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Sharing new medical information that is perceived as seriously effecting people's lives, i.e., breaking bad news (BBN) is important in caring for patients and relatives and is challenging for healthcare professionals. Optimal BBN requires incorporation and implementation of multiple professional competencies acquired gradually throughout years of training. The BBN encounter has implications for all participants: the patient, family members, their close social environments, and the deliverer of the news. Due to these implications and the accountability involved, medical schools invest educational resources in helping medical students develop this competency. The current paper summarizes literature, research, and teaching experiences while suggesting practical guidelines for designing and teaching a BBN course to undergraduate students. The following principles lie behind the recommendations: stepwise spiral continuity of exposure to and teaching of communication skills in various contexts while focusing on BBN in the advanced clinical years; relating the developing skills to broader humanistic studies; enhancing awareness of self-perspectives and beliefs regarding BBN; connecting to patients' and family members experiences and needs; providing a BBN protocol and opportunities for structured experiential learning followed by reflection and feedback; using observation and reflection to address gaps between theory and real-life practice; and creating continuity of learning about BBN through undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education. Applying this learning process can help enhance the management of these difficult conversations to improve patients' care during these difficult, life-changing encounters, and physicians' well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The special issue on 'The sociolinguistics of exclusion: Indexing (non)belonging in mobile communities' delves into the phenomenon of exclusion as a means and outcome of social positioning within diverse communities undergoing continual transformation due to social, demographic, political, and technological changes. Through empirical studies that critically engage with exclusionary discourse practices, this issue analyzes the semiotic means that social actors employ to presuppose and/or entail exclusion. Additionally, it explores the underlying ideological assumptions on which these choices are perceived, rationalized, justified, and/or contested as exclusionary. • The papers of this issue delve into the multifaceted realm of (non)belonging. • Social exclusion is a communicative phenomenon that we can observe at different social scales—from everyday interaction to (inter)national policy making. • The papers investigate the semiotic practices through which exclusionary dynamics shape mobile communities. • All the papers share the hope of suggesting new ways of achieving social inclusion through a better understanding of exclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This commentary reviews, synthesizes, and expands upon the articles in this special issue. The review notes that the papers update the idea that language style – the combination of habitual forms used in languaging – can be used in exclusionary practices. That said, the papers in this issue all approach exclusion in language style from a different standpoint, and this diversity of approaches and topics at once demonstrates how central the exclusionary function of language is for humans, and at the same time suggests some generalizations about how to theorize about exclusion. I note some of the different sociolinguistic processes used in the exclusion cases in the issue, and suggest that we should also study the opposing process on creating inclusion through sociolinguistics. • Processes of exclusion are reviewed. • Style and enregisterment are argued to be an important part of such sociolinguistic exclusion. • The strategic use of code in languaging is revealed to be a theme of exclusion. • Processes of differentiation are shown to be central to the overall process of exclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inference is central to pragmatic theories of meaning and communication, but most studies of inference to date have been undertaken in adjacent fields rather than in pragmatics. The aim of this special issue is to bring together pragmatic perspectives on inference in order to further our understanding of the role that inference - as both a product and a process - plays in pragmatic models of communication. This aim is realised through a set of six papers that collectively address key questions arising when we go beyond the traditional focus in pragmatics on inferences by the hearer about the speaker's intended meaning. These articles draw from a range of different methodological and theoretical standpoints to examine the inferential, interactional, and developmental processes that underpin different types of pragmatic inference. It is concluded that more sophisticated theoretical accounts of pragmatic inference are needed to account for the wide range of inferential phenomena that can be empirically observed in communication. • Demonstrates the importance of studying inference in pragmatics. • Shows pragmatic inference goes beyond hearers inferring speaker's intended meaning. • Highlights the role that inference plays in pragmatic models of communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complementing the well-established evidence base on health inequalities experienced by migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in the UK; we examined the extent to which their right to equal non-discriminatory access to health services (promotive, preventive, curative) was upheld during the COVID-19 pandemic. Arksey and O′Malley's scoping review framework. A comprehensive search was conducted on Medline, PubMed, and CINAHL using detailed MESH terms, for literature published between 01 January 2020 and 01 January 2024. The process was supported by a ten-page Google search and hand searching of reference lists. 42 records meeting the inclusion criteria were charted, coded inductively and analysed thematically in an integrated team-based approach. Dissonance between immigration regulation and health governance is illustrated in four themes: Health systems leveraged to (re)enforce the hostile environment; Dissonance between health rights on paper and in practice; Structural failures to overcome communication and digital exclusion; and COVID-19 vaccine (in)equity exacerbated fear, mistrust and exclusion. Migrants, refugees and asylum seekers encountered substantial individual, structural and policy-level barriers to accessing healthcare in the UK during COVID-19. Insecure immigration status, institutional mistrust, data-sharing and charging fears, communication challenges and digital exclusion impacted heavily on their ability to access healthcare in an equitable non-discriminatory manner. An inclusive and innovative health equity and rights-based responses reaching all migrants, refugees and asylum seekers are warranted if the National Health Service is to live up to its promise of ' leaving no one behind' in post-pandemic and future responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective communication with patients and colleagues is key to a pharmacist's ability to provide effective person-centered care. Neurodivergent patients face many barriers when interacting with health professionals; increased awareness and understanding are therefore paramount to the pharmacist's role. This paper describes an innovative teaching partnership between a school of pharmacy and an inclusive theater company which aims to develop awareness and skills of undergraduate pharmacy students in relation to communicating with patients with autism and/or learning disabilities. Forum theater and role-plays were used to complement existing communication skills teaching in Years two and four of the undergraduate MPharm (Master of Pharmacy) program. The sessions were designed and delivered in partnership between academic teaching staff and a theater company of neurodivergent actors. An online evaluation form was used to obtain student feedback on these sessions (two Likert-style questions and three open format questions). Of the 241 students who attended a session in 2021, 70 (29%) provided feedback. Feedback was positive, with 99% of respondents finding the session useful. Students spoke about how they found the sessions supportive and enlightening, helping them to reflect on their own communication skills. As a result, the teaching has been developed and now expanded through all years of the undergraduate program. While conscious of challenges such as funding and finding the right partner, the authors recommend this rewarding initiative to fellow academics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of wearable devices in conjunction with smartphone applications is at an all-time high and still growing daily. These devices communicate between themselves as well as with remote servers, and research indicates that all these communication bridges create some security and privacy-related issues. This paper will discuss and analyze the difference between a low-end and a high-end wrist wearable device in terms of their security and privacy measures. It will focus the results on what can be obtained from analyzing the Bluetooth communication and the device's official mobile application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to present a systematic literature