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Despite the growing visibility of the asexual community across the globe, little is known about how individuals on the asexual spectrum navigate their (a)sexual experiences. Asexual individuals may be highly vulnerable to sexual violence victimization due to prejudice against their lack of sexual attraction. Perpetrators may seek to pressure asexual individuals into sexual activities by invalidating their asexuality or manipulating their need for emotional intimacy. Such non-consensual sexual acts or behaviors may have a profound impact on asexual individuals. The present study aimed to examine the prevalence of sexual violence victimization and its relationship with substance use among individuals identifying on the asexual spectrum. The data for this study were derived from a global sample of 8,752 individuals on the asexual spectrum from the Ace Community Survey. The results indicated that 67.4% of the participants had experienced at least one form of sexual violence victimization in their lifetime. Experiences of sexual violence were related to more frequent engagement in substance use over the past year. Additionally, the results showed that compared with asexual individuals, graysexual and demisexual individuals were more likely to experience sexual violence, which was linked to substance use. Given the widespread prevalence and detrimental effects of sexual violence victimization, it is important to integrate asexual perspectives into prevention and intervention efforts, while simultaneously raising public awareness about affirmative consent and boundaries. The study also offers significant implications for trauma-informed care, public education, and social policies that address the unique needs and experiences of this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life balance is a new and important concept in occupational therapy. New measurements are needed to assess and evaluate life balance and interventions aimed to achieve this concept. This article describes the test-retest reliability of three life balance measures: the Activity Calculator (AC), Activity Card Sort (ACS-NL(18-64)) and Occupational Balance Questionnaire (OBQ11-NL). Data collection took place among 50 participants with neuromuscular diseases: facioscapulohumeral dystrophy (FSHD, n = 25) or mitochondrial myopathy (MM, n = 25). The AC, the ACS-NL(18–64) and the OBQ11-NL were assessed twice with an interval of one week. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC-agreement) were applied to examine test-retest reliability. The ICC of the AC-average total day score was.95 (95% CI.91-.97), whereas the ICC of the weights allocated to each activity was 0.80 (95% CI.77–0.82). The ICC of the ACS-NL(18–64) percentage retained activities was 0.92 (95% CI 0.86 − 0.96) and the ICC of the importance score per activity was-.76 (95% CI. 0.68–0.89). The ICC of the OBQ11-NL total score was.76 (95% CI 0.62–0.86). All three tools showed good to excellent test-retest reliability in a sample of patients with FSHD or MM, which is promising for its use in clinical practice and research. The AC, ACS-NL(18–64) and the OBQ11-NL are promising, reliable measures of life balance in patients with neuromuscular diseases. The development of three new instruments for life balance enlarges the possibility for health professionals to measure life balance in clinical practice and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the discussion on creation and development of the video game collection at the University of Alberta Library, which was established to support new courses in computer game development. Topics include collaborative process for initial game selection, the ongoing acquisition strategy through pre-publication orders, and the challenges of integrating video games into an academic library.

Photovoltaic (PV) systems are widely recognised as one of the most essential renewable energy sources for meeting future energy demands. The use of various multi-input DC–DC converters (MICs) to interface PV systems for output voltage regulation has been reported in the literature. PVs have inherent limitations, such as being extremely sensitive to changes in atmospheric conditions and human design/installation errors. Therefore, output voltage regulation suffers because of wide input voltage variations which have been ignored. In this regard, a novel MIC topology is proposed in this paper and it can operate under wide input voltage variation in buck, boost, and buck-boost modes of operation to achieve desired output voltage. The proposed topology is capable to integrate multiple energy sources and it offers an individual or simultaneous operation of the connected energy sources. Further, it also has additional features including high voltage gain, modularity, and control flexibility. The steady-state and thermal analysis have been presented, as well as a comparison with the state-of-the-art literature to prove the suitability of the proposed topology for PV application. The proposed MIC topology has been validated experimentally with wide input voltage variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Worsening student mental health, along with more complex mental illness presentation and increased access to campus mental health services, has led to a mental health “crisis” on campuses. One way to address student mental health needs may be through mental health programs which have been found to increase resiliency and help-seeking, and reduce stigma. Participants: The effectiveness of The Inquiring Mind (TIM), a mental health promotion and mental illness stigma reduction program, was examined in 810 students from 16 Canadian post-secondary institutions. Methods and Results: Using a meta-analytic approach, TIM improved resiliency and decreased stigmatizing attitudes from pre to post, with medium effect sizes (d>.50). Analyses with those that completed the follow-up (about one-third of the sample) showed that effects were mostly retained at three months. Other outcomes also point to the program’s effectiveness. Conclusion: TIM appears to be an effective program for post-secondary students. However, additional research, including randomized control trials, is needed to address study limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the growing recognition of their harmful effects, sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE) continue to be practiced in various societies. This study examines the experiences of 11 sexual minority individuals in Hong Kong who have undergone SOCE. The findings reveal the pervasive influence of deeply ingrained homonegativity values within religious, family, educational, and soiocultural contexts during LGBTQ+ individuals’ formative years. These prevailing stigmas compelled them to pursue SOCE through different methods. However, these methods have been proven ineffective and psychologically harmful, leading to increased distress and internalized homonegativity. The availability of knowledge and access to affirming LGBTQ+ values within religious, community, and sociocultural spheres played a crucial role in helping the respondents come to accept their sexual orientation and cease their attempts at SOCE. This study shed light on how the interplay of Chinese familial values and Christian doctrine in Hong Kong contributes to the promotion of homonegativity, consequently restricting the diverse expressions of sexuality. It is important to recognize that the notion of individuals actively “choosing” to undergo SOCE is misguided, as these decisions are often driven by social stigma and external pressures. Progress in this area requires confronting the systemic heteronormativity embedded within Hong Kong’s cultural fabric. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Purpose Method Result Conclusion The assessment and diagnosis of apraxia of speech (AOS) have been well studied in the English context, yet there is limited understanding of the clinical practice in speakers of other languages, like Cantonese. This study aimed to obtain information about the clinical practice of assessment methods and diagnostic criteria used, and confidence in diagnosing, AOS in Cantonese speakers.An online survey constructed with Google Forms was completed by 27 speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in Hong Kong. The questionnaire comprised 12 questions covering (a) demographic information, (b) experience working with speakers with AOS, (c) confidence in making AOS diagnosis in Cantonese speakers, (d) assessment tasks or methods used for assessing AOS in Cantonese speakers, (e) clinical features used for diagnostic purposes, and (f) assessment tasks used to determine the presence of clinical features for diagnostic purposes.All respondents (100%) made AOS diagnoses based on the observed clinical features, while no respondents made diagnoses using only standardised tests or quantitative measures. Six clinical features were commonly used by most of the respondents: articulatory groping (100%), inconsistent articulatory errors (100%), length effects (85.2%), difficulty initiating speech (81.5%), automaticity effects (81.5%), and sound distortions (77.8%). More than half of the respondents collected connected speech samples (64%), and conducted diadochokinesis (64%) and repetition tasks (64%). The average confidence level of the respondents for making AOS diagnoses was fair (3.63/5).The SLPs in Hong Kong make AOS diagnoses based on the observed clinical features that have been reported in the English literature. Although some of the clinical features have been updated as non-discriminatory for AOS, they are still being used for AOS diagnosis in Cantonese speakers. Tendencies were observed with respect to the assessment tasks selected. The fair diagnostic confidence level suggests a need for future investigations of AOS in Cantonese speakers and the development of assessment tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated whether media articles from a postsecondary institution could influence students' stigma toward suicide after a student dies by suicide. Undergraduate participants (N = 425) read a fictitious scenario about a student suicide and were randomly assigned to a control article (no mention of the suicide) or one of three intervention articles that acknowledged the suicide and included a discussion with a psychologist, a friend of the decedent, or a suicide survivor. The stigma toward suicide survivors, particularly stereotypes, was significantly less after the three intervention articles compared to the control. No differences were found between the intervention articles or regarding the stigma toward suicide decedents. Reduced stigma toward survivors indicates that acknowledging a suicide, when possible, should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies on the collapse performance of steel frames mainly focused on a single column loss. Even though the multi-column loss has been increasingly studied recently, it is generally based on the numerical analysis and relevant analytical study is rare. Moreover, the behavior of the frame after the multi-column loss should be more sensitive to its boundary condition due to a greater affected zone, compared with the single-column loss. However, this boundary condition effect has not been given enough attention in existing studies. To fill in these research gaps, this paper investigates the collapse resistance of the steel frame in two-interior-column-removal scenarios. To quantify the boundary condition effects, four column-removal scenarios, namely, two general-interior columns (GG), one general-interior column and one edge-interior column (GE), two edge-interior columns (EE), and one edge-interior column and one corner-interior column (EC) are studied. It is found that in the scenarios of GG and GE, the resistance-displacement relationship of the frame shows a tri-linear characteristic. In the scenarios of EE and EC, however, a bi-linear characteristic is exhibited. Compared with the GG scenario, the ultimate bearing capacities of the frame in the GE, EE and EC scenarios decrease by about 12%–20%, 33%–43% and 39%–52%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical consciousness has received growing attention in developmental science, but most of the work has been conducted in Western liberal democracies. A critical examination is needed to determine whether critical consciousness can be appropriately measured in less democratic societies, where opportunity structures are different from those in Western liberal democracies. To establish the psychopolitical validity of a measure of critical reflection in less democratic societies, this study developed the Critical Reflection Scale (CRS) based on a sample of 3,015 youths in China. The results support a two-factor model of critical reflection, including (1) recognition of social inequity and (2) awareness of everyday oppression. The findings reveal varying levels of critical reflection across age, gender, and sexual orientation. Two items of the CRS function differently between young women and men. The CRS demonstrates good internal consistency and convergent validity, indicating that it is a psychometrically sound measure of critical reflection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Two experiments were conducted to determine the apparent metabolisable energy (AME) and standardised amino acid digestibility coefficients (SIDC) of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) for broiler chickens. 2. The BSFL contained, on a g/kg dry matter basis: crude protein, 486; crude fat, 320; ash, 58.5; neutral detergent fibre, 181; calcium, 6.8 and phosphorus, 9.1. 3. In Experiment 1, an AME assay was performed wherein broilers were fed two experimental diets (a maize-soy basal diet and a test diet containing 250 g/kg BSFL) for 4 d from d 18 posthatch. The AME of BSFL was calculated based on the difference between the AME values of basal and test diets. The AME and nitrogen-corrected AME were determined to be 19.1and 18.0 MJ/kg of dry matter, respectively. 4. In Experiment 2, the ileal amino acid (AA) digestibility of BSFL was determined using 22-d-old broilers by the direct method and the digesta was collected on d 25. The ratios between the AA and titanium in the diet and digesta were used to calculate the apparent digestibility and then standardised using previously published endogenous losses to estimate the SIDC of AA. The SIDC of Lys, Met, Thr, Val and average SIDC of AA in our BSFL sample were 0.85, 0.90, 0.91, 0.87 and 0.84, respectively. 5. The findings showed that the BSFL meal is a good source of available energy and digestible AA, and could be a potential substitute for soybean meal in broiler diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a paediatric motor speech disorder. We investigated the lexical tone perception and production abilities of children with CAS and the relationships between the two. Three children with CAS, aged between 3;7 and 5;8, were given the Cantonese Tone Identification Test (CANTIT) and the Hong Kong Cantonese Articulation Test (HKCAT) for assessment of tone perception and production, respectively. Accuracy and error patterns were investigated based on their performance on the two tests. Correlation analysis was performed on children's perception and production scores. Two children scored at the lowest rank on the CANTIT, while one child obtained a Z score of 0. All children scored three standard deviations below the mean on the HKCAT. No statistical differences were found among the six tones with respect to perception accuracy, H(5) = 3.731, p = 0.589. Error analysis showed that children with CAS demonstrated more confusion on perceiving tones compared with TD peers. There were no main effects for task (F(1,2) = 0.040, p = 0.859) or tone (F(5,10 = 0.997, p = 0.467); nor were there task or tone interaction effects on perception versus production accuracy (F(5,10) = 1.772, p = 0.206). Tone perception and production accuracy were not significantly correlated (r2 = 0.181, p = 0.078). Tone perception deficits were evident in two out of three children with CAS, while all children had lexical tone production difficulties. In this small sample, tone production was more universally affected than tone perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monosexism has been increasingly recognized as a minority stressor uniquely experienced by plurisexual individuals. The present study investigated the effects of monosexist discrimination on mental health and examined the moderating role of gender and sexual identity integration (i.e., negation, authenticity, and disclosure). In a sample of 314 bisexual and pansexual individuals in Hong Kong (73.9% women and 26.1% men), the results showed that monosexist discrimination was associated with higher levels of depression and anxiety symptoms, above and beyond heterosexist discrimination. The association between monosexist discrimination and depression symptoms was stronger among bisexual and pansexual men than women, despite there being no gender differences in vulnerability to monosexist discrimination. Moreover, sexual identity negation, authenticity, and disclosure moderated the associations of monosexist discrimination with depression and anxiety symptoms, such that the associations were not significant among those with more positive integration of sexual identity (i.e., lower levels of sexual identity negation as well as higher levels of sexual identity authenticity and disclosure). This study provides insight into the deleterious impact of monosexism and the protective role of sexual identity integration. Implications for plurisexual-affirming psychological intervention, public policy, and community practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemicellulose and lignin were progressively removed from hemp fiber by hydrolysis. SEM, FTIR, XRD analysis and tensile properties evaluation on technical fibers were carried out to understand the structural and mechanical properties of hemp fibers. Significant influence of hemicellulose and lignin content on tensile properties was verified by ANOVA. The fiber tensile strength and initial modulus were decreased with the extensive removal of hemicellulose, along with a constant increasing of elongation at rupture. Torsion and expansion were observed in hemp fibers. It was suggested that the internal structure destruction and reorganization in the ultimate fiber cells was the main reason for the variation of mechanical properties when hemicellulose was gradually dissolved. On the other hand, fiber individualization was achieved by lignin removal and contributed to the elevation of fiber tensile properties. The elongation at break of the hemp fibers decreased slightly with the removal of lignin. NaClO2 solution treatment affected the fiber cells slightly, but effectively changed the properties of the middle lamella jointing between the ultimate fiber cells. The mechanical properties of the hemp fiber were mainly decided by the shearing between single fibers caused by the plastic-like deformation of the middle lamella. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governmental natural resource entities often use surveys to gather information from the public about wildlife management and conservation policies. Response rate is a metric for understanding how many individuals participate in a survey. Higher response rates can reduce costs and sampling effort and improve the reliability and generalizability of survey findings. However, response rates may be negatively influenced by a distrust in government. Our study evaluated if response rates would differ based on the survey sponsor. We sent a survey to hunters in Georgia, USA that contained either university or governmental agency branding. Response rates did not differ among the two surveys and sentiment analysis of open-ended responses revealed that sentiments of respondents were similar between groups. Although these results suggest branding might not have major impacts on responses, further investigation is needed to determine the effect of sponsorship and other influential factors that both enhance and diminish response rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined public comments on Twitter in the wake of three mass shootings in the United States during the summer of 2022. A total of 1,500 tweets were assessed (N = 1,500) for sentiment, risks presented, attribution of blame, and outrage. A sample of 500 tweets was taken following the Buffalo, New York, supermarket shooting; a sample of 500 tweets was taken following the Uvalde, Texas, school shooting; and a sample of 500 tweets was taken following the Highland Park, Illinois, Fourth of July parade shooting. Results show that risk, blame, and outrage differed significantly between the three situations in a variety of ways. These differences and possible reasons for them are further discussed. This study provides valuable insight on social media conversations about mass shootings – a timely subject that continues to plague the country and lead to polarizing opinions and divisiveness. The study also serves a practical function, as the findings can be presented to government organizations and social media organizations alike as critical insight into public perceptions, it can assist in identifying problematic speech online, and it can inform the development of social media guidelines in maintaining civil discord. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pedagogical reforms in sub-Saharan Africa have often been unsuccessful, arguably because they fail to account for the social and cultural context of teachers' choices. Two studies in rural Tanzania examined the pedagogical decisions of teachers taking part in a programme of teacher professional development. Teachers reflected on their own decisions to conduct teaching activities, which were observed by the research team, and on the decisions taken by teachers in vignettes. Results suggested that pedagogical decisions were influenced by the social goals of togetherness, cooperation, and fairness. Pedagogical choices were also influenced by the need to avoid embarrassing students and to address conformity among student responses and students' lack of confidence in addressing teachers. The findings broadly support the hypothesis that Tanzanian teachers pursue implicit social goals in their classroom, some of which are associated with the culture of historically agricultural societies. Teachers may be resistant to new pedagogies which do not support these social goals. Rather than seeing cultural values as 'barriers', we argue that teacher professional development programmes, particularly for early years education, should design teaching activities which are consistent with the culturally shaped social goals of teachers while remaining true to the learning goals of those activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of overburden stress on the rock mass deformation modulus is a known issue. However, the effect of overburden stress has been studied less with empirical methods due to the lack of appropriate data. In this study, it is aimed to investigate the effect of overburden stress on rock mass deformation modulus using artificial neural network (ANN). Four ANN models have been developed in accordance with the purpose of the study. Two of these models do not contain the overburden stress parameter, but the other two models contain the overburden stress parameter. The prediction performance of the models containing the overburden stress parameter was obtained drastically higher than the others. In other words, the value account for (VAF) and root-mean-square