Information Practices Research Articles

Clinical Impact of Reperfusion Techniques and Occlusion Sites in Thrombectomy: Insights from the ASSIST Stroke Registry

BACKGROUND Mechanical thrombectomy has changed the landscape of acute ischemic stroke treatment, offering improved outcomes for patients with large vessel occlusions. The interplay between reperfusion techniques and occlusion sites remains a critical consideration in treatment decisions. This study investigates the impact of primary reperfusion techniques—stent retriever classic, stent retriever combination with aspiration, and direct aspiration—on procedural and clinical outcomes at different occlusion sites. METHODS Using data from the ASSIST registry, a prospective multinational initiative, patients with anterior circulation acute ischemic stroke with large vessel occlusions (n = 1477) were included. Three primary occlusion sites—M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery, M2 segment of the middle cerebral artery, and the internal carotid artery—were studied. Univariate tests and multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess associations between reperfusion techniques and procedural and clinical outcomes, including the expanded thrombolysis in cerebral infarction score and the modified Rankin Scale, stratified by occlusion site. RESULTS Achieving expanded thrombolysis in cerebral infarction ≥2c after first pass was lower in internal carotid artery occlusions (18.2%, P <0.0001) with direct aspiration alone compared with stent retriever classic (38.2%) or stent retriever combination with aspiration (43.3%), while no differences were seen for M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery ( P = 0.77) and M2 segment of the middle cerebral artery ( P = 0.29) occlusions. Bailout maneuvers, which were more frequent in the direct aspiration group for all occlusion sites, did not result in longer procedure times or different final recanalization outcomes in direct aspiration compared with stent retriever classic or stent retriever combination with aspiration. Overall, there were no differences in the rate of patients with modified Rankin Scale scores of 0–2 at 90 days. No differences in safety outcomes were observed. CONCLUSIONS This study provides insight into the complex relationship between reperfusion techniques and occlusion sites in patients with acute ischemic stroke and shows that certain techniques have advantages in certain occlusion sites. As the field evolves, further research is warranted to refine our understanding of these dynamics and inform clinical practice.

Developing and using an adapted mosaic approach to explore children's foreign language learning experiences in primary school

This article describes an adapted mosaic approach, developed and used in a longitudinal, ethnographic study that explored children's foreign language learning (FLL) experiences in primary school in England. As a methodological innovation within the field of instructed early foreign language learning, the adapted approach addresses an identified need for a wider range of research methodologies and more inductive approaches. The original mosaic approach was initially considered to help address methodological questions that arose during the ethnography. That approach was subsequently adapted and developed in four main ways: firstly, for use within the longitudinal, ethnographic study; second, for use with its older, primary school-aged children; third, for development and use together with children in school rather than a tool designed for use on children and finally, where the focus was upon the process of completion rather than the end product. The adapted approach met the needs identified within the ethnography by further enhancing children's voices, their agency and perspectives within its data collection and analysis. Recommendations for its use in language learning contexts are made to support further research together with children, to help strengthen what is currently known and understood about children's experiences of instructed foreign language learning. This is based on the premise that knowing and understanding more about these will help inform future practices and initiatives.

Investigating Mobility, Place, and Information Access Through an Ethnographic Study of Vehicle Residents’ Information Practices in the United States

Throughout the United States, an approximated one million people currently inhabit vehicles parked in publicly accessible areas as their primary method of housing. This dissertation explores vehicle residents’ information seeking practices and barriers to information access. Library and Information science (LIS) research has not developed theory related to place, mobility, and information access, despite living in a hyper-mobile world. LIS primarily centers online information behaviors, limiting potential impact on larger populations that face unique barriers to information access. While some studies constructed theory to address the function of place in information behavior, few interrogate how place and mobility impact information access despite geographic mobility serving important functions in various theory constructions. To address the importance of place and mobility in the context of information access, I conducted a multi-method, ethnographic study. Completing two rounds of deeply embedded fieldwork from June-October 2023 in Santa Cruz, California (CA) and from January-February 2024 along the Southern CA and Arizona (AZ) border, I used participant observation, information horizon interviews, and guided tours and photographs of participant’s vehicles to explore vehicle residents’ information practices and information source preferences. I determined my key findings in Spring 2024; they reveal that participants experience micro-fractures in their information landscapes when moving through new information environments. Identifying vehicle residents’ information practices and most used information sources can help public libraries and other information institutions implement improved support services for this growing population as public libraries are well positioned to bolster information access on behalf of its communities.