review that discusses the importance of Stakeholder Management (SM) and Communication Management (CM) for Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). Through a systematic search in three databases, 35 studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria and addressed the area of SM and CM, focusing on the perception of the influence of CM on stakeholder engagement and satisfaction of their needs, as a Critical Success Factor (CSF) for project success. A mapping of the findings is also presented. Additionally, the limitations found in the literature were discussed and possibilities for future research are proposed. The study emphasizes the relevance of SM and CM for the success of NGO projects and highlights the need for more strategic and integrated approaches to managing these factors. Thus, this article contributes to the debate on SM and CM in NGO projects, offering effective practices for the successful management of these CSF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• What is currently known about this topic. ○ Incivility, rude and discourteous behaviors towards others, is an established, well-known problem in nursing (Fida et al., 2018). It is pervasive within the nursing culture, and researchers have consistently documented it across the nursing continuum in education and practice (Layne et al., 2019). Current published nursing research is lacking on how curriculum within undergraduate nursing programs prepares students to identify and address incivility in their nursing practice. • What the paper adds to the existing knowledge. ○ Self-efficacy is cultivated by experience. This study's participants were provided with a safe environment to observe and learn about identifying and addressing incivility. Nursing educators should consider including virtual simulation addressing incivility in nursing in the curriculum. This study demonstrated that this teaching strategy can increase nursing students' self-efficacy. This knowledge can inform future research, curriculum development, and nursing practice surrounding the prevention of and strategies to address incivility- which when addressed successfully could lead to improved patient outcomes with fewer adverse safety events due to improved care provider communication, successful assimilation of nurses into the nursing workforce by empowering nursing students, and less turnover and burnout experienced by nurses. When strategies and skills for identifying and addressing incivility are included in the nursing curriculum, students learn ways to cope with the effects of incivility and experience increased resilience (Sidhu & Park, 2018). • How the information in your manuscript can be applied to practice. ○ Findings from this study showed a significant increase in participants' self-efficacy in identifying and addressing incivility in nursing after completing the Civility Mentor modules. Nursing students who complete the Civility Mentor modules or similar virtual activities will be better prepared to address incivility in their practices. Incivility is an established, well-known problem within the nursing culture. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of participating in an incivility-based virtual simulation on undergraduate nursing students' perceived self-efficacy. (1) Describe the GSE scores of the study cohort and examine the association between pre-and post-intervention scores. (2) Explore students' perceptions of how participation affected their ability to identify and address incivility. A mixed-methods research design was utilized to determine the relationship between students' completion of an incivility-based virtual simulation and their self-efficacy in identifying and addressing incivility. The study compared pre- and post-intervention General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) scores and identified significant findings and themes among qualitative data collected. IRB approval was obtained for the study. Paired t-test results indicated a significant association between pre- and post-GSE scores with participants in the post-intervention group having significantly higher scores (Mean = 34.6, SD = 4.1). The themes that emerged from the qualitative data collected included communication, self-confidence, conflict resolution, and vicarious learning. Findings from this study showed a significant increase in participants' self-efficacy in identifying and addressing incivility in nursing after completing the intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Communication is a central part of radiological procedures and influences children's experiences. Previous research concentrates on communication and experiences during complex radiological procedures such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Less is known about the communication that occurs with children undergoing procedures, such as non-urgent X-ray procedures, or the impact communication has on a child's experience. This scoping review examined evidence relating to the communication which occurs between children, parents and radiographers during children's X-ray procedures and how children experience undergoing X-ray procedures. The comprehensive search identified eight papers. Evidence shows that radiographers dominate communication during X-ray procedures, with their communication in many cases being instructional, closed and limiting the opportunities for children to be involved. Evidence indicates that radiographers have a role in facilitating children in actively engaging in communication during their procedure. The papers that sought children's first-hand experiences highlight children's mainly positive experiences of having an X-ray, and the importance of informing children about their X-ray before and during the procedure. The scarcity of literature highlights a need for research exploring communication during children's radiological procedures and children's first-hand experiences of undergoing these procedures. Findings highlight a need for an approach that recognises the importance of dyadic (radiographer and child), and triadic (radiographer, parent and child) communication opportunities during an X-ray procedure. This review highlights a need for an inclusive and participatory approach to communication that recognises children's voice and agency in X-ray procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Given the potential for social media to spread health misinformation, it is important to understand how trusts impact adolescents' engagement with health content on social media. Objective: To explore the concept of trust when adolescents (13-18 years) engage with health information on social media. Five relevant databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, ERIC, and CINAHL) were systematically searched alongside Google Scholar and reference lists of included papers. Studies were included if they examined adolescents' trust when engaging with health information on social media. Study Appraisal and Synthesis Methods: Thematic analysis was used to synthesize the findings from this review. Results: Thirty-four papers were included. Three key domains were explored: trust in the social media platform/ service (general distrust of social media for health information; safety and privacy); trust in other users (mistrust of unknown users; fear of bullying or judgment; trust in friends or peers; celebrities and popularity; trust in others' experience and the importance of social support); trust in content (tone and appearance of health information; expertise and verification; advertising, pushed, and suggested content). Limitations: Narrow geographic representation of papers and limited quantitative studies. Conclusions and Implications of Key Findings: Adolescents' trust in health information on social media involves a complex interplay between trust in: social media platforms, other users, and health content. Central to many of the findings is the social and identity work done by adolescents on and through social media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a recent paper, Aceves and Evans computed information and semantic density measures for hundreds of languages, and showed that these measures predict the pace and breadth of ideas in communication. Here, we summarize their key findings and situate them in a broader debate about the adaptive nature of language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a holistic but flexible demand creation strategy for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in national public health-care settings in low-income to middle-income countries. We describe the development and implementation of a model to drive demand for oral PrEP uptake and use as part of comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services in South Africa: The Eita! model. The project adapted two existing response hierarchy models (marketing models used to describe the stages individuals move through from being unaware to using a product), to formulate the Eita! model. Using the RE-AIM framework, we report on the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of the Eita! model. More than 34 million connections were made from December 2018 to 2021 through a variety of channels: social media and websites, at events and mobile clinic outreach, and radio and community dialogs. There were 42,447 adolescent girls and young women reached in-person during this time, 16,823 adolescent girls and young women presented for sexual and reproductive health services, and of those 14,637 (87%) initiated on PrEP. The model was implemented in