the vicinity of an urban highway (as a source of pollutant production) and were simulated using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). In this research, air velocity and NO2 concentration were considered as the air quality parameters. Steady 3-dimensional flow was used to simulate these cases using the SST k-[Formula: see text] turbulence model, which was numerically solved based on the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations. The CFD software used in this research was validated in comparison with wind tunnel tests and acceptable results were found. The TOPSIS multi-criteria decision-making method was used to choose the best case based on increasing the air velocity and decreasing amount of pollutant inside the building. The results show that the best and worst building forms are related to the step-shaped and the L-shaped form, respectively. The results of this research provide design solutions for architects and urban designers to improve the ventilation quality of buildings.
‘My family wouldn’t have survived, and I would not be here’: Juxtaposing counterfactual and actual pasts and presents in narratives of rescue by Aristides de Sousa Mendes
Authors: Koven Michele
Published: September 2024

This paper examines the alignment of multiple chronotopes in narrative discourse about Holocaust rescue. Participants talked about actual alongside hypothetical or counterfactual events surrounding their families’ rescue from Nazi-occupied Europe in the summer of 1940, thanks to then-illegal visas from ‘righteous gentile’ Aristides de Sousa Mendes. Specifically, participants recounted how their families were actually rescued, and what would have happened without Sousa Mendes’s actions (i.e. their family’s likely deportation and murder). They calibrated actual and hypothetical narrated chronotopes to multiple ‘present’ chronotopes: (a) that of the speech event; (b) that of speakers’ ongoing survival and their family members’ existence; and (c) that of timeless, nomic truths which narrators take the narrative to illustrate. Such alignments and disjunctures of multiple pasts and presents constitute a complex type of interdiscursivity, or more specifically, heterochronicity.
Intermediaries of change: How media-focused non-governmental organizations shape meta-journalistic discourse in Ukraine
Authors: Hrybenko Oleksandra
Published: September 2024

Ukrainian media is currently undergoing its most challenging period in history. Still transitioning from political and economic instrumentalization, it has been significantly affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, impacting both safety and the economy. The loss of advertisement revenue has made them dependent on the support of media-focused NGOs and foreign donors. Established by journalists and funded by foreign donors, these organizations find themselves in an ambiguous position – not at the core of the journalistic field, as they do not compete with legacy media in content production and revenues; and not at its periphery, as they actively shape journalism culture in Ukraine by legitimizing and delegitimizing actors, norms, and practices based on their definition of ‘good journalism.’ Due to their autonomy from state and market influence, they manage to combine regulatory and activist functions, monitoring journalists’ adherence to journalistic standards and criticizing violations while supporting the interventionist role of the media in collecting evidence of war crimes and promoting political missions like gender equality. Simultaneously, the ongoing war means that in frontline areas, the transition is held back, as the quality of the media becomes less important than mere access to information. Drawing on nine semi-structured interviews with key actors from prominent NGOs such as Lviv Media Forum, The Reckoning Project, Women in Media, the Institute of Mass Information, and a professional association (National Union of Journalists of Ukraine), conducted online in 2023–2024, this research utilizes discourse analysis to investigate how mediafocused NGOs shape the meta-journalistic discourse in Ukraine.
Limiting lifetime inheritances and gifts
Authors: Robeyns Ingrid
Published: September 2024

This paper provides a defence of a lifetime limit on how much a person can receive in the form of gifts and inheritances, that is, a person's accessions. I argue that any accessions above that limit should be taxed at a rate of 100%. The analysis shows how this proposal can bring into equilibrium the core values and other goals at stake in the design of taxation on inheritances and gifts. To counter the low level of support for inheritance taxation in general, the analysis must include a proposal concerning what will be done with the tax revenues. I propose turning the accession tax revenues into an unconditional citizen's stake that is granted to young adults. Such an institutional design would create additional value by reducing unfair inequalities between age groups.
Towards models of language supportive pedagogy in Sub-Saharan Africa: Comparing and analysing curricula and practice
Authors: Deutschmann Mats , Zelime Justin , Barrett Angeline Mbogo , Sane Eliakimu , Ismail Maryam Jaffar
Published: September 2024

