English Version Research Articles

Activity Card Sort’s existence and execute in various languages and versions: A scoping review

Background: Activity Card Sort (ACS) measures patient activity participation, especially in older adults. It was developed to evaluate instrumental, social, and leisure activities of low and high demand in various populations. Transferring an ACS tool between diverse settings is challenging due to significant socio-economic, linguistic, and environmental impacts. Hence, to tailor ACS tools to a specific society’s socio-cultural context, comprehension of the accessible validated ACS tools and their psychometric attributes is essential. Objective: This scoping review was conducted to explore the availability of the ACS tool and to summarize the psychometric properties, such as the reliability and validity, of different languages and versions of ACS available worldwide. Materials and methods: A search was performed in PubMed, PsycNET, Cochrane, and Embase. Two independent reviewers conducted the screening process and extracted the data. The total sample included 370 articles, of which 26 studies met the inclusion criteria, providing information on psychometric properties. English and non-English versions (Arabic, Dutch, and Spanish) in different populations were included. Results: Among the 26 studies in this review, most ACS studies used the English version (62.5%). All the reported studies revealed “good” internal consistency, in which the Cronbach’s alpha (α) ranges between 0.61 and 0.91. Test-retest reliability was measured using ICC values ranging from 0.78 to 0.98 for numeric data and Kappa statistics for binary data. Two studies used Kappa statistics to test the reliability, which ranged from 0.48 to 0.85 for all domains, indicating moderate to good reliability. Measures of content validation, face validity, concurrent, convergent, and discriminative validity were also reported. Conclusion: Good psychometric properties were reported. No study is available on the Indian population using the ACS tool. Hence, developing and validating an ACS tool for the Tamil Nadu population is needed.

The translation of images in Tang poetry in view of relevance translation theory: A case study of the pipa image in three English versions of Three Hundred Tang Poems

Tang poetry is rich in images, and the pipa portrayed in Tang poetry mainly symbolizes compassion and melancholy, indifference and openness, and joy and resentment. With the approaches of case study and comparative analysis, the study built a framework of the relevance translation theory to compare the pipa images in three English versions of Three Hundred Tang Poems: The Jade Mountain: A Chinese Anthology (jointly translated by Witter Bynner and Kiang Kanghu), 300 Tang Poems: A New Translation (compiled by Xu Yuanchong, Lu Peixian and Wu Juntao) and English Translation of 320 Tang Poems (translated by Betty Tseng). Then, the contextual effects of pipa images in the three English versions are analyzed with the difference of the translators. The findings are conducive to enlightening translators' mindset of creating optimal context relevance for target readers and maintaining sustainable development of traditional Chinese culture.

Language, violence, and media: Translating Russia-Ukraine 2022–2023 war from Arabic to English

Reporting a situation of war is an intricate activity that requires balance. An attempt not to uphold this balance can have an implication not only on the parties involved in the war but also on the report. This paper examines Arabic-English reports of the Russia-Ukraine 2022-2023 war, considering how the target text orients towards peace. The study has a tripartite footing in translation, media, and peace linguistics, drawing insights from Holmes/Toury's Descriptive Translation Studies. The English translation has been carried out by two purposively selected media organizations, Asharq Al-Awsat and Qatar News Agency, which primarily report in Arabic. We have chosen two media houses in order to evaluate the peace linguistic implications of target texts in private and public media houses, the result of which can draw more attention to this research area. Ten reports on the Russia-Ukraine 2022–2023 war were randomly downloaded for the study from two websites, Asharq Al-Awsat and Qatar News Agency), all in Arabic (source text) and English (target text) versions. The Source Text (ST) versions were duly screened for expressions that describe violence or peace. Such expressions constitute the focus of examination in the Target Text (TT) so that we can identify how they have been translated, which leads to their peace linguistic effect. The study finds an under-reporting (or under-translation) of a violent situation of the war in the target text via lexical omission with the intent of either promoting peace or taking sides with one of the warring parties. At other times, there is neutralization of violence in the text so that the key lexical items suggesting violence are replaced with innocuous ones. The study concludes that the TT is more interested in amplifying the statement of violence attributed to Ukraine's ally and, at the same time, backgrounding their statement of peace. On the contrary, violence attributed to Russia is often neutralized via the use of inadequate lexemes to report events.

