bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Investigating undiagnosed Fabry disease in young adults with ischemic stroke: A multicenter cohort study
Authors: Lin Po-Yu , Lin Tien-Yu , Sung Sheng-Feng , Po Helen L. , Hsu Li-Chi , Tang Sung-Chun , Huang Yen-Chu , Hsieh Cheng-Yang , Hsu Yung-Chu , Wu Ren-Ying , Hsieh Cheng-Chi , Sung Pi-Shan , Chen Chih-Hung
Published: September 2024

Background:

The global prevalence of ischemic stroke in young adults is increasing, leading to a significant social impact. Fabry disease is a recognized cause of ischemic stroke in young patients, and although disease-modifying treatments are available, further evidence is needed to confirm their effectiveness in reducing the incidence of ischemic strokes.

Aims:

This study aimed to identify undiagnosed Fabry disease in young adult patients with ischemic stroke in a Taiwanese cohort.

Methods:

This multicenter, prospective cohort study enrolled patients aged 20–55 years who had experienced an ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) within 10 days, from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2020. Screening for Fabry disease was performed using a dry blood test to measure α-galactosidase activity in male patients and blood globotriaosylsphingosine (lyso-Gb3) levels in female patients. For patients with positive screen results, genetic diagnosis of Fabry disease was pursued through Sanger sequencing of the GLA gene, covering all exons and a segment of intron 4.

Results:

A total of 977 patients (659 male, 68%) were enrolled from seven hospitals across Taiwan. Four patients (0.4%, all male) had positive screening results, and two patients (0.2%) were genetically diagnosed with Fabry disease. Case 1 had the GLA c.658C>T mutation and experienced ischemic stroke in the bilateral occipital regions. Case 2 had the GLA c.640-801G>A mutation and experienced an ischemic stroke in the left superficial watershed area.

Conclusion:

The prevalence of undiagnosed Fabry disease in this cohort of Taiwanese young adults with ischemic stroke or TIA was 0.3% among the young male population. Understanding the prevalence of undiagnosed Fabry disease in young adults with ischemic stroke could help shape future Fabry disease screening policies.

Data access statement:

The collected data will be available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author.
The anticancer potential of tetrahydrocurcumin-phytosomes against oral carcinoma progression
Authors: Raouf Nehal , Darwish Zeinab Elsayed , Ramadan Omneya , Barakat Hebatallah S. , Elbanna Shimaa A. , Essawy Marwa M.
Published: September 2024

Background

Herbal medicine combined with nanotechnology offers an alternative to the increasing burden of surgery and/or chemotherapy, the main therapeutics of oral carcinoma. Phytosomes are nano-vesicular systems formed by the interaction between phospholipids and phyto-active components via hydrogen bonding, exhibiting superior efficacy over pure phytocomponents in drug delivery.

Methods

Tetrahydrocurcumin (THC)-phytosomes were prepared by thin film hydration method. After characterization, in vitro cytotoxicity, antiproliferative capacity, antioxidant potential and full apoptotic workup were paneled on oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC4) in comparison with native THC-solution and cisplatin (3.58 µg/mL intravenous injection), as positive controls. In addition, we tested the three medications on normal oral keratinocytes and gingival fibroblasts to attest to their tissue-selectivity.

Results

Successful preparation of THC-phytosomes using 1:1 molar ratio of THC to phospholipid exhibited significantly increased aqueous solubility, good colloidal properties, and complete drug release after one hour. On SCC4 cells, THC-phytosomes, at their dose-/time-dependency at ~ 60.06 µg/mL escalated cell percentages in the S-phase with 32.5 ± 6.22% increase, as well as a startling 29.69 ± 2.3% increase in apoptotic population. Depletion of the cell colonies survival to 0.29 ± 0.1% together with restraining the migratory rate by -6.4 ± 6.8% validated THC-phytosomes’ antiproliferative capacity. Comparatively, the corresponding results of THC-solution and cisplatin revealed 12.9 ± 0.9% and 25.8 ± 1.1% for apoptosis and 0.9 ± 0.1% and 0.7 ± 0.08% for colony survival fraction, respectively. Furthermore, the nanoformulation exhibited the strongest immuno-positivity to caspase-3, which positively correlated with intense mitochondrial fluorescence by Mitotracker Red, suggesting its implication in the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis, a finding further explained by the enormously high Bax and caspase-8 expression by RT-qPCR. Finally, the THC groups showed the lowest oxidative stress index, marking their highest free radical-scavenging potential among the test groups.

Conclusions

THC-phytosomes are depicted to be an efficient nanoformulation that enhanced the anticancer efficacy over the free drug counterpart and the conventional chemotherapeutic. Additionally, being selective to cancer cells and less cytotoxic to normal cells makes THC-phytosomes a potential candidate for tissue-targeted therapy.
The severity of perceived stress associated with community violence exposure and its role in future posttraumatic stress: findings from a longitudinal study of U.S. adolescents
Authors: Isaksson Johan , Nyman Sara , Schwab-Stone Mary , Stickley Andrew , Ruchkin Vladislav
Published: September 2024

Background

Community violence exposure (CVE) in adolescence is associated with poorer mental health although the situational factors that may impact on this relationship remain relatively unexplored. The present study aimed to investigate if the degree of perceived stress during CVE has an effect on future posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in youth, and if this association differs between females and males.

