Peer Review Research Articles

Diversity, equity and inclusion considerations in mental health apps for young people: protocol for a scoping review

IntroductionAfter COVID-19, a global mental health crisis affects young people, with one in five youth experiencing mental health problems worldwide. Delivering mental health interventions via mobile devices is a promising...

Person-centred care (PCC) research in Ghana: a scoping review protocol

IntroductionPerson-centred care (PCC) is provision of care that is respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs and values, and ensures that patient values guide all clinical decisions. While...

Comparative efficacy and acceptability of different exercise patterns for reducing cardiovascular events in pre-diabetes: protocol for a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

IntroductionExercise has been used to reverse dysglycaemic states in patients with pre-diabetes. Systematic reviews show that exercise is an effective way to reduce the incidence of diabetes, but there is...

Antecedents of Murabaha home financing among Muslim household – an integrated framework

PurposeThough Murabaha financing experienced substantial growth in several majority-Muslim countries, its market share in the Moroccan banking industry is still very narrow than other conventional banks’ instruments. The current research investigated the ability of an extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) framework to explain the main drivers of attitude and intention to use Murabaha financing among Moroccan households. The moderating effect of Islamic religiosity was also scrutinized.Design/methodology/approachData were collected via a survey of 512 Moroccan consumers and analyzed using the partial least squares (PLS) technique.FindingsFirst, attitude toward Islamic banking products is a key predictor of consumer intention to use Murabaha financing. At the same time, consumers’ attitudes are influenced by Islamic financial literacy, subjective norms, behavioral control and profit and loss sharing. Islamic religiosity was also found to positively moderate the link between attitudes towards Islamic banking (IB) and intention to use Murabaha financing, e.g. positive attitudes toward IB are more likely to convert into an intention to use Murabaha financing among Muslim consumers with higher levels of religiosity.Managerial implicationsTo boost consumers’ intention to use Murabaha financing, Islamic bank managers should consider further investment in advertising to enhance consumers’ awareness about IB products. Islamic banks should also consider digital and social media marketing to increase consumers’ awareness about the products and spread a positive e-WOM with regards to their products. Our findings emphasize the importance of Islamic religiosity in shaping Muslim consumers’ intentions to use Murabaha financing. Islamic banks ought to make sure that Murabaha financing contracts are strictly adherent to and compliant with Shari’ah principles. They should also train their frontline employees on Islamic financing activities so that they can effectively respond to the queries and questions of Murabaha potential consumers.Originality/valueThe study findings contribute to the IB literature by demystifying the key factors shaping Muslim consumers’ intentions to use Murabaha financing. The study also extends the literature by emphasizing Islamic religiosity as a basis for Muslim consumers’ behavior in the context of IB. To the best of our knowledge, this study is among the first to empirically investigate Muslim consumers’ intention to use Murabaha financing in North Africa and the Arab countries.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-10-2022-0680

Identifying factors that can be used to assess a country’s readiness to deploy a new vaccine or improve uptake of an underutilised vaccine: a scoping review

ObjectivesIdentifying whether a country is ready to deploy a new vaccine or improve uptake of an existing vaccine requires knowledge of a diverse range of interdependent, context-specific factors. This scoping...

Evaluation of Central Sensitisation in Bladder Pain Syndrome: A Systematic Review.

Bladder pain syndrome (BPS) is a debilitating condition characterised by exaggerated bladder sensations and altered bladder function. It is still unknown whether the condition is a peripheral sensory problem or due to abnormal central sensory processing as seen in central sensitisation. This systematic review, which followed a published and Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews-registered protocol (CRD42021229962), is aimed at establishing the scope of central sensitisation in patients with BPS to aid optimal management and treatment. Four databases were searched, and appraisal of the identified studies was conducted by two independent reviewers based on eligibility criteria: patients with BPS being investigated for central sensitisation with or without comparison of controls, English-language articles, full text and publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The Methodological Index for non-Randomised Studies was used to determine study quality. We identified 763 papers in total, with 15 studies included in the final analysis. All studies were observational and had a low risk of bias. Measures included in the evaluation of CS were questionnaires, urodynamics, and quantitative sensory testing methods. There was evidence of central sensitisation in patients with BPS in all papers evaluated (15 out of 15). In addition, more significant central sensitisation correlated with severe disease presentation (3 out of 3 papers) and concomitant chronic pain conditions (5 out of 5 papers). Central sensitisation plays an integral role in BPS patient pathology. Many secondary measures are used to evaluate this condition. Stratification of patients based on their pathology (peripheral, central or a combination of the two) will aid in implementing an individualised management strategy.