Лайфхаки глокализации, или Глокализация «лайфхака»

The article discusses the process of glocalization of the English-language concept “lifehack” in the Russian language on the basis of corpus data. Both original and borrowed concepts are considered in the Internet discourse, which is currently the most accessible source for studying new concepts and at the same time, the first to incorporate them into its language. The purpose of the article is to identify cognitive features of the “lifehack” concept in the English language and its Russian counterpart, as well as the changes that have occurred as a result of its glocalization. Based on collocation analysis and discursive analysis of language units which represent the concept, cognitive features are defined and combined into thematic groups. The totality of these features makes up the field structure of the concepts. The study revealed that the core features of the “lifehack” concept were fully integrated into the Russian language version of the concept. These include thematic groups such as “use”, “help”, and “ease/simplicity”. In both the Russian and English versions, the concept received a large number of positive characterizations (“good”, “great”, “incredible”, etc.). Cognitive features “shallowness” and “negative evaluation” can be found in the periphery of the concept. Additionally, features that were not present in the original concept have been added to the concept in the Russian language. The grammatical structures in which the words representing the concept “lifehack” are used suggest that the adaptation process is ongoing. In the process of glocalization, the “lifehack” concept in the Russian language retained all the core features of the original concept, while also acquiring an additional feature “alternative approach”. The grammatical characteristics of the language units representing the concept in the Russian language indicate that it is still undergoing adaptation and, possibly, will further develop in a bit different direction from the original concept.

Linguistic and cultural properties of the Spanish adaptation of the CAT (SP-CAT): pilot results from neurotypical subjects

ABSTRACT Introduction Aphasia assessments in languages other than English are scarce. In the case of Spanish, this scarcity includes a need for assessments with linguistic and cultural adaptations that consider dialectal varieties and cultural traits across Spanish-speaking populations. Aims of the study This study discusses the linguistic and cultural adaptation of the Comprehensive Aphasia Test (CAT) to Spanish (SP-CAT), a version that can be used in Spain and Spanish-speaking Latin American countries, and provide pilot results assessing whether performance is comparable across samples. Methods For the linguistic adaptation, we discuss considerations such as typological differences between English and Spanish, Spanish varieties, gender cues, spelling-sound regularities, transparency, and other syntax-related aspects. For the cultural adaptation, we discuss considerations such as culturally relevant items and images, and covering different Spanish varieties within the SP-CAT. The pre-testing of items for the SP-CAT included controlling variables such as name agreement of visual stimuli (examined in n=237 healthy participants), imageability (examined in n=244 healthy participants), and lexical frequency (from the Corpus of Reference of Current Spanish). We also conducted a pilot study of the SP-CAT with 82 healthy participants from Chile, Colombia, and Spain to assess differences in performance within tasks between the included countries; analysis of such differences was completed within a Bayesian framework. Results The SP-CAT provides a linguistic and cultural adaptation of the original English CAT. Item pre-testing included name agreement, lexical frequency, and imageability tests to ensure comparability with the English original version. Our pilot study confirmed that there are no clinically significant differences in performance within tasks between the included countries in healthy participants, a necessary step towards the final validation of a test for the Spanish-speaking world. Discussion The SP-CAT responds to a need to develop linguistically and culturally sensitive adaptations of assessments for Spanish-speaking people with aphasia to be used in clinical practice. Pilot results indicate that the adaptation meets the criteria to be used across Spanish varieties. In light of promising pilot results, the next phase of this study will assess the validity and reliability of the SP-CAT, providing normative data for its administration.

Tourists’ Luxury Value and Sustainability Perceptions of South African Exotic Leather Products

Travelling mostly involves expenditure on products beyond daily consumables (i.e. tourism shopping), but sometimes tourists visit a country with the specific intention of acquiring goods unique to that particular context, either for personal or commercial use. This type of “shopping tourism” contributes to the growth of luxury markets such as the exotic leather industry. In stimulating shopping tourism and promoting the local exotic leather industry, it is crucial to understand tourists’ underlying perceptions and sustainable values that influence their luxury shopping behaviour. Using animal skins to create fashion accessories involves several environmental concerns and remains controversial among American and Chinese consumers, who rank among the world’s top luxury goods spenders. This research, therefore, investigated American and Chinese shopping tourists’ luxury value perceptions, sustainability excellence perceptions, and purchase intent for South African exotic leather products. Data was derived from a purposive sample including both American and Chinese tourists, aged 25 years and older, who had either visited South Africa in the past or intended to visit the country soon. A structured online questionnaire consisting of scales adapted from prior empirical research was developed. The English version of the questionnaire was translated into Mandarin and Cantonese for Chinese tourists. Data analysis involved two structural equation models (one based on the American and another on the Chinese tourists’ responses) to test hierarchical relationships among variables. The results confirm that personal luxury value strongly influences sustainability excellence and the purchase intent of exotic leather products for both American and Chinese respondents. These findings highlight the potential of positioning South Africa as a luxury shopping tourism destination for exotic leather products, thus contributing toward economic growth and employment opportunities. However, environmental concerns must be addressed to conform to Eastern and Western tourists' sustainable luxury value perceptions.

Psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory Personality Questionnaire (RST-PQ)

BackgroundThe Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Personality Questionnaire (RST-PQ) originated from the Revised Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Personality. This study was conducted to assess the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the RST-PQ among a group of Iranian adults. MethodThe cross-sectional study was carried out among 600 Iranian adults utilizing a convenient sampling method, following specific participant selection criteria to enhance the study methodology's transparency (including the age range between 18 and 35 years' participants without major psychiatric diagnoses). Participants completed both the Iranian version of the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory Personality Questionnaire (RST-PQ) and the Five-Factor NEO-FFI questionnaire. Confirmatory factor analysis, employing the multiple indicators model (MIMIC) approach, was utilized in this study to control for demographic variables such as age and gender. ResultsThe confirmatory factor analysis results showed an acceptable fit of the proposed six-factor model based on the English version of RST-PQ (CFI = 0.905; RMSEA = 0.053). Also, Cronbach's alpha values confirmed the internal consistency of the proposed structure. In addition, competing models were also used to select the best-proposed model. In this way, different models were evaluated, assuming a change in the correlation intensity between BIS and the Fight-Flight-Freeze System (FFFS). ConclusionsThe convergent validity results with the Five-Factor Personality measure provided further support and were consistent with previous research findings. It is crucial to have an Iranian-language version of the RST-PQ to promote RST research and show how this theoretical framework aids in explaining and predicting various actions, whether they are abnormal or healthy.

Factor structure, internal consistency, and construct validity of the Caregiver strain questionnaire in Latinx families.

Caregiver strain or stress directly related to caring for a youth with emotional and/or behavioral problems may be an important and understudied cultural factor associated with mental health disparities among Latinx families. Caregiver strain is a highly relevant construct for research questions focused on the identification of youth's mental health needs, family-level impacts of youth mental health problems, and utilization of youth mental health services. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of research on measures of caregiver strain and the psychometric properties of existing measures in Latinx samples. This study examined the structural and construct validity of the English version of the Caregiver Strain Questionnaire (CGSQ) with a sample of United States-based Latinx caregivers of youths ages 6-18 (N = 598). Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the original three-factor model of caregiver strain was evidenced in this sample. Internal consistency analyses and a poor factor loading led to the elimination of one item. The factor structure held after item removal. Significant associations between each dimension of caregiver strain with youth internalizing/externalizing symptom severity and utilization of youth mental health services provided evidence of construct validity (i.e., psychological counseling, telepsychology, parenting classes). Results provide important evidence of the psychometric properties of the English CGSQ in a Latinx sample and support its use in future research aimed at unpacking mental health disparities among Latinx youth and families. Researchers should translate and validate the CGSQ in Spanish to increase the utility of this measure for research with Latinx families.

Core socialist values and curriculum policy in China: A study of the curriculum standard for Chinese language

AbstractThis study employs Bernstein's concept of recontextualization and Rata's theorization of the Curriculum Design Coherence [CDC] model as theoretical tools to analyse the Curriculum Standard for Chinese Language [Standard] (The Standard, the Guidance, the Plan and all the quotations from the three policies were translated by me because the official English versions of them are unavailable.) which is part of a new approach to curriculum policy development in China. The study aims to identify and explain the mechanisms through which the Chinese government has recontextualized its ascendant political ideals of the core socialist values into the country's education system via curriculum policymaking. The study reveals that the Standard contains features embedding the core socialist values. This is achieved through three distinct mechanisms of recontextualization: policy propositions, subject competencies and subject concepts and content which operate from a sociocultural knowledge orientation. This sociocultural knowledge orientation aligns with the government's strong will to cultivate the core socialist values within the young generation so they become qualified builders and successors of the country's great socialist cause.