eight health-care facilities and four mobile clinics in three provinces in South Africa. A total of 26 trainings were delivered to project staff implementing the strategy. Various demand creation resources, such as materials and online platforms, have since been adopted by the National Department of Health as national tools. The Eita! model was successfully implemented to support the uptake of HIV prevention services and rollout of biomedical prevention products, and can be adapted by other low-income to middle-income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current paper presents a series of interviews conducted with editors of prominent orthodontic journals, with a specific focus on the influence of social media on orthodontics as a profession. The interviews revolve around the impact of social media on various aspects, including orthodontic patients, clinicians, education, academia and research. The aim is to explore the effective utilization of social media as a means to advance the profession and discuss its potentials and pitfalls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper presents a philosophical exploration for understanding language and intercultural competence from the Taoist philosophy, focusing on three Taoist concepts of Yin-Yang, He (harmony) and Sanbao (three-treasures). The philosophical insights were applied to an ethnographic study that was conducted to investigate the participants' intercultural learning outcomes during an EU-exchange sail-training voyage across the North Sea. The sailing space enables convergence and interaction, minimises boundaries and fosters the co-construction of a sense of community. This paper acknowledges the complexity of dynamic and relation-oriented intercultural learning and communication, and proposes the concept of Dual Harmony of Intercultural Cultivation (DHIC), including the dual dimensions of personal harmony and relational harmony, based on the critical analysis of the interculturality in the sail-training context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BeiDou Global Navigation Satellite System (BDS-3) not only performs the normal positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) functions, but also provides featured services, which are divided into geostationary orbit (GEO) and medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite-based featured services in this paper. The former refers to regional services consisting of the regional short message communication service (RSMCS), the radio determination satellite service (RDSS), the BDS satellite-based augmented service (BDSBAS) and the satellite-based precise point positioning service via B2b signal (B2b-PPP). The latter refers to global services consisting of the global short message communication service (GSMCS) and the MEO satellite-based search and rescue (MEOSAR) service. The focus of this paper is to describe these featured services and evaluate their performances. The results show that the inter-satellite link (ISL) contributes a lot to the accuracy improvement of orbit determination and time synchronization for the whole constellation. Compared with some other final products, the root mean squares (RMS) of the BDS-3 precise orbits and broadcast clock are 25.1 cm and 2.01 ns, respectively. The positioning accuracy of single frequency is better than 6 m, and that of the generalized RDSS is usually better than 12 m. For featured services, the success rates of RSMCS and GSMCS are better than 99.9% and 95.6%, respectively; the positioning accuracies of single and dual frequency BDSBAS are better than 3 and 2 m, respectively; the positioning accuracy of B2b-PPP is better than 0.6 m, and the convergence time is usually smaller than 30 min; the single station test shows that the success rate of MEOSAR is better than 99%. Due to the ISL realization in the BDS-3 constellation, the performance and capacities of the global featured services are improved significantly., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Science China Press. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This paper presents a pilot study aimed at investigating the comprehension of pantomimic stories and its possible cognitive underpinnings in typically developing children. A group of twenty-two Italian-speaking children aged between 8.02 and 10.11 years were included in the study. Participants watched short videos in which professional actors performed pantomime narratives; then answered a comprehension question and retold the stories. Analyses revealed positive correlations between the comprehension of pantomimes and age, theory of mind, and working memory. The implications of these results for a narrative model of language origin are discussed against the background of an eco-evo-devo perspective. • The study explores the comprehension of pantomimic stories and its cognitive underpinnings in children. • They watched pantomime narratives; then they answered a comprehension question and retold the stories. • Correlations between story comprehension and age, theory of mind, and working memory emerged. • Results are discussed against the background of a narrative model of language origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses metalanguage, metadiscourse, metacommunication and metapragmatics testifying to users' conscious awareness enacted in human-AI interactions, based on a corpus of posts sent to Reddit's r/ChatGPT. The emphasis falls on users' foci of attention as they perform linguistic tests on ChatGPT and on how the "meta" practices manifest themselves interactionally on the selected subreddit, where human-AI interactions are showcased for entertainment purposes. The findings suggest that engaging with AI reflects and, potentially, enhances language users' metalinguistic, metadiscursive, metacommunicative and metapragmatic awareness. This awareness is mirrored in ChatGPT's output, indicative of its previous human-assisted training. Additionally, this investigation demonstrates that, when acknowledged as one subject of study, the four "meta" concepts are intricately intertwined as they may co-occur and overlap. • Posts at r/ChatGPT report users' challenging ChatGPT for entertainment purposes. • Challenges involve (im)politeness, language play, pretend play, and epistemic states. • Human-AI interactions show and boost users' conscious meta-linguistic/communicative/pragmatic awareness. • Users' "meta" conscious awareness shows on three interactional levels at r/ChatGPT. • Metapragmatics, metacommunication, metadiscourse and metalanguage are overlapping notions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In interpreter-mediated encounters, one participant's contributions are multivoiced, other participants' contributions are collectively produced, as the interpreter mediates their words. It is interesting what mediation does to their voice, and even more relevant if participants speak in ways deviating from local norms. This paper offers a case study of an interpreter-mediated court meeting. I discuss how a courtroom interpreter handles the accused's contributions, what consequences the interpreter's choices have, and what it adds to our understanding of voice. I argue that speaking and being heard "in one's own terms" is not necessarily the most beneficial to less powerful institutional participants. • It is central for courtroom interpreters to represent the voice of lay participants. • Interpreters often choose to interpret for legal participants rather than lay participants when they speak simultaneously. • Interpreters standardize the linguistic contributions they mediate. • Standardization and normalization may help a participant being heard. • At the same time it may suppress the social voice of a participant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a study of Arabic-French language alternation in medical consultations in Algeria to reveal the ways in which code-switching is used to build and organise activities in medical interactions. Conversation analysis is applied to examine the participants' linguistic choices. Audio-recorded data was collected in two public hospitals in the Northwest of Algeria. This study suggests that there are misperceptions in the research literature about doctors' use of French as a resource to disempower patients and to limit their contribution in consultations. It refines our understanding of the nature of language alternation – code switching - in Algerian medical consultations. The results show that: 1) French is dispreferred with patients, 2) code-switching is used as a resource to organise and distinguish activities in turns and sequences, however, 3) doctors' use of French can contribute to pushing back against patients' resistance and to disaffiliate with patients' stances. • Language alternation on a moment-by-moment analysis of action in medical examinations. • Code switching is used as a resource to organise and distinguish activities in turns and sequences. • Arabic is preferred by doctors with both bilingual and monolingual patients. • Doctors' use French with patients when pushing back against patients' resistance and to disaffiliate with patients' stances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tel Aviv neighborhood of HaTikva, originally home mostly to Mizrahi Jews, has undergone a considerable demographic shift in recent years. This paper discusses the narratives of Mizrahi longtime residents of the neighborhood, who are uncomfortable with the recent changes. Focusing on a micro-analysis of the stylistic variation in two interviews, the results show that