error (RMSE) indices of the model having the inputs of rock mass rating (RMR) and elasticity modulus of intact rock (Ei) are 73.3% and 462, respectively, while those of the model having the inputs of RMR, Ei and overburden stress are 90% and 265. The other models developed in the present study yielded similar results. Consequently, with the ANN models developed in this study, the effect of overburden stress on Em is revealed, clearly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reproductive strategies are one of the more fascinating aspects of Anuran biology and are likely affected by species habitat use and availability of reproductive sites. The Cerrado endemic Pithecopus oreades is a habitat specialist that reproduces in seasonal high-altitude rocky streams in Central Brazil. Herein, we describe its reproductive behavior based on observations made during two consecutive reproductive seasons in a high-altitude stream located in an open field area in Central Brazil. The reproductive activity of P. oreades occurs during the rainy season, from the very first rains, and lasts about 3 months. The species is nocturnal, showing a vocalization peak between 20:00 h and 21:00 h. Its vocalization activity was related to total precipitation. The nests, composed by only one folded leaf, are placed on shrubs along streams. The nests, which hang over the stream pools, contain approximately 30 eggs that last about 13 days of incubation, producing about 25 tadpoles per spawning. Males are territorial, remaining in the same places for more than 60 days, defending them through vocalizations and eventual physical combats. Males with a higher body condition usually stay longer in the same territory. We also recorded males displaying satellite behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "movement-voting nexus" thesis highlights the impact of transformative social movements on shifting voting behaviour and electoral outcomes. However, existing studies have overwhelmingly focused on the context of democracies. This study goes beyond the existing literature by testing the applicability of "movement-voting nexus' in the context of hybrid regimes, using the voter mobilization in the Hong Kong's Anti-Extradition Bill Movement as a case study. The findings of this study are two-fold: The quantitative findings from a territory-wide telephone survey validated the thesis of "movement-voting nexus' in Hong Kong's hybrid regime, statistically establishing the significance of "movement support" as a novel predictor of voting behaviour (vis-à-vis other predictors such as political partisanship) in times of transformative social movement, as in the case of democracies; the qualitative findings from extended interviews of survey respondents revealed that the "movement-voting nexus" was operating in the shadows of authoritarian electoral influence in the territory, reflecting the nuanced features of Hong Kong's hybrid regime. This study contributes to extant literature by advancing the discussion from democracies to hybrid regimes, paving the way for future research across diverse political regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to endow the fuzzy pseudo-norm in the sense of Morsi with many-valued topological structures. It is shown that there exists a one-to-one correspondence between any fuzzy pseudo-norm given by Morsi and a family of left continuous and non-ascending pseudo-norms. Then a fuzzifying topology induced by Morsi fuzzy pseudo-norms is introduced, it is proved that this fuzzifying topology is compatible with the vector structure. Based on this many-valued topological structure, the degree to fuzzy normed space which is Hausdorff, the degree to a sequence which is convergent, and the degree to a set which is bounded are studied. The layered characterizations of them are presented. Finally, the conclusion which a linear operator is fuzzy continuous if and only if it is fuzzy bounded is proved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although previous research showed that discrete social-emotional skills such as empathy, motivation, and social relationships in school significantly predict achievement, students tend to use various social-emotional skills in combination. As such previous investigations cannot comment on how different combinations or profiles of students' social-emotional skills predict achievement relative to discrete skills. Likewise, little is known about cross-national comparisons of social-emotional skill profiles (SESP), and the extent to which SESP differ on their academic achievement. The purposes of this study were three-folded: 1) to determine whether a four-factor social-emotional skills model could be used for cross-national comparisons; 2) to identify social-emotional profiles in 15-year-old students from four different countries – Canada, the United States, China, and Singapore; and 3) to evaluate how different profiles predict students' reading, maths, and collaborative problem-solving (CPS) test scores. Our results showed multigroup measurement invariant in the structure, loadings, and thresholds of the four-factor social-emotional skills model. We identified three profiles labelled Sociable, Reserved and Withdrawn in Canada, Singapore, and the United States; whereas, we found three profiles labelled Solitary, Team-oriented, and Reserved in students in China. Finally, the way each profile associated with reading, maths and CPS in each country appeared to align with the cultural expectations of learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focussed on the extent of contamination caused by metals (Cd, Co, Pb, Cu, Zn, Mn, and Mg) in selected sites of Palakkad district, a major agrarian zone in Kerala, India. Soils sampled during summer and monsoon were processed for metal analysis using standard protocol and AAS. The metal data was compared with the threshold values proposed by the European Commission (EC), Indian Standard (IS), Lindsay Standard (LS) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The extent of pollution caused by these metal contaminants was deduced using enrichment factor (EF), contamination factor (CF), geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and pollution load index (PLI). Details regarding sources and their interaction with soil parameters were effectively deduced by Pearson's correlation and principal component analysis (PCA). The intensity and extend of monsoon play a prominent role in the distribution of trace metals in the study area which is evident from the distribution pattern during summer and monsoon. Even though most metals were found within the threshold limit, Cd (range: 0.25 to 3.00 mg Kg−1), and Co (range: ND to 22.56 mg Kg−1) was above the permissible limit. Spatial adsorption pattern along with the anthropogenic sources, specifically, agrochemicals, metals leaching and emitting from geological matrix and automobiles prevailing in these zones play a prominent role in regulating the levels of contamination caused by trace metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effect of Phyllanthus emblica leaves and branches mixture (PE) on growth performance, oxidative status and intestinal characteristics in broilers, as well as the in vitro antioxidant potential of PE extract (PEE). As the result of in vitro evaluation, the PEE had a total phenolic compound content of 95.5 ± 2.75 mg of Gallic acid equivalent/g dry weight (DW), and a total flavonoid content of 3.04 ± 0.06 mg of quercetin equivalent/g DW. The PEE exhibited significant antioxidant activity through various mechanisms, including chelation of ferrous iron, reducing power, scavenging 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals, inhibition of liposome peroxidation and trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC). A total of 320 Ross 308 broilers were randomly allocated into four groups: control, basal diet supplemented