Methods

Data were analyzed from 760 U.S. adolescents (mean age = 14.00 years), who participated in two surveys, one year apart. Information about CVE (witnessing violence and violence victimization) and the stress severity associated with it was collected in the first survey, whereas data on PTSD symptoms were obtained in the second survey. Generalized Linear Models were used to examine the associations that were also adjusted for ethnicity, age and socioeconomic status.

Results

The results showed a longitudinal association between CVE-related stress and future PTSD symptoms, with students who had higher levels of perceived stress during CVE (witnessing or victimization) reporting higher PTSD symptom levels subsequently. There was no interaction between sex and CVE-related stress and PTSD symptoms, although females reported more PTSD symptoms.

Conclusions

The severity of the perceived stress associated with CVE should be regarded as a potentially important prognostic factor for identifying those who might develop PTSD symptoms after CVE and this may facilitate early intervention and treatment for those exposed to community violence.
Estimation of within-gap regeneration height growth in managed temperate deciduous forests using bi-temporal airborne laser scanning data
Authors: Leclère Louise , Latte Nicolas , Candaele Romain , Ligot Gauthier , Lejeune Philippe
Published: September 2024

Key message

Multi-temporal airborne laser scanning (ALS) data were used to estimate regeneration stem height growth within gaps in uneven-aged deciduous forests. The height and height growth measured in the field were used to calibrate and validate ALS estimates. This method provided highly precise estimates of height and unbiased height increment estimates of regeneration at stem level.

Context

Assessing regeneration height growth is essential for evaluating forest dynamics and optimizing silvicultural operations. However, regeneration description at high spatiotemporal resolution has remained limited to restricted areas by the limiting cost constraints of field measurements. Highly precise airborne laser scanning (ALS) data are currently acquired over wide areas. Such datasets are promising for characterizing regeneration dynamics.

Aims

We aimed to estimate height and height growth within regenerating areas at the stem level using multi-temporal ALS data.

Methods

ALS data were acquired from 56,150 ha of uneven-aged deciduous forest in Belgium in 2014 and 2021. Stem tops were detected using local maxima (LM) within regenerating areas in both ALS datasets and matched. Field data were collected in 2021 and used to calibrate the ALS-estimated heights using linear and non-linear models at stem level. Height growth estimation was then validated using field-measured increments.

Results

Without height calibration, the 2021 ALS-estimated height had a − 1.06 m bias and 1.39 m root-mean-squared error (RMSE). Likewise, the 2014 ALS-estimated height had a − 0.58 m bias and 1.14 m RMSE. The non-linear calibration seemed more appropriate for small regeneration stems (height < 4 m). Using height calibration, the 2021 ALS-estimated height had a − 0.01 m bias and 0.84 m RMSE. In 2014, the bias and RMSE were 0.02 and 0.91 m, respectively. ALS-estimated height growth was unbiased and had an RMSE of 0.10 m·year−1.

Conclusions

This original method is based on the bi-temporal ALS datasets calibrated by limited field measurements. The proposed method is the first to provide unbiased regeneration height growth of regeneration stems in uneven-aged forests and new perspectives for studying and managing forest regeneration.
Molecular genotyping reveals multiple carbapenemase genes and unique blaOXA-51-like (oxaAb) alleles among clinically isolated Acinetobacter baumannii from a Philippine tertiary hospital
Authors: Carascal Mark B. , Destura Raul V. , Rivera Windell L.
Published: September 2024

Background

Acinetobacter baumannii continued to be an important Gram-negative pathogen of concern in the clinical context. The resistance of this pathogen to carbapenems due to the production of carbapenemases is considered a global threat. Despite the efforts to track carbapenemase synthesis among A. baumannii in the Philippines, local data on its molecular features are very scarce. This study aims to characterize A. baumannii clinical isolates from a Philippine tertiary hospital through genotyping of the pathogen’s carbapenemase genes.

Methods

Antibiotic susceptibility profiling, phenotypic testing of carbapenemase production, and polymerase chain reaction assays to detect the different classes of carbapenemase genes (class A blaKPC, class B blaNDM, blaIMP, blaVIM, and class D blaOXA-23-like, blaOXA-24/40-like, blaOXA-48-like, blaOXA-51-like, ISAba1-blaOXA-51-like, blaOXA-58-like) were performed in all collected A. baumannii, both carbapenem resistant and susceptible (n = 52).

Results

Results showed that the majority of the carbapenem-resistant strains phenotypically produced carbapenemases (up to 84% in carbapenem inactivation methods) and possessed the ISAba1-blaOXA-51-like gene complex (80%). Meanwhile, both carbapenem-resistant and carbapenem-susceptible isolates possessed multi-class carbapenemase genes including blaNDM (1.9%), blaVIM (3.9%), blaOXA-24/40-like (5.8%), blaOXA-58-like (5.8%), blaKPC (11.5%), and blaOXA-23-like (94.2%), which coexist with each other in some strains (17.3%). In terms of the intrinsic blaOXA-51-like (oxaAb) genes, 23 unique alleles were reported (blaOXA-1058 to blaOXA-1080), the majority of which are closely related to blaOXA-66. Isolates possessing these alleles showed varying carbapenem resistance profiles.