the voiced pharyngeal approximant (ʕ), a linguistic feature strongly associated with Mizrahi identity, is used in the construction of place identity, by reinforcing the links between these speakers' Mizrahi identity and their status as authentic residents of the neighborhood. • Residents of South Tel Aviv are experiencing a rapid change in their neighborhood. • Linguistic resources are utilized to construct an authentic place identity. • (ʕ), a linguistic feature associated with ethnicity, is used to index place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distribution of vos 'you' and uno 'one' in generic messages is studied in a corpus of female speakers of Spanish (Argentina).The question was how it is possible that the form vos , so clearly defined as the pronoun to refer to the interlocutor, could have an impersonal reading, alongside the indefinite pronoun uno , which seems much more fit to do the job. The alternation between the generic use of the forms vos and uno cannot be, in our view, the result of chance nor a merely stylistic tool, but corresponds to the communicative strategies that speakers utilize in each and every context. This paper studies the different factors that play a role in the selection of each of the pronouns. • Vos 'you' and uno 'one', used in generic messages, have different meanings, resulting in different interpretations. • Linguistic forms have single meanings, but may have different interpretations in different contexts. • The single meaning is a clue for a given interpretation. • Generic vos 'you' refers to the hearer: 'you in my place'. •Generic uno 'one' refers to the speaker: '(some)one like me'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new cellular network standard 5G meets the networking requirements for many industrial use cases due to the advantages of low latency, high bandwidth, and high device density while providing a very good quality of service. These capabilities enable the wireless realization of digital twins (DT), a key element of cyber-physical production systems. A requirement of DT is the bidirectional exchange of information between the digital and the physical world. 5G is the only technology that enables wireless, highly scalable, and flexible realization of even safety- and latency-critical connections (e.g., between a machine tool and its motion control unit). In this paper, a 5G enabled DT of a machine tool for machine control and simulation is developed and implemented. A bidirectional control of the physical machine tool and the DT is realized by offloading the machine control unit to an edge server via 5G. The simulation instances are also offloaded to the edge server and obtain the required information from the control system. In addition, this paper outlines the components for implementing a 5G-enabled DT and aims to discuss the benefits, disadvantages, and potentials of the 5G-enabled DT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical travel and transnational healthcare involve various difficulties such as the distance and disconnect between patients and healthcare providers, language barriers or logistical challenges of moving ill bodies across space. Medical travel facilitation steps in with some sort of brokerage service that contributes to overcoming or managing these difficulties and, as this paper suggests, acts to create a quality of 'smoothness'. By unpacking three salient facilitation practices, namely connecting, communicating, and coordinating, this paper conceptualises the empirically derived category of 'smoothness'. This as a disposition, outcome, and spatio-temporal manoeuvre of medical travel facilitation. Based on the way in which such practices of mediation act to create smoothness, namely in an attentive, persistent, and collective tinkering manner, this paper suggests that some practices of medical travel facilitation are productively thought not just about setting up the possibility of care transnationally, but that they are key forms of care in itself. Based on these findings, smoothness is considered to be a central but also contested quality of medical travel facilitation and brokerage in a broader sense, but as proposed here, also for care. This conclusion potentially has implications not just for the study of transnational healthcare and mediation activities, but also that of care and transnational mobilities more generally. • Medical travel facilitation creates smoothness in mediating transnational healthcare. • Conceptualising smoothness as a disposition, outcome and spatio-temporal manoeuvre. • Brokerage and an STS-take on medical travel facilitation and care. • Smoothness as a quality of medical travel facilitation, brokerage and possibly care. • Medical travel facilitation between Oman and India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines question-response sequences, in which clinicians asked questions to child patients who appear to interact using means other than the verbal mode of communication. Conversation Analysis methods were used to study questions in 46 paediatric palliative care consultations. These questions were directed towards children who observably used vocalisations and embodied modes of communication (e.g., gaze, gesture and facial expressions) but did not appear to use the verbal mode. Most questions asked children either about their willingness and preferences for a proposed next activity, or their current feelings, experiences or intentions. Questions involved children by foregrounding their preferences and feelings. These questions occasioned contexts where the child's vocal or embodied conduct could be treated as a relevant response. This paper demonstrates how questions are used to involve children in consultations about their own healthcare, and how their views come to be understood by clinicians and family members, even when children interact using means other than the verbal mode of communication. Questions can be asked of both children who do and do not verbally communicate. When asking questions, clinicians should be mindful of the modes of communication an individual child uses to consider how the child might meaningfully respond. • Questions can be asked of both children who do and do not verbally communicate. • Questions involve children by foregrounding their preferences and feelings. • Children who use different modes of communication respond meaningfully to questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Timely recognition of dying is important for high quality end-of-life care however, little is known about how clinicians recognise dying. Late recognition is common and can lead to futile treatment that can prolong or increase suffering and prevent a change in the focus of care. To explore how clinicians caring for dying people recognise that they are in the last days or hours of life, as well as the factors that influence the recognition of dying. A systematically constructed integrative review of the literature. Medline, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsycInfo and Allied and Complementary Medicine were searched in July 2022. Papers were included if they were original research, discussed how clinicians recognise dying, available in English language and published in 2012 or later. A constant comparison approach was applied to the analysis and synthesis of the literature. 24 papers met the inclusion criteria. There were 3 main categories identified: 'Clues and signals' refers to prompts and signs that lead a clinician to believe a person is dying, incorporating the sub-categories 'knowing the patient over time', and 'intuition and experience'. 'Recognition by others' is where clinicians come to recognise someone is dying through others. This can be through a change in the context of care such as a tool or care plan or by communication with the team. 'Culture, system and practice' refers to the cultural beliefs of a setting that influences awareness of dying and denial of death as a possibility and avoidance of naming death and dying directly. System and practice of the setting also impact on recognition of dying. This involves work pace and intensity, shift systems and timing of senior reviews of patients. Uncertainty and its impact on recognition of dying are evident throughout the findings of this review. The seeking of certainty and the absence of the possibility of dying contributes to late recognition of dying. Recognition of dying is a complex process that occurs over time, involving a combination of intuition and gathering of information, that is influenced by contextual factors. A culture where dying is not openly acknowledged or even named explicitly contributes to late recognition of dying. A shared language and consistent terminology for explicitly naming dying are needed. Uncertainty is intrinsic to the recognition of dying and therefore a shift to recognising the possibility of dying rather than seeking certainty is needed. (PROSPERO) CRD42022360900. Registered September 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As planners and policymakers in cities around the world struggle to attract and retain public transit users, this paper explores strategies to promote transit adoption in contexts where the odds are stacked against transit. Using travel behavior data from India's National Capital Region – one of the most congested metropolitan areas globally that is experiencing unprecedented growth in personal vehicle ownership and plummeting transit ridership – this study analyzes the choice of intra-urban (metro) rail over personal car for commute trips within a specific