with 0.5%, 1%, 2% PE. Each group was fed for 35 d. The results showed that the group fed with 0.5% PE had significantly better weight gain, and improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to the control group. Moreover, each PE group significantly reduced coliform and Clostridium perfringens in the ileum and caecum. Additionally, PE group with 0.5% concentration had significantly higher villus height in the jejunum compared to the other group. Furthermore, compared to the control group, each PE group had significantly lower levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and higher levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity in the serum. In the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of chickens, each PE group showed significantly higher mRNA levels of antioxidant-regulated genes, including Nrf2, GST, GCLC, SOD1 and HO-1. In contrast, the expression levels of NOX1 and ROMO1 genes were significantly lower. In conclusion, the inclusion of 0.5% PE in the basal diet could have a positive impact on the growth performance of broilers by modulating intestinal characteristics and oxidative status. Phyllanthus emblica affects the growth performance, oxidative status and intestinal characteristics in broilers. The 0.5% PE group had significantly better weight gain and improved FCR. The 0.5% PE in the basal diet could potentially enhance growth performance by modulating intestinal characteristics and oxidative status in broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hands are, compared to other body parts, the body parts that display the most gestural movements during an interaction and their movement is sensitive to reveal anxiety states. However, psychotherapy research focuses on movement synchrony of different body parts to be an indicator of improved symptoms. The present study investigates symptoms in social anxiety disorder and considers both, individual and simultaneous hand movements. 56 video recordings of 28 patient-therapist dyads with patients with social anxiety at the beginning and in the end of psychotherapy were analyzed. Two independent blind certified raters analyzed the hand movement behavior using the NEUROGES® analysis system for nonverbal behavior concerning individual movement units and the simultaneous overlaps between the patients' and therapists' movement units. Simultaneous overlap change negatively correlated with symptoms (LSAS week eight-measurement, r = −.52; and week 15-measurement, r = −.52; BDI pre-measurement, r = −.54). The patients' right hand movement at the end of the psychotherapy correlated significantly with therapeutic alliance (HAQ post-measurement; r =.55). Hand movement behavior analysis should be considered in psychotherapy research in combination with movement synchrony as a measurement parameter related to therapeutic process and outcome. Enriching previous findings, this study indicates that simultaneous movement change is related to symptoms and therefore a process-sensitive parameter in psychotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying factors associated with medication adherence among emerging adults (EA) is critical, given their elevated risk for nonadherence and because health behavior patterns during this developmental period persist into adulthood. Patient-healthcare provider communication and patient personality traits correlate with adherence in adult samples, but the independent and interactive influences of these factors on EA adherence are understudied. This study examined the individual and interactive influences of patient-provider communication and patient personality on EA's medication adherence and adherence barriers in a sample of 399 EA with and without chronic health conditions. Participants (75% female, 77% White) completed questionnaires assessing study constructs (i.e., EA demographics, provider communication, EA personality) and reported on adherence and adherence barriers for recently prescribed medications (43% reported on a new prescription, 70% of the prescriptions were for long-term medications). Provider communication was associated with higher adherence (BCa CI [.032,.260]) and fewer adherence barriers (BCa CI [−.250, −.035]). Extraversion moderated the association between communication and adherence (BCa CI [−10.44, −2.18]) such that individuals with low and average levels of extraversion benefited more from provider communication. Results expand knowledge of factors related to EA adherence and highlight the value of evaluating more complex models of patient and provider influences on adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diagnosis of depression or anxiety is often difficult to establish in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) as many physical symptoms are shared. There is no consensus on a screening tool for depression and anxiety in patients with COPD. The aim of this systematic review is to review screening tools for depression and anxiety suitable for application among patients with COPD in the clinical setting. A systematic review was made using predefined search terms and eligibility criteria. Of 274 initially screened articles, seven studies were found eligible. Three depression screening tools (BASDEC, BDI-II and HADS-D) had a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity >85%. The best performing anxiety screening tool (GAI) had a sensitivity of 86% and a specificity of 78%. Three screening tools had acceptable psychometric properties according to sensitivity and specificity to detect depression among patients with COPD, but the screening tools for anxiety were of less quality. Further research in and validation of the screening tools is needed to recommend one specific tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual reality (VR) is popular across many disciplines and has been increasingly used in sports as a training tool lately. However, it is not clear whether the spatial orientation of humans works equally within VR and in the real-world. In this paper, two studies are presented, in which natural body movements were allowed and demanded. Firstly, a series of verbal and walking distance estimation tests were conducted in both the virtual and the real environment. The non-parametric Friedman test with pairwise comparisons showed no significant differences neither in verbal nor in walking distance estimations between the conditions (all p > 0.05). However, shorter distances (0.9-1.5 m) were estimated more precisely than larger distances (2.6-2.8 m) in both environments. Secondly, a self-developed route recall test to examine the spatial orientation was performed in the virtual and the real environment. The participants visually perceived the predefined route and were instructed to follow these routes with their eyes blindfolded and afterward to return to their starting position. Between the ending and the starting position, no difference between the two environments was observed (p > 0.05). Based on these two studies, the performance of the human spatial orientation preliminarily verified the same in a virtual and real environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. The following study provides the first data on the detection and types of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from broiler chickens during processing and from six Taiwanese abattoir environments. 2. Listeria monocytogenes was not detected in any cloacal (n = 120) or environmental (n = 256) samples collected before and during processing, indicating that faecal material and the environment of abattoirs were not important sources of L. monocytogenes for poultry carcases. However, 28 of 246 (11.4%; 95% CI: 7.7–16.0) rinse samples collected from carcases post-evisceration from three abattoirs were positive for L. monocytogenes. 3. The only serotypes detected were 1/2a (82.1%; 95% CI: 63.1–93.9) and 1/2b (14.3%; 95% CI: 4.0–32.7), with 3.6% (95% CI: 0.1–18.3) non-typable isolates. 