Group-based Analysis Research Articles

Spatiotemporal evolution of ground movement in coal seam gas regions: Insights from InSAR.

The exploration and production of coal seam gas (CSG) are growing worldwide. The expanding CSG industry in Australia has raised concerns about land subsidence and its potential environmental impact. Comprehensive monitoring and analysis are required to understand ground movement in CSG regions to support sustainable environmental management. This study employs Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data from 2015 to 2023 to investigate the spatiotemporal ground movement patterns in the Surat Basin. We confirmed the spatial overlap of land subsidence and CSG footprints. Group-based analysis based on distances to CSG wells was conducted to understand the driving factors of ground movement. For the non-CSG area, high-clay soil coincides with more extreme ground movement; no consistent correlation can be identified between rainfall and ground movement; cropping lands show higher movement variation; the correlation between ground movement and water levels in the alluvium is not statistically significant. For the CSG region, a general linear function between subsidence and the cubic root of water and gas production is observed; the influence of coal thickness on subsidence variation is not obvious; bridging is unlikely to happen beyond a few months in the study area; a subsidence time series is derived allowing an estimate of expected subsidence over 17years. Our findings provide valuable knowledge to support sustainable CSG management and regulatory decision-making. The research contributes to the broader understanding of anthropogenic impacts on ground movement in subsurface resource extraction regions.

Applying a diffusion of innovations framework to characterise diffusion groups and more effectively reach late adopters: a cross-sectional study on COVID-19 vaccinations in Canada in late 2021

BackgroundRogers’ diffusion of innovation theory suggests innovations are adopted in stages by different groups (innovators/early adopters, early majority, late majority and late adopters). In healthcare, this could mean that there...

Periaqueductal gray connectivity in spinal cord injury-induced neuropathic pain.

Neuropathic pain (NP) is a debilitating condition following spinal cord injury (SCI). The role of periaqueductal gray (PAG) in NP development following SCI remains underexplored. Using resting-state functional MRI (rsfMRI), our study aimed to demonstrate the alterations in functional connectivity (FC) of PAG in NP following SCI. Ten SCI patients (SCI+NP, n=7, and SCI-NP, n=3), alongside 10 healthy controls (HCs), were enrolled. rsfMRI was conducted followed by seed-to-voxel analysis using PAG as the seed region and then group-based analysis comprising three groups (SCI+NP, SCI-NP, and HC). Age and gender were considered as confounding variables. Compared to HCs, SCI+NP demonstrated decreased FC between PAG and right insula, right frontal orbital cortex, right pallidum, dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), red nuclei (RN), substantia nigra (SN), and ventral posterolateral (VPL) thalamic nuclei. Compared to SCI-NP, SCI+NP demonstrated increased FC between PAG and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), hippocampus, cerebellar vermis lobules IV and V, and thalamic structures (posterior and lateral pulvinar, the mediodorsal nuclei, and the ventral lateral nuclei). Additionally, decreased FC between the PAG and VPL, geniculate bodies, intralaminar nuclei of thalamus, DRN, RN, SN, and prefrontal cortex was observed in this comparison. Altered FC between PAG and right anterior insula, VPL, DRN, RN, SN, cerebellar vermis lobules IV and V, frontal cortex, and PCC was associated with NP sequelae of SCI. Additionally, SCI was independently associated with decreased FC between PAG and right posterior insula, cerebellar lobules IV and V, and cerebellar vermis lobules III, IV, and V.

Poverty as capability deprivation: Considering the relational approach, group-based analysis, and socio-structural lens

Amartya Sen has argued that poverty means much more than lacking income: it means that a person falls short of securing a basic level of capabilities. His main justification for this claim is that we need to look at what is important in a person's life (what a person's actual functionings are, and what alternative outcomes could be achieved), rather than just at what a person has. In this article, I argue that, although Sen's conceptualisation expands our understanding of poverty, it can limit us when evaluating what is wrong with poverty. Conceptualising poverty in a diverse and unequal society rather requires a broader perspective, one capable of including an explicitly relational approach, group-based analysis, and a socio-structural lens. Otherwise, we miss the fundamental role played by systematic oppression in the context of poverty. In developing these ideas, my aim is to update the picture of poverty as capability deprivation.

