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Based on two qualitative case studies undertaken in Switzerland, this article compares the positioning of Climate Strike activists and construction workers on questions of climate change, so as to analyse the impact of work practices on environmental orientations. Building on a praxeological approach, the article argues that communities of practice in workplaces and educational institutions influence environmental orientations. Everyday practice in schools and universities fosters the scientific environmental knowledge that is central to the orientations of climate activists. By contrast, the practice of construction workers inculcates an embodied environmental knowledge which accompanies an orientation that takes environmental problems as not primarily a question of conservation, but rather as inherently linked to workplace matters. By way of conclusion, the article argues for an expanded notion of environmental concerns, beyond the acceptance of scientific facts on ecological crisis and towards embracing the embodied environmental knowledge more broadly prevalent among manual workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stigma surrounding mental health, particularly among men, remains a significant barrier to men engaging with support services for their mental health. Despite increasing evidence of interventions targeting different aspects of stigma reduction, there is a notable gap in the literature concerning male-specific mental health stigma reduction interventions and on the underlying behavior change techniques (BCTs) used to reduce stigma. The purpose of this review is to synthesize the evidence relating to the impact of mental health stigma reduction interventions among men and to explore the underlying BCTs associated with each intervention. The review was restricted to empirical research reporting on interventions targeting mental health stigma in male-dominated populations. The quality appraisal was conducted using the Mixed Methods Analysis Tool and a narrative synthesis was conducted. Fourteen articles reporting on 11 interventions were included for review, while 20 outcome measures were used. Perceived public stigma attracted the largest number of interventions with a lesser focus on self or personal stigma. Nineteen BCTs were identified across the interventions with information about health consequences and self-monitoring of behavior being the most common followed by credible source, social contact, and behavior practice/rehearsal. This is discussed in relation to the wider literature. The methodological issues highlighted in the articles limit the conclusions and recommendations that can be drawn from the review. Recommendations for further research include standardizing the scales used in stigma measurement, in-depth reporting of intervention descriptions, and greater use of theory to guide intervention development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates determinants of adult children's medical decision preferences for their elderly parents, aiming to optimize healthcare service utilization. Seven influencing factors were identified and a discrete choice experiment was conducted. Data were analyzed with a binary logit regression model. Results highlight treatment effectiveness (p <.001, OR = 5.945), physician attitude (p <.001, OR = 2.740), hospital accessibility (p <.001, OR = 2.136), waiting duration (p <.001, OR = 1.604), and hospital rank (p =.001, OR = 1.409) as key concerns when deciding medical care for older parents. Physician title and online health insurance reimbursement showed no significance. Chinese adult children tend to rationally choose primary healthcare centers and Grade II hospitals for effective therapy and doctor-patient communication, suggesting investments in these facilities to enhance healthcare delivery within a hierarchical medical system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies on IT investment in companies have been conducted in the past, but our team combined them by summarizing the latest research. Compared to previous work, we revise a larger universe of firm IT investment, focus on more recent IT investment researches, refine the focus of current researchers pay attention to and address the problem of insufficient reference for enterprise practice. Through a review of the literature to synthesize the understanding of IT investment to (i) IT investment performance, (ii) IT adoption decision, (iii) IT governance, and (iv) IT labor (worker), we could highlight the research gaps that we encountered. Finally, based on the current research conclusions, we give practical suggestions from the early, middle and late stages of IT investment. This study contributes to the growing amount of literature on IT investment, both academically and practically. Plain language summary: A review of IT investment in firms Through a review of the literature to synthesize the understanding of IT investment to (i) IT investment performance, (ii) IT adoption decision, (iii) IT governance, and (iv) IT labor (worker), we could highlight the research gaps that we encountered. Finally, based on the current research conclusions, we give practical suggestions from the early, middle and late stages of IT investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ireland's Smoking Ban reduced health inequalities known to be associated with smoking but some groups may not have benefitted. Mental ill-health and smoking are known to be associated with health inequalities. Whether similar patterns exist for e-cigarette use is less clear, as few data exist. Objectives: To examine: (1) self-reported doctor-diagnosed mental ill-health in Irish 20-year-olds; (2) smoking, e-cigarette, and dual use in those with and without mental ill-health; and (3) protective and risk factors for smoking and e-cigarette use in these groups. Methods: We use cross-sectional data from 20 year-olds in Wave 4 of Growing Up in Ireland Child Cohort. They were asked to self-report mental ill-health which had been diagnosed by a clinician, and their smoking and e-cigarette use. All analyses were performed using SPSS v27. Results: 19.4% (n = 1008) of the total sample (n = 4729) reported a mental ill-health diagnosis. Comparing those with and without, those with mental ill-health had significantly higher prevalence of current smoking (47%, n = 419 vs 36%, n = 1361; OR 1.57, CI: 1.36, 1.82), e-cigarette use (17%, n = 152 vs 13%, n = 485; OR 1.40, CI:1.15, 1.70), and dual use (12%, n = 109 vs 9%, n = 328; OR 1.46, CI:1.16, 1.84). Risk factors for smoking and e-cigarette use were, earlier smoking initiation, peers or primary caregivers who smoked, being in paid employment, one-parent family background, and social media use. Being female was protective. Most risk factors were significantly higher in young adults with mental ill-health but, after adjusting for these variables, respondents with mental ill-health still have significantly higher adjusted higher odds of smoking (aOR 1.28, CI:1.05, 1.56). Conclusions: Inequalities in smoking and e-cigarette use in young adults with mental ill-health are evident 20 years after Ireland's National Smoking Ban. Despite extensive Tobacco Control interventions in the past 20 years, there is still need in Ireland for new targeted