Conclusions

In summary, this study highlighted the importance of molecular genotyping in the characterization of A. baumannii by revealing the carbapenemase profiles of the pathogen (which may not be captured accurately in phenotypic tests), in identifying potent carriers of transferrable carbapenemase genes (which may not be expressed straightforwardly in antimicrobial susceptibility testing), and in monitoring unique pathogen epidemiology in the local clinical setting.
An unusual presentation of unilateral vagoglossopharyngeal neuralgia accompanied by unilateral accessory nerve palsy
Authors: Mejía Juan Armando , Rairan Luis Garcia
Published: September 2024

Background

Vago-glossopharyngeal neuralgia (VGN) is a rare condition characterized by neuropathic pain in the areas innervated by the glossopharyngeal and vagus nerve. Diagnosis can be challenging due to its rarity and the need to differentiate it from other sources of pain. Neurovascular conflicts involving the glossopharyngeal nerve and surrounding vasculature are often implicated in the development of VGN. Surgical interventions, such as microvascular decompression, have shown promise in relieving symptoms, but long-term outcomes remain poorly understood. This case report presents a unique manifestation of VGN accompanied by unilateral accessory nerve palsy and syncope, shedding light on the complexities involved in diagnosis and management.

Case presentation

The presented case involves a 42-year-old patient without comorbidities with a 1-year history of syncope, dysphonia, cough, oropharyngeal pain, dysphagia, right periaricular pain, and weakness of the right sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscle. After an initial evaluation, compression of the right cranial nerves IX, X, and XI by the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) was identified as the cause. The patient underwent microvascular decompression, which provided 3 years of symptom relief. However, symptoms recurred with additional manifestations, including left periauricular pain and increased syncopal episodes of cardiogenic origin. A follow-up brain MRI revealed compression of the left cranial nerves IX and X. A second surgical intervention targeting the left side resulted in partial improvement but symptom reappearance after 1 year. Finally, a third surgery involving the left side was performed, and along with isolating the affected cranial nerves, two superior rootlets of the vagus nerve were rhizotomized. Postoperative recovery was successful, with complete resolution of symptoms and no recurring issues during follow-up examinations.

Conclusion

This case underscores the complexity of diagnosing and managing neurovascular conflicts associated with VGN pain syndrome. While initial microvascular decompression provided relief, the recurrence of symptoms and emergence of new manifestations highlight the challenges in managing this condition. Precise identification of nerve compression and targeted surgical interventions, such as sectioning the superior roots of the vagus nerve, offer potential efficacy in refractory cases. Further studies and long-term follow-up are necessary to gain comprehensive insights into the progression and outcomes of these interventions.
Nutritional modifications to ameliorate stress hyperglycemia in critically ill patients: a systematic review
Authors: Rahimpour Fatemeh , Nejati Malihe , Farsaei Shadi , Moghaddas Azadeh , Feizi Awat
Published: September 2024

Background and aims

Appropriate nutritional support in critical care may favorably influence outcomes by attenuating the detrimental effects of hyperglycemia associated with the critical illness. This systematic review aims to present and evaluate different nutritional interventions to balance risks and rewards for critically ill patients.

Methods

In this systematic review, we searched online databases for several variations of terms related to critically ill patients with stress-hyperglycemia (participants), nutrition modalities (intervention), glycemic control (outcomes), and randomized controlled trials (study design) between the inception of the databases and October 2023.

Results

The literature search and manual searching provided 2589 articles. After removing the duplicates and excluding studies based on their abstracts or full-text assessment, 37 studies were identified as eligible for inclusion. The heterogeneous nature of these investigations precluded us from pooling data and performing meta-analysis to draw robust conclusions based on statistical analyses. The literature review in this area reveals two general perspectives for achieving this goal: optimizing various aspects of providing macronutrient support and nutritional supplementation.

Conclusions

The optimal approach to feeding critically ill patients remains unresolved despite numerous randomized controlled trials. Individual patient characteristics significantly influence optimal nutritional management. However, some general recommendations convey benefits for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Early and continuous enteral nutrition is the usual method of providing nutritional support in practice. Hypocaloric feeding and reducing carbohydrate intake are effective methods for managing SIH; however, they should be tailored to each patient’s clinical characteristics. Supplementation with certain nutrients shows promise in specific groups, but more research is needed. Overall, personalized approaches based on ongoing research are the best we have now. Future studies will hopefully refine treatments and improve outcomes for these patients.
Personality disorders in later life: an update
Authors: Bangash Ayesha
Published: September 2024