A prerequisite for learning is that instructions and other learning activities take place in a language that you understand. This may seem self-evident, but fact remains that most learners in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are taught in a European second language (L2) that they are unfamiliar with. Frequently, the role of the home languages in the classrooms has been completely subtracted leading to very unfavourable learning situations for many pupils, something which in turn results in failures and early drop-out. The current paper takes up some of the challenges, dilemmas and consequences of current medium of instruction (MoI) policies as illustrated by theories and previous studies. Part 2 gives an outline of the analytical framework being developed under the Understanding project financed by the Swedish research Council. The purpose of the framework is to help reveal strengths, shortcomings and mismatches in current language-in-education policies. Focus lies on how different policy levels acknowledge the challenges involved in learning and teaching through a second language in SSA contexts. The model provides a systematic framework for explorations of how language-in-education policy outcomes (mis)match intentions. The framework, though adapted for SSA contexts, has direct relevance to the analysis of language-in-education polices in Western education systems.
Corrosion behaviour of 110SS steel in hydrochloric acid and blended acid system at 200°C
Authors: Liu Jinming , Liu Pingli , Xiong Gang , Chen Pengfei , Du Juan , Li Ce , Yuan Yaoshun , Zuo Zixuan , Li Jinlong , Wang Chengjie
Published: September 2024

The influence of organic acids (formic acid, acetic acid) on the corrosion behaviour of 110SS steel, a hydrogen sulphide corrosion resistant alloy steel, in hydrochloric (HCl) acid environments was studied. The corrosion rates of 110SS steels in HCl acid and blended acid were measured using the high-temperature and high-pressure corrosion tester. Scanning electron microscopy was utilised to observe the morphology of corrosion products on steel samples corroded by different acid systems, and the energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer was used to analyse the elemental composition of the corrosion products. The corrosion morphology was observed using a 3D laser scanner. The results indicated that the corrosion rate of 110SS steel in HCl acid at 200 °C was an exponential function of HCl concentration. Reducing the HCl concentration significantly decreased the corrosion rate of 110SS steel. Organic acids and corrosion inhibitors synergistically reduced the corrosion of 110SS steel in HCl acid. Adding 3 wt.% organic acid to the 15 wt.% HCl acid system further reduced the corrosion rate, with a more pronounced effect observed in the HCl–formic acid system compared to the HCl–acetic acid system. Organic acids chemically adsorbed onto the steel surface and decomposed to produce CO, which hindered the attack of hydrogen ions on the metal. The added corrosion inhibitor and intensifier Sb2O3 resulted in the formation of a compact adsorption film on the steel surface, further inhibiting corrosion. The optimal mass ratio of HCl acid to organic acid was found to be 15% to 3%.
Short-Term and Long-Term Fluvastatin Inhibit Effects of Thrombospondin-1 on Human Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells
Authors: Maier Kristopher , Helkin Alex , Stein Jeffrey J. , Yuan Helen L. , Seymour Keri , Ryabtsev Boris , Iwuchukwu Chinenye , Gahtan Vivian
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Vascular smooth muscle cells are important in intimal hyperplasia. Thrombospondin-1 is a matricellular protein involved in the vascular injury response. Statins are cholesterol lowering drugs that have beneficial cardiovascular effects. Statis have been shown to inhibit smooth muscle migration through the mevalonate pathway. This effect is thought to be mediated by small G protein Ras and Rho turnover which requires many hours. While many patients undergoing treatment for vascular disease are on statins, many are not. Thus immediate pretreatment with statins before surgery may be beneficial. We hypothesized that statins have effects independent of the mevalonate pathway and thus have an immediate effect.

Methods

Human vascular smooth muscle cells were pretreated for 20 h (long-term) or 20 min (short-term) with fluvastatin, or mevalonolactone plus fluvastatin. Thrombospondin-1-induced migration, activation of p42/p44 extracellular signal-regulated kinase, c-Src, focal adhesion kinase and PI3 kinase was determined. The effect of fluvastatin on thrombospondin-1-induced expression of THBS1, FOS, HAS2 and TGFB2 was examined.

Results

Both treatments inhibited thrombospondin-1-induced chemotaxis back to the control group. Mevalonolactone reversed the long-term statin effect by increasing migration but had no effect on the short-term statin response. p42/p44 extracellular signal-regulated kinase was activated by thrombospondin-1 and both treatments augmented activation. Neither treatment affected c-Src activity, but both inhibited focal adhesion kinase and PI3 kinase activity. Only long-term statin treatment inhibited THBS1 expression while both treatments inhibited FOS and TGFB2 expression. Neither treatment affected HAS2. FOS knockdown inhibited thrombospondin-1-induced HAS2 but not TGFβ2 gene expression.