interventions to reduce health inequalities for left-behind young smokers with mental ill-health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Housing is a pervasive determinant of physical and mental health. Studies indicate the importance of social support to the mental and physical health of individuals who are unhoused; however, to date, little is known about this relationship in persons who are housed in unaffordable accommodations. As the demand for subsidized housing continues to increase far beyond sustainable levels in many countries, investigations of the implications of social support on the health and wellbeing of those waiting for access to subsidized accommodations becomes important to generate evidence-based policy responses. Using data from the NB Housing Study, this paper presents an analysis of the relationships between perceived social support, depression, and self-reported physical health in individuals who wait for access to subsidized housing in New Brunswick, Canada (n = 271). Hierarchical linear regression of Oslo Social Support Scale (OSSS-3) scores on Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale 10 (CES-D-10) scores and of OSSS-3 scores on self-reported physical health scores finds increases in social support are associated with decreased depression (F [1, 260] = 26.34, p <.001, R 2 =.32) and greater physical health (F [1, 260] = 7.62, p =.006, R 2 =.15). The findings indicate a need to focus on health interventions that improve mental and physical health alongside social support. Implications for programming, policy, and future research are discussed. Plain language summary: Subsidized Housing, Social Support and Health Housing is a pervasive determinant of health. Studies find that social support impacts the mental and physical health of individuals who are unhoused; however, little is known about this relationship in persons who are housed in unaffordable accommodations. As housing crises persist in many countries, investigations of the implications of social support on the health of those waiting for access to government subsidized accommodations is important to generate evidence-based policy responses. Using data from the NB Housing Study, we analyze the relationships between perceived social support, depression, and self-reported physical health in individuals who wait for access to subsidized housing in New Brunswick, Canada. Our analyses indicate that individuals with higher social support report greater health and decreased depression. This indicates a need to focus on interventions that improve mental and physical health alongside social support, income support, and access to housing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of managing change, which distinguishes conservation from other interventions in historic settings, frequently astounds us when design approaches overlook the underlying urban "DNA" (attributes) of historic contexts with heterogeneous character. Such actions could potentially harm the unique aspects of any additions and disrupt the overall historical context in the future. This issue becomes particularly relevant in answering which lines to follow when making new additions. This study explores lines for forming unobstructed architectural additions in North Nicosia's Walled City, considering reflective design schemes and continuity. A comparative analysis of texts, and case studies from the study area constituted the methods. The results showed two distinct sensitivities: reflective design schemes caused disorganized and negative visual effects, while continuity strategies triggered a positive visual representation. We propose new additions with forward-thinking design strategies that engage the past harmoniously to maintain the city's significance for future generations. Plain language summary: Purpose: This study explores lines for forming unobstructed architectural additions in North Nicosia's Walled City, considering reflective design schemes and continuity. Methods: This qualitative research adopted comparative analysis of texts in it conceptual semantic composition, and the evaluation of case studies selected from the northern side of Nicosia's Walled City, Cyprus. Conclusions: This study concludes that although reflective design schemes and continuity are similar in policy-related matters like conservation principles and historic environmental character, they absolutely differ in application aspects like design approaches, visual appreciation, and relationship with context. The mirrored design types produce interrupted visual composition, whereas the continuity practice ends up creating unobstructed historic layers. Implications: This study hopes to contribute to the narratives on built heritage conservation, sustainable development, and material culture diversity of cities as linked to environmental resilience and the "build back better agenda." Limitations: This study practically analyzed case studies from the Walled City of North Nicosia, Cyprus which possesses a heterogeneous character and based on this limitation the outcomes are directly for this historic context but other similar settings with similar urban fabric composition can also benefit from it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importance: We designed an online educational program for primary care health care providers, the Hypertension Canada Professional Certification Program (HC-PCP), based upon its 2020 guidelines. Objective: The objective was to determine the effect of the HC-PCP, taken by pharmacists, on systolic blood pressure (BP) in patients with poorly controlled hypertension. Design: Stepped wedge cluster randomized trial (unit of randomization was the pharmacy). Participants: Patients with poorly controlled hypertension (BP >140/90 mmHg or >130/80 mmHg [diabetes]) in community pharmacies in Alberta, Canada, were recruited by their pharmacist. Intervention: Pharmacists completed the HC-PCP program, then provided care to their patients with poorly controlled hypertension according to what they learned in the course. Control: Pharmacists were given a copy of the Hypertension Canada guidelines and provided their usual care to their patients prior to undertaking the HC-PCP later. Main outcome and measure: The primary outcome was a difference in change in systolic BP at 3 months between groups, while the secondary outcome was patient satisfaction with using the Consultation Satisfaction Questionnaire. Results: We enrolled 890 patients from 59 pharmacies (including 104 pharmacists). Using a linear mixed-effect model with BP reduction as the dependent variable and independent variables of treatment allocation, baseline BP, site effect and patient effect, the intervention was associated with a 4.76 mmHg (95% confidence interval, 2.02–7.50, p < 0.0001) systolic BP reduction at 3 months. Patient satisfaction with using the Consultation Satisfaction Questionnaire was high at 75.9 (/90). Conclusion and relevance: Most educational programs are not evaluated at the patient care level. The HC-PCP taken by pharmacists resulted in a 4.76 mmHg systolic BP reduction in their patients over 3 months. This would have major implications for public health, reducing heart disease, stroke and kidney failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited knowledge exists regarding the