population sub-group that is fast adopting the personal car and exiting the transit market. The objective of this mode choice analysis that employs both logistic regression modeling and the propensity-score matching technique is to identify multi-modal service quality/performance factors that determine metro rail vs. car choice, and thereby recommend efficient and effective interventions for inducing car-to-transit switches in addition to retaining existing transit riders. Results suggest that increasing metro rail's travel time competitiveness relative to car (particularly for long distance commuters), service frequency and safety level, and raising car parking cost at the destination can increase the likelihood of choice of metro rail over car in the study context. Interestingly, increase in traffic congestion and travel time unreliability of the car mode are not expected to automatically boost the demand for metro rail use, all else equal. As the momentum towards more car adoption continues, this study shows that deteriorating traffic conditions may not push drivers out of cars; rather, public transit has to step up and pull drivers out of cars. For planners and policymakers, this study indicates that rather than passively waiting for driving conditions to worsen, they should proactively invest in transit service quality improvements. This study also highlights the importance of communicating service changes to the traveling public in order to efficiently translate interventions to behavior changes, given the dissonance between travelers' perceptions of multi-modal travel conditions and actual travel conditions. This paper further demonstrates that analysis of travelers' perception errors, including variation in error across travelers, is important for accurately modeling travel behavior changes in response to interventions. The findings add to the literature on mode choice analysis, and provide strategic advice for transit agencies in India and across other comparable contexts globally. • This study suggests ways to promote car-to-transit switches in fast-growing economies. • Regression analysis and propensity-score matching used to determine drivers of transit choice. • The importance of investing in fast, frequent and safe transit, and the role of parking cost are highlighted. • Traffic congestion and unreliability will not automatically boost transit demand. • Value of information communication and recognizing travelers' perception errors are underscored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes that a relevance-focused production heuristic plays a role in the production of communicative acts. The relevance-theoretic account of communication and other pragmatic theories focus on both communicators and their addressees, but there has been more focus on the pragmatic processes of comprehension than on communication, with few specific suggestions about the role of pragmatic processes in production. This paper outlines a research programme which aims to build on work by other researchers by making a proposal about this. The central claim is that production is constrained by at least one dedicated heuristic, which shares some properties with the relevance-guided comprehension heuristic proposed in earlier work. The main aim of the paper is to consider some questions about the nature of this heuristic and to propose an initial characterisation. The production of communicative acts is extremely complex. Our claim is that a production heuristic is one of many factors involved in this and that this proposal can help contribute to accounts of communicative behaviour. • Pragmatic principles play a role in the production of communicative acts. • A relevance-focused production heuristic constrains production processes. • This proposal contributes to understanding of the dynamic nature of co-constructed communicative interaction. • It also contributes to understanding of the construction and performance of identity in interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine which training methods positively influenced healthcare professionals' communication skills and families' deceased organ donation decision-making.Methods: An integrative review using systematic methods and narrative synthesis for data analysis. Electronic databases of PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (EBSCO), Embase (OVID) and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global, were searched between August 1997 and March 2020, retrieving 1019 papers. Included papers (n = 14) were appraised using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument.Results: Training programmes offered theory, experiential learning, feedback and debriefing including self-reflection, the opportunity to role-play and interact with simulated participants within realistic case scenarios. Programmes reported observed and self-rated improvements in communication learning and confidence. The methodological quality score averaged 13, (72% of maximum); few studies used an experimental design, examined behavioural change or families' perspectives. Weak evidence suggested training could increase organ donation authorisation/consent rates.Conclusions: Multiple training strategies are effective in improving interprofessional healthcare professionals' confidence and learning of specialised communication. Methodological limitations restricted the ability to present definitive recommendations and further research is warranted, inclusive of family decision-making experiences.Practice Implications: Learning of specialised communication skills is enhanced by using multiple training strategies, including role-play and debriefing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To understand how pharmacists develop patient-pharmacist communication skills.Methods: A realist synthesis approach was used to understand how educational interventions work to improve patient-pharmacist communication. Initial programme theories were developed through a scoping search and stakeholder focus groups (faculty, students, patients and public). A systematic search was then conducted for evidence to test initial theories. Included papers were assessed for relevance and rigour. Extracted data was synthesised to refine the initial programme theories and develop modified programme theories.Results: Forty-seven papers were included in the final synthesis. Role-play with simulated patients and peers, video recording and lectures were the most widely reported interventions. Repeated practice, feedback, reflection and confidence were among the mechanisms by which interventions work. Modified programme theories relating to interactions of role-play, experiential learning, video recording, self-assessment and workshops were developed.Conclusions: Outcomes of communication education interventions are influenced by the level of learner. Educational interventions that promote reflection are particularly useful.Practical Implications: There are a wide range of theory-informed interventions, which should be used in a programmatic approach to communications education. A longitudinal programme of communication skills training, with intervention choice based on level of learning, is important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports a laboratory experiment that provides insights on cooperation in R&D investment when knowledge sharing decisions are endogenous. Specifically, there are two types of treatments: one in which participants decide on whether to share knowledge before they make their investment decisions and one where the knowledge sharing constellation is exogenously given, both with and without non-binding communication. The results show that there are behavioral spillovers between the decisions on knowledge sharing and investment. When exogenously set, the degree of symmetric knowledge sharing does not affect cooperation. Communication increases cooperation more when participants can decide on knowledge sharing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Miscommunication between parents and healthcare providers in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) can affect family-provider relationships and outcomes. This paper reports on the development and psychometric testing of a measure for parent perceived miscommunication, defined as the failure to communicate clearly as perceived by relevant stakeholders in the PICU. Miscommunication items were identified through a review of the literature with interdisciplinary experts. In a cross-sectional quantitative survey, the scale was tested with 200 parents of children discharged from a PICU at a large Northeastern Level 1 Pediatric hospital. The psychometric properties of a 6-item miscommunication measure were assessed using exploratory factor analysis and internal consistency reliability. Exploratory factor analysis yielded one factor explaining 66.09% of the variance. Internal consistency reliability in the PICU sample was α = 0.89. As hypothesized, there was a significant correlation between parental stress, trust, and perceived miscommunication in the PICU (p <.001). Confirmatory factor analysis supported good fit indices in testing the measurement model (χ2/df = 2.57, Goodness of Fit Index (GFI) = 0.979, Confirmatory Fit Index (CFI) =0.993 and Standardized Mean Residual (SMR) = 0.0136). This new six-item miscommunication measure shows promising psychometric properties including content and construct validity, which can be further tested and refined in future studies of miscommunication and outcomes in PICU. Awareness of perceived miscommunication in the