Measuring Quality of Life in Deprescribing Trials: A Scoping Review.

Quality of life (QoL) is an important outcome to capture in clinical trials evaluating deprescribing interventions. We aimed to conduct a scoping review to examine how QoL has been measured in deprescribing trials among older people and identify potentially relevant QoL scales, to better inform QoL measurement in future deprescribing trials. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Google Scholar, Epistemonikos, ClinicalTrials.gov, and reference lists of eligible studies (from inception to October 2023). We included randomized and non-randomized comparative studies with a control group that evaluated deprescribing and polypharmacy reduction interventions in people ≥ 65 years of age and measured QoL as an outcome. We also included studies describing the development and validation of QoL scales related to deprescribing, polypharmacy, or medication burden in adults ≥ 18 years of age. Two independent reviewers screened titles and abstracts, then full texts. Two independent reviewers extracted data from 25% of eligible studies in order to verify agreement, then a single reviewer extracted data from the remaining studies, which a second reviewer cross-checked. We critically appraised scales based on the COSMIN checklist. We retrieved 7290 articles, of which 52 were eligible for inclusion, including 44 deprescribing trials and eight scale development studies. From these studies, we found 21 scales that have been used in the context of deprescribing/polypharmacy (12 generic scales used in clinical trials and nine medication-specific scales). Variations of the generic EQ-5D were the most used scales. The measurement properties of scales for capturing changes in QoL from deprescribing were uncertain. Medication-specific QoL scales have not been employed in deprescribing clinical trials and thus, their performance in this context is also not clear. Several existing QoL scales have been applied to the context of deprescribing/polypharmacy clinical trials, and new scales specific to the problem have been proposed. If deprescribing does impact QoL, our findings suggest it is uncertain whether existing QoL scales can practically and reliably capture such a change or whether any scale is best. However, this review compares various aspects of the scales that researchers and clinicians can consider in decisions about measuring QoL in deprescribing trials, and in planning future research. Open Science Framework: osf.io/aez6w.

Relaxation Therapy and Human Milk Feeding Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Human milk feeding is a key public health goal to optimize infant and maternal/parental health, but global lactation outcomes do not meet recommended duration and exclusivity. There are connections between lactation and mental health. To appraise all available evidence on whether the provision of relaxation interventions to lactating individuals improves lactation and well-being. Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched on September 30, 2023, and topic experts were consulted. Two independent reviewers screened for eligibility. Inclusion criteria were full-text, peer-reviewed publications with a randomized clinical trial design. Techniques that were entirely physical (eg, massage) were excluded. A total of 7% of initially identified studies met selection criteria. Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed risk of bias with the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool. Fixed-effects meta-analysis and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations guidelines were used to synthesize and present evidence. Prespecified primary outcomes were human milk quantity, length and exclusivity of human milk feeding, milk macronutrients/cortisol, and infant growth and behavior. A total of 16 studies were included with 1871 participants (pooled mean [SD] age for 1656 participants, 29.6 [6.1] years). Interventions were music, guided relaxation, mindfulness, and breathing exercises/muscle relaxation. Provision of relaxation was not associated with a change in human milk protein (mean difference [MD], 0 g/100 mL; 95% CI, 0; 205 participants). Provision of relaxation was associated with an increase in human milk quantity (standardized mean difference [SMD], 0.73; 95% CI, 0.57-0.89; 464 participants), increased infant weight gain in breastfeeding infants (MD, z score change = 0.51; 95% CI, 0.30-0.72; 226 participants), and a slight reduction in stress and anxiety (SMD stress score, -0.49; 95% CI, -0.70 to -0.27; 355 participants; SMD anxiety score, -0.45; 95% CI, -0.67 to -0.22; 410 participants). Results of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that provision of relaxation was associated with an increase in human milk quantity and infant weight gain and a slight reduction in stress and anxiety. Relaxation interventions can be offered to lactating parents who would like to increase well-being and improve milk supply or, where directly breastfeeding, increase infant weight gain.