factors influencing the perceptions of individuals who may have transmitted a contagious virus. This study examined the impact of vaccination status on evaluations of individuals suspected of being sources of infection. The vaccination status of three individuals--the study participant (observer), the potential source of infection (actor), and the infected person--was considered. A total of 395 participants were assigned to one of four conditions based on vaccination status. Results revealed that vaccinated observers attributed greater responsibility for the infection to the unvaccinated actor, perceiving them as less moral, trustworthy, and empathetic compared to unvaccinated observers. The vaccination status of the infected person did not significantly influence observers' evaluations of the actor, nor did it affect unvaccinated observers' assessments based on the actor's vaccination status. These findings suggest that vaccinated individuals may negatively assess unvaccinated individuals suspected of being sources of infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Holocaust museums around the world are distinctive in their emphasis on educational missions premised on the idea of "never again", a deep belief that increasing public awareness of the history and contemporary significance of the Holocaust – the mass murder of six million European Jews by the Nazi regime during World War Two – can prevent the future recurrence of such events. In the Australian context, tens of thousands of school students visit Holocaust museums every year to participate in learning programs designed to impart powerful historical and moral lessons about the Holocaust, its antecedent conditions, and its ongoing relevance. The aspirations attached to these programs and the scale at which they are delivered stand in stark contrast to the lack of empirical evidence to support their efficacy. This research protocol describes an extensive four-year research study designed to evaluate the presumed linear relationship between Holocaust education programs and ethical, moral, and affective learning that leads to durable attitudinal and behavioural change. Funded through the Australian Research Council's Linkage Projects scheme, the study will assess the impact of Holocaust museums' education programs on high school students from diverse demographics, including the extent to which participation influences the views and actions of young people in relation to racial and identity-based discrimination. The research design is longitudinal and transdisciplinary, integrating qualitative, quantitative, and participatory techniques across three case studies. By strategically employing rapid ethnographic assessment procedures, archival research, analysis of museum representational practices, surveys, and visual research methods, we will examine both the educational intent behind Holocaust education programs and their actual impacts on a large sample of Australian Year 10 students. We expect the results of the research to be used by our project partners to develop Holocaust education programs that effectively engage students on cognitive and affective levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The usage of the term "abnormal psychology" has been criticized for being pejorative, which may encourage mental illness stigma and impede seeking help. Although researchers generally endorse the advocacy of dignity-respecting terminology, "abnormal psychology" is still widely used due to the trade-off between the cost of making changes and the potential harm of keeping it. However, the risk of keeping the term has rarely been tested, leaving room for the mind of wishing a fluke that this inaccurate term may lead to few real-world consequences; this belief is challenged by this article. Five experiments were conducted in China (N = 1,283) to test the hypothesis that the term "abnormal psychology" encourages mental illness stigma through the mediation of moral attribution, reducing help-seeking intentions. Results revealed that, despite the identical detailed descriptions of mental illnesses, labeling mental illnesses as "abnormal psychology" (versus "psychopathology"; i.e., 变态心理学 versus 心理病理学) leads to a stronger emphasis on moral causes when explaining etiology and thus to more stigmatizing attitudes (Studies 1A, 1B, and 2). For external validity, the participants freely expressed their impressions and attributions (Study 3). Those cued by "abnormal psychology" were likelier to infer that people experiencing mental illness had twisted, inhibited, narrow-minded, dark, violent, antisocial, and split traits, as well as problematic values/morality. In an imaginary scenario (Study 4), "abnormal psychology" reduced the intention of seeking professional help through the serial mediation of moral attribution and self-stigma. A subtle difference in language can considerably affect people's attitudes and intentions, which suggests reconsideration of the terminology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public representations of people who experience mental illness (PEMI) have been well documented within the stigma literature. However, studies about mental health nurses' representations of PEMI are still scarce and characterized by contradictions. Using the theoretical concept of social representation instead of stigma, the current study aims to explore and understand mental health nurses' social representations of PEMI. Qualitative research was conducted based on 13 semi-structured interviews with nurses from two psychiatric units in general hospitals. Data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results showed that nurses' social representations were characterized by paradoxes. They explicitly displayed positive social representations, while nuancing them from an implicit point of view. The nurses wanted to work toward a destigmatizing voice for PEMI while nuancing their assertions to sound honest and accurate, which led them to a state of cognitive dissonance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was the first comprehensive investigation of genetic mutation and expression levels of the p53 signaling genes in cutaneous melanoma through various genetic databases providing large datasets. The mutational landscape of p53 and its signaling genes was higher than expected, with TP53 followed by CDKN2A being the most mutated gene in cutaneous melanoma. Furthermore, the expression analysis showed that TP53, MDM2, CDKN2A, and TP53BP1 were overexpressed, while MDM4 and CDKN2B were under-expressed in cutaneous melanoma. Overall, TCGA data revealed that among all the other p53 signaling proteins, CDKN2A was significantly higher in both sun and non-sun-exposed healthy tissues than in melanoma. Likewise, MDM4 and TP53BP1 expressions were markedly greater in non-sun-exposed healthy tissues compared to other groups. However, CDKN2B expression was higher in the sun-exposed healthy tissues than in other tissues. In addition, various genes were expressed significantly differently among males and females. In addition, CDKN2A was highly expressed in the SK-MEL-30 skin cancer cell line, whereas, Immune cell type expression analysis revealed that the MDM4 was highly expressed in naïve B-cells. Furthermore, all six genes were significantly overexpressed in extraordinarily