PICU can benefit stakeholders within the clinical environment by recognizing the importance of clear and effective communication and how language affects the parent-child-provider relationship. • Parents of hospitalized children face many difficult ethical challenges in communicating with the healthcare team. • Miscommunication in the pediatric intensive care setting can be measured by understanding the daily experiences of parents. • The perceived miscommunication scale exhibits good psychometric properties. • Perceived miscommunication is associated with higher levels of parental stress and parental trust in the pediatric intensive care setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an extension to the relational event model with change points (REM-CP) to study abrupt changes to social interaction behavior in temporal networks. A change point detection algorithm is proposed for exploring when and which network effects abruptly change, and a confirmatory approach to test the presence of a change point at a given moment. The effectiveness of the methodology was assessed with numerical simulations and NASA's Apollo 13 mission data. The latter revealed dynamic communication behavior and identified time zones where most change points occurred, including around the time of the famous quote "Houston, we've had a problem." • The strengths of some effects and therefore social dynamics, can change at certain points in time. • The REM with Change Points (REM-CP) builds on the relational event modeling framework and the Bayes factor and detects when the change points in social networks occur. • REM-CP can explore when and which network effects abruptly change in a specified period and test the presence of a change point at a given moment. • REM-CP can be a useful tool to analyze how teams work, communicate and how they handle critical situations. • Team resilience has been defined in many ways, but the most fitting with the analysis at hand (REM-CP) is that of "graceful extensibility". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Artificial intelligence has also made great progress with the improvement. • Traditional toys cannot be compared with children's reading robots. • It can bear 100 kg of objects, and its speed is not much different from that of people. • Audrey speech recognition is a logo developed by AT&T Bell Laboratories. At present, there are many children accompanying robots. A key indicator to measure their performance is convenient and efficient human–computer interaction. The implementation of voice question-answering technology needs to solve three problems: voice recognition, the establishment of a knowledge base, and answer matching. As the front-end data entry, speech recognition accuracy is directly related to the answer-matching effect of the back-end question-answering system. Based on convolutional neural network and intelligent communication technology, this paper analyzes the characteristics of children's reading robot and designs and develops intelligent voice interaction function on the Android platform. The focus of this paper is on Chinese word segmentation and keyword extraction and matching in the interaction function. Further, we designed a simple question-and-answer database for the children's reading robot. In this paper, convolutional neural network connection timing is used as the feature parameter. Through a large number of experiments, the structure of the CNN network is constantly adjusted to minimize the word error rate, optimize the model recognition rate, and better identify users' voice problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compassion and empathy are integral to safe and effective patient care. However, to date, most studies have focused on exploring, defining, measuring and analysing empathy and compassion from the perspective of researchers or clinicians. There has been limited attention to the perspectives of patients. The objective of this scoping review was to map the literature to identify patients' views of healthcare provider behaviours that exemplify empathic and compassionate interactions. This review used the Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review methodology. A comprehensive search of eight electronic databases was conducted with English language studies published in the last 10 years considered for inclusion. Database s earching resulted in 459 records for initial screening. After de-duplication and conducting a title and abstract review, 32 full-text articles were screened for eligibility. A total of 14 studies met the inclusion criteria and were critically reviewed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. The included papers profiled studies that had been conducted in clinical settings across seven countries. The healthcare encounters described in the papers were with a range of healthcare providers. Two overarching and interconnected categories of behaviours were identified as indicative of empathic/compassionate encounters: (1) communication skills such as listening, touch, body language, eye contact and positive demeanour; and (2) helping behaviours demonstrated by small acts of kindness that go beyond routine healthcare. Given the breadth of studies describing the positive impact of empathy/compassion on people's physical and psychosocial wellbeing, the results from this review are valuable and shed new light on patients' views and experiences. The results provide a deeper understanding of healthcare provider behaviours that exemplify empathic and compassionate healthcare interactions and can be used to inform the education and training of healthcare providers from all disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integration of management information systems is crucial to optimizing internal and external processes in enterprises' environments. One of the technologies sup-porting this integration is OPC UA. An embedded automation device OPC UA server can transmit either dead-band tested analog attributes or all changes of ana-log attributes to OPC UA clients. Typically OPC UA server to OPC UA client data transmission is based on subscriptions. Subscription interval, sampling interval, and dead-band are usually controlled by OPC UA clients [1]. It is, however, desirable that OPC UA data traffic is controlled by automation de-vice control programs and the embedded OPC UA servers and not by OPC UA clients as specified in the norm. This is because the OPC UA server is the limiting component in the client sever communication scheme. Floating-point attributes in an automation device have small changes all the time, but in real-world plants, analog attributes do not necessarily have to be frequently communicated to OPC UA clients on small changes. In addition to an attribute dead-band test, changes in some attributes can safely be blocked a minimum time since the last attribute update before a new value is transmitted to the UA clients. Analog attributes can also be cyclically transmitted to OPC UA clients with a low frequency to ensure that they receive the exact attribute value after a set maximum time. This paper demonstrates an implementation of this communication scheme by using a device function block to control traffic between an OPC UA server and OPC UA clients for analog attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Standard models of language and communication depart from the assumption that speakers encode and receive messages individually, while interaction research has shown that utterances are composed jointly (C. Goodwin, 2018), dialogically designed with and for others (Linell, 2009). Furthermore, utterances only achieve their full semantic potential in concrete interactional contexts. This SI investigates various practices of human sounding that achieve their meaning through self and others' ongoing bodily actions. One person may vocalize to enact someone else's ongoing bodily experience, to coordinate with another body, or to convey embodied knowledge about something that is ostensibly only accessible to another's individual body. This illustrates the centrality of distributed action and collaborative agency in communication. • Sounding for others is an analytic umbrella term for vocalizing on another's behalf or for their benefit, particularly in voicing their bodily events • Sounding for others demonstrates that vocal behavior is not a system of linear communication but an embodied, multisensory and collaborative resource of meaning making in interaction • Papers in this special issue investigate vocalizing others' bodies, focusing on events that have a strong sensorial and/or emotional component • Participants maximally highlight co-presence and dissolve territories of agency and individuality [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cette étude longitudinale porte sur le développement de la communication chez des enfants de 3 à 6 ans avec TSA, scolarisés en unité d'enseignement en maternelle. Elle s'appuie sur l'observation directe de situations filmées en classe, soumises à une micro-analyse de la communication et des interactions sociales à l'aide d'une grille structurée. La fréquence et la qualité fonctionnelle des échanges sont comparées dans les interactions avec les adultes et avec leurs pairs, en situation structurée (travail à table) et en situation non structurée (jeu libre), et dans leur évolution au cours du temps (première année vs dernière année de maternelle). Les résultats montrent que l'engagement socio-communicatif des enfants est généralement plus fréquent dans les activités structurées et avec les