Effects of work-directed interventions on return-to-work in people on sick-leave for to common mental disorders-a systematic review.

To evaluate the body of evidence of the effects of work-directed interventions on return-to-work for people on sick leave due to common mental disorders (i.e., mild to moderate depression, anxiety, adjustment disorders and reactions to severe stress). The systematic review was conducted in accordance with an a priori developed and registered protocol (Prospero CRD42021235586). The certainty of evidence was assessed by two independent reviewers using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations. We reviewed 14,794 records published between 2015 and 2021. Of these, eight RCTs published in eleven articles were included in the analysis. Working age adults (18 to 64years), on sick leave due to mild to moderate depression, anxiety, adjustment disorders or reactions to severe stress. Work-directed interventions. No comparator, Standard care, or other measures. return to work, number of days on sick leave, income. Overall, the effects of work-focused CBT and work-focused team-based support on RTW resulted in increased or faster return-to-work compared with standard care or no intervention (low certainty of evidence). The effects of Individual Placement and Support showed no difference in RTW compared with standard care (very low certainty of evidence). Interventions involving the workplace could increase the probability of RTW. Areas in need of improvement in the included studies, for example methodological issues, are discussed. Further, suggestions are made for improving methodological rigor when conducting large scale trials.

Preparation and tribological properties of porous polyimide modified by graphene

Purpose The purpose of this article is to prepare graphene/polyimide composite materials for use as bearing cage materials, improving the friction and wear performance of bearing cages. Design/methodology/approach The oil absorption and discharge tests were conducted to evaluate the oil content properties of the materials, while the mechanical properties were analyzed through cross-sectional morphology examination. Investigation into the tribological behavior and wear mechanisms encompassed characterization and analysis of wear trace morphology in PPI-based materials. Consequently, the influence of varied graphene nanoplatelets (GN) concentrations on the oil content, mechanical and tribological properties of PPI-based materials was elucidated. Findings The composites exhibit excellent oil-containing properties due to the increased porosity of PPI-GN composites. The robust formation of covalent bonds between GN and PPI amplifies the adhesive potency of the PPI-GN composites, thereby inducing a substantial enhancement in impact strength. Notably, the PPI-GN composites showed enhanced lubrication properties compared to PPI, which was particularly evident at a GN content of 0.5 Wt.%, as evidenced by the minimization of the average coefficient of friction and the width of the abrasion marks. Practical implications This paper includes implications for elucidating the wear mechanism of the polyimide composites under frictional wear conditions and then to guide the optimization of oil content and tribological properties of polyimide bearing cage materials. Originality/value In this paper, homogeneously dispersed PPI-GN composites were effectively synthesized by introducing GN into a polyimide matrix through in situ polymerization, and the lubrication mechanism of the PPI composites was compared with that of the PPI-GN composites to illustrate the composites’ superiority. Peer review The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-12-2023-0415

Characteristics, reliability, and quality of YouTube videos on meralgia paresthetica: a descriptive cross-sectional study.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate YouTube videos on meralgia paresthetica (MP) for reliability, quality, and differences between quality levels. We analyzed 59 videos related to MP. We evaluated several video characteristics, including views, likes, dislikes, duration, and speaker profile. We used view ratio, like ratio, Video Power Index (VPI), Global Quality Scale (GQS), JAMA criteria, and modified DISCERN (mDISCERN) to assess viewer engagement, popularity, educational quality, and reliability. The videos received a total of 4,009,141 views (average 67,951.54), with 25.4% focused on exercise training and 23.7% focused on disease information. Mean scores were mDISCERN 2.4, GQS 2.8, and JAMA 2.1. Physician-led videos had higher mDISCERN scores, while allied health worker-led videos had more views, likes, dislikes, view ratios, and VPI. Poor and high-quality videos differed in views, likes, view ratio, VPI, and duration. Positive correlations existed among mDISCERN, JAMA, and GQS scores, with video duration positively correlated with GQS. The content of YouTube videos discussing diseases significantly influences viewer engagement and popularity. To enhance the availability of valuable content on YouTube, which lacks a peer review process, medical professionals must contribute high-quality educational materials tailored to their target audience.