Physical activity participation of university students in the United Kingdom

Every year more than 2.38 million students attend university in the United Kingdom. However, there is limited research up to this date addressing current physical activity participation of the university students in the United Kingdom. This study explored the current physical activity habits among students studying at university level in the United Kingdom. An online survey was administered and completed by 466 students from over 52 faculties. Participants answered questions on demographic variables such as gender, age, socioeconomic status of family, location of studies, types of studies, year of studies, living arrangements and monthly expenditure. They were provided the English version of the IPAQ-Short form and asked to fill out the questionnaire with their physical activity habits during a typical week of university study. Results identified 64.4% of the sample were “moderate” active, with 14.2% “high” and 18.5% “low” active as categorized by the IPAQ-Short form scoring. Disparities in physical activity participation were present on demographic variables such as gender, year of study and family socioeconomic level upon analysis by ANOVA. To conclude, a discussion of the results within the overall field of physical activity participation in higher education was positioned and critiqued.

To Translate or Not to Translate: The Case of Arabic and Foreign Shop Names in Saudi Arabia

The translatability of shop names constitutes a problem for translation students. To find out the status of shop name translation in Saudi Arabia, a sample of 271 shop names (clothing, accessories, beauty products, restaurants, cafes… etc.) was collected and analyzed to find out which shop names are translated, which ones are not, and which ones should be translated and to set some guidelines for shop-name translation. Results showed that 24% of the shops have pure Arabic names, 25% have international brand names (Starbucks, Burger King, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, Monsoon, Zara, Sony); 39% have local English names ( أوبريشن فلافل Operation Falafel, Brand Center براند سنتر, بيبي شوب Baby Shop); and 12% mixed names (Arabic + foreign). Only 6.7% of all shop names are fully translated (العربية للعود Arabian Oud; الركن السويسري Swiss Corner; الشمس والرمال للرياضة Sun & Sand Sports; Seven Degree Café مقهى ٧ درجات); 3,3% are partially translated (Cotton Home قطن هوم; ماما بطاطا Mama Batata; JORI COFFEE الجوري كوفي) and 90% are transliterated using Arabic letters (Bershka بيرشكا , MANGO مانجو, كامايو Camaieu). Many shop names are transliterated, although they are translatable, are difficult to decode as the grapheme sequence does not fit the Arabic graphological system (Dr Nutrition دكتور نيوتريشن & Natural Touch تاتش ناتشرال). It was recommended that Franchised International brand names such as Debenhams & Samsung cannot be translated but transliterated. Some foreign shop names can be fully or partially translated rather than transliterated (Dr Nutrition< دكتور التغذية; Natural Touch< اللمسة الطبيعية; Red Sea Mall< مول البحر الأحمر). The Arabic version is for Arab shoppers who do not know English and the English version is for foreigners. Shop names containing café, chocolate, garden and others can be partially translated (Caribou Café مقهى كاريبو; Atayf Garden حديقة أطياف). French and Italian shop names should be transliterated according to their pronunciation in the source language, not in English (Parfois بارفواه, not بارفويس). The word order in compounds should be correct, and the vowels, diphthongs and consonants should be transcribed accurately. The transliteration should be consistent for all shop branches. Further recommendations are given.

Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards 2022 (CHEERS II) statement: a validated Dutch translation

ABSTRACT Objectives This study primarily aimed to develop a validated Dutch translation of the 28 items of the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) II. A secondary aim was to provide a worked example of a scientifically valid translation process. Methods A four-step process was applied: (1) forward translation, (2) backward translation, (3) quantitative validation (two back-translated English versions vs. original English version), and (4) qualitative validation (one Dutch version vs. original English version), resulting in the final Dutch CHEERS II checklist. Results During quantitative validation, the average scores indicated high language comparability (1.88 (SD 0.70); 1.70 (SD 0.73)) and interpretation similarity (1.77 (SD 0.81); 1.54 (SD 0.74)). Four items required formal revision. In the qualitative validation step, feedback primarily focused on specific terms ‘outcomes,’ ‘benefits and harms,’ ‘(year of) conversion,’ ‘any,’ and ‘characterizing.’ Conclusion Despite English being the common language of science, translating research instruments remains relevant to enhance clarity, accessibility, and inclusivity. The Dutch translation can be used by students, regulators, researchers, or others to report and evaluate reporting of economic evaluations. Our detailed description of the applied methodology can facilitate future translations of research instruments.