Polarized running training adapted to versus contrary to the menstrual cycle phases has similar effects on endurance performance and cardiovascular parameters

PurposeThis study compared the effects of polarized running training adapted to the menstrual cycle (MC) phases versus polarized training adapted contrary to the MC on endurance performance and cardiovascular parameters.MethodsThirty-three naturally menstruating, moderately trained females (age: 26 ± 4 years; BMI: 22.3 ± 3.2 kg/m2; V˙\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$\\dot{V}$$\\end{document}O2max/rel: 40.35 ± 4.61 ml/min/kg) were randomly assigned to a control (CON) and intervention (INT) group. Both groups participated in a load-matched eight-week running training intervention. In the INT, high-intensity sessions were aligned with the mid and late follicular phase, low-intensity sessions with the early and mid-luteal phase, and recovery with the late luteal and early follicular phase. In the CON, high-intensity sessions were matched to the late luteal and early follicular phase, and recovery to the mid and late follicular phase. Endurance performance and cardiovascular parameters were assessed at baseline and after the intervention.ResultsTwenty-six females completed the intervention. A repeated measures ANOVA determined no time × group interaction effect for any parameter. A significant time effect was found for maximal oxygen uptake (F(1,12) = 18.753, p = 0.005, ηp2 = 0.630), the velocity at the ventilatory threshold one (F(1,12) = 10.704, p = 0.007, ηp2 = 0.493) and two (F(1,12) = 7.746, p = .018, ηp2 = .413).ConclusionThe training intervention improved endurance performance in both groups, with no further benefit observed from the MC-adapted polarized training in a group-based analysis. Replications with an extended intervention period, a larger sample size, and a more reliable MC determination are warranted.

Comparative Analysis of Multidimensional Learning Tools in Anatomy: A Randomized Control Trial.

Anatomy teaching has traditionally been based on dissection. However, reduced hours in total and laboratory hours in gross anatomy along with a dearth of cadavers have ensued the search for a less time-consuming tool. The study was conducted in the Department of Anatomy in Sheikh Bhikhari Medical College, Hazaribag. A total of 282 medical students were taught gross anatomy, using three different learning modalities: dissection (n = 95), plastic models (n = 94), and three-dimensional (3D) anatomy software (n = 93). The knowledge of the students was examined by 100 multiple-choice question (MCQ) and tag questions followed by an evaluation questionnaire. When performance is considered, the dissection and 3D group performed better than the plastic models group in total, MCQs, and tag questions. In the evaluation questionnaire, dissection performed better than the other two modalities. Moreover, dissection and 3D software emerged as superior to the plastic models group. All data were analyzed using the one-way ANOVA and t-test. Group-based analysis by ANOVA and gender-based analysis were done by Student's t-test. A comparison of students' perceptions was done by Kruskal-Wallis H-test. Dissection remains a favorite with students and accomplishes a significantly higher attainment of knowledge. Plastic models are less effective but are a valuable tool in preparation for cadaveric laboratories.

A Complementary Multitechnique Approach to Assess the Bias in Molecular Weight Determination of Lignin by Derivatization-Free Gel Permeation Chromatography.

The growing interest in lignin valorization in the past decades calls for analytical techniques for lignin characterization, ranging from wet chemistry techniques to highly sophisticated chromatographic and spectroscopic methods. One of the key parameters to consider is the molecular weight profile of lignin, which is routinely determined by size-exclusion chromatography; however, this is by no means straightforward and is prone to being hampered by considerable errors. Our study expands the fundamental understanding of the bias-inducing mechanisms in gel permeation chromatography (GPC), the magnitude of error originating from using polystyrene standards for mass calibration, and an evaluation of the effects of the solvent and type of lignin on the observed bias. The developed partial least-squares (PLS) regression model for lignin-related monomers revealed that lignin is prone to association mainly via hydrogen bonding. This hypothesis was supported by functional group-based analysis of the bias as well as pulse field gradient (pfg) diffusion NMR spectroscopy of model compounds in THF-d8. Furthermore, although the lack of standards hindered drawing conclusions based on functionalities, direct infusion electrospray ionization mass spectrometry indicated that the relative bias decreases considerably for higher molecular weight species. The results from pfg-diffusion NMR spectroscopy on whole lignin samples were comparable when the same solvents were used in both experiments; in addition, the comparison between results obtained by pfg-diffusion NMR in different solvents gives some additional insights into the aggregation.