Personality disorders can worsen with age or emerge after a relatively dormant phase in earlier life when roles and relationships ensured that maladaptive personality traits were contained. They can also be first diagnosed in late life, if personality traits become maladaptive as the person reacts to losses, transitions and stresses of old age. Despite studies focusing on late-life personality disorders in recent years, the amount of research on their identification and treatment remains deficient. This article endeavours to provide an understanding of how personality disorders present in old age and how they can be best managed. It is also hoped that this article will stimulate further research into this relatively new field in old age psychiatry. An awareness of late-life personality disorders is desperately needed in view of the risky and challenging behaviours they can give rise to. With rapidly growing numbers of older adults in the population, the absolute number of people with a personality disorder in older adulthood is expected to rise.
Clinical Efficacy of Zoledronic Acid on Fracture Reduction in Youth With Primary and Secondary Skeletal Fragility
Authors: Stoffers Ashley J , Mancilla Edna E , Levine Michael A , Mayer Michael , Monk Heather M , Rosano Joseph , Weber David R
Published: September 2024

Context

Prior studies have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of zoledronic acid (ZA) to increase bone mineral density (BMD) in children. By contrast, the efficacy of ZA on fractures in the pediatric population remains uncertain.

Objective

To investigate the effect of ZA on fracture rate in a clinical cohort of children and young adults with skeletal fragility.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study, conducted at an academic medical center, included 102 individuals (65 male; 39 with primary and 63 with secondary skeletal fragility), aged 0 to 21 years, treated with ZA for skeletal fragility between 2010 and 2017. ZA was prescribed at discretion of the treating clinician using a standardized protocol. The primary outcome was change in annualized fracture rate. Secondary outcomes included long bone and spine fracture rates. Areal BMD was analyzed in a subset of individuals with dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans.

Results

The overall median fracture rate decreased from 0.6 (IQR 0.3-1.1) to 0 (IQR 0-0.4) fractures per year, P < .001, over a median treatment duration of 1.8 (IQR 0.6-3.0) years. Significant reductions in fracture rate were observed in both primary (1.0 [IQR 0.6-1.5] to 0.3 [IQR 0-0.6]) and secondary (0.5 [IQR 0.1-0.8] to 0 [IQR 0-0.3]) forms of skeletal fragility, P < .001 for both. Significant reductions in fracture rate persisted when limited to long bone or long bone plus spine fractures.

Conclusion

ZA treatment as a component of clinical care was associated with significant declines in fracture rate in this cohort of children and young adults with skeletal fragility.
Pandemic Stasis and Nonlinear Memory in Palestinian Short Films
Authors: Gandolfo Luisa
Published: September 2024

When the COVID-19 lockdown was introduced in Palestine-Israel in 2020, it changed how the everyday was negotiated, with stricter control on movement, access, and contact with family members. As the pandemic progressed, the lockdown restrictions layered over an existing framework of structural violence that determines individual movement, remembrance, access to health care, and living conditions. In the two short films analysed in this article, Lifting the Mask (سقط القناع) by Najwa Najjar (Palestine, 2020) and MAY: Locked Down with “Eva” in Nakba Anniversary (أيّار) by Maha Haj (Palestine, 2020), the lockdown stimulated a collision between the past and the present with ongoing, and at times increased, restrictions on movement and memory work in the West Bank. In each piece, the unhomely is presented uniquely, but the subject matter — memory, the occupation, and the pandemic — remains constant. As the viewer is transported (and yet also confined) to the home in both films, this article is concerned with the ways that the unhomely enhances the connection between the personal and the political in Occupied Palestine. Key to this is time and memory, and this article considers the question: How does memory become nonlinear as it simultaneously envelops the ongoing Nakba, which began in 1948, and the impact of the pandemic and its accompanying lockdown? The article concludes that the pandemic is but one strand in a narrative that weaves memory, movement and nonmovement, and the broader political circumstances into a tapestry of inequalities that pre- and postdates COVID-19.
Gene regulatory dynamics during the development of a paleopteran insect, the mayfly Cloeon dipterum
Authors: Pallarès-Albanell Joan , Ortega-Flores Laia , Senar-Serra Tòt , Ruiz Antoni , Abril Josep F. , Rossello Maria , Almudi Isabel
Published: September 2024

The evolution of insects has been marked by the appearance of key body plan innovations that promoted the outstanding ability of this lineage to adapt to new habitats, boosting the most successful radiation in animals. To understand the evolution of these new structures, it is essential to investigate which genes and gene regulatory networks participate during the embryonic development of insects. Great efforts have been made to fully understand gene expression and gene regulation during the development of holometabolous insects, in particular Drosophila melanogaster. Conversely, functional genomics resources and databases in other insect lineages are scarce. To provide a new platform to study gene regulation in insects, we generated ATAC-seq for the first time during the development of the mayfly Cloeon dipterum, which belongs to Paleoptera, the sister group to all other winged insects. With these comprehensive datasets along six developmental stages, we characterized pronounced changes in accessible chromatin between early and late embryogenesis. The application of ATAC-seq in mayflies provides a fundamental resource to understand the evolution of gene regulation in insects.
Temperature dependence of regional heterothermy in a diminutive ectotherm
Authors: Cox Christian L. , Chung Albert K. , Bindrim Aaron , Davidson Georgia G. , Dean Sarah M. , Haines Katherine C. , Heise Alexander , Mauer Elana , Pfennig Katrina S. , Sorrell Ethan E. , Tepper David , van den Oord Charlie L. J. , Logan Michael L.
Published: September 2024