4. Characterisation by Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) identified five PFGE types, confirming cross-contamination with L. monocytogenes during evisceration, chilling and post-chilling. 5. These findings highlight the potential for cross-contamination to occur through direct contact between carcases, especially whilst in chilling tanks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the use of personal response systems (PRSs) in the classroom, the two main motivations of the study were to investigate whether boredom with the devices decreased students' perceived learning and learning satisfaction, and whether teachers' provision of feedback moderated these negative effects. A survey was conducted among 172 business undergraduate students at a local university in Hong Kong. Descriptive statistics and regression analyses were used to analyze the data. Results indicated that perceived learning mediated the relationship between boredom and learning satisfaction. This study found that the negative relationship between boredom with PRSs and learning satisfaction was weaker when teachers provided higher levels of feedback. A key managerial implication for academic educators was that teachers could develop better learning experience to students by providing high quality feedback in PRSs context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building reservoirs is a response to cope with drought in drylands. However, this human modification to the landscape may trigger both positive and negative effects. Here, we investigate how a network of reservoirs influences the propagation of meteorological drought (MD) into hydrological drought (HD) in a large semi-arid catchment in Brazil. We applied 12-month standardized indices to classify droughts. Then, the drought series were compared to each other. The downstreamness concept was used to describe the spatial water distribution. The onset of reservoir drought (RD) was much later than MD, but the delay between MD and RD peaks was even longer. Streamflow drought started with a small delay after MD, but it transformed into a similar RD. RD was initially more severe downstream. When the drought severity was at its highest, upstream and downstream RD equalized. The perceptual model of drought propagation may help in developing reservoir management systems in drylands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein we report the successful synthesis and isolation of tiara[6]arene, a constitutional isomer of calix[6]arene consisting of six phenol units linked by para-substituted methylene bridges, from an isomeric mixture of asymmetrically substituted pillar[6]arene intermediates. Similar to its pentameric analogue, tiara[6]arene displays high conformational freedom in solution and rich polymorphism in the solid state. The establishment of the tiara[n]arene family (n = 5 and 6) further expands the scope of macrocyclic chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by the China's five element philosophy (CFEP), we construct a permuted Volterra quadratic stochastic operator acting on the four-dimensional simplex. This operator (depending on 10 parameters) is considered as an evolution operator for CFEP. We study the discrete-time dynamical system generated by this operator. Mainly our results related to a symmetric operator (depending on one parameter). We show that this operator has a unique fixed point, which is repeller. Moreover, in the case of non-zero parameter, it has two 5-periodic orbits. We divide the simplex to four subsets: the first set consists a single point (the fixed point); the second (resp. third) set is the set of initial point trajectories of which converge to the first (resp. second) 5-periodic orbit; the fourth subset is the set of initial point trajectories of which do not converge and their sets of limit points are infinite and lie on the boundary of the simplex. We give interpretations of our results to CFEP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) control has great potential in the applications of hypersonic vehicles. Typically, the MHD flowfield in these applications is low magnetic Reynolds (Rem) compressible turbulent flow, which is different from that without magnetic field and within the high Rem range. This paper investigated the low Rem compressible MHD isotropic turbulence in different Taylor-scale Reynolds numbers and interaction parameters via the Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS), and the influence of the magnetic field on the turbulence is researched. Results indicate that the normal Reynolds stress decreases in the direction perpendicular to the magnetic field. Moreover, the eddies are stretched in the direction parallel to the magnetic field. Besides, the Joule dissipation quicken the decay of the turbulent kinetic energy, and occurs mainly in large scale vortex. Based on the DNS data, the correlation between fluctuating electric intensity and velocity is studied. Results indicate that the electric intensity agrees well with the first-order approximate solution of the electric potential equation. Accordingly, an improved closure model of the correlation terms is established, where a coefficient related to the local turbulent Mach number is proposed. Comparisons with the DNS results reveal that the proposed model could correctly predict the correlation terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peroneal muscle fatigue could result in ankle inversion sprain injuries. This study investigated the peroneal muscle reaction time during a simulated prolonged football protocol. Nine male footballers completed a 105-minute simulated prolonged football protocol. The peroneal muscle reaction time to an ankle inversion perturbation was measured every 15 minutes by a surface electromyography system sampling at 1000 Hz. One-way repeated ANOVA with post-hoc paired t-test showed a steady upward trend starting from 48.9 ms at baseline to 57.1 ms at the end of the first half, followed by a recovery back to 50.9 ms at the start of the second half and a further delay in the last 30 minutes to 60.2 ms at the end of the protocol. Delayed peroneal muscle reaction was found after 30 minutes of the first half and 15 minutes of the second half of a football match. The risk of ankle sprain could increase in the latter minutes in each half protocol. Thus, prevention injury training strategies should focus on these specific durations in football matches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-lying states in small, multiply bonded hydrocarbon molecules may be divided into valence and Rydberg excitations. Excited states of the cubic phase of the acetylene molecular crystal are calculated using the time-dependent Hartree–Fock (TDHF) method. TDHF and Bethe–Salpeter equation (BSE) calculations are performed on molecular C 2 H 2 in order to interpret these excited states. Computationally inexpensive TDHF and BSE methods are compared to previous CASPT2, MRCI and EOM-CCSD calculations and experiment. Localised, lowest energy excited states in the C 2 H 2 molecular crystal mirror those in the gas phase. In the next lowest excitations the electron and hole separate over one or two shells of molecular neighbours. A density fitting method for calculating the Coulomb matrix elements which arise in time-dependent Hartree Fock theory (TDHF) in periodic systems is implemented in the Exciton code and described briefly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined the risk and protective factors of loneliness among Chinese internal migrant children (CIMC) in Beijing, China, including self-esteem, resilience, social support, and acculturative stress. Longitudinal survey data were collected from a large sample of 4th, 5th, and 6th grade CIMC from three schools in Beijing, at four time points (N = 862 at T1 to N = 837 at T4) over a 20-month period. Grounded