126 Association of PAG Connectivity in SCI Subjects With Neuropathic Pain in a Resting-State FMRI Study

INTRODUCTION: Neuropathic pain (NP) is estimated to be present in 61% of subjects with chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). Periaqueductal Grey (PAG) plays a crucial role in descending pain modulation system. Few studies assessed PAG’s functional connectivity (FC) in pain syndromes, however, it has not been studied in SCI. METHODS: 10 SCI subjects with NP were divided into two groups (moderate-severe n = 7, mild-no pain n = 3), and 10 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled. Resting-state fMRI was performed for subjects using a 3T Philips Ingenia scanner with a dedicated 32 channels head coil. Seed-to-voxel analysis was performed using CONN toolbox with the PAG as the seed region. Group-based analysis was performed between three groups with age and gender as confounding variables. A voxel threshold p-value of <0.05 was used, with the results corrected for multiple comparisons using fdr with a significance level of 0.05. RESULTS: Compared to HCs, SCI with NP demonstrated decreased FC between PAG and one cluster. SCI with pain compared to SCI without pain demonstrated Increased FC in one and decreased FC in two clusters. For each common anatomical region between pairwise analyses, FC alterations were compared to assess whether they are the result of SCI or NP. CONCLUSIONS: Altered FC was observed between PAG and regions involved in the pain modulation in SCI with NP compared with SCI without pain and HCs. We hypothesized that alterations between PAG and the Frontal cortex, Thalamus, Brain stem, and Cerebellum could be the result of NP sequela rather than the SCI itself. Further studies with more subjects will be needed to assess this hypothesis.

Variations in strength-speed-power performance across the season: do true changes occur in elite rugby players?

This study aimed to determine, through the use of a highly sensitive statistical tool, whether real changes in performance were present; and compare the rates of meaningful variations in strength, speed, and power parameters at different time-points during the competitive season in national team rugby players. Thirty-two players were assessed 5 times across the season using the following tests: squat jump and countermovement jump tests; 30-m sprint velocity; and one-repetition maximum (1RM) in the half-squat and bench-press exercises. A repeated-measures analysis of variance was conducted to test for differences between successive time-points. Individual coefficients of variation values were used to set target scores for post-measurements and examine whether changes in performance parameters were greater than the natural test variance, thus providing an indication of whether "true changes" occurred. No significant changes were detected in the vertical jump height, 1RM measures, and sprint velocity and momentum throughout the 11-month period (P > 0.05). True changes occurred much more frequently for strength-power measures than for sprint velocity and momentum. Elite rugby union players did not exhibit significant variations in neuromuscular performance across the competitive period, when a group-based analysis was conducted. However, at the individual level, "true changes" in strength-power-(but not in speed-) related qualities were consistently observed over the competitive season.

Challenges and opportunities in testing sensorimotor processing with tendon vibration and transcranial magnetic stimulation in subacromial impingement syndrome: A case series.