Determinants of electric vehicle adoption: insights from Indian states

PurposeElectric Vehicles (EVs), owing to their low carbon emissions, have gained immense importance in achieving net-zero emissions by 2070. They have also appeared as viable substitute to conventional vehicles. Aligning with global initiatives, India has created a favourable ecosystem and has implemented several policies since 2011 to achieve its target. Consequently, the market share of EVs has surged, both globally and in India, over the past decade. Taking this into account, this study aims to identify the factors that influence EVs in a developing economy using the context of India.Design/methodology/approachThis study identified important determinants of EV adoption from global literature and employed a multiple linear regression model (MLRM) using the ordinary least squares (OLS) technique. Secondary data were utilised to identify determinants in the Indian context, sourced from the Ministry, NITI Aayog, AQI, the Lok Sabha Question, and the Economic Survey of India.FindingsThis study found that the number of charging stations and local pollution levels significantly influence EV adoption in India. The insignificance of the other variables may be due to the emerging state of the Indian EV market.Originality/valueThis study adds to the growing body of literature on EV adoption in developing economies by analysing the factors that impact its adoption using regional data. In addition, this study provides a unique perspective on a developing economy and advocates a comprehensive policy for EV adoption that reflects long-term sustainability.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-06-2023-0479.

Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) 2023 Update on Clinical Guidelines for Management of Major Depressive Disorder in Adults: Réseau canadien pour les traitements de l'humeur et de l'anxiété (CANMAT) 2023 : Mise à jour des lignes directrices cliniques pour la prise en charge du trouble dépressif majeur chez les adultes.

The Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) last published clinical guidelines for the management of major depressive disorder (MDD) in 2016. Owing to advances in the field, an update was needed to incorporate new evidence and provide new and revised recommendations for the assessment and management of MDD in adults. CANMAT convened a guidelines editorial group comprised of academic clinicians and patient partners. A systematic literature review was conducted, focusing on systematic reviews and meta-analyses published since the 2016 guidelines. Recommendations were organized by lines of treatment, which were informed by CANMAT-defined levels of evidence and supplemented by clinical support (consisting of expert consensus on safety, tolerability, and feasibility). Drafts were revised based on review by patient partners, expert peer review, and a defined expert consensus process. The updated guidelines comprise eight primary topics, in a question-and-answer format, that map a patient care journey from assessment to selection of evidence-based treatments, prevention of recurrence, and strategies for inadequate response. The guidelines adopt a personalized care approach that emphasizes shared decision-making that reflects the values, preferences, and treatment history of the patient with MDD. Tables provide new and updated recommendations for psychological, pharmacological, lifestyle, complementary and alternative medicine, digital health, and neuromodulation treatments. Caveats and limitations of the evidence are highlighted. The CANMAT 2023 updated guidelines provide evidence-informed recommendations for the management of MDD, in a clinician-friendly format. These updated guidelines emphasize a collaborative, personalized, and systematic management approach that will help optimize outcomes for adults with MDD.

224 Influence of gender on animal science research funding from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture

Abstract According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, females and males in science disciplines obtain bachelor of science degrees at or near parity, yet females are not equally represented in academic faculty positions. This is true for agricultural field including the animal sciences. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) administers the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) at USDA, a flagship competitive grants program that fund research, education, and extension efforts with a total appropriation of $455 million in 2023. Our objective was to determine the difference between genders for submission rates (i.e., number of standard and seed grant applications submitted), success rates (i.e., number of grant award/number of applications submitted), and peer reviewers of grant applications in the main animal related AFRI program area priorities. All applications submitted to AFRI programs in animal genomics, reproduction, health, nutrition and growth, and welfare during 2013 to 2022 were evaluated. Gender was assigned to Project Directors (PD) and peer reviewers using first names as input into Gender API software (Gender-API.com; Passau, Germany) with ≥ 95% accuracy and ≥ 20 database occurrences used as quality filters and binary outcomes only (i.e., male or female). Effect of gender on submission rates, success rates, and peer review panel compositions were then analyzed using Pearson’s Chi-squared tests with P ≤ 0.05 considered significant. A total of 3,392 applications were submitted, of which 2,579 (76%) PD genders were assigned and analyzed further. Overall, the proportional submission rate for females was 28% and for males was 72%. Submission rates for females increased (P = 0.0497) over time ranging from 22% in 2013 to 33% in 2021. Submission rates differed by gender across programs (P < 0.0001) and ranged from 22% female in animal reproduction to 48% female in animal welfare. Overall, the funding success rate was 22% and did not differ between genders (P = 0.9826). Success rates did not differ between genders over time (P = 0.4691), but differences among programs approached significance (P = 0.0670). Across 53 panels, 42% of panelists were female; no differences were identified for the proportion of female panelists over time (P = 0.9762) or by program (P = 0.7028). Females submitted less than one-half as many applications as males, but the proportion of submissions by females increased over time. This trend remained consistent despite challenges of relocation of NIFA and COVID-19 during this time. Funding success rates did not differ by gender, but some variation was observed across programs. Overall, the proportion of NIFA panelists who were female exceeded the proportion of applications submitted by females. These results indicate that although differences in gender existed for application submission rate and panel composition, these differences did not impact funding success rate of applications in animal science programs at NIFA, which did not differ between genders.

