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ObjectiveMethodResultsDiscussionTo explore the efficacy and safety of binaural beats (BB) for stress management in non-clinical contexts.Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science and Cochrane databases were searched for RCTs that administered BB and reported ≥1 stress-related outcome in subjects with pre-existing stress, or in participants with laboratory-induced stress (PROSPERO registration: CRD42023428623). The risk of bias was assessed using the JBI critical appraisal tool and a purpose-designed tool to explore stress-specific methodological quality. Effects between groups were synthesised thematically, exploring physiological and psychological outcomes, duration of exposure and frequency (Hz).Twelve studies were included for review. Half of the studies used a single-session BB intervention and half used longer-term home-based protocols. Seven involved participants with pre-existing stress and five exposed healthy subjects to stressors. Eight studies reported ≥1 significant effect favouring intervention over control while four found no group effects. However, methodological heterogeneity, unclear randomisation and blinding procedures, and lack of oversight of stress mediators and moderators were found.BBs have promise as a self-care stress-management tool. However, evidence is not strongly in favour of widespread recommendation, there is little known about adverse effects, and there is not yet a clear optimal protocol (frequency and schedule) for stress-buffering effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improvements of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure and appropriate health-seeking behavior are necessary for achieving sustained control, elimination, or eradication of many neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Indeed, the global strategies to fight NTDs include provision of WASH, but few programs have specific WASH targets and approaches. Collaboration between disease control programs and stakeholders in WASH is a critical next step. A group of stakeholders from the NTD control, child health, and WASH sectors convened in late 2012 to discuss opportunities for, and barriers to, collaboration. The group agreed on a common vision, namely Disease-free communities that have adequate and equitable access to water and sanitation, and that practice good hygiene. Four key areas of collaboration were identified, including (i) advocacy, policy, and communication; (ii) capacity building and training; (iii) mapping, data collection, and monitoring; and (iv) research. We discuss strategic opportunities and ways forward for enhanced collaboration between the WASH and the NTD sectors.

The methods used when samples of journal articles are treated as the basis for measuring levels of quantification in national sociologies are examined. The data come from every identified example in English. It is found that operational definitions of 'quantitative' vary, while 'qualitative' work is characterised simply by the absence of sophisticated quantification, which is sometimes taken to imply quantitative incompetence rather than methodological choice. The articles used as data on the state of a whole national sociology are usually drawn from elite general journals in which many sociologists have never published, and ignore the authors' national backgrounds and publications elsewhere. It is concluded that there is a gap between concepts and operational definitions which it would be desirable to fill.

A survey was administered to 76 special education teachers to determine reasons for their leaving the special education classroom. Significant factors in leaving special education were excessive paperwork, pupil load, inadequate resources, and lack of recognition and support. (Author/JDD)

L'auteure de cet article aborde la question de la specificite des methodologies de recherche canadiennes, en examinant d'abord les grands modeles de methodologies utilises dans les articles empiriques publies dans les principales revues canadiennes a partir des annees 1960, comment ils ont change au cours des temps et comment ils ont differe chez les anglophones et les francophones du Canada. Elle examine aussi la question de l'influence americaine soulevee par le debat qui s'est tenu sur la canadianisation. Il en ressort qu'au cours des dernieres annees les differences dues a la specificite des sexes qui traversent ces divisions << nationales >> ont ete les plus importantes. L'effet final est que le modele canadien global a quelque chose en commun avec ceux enregistres dans les autres pays, quoique, a un niveau plus circonstancie, il soit specifiquement canadien ou quebecois. Les raisons des similarites et des differences sont analysees. This paper addresses the question of the distinctiveness of Canadian research methods by looking first at the broad pattern of methods used in empirical articles published in leading Canadian journals from the 1960s, how these have changed over time, and how they have differed between Francophone and Anglophone Canada. Issues of U.S. influence raised by the earlier Canadianization debate are also addressed. It is round that, for the more recent period, gender differences that cut across these 'national' divisions have been the more salient. The net effect is that the total Canadian pattern has something in common with that recorded for other countries, although at a more detailed level there are specifically Canadian or Quebecois effects. Reasons for the similarities and differences are discussed., THIS PAPER RAISES THE QUESTION of whether there has been a distinctive pattern to Canadian sociological research methods and, if so, what that pattern is and how it can be [...]

The career experience of men and women in British university sociology since 1950 is compared, using published data for the whole group and fresh data from a sample of departments. It is shown that, when like is compared with like, the outcomes for men and for women have not been as different as is often suggested; family reasons were more salient in women's careers, but in the end have not made much difference to their destinations. But the proportions of women recruited have varied over time, and the experience of both sexes has been strongly influenced by historical factors affecting different periods. Within the constraints which those have imposed, individuals have not all made the same choices, and that too has affected the outcomes. Keywords: Academic careers; women in sociology; sociology departments; British sociology; history of sociology

This article presents adaptations for teaching art to students with disabilities. Various techniques, methods, and materials are described by category of disability, including students with mental disabilities, visual impairments, hearing impairments, learning disabilities, emotional disabilities, and physical disabilities. (JDD)

The sociology department at the University of Chicago conducted research and field work concerned with, but beyond, the borders of actual sociology. The concept of firsthand data was undefined due to the flexibility of sociology. Firsthand data provided by the University of Chicago were influenced or altered by both their implementation and the individual or the group to which they were furnished. Data provided by individuals outside the department were often unbiased.

'Case study' was most central in sociology during the 1920s-30s, but recently interest in it has revived. In prewar references, case study was contrasted with statistical method; a similar qualitative/quantitative contrast is now usually termed participant observation versus survey method. Research practice has never closely followed the theoretical ideal. Case studies in practice are distinguished by the use of analytical induction and a focus on the full range of variation within a social unit. Recent work has defined circumstances in which a case study is the most appropriate research method.