Non-invasive neurostimulation like muscle tendon vibration (VIB) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can provide valuable insights on mechanisms underlying sensorimotor dysfunctions. However, their feasibility in the context of painful musculoskeletal disorders like shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS) remain uncertain. The present work used a case series design including 15 participants with SIS, as well as a secondary group-based analysis comparing participants with SIS to 15 healthy counterparts. Proprioceptive processing was tested by VIB-induced kinesthetic illusions of shoulder abduction, and TMS tested corticospinal excitability of the upper trapezius. Detailed individual data were collected, including any technical challenges and feasibility issues encountered. VIB was in general well-tolerated and elicited a perceptible kinesthetic illusion in 13 participants with SIS and 14 controls. TMS presented with several challenges related to discomfort, fear-related behaviors, technical problems and high motor thresholds, especially in participants with SIS. It was only possible to collect all TMS measures in 5 participants with SIS (for both the painful and non/less-painful sides), in 7 controls on their dominant side and 10 controls on the non-dominant side. The only significant group-based analysis was a lower illusion speed/amplitude on the painful versus non-painful side in persons with SIS (p = 0.035). Our study provides preliminary data on challenges encountered with TMS and VIB of trunk/proximal muscle in persons with SIS and healthy counterparts. It might help future studies to better address those challenges beforehand and improve the overall feasibility and impact of neurostimulation tools in musculoskeletal disorders.

The effect of interactions between BMI and sustained depressive symptoms on knee osteoarthritis over 4 years: data from the osteoarthritis initiative

BackgroundTo assess the compound effects of BMI and sustained depressive symptoms on changes in knee structure, cartilage composition, and knee pain over 4 years using statistical interaction analyses.MethodsOne thousand eight hundred forty-four individuals from the Osteoarthritis Initiative Database were analyzed at baseline and 4-year follow-up. Individuals were categorized according to their BMI and presence of depressive symptoms (based on the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (threshold≥16)) at baseline and 4-year follow-up. 3 T MRI was used to quantify knee cartilage T2 over 4 years, while radiographs were used to assess joint space narrowing (JSN). Mixed effects models examined the effect of BMI-depressive symptoms interactions on outcomes of cartilage T2, JSN, and knee pain over 4-years.ResultsThe BMI-depressive symptoms interaction was significantly associated with knee pain (p < 0.001) changes over 4 years, but not with changes in cartilage T2 (p = 0.27). In women, the BMI-depressive symptoms interaction was significantly associated with JSN (p = 0.01). In a group-based analysis, participants with obesity and depression had significantly greater 4-year changes in knee pain (coeff.(obesity + depression vs. no_obesity + no_depression) = 4.09, 95%CI = 3.60–4.58, p < 0.001), JSN (coeff. = 0.60, 95%CI = 0.44–0.77, p < 0.001), and cartilage T2 (coeff. = 1.09, 95%CI = 0.68–1.49, p < 0.001) than participants without depression and normal BMI.ConclusionsThe compound effects of obesity and depression have greater impact on knee pain and JSN progression compared to what would be expected based on their individual effects.

Tracking Body Composition Change with Weight Loss by BIA and DXA in Female Adolescent Runners: A Validation Study

ABSTRACT Introduction/Purpose Monitoring percent body fat (%fat) is important for optimizing nutrition for balanced health and performance in adolescent female runners. We studied the effectiveness of segmental multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (S-MFBIA) for tracking seasonal changes in body composition among competitive female adolescent runners. Methods We compared the body compositions of 25 female runners (15.0 ± 0.2 yr old) analyzed using S-MFBIA, using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) as a reference, in preparatory (PRE) and competitive (CMP) seasons. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were used to calculate associations between S-MFBIA and DXA. Paired t-test was used to compare PRE with CMP. Alpha level was corrected to 0.0023 using the Bonferroni method. Bland–Altman analysis was used to evaluate agreement between the methods. Results The runners gained a significant amount of fat-free mass (FFM) but lost %fat and weight from PRE to CMP (37.3–39.1 kg, 19.7%–12.7%, and 47.1–44.8 kg, respectively). Body composition variables measured by S-MFBIA and DXA were significantly correlated (r = 0.61–0.96) with respect to PRE, CMP, and longitudinal changes from PRE to CMP. S-MFBIA underestimated %fat (−1.7; 95% confidence interval (CI), −2.7 to −0.7 percentage points (pp)) and fat mass (FM; −0.7; 95% CI, −1.2 to −0.3 kg), but overestimated FFM (1.1; 95% CI, 0.6 to 1.5 kg) against DXA in PRE. No systematic errors were detected in CMP. In longitudinal evaluation, S-MFBIA underestimated decreases in %fat (1.2; 95% CI, 0.3 to 2.1 pp) and FM (0.5; 95% CI, 0.1 to 0.9 kg) and increases in FFM (−1.0; 95% CI, −1.4 to −0.6 kg). The limits of agreement were −3.0 to 5.4 pp, −1.4 to 2.4 kg, and −3.0 to 1.0 kg, respectively. Conclusions Although small systematic errors might not hinder the use of S-MFBIA for group-based analysis, large random errors relative to the size of measurement limit its ability to accurately monitor the individual body composition of competitive female adolescent runners over a weight loss period.