in the Cultural and Contextual Model of Coping and the Acculturation Theory, two predictor models of loneliness were tested with path analysis. The results yielded the following: a) the two predictor models fit the data well; b) CIMC's T1 self-esteem and T1 resilience protected them against loneliness at T4; and c) CIMC's T2 social support seeking was a significant mediator between self-esteem and loneliness, and between resilience and loneliness; and d) similarly, CIMC's T3 acculturative stress was a significant mediator between self-esteem and loneliness, and between resilience and loneliness. The study's results highlight the merit and importance of implementing theoretically-guided, model-testing research grounded in a prospective research design, to help advance CIMC research. Implications for future research on and practical support for CIMC are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychology training programs emphasize competencies like professional behavior, interpersonal skills, and emotional intelligence. Some students, known as students with problems of professional competence (SPPC), struggle in these areas. This study explored SPPC characteristics and educator experiences in managing them through semi-structured interviews with twelve Australian psychology educators. Thematic analysis revealed that SPPC often struggle with professional attitudes, feedback integration, reflective skills, and mental health, placing demands on resources and contributing to educator stress. The role of educators as gatekeepers, assessors, and evaluators also raises concerns about maintaining ethical standards. Findings highlight the need for better understanding, support, and strategies for managing SPPC to uphold ethical standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A compressively stressed poly (dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) film with a sputtered gold film can buckle owing to the difference between the Young's modulus of the PDMS film and that of the gold film. The instability of stress is observed at the interface between materials with different Young's modulus. The experiment conducted in this study revealed the important factors that affect the evolution of strips at certain angles at which tensile stress is applied to the elastomer with a ripple pattern. Strips cannot withstand shear stress applied in two different directions simultaneously, resulting in the formation of grids at other angles. Therefore, a dislocation-like movement was observed, proving that Y type dislocations-like exist as well as the displacement of the earth's crust. The fractured surfaces on top of the gold film helped form a pyramid-like pattern. The movement of the dislocation-like and herringbone patterns was recorded using an optical microscope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most youth in residential youth care institutions have a long history of adverse childhood experiences, and show (severe) emotional, behavioral, and academic problems. The present study used adolescent self-report questionnaires to examine associations between living group climate, classroom climate, identification with school, general self-worth and academic self-concept of students attending schools for special education in residential youth care institutions in the Netherlands. The sample consisted of 184 adolescents (63.6% male, age M = 16.40, SD = 1.99) with severe emotional and behavioral problems. Results showed a weak association between living group climate and classroom climate, and somewhat stronger associations between classroom climate, identification with school and general self-worth on the one hand and academic self-concept on the other hand. We conclude that group workers and teachers should collaborate for the benefit of integrated care and education in residential youth care facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores perceptions of recent graduates from UK institutions who have undertaken Early Childhood Studies (ECS) degrees, following on from a similar study nearly two decades ago. Although there are clear similarities, it is the differences which bring a new dimension and focus. Data were gathered from graduates at 11 UK institutions through an electronic questionnaire and a follow-up focus group interview. Analysis of the data demonstrated that the degrees were highly rated by the graduates but not always understood or known about by employers and careers advisors. Sufficient opportunity for spending supervised time in a relevant setting (practice) was regarded as an essential component of the degrees, but this was not always available. Considerable differences in employment opportunities for the graduates in the two studies were evident from the data, as the newer graduates found achieving employment in the sector was often a challenge, unlike the graduates in the earlier study. Despite not often gaining 'graduate' employment, almost all participants believed they had improved their employment prospects since completing their programmes. Graduates' motivations for their programme choice were similar in both studies. The relevance and influence of the programmes, including advocacy and political awareness, and the employment opportunities following their degree programmes, had changed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The compressive creep deformation behavior of a Co-base single-crystalline superalloy is studied in the high temperature / low stress regime at 950°C/150 MPa. Emphasis is placed on the mechanisms causing the double minimum creep behavior consisting of a local and a global creep rate minimum. The local minimum occurs at ∼0.2% strain with dislocation accumulation at γ/γ′ interfaces after bowing out of dislocations in horizontal matrix channels. Plate-like rafting occurring normal to the applied stress axis in the early creep stages is regarded as the primary reason for the decreasing creep rate until the global minimum takes place at ∼0.8% strain. In the final creep stage following the global minimum the creep rate accelerates due to coarsening and extensive precipitate shearing. The shearing by partial dislocations leads to the formation of numerous stacking faults, nano/microtwins, and occasionally to the formation of small amounts of ordered D019-Co3W precipitates. The reasons for twinning and second phase formation as well as differences of the deformation mechanisms between Co- and Ni-base superalloys during double minimum creep are discussed in detail in this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine how patients who presented following sexual assault were managed at a secondary health facility in Gombe, Nigeria. The case notes of patient who presented at the Accident and Emergency Unit of State Specialist Hospital Gombe after serious sexual assault from August 1 2016 to July 30 2018 were retrieved and the data were entered into SPSS Version 20 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL) and summarised as proportions. Of the 15,613 patients who presented, 277 were alleged rapes which constituted 1.77% of presentations. Two hundred and one of the patients were females with a total of 2341 admissions at the gynaecological ward representing 8.6%. One hundred and seventy one (67%) of the patients did not receive any form of care, 127 (54.0%) were not given antibiotics prophylaxis against STIs, 117 (42%) did not receive post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV/AIDS and 80% of the women between the ages of 15–45 had emergency contraception. One hundred and ninety seven (71.1%) did not receive any psychological support. Rape is common. Measures should be put in place to improve the clinical management of survivors. What is already known on this subject? Rape is common in Gombe, Nigeria, and a standard management protocol has been developed with a view to reduce the adverse consequences associated