Building Information Worlds through Community and Experience: Preliminary Findings of an Ethnographic Study of Vehicle Residents’ Information Practices

Across the United States, an estimated one million people inhabit vehicles as their primary method of housing. While vehicles are among the most common shelters aside from brick-and-mortar homes, few studies have explored this populace. This is among the first studies that investigate vehicle residents from an information perspective. Based on six months of ethnographic fieldwork, this study seeks to explore vehicle residents’ information practices and the resources and source preferences used to support their daily lives. The end goal is to understand how information institutions, namely public libraries, can create service provisions to offer support. Through an information worlds lens, coupled with information horizon interviews, this research seeks to examine how trust is built within this community through information seeking via other vehicle residents. Preliminary findings suggest that the trust constructed within this information world directly impacts vehicle residents’ decisions to turn to their community for information.

Online Learning Challenges Encountered by University Students Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review of Digital Divide Perspective

The COVID-19 has required a rapid conversion from the conventional learning to online learning, revealing and intensifying the digital inequality amongst university pupils. The primary objectives of this systematic review study are to identify the digital divide challenges encountered by university students in online learning amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and to understand the underlying reasons contributing to these challenges. This study focuses on empirical research published between 2020 and 2023. The review utilized the seven phases of systematic review recommended by the Evidence for Policy and Practice Information and Co-ordinating Centre. A comprehensive Scopus and Web of Science search was undertaken using word string "higher education/university education/university students", "online learning/distance learning," "COVID-19/pandemic,” “digital divide/digital inequality/digital exclusion," and, and the initially 190 articles were extracted.The criteria for inclusion restricted the number of publications that were examined to a total of 11. The analysis reveals two primary categories of digital divide challenges: the first-level digital divide, characterized by limited access to essential digital devices and internet connectivity, and the second-level digital divide, which relates to varying levels of digital competency among students.Key factors contributing to these challenges include financial constraints, geographical disparities, and inadequate technological infrastructure. Students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds and rural areas faced significant obstacles in engaging with online learning platforms, leading to adverse academic outcomes. Strategies for bridging the digital divide should be implemented in collaboration with educational institutions, government agencies, and private sector stakeholders. These strategies should focus on the enhancement of technological infrastructure, the provision of financial support, and the provision of digital literacy training programs. The review highlights the importance of understanding the digital divide in shaping future educational practices and policies, aiming to create a more inclusive and resilient higher education system in the post-pandemic era. By addressing the identified challenges, institutions can empower all students to succeed in an increasingly digital learning environment.