Individualised reference ranges for markers of muscle recovery assessment in soccer

ABSTRACT Recently an individualisation algorithm has been developed and shown to significantly improve the diagnostic accuracy of creatine kinase (CK) and urea in endurance sports and Badminton. In this study, the applicability and benefit of this algorithm was evaluated using repeated measures data from 161 professional German soccer players monitored during the 2015–2017 seasons. Venous blood samples were collected after a day off (recovered state) and after a minimum of two strenuous training sessions within 48 h (non-recovered state) and analysed for CK and urea. Group-based reference ranges were derived from that same dataset to ensure the best possible reference for comparison. A z-test was conducted to analyse differences in error rates between individualised and group-based classifications. CK values for the individualised approach showed significantly lower error rates in the assessment of muscle recovery compared to both a population-based (p < .001; z-value: −17.01; test-pass error rate: 21 vs. 67%; test-fail: 19 vs. 64%) and a group-based cut-off (p < .001; z-value: −15.29; test-pass error rate: 65%; test-fail: 67%). It could be concluded that the assessment of muscle recovery in soccer using individualised interpretations of blood-borne markers may offer higher diagnostic accuracy than a population-based and a sample-specific group-based approach. Highlights Assessing muscle recovery via CK using individualised ranges seems to offer a higher diagnostic accuracy than a sample-specific group-based analysis. Using an individualised algorithm seems to be a promising approach to overcome diagnostic problems arising from large inter- and intraindividual variability in blood parameters as it significantly improved the diagnostic accuracy of CK as a recovery marker. As recovery assessment in elite soccer ultimately aims at the accurate detection of differences in the individual player this algorithm seems to offer coaches and sport scientists a more sensitive approach compared to group-specific evaluations.

An Interactive Pharmacogenetics Lesson Using PharmGKB To Individualize Pharmacotherapy Recommendations

PharmGKB is a user‐friendly online pharmacogenomics database that annotates clinical guidelines for optimizing drug therapy based on patient genotypes. The majority of guidelines in PharmGKB are based on the interindividual variability in cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes responsible for metabolizing drugs. By individualizing patient therapy according to CYP genotypes, there is potential to improve pharmacotherapy outcomes and minimize the risk of adverse events. Although there is growing interest amongst educators and students to integrate pharmacogenetic content into health science curricula, there is a lack of educational resources that teach students how to utilize resources such as PharmGKB to inform clinical decision making. The purpose of this study was to assess and disseminate a case‐based interactive lesson on pharmacogenetic‐based drug dosing principles that uses PharmGKB. Seventy‐one high school students participated in a two‐hour Zoom session as part of a four‐day Toxicology, Health, and Environmental Disease Program. The lesson was divided into a didactic lecture on pharmacogenetics followed by a group‐based analysis of hypothetical case scenarios. Case questions focused on genetic variation in CYP enzymes in the context of different clinical scenarios. Examples included the use of codeine for analgesia (CYP2D6) and clopidogrel for stroke prevention (CYP2C19). Assessment of student understanding was measured by percent gain in correct answers between pre‐ and post‐lesson polling questions. The first question focused on pharmacology concepts while the last two focused on genetics concepts. Students had high pre‐test scores on the pharmacology question having learned these concepts earlier in the program. For the additional two questions, there was a positive gain (42%) demonstrating an increase in knowledge during the lesson. Seventy‐eight percent of students would be ‘extremely likely’ or ‘very likely’ to recommend this activity. We propose that an interactive, group‐based activity can be used to teach basic principles of pharmacogenetics and empower students and educators to effectively use online drug resources.