Regional heterothermy describes when body regions differ in temperature, which can have important ramifications for performance because most biological processes are temperature dependent. However, the relationship between regional heterothermy and environmental temperature is not well known, particularly for ectotherms. The relationship between environmental heterogeneity and regional heterothermy might also yield insight into how the latter is regulated. We examined the thermal dependence of regional heterothermy (between the head and the cloaca) in live ring-necked snakes (Diadophis punctatus) in both the lab and the field, as well as in one dead and preserved individual. We found that the magnitude of the head–cloaca difference declined with average environmental temperature, that the relationship between head temperature and ambient temperature differed from that of cloaca temperature and ambient temperature, and that the preserved snake specimen did not display a consistent head–cloaca temperature difference. Our results suggest that (1) cloacal and head temperatures are regulated differently, (2) the head–cloaca temperature difference is not merely due to differences in the material properties of the head and cloaca, and (3) this difference may arise from altered circulation and perhaps even endogenous heat-generating mechanisms. Our results also suggest that the thermal dependence of regional heterothermy likely has ramifications for organismal function.
Preferences, Access, and the STEM Gender Gap in Centralized High School Assignment
Authors: Ngo Diana , Dustan Andrew
Published: September 2024

The gender gap in STEM widens during high school due both to differences in student choices and institutional barriers to accessing STEM education. Using rich data from Mexico City's centralized assignment system and a structural model of high school choice, we document strong demand for elite STEM programs and relatively weak demand for non-elite STEM programs. Decomposition and counterfactual simulations demonstrate that most of the gap is due to gendered choices, with males more strongly preferring STEM. Test-based assignment restricts elite STEM access for females, who have lower placement test scores despite similar low-stakes exam scores. (JEL I21, I24, I26, J16, J24, O15)
Expected Returns to Crime and Crime Location
Authors: Braakmann Nils , Chevalier Arnaud , Wilson Tanya
Published: September 2024

We provide first evidence that variations in the expected returns to crime affect the location of property crime. Our identification strategy relies on the widely held perception in the United Kingdom that South Asian households store gold jewelry at home. Price movements on the international market for gold exogenously affect the expected gains from burgling these households. Using a neighborhood-level panel on crime and difference-in-differences, we find that burglaries in South Asian neighborhoods are more sensitive to variations in the gold price than other neighborhoods in the same municipality. We conduct various tests on neighborhood and individual data to eliminate alternative explanations. (JEL D12, D91, J15, K42, R23)
Insights into an innovative point of care ultrasound curriculum for Ontario primary maternity care providers
Authors: Johnston Bronte K. , Darling Elizabeth , Malott Anne , Kras Susan , Bernacci Carol , Thomas Laura , Murray-Davis Beth
Published: September 2024

Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) has increasingly been used by midwives worldwide. In 2018, the scope of midwifery care in Ontario was expanded to include POCUS to allow practitioners to provide more comprehensive care. In response to the scope expansion, a new continuing POCUS education course was created in collaboration with faculty and clinicians from obstetrics, midwifery, and medical radiation sciences. The continuing education sonography course focused on fostering the knowledge, skills and judgment Ontario midwives required to safely perform these new POCUS skills. The course included online modules, a two-day hands-on bootcamp workshop, and a clinical practicum under the supervision of a sonographer to confirm competency across the three trimesters of pregnancy. The first cohort of 17 learners completed the course in Fall 2019, the new curriculum was well received by learners for its many benefits into learning and applying bedside sonography to clinical care. This paper outlines our process for POCUS curriculum development and implementation in pregnancy care. This POCUS continuing education course should continue to be offered in the future to give more practitioners the ability to perform point of care pregnancy scans.
Exploring domestic cat welfare: Gaps, challenges, and the role of zoosemiotics in feline well-being
Authors: Tajchmanová Jana , Mäekivi Nelly
Published: September 2024

This article investigates the welfare of domestic cats by adopting a zoosemiotic perspective. It gives a broad picture of animal welfare in general and contextualizes studies conducted on cats within this, revealing differences in research foci compared to dogs. However, the main focus lies on the complexities of human– cat relationships and societal perceptions, which belong to the realm of ethological and anthropological zoosemiotics. Thus, we emphasize the importance of an integrated approach in comprehensive welfare assessments. Key factors such as increased human–cat interaction, societal constraints, and subjective experiences emerge as significant influences on cat welfare. Collaboration between veterinarians and behaviourists is encouraged, alongside with increased education of cat caregivers. Taking this line is supported by information gathered from interviews we conducted with Czech cat behaviourists. The article suggests a paradigm shift in research methodologies, proposing the use of zoosemiotic theories to comprehend alloanimal agency in general and cats’ agency in particular to enhance their well-being. The study’s goal is to identify the existing gaps and controversies in cat welfare literature (e.g. contradictions in devising best keeping conditions, insufficient education concerning cat welfare) by analysing relevant and recent studies in this field. Additionally, we aim to improve understanding of cat welfare as a complex phenomenon, and, with the help of zoosemiotics (umwelt theory and critical anthropomorphism), promote a comprehensive approach to the welfare of household cats in human-dominated environments.
Prediction Model for Decisional balance; Self-efficacy for Exercise and Stage of Change of Exercise in the Korean Elderly
Authors: Lee Pyoung sook , Kim So In , Chun Young Ja , Kim Soon Yong , Lee Sook Ja , Park Etui Sook , Chang Sung Ok
Published: September 2024