The Tech Core Curriculum: Teaching Technology as a Core Competence

This panel addresses the ALISE Call for Proposals’ “questions of mutual interest” about integrating professional competences into pedagogy by providing interpretations and strategies for including information and communications technology (ICT) core competences into teaching and curriculum at ALA-accredited programs of Library and Information Science. Through an informal roundtable discussion followed by semi-structured and open audience solicitation, four faculty members who teach courses and modules in information technology from two ALA-accredited programs that have recently undergone curricular audits will provide an overview of technology core competences from the American Library Association and the Society of American Archivists (SAA). Discussions will include… Interpretations and interpretive problems with the ALA technology competence and sub-competences. A comparative interpretation of the Graduate Program in Archival Studies (GPAS) Curriculum’s technology competence from the SAA. How instructors have adapted these competences in courses and curriculum. How instructors have addressed student skill gaps and technophobia. A survey of which ALA-accredited programs do and do not have a technology core requirement as well as the types of courses that count for such a requirement. The pros and cons of a technology core requirement for ALA-accredited programs. Strategies for intentionally embedding technology competences in other required courses. A technology competence for programs that prepare information professionals of the twenty-first century appears at once essential and assumed. Previous studies show that graduate programs in library and information science have cut ICT core requirements in favor of embedding technology instruction in other requirements that principally satisfy other competences. Partly this is a solution to economizing core requirements in order to facilitate flexible course paths for students, and partly this is a solution to the vagaries set forth in standardized core competences, which remain media-agnostic.That is, the principles set forth in ALA core competences do not specify the types of technologies to address in any one competence, including the technology competence, making ‘technology’ an overly fungible term that can be applied to almost any instruction or practice. While theoretically media-agnosticism creates continuity with past and present analog means of information practices, all means of information practices are, of course, mediated. The majority of programs seem to make the assumption that ICT competence necessarily implies digital mediation. For larger, digitally focused programs in the iSchool movement, the assumption that ICT competence means digital competence further means that demonstrations and assessments of that competence are already embedded in the majority of courses. Compounding the assumption that digital practice satisfies ICT competence is an assumption of student digital nativity. While research has dispelled the myth of the ‘digital native,’ such a mythos persists in programs’ imaginations of their own graduate students who must de facto navigate sophisticated digital environments in order to participate in graduate programs of the twenty-first century knowledge economy. This roundtable aims at the outset to lay bare the tenuous relationship between standardized competences’ media-agnosticism and curricular assumptions of media-embeddedness. Then, participants will address strategies for curricular demonstrations of technology competence that are intentional, media-situated, student-focused, and strategic. Intentional: Rather than assume technological competence from demonstrated digital, information practices, instructors and programs should produce Stated Learning Objectives (SLO) and aligned assessment mechanisms that ask students to do more than demonstrate technology use. Media-situated: Students should understand that barriers to information access vary not just according to social vectors like race, gender, and income, but also by medium of access, which requires on the part of the student or information professional a media-comparative approach to ICT. Student-focused: Instructors should not assume student digital nativity or proficiency and should instead meet students where they are within a multi-dimensional matrix of technological practices and attitudes. In addition to being good pedagogy, a student-relational approach to technology also models exemplary user services. Strategic: Moving from the myth of the ‘tech savvy librarian’ of the early 00s, which largely relied on assumptions of generational digital nativity, instructors and programs should refocus on a model of the ‘tech strategic librarian,’ one who is not necessarily a coding-multilingual early adopter, but one who understands the stakes and intersections of technocapitalism, information capitalism, library resources, and community users. The highly interactive 90-minute roundtable will begin with a ten-minute introduction from the chair followed by three five-minute, informal statements from the panelists touching on the above topics. Semi-structured discussion from the panel will proceed for the second 25-minute block followed by open-room discussion and audience solicitation for fifteen minutes. This will leave a final 25-minute block for guided audience small-group discussion and reporting mediated by panelists. In small groups, audience members will be asked to generate Stated Learning Outcomes and assessment mechanisms based on the ALA’s technology sub-competences.