Ethnopolitical Entrepreneurs as Nation Builders? Heritage and Innovation in Gagauzia

AbstractThis article brings to light the lesser-known case of Gagauzia, an autonomous region in Moldova, to examine how global frameworks of authenticity and heritage are drawn upon and performed in three local ethnically centered initiatives. Drawing on data from twelve months of ethnographic fieldwork carried out between 2015 and 2018, this case study provides insight into the ways that notions of nationhood are constructed and perpetuated, with a focus on the role of a specific segment of society, ethnopolitical entrepreneurs. These are neither fully top-down nor bottom-up actors. Focusing on three Gagauzian “firsts” that claim to represent the “last” of disappearing cultural practices and identities, this article interrogates how the given initiatives fuse heritage and innovation to create metacultural discourses that advance notions of Gagauzian ethnic or national particularism. The article gives food for thought about the salience – or not – of elite actors’ articulations of nation, particularly within post-Soviet societies and underscores the array of social actors involved in any nation-building activity. Further, by highlighting the heterogeneity of intersectional, lived experience and articulations of belonging, the article problematizes group-based analysis and methodological nationalism.

The Joyful Life: An Existential-Humanistic Approach to Positive Psychology in the Time of a Pandemic.

In the midst of a global pandemic, psychology has a duty to identify dispositional or character traits that can be cultivated in citizens in order to create resiliency in the face of profound losses, suffering and distress. Dispositional joy holds some promise as such a trait that could be especially important for well-being during the current pandemic and its consequences. The concept of the Joyful Life may operate as bridge between positive psychology and humanistic, existential, and spiritual views of the good life, by integrating hedonic, prudential, eudaimonic and chaironic visions of the good life. Previous phenomenological research on state joy suggests that momentary states of joy may have features that overlap with happiness but go beyond mere hedonic interests, and point to the experience of a life oriented toward virtue and a sense of the transcendent or the sacred. However, qualitative research on the Joyful Life, or dispositional joy, is sorely lacking. This study utilized a dialogical phenomenological analysis to conduct a group-based analysis of 17 volunteer students, who produced 51 autobiographical narrative descriptions of the joyful life. The dialogical analyses were assisted by integration of the Imagery in Movement Method, which incorporated expressive drawing and psychodrama as an aid to explicate implicit themes in the experiences of the participants. The analyses yielded ten invariant themes found across the autobiographical narrative descriptions: Being broken, being grounded, being centered, breaking open, being uplifted, being supertemporal, being open to the mystery, being grateful, opening up and out, and being together. The descriptions of a Joyful Life were consistent with a meaning orientation to happiness, due to their emphasis on the cultivation of virtue in the service of a higher calling, the realization of which was felt to be a gift or blessing. The discussion examines implications for future research, including the current relevance of a joyful disposition during a global pandemic. Due to the joyful disposition’s tendency to transform suffering and tragedy into meaning, and its theme of an orientation to prosocial motivations, the Joyful Life may occupy a central place in the study of resiliency and personal growth in response to personal and collective trauma such as COVID-19.

Biomechanical analysis of accuracy penalties-kicking performance for Turkish Soccer players: Group-based analysis without goalkeeper

Background and Study Aim. It is stated that kinetic performance factors are important in the successful execution of accurate kick-penalties, thus, its offer excellent performance despite a substantial kinetic method change in their implementation. The aim of the study is to biomechanical analysis of accuracy penalties-kicking performance for Turkish soccer players. Material and Methods. The study group consisted 15 male students of Turkish Regional Amateur League players (Age: 21.08± 1.56 years old). Two video cameras placed at optical axes X&amp;Y filmed penalty-kick performance of the subjects. we analysed the best three scores by video analysis Dartfish 9.0 software. Standard statistical methods were used for the calculation of mean±SD. the Statistical significance at p&lt;.05 for Pearson product—moment correlations. Results. Accurate penalty-kicks showed significant positive relationship of knee Pi angle value in backswing, ball Contact phases, trunk angle value in ball contact with the accuracy at p&lt;.01. Significant negative relationship of inclination_body angle value, time of foot contact at p&lt;.01, and distance pivot foot&amp;ball value at p&lt;.05 in the follow-through phase. Conclusion. Such knowledge should aid in clarify the relationships between variables of penalty kicking during The performance phases and accuracy. the present preliminary investigation of accurate penalty-kicks performance indicates Support-leg characteristics demonstrated in knee angle values an important factor in Backswing, Ball Contact phases with the accuracy of penalty kicking. also, the Foot Contact time and Inclination_Body angle in that.