The purpose of this study was to identify causal relationships between decisional balance for exercise, self efficacy for exercise and stage of change of exercise in the elderly. A hypothethetical model explaining stage of change was constructed based on behavioral change model. Empirical data for testing the hypothetical model was collected from 198 old adults aged over 60 in community setting in Seoul, Korea in April and May, 1999.Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and correlational analysis using pc-SAS program.The Linear Structural Modeling (LISREL) 8.0 program was used to find the best fit model which predicts causal relationship of variables.The fit of the hypothetical model to the -data was good(X2 = 12.82. (df=4 t p-.O12), RMR =.05. GFI = ,97, NNFI-.88. NFI = .96). The predictable variables of stage of change for exercise of the Korean elderly were perceived physical psychological benefit about exercise, perceived physical psychological burden about exercise and self efficacy ior exercise. These variables explained 65% of stage of change for exercise of the Korean elderly.
A periferia como centro
Authors: Bohn Martins Maria Cristina
Published: September 2024

Este artigo reflete sobre a implementação pela monarquia espanhola em seus territórios ultramarinos, de medidas alinhadas ao chamado “reformismo bourbônico”. Tomando como foco de análise a Governação do Rio da Prata, região periférica quanto aos centros coloniais mais dinâmicos, mas que adquiriu um novo protagonismo no tardo colonial, discutiremos especialmente o tema do reconhecimento e defesa do território, relacionando-o à chamada “missão austral” dos padres da Companhia de Jesus. A partir da revisão da literatura e da análise de fontes, de arquivo e editadas, discutiremos, a partir de um caso específico, a Expedición de la Fragata San António, a relação entre os interesses e necessidades dos agentes e situações locais, com os dos jesuítas e da Coroa. Os preparativos da expedição transcorrida entre dezembro de 1745 e abril de 1746 foram registrados em diversos documentos das autoridades da metrópole e da província, cujas cópias, a partir do Arquivo de Índias, podem ser encontradas no Museo Etnografico Juan Maria Ambrosetti da Universidade de Buenos Aires. Já os dados da expedição e seus resultados, estão presentes nos diários de Olivares y Centeno (1746), Comandante do navio, do Piloto Mayor, Andia y Varela (1746), do padre José Quiroga (1746), além de um Diário Anônimo que foi atribuído a Jose Cardiel SJ (1746), e de uma compilação feita por Pedro Lozano dos textos de seus colegas de Ordem, publicada em 1836.
Quem trabalha, come
Authors: Helena Ramos Karina
Published: September 2024

Com a internacionalização da economia a partir dos anos 1950, década em que se conformava um padrão alimentar global, os africanos passaram a ser integrados no mercado de trabalho assalariado urbano. Por conseguinte, eram vistos como agentes econômicos sujeitos a novos hábitos de consumo e inseridos nas estratégias de enquadramento social, estas, ajustáveis a uma classificação colonial que se espelhava espacialmente, demarcando as linhas de uma territorialidade.  Ao defendermos o consumo alimentar como expressão dinâmica de um vivido territorial, o presente artigo tem como objetivo destacar a estratégia de resistência aos cerceamentos coloniais a partir da ocorrência de cozinhas ao ar livre montadas pela população africana no espaço urbano da cidade de Luanda durante os anos 1960 e 1970. Para tal, alicerçados em um referencial teórico-metodológico que se inscreve na geografia, antropologia e história social, cotejamos informações apresentadas em diferentes tipologias de fontes, incluindo- se periódicos, documentos médico-nutricionais e investigações socioantropológicas elaborados pelas autoridades coloniais. Ao apostarmos na metodologia da História Oral nos baseamos, também, em entrevistas realizadas com angolanos que experimentaram a vivência na Luanda daquele tempo.
Uma "cabrita" da rede
Authors: Quadros Alvão Alan Crhistian
Published: September 2024

O artigo analisa uma experiência narrada por pescadores artesanais da comunidade de Quatipurú Mirim (Tracuateua/PA): a “cabrita”. Parte-se dos relatos que emergiram nas entrevistas para tensionar a própria constituição  e mobilização da história oral como metodologia de produção de fontes orais na pesquisa histórica. Utilizamos o conceito de performance para ampliar o horizonte da oralidade abordando as estratégias de comunicação (gesticulações, entonações, comportamentos e interações) que implicam nas elaborações de narrativas. Assim, a “cabrita” emergiu em performances narrativas ora em um palco de ensinamento, ora no âmbito do “segredo” do patrão e da “vergonha” comunitária, sentidos que foram perscrutados no contexto da interação.
Apresentação
Authors: Monteiro Machado Marina , Miranda Correa Claudio
Published: September 2024