Fairness and Biases in AI Algorithms and Interfaces

This workshop will explore various biases embedded in AI algorithms and interfaces across online platforms, including digital archives and libraries, social media, search engines, and AI-powered services like ChatGPT. Participants will critically engage with issues surrounding information credibility, transparency in content selection and appraisal, the accuracy and integrity in representation, and the intricate dynamics of information authority, format, and editorial oversight. The workshop aims to equip participants with practical strategies to identify, assess, and address biases inherent in various media, empowering them to navigate and evaluate online information across platforms with informed judgment. The workshop will begin with a 10-minute introduction, welcoming participants and outlining the goals of the session. The workshop will kick off with an interactive introductory lecture focused on various potential biases in AI algorithms. The first part, which will last about 10 to 20 minutes, will address recognizing biases in social media. Participants will analyze these biases by identifying fake news in provided articles and reflecting on their own everyday information practices on social media. After this informative segment, participants will engage in hands-on workshops aimed at applying their knowledge to recognize the types of biases they may encounter during their online information-seeking activities. They will participate in hands-on activities lasting 20 to 30 minutes, using different online tools to help identify such biases. Following the interactive hands-on workshops, participants will have the opportunity to share their insights and findings regarding the biases they discovered. The second section, which will explore biases in digital archives, digital libraries, and search engines through case studies, will last approximately one hour. It will include a 40-minute lecture that covers different types of biases in digital archives, libraries, and search engines, illustrated through case studies. After the lecture, participants will reflect on the biases presented for 10 minutes in a group discussion, sharing their thoughts and insights. Following participants' reflections on these biases, the last part of the session will focus on potential biases in ChatGPT. It will begin with a 30-minute lecture on how ChatGPT generates responses, emphasizing potential biases that could arise at each layer or step of the process. By examining a step-by-step analysis of how ChatGPT generates its answers, participants will deepen their understanding of the biases and errors inherent in the information generated by ChatGPT and its complex operational dynamics. Following this lecture, participants will engage in discussion for 20 minutes, working in small groups to identify biases and discussing necessary educational changes for themselves and their students. The workshop will conclude with a final reflection, where participants will share insights gained throughout the session and discuss how to apply their learning moving forward. The workshop will be wrapped up in a brief 10-minute summary of key points, encouraging participants to implement the strategies discussed in their own information evaluation practices. This workshop is designed for beginner-level students and researchers, as well as those interested in incorporating critical digital literacy principles into their teaching. It is open to people with diverse backgrounds and levels of expertise. No prior knowledge is required, allowing participants to embark on their learning journey with a fresh perspective and receptive attitude. The goal of this workshop is to enhance critical thinking skills related to the credibility of information while unpacking the complexities of information curation, representation, and editorial control in today's intricate digital landscape. Participants will gain a more nuanced understanding of how information is selected, represented, and potentially biased across various platforms, including social media, digital archives and libraries, search engines, and AI-powered services like ChatGPT. Through this workshop, participants will learn to effectively navigate the complexities of their information practices and develop the ability to critically assess the credibility of the online information they consume. Through engaging lectures and hands-on activities, participants will learn to identify and evaluate the inherent biases present in various media channels. They will explore practical strategies for assessing the credibility of information, recognizing potential mis/disinformation, and critically analyzing the content they encounter in their everyday information-seeking activities. By the end of the workshop, participants will be equipped with the necessary tools to navigate the digital information landscape safely and effectively, empowering them to make informed decisions not only for themselves but also in guiding others, such as children, students, or peers, in developing their own critical digital media literacy skills. This comprehensive approach aims to enhance participants’ ability to engage thoughtfully with information, ultimately fostering a more informed and critically aware community.

A students’ behaviors in information security: Extension of Protection Motivation Theory (PMT)

ABSTRACT This study investigates information security behaviors among university students, focusing on the interplay of psychological and social factors influencing their behavioral intentions and actions. By integrating the Theory of Planned Behavior, Protection Motivation Theory, and General Deterrence Theory, the research offers a comprehensive understanding of factors such as self-efficacy, perceived risk vulnerability, response cost, and response efficacy. Utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM) and Necessary Condition Analysis (NCA), the study assesses the impact of these factors on students’ information security practices. Measurement items were developed based on recent empirical studies, ensuring relevance to the contemporary digital environment. The findings reveal significant associations between these factors and students’ security behaviors, providing insights into effective strategies for promoting information security awareness and practices. This research contributes to the academic discourse on digital security behaviors and offers practical implications for enhancing information security measures within university settings.

Low-molecular-weight heparin in the prevention of venous thromboembolism among patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage: A meta-analysis.