Conclusion

Long-term fluvastatin inhibited thrombospondin-1-induced chemotaxis through the mevalonate pathway while short-term fluvastatin inhibited chemotaxis through an alternate mechanism. Short-term stains have immediate effects independent of the mevalonate pathway. Acute local treatment with statins followed by longer term therapy may limit the vascular response to injury.
Association of Parent and Child Intuitive Eating: A Scoping Review
Authors: Dowling Michaela L. , Hubbard Madeline E. , Agnihotri Richa
Published: September 2024

Children’s eating behaviors are dependent on childhood food experiences, which involve their parental feeding practices, home food environments, and modeling of eating behavior. Intuitive eating (IE) promotes eating based on internal hunger and satiety cues. IE has been associated with improvements in mental and physical health. There has been increasing interest in exploring the association between parent and child IE. The aim of this scoping review was to synthesize current literature reporting on parent and child IE associations. Four databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science and CINAHL) were searched using keywords focusing on IE, parents, and children. Inclusion criteria were reporting on parental and/or child IE, and reporting on parent–child relationships. After screening, 15 studies were retained. From these, 3 main correlations were described. Parental IE was associated with child feeding, child weight concerns, and the home food environment. As well, environmental factors (i.e., family cohesion, food security) were associated with components of child IE. Moreover, IE was directly correlated between parents and children. Overall, this study highlights how child IE behaviors may be shaped by both parental IE and the broader environments that they are raised within. Additional high-quality studies are required to verify these findings.
Using Walking Interviews in Migration Research: A Systematic Review of the Qualitative Research Literature
Authors: Sun Yuqi , Zhu Wenjun
Published: September 2024

In the field of migration research, the frequency of employing qualitative walking interviews has risen in recent years to delve into the construction, evolution, and negotiation mechanisms of migrant identities within everyday spatial practices. This novel mobile method emphasizes the interaction between micro-experience and macro-structure. It facilitates a shift away from viewing migrants as passive outsiders, empowering them with increased agency, and allow researchers to gain deeper insights into migrants’ emotional dynamics, life experiences, and self-identification within new social landscapes and power configurations. This systematic review aims to evaluate, integrate, and analyse the current empirical evidence in qualitative migration research using walking/go-along interviews for different types of migrants (defined as an individual who moves away from his or her place of usual residence, whether within a country or across an international border, temporarily or permanently, and for a variety of reasons). This review brings together for the first time the knowledge and insights from migration research that involves walking interviews. This review employs framework synthesis to analyse the 24 included articles, identifying five major themes: (1) synergising diverse research methods within different research designs; (2) adjustment of power dynamics; (3) migrants’ place-based threefold agency; (4) migrants' identity construction; (5) place-based sense of belonging or exclusion. By integrating these themes, the methodological contribution of this review lies in recognizing the advantages of combining walking interviews with other research methods, which lies in capturing the multidimensional aspects of mobility, allowing researchers to flexibly switch between methodological strategies and spatial scales. Additionally, this paper recommends a deeper exploration of migratory experiences to transcend prevailing practical knowledge and pay sensitive attention to potential ethical issues throughout the research. Such investigation has the potential to uncover the dynamic evolution of agency, identity construction, and the fluctuating sense of belonging among various migrants throughout their journey.
Women veteran transition mental health and well-being support group programs: A scoping review
Authors: Lawn Sharon , Waddell Elaine , Roberts Louise , McNeill Liz , Rioseco Pilar , Wadham Ben , Sharp Tiffany , Beks Tiffany , Lane Jon , Hooff Miranda Van , Mohammadi Leila
Published: September 2024

Background:

The military is a male-dominated environment and culture in which women veterans can experience significant institutional prejudice. Transition can be confusing and isolating for women veterans. Group programs are an important source of transition support. However, we know little about the specific group program needs of women veterans.

Objectives:

To examine mental health and well-being support group programs delivered to women veterans, to understand what they value and find most helpful.

Eligibility Criteria:

Women military veterans (all types); empirical studies using any design; published between 1990 and 2022; group programs focused on transition issues (such as housing, employment, education, physical health, mental health).

Sources of Evidence:

Peer-reviewed journals and theses.

Charting Methods:

Six databases searched: Medline (via Ovid SP), PsycINFO (via Ovid SP), EmCare (via Ovid SP), CINAHL, Scopus, and ProQuest.