overweight or obese tumor tissues compared to healthy tissues. MDM2 expression and tumor stage were closely related. There were differences in gene expression across patient age groups and positive nodal status. TP53 showed a positive correlation with B cells, MDM2 with CD8+ T cells, macrophages and neutrophils, and MDM4 with neutrophils. CDKN2A/B had a non-significant correlation with all six types of immune cells. However, TP53BP1 was positively correlated with all five types of immune cells except B cells. Only TP53, MDM2, and CDKN2A had a role in cutaneous melanoma-specific tumor immunity. All TP53 and its regulating genes may be predictive for prognosis. The results of the present study need to be validated through future screening, in vivo, and in vitro studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on emotion regulation theory, this study investigates if and how emotion suppression informs relationship viability within new venture teams (NVTs) when such teams face obstacles. In particular, we use a dyadic approach to examine the suppressor's authenticity and team members' perceptions of appropriateness as mediators in the link between emotion suppression and relationship viability. A round-robin study with 93 respondents nested in 37 NVTs, which generated 167 observations, provides empirical support for the theoretically derived model by showing that both authenticity and appropriateness fully mediate the relationship between emotion suppression and relationship viability. In particular, the findings show that the negative indirect effect of emotion suppression on relationship viability via authenticity is larger than the positive indirect effect via appropriateness. A follow-up study after two years indicates that relationship viability and emotion suppression significantly predict venture survival. Together, these findings make ample contributions to the literature and provide interesting opportunities for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the construction and validation of a formal conceptual model, or domain ontology, useful for the formal representation and analysis of conversations on heritage, memory and identity (HMI) on social network sites (SNS), of interviews with participants in such conversations, and of scholarly works engaging with such phenomena. The ontology provides for the first time a conceptual framework for HM interactions on SNS addressing the semiotic and discursive nature of such interactions in the context of cultural-historical activity theory and semiosphere theory. Part of the Connective Digital Memory in the Borderlands research project, it is developed using an evidence-based knowledge elicitation and domain modeling approach. The study presents the three components of the ontology: an event-centric core conceptual model, an inductively derived concept taxonomy, and a meta-theoretical conceptual scheme, based on a combination of conceptual analysis and lexical analysis of relevant scholarly literature. To validate the ontology, it then provides an example of how it can be used to represent an actual HMI-related SNS conversation and scholarly intervention using knowledge graphs, a quantitative analysis of the occurrence of taxonomy terms in different subfields of HMI on SNS studies, a qualitative analysis of concepts used in studies on non-professional, archeological, and institutional heritage communication on SNS, and a meta-theoretical account of studies of HMI on SNS. The ontology can be used as a framework for theorization and for the development of data models, questionnaire protocols, thematic analysis vocabularies, and analysis queries relevant to HMI on SNS research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing research on social support and reentry primarily focuses on a single dimension of support, such as family or community support. Informed by the social support perspective, this study assessed how combined support from family, mentors, religious groups, parole officers, and social service agencies influences reentry outcomes. Given that the social support one receives during reentry is time-variant rather than static, longitudinal multilevel modeling was employed to examine how temporal changes in social support were associated with temporal changes in recidivism and drug misuse among people on parole. Results indicated that simultaneous support from family, parole officers, and social service agencies exerted protective effects on reentry outcomes. However, community-based mentoring programs had no significant effect on recidivism, and religious and social service support increased substance misuse. Policy implications derived from this research are discussed to address the intersection of various sources of social support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health disparities in sexual minorities, particularly homosexual and bisexual men, are a significant public health concern. This study examines six key themes: general psychiatric issues, health services, minority stress, trauma and PTSD, substance and drug misuse, and suicidal ideation. The aim is to provide a comprehensive synthesis of the evidence, identify potential intervention and prevention strategies, and address knowledge gaps in understanding the unique experiences of homosexual and bisexual men. Reported as per the PRISMA Statement 2020 guidelines, PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched until February 15, 2023, with no language restrictions. A combination of the following keywords and MeSH terms was used: homosexual, bisexual, gay, men who have sex with men, mental health, psychiatric disorders, health disparities, sexual minorities, anxiety, depression, minority, stress, trauma, substance, drug misuse, and/or suicidality. Out of 1,971 studies located through database searching, 28 were included in this study pooling a total of 199,082 participants from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, China, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Israel, Switzerland, and Russia. Thematic findings of all the studies were tabulated and thereby synthesized. Addressing mental health disparities in gay, bisexual men, and sexual minorities requires evidence-based, comprehensive approaches, culturally competent care, accessible services, targeted prevention strategies, community-based support, public awareness, routine screenings, and research collaboration. This inclusive, research-informed approach can effectively reduce mental health issues and enable optimal well-being in these populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Ebooks have become a ubiquitous presence in many classrooms today. Yet, empirical evidence on literacy development has not been well produced, especially for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This mixed-method case study aimed to explore how four children with ASD interact with ebooks and printed books with parents at home. Methods: Four children (age 5–7 years) with ASD and their parents read one animated ebook and another printed book over four separate sessions. Parents also explained preselected word meanings to their children. In this mixed-method case study, we examined multiple quantitative and qualitative sources of evidence related to reading with parents at home. Results: Quantitatively, all four children with ASD learned more word meanings from ebook than from the printed book, and three demonstrated a higher engagement with ebook than the printed book reading. Qualitatively, the majority of parents felt their children's engagement was higher with ebook than with printed book. Children with ASD tend to have tactile-related experiences while reading the printed book and auditory-related experiences during the ebook reading. Qualitative data also demonstrated a particular feature reported to be beneficial in previous research could be distracting for some children with ASD. Implications: When parents are trained to explain critical word meanings to their children, animated ebooks can effectively improve the meaning-making skills of children with ASD. Findings also highlight the importance of individualized attention when choosing and using ebooks for children with ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Autistic individuals show differences in social and behavioral performances. Autism-related stigma affects autistic children as well as their caregivers (e.g., parents). Research has shown that stigmatizing reactions from others toward caregivers of autistic children are common and that these caregivers suffer from affiliate stigma. Aims: To examine the level of affiliate stigma among parents of autistic children and its predictive factors in mainland China. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving parents of autistic children from mainland China. The sample consisted of 183 parents (mean age = 36.5 years). The measures assessed included demographic characteristics, and parents completed two questionnaires. The Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) was used to evaluate the characteristics of children by their parent's subjective assessments, and the Affiliate Stigma Scale (ASS) was used to investigate the affiliate stigma level of parents. Results: The affiliate stigma levels of parents of autistic children were high, and the mean score of the affect subscale was higher than those of the other subscales. The mean ASS score differed significantly between employed and unemployed parents, those aged under 40 and over 40, and high- and low-income parents. The hierarchical regression analysis showed that parents' age, monthly household income, and mean SRS score were significant predictors of the mean ASS score. The results indicated that parents of autistic children and their children need more social support and inclusion in mainland China. Conclusion: The present study confirms the importance of studying primary caregivers (i.e., parents) in the context of traditional mainland Chinese culture. Although preliminarily, findings showed that the affiliate stigma levels of parents are high in mainland China, probably due to the influence of traditional cultural values. Moreover, considering the importance of autistic child characteristics, our results suggest that we should increase public knowledge of autism, enrich the general understanding of autism, and reduce the autism-related stigma of parents in mainland Chinese societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the construction and validation of a formal conceptual model, or domain ontology, useful for the formal representation and analysis of conversations on heritage, memory and identity (HMI) on social network sites (SNS), of interviews with participants in such conversations, and of scholarly works engaging with such phenomena. The ontology provides for the first time a conceptual framework for HM interactions on SNS addressing the semiotic and discursive nature of such interactions in the context of cultural-historical activity theory and semiosphere theory. Part of the Connective Digital Memory in the Borderlands research project, it is developed using an evidence-based knowledge elicitation and domain modeling approach. The study presents the three components of the ontology: an event-centric core conceptual model, an inductively derived concept taxonomy, and a meta-theoretical conceptual scheme, based on a combination of conceptual analysis and lexical analysis of relevant scholarly literature. To validate the ontology, it then provides an example of how it can be used to represent an actual HMI-related SNS conversation and scholarly intervention using knowledge graphs, a quantitative analysis of the occurrence of taxonomy terms in different subfields of HMI on SNS studies, a qualitative analysis of concepts used in studies on non-professional, archeological, and institutional heritage communication on SNS, and a meta-theoretical account of studies of HMI on SNS. The ontology can be used as a framework for theorization and for the development of data models, questionnaire protocols, thematic analysis vocabularies, and analysis queries relevant to HMI on SNS research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older adults and caregivers play an essential role in medication safety; however, self-perception of their and health professionals' roles in medication safety is not well-understood. The objective of our study was to identify the roles of patients, providers, and pharmacists in medication safety from the perspective of older adults. Semi-structured qualitative interviews were held with 28 community-dwelling older adults over 65 years who took five or more prescription medications daily. Results suggest that older adults' self-perceptions of their role in medication safety varied widely. Older adults perceived that self-learning about their medications and securing them are critical to avoiding medication-related harm. Primary care providers were perceived as coordinators between older adults and specialists. Older adults expected pharmacists to inform them of any changes in the characteristics of medications to ensure medications were taken correctly. Our findings provide an in-depth analysis of older adults' perceptions and expectations of their providers' specific roles in medication safety. Educating providers and pharmacists about the role expectations of this population with complex needs can ultimately improve medication safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cutibacterium acnes infections in the shoulder remain a significant concern in the setting of shoulder arthroplasty. Purpose: We sought to evaluate the efficacy of a microcurrent dressing in reducing C. acnes skin colonization and thereby reducing the risk of periprosthetic joint infection of the shoulder. Methods: This study was designed as a prospective case series. From October 2017 to February 2019, patients undergoing elective shoulder arthroplasty or arthroscopic shoulder surgery at a major academic medical center were offered enrollment; they signed an informed consent to participate. Patients under the age of 18, scheduled for revision shoulder arthroplasty, or with sensitivity or allergy to silver, zinc, or latex were excluded. Subjects underwent skin culture swab of the shoulder in the mid-point of the planned deltopectoral incision. The JumpStart (Arthrex; Naples, FL) microcurrent dressing was then placed over the area of the planned incision, and a full-thickness skin biopsy was harvested from the incision at the initiation of the surgical procedure. All specimens were cultured for C. acnes by the