It remains unclear whether low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) is effective and safe for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients. This study presents a meta-analysis for elucidating effect of LMWH on preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) among ICH patients. Articles were located by systematically searching PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), WANFANG DATA, VIP, and SinoMed databases. The literature was independently screened by two authors, who also extracted data and conducted a qualitative evaluation. With regard to outcomes, their risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed, and the findings were combined using the random effects model by using Mantel-Haenszel approach. 30 studies involving 2904 patients were analyzed and compared to control group. According to our findings, early low-dose LMWH, prophylaxis for VTE, was related to the markedly reduced deep vein thrombosis (DVT) (3.6% vs. 17.5%; RR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.18-0.35; p-value<0.00001) and pulmonary embolism (PE) (0.4% vs. 3.2%; RR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.14-0.57; p-value = 0.003), while the non-significantly increased hematoma progression (3.8% vs. 3.4%; RR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.68-1.68; p-value = 0.79) and gastrointestinal bleeding (3.6% vs. 6.1%; RR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.31-1.28; p-value = 0.20). Also, mortality (14.1% vs. 15.8%; RR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.63-1.28; p-value = 0.55) did not show any significant difference in LMWH compared with control groups. Our meta-analysis suggested that early low-dose of LMWH are safe and effective in ICH patients. More extensive, multicenter, high-quality randomized clinical trials (RCTs) should be conducted to validate the findings and inform clinical practice.

Information Seeking and Sharing Among LGBTQ University Students: Dynamics Within LGBTQ Communities on Social Media

In my dissertation research, I investigate the nuanced dynamics between LGBTQ university students and social media platform design, identifying the facilitators and obstacles they encounter while seeking and sharing information in online communities. This study serves a dual purpose: to explore the information-seeking and sharing experiences of LGBTQ students on social media, and to analyze platform design aspects that either enhance or hinder these information behaviors. By addressing both elements, the research aims to provide a holistic understanding of information practices within LGBTQ online communities and offer actionable recommendations to improve social media design, fostering a supportive environment for LGBTQ students. Adopting an exploratory mixed-methods approach, I employ both qualitative methods (i.e., initial interviews, diaries, and follow-up interviews) and quantitative method (i.e., online survey questionnaires) to collect data. Integrating qualitative and quantitative methods ensures a thorough exploration of the topic, offering nuanced insights into LGBTQ students’ online experiences. The dissertation holds both theoretical and practical significance. It advances our understanding of LGBTQ students’ information behaviors within online communities and examines the interplay between social media platform features and these behaviors. Practically, the research provides valuable insights for LGBTQ organizations, community administrators, and social media developers. By addressing the unique information needs of LGBTQ students and enhancing social media platform design, this study facilitates the creation of inclusive, supportive, and user-friendly online environments for LGBTQ individuals.

Welcome to #SpoonieTok: Understanding and supporting disability expertise storytelling abilities and collective information practices on TikTok and beyond

This work-in-progress poster explores individual and collective storytelling and information creation practices in chronic illness TikTok communities, with the ultimate goal to support these embodied, creative, and multimodal abilities on and off-app through codesigned storytelling support materials. Findings from ongoing data collection and grounded theory coding, include folks’ sharing of disability expertise: using platform features to visualize invisible disability; audio, visual, and community-specific mimetic options. Interviews with 11 community members illuminate how disabled creators on TikTok engage in algorithmically-mediated online health communities, which have slippery boundaries where information can be found serendipitously through algorithmic ranking, and foster opportunities to develop storytelling skills.