Results:

There was significant heterogeneity across 35 included studies in type of groups, program content and structure, length of sessions, measurement of impact, follow-up, and so forth. Most programs were delivered face to face. Physical health and preventative healthcare were important topics for women veterans, particularly reproductive health, mental health, and chronic pain. Groups that included physical activity, creative arts, and alternative therapies were beneficial to women’s physical and mental health. Strengths-based women-only groups, facilitated by women, that created safe spaces for women veterans to share their experiences, enhanced self-expression, agency, and self-empowerment. This was particularly important for women who had experience military sexual trauma.

Conclusion:

This review found a small but diverse range of group programs available for women veterans. Many program evaluations were of moderate or low quality and lacked sufficient information to determine whether benefits were sustained over time. No studies involved Australian women veterans. Despite these concerns, this review highlighted several useful lessons that could help inform improved design, delivery, and evaluation of group programs for women veterans.
Activists’ interventions in the heritage spectacle during the Macedonian protests of 2016
Authors: Volchevska Biljana
Published: September 2024

Protest and memory activism have been shown to have the potential to demystify the heritage spectacle through de-monumentalisation and de-contextualisation of the dominant and normalised narrative of the past, with the purpose to oppose a mnemonic hegemony and open the space for a cultural and social reimagining of both the past and the present. The protests that took place in North Macedonia in 2016 and the #Protestiram movement are examples of social movements in which newly installed cultural-historical objects and statues served as a canvas upon which protesters could express their socio-political motivations and demands. Protests offer a moment to re-examine given structures and routines and often represent the beginning of a new reality that refuses to accept the existing ‘stable scheme’ as normal. My interest in this article lies in exploring the means by which memory and heritage, as presented in the public space, influence meaning-making not only in a contemporary context but also in projecting a certain future – and thus how they can provoke resistance and revolt. In the context of the Macedonian protests from 2016, I look at how statues and newly produced megalomaniacal heritage bear witness to the social struggle during the protests. A further avenue of enquiry seeks to reveal the ultimate goal of these acts of de-monumentalisation and re-contextualisation of heritage as used by the protesters: what did they hope to achieve? My approach combines both the political logic of hegemonic relationships of Laclau and Debord’s concept of spectacle and the protest as an interruption of that spectacle. The use of the term ‘spectacle’ here suggests there is little actual history at play. In my analysis, I also apply concepts that have been used in memory studies in relation to social movements, including hegemonic memories, exclusive remembrance, counter memories, counter monuments and memories from below.
Effect of psychoeducational program and relaxation training on critical care nurses’ stress regarding care of patients with delirium
Authors: Abdullah Saleh O , El Din M Darweesh Alaa , A Mohammed Naglaa , A Alkubati Sameer , Alrasheeday Awatif M
Published: September 2024

Background:

Critical care nurses (CCNs) face difficulties and stress when caring for patients with delirium, and the level of delirium-related stress may be related to gaps in their knowledge and skills.

Aim:

This study aimed to assess the impact of a psychoeducational and relaxation program on reducing the stress of CCNs caring for patients with delirium in intensive care units (ICUs) in Taiz city, Yemen.

Methods:

From June to the end of December 2022, a quasi-experimental study was conducted among 60 CCNs from two ICUs of Al-Thawra Hospital in Taiz. Demographic characteristics were collected using a pre-designed data collection sheet, and the levels of CCNs’ stress were measured using the Delirium Nursing Stress Scale (DNSS). To assess the impact of the developed psychoeducational and relaxation program, stress levels were measured before and after the program, as well as at a 3-month follow-up for long-term impact. The association of demographic characteristics with delirium-related stress was also studied. Data were then analyzed using appropriate statistical tests at a significance level of <0.05.

Results:

Before the program, the mean score of CCNs’ stress was 60.48 ± 9.51, corresponding to a moderate stress level of 86.7%. However, this score was significantly reduced to 30.98 ± 4.35 immediately after the program and was sustained at 33.13 ± 5.31 3 months after the program, corresponding to a mild stress level. The highest mean score of CCNs’ stress related to caring for patients with delirium was observed before the program for all causes of stress on the DNSS, being 4.95 ± 1.77 for the nursing environment, 9.37 ± 2.16 for relationships with peers, 14.40 ± 4.02 for knowledge about delirium, and 31.77 ± 5.78 for nursing practice and work. However, the mean stress scores related to all these causes showed a significant reduction after the program (2.85 ± 0.95, 4.70 ± 1.33, 7.20 ± 1.67, and 16.23 ± 2.80, respectively) and at the 3-month follow-up (3.15 ± 1.05, 4.95 ± 1.23, 7.67 ± 1.66 and 17.37 ± 3.57, respectively). On the other hand, the mean score of total stress for all DNSS items showed a significant reduction from 60.48 ± 9.51 before the program to 30.98 ± 4.35 after the program and 33.13 ± 5.31 at the 3-month follow-up. There were no statistically significant differences in the mean scores of delirium-related stress before and after the program, or at the 3-month follow-up for any of the demographic characteristics of CCNs.