hospital's clinical microbiology laboratory with standard anaerobic technique. Results: Thirty-one subjects were enrolled in the study. Those who demonstrated no growth at baseline for the control specimen were excluded from further analysis (N = 11), given the absence of preoperative C. acnes colonization. Culture results from the 20 remaining subjects revealed significantly diminished C. acnes skin growth at the time of surgery compared to baseline. Sixty percent (12 of 20) of the subjects with positive skin swabs at baseline demonstrated no growth in the skin biopsy specimens at the time of surgery. There were no adverse events associated with the application of the microcurrent dressing. Conclusion: This prospective case series found that preoperative application of a microcurrent dressing resulted in significantly diminished C. acnes skin burden at the time of surgery in patients undergoing elective shoulder arthroplasty or arthroscopic shoulder surgery. Further study is warranted to investigate whether this preoperative intervention may contribute to a reduction in perioperative infections, including prosthetic joint infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Circulating angiogenic cells (CACs) are indicative of vascular health and repair capacity; however, their relationship with chronic e-cigarette use is unclear. This study aims to assess the association between e-cigarette use and CAC levels. Methods: We analyzed CAC levels in 324 healthy participants aged 21–45 years from the cross-sectional Cardiovascular Injury due to Tobacco Use study in four groups: never tobacco users (n = 65), sole e-cigarette users (n = 19), sole combustible cigarette users (n = 212), and dual users (n = 28). A total of 15 CAC subpopulations with four cell surface markers were measured using flow cytometry: CD146 (endothelial), CD34 (stem), CD45 (leukocyte), and AC133 (early progenitor/stem). Generalized linear models with gamma distribution and log-link were generated to assess association between CACs and smoking status. Benjamini-Hochberg were used to adjust p -values for multiple comparisons. Results: The cohort was 47% female, 51% Black/African American, with a mean (± SD) age of 31 ± 7 years. Sole cigarette use was significantly associated with higher levels of two endothelial marker CACs (Q ⩽ 0.05). Dual users had higher levels of four endothelial marker CACs and one early progenitor/stem marker CAC (Q ⩽ 0.05). Sole e-cigarette users had higher levels of one endothelial and one leukocyte marker CAC (Q ⩽ 0.05). Conclusion: Dual use of e-cigarettes and combustible cigarettes was associated with higher levels of endothelial origin CACs, indicative of vascular injury. Sole use of e-cigarettes was associated with higher endothelial and inflammatory CACs, suggesting ongoing systemic injury. Distinct patterns of changes in CAC subpopulations suggest that CACs may be informative biomarkers of changes in vascular health due to tobacco product use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public representations of people who experience mental illness (PEMI) have been well documented within the stigma literature. However, studies about mental health nurses’ representations of PEMI are still scarce and characterized by contradictions. Using the theoretical concept of social representation instead of stigma, the current study aims to explore and understand mental health nurses’ social representations of PEMI. Qualitative research was conducted based on 13 semistructured interviews with nurses from two psychiatric units in general hospitals. Data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results showed that nurses’ social representations were characterized by paradoxes. They explicitly displayed positive social representations, while nuancing them from an implicit point of view. The nurses wanted to work toward a destigmatizing voice for PEMI while nuancing their assertions to sound honest and accurate, which led them to a state of cognitive dissonance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic presented a unique challenge for pharmacists as they navigated information scarcity on the frontlines while being identified as information experts. Alberta pharmacists looked to their professional organizations for direction regarding what their roles should be in a crisis. The objective of this study was to explore pharmacists' roles and services and how they were communicated by pharmacy organizations during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The study used a conventional content analysis method to explore the online communication of relevant pharmacy organizations for Alberta pharmacists. Five organization websites (National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities, Canadian Pharmacists Association [CPhA], Canadian Society of Hospital Pharmacists [CSHP], Alberta College of Pharmacy [ACP] and the Alberta Pharmacists' Association [RxA]) were examined to identify and catalogue publicly accessible documents that communicated pharmacists' roles and services during the first year of the pandemic for Alberta pharmacists. Results: A total of 92 documents were collected from CPhA (60), CSHP (2), ACP (26) and RxA (4). While most documents communicated information about pharmacists' roles in public health, patient care and drug and personal protective equipment supply, more than one-third of the documents (32/92, 34.8%) required contextual information to interpret the communication. There was an observed shift in the communication after the first 6 months, becoming more direct in its messaging and context. Conclusion: These pharmacy organizations communicated information for pharmacists' roles and services to provide direction and guidance in the ever-changing context of the COVID-19 pandemic for Alberta pharmacists. Their communication became clearer and more direct as the pandemic progressed, requiring less inference to understand the intended message. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was the first comprehensive investigation of genetic mutation and expression levels of the p53 signaling genes in cutaneous melanoma through various genetic databases providing large datasets. The mutational landscape of p53 and its signaling genes was higher than expected, with TP53 followed by CDKN2A being the most mutated gene in cutaneous melanoma. Furthermore, the expression analysis showed that TP53, MDM2, CDKN2A, and TP53BP1 were overexpressed, while MDM4 and CDKN2B were under-expressed in cutaneous melanoma. Overall, TCGA data revealed that among all the other p53 signaling proteins, CDKN2A was significantly higher in both sun and non-sun-exposed healthy tissues than in melanoma. Likewise, MDM4 and TP53BP1 expressions were markedly greater in non-sun-exposed healthy tissues compared to other groups. However, CDKN2B expression was higher in the sun-exposed healthy tissues than in other tissues. In addition, various genes were expressed significantly differently among males and females. In addition, CDKN2A was highly expressed in the SK-MEL-30 skin cancer cell line, whereas, Immune cell type expression analysis revealed that the MDM4 was highly expressed in naïve B-cells. Furthermore, all six genes were significantly overexpressed in extraordinarily overweight or obese tumor tissues compared to healthy tissues. MDM2 expression and tumor stage were closely related. There were differences in gene expression across patient age groups and positive nodal status. TP53 showed a positive correlation with B cells, MDM2 with CD8+T cells, macrophages and neutrophils, and MDM4 with neutrophils. CDKN2A/B had a non-significant correlation with all six types of immune cells. However, TP53BP1 was positively correlated with all five types of immune cells except B cells. Only TP53, MDM2, and CDKN2A had a role in cutaneous melanoma-specific tumor immunity. All TP53 and its regulating genes may be predictive for prognosis. The results of the present study need to be validated through future screening, in vivo, and in vitro studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This systematized review presents a synthesis of epidemiological studies that examine the association between female reproductive factors and longevity indicators. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using four bibliographic databases: OVID Medline, Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar, including English language articles published until March 2022. Results from the search strategy yielded 306 articles, 37 of which were included for review based on eligibility criteria. Results were identified within the following nine themes: endogenous androgens and estrogens, age at first childbirth, age at last childbirth, parity, reproductive lifespan, menopause-related factors, hormone therapy use, age at menarche, and offspring gender. Results: Evidence that links reproductive factors and long lifespan is limited. Several female reproductive factors are shown to be significantly associated with longevity, yet findings remain inconclusive. The most consistent association was between parity (fertility and fecundity) and increased female lifespan. Age at first birth and parity were consistently associated with increased longevity. Associations between age at menarche and menopause, premature menopause, reproductive lifespan, offspring gender and longevity are inconclusive. Conclusion: There is not enough evidence to consider sex a longevity predictor. To understand the mechanisms that predict longevity outcomes, it is imperative to consider sex-specific within-population differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used principal component analysis (PCA) to examine the component structure of a neuropsychological test battery administered to 943 cognitively-normal adults enrolled in the Southern Illinois University (SIU) Longitudinal Cognitive Aging Study (LCAS). Four components explaining the most variance (63.9%) in the dataset were identified: speed/cognitive flexibility, visuospatial skills, word-list learning/memory, and story memory. Regression analyses confirmed that increased age was associated with decreased component scores after controlling for gender and education. Our identified components differ slightly from previous studies using PCA on similar test batteries. Factors such as the demographic characteristics of the study sample, the inclusion of mixed patient and control samples, the inclusion of different test measures in previous studies, and the fact that many neuropsychological test measures assess multiple cognitive processes simultaneously, may help to explain these inconsistencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the challenges facing urban planning higher education institutions in the global South that engage with knowledge production, education and training and the ways they are tackling urban equality concerns. Drawing on interviews with urban pedagogues and practitioners, and examining institutional histories across Asia and Africa, we use a five-point framework to analyse these challenges: what to teach, how to teach, whom to teach, who teaches and where to teach. We find that different institutional arrangements and choices made by educators affect the answers to these questions in different ways. These questions are also closely connected to the questions of planning "for what", and planning education "to what end", and relate to concerns regarding values and processes and to outcomes for urban equality in the South. Considering these cases together offers an opportunity to contribute to a Southern dialogue on the evolution of planning education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to develop an item bank of computerized adaptive testing for eating disorders (CAT-ED) in Chinese university students to increase measurement precision and improve test efficiency. A total of 1,025 Chinese undergraduate respondents answered a series of questions about eating disorders in a paper-pencil test. A total of 133 items from four well-validated Chinese-version scales of eating disorders were used to construct the item bank of CAT-ED with the following analysis. First, unidimensionality, model fit, local independence, item fit, discrimination and differential item functioning (DIF) were tested. Then, two simulation studies were applied to test the CAT-ED's effectivity and rationality by calculating concurrent criterion-related validity, sensitivity and specificity. The final item bank comprised 77 items, which met the requirements of local independence, item fit, high discrimination and no differential item functioning in CAT. The mean number of administered items in CAT with the stopping rule fixed at SE ≤ 0.3 was 11 items. The obtained results showed that CAT-ED had acceptable reliability, validity, sensitivity and specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Realist evaluation is a method increasingly adopted to provide an understanding of how and why a program works, for whom, and under what circumstances. Initial program theories (IPT) are the crucial starting point of any realist evaluation, however descriptions about how they are developed in practice remain under-reported in the published literature. This article argues for the value of genuine research-group conversations using David Bohm's concept of dialogue in realist research. We label it the realist dialogic approach. We draw out the relational qualities as well as the contextual circumstances of dialogue through our development of IPT and interview guides for a research study on the implementation and scaling of a large-system value-based program to transform complex health services. We selected the relevant middle-range theories, conducted a literature review, and drew on informal discussions with key stakeholders, to develop IPT through research-group conversations. The benefits of this approach were: 1) development of rigorous, novel, deep and well-tailored IPT, 2) detailed understanding of the complex intervention under investigation and development of rapport and networks with participants, 3) empirically grounded Context-Mechanism-Outcome (CMO) configurations, predicated on suitable abstract and contextually-contingent middle-range theories, and 4) productive research team interactions which supported the entire research process. The challenges of this approach include: 1) establishing and retaining a sense of humility across the research team, 2) contextual circumstances can hinder dialogic relationship, and 3) time and resource heavy. This paper uses middle-range theory and ethnographic insights to advance the existing