Layperson-Administered Naloxone Trends Reported in Emergency Medical Service Activations, 2020-2022

Layperson-administered naloxone (LAN) is a powerful but incompletely characterized intervention to prevent opioid-related overdose mortality. LAN trends are relevant to policy and strategic planning in naloxone distribution initiatives. To assess the 2-year LAN trend for persons in the United States receiving naloxone during emergency medical services (EMS) activations. This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in the United States from June 2020 to June 2022 among 65 621 195 EMS activations from 911 responses, EMS standbys, or when EMS crews functioned in an ambulance intercept role or during mutual aid to another ambulance response. Activations within health care settings and interfacility or medical transports were excluded. Data are from the National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS), the national EMS patient care record database. From June 2020 to June 2022, NEMSIS included more than 96 million EMS activations from nearly 14 000 agencies across 54 states and territories. EMS clinician-reported LAN. The primary outcome was the trend of receiving LAN, measured by EMS clinician documentation. From June 2020 to June 2022, EMS reported 744 078 patients receiving naloxone, with 24 990 (3.4%) involving LAN. Patients were predominantly male (17 331 [69.4%]) and had a median (IQR) age of 42 (31-56) years, with the majority treated in urban homes or residences (21 692 [86.8%] urban; 13 223 [52.9%] in-home or residence). Of the total naloxone recipients, 243 985 patients (32.8%) had suspected drug overdose documentation as either the primary or secondary impression. Overall, the percentage change in naloxone administration rates decreased 6.1% over the study period (from 1140.1 [95% CI, 1135.1-1145.1] per 100 000 EMS activations to 1070.1 [95% CI, 1064.9-1075.3] per 100 000 EMS activations), while the percentage change of persons receiving LAN increased 43.5% (from 30.0 [95% CI, 29.2-30.8] per 100 000 EMS activations to 43.1 [95% CI, 42.0-44.1] per 100 000 EMS activations). In this cross-sectional study, the LAN rate increased from June 2020 to June 2022 as reported in the national EMS database. These findings help inform policies and practices aimed at mitigating the devastating impacts of the opioid epidemic and saving lives. Novel public health strategies are needed to measure the effects of this intervention nationally, evaluate approaches to expand naloxone distribution, and address naloxone usage barriers.

‘Living in a post-truth era’? Online misinformation in everyday life in rural and urban China

ABSTRACT This paper investigates everyday information seeking and misinformation among Internet users in rural and urban China. The research employs both quantitative and qualitative methods to identify user demographics and categories of misinformation encountered on mobile devices online. The paper makes two contributions: one is to bridge hitherto unconnected research on everyday information practices with the literature on misinformation. The second is to demonstrate that, despite the assumption that China’s tightly controlled online space leads to less of a misinformation problem, this is not the case in everyday life contexts. The findings may have wider implications, especially in the Global South.

A Qualitative Systematic Review of Stigma, Violence, Victimization, and Associated Coping Among Transgender People Engaged in Sex Work.

Globally, transgender people engaged in sex work experience disproportionately high risks of victimization. While qualitative studies on the perspectives of transgender people engaged in sex work can shed light on their intersecting experiences, a qualitative synthesis could offer a systematic understanding and inform anti-oppressive practices and policies. This review explores the experience of stigma, violence, victimization, and associated coping strategies among transgender people engaged in sex work. We conducted a literature search in November 2023 on MEDLINE, Social Work Abstracts, and CINAHL PLUS from EBSCOhost, APA PsycInfo, ASSIA, and Sociological Abstracts from ProQuest and SCOPUS (PROSPERO ID: CRD42023478844). From 1,085 studies retrieved, 64 were included in this review. Thematic synthesis identified seven themes: (a) individual struggle, (b) interpersonal violence, (c) community transphobia and exclusion, (d) systemic oppression, (e) individual coping strategies, (f) community resources, and (g) organizational support as coping resources. This review contributes to the discussion around the health vulnerabilities of transgender people engaged in sex work that inherently result from intersecting victimization in a larger global context, including trafficking, urban planning, migration, and COVID-19. Identification of the coping strategies of transgender people engaged in sex work also highlights their resilience and sites of empowerment. Policymakers and professionals should be mindful of the intersectional identities of transgender people engaged in sex work and initiate peer- and community-led interventions to support them in building intersectional solidarity and resisting victimization.

Effect of pharmacist interventions in chronic kidney disease: a meta-analysis.