Conclusion:

Psychoeducational and relaxation programs have a positive impact on stress reduction in CCNs caring for patients with delirium, improving the standard of care provided to these patients. Regular assessment of CCNs for delirium-related stress and educating them to acquire knowledge and skills are recommended to reduce this stress when caring for delirious patients.
Content validity of the Leicester Cough Questionnaire in adults with refractory or unexplained chronic cough: a qualitative interview study
Authors: Martin Nguyen Allison , La Rosa Carmen , Cornell Alexandra G. , Sher Mandel R. , Bernstein Jonathan A. , Birring Surinder S. , (DeMuro) Romano Carla , Mayorga Margaret , Milien Mirline , Ervin Claire
Published: September 2024

Background:

Chronic cough, a cough lasting >8 weeks, includes refractory chronic cough (RCC) and unexplained chronic cough (UCC). Patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures are needed to better understand chronic cough impacts that matter most to patients. The 19-item Leicester Cough Questionnaire (LCQ), an existing PRO measure of chronic cough, assesses impacts of cough across physical, psychological, and social domains. However, the content validity of the LCQ evaluating these concepts in patients with RCC/UCC had not been established.

Objectives:

To evaluate the content validity of the LCQ in patients with RCC/UCC.

Design:

A cross-sectional, qualitative interview study.

Methods:

First, previously completed qualitative interview results in adults with RCC/UCC ( N = 30) were evaluated and mapped to LCQ concepts. Next, a clinical cough expert reviewed each LCQ item and assessed the salience of its concepts for patients with RCC/UCC. Finally, semistructured interviews—including both concept elicitation and cognitive debriefing—were conducted in adults with RCC/UCC ( N = 20) to elicit a comprehensive set of participant experiences and to assess the appropriateness of using the LCQ in this population.

Results:

Concepts reported in the past and present qualitative interviews were included across all LCQ items, and most impacts reported to be the “most bothersome” were assessed in the LCQ. In the current study, all participants indicated that reduced cough frequency would be an important treatment target. During cognitive debriefing, each LCQ item was endorsed by ⩾70% of participants. Additionally, participants were generally able to understand, recall, and select a response for each LCQ item. All participants and the clinical expert indicated that the LCQ was appropriate and assessed the impacts most relevant to patients with RCC/UCC.

Conclusion:

Our findings support the content validity of the LCQ and demonstrate that this measure is fit-for-purpose and includes important cough impacts in adults with RCC/UCC.
Association between acute exacerbation and progressive pulmonary fibrosis in interstitial lung disease: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Zhai Liying , Wang Zhiqiang , Yu Wencheng
Published: September 2024

Background:

Acute exacerbation (AE) refers to rapidly progressive respiratory deterioration in the clinical course of interstitial lung disease (ILD). Progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) is the chronic progressive phenotype of ILD. No study has investigated the relationship between AE and PPF in ILD.

Objectives:

We aimed to determine the association between AE and PPF in ILD patients.

Design:

A retrospective cohort study.

Methods:

A total of 414 patients hospitalised for ILD were included in our study. The clinical presentations, radiographic features and laboratory findings of the patients were reviewed.

Results:

AE was present in 120 (29.0%) ILD patients and was associated with a higher risk of death than non-AE patients in the whole cohort (HR 2.893; 95% CI, 1.847–4.529; p < 0.001). However, the significant difference disappeared when stratified by PPF (HR 1.192; 95% CI, 0.633–2.247; p = 0.586) and non-PPF (HR 1.113; 95% CI, 0.384–3.223; p = 0.844). In addition, the adverse effect of PPF on prognosis remained consistent in both AE and non-AE patients. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that compared with non-PPF patients, only age was a risk factor for PPF in AE-ILD, while the risk factors for PPF in the non-AE group were age, definite usual interstitial pneumonia and mediastinal lymph node enlargement.