Apresentação. Revista Maracanan, PPGH/UERJ, Rio de Janeiro, n. 35, jan.-abr. 2024.
Ministerial churn draws criticism
Authors: Simpson Fiona
Published: September 2024

Questions over commitment to sector as Johnston becomes 10th children's minister in a decade
Speech and language challenges
Authors: Simpson Fiona
Published: September 2024

Experts call for prioritisation as post-pandemic speech and language challenges reach record high
Appointing an ambassador
Authors: Webb Natalie
Published: September 2024

Celebrity ambassadors can bring a wealth of benefits to charities, helping to raise an organisation's profile and boost fundraising while reaching wider audiences and connecting with service users
Charities confront giving decline
Authors: Hayes Derren
Published: September 2024

Changing demographics, rising costs and shifting public priorities are factors in charity donations fall
Cafcass sets out plan to address delays in family court system
Authors: Hayes Derren
Published: September 2024

The boss of the children's guardians body wants to work collaboratively with local authorities to reduce the length of care proceedings and strengthen social work practice as it launches its refreshed strategic plan
How councils use the funding
Authors: Simpson Fiona
Published: September 2024

Four authorities that responded to CYP Now's FOI enquiry explain how they spend allocations
Careers Advice and Guidance
Authors: Hayes Derren
Published: September 2024

Reforms have seen schools, employers and training providers work together to offer careers advice and guidance, with evidence that targeted support in areas of disadvantage is improving standards
Spotlight interview: How well is the careers advice system meeting children's needs?
Authors: Walker Robin , Hayes Derren
Published: September 2024

Robin Walker MP, chair of the education select committee, speaks to Derren Hayes about the inquiry into careers education and the need to improve support for disadvantaged learners
Cases of fabricated illness rise
Authors: Weinstein Nicole
Published: September 2024

Charities warn parents of disabled children are increasingly being accused of fabricating illness
Tackling rising cost of caring
Authors: Hayes Derren
Published: September 2024

Young carers need more financial support to counter the impact of rising living costs, say campaigners
John Pearce
Authors: Simpson Fiona
Published: September 2024

Fiona Simpson speaks to new ADCS president John Pearce about his priorities
Empowering inflammatory bowel disease patients with at-home remote disease and therapeutic drug monitoring
Authors: Johnson Graham
Published: September 2024

Advances in the management of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are opening new possibilities for at-home and patient-led care, empowering individuals to take greater control of their condition. These developments are driving the adoption of remote sampling for therapeutic drug monitoring, which complements at-home subcutaneous therapies and faecal calprotectin testing for monitoring disease activity. This article explores how these innovations could enable patients to manage their disease from home, and what this could mean for the future of IBD management.
A new national primary care diagnostic pathway for benign lower gastrointestinal conditions
Authors: Avery Pearl
Published: September 2024

Pearl Avery discusses the newly developed National Primary Care Diagnostic Pathway for lower gastrointestinal symptoms and the implications of diagnostic delays in conditions like inflammatory bowel disease
Importance of stoma care nurses in preparing patients for stoma surgery and adjustment to life with a stoma
Authors: Rolls Natasha , Gotfredsen Johanne Louise , Vestergaard Martin , Hansen Anne Steen , Koblauch Henrik
Published: September 2024

Background:

Stoma surgery is a life-changing event and patients must subsequently make significant adjustments to their lives.

Aim:

The study set out to understand the level of interaction between patients and stoma care nurses (SCNs) in relation to preparing patients for stoma surgery and in adjustment to life with a stoma. Methods: Retrospective, self-reported questionnaires for patients and SCNs.

Results:

Most patients (98%) with planned stoma surgery had pre-operative consultations with health professionals in contrast to 36% of patients with unplanned surgery, who did not. One third of patients with unplanned surgery did not feel prepared for life with a stoma based on the information provided during their hospital stay. Two thirds of the nurses reported having sufficient time to prepare patients for stoma surgery and to life with a stoma.

Conclusion:

SCNs are key in preparing patients for surgery and for life with a stoma. Variations in care were experienced by patients having planned versus unplanned surgeries.
Heritage Landscape and Historical Context – Essence and Principles of Planning in Georgia
Authors: Elizbarashvili Nodar , Bubashvili Luiza , Gurgenidze Miranda , Manvelidze Karthlos , Elizbarashvili Rusudan , Abramishvili Shalva
Published: September 2024

The features of Georgian cultural heritage landscape formation and their planning principles are discussed in the article. It focuses on the forms of harmonious coexistence of society and nature in Georgia, historical and cultural landscapes, outstanding units of cultural heritage, traditions of grain crops (wheat) and viticulture (vines) in Georgia.
Special attention was paid to the planning principles of the Georgian cultural landscape, of which the principle of relevance, socio-economic tension and legal regulations are important.
The study of cultural heritage landscape in Georgia is in the initial stage. Therefore, the opinions expressed in the article will contribute to increasing the motivation of Georgian geographers in solving the mentioned problem.
Empowering Healthcare Professionals: Exploring Experiences Leading a Violence Prevention Course for Adults With Intellectual Disability
Authors: Åker Tone Hee , Moen Karianne , Josefsson Kristina Areskoug , Frawley Patsie
Published: September 2024