Adaptation and validation of the Spanish version of NOSE-Perf questionnaire for septal perforations

Background and objectiveSeptal perforation (SP) cause heterogeneous symptoms depending on the anatomical location, highlighting scabs, nasal obstruction and/or epistaxis. The use of questionnaires to determine the quality of life in different pathologies is increasing in sinonasal pathologies and in patients with SP the NOSE-Perf questionnaire was constructed, currently validated in English. The aim of this study is the translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation of the NOSE-Perf questionnaire into Spanish. Material and methodsProspective single-centre study of 81 patients (38 with SP and 43 controls), visited in the rhinology section of a tertiary hospital. Adaptation and translation NOSE-Perf into Spanish and validation using the NOSE and NOSE-Perf questionnaire in Spanish. ResultsSignificant differences were found in the mean NOSE-Perf score and in the mean NOSE score (IC95% = 21.2–26.9; p < 0.001 and IC95% = 53.8–70.5; p < 0.001) between SP group and control group. Pearson's correlation between the two questionnaires NOSE-Perf and NOSE in the SP group was 0.74 (95% CI = 0.56−0.86; p < 0.001). In the control group it was r = 0.85 (95%CI = 0.73−0.91; p < 0.001). Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the NOSE-Perf was 0.95 (IC 95% = 0.93−0.96) for internal consistency. The reliability evaluation was carried out by test-retest, and a strong Pearson correlation was obtained between the questionnaires r = 0.94 (CI95% = 0.85−0.97; p < 0.001) and r = 0.89 (95%CI = 0.77−0.95; p < 0.001). ConclusionsThe Spanish version of the NOSE-Perf is as reliable and valid as the English version, which makes it possible to assess the impact on quality of life that it causes in patients with perforations in the Spanish-speaking population.

Acceptability measures for evaluating smoking cessation interventions among individuals with diabetes

BackgroundThe literature indicates that individuals with diabetes do not easily adopt smoking cessation interventions. Given that the success of such interventions depends on patient involvement and attitudes, assessing intervention acceptability, including patient satisfaction and perceived usefulness, is crucial before implementing a smoking cessation intervention. This paper reports the preliminary validation of the satisfaction and perceived usefulness questionnaires for evaluating smoking cessation interventions among individuals with diabetes. Study designValidity study. MethodsThe satisfaction questionnaire contained eight statements while the perceived usefulness questionnaire had fourteen; both rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Content validation involved five tobacco cessation facilitators rating item relevance using a 4-point ordinal rating scale, suggesting improvements. The questionnaires were also translated into Maltese for local use and assessed for translation validity using a similar scale. Unanimous agreement among experts was required for item relevance and equivalence. Thirty-four individuals with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, attending a diabetes-specific smoking cessation intervention, received either the Maltese or English versions of the questionnaires. Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach's alpha. ResultsAfter two rounds of content validation, the experts unanimously agreed on item relevance and conceptual equivalence. Fifteen and sixteen participants completed the Maltese and English versions of the questionnaires, respectively. Both questionnaires’ versions were found to have a high internal consistency (>0.8). ConclusionsThese findings provide the initial validation of these instruments for assessing the acceptability of smoking cessation interventions among individuals with diabetes. Further validation in different settings using a larger sample is suggested.

An Analysis of the English Translation of The Class Struggles in France Based on AntConc

Studying Marx’s analysis of class struggles in France provides insight into historical socio-economic dynamics, revealing patterns of oppression, resistance, and revolution. It elucidates the role of the bourgeoisie and proletariat in shaping societal structures, informing contemporary understanding of power dynamics, inequality, and potential pathways for social change. Based on the English version of the Class Struggles in France, the language use and organization of it are analysed by using the retrieval and analysis functions of AntConc. Through the analysis, its language features are concise, clear structure, strong logicality, key terms centred around the main theme, and a coherent logical relationship. The vocabulary used exhibits emotional tendencies, particularly concerning communism and capitalism, highlighting the author’s emotional attitude.