Pharmacists are uniquely placed with their therapeutic knowledge to manage people with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Data is limited regarding the impact of pharmacist interventions on economic, clinical, and humanistic outcomes (ECHO). A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of interventions with pharmacist input was conducted, which included adults with a diagnosis of CKD, including those with and without kidney replacement therapy. Data was extracted on ECHO: economic (e.g. healthcare-associated costs), clinical (e.g. mortality), and humanistic (e.g. patient satisfaction) outcomes. Where appropriate, a random-effects model meta-analysis generated a pooled estimate of effect. A direction of effect plot was used to summarize the overall effects for clinical outcome domains. 32 RCTs reported a total of 10 economic, 211 clinical, and 18 humanistic outcomes. Pharmacist interventions resulted in statistically significant improvements in systolic blood pressure and hemoglobin levels, but not in diastolic blood pressure, estimated glomerular filtration rate, creatinine, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Mixed findings were reported for clinical and economic outcomes, whilst pharmacist interventions resulted in an improvement in humanistic outcomes such as patient satisfaction and patient knowledge. Findings showed pharmacist interventions had mixed results for various outcomes. Future studies should be more robustly designed and take into consideration the role of the pharmacist in prescribing and deprescribing, the findings of which will help inform research and clinical practice.

Money That Matters: Coins, Banknotes, and Mediation in Tanzanian Prosperity Ministries

Based on long-term ethnographic research in Tanzania, this article contributes to existing scholarship on adaptations and modifications of the so-called gospel in African contexts. I show how the Prosperity Gospel has taken shape in an environment of intense religious/spiritual/medical competition and, not least, of widespread cultural concerns with the moral legitimacy of wealth generated through alliances with spiritual forces. However, I also argue that a deeper understanding of the ways in which the Prosperity Gospel has become contextualized can be reached by moving beyond a focus on cultural concerns with wealth and paying close attention to the exuberance of meanings attributed to money in its most concrete and tangible form, coins and banknotes, as well as to the religious/ritual practices involving money that such meanings inspire. I pursue my analysis by zooming in on two areas where cultural understandings of money as exceeding its materiality and its use value are prevalent: the use of powers of witchcraft to extract money from others and the practice of bride wealth. Whereas the first has to do with understandings of material money as imbued with spiritual powers, the second can be seen as an example of a gift economy, since money given by a groom to his parents-in-law by virtue of containing parts of his soul or his essence becomes the foundation of a relationship of mutual respect between them. In the last part of the article, I show how both understandings are entangled with Prosperity teachings and inform ritual practices involving material money.

Influenza-Like Illness in Lesotho From July 2020 to July 2021: Population-Based Participatory Surveillance Results.

Participatory surveillance involves at-risk populations reporting their symptoms using technology. In Lesotho, a landlocked country of 2 million people in Southern Africa, laboratory and case-based COVID-19 surveillance systems were complemented by a participatory surveillance system called "LeCellPHIA" (Lesotho Cell Phone Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment Survey). This report describes the person, place, and time characteristics of influenza-like illness (ILI) in Lesotho from July 15, 2020, to July 15, 2021, and reports the risk ratio of ILI by key demographic variables. LeCellPHIA employed interviewers to call participants weekly to inquire about ILI. The average weekly incidence rate for the year-long period was created using a Quasi-Poisson model, which accounted for overdispersion. To identify factors associated with an increased risk of ILI, we conducted a weekly data analysis by fitting a multilevel Poisson regression model, which accounted for 3 levels of clustering. The overall response rate for the year of data collection was 75%, which resulted in 122,985 weekly reports from 1776 participants. ILI trends from LeCellPHIA mirrored COVID-19 testing data trends, with an epidemic peak in mid to late January 2021. Overall, any ILI symptoms (eg, fever, dry cough, and shortness of breath) were reported at an average weekly rate of 879 per 100,000 (95% CI 782-988) persons at risk. Compared to persons in the youngest age group (15-19 years), all older age groups had an elevated risk of ILI, with the highest risk of ILI in the oldest age group (≥60 years; risk ratio 2.6, 95% CI 1.7-3.8). Weekly data were shared in near real time with the National COVID-19 Secretariat and other stakeholders to monitor ILI trends, identify and respond to increases in reports of ILI, and inform policies and practices designed to reduce COVID-19 transmission in Lesotho. LeCellPHIA, an innovative and cost-effective system, could be replicated in countries where cell phone ownership is high but internet use is not yet high enough for a web- or app-based surveilance system.