Conclusion:

In the context of ILD, both AE and PPF were found to be associated with poor prognosis. However, the adverse effect of AE on prognosis disappeared when PPF was considered as a stratification feature, whereas the adverse effect of PPF on prognosis persisted in both AE and non-AE individuals. Therefore, it is important to investigate effective strategies to prevent disease progression after AE. Increased recognition and attention to PPF and early antifibrotic therapy at the appropriate time is also warranted.
HER2 becomes a novel survival biomarker for gastric cancer patients: a pooled analysis
Authors: Cheng Ji , Cai Ming , Wang Guobin , Tao Kaixiong
Published: September 2024

Background:

Although anti-HER2 therapies have been widely used against gastric carcinoma, the prognostic significance of HER2 overexpression remains unclear. Previous studies failed to provide convincible evidence due to inconsistent HER2 evaluation criteria and heterogeneous clinical characteristics.

Objectives:

To figure out the prognostic significance of HER2 expression in gastric cancer, we rigorously designed and conducted this study.

Design:

Meta-analysis.

Data sources and methods:

Record retrieval was performed by searching PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, ASCO, and ESMO meeting libraries from inception to November 2022. Cohort studies investigating overall survival comparison between HER2-positive and HER2-negative gastric cancer patients were included. Both resectable and advanced cases were separately collected while HER2 evaluation standards should be consistent across eligible studies. Newcastle–Ottawa Scale was used for quality assessment. Overall survival was the only endpoint and effect size was presented by hazard ratio (HR) with its 95% confidence interval. The pooled calculation was conducted on Review Manager 5.4.

Results:

Thirty studies were eligible, including 9945 patients. Eligible studies were mostly high quality ( n = 31). Regarding resectable cases ( n = 22), HER2-positive groups had significantly worse prognosis than HER2-negative counterparts (HR 1.56, 95%CI 1.32–1.85, p < 0.00001). For HER2-positive patients with advanced gastric cancer ( n = 10), HER2 overexpression was also an unfavorable survival indicator (HR 1.70, 95%CI 1.23–2.35, p = 0.001). Potential heterogeneous studies had been eliminated while outcomes remained stable by sensitivity analysis. Subgroup analysis suggested HER2-positive patients had a poorer prognosis in both East Asian (resectable: HR 1.56; advanced: HR 1.32) and non-East Asian countries (HR 1.58; HR 3.27).

Conclusion:

As a novel survival biomarker in gastric cancer, HER2 overexpression indicates unfavorable prognosis among both resectable and advanced patients, irrespective of East Asian or non-East Asian populations.

Trial registration:

PROSPERO (CRD42020168051).
The socioeconomic status of patients with ankylosing spondylitis and its association with the burden of the disease and permanent disability: a cross-sectional cluster analysis
Authors: Ruiz-Vilchez Desirée , Ladehesa-Pineda Lourdes , Puche-Larrubia María Ángeles , Ábalos-Aguilera María Carmen , Font-Ugalde Pilar , Escudero-Contreras Alejandro , Collantes-Estévez Eduardo , López-Medina Clementina
Published: September 2024

Background:

Few studies have been conducted to investigate the socioeconomic profiles of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and their associations with disease severity and disability.

Objectives:

The objectives of this study were to identify clusters of patients with AS according to their socioeconomic characteristics and to evaluate the associations between these clusters and the severity of the disease and permanent disability.

Design:

This was a cross-sectional and multicentre study.

Methods:

Patients with AS from the REGISPONSER study were included in this analysis. A cluster analysis was conducted using information on sociodemographic (age, sex, race, marital status, education) and socioeconomic (employment, profession, housing conditions and social level) characteristics. Disease burden and permanent disability were compared between the different clusters using logistic regression adjusted for disease duration and disease activity.

Results:

A total of 866 patients with AS were included. Two clusters were identified according to socioeconomic characteristics: Cluster 1 ( n = 476), with a predominantly low socioeconomic profile, and Cluster 2 ( n = 390), with a predominantly high socioeconomic profile. After adjusting for disease duration, patients in Cluster 1 had a longer diagnosis delay, greater body mass index and greater structural damage than those in Cluster 2. Access to biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) was similar for both groups. However, patients in Cluster 1 had a greater prevalence of permanent disability than those in Cluster 2 after adjusting for disease duration and disease activity (30.8% vs 13.2%, odds ratio 2.58 (95% confidence interval 1.76–3.83)).

Conclusion:

This study suggests that the socioeconomic status of patients with AS may have implications for disease severity and permanent disability, despite the similar use of bDMARDs.