Violence prevention approaches using social-ecological models inform interventions for people with intellectual disability, who often face barriers to accessing generalist courses. This study explores the experiences of healthcare professionals leading a prevention course specifically designed for adults with intellectual disability. Through semistructured interviews, 12 Norwegian course leaders highlighted the importance of raising awareness and comprehension about rights, and the social and individual factors influencing experiences of violence and its prevention. Challenges were encountered in tailoring the course to the diverse lived experiences of participants with disabilities and addressing ongoing support needs for their safety. The study suggests that adopting a pedagogical or didactic model could serve as a foundation to enhance the planning and delivery of the course.
Transgender as (Non)-Category: Prediction, Charge, Predicament
Authors: McAvan Emily
Published: September 2024

Abstract: In this essay, I look at how biopolitical regimes have emerged over the past few decades to produce what I call a non-category of state-induced vulnerability for gender-diverse populations, premised on the proliferation of automated checkpoints like facial recognition and state legal discourses. Through an analysis of Franz Kafka's novel The Trial , I argue that this constitutes an operational logic unable to respond ethically to the transgender body as corporeally embodied.
Embodiment, Plasticity, and the Re/Production of Gender, Sex, and Race in Human Biology
Authors: Wilson Meredith
Published: September 2024

abstract: This article historically situates human biology research by engaging with feminist science and technology scholars to show plasticity, how a key mechanism of embodiment, is used to re/produce sex and gender binaries in anthropological research and beyond. It first defines embodiment and demonstrates its reliance on plasticity and then reviews how and why plasticity has been taken up in human biology research. The article then engages with the works of feminist, trans, and queer scholars who have examined the connections among embodiment, plasticity, and the creation of Western binarized sex and gender. Further, the article presents how the re/production of a sex and gender binary is entwined with the justification of racial hierarchies through plasticity. While deterministic frameworks are often the most criticized in biology for harmful racist and sexist understandings of race and gender, plasticity and gene × environment interaction frameworks are not without fault. Even with large shifts in scientific understanding—in this case, from determinism to plasticity—science, in particular human biology, can still be a tool to create and maintain racist, patriarchal, cis- and heteronormative systems. The author concludes with recommendations and possible pathways forward for embodiment and plasticity research in human biology, suggesting that human biology research should engage with feminist science and technology critiques to be mindful of how our concepts might be re/producing harm.
Fiscal Capacity Measurement and Equity in Local Contributions to Schools: The Effects of Education Finance Reform in Massachusetts
Authors: Fahy Colleen A.
Published: September 2024

In Massachusetts, state aid to public schools fills the gap between a district's foundation budget and its required local contribution. Historic inequities in required local contributions and the resulting inequities in state aid across districts led to a call for education finance reform. Since 2007, the state has put in place a number of measures intended to improve fairness in regard to local contributions. Recent reforms include using both local income and property values to set target local contributions, capping target contributions at 82.5% of foundation and providing funding mechanisms to bring required district contributions closer to these targets. The goal of this article is to examine the effects of these new policies. Results indicate that the impact of the decision to include income in measuring fiscal capacity has been limited by the imposition of the cap on contributions. Further analysis reveals that the reforms, in general, have been more successful in increasing fairness in districts that previously received too little state aid than in requiring more of perennially under-contributing districts. It is also shown that the ratio of required to target contributions across districts shows a positive relationship with community wealth. Finally, an examination of the 2010 policy that reclassified voluntary excess contributions as required contributions in some districts indicates that smaller communities as well as those with more college graduates were more likely to have seen a reduction in state aid as a consequence of this policy.
The Reliability, Impact, and Cost-Effectiveness of Value-Added Teacher Assessment Methods
Authors: Yeh Stuart S.
Published: September 2024

This article reviews evidence regarding the intertemporal reliability of teacher rankings based on value-added methods. Value-added methods exhibit low reliability, yet are broadly supported by prominent educational researchers and are increasingly being used to evaluate and fire teachers. The article then presents a cost-effectiveness analysis suggesting that the use of value-added methods to identify and fire the bottom 40% of all teachers reduces average student achievement, is extremely expensive, and is not cost-effective. The policy implication of these results is discussed.
The Determinants of High School Closures: Lessons from Longitudinal Data throughout Illinois
Authors: Billger Sherrilyn M. , Beck Frank D.
Published: September 2024

Facing substantial financial pressure, many districts close schools in order to preserve solvency and improve student outcomes. Using a new longitudinal data set on all non-Cook County Illinois schools, we examine the determinants of high school closure decisions from 1986 through 2006. Our dataset combines information from a wide variety of sources, including the Illinois State Board of Education, the Census Bureau, the Illinois Department of Revenue, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Prior studies in this area typically use cross-sectional data, short panels, or case-studies. Enrolments and fiscal resources are indeed the most important determinants of school closures, but not always in expected ways. We carefully investigate the causes of closures, incorporating numerous trends and providing a series of robustness tests. Per-pupil expenditures, student demographics, and test scores are not significant determinants of closures. The most important predictors appear to be enrolment, school-aged population, and the proportion of property tax revenues allocated to the district.