Quality of Life in Caregivers of Children with Cerebral Palsy in Rivers State, Nigeria

Introduction: Cerebral palsy (CP) is a common neurologic disorder which leads to physical disability in children. Children with CP require more care and attention from their care givers. Hence the quality of life (QoL) of the care givers can be adversely affected.&#x0D; Aim: The aim of this study is to assess the QoL and its determinants among caregivers of children with CP in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: Using a convenience sampling method, a hospital based cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out, participants were 96 caregivers of children on follow up for CP. The English Version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref (WHOQOL-Bref) was used to evaluate the QoL of the participants. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain socio-demographic characteristic of the participants and children with CP, while the patients hospital record was used to obtain the medical history of the patients. The functional disability level of the child was measured by the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS levels I-V) scale. Multiple regression analysis was carried out to determine the predictors of the care givers QoL on all four domains of the WHOQOL-Bref.&#x0D; Results: The age of the participant ranged from 23 -58 years with a mean age of 37.67± 8.27 years. Seventy-eight (81.3%) were females, 77(80.0%) had secondary education and above while 56 (58.3%) of the patients had co-morbidity. The care givers had lower level of QoL &lt; 60 points in all domains except for Physical Health Domain which had mean point of 61.3.&#x0D; The GMFCS level of the patients with CP and the marital status of the caregivers significantly determined the different domains of the caregivers QoL (p ≤ 0.05). Age of care giver (p 0.00), presence of comorbidity (0.03) significantly predicted the psychological domain of the QoL of the care givers. In addition, the socioeconomic class significantly predicted the environment and psychological domains of the caregivers QoL. (p &lt; 0.05)&#x0D; Conclusion: The quality of life in caregivers of children with cerebral palsy is low. The predictors include GMFCS level of the patient, age of the care giver, marital status, presence of comorbidity and socioeconomic status. The treatment of CP should include strategies to enhance the health and quality of life of caregivers of children with the condition.

The Korean Version of the Oxford Cognitive Screen (K-OCS) Normative Study.

To generate a Korean version of the Oxford Cognitive Screen (K-OCS) and obtain cutoff scores that determine the impairment of each subdomain. Post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI) negatively impacts the rehabilitation process and independence in daily life. Its obscure manifestations require effective screening for appropriate rehabilitation. However, in most rehabilitation clinics, psychological evaluation tools for Alzheimer's dementia have been used without such considerations. The OCS is a screening assessment tool for PSCI and vascular dementia that can evaluate the cognitive domains most often affected by stroke, including language, attention, memory, praxis, and numerical cognition. It comprises 10 subtasks and enables quick and effective cognitive evaluation. The K-OCS, which considers Korea's unique cultural and linguistic characteristics, was developed with the approval and cooperation of the original author. Enrollment of participants without disabilities was announced at Duksung Women's University, Yongin Sevrance Hospital, CHA Bundang Medical Center. The study was conducted between September 2020 and March 2022 on 97 male and female participants aged ≥30 years. All the 97 participants completed the task. In this study, the 5th percentile score was presumed to be the cutoff value for each score, and the values are provided here. The cutoff score for each OCS subtask was similar to that of the original British version. We suggest the usability of the K-OCS as a screening tool for PSCI by providing the cutoff value of each subtask.

Beyond NICE: Updated Systematic Review on the Current Evidence of Using Puberty Blocking Pharmacological Agents and Cross-Sex-Hormones in Minors with Gender Dysphoria

Beyond NICE: Updated Systematic Review on the Current Evidence of Using Puberty Blocking Pharmacological Agents and Cross-Sex-Hormones in Minors with Gender Dysphoria Abstract: Objective: The suppression of physiological puberty using puberty-blocking pharmacological agents (PB) and prescribing cross-sex hormones (CSH) to minors with gender dysphoria (GD) is a current matter of discussion, and in some cases, PB and CSH are used in clinical practice for this particular population. Two systematic reviews (one on PB, one on CSH treatment) by the British National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) from 2020 indicated no clear clinical benefit of such treatments regarding critical outcome variables. In particular, these two systematic NICE reviews on the use of PB and CSH in minors with GD detected no clear improvements of GD symptoms. Moreover, the overall scientific quality of the available evidence, as discussed within the above-mentioned two NICE reviews, was classified as "very low certainty" regarding modified GRADE criteria. Method: The present systematic review presents an updated literature search on this particular topic (use of PB and CSH in minors with GD) following NICE principles and PICO criteria for all relevant new original research studies published since the release of the two above-mentioned NICE reviews (updated literature search period was July 2020-August 2023). Results: The newly conducted literature search revealed no newly published original studies targeting NICE-defined critical and important outcomes and the related use of PB in minors with GD following PICO criteria. For CSH treatment, we found two new studies that met PICO criteria, but these particular two studies had low participant numbers, yielded no significant additional clear evidence for specific and clearly beneficial effects of CSH in minors with GD, and could be classified as "low certainty" tfollowing modified GRADE criteria. Conclusions: The currently available studies on the use of PB and CSH in minors with GD have significant conceptual and methodological flaws. The available evidence on the use of PB and CSH in minors with GD is very limited and based on only a few studies with small numbers, and these studies have problematic methodology and quality. There also is a lack of adequate and meaningful long-term studies. Current evidence doesn't suggest that GD symptoms and mental health significantly improve when PB or CSH are used in minors with GD. Psychotherapeutic interventions to address and reduce the experienced burden can become relevant in children and adolescents with GD. If the decision to use PB and/or CSH is made on an individual case-by-case basis and after a complete and thorough mental health assessment, potential treatment of possibly co-occurring mental health problems as well as after a thoroughly conducted and carefully executed individual risk-benefit evaluation, doing so as part of clinical studies or research projects, as currently done in England, can be of value in terms of generation of new research data. The electronic supplement (ESM) 1 is an adapted and abreviated English version of this work.