adultes, essentiellement en modes de réponses aux sollicitations. Cependant, les initiatives des enfants augmentent dans le temps en situation de jeu libre. Les interactions à but instrumental demeurent la majorité des actes communicatifs. Les buts de partage social sont davantage favorisés par la situation de jeu, où leur proportion augmente au cours du temps. La part des intentions de partage d'états mentaux évolue peu au cours des trois années. Les trajectoires individuelles de progression diffèrent selon les caractéristiques des enfants. Ceux qui présentent les scores les plus avancés dans les échelles développementales au début de la scolarisation montrent une progression plus importante des interactions sociales et de la communication en classe. Les données sont discutées afin d'optimiser les dispositifs scolaires inclusifs. Inclusive preschool classrooms have been recently created (since 2014) in France for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, giving them access to regular schools while adjusting to their specific needs. In these preschool small units, educative and mental health staff work together to support children's communicative and learning skills in order to help them to progressively attend regular classes in the same school. International research has reported the benefits of inclusive education on children with ASD, but studies mainly concerned children in full inclusion in regular classrooms, whose constraints, even with adapted programs, may not be suitable for all of them, especially young children. Moreover, studies conducted in specialized as well as in regular classrooms showed that the frequency and functional quality of the children's communicative exchanges may greatly vary, depending on the interlocutor and on the requirements of school situations (structured or unstructured). In this paper, we present a longitudinal study about communication development from age three to six in children with ASD attending an inclusive preschool program. On the basis of direct observations of situations filmed in class, variations of social communication were systematically examined as a function of partners (adults vs. peers), degree of structuration (work vs. free play), and over time. Participants were seven children with ASD, aged 3 at the beginning of the study and attending the same preschool inclusive unit. They were regularly videotaped (twice a year during three years) in two types of classroom situations: structured (working) and unstructured (free play), interacting with adults and peers. Data reported here are for the comparison between the first and the last collection point (three years vs. six years). Videos were coded using a structured microanalysis grid to capture the quality (forms and functions) of social and communicative behaviors of children and of their partners. In parallel, standardized evaluations were conducted on children's clinical and developmental characteristics. Data analysis showed a differentiated progression in quantity and quality of communication observed in preschool inclusive classrooms according to contextual parameters. Children's social-communicative engagement was generally more frequent in structured than unstructured activities, but initiations progressed over time in unstructured activities. Children interacted much more often with adults than with peers, with no significant increase in this gap over the years. The quality of children's communication improved both in forms and functions, but to varying degrees depending on the context. During structured activities, children became more able to use multimodal coordination (e.g., verbal/nonverbal) within the same communicative act while during unstructured activities they more often use one modality communicative acts. Concerning the purpose of interactions, children most often communicate for instrumental purposes than for social sharing purposes, a difference that persisted over time. A single subject analysis revealed important variations in pace and extent of developmental change between three and six years, with an increased progression observed in children with initial higher social and cognitive developmental levels. Findings are discussed in the perspective of optimizing the implementation of inclusive preschool educative settings for children with ASD. In particular, three points seem to deserve reinforced support: (a) to promote opportunities for children's initiatives in addition to soliciting responses; (b) to enhance the opportunities for social sharing; (c) to support peer-to-peer interactions during play or work co-activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and its consequences are currently a very pressing topic for cities. Digital solutions can help in this regard, for example, to inform citizens and provide digital services aimed at fostering climate-friendly behavior. In the EnStadt:Pfaff research project, we are developing a climate-friendly smart city district. Part of this is digitalization, with the main goal being the implementation of a smart city district digital ecosystem providing digital solutions to the people of the district, which is currently still under construction. So far, we have already developed some digital solutions with different technology readiness levels. One major question we have faced, however, was how to inform the public about these solutions. We decided to do this in various ways, such as a classical project webpage, events, and videos. In order to have one main entry point for the public to explore our solutions, we have developed a so-called ecosystem map. Four of the digital solutions are presented there to show what kind of digital solutions might be part of the future smart city district digital ecosystem. In this paper, we report on how we created the digital map, provide the four digital solution examples shown on the map, and present initial feedback we received regarding our solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the development and validation of a self-assessment scale integrating information literacy and academic writing, based on a conceptual model of information-based academic writing. Statistical analyses provided validity evidence, supporting its interpretation and use. The analysis also confirmed the cognitive, metacognitive, social, and emotional nature of information-based academic writing. Based on the development of this scale, I argued that (1) this scale communicates the shared learning and teaching goals among academic librarians, writing instructors, and content experts; (2) an integrated assessment tool could maximize the efficient use of resources; (3) encompassing the often-overlooked social and emotional dimensions in the scale could facilitate the holistic development of academic writing and information literacy. This study demonstrates the process of developing an assessment instrument, which can be an example for instructors of information literacy and academic writing to design their localized instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moving towards person-centered care, with equal partnership between healthcare professionals and patients, requires a solid role for the patient in the education of students and professionals. Patients can be involved as teachers, assessors, curriculum developers, and policy-makers. Yet, many of the initiatives with patients are isolated, small events for targeted groups and there is a lack of patient involvement at the institutional level. To support educators in involving patients, both at the institutional level and at single educational encounters, we offer twelve practical tips. This paper came about through an innovative collaboration between healthcare professionals, educators, teachers, and patients. These tips can be used as a tool to start or reinforce patient involvement in health professions education and provide guidance on how to make it a sustainable part of the curriculum. The article involves organizational conditions for success, tips for sustainable partnerships, ideas for curriculum design and proposes concrete teaching strategies. Finally, besides practical tips, we stress that involving patients in education is not business as usual, and paradoxically this needs to be acknowledged before it can become business as usual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism Spectrum Disorder is characterised by profound challenges with social communication and social interaction. Currently, there are few therapeutic interventions that successfully target some of the functionally impairing traits associated with autism. Furthermore, many of these interventions comprise a variety of limitations; including, limited accessibility, extensive durations, or the requirement of a trained professional to deliver the intervention. New research suggests that instead of targeting all traits associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder with a single solution, scientific research should focus on providing therapeutic tools that alleviate functionally impairing facets specific to the individual. Owing to the nature of physical activity, sports, and dance (coordinated movement) these activities could provide opportunities to enhance communication skills and social development in autistic children. Therefore, this paper gives a narrative overview of the literature surrounding communication and coordinated movement; outlining what is meant by communication challenges, exploring the benefits of coordinated movement for traits associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and delineating