practice of realist evaluations and offer transferable lessons to other scholars considering similar approaches. Moreover, we content that the use of middle-range theory to extend the methodological literature is a novel contribution to realist work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hearing aids (HA) are the most common type of rehabilitation treatment for age-related hearing loss. However, HA users often obtain limited benefit from their devices, particularly in noisy environments, and thus many HA candidates do not use them at all. A possible reason for this could be that current HA fittings are audiogram-based, that is, they neglect supra-threshold factors. In an earlier study, an auditory-profiling method was proposed as a basis for more personalized HA fittings. This method classifies HA users into four profiles that differ in terms of hearing sensitivity and supra-threshold hearing abilities. Previously, HA users belonging to these profiles showed significant differences in terms of speech recognition in noise but not subjective assessments of speech-in-noise (SIN) outcome. Moreover, large individual differences within some profiles were observed. The current study therefore explored if cognitive factors can help explain these differences and improve aided outcome prediction. Thirty-nine older HA users completed sets of auditory and SIN tests as well as two tablet-based cognitive measures (the Corsi block-tapping and trail-making tests). Principal component analyses were applied to extract the dominant sources of variance both within individual tests producing many variables and within the three types of tests. Multiple linear regression analyses performed on the extracted components showed that auditory factors were related to aided speech recognition in noise but not to subjective SIN outcome. Cognitive factors were unrelated to aided SIN outcome. Overall, these findings provide limited support for adding those two cognitive tests to the profiling of HA users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed life circumstances for adolescents worldwide. With schools being closed and regular activities being cancelled, gaming and social media use are activities that might gain in importance. There is a risk that these online behaviours have negative effects on other important activities, such as being physically active, sleeping, and studying, as well as general well-being. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on gaming and social media use, and its effects on the well-being of adolescents. Methods: A total of 1232 adolescents (82.5% female) participated in an anonymous web survey containing questions on gaming, social media use, and perceived negative consequences of gaming and social media use during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results were analysed with a quasi-Poisson regression model. Results: The results indicated an increase in gaming and social media use, which was associated with negative consequences and perceived well-being. A majority of adolescents reported that they used social media more than they felt comfortable with. There were large differences between boys and girls, with girls being more negatively affected across measures. Discussion: The increase in gaming and social media use during the COVID-19 pandemic might have negative effects on the well-being of adolescents, and on other activities that are important to health. Our interpretation of the findings is that gaming and social media use might partly function as coping mechanisms to deal with stress and/or boredom resulting from COVID-19 restrictions. There is a risk that these coping strategies become maladaptive over time. Conclusions: The restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in an increase in the amount of time adolescents spend gaming and on social media, which might have negative effects on their well-being. This study highlights the urgent need to consider adaptive and healthy coping strategies for adolescents given the pandemic may mean that daily living could continue to be altered in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advancements in the field of cancer research have enabled researchers and clinicians to access a massive amount of data to aid cancer patients and to add to the existing knowledge of research. However, despite the existence of reliable sources for extricating this data, it remains a challenge to accurately comprehend and draw conclusions based on the entirety of available information. Therefore, the current study aimed to design and develop a database for the identified variants of 5 different cancer types using 20 different cancer exomes. The exome data were retrieved from NCBI SRA and an NGS data clean-up protocol was implemented to obtain the best quality reads. The reads which passed the quality checks were then used for calling the variants which were then processed and filtered. This data was used to normalize and the normalized data generated was used for developing the database. MutaXome, which stands for mutations in cancer exome was designed in SQL, with the front end in bootstrap and HTML, and backend in PHP. The normalized data containing the variants inclusive of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), were added into MutaXome, which contains detailed information regarding each type of identified variant. This database, available online via http://www.vidyalab.rf.gd/, serves as a knowledge base for cancer exome variations and holds much potential for enriching it by linking it to a decision support system as prospective studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread psychological effects of contagion mitigation measures associated with the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are well known. Phases of "lockdown" have increased levels of anxiety and depression globally. Most research uses methods such as self-reporting that highlight the greater impact of the pandemic on the mental health of females. Emergency medical data from ambulance services may be a better reflection of male mental health. We use ambulance data to identify unusual clusters of high rates of male mental health emergencies occurring in the East Midlands of the United Kingdom during the first national "lockdown" and to explore factors that may explain clusters. Analysis of more than 5,000 cases of male mental health emergencies revealed 19 unusual spatial clusters. Binary logistic regression analysis (χ2 = 787.22, df = 20, p ≤.001) identified 16 factors that explained clusters, including proximity to "healthy" features of the physical landscape, urban and rural dynamics, and socioeconomic condition. Our findings suggest that the factors underlying vulnerability of males to severe mental health conditions during "lockdown" vary within and between rural and urban spaces, and that the wider "hinterland" surrounding clusters influences the social and physical access of males to services that facilitate mental health support. Limitations on social engagement to mitigate effects of the pandemic are likely to continue. Our approach could inform delivery of emergency services and the development of community-level services to support vulnerable males during periods of social isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]