The prevalence of sedentary behavior among university students in Saudi Arabia

BackgroundA considerable body of research has demonstrated that reducing sitting time benefits health. Therefore, the current study aimed to explore the prevalence of sedentary behavior (SB) and its patterns.MethodsA total of 6975 university students (49.1% female) were chosen randomly to participate in a face-to-face interview. The original English version of the sedentary behavior questionnaire (SBQ) was previously translated into Arabic. Then, the validated Arabic version of the SBQ was used to assess SB. The Arabic SBQ included 9 types of SB (watching television, playing computer/video games, sitting while listening to music, sitting and talking on the phone, doing paperwork or office work, sitting and reading, playing a musical instrument, doing arts and crafts, and sitting and driving/riding in a car, bus or train) on weekdays and weekends.ResultsSBQ indicated that the total time of SB was considerably high (478.75 ± 256.60 and 535.86 ± 316.53 (min/day) during weekdays and weekends, respectively). On average, participants spent the most time during the day doing office/paperwork (item number 4) during weekdays (112.47 ± 111.11 min/day) and weekends (122.05 ± 113.49 min/day), followed by sitting time in transportation (item number 9) during weekdays (78.95 ± 83.25 min/day) and weekends (92.84 ± 100.19 min/day). The average total sitting time of the SBQ was 495.09 ± 247.38 (min/day) and 58.4% of the participants reported a high amount of sitting time (≥ 7 hours/day). Independent t-test showed significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) between males and females in all types of SB except with doing office/paperwork (item number 4). The results also showed that male students have a longer daily sitting time (521.73 ± 236.53 min/day) than females (467.38 ± 255.28 min/day). Finally, 64.1% of the males reported a high amount of sitting time (≥ 7 hours/day) compared to females (52.3%).ConclusionIn conclusion, the total mean length of SB in minutes per day for male and female university students was considerably high. About 58% of the population appeared to spend ≥7 h/day sedentary. Male university students are likelier to sit longer than female students. Our findings also indicated that SB and physical activity interventions are needed to raise awareness of the importance of adopting an active lifestyle and reducing sitting time.

Political Metaphors in English Version of “Report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China”

With China&amp;rsquo;s growing influence, many countries are eager to know about China, and China also wants foreign countries to have a correct understanding of itself, so translations of political discourse are important. And because metaphor can reflect the thinking of the authors and translators, it is widely used in the translation process to transmit the ideology. Since now, many researches have been done to study the types of metaphors and the translation strategies of metaphors in the translations of the CPC literature, but few of them focus on how metaphors in the translation version convey the ideology. Therefore, this paper, aiming to study how political metaphors in the translation help transmit the ideology and governance thought of China to the world, applies Critical Metaphor Analysis as the analytical framework to investigate the political metaphors in English version of &amp;ldquo;Report to the 20th CPC National Congress&amp;rdquo;. The results show that journey metaphors, building metaphors, plant metaphors, life metaphors, and war metaphors are especially prominent. Compared with literal translation, the English version of the Report utilizes the imagery and concepts familiar to the readers to lead them to understand the Chinese theories and thinking that they are unfamiliar with. And the political metaphors explain and publicize the governance philosophy in a way that foreign readers can understand, highlight the Party&amp;rsquo;s attitude, and correctly display the image of China. This study deepens the study of the role of metaphors in the transmission of governments&amp;rsquo; principles and policies.