how coordinated movement elicits positive outcomes for autistic children. • Many studies show the benefits of coordinated movement as an intervention for autistic children. • Dance Movement Therapy holds much potential for enhancing communication skills in autistic children. • Research should explore beneficial elements of physical activity and dance in relevant sample sizes with reliable outcome measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• What is currently known about this topic: • When encountered at university and clinical practice, medical terminology poses a challenge to students and Registered Nurses, while resulting in barriers to effective communication with patients and other healthcare professionals. • What the paper adds to the existing knowledge: • The integration of medical terminology-focused teaching delivery into the wider curriculum supports all students, which is evidenced in the 3.41 mark increase in these participants' results following the teaching intervention. • How the information in your manuscript can be applied to practice: • Possessing the ability to accurately decode unfamiliar terms supports the ongoing expansion in nurses' scope of practice while ensuring the success of the next generation of nurses. The aim of this study was to ascertain the impact of an online teaching intervention on students' ability to accurately decode medical terminology and explore the effects of particular demographic characteristics. Nursing students encounter a range of medical terminology during their academic study and clinical practice. Mastering medical terminology is particularly challenging, yet proficiency in its use is critical for effective patient care. This study applied a nonexperimental pre- and post-test research design alongside a cross-sectional survey. The sample included 145 preregistration undergraduate BSc (Honors) Nursing students. The study was conducted in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at a university in the United Kingdom. A paired samples t-test revealed a significant difference between the pre- and postassessment results, with participants' experiencing an average overall gain of 3.41 marks or 13.6% improvement irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity or branch of nursing field being studied. The data offers a strong argument for integrating digital approaches for teaching medical terminology into the wider curriculum. Due consideration must be attributed to digital poverty and the challenges faced when undertaking digital tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Communication about deactivation of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy at end-of-life (EoL) is a recognised issue within clinical practice. The aim of this scoping review was to explore and map the current literature in this field, with a focus on papers which implemented interventional studies.Methods: Systematic searches of six major databases were conducted. Citations were included by four researchers according to selection criteria. Key demographic data and prespecified themes in relation to communication of ICD deactivation at EoL were extracted.Results: The search found 6197 texts of which 63 were included: 39 quantitative, 14 qualitative and 10 mixed-methods. Surveys were predominantly used to gather data (n = 34), followed by interviews (n = 18) and retrospective reviews of patient records (n = 18).Conclusions: Several key gaps in the literature warrant further research. These include who is responsible for initiating ICD deactivation discussions, how clinicians should initiate and conduct these discussions, when ICD deactivations should be occurring, and family perspectives. Adequately explored themes include patient and clinician knowledge and attitudes regarding ICD deactivation at EoL.Practical Implications: Facilities treating patients with ICDs at EoL should consider ongoing quality improvement projects aimed at clinician education and protocol changes to improve communication surrounding EoL ICD deactivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Learning the lessons from serious child abuse cases can prevent harm in future. • Lack of 'professional curiosity' and 'challenge' are inadequate explanations. • More productive understandings for practice would be communication and courage. • Awareness of the ambiguous policy context is also essential. • Well supported staff and properly resourced services are vital. Learning lessons from cases where children have been killed or seriously harmed from abuse or neglect is important for child protection policy and practice around the world. In England there is a long-established system of locally based, multi-agency reviews. Three recurrent themes over the years have been the poor quality of assessments, shortcomings in inter-agency working and information sharing, and not knowing the children and understanding their experiences. The reviews often identify a lack of 'professional curiosity' and insufficient 'challenge' on the part of child protection practitioners as the cause of these problems. This paper analyses these concepts, drawing on four recent studies of child safeguarding reviews conducted by the authors and their research team. It uses qualitative data from the reports and the views of local professionals in online focus groups. The reviews tend to use the perceived lack of curiosity and challenge as the explanation for poor practice without interrogating why, when and in what circumstances it becomes more difficult for professionals to remain curious and appropriately challenging. Professional curiosity and challenge are complex, multifaceted concepts, and applying them in practice is difficult and skilled work. The paper argues for a more nuanced and grounded understanding of the concepts and their application in practice. It sets them in wider frames of communication and courage, and the ambiguous policy context of a preference for cooperative engagement with families but high expectations about protecting children. It offers recommendations for future research into the review process, authorship style, practice in local agencies and national government policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In policy fields where regulatory science underpins government decision making, barriers to policy learning tend to be more entrenched. Presented with new and improved scientific methods and technologies, a key question increasingly facing regulatory authorities is how best to adapt established procedures without alienating stakeholders who value stability and low regulatory uncertainty? Focusing on the highly institutionalized field of environmental chemical risk assessment and drawing on recent advances in the conceptualization and operationalization of policy learning and policy forums, this paper explores factors linked to individuals and forum dynamics that encourage policy learning in fields underpinned by regulatory science. Using survey research, we analyze the learning experiences reported by policy actors who participated in an international ecotoxicology policy forum. Results suggest that open, balanced, and professional norm-driven forums will not necessarily produce efficient policy learning in fields underpinned by regulatory science due to motivated skepticism insomuch as forum participants are acutely aware that scientific advance may introduce uncertainty into regulatory processes and outcomes. Results also suggest that the longevity of actors' forum participation is important to facilitate learning. • Explores policy learning in policy forums situated in fields underpinned by regulatory science. • Draws on advances in the conceptualization and operationalization of policy learning and forums. • Focused on policy learning in chemicals management where toxicogenomics presents opportunities. • Open, balanced and professional norm-driven forums will not necessarily produce policy learning. • Longevity of forum participation facilitates learning, while intensity has the opposite effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We study the problem of distributed image-to-image translation. • A novel framework for distributed image-to-image translation. • A unified framework for distributed image-to-image translation and autoencoding. Data-driven paradigms using machine learning are becoming ubiquitous in image processing and communications. In particular, image-to-image (I2I) translation is a generic and widely used approach to image processing problems, such as image synthesis, style transfer, and image restoration. At the same time, neural image compression has emerged as a data-driven alternative to traditional coding approaches in visual communications. In this paper, we study the combination of these two paradigms into a joint I2I compression and translation framework, focusing on multi-domain image synthesis. We first propose distributed I2I translation by integrating quantization and entropy coding into an I2I translation framework (i.e. I2Icodec). In practice, the image compression functionality (i.e. autoencoding) is also desirable, requiring to deploy alongside I2Icodec a regular image codec. Thus, we further propose a unified framework that allows both translation and autoencoding capabilities in a single codec. Adaptive residual blocks conditioned on the translation/compression mode provide flexible adaptation to the desired functionality. The experiments show promising results in both I2I translation and image compression using a single model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]