with it. Whatthe results of this study add? The results of this study show that survivors of rape in the developing countries like ours do not receive adequate clinical and psychological care when they present at the hospital. Whatthe implicationsareof these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? Given the results, there is the need for physicians managing rape cases to pay attention to details so as to minimise both immediate and long-term complications associated with rape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the global trend of democratic backsliding, Hong Kong provides an illustrative case of how democratic institutions could be degenerated by "exporting autocracy". After 1997, Hong Kong's semi-democracy has come under continuous pressure by China's extra-jurisdictional autocratic influence. When about two decades of exporting autocracy has almost made Hong Kong a semi-democratic façade, China imposed the National Security Law in June 2020 placing the last straw that breaks its semi-democracy. The case study of Hong Kong offers comparative observations about China's exporting autocracy across its surrounding jurisdictions in the Asia-Pacific region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compassion-based interventions show promise in enhancing well-being and reducing distress, but little is known about their applications for people with long-term physical conditions. This study explores compassion-based interventions for this population: what are their differing elements (content, structure, tailoring, use of technology), feasibility and acceptability, effects and experienced benefits? A mixed-methods systematic review was conducted. Four bibliographic databases were searched without study design restrictions. Meta-synthesis was used to integrate quantitative results of effects and qualitative results of experienced benefits. Twenty studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies targeted people with cancer or persistent pain. Interventions were either comprehensive with 6–12 face-to-face sessions, or brief based on a single compassion exercise. Feasibility and accessibility were highly rated by participants. Amongst a plethora of outcomes, reductions in depression and anxiety were the most common findings. Our qualitative synthesis yielded experienced benefits of (1) acceptance of the condition; (2) improved emotion regulation skills; (3) reduced feelings of isolation. There was minimal overlap between quantitative and qualitative outcomes. While the field is still in its infancy, this review highlights the potential benefits of compassion-based interventions for people with long-term physical conditions and discusses recommendations for further intervention research and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on the causes of human sexual orientation has been marshaled in support of predetermined and opposing theological viewpoints. Whilst acknowledging that there is still much that is not known, the peer reviewed scientific literature clearly shows that a combination of genetic and environmental factors contribute to sexual orientation, with approximately one third of variance currently attributed to the former. Much of the known environmental influence appears to be intra-uterine and there is no currently convincing evidence that social environment plays a significant part. This body of evidence is relevant to theology. Greater attention should be given to critical interdisciplinary engagement of the theology and science of sexual orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transgender and non-binary people experience erasure, stigma, and discrimination in sexual and reproductive health care. Previous research shows worse sexual and reproductive health outcomes and higher rates of chronicity for trans and non-binary populations as compared to cisgender populations. Historically such outcomes have been framed as separate issues. Aims: To describe methodological approaches for exploring gaps in the sexual and reproductive health care of transgender and non-binary people, and explore intersections between chronic disease management and gender-affirming care. Methods: We critically reviewed methods for studying sexual and reproductive care and chronic condition management among trans and non-binary populations. We focus on two themes: unmet needs and response strategies. Results: We summarize findings and opportunities in existing research about service needs in trans and non-binary care. Key barriers to effective sexual and reproductive care for trans and non-binary people include persistent medical myths about trans people and bodies, siloization of different domains of health and associated services, lack of research on how chronic disease treatments interact with transition related care, and lack of active communication between providers and patients about individual care needs and goals. Discussion: We recommend methodologically diverse research with trans and non-binary populations capturing: (1) erasure, stigma, and discrimination in sexual and reproductive health care settings; (2) individual, interpersonal, and structural factors catalyzing chronicity; and (3) the impact of sexual and reproductive health disparities on chronic disease outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses from a cultural perspective why, despite exacerbating income inequality, Chinese people are not in favour of income equality. I argue that the patriotic education campaign initiated in the 1990s encouraged citizens to sacrifice for the greater good of China and caused the Chinese to accept and adapt to a decrease in governmental welfare as well as lessening the demand for it, thus reducing the government's financial burden of welfare provision. I then test the hypothesis against the Asian Barometer Survey data. The statistical results support my assertion, suggesting that strong patriotic beliefs reduce the preference for social equality, and that private income and economic perspectives do not significantly stimulate the public demand for redistributive policies in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop practical recommendations for physiotherapy for survivors of critical illness after hospital discharge. Methods: A modified Delphi consensus study was performed. A scoping literature review formed the basis for three Delphi rounds. The first round was used to gather input from the panel to finalize the survey for the next two rounds in which the panel was asked to rank each of the statements on an ordinal scale with the objective to reach consensus. Consensus was defined as a SIQR of ≤ 0.5. Ten Dutch panelists participated in this study: three primary care physiotherapists, four intensive care physiotherapists, one occupational therapist, one ICU-nurse and one former ICU-patient. All involved professionals have treated survivors of critical illness. Our study was performed in parallel with an international Delphi study with hospital-based health-care professionals and researchers. Results: After three Delphi rounds, consensus was reached on 95.5% of the statements. This resulted in practical recommendations for physiotherapy for critical illness survivors in the primary care setting. The panel agreed that the handover should include information on 14 items. Physiotherapy treatment goals should be directed toward improvement of aerobic capacity, physical functioning, activities in daily living, muscle strength, respiratory and pulmonary function, fatigue, pain, and health-related quality of life. Physiotherapy measurements and interventions to improve these outcomes are suggested. Conclusion: This study adds to the knowledge on post-ICU physiotherapy with practical recommendations supporting clinical decision-making in the treatment of survivors of critical illness after hospital discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]