Cardiovascular Risks of Methylphenidate in Children with ADHD

Introduction: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder affecting millions of children worldwide. Methylphenidate is one of the most prescribed medications for managing ADHD symptoms due to its proven efficacy. However, despite its widespread use and effectiveness, there are ongoing concerns about the cardiovascular safety of methylphenidate, particularly in pediatric populations. These concerns stem from reports of increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and, in rare cases, more severe cardiovascular events. Aim of the Study: To review recent studies on the cardiovascular safety of methylphenidate in children with ADHD, synthesizing findings to inform clinical practice. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted, focusing on studies published in the last decade that investigated the cardiovascular effects of methylphenidate in children with ADHD. Conclusion: The review highlights that while methylphenidate is generally well-tolerated, there are notable cardiovascular risks, particularly in susceptible children. These risks underscore the importance of thorough cardiovascular assessment and monitoring in children undergoing treatment with methylphenidate. The findings advocate for a balanced approach where the benefits of symptom management are weighed against potential cardiovascular risks. Clinicians are advised to adopt comprehensive monitoring strategies and consider individual risk factors when prescribing methylphenidate to children with ADHD.

A protocol for the systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials of interventions to improve sleep in people with mild cognitive impairment or dementia.

Background While sleep disturbance is common in advanced dementia, leading to negative outcomes, there is growing evidence that sleep disturbance begins early in prodromal dementia and may contribute to cognitive decline. Sleep is therefore an important treatment target throughout the natural history of dementia. The existing literature regarding interventions for sleep in people with cognitive impairment is beset by wide heterogeneity in the sleep measurement tools used and outcome measures reported, which limits data synthesis and impedes the development of a robust evidence base for these interventions. Aim We propose to undertake a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the evidence base from clinical trials for both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions to improve sleep in people with cognitive impairment. We will also extract data regarding the sleep measurement tools and outcome measures used in these studies to underpin the development of a core outcome set for future clinical trials in the area. Methods This systematic review and meta-analysis will include randomised and non-randomised controlled clinical trials that assess interventions to improve sleep in participants with mild cognitive impairment or dementia. Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane CENTRAL database will be searched from inception to present. A flow chart will illustrate the study selection process in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. The methodological quality and risk of bias of included studies will be assessed. Heterogeneity will be tested. A narrative synthesis will be undertaken where meta-analysis is not feasible. Conclusion This systematic review and meta-analysis will help inform clinical practice by evaluating the available evidence for interventions to improve sleep in people with mild cognitive impairment or dementia. It will also facilitate the development of a core outcome set that will improve the coherence and utility of data emerging from future clinical trials.

Measuring sustainable business performance in Malaysian hotels: The roles of green information, green innovation strategic orientation, and digital technology implementation

This study investigated the relationship between strategic orientation, green innovation, the implementation of digital technology, and financial and non-financial performance. It has also considered the factors of green information proactiveness, transparency, and formality. The research was conducted in the Malaysian hotel industry, using data from 401 employees and 74 managers. Path analysis was performed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The results indicated that a strategic orientation towards green innovation is positively correlated with green information proactiveness and transparency, that implementing digital technology is positively linked to green information proactiveness and transparency, that the formalization of green information positively impacts financial performance, that non-financial performance is influenced by both proactive and formal green information practices; and that the proactiveness, transparency, and formalization of green information act as mediators in the relationship between green innovation strategic orientation and financial performance. This research provides valuable insights to help the hotel industry move towards a more environmentally responsible and technologically prosperous future by examining these relationships.