Adolescent Family Violence: Findings from a Group-Based Analysis

Current understanding of adolescent family violence (AFV) is fragmented, with research describing offenders and offending at the aggregate level or exploring different forms of AFV in isolation. The current study aimed to describe and compare AFV offender groups drawn from the same population. A sample of 2717 adolescent offenders (12–17 years old) who were reported to Victoria Police for family violence offending in the 2014 calendar year were sorted into five mutually exclusive categories based on the relationship with their primary victim/survivor—mother, father, younger sibling, older sibling and other family members. The groups were then compared across a number of dimensions, including the characteristics of the young person and ‘type’ of violence and abuse perpetrated, as well as prior offending patterms. The analysis identified key differences between offenders based on their relationship with their primary victim/survivor. Mothers emerged as a high-risk cohort because the violence they were experiencing was often frequent and had been ongoing for extended periods of time. They were also the most likely cohort to report being afraid of the offender. Adolescents who were primarily violent towards other family members (eg grandparents) also emerged as key group for future examination due to their use of violence in various contexts, and other offending. Group-based analyses of AFV offenders can provide valuable insights into the differences and similarities underlying this offender population. Future studies should aim to build on this research.

A two-dimensional boundary: Sunnis’ perceptions of Alevis

ABSTRACT Alevi-Sunni relations in Turkey are the result of a relational process constructed from contributions of each side rather than each groups’ perceptions of the other. Boundaries between Alevis and Sunnis in Turkey have been constructed relationally with the contributions of many complicated socio-political factors. This article aims to answer the question of what the symbolic boundaries between the two groups are, seeking to understand how Sunnis perceive Alevis. This aim will cast light on the nature of the two groups’ relations, help us recognize forms of Alevism and Sunnism specific to Turkey, and advance existing literature on the issue. This paper’s findings are based on ninety semi-structured and two focus group interviews with Sunnis living in Istanbul. Results show that the concept of ‘two-dimensional symbolic boundary,’ which runs along dimensions of not-knowing and not-accepting, is the answer to the question of how Sunnis perceive Alevis. The main components of these dimensions are perceptions, which seem to relate to the interpretations of group norms and values. This study, as a group-based analysis, reveals that perceived group norms – whether religious, cultural, social, or political – determine the perceptions of Sunnis towards Alevis and create dimensions of the boundary between the two groups.

Co-located (multi-user) virtual rehabilitation of acquired brain injury: feasibility of the Resonance system for upper-limb training

Upper-limb virtual rehabilitation (VR) in adult acquired brain injury (ABI) is based largely on systems administered on a one-to-one basis. Multi-user interaction between co-located participants may offer advantages over single-user methods. The present study examined the feasibility of deploying a co-located VR system (Resonance) in a clinical setting. Following a baselining period, 5 patients with ABI completed 12 Resonance sessions over 4–6 weeks. Feasibility criteria included recruitment, intervention delivery, attrition, user experience, and suitability of outcome measures. Individual participant motor proficiency (box and blocks task) was examined using a time-series analysis with reliable change indices and curve fitting. All feasibility criteria were satisfied, with positive reports of user experience. Repeated collection of outcome measures was successfully integrated into the training schedule. Time-series analysis was successfully conducted, providing a detailed account of individual training-related change. Within a clinical setting, it was feasible to deliver Resonance and regularly monitor motor function. User feedback regarding the co-located VR intervention was generally positive, but expectations regarding the level of immersion may need to be managed. Individual time-series analysis is recommended as an adjunct to group-based analysis in future VR research. These findings can inform the design of a clinical trial.