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.

RETRACTION: A randomized trial of local endometrial injury during ovulation induction cycles.

Helmy, M. E. E., Maher, M. A., Elkouly, N. I., Ramzy, M. (2017) A randomized trial of local endometrial injury during ovulation induction cycles. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 138: 47-52. https://doi.org/10.1002/ijgo.12178. The above article, published online on 11 April 2017 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the journal Editor-in-Chief, Professor Michael Geary, the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics, and John Wiley and Sons Ltd. Concerns were raised by a third party about inconsistencies in the data of this article and the authors were asked to provide an explanation. The authors responded to the journal's inquiry, but could not share original data. Following the authors response, an independent review concluded that the sample size calculations were not reproducible, that the analysis of live births was misreported, and that, due to the absence of original data, the journal was not able to reproduce the calculations for relative risks reported in the manuscript. The journal has determined that these errors fundamentally compromise the conclusions of the article and that they could not be addressed by a correction. As such, the journal is issuing this retraction. The authors disagree with this retraction.

Reflections

As ever, the themes in this issue of Reflections are wide ranging. Last time I recognised the wonderful job our reviewers perform and how their contributions improve the quality of publications in this Journal (and elsewhere). This time, the focus is on the challenges of peer review and the importance of authors working together with reviewers (and the EiC) to make papers ‘shine’. On a happier note, ‘short communications’ will be introduced as a new category of manuscript to submit the Journal. Often, a neat, rounded piece of work is better suited to a standalone publication and can be lost in the push for a ‘big’ paper. Peer review and the usual rules will apply but the text of MS is no more than 2000 words with a maximum of 20 references. Finally, even in the refined world of scientific publication, it is good to celebrate success. The number of downloads is measure of reader interest and accordingly papers with > 400 downloads (and beyond) are flagged within an issue and across the archive.

Video-based interventions promoting social behavioural skills for autistic children and young people: An evidence and gap map.

Video-based interventions (VBIs) are an approach that can be used to promote social behavioural skills for autistic children and young people. Despite an abundance of literature in this area, previous evidence syntheses are limited by their exclusive search strategies and eligibility criteria. Therefore, there is a lack of comprehensive evidence syntheses to provide insight on whether these interventions work, for whom, and in what circumstances. Evidence and Gap Maps (EGMs) are used to collate vast literature on a broad topic area such as this, highlighting areas for synthesis, and identifying gaps for future research. To identify, map and synthesise existing primary research on VBIs promoting social behavioural skills for autistic children and young people, creating a live, searchable and publicly available EGM. Searches were conducted in electronic databases (n = 8), web search engines, and other repositories including published papers and grey literature. The search strategy was developed around two concepts including (1) terms related to autism, and (2) terms related to VBIs. Searches were conducted in May 2021. All primary studies evaluating the effectiveness of VBIs in promoting social behaviours for autistic children and young people aged 3-18 were included in the EGM. Search results were imported into Eppi-Reviewer where duplicates of identical studies were removed. Titles and abstracts were then screened by two independent reviewers. Potentially eligible full texts were located and also screened by two reviewers. Data were then extracted on study design, participant characteristics, type of intervention, type of outcome, and country of study, by one of three reviewers. EPPI-Mapper was used to create the interactive EGM. The current EGM contains 438 studies reporting on 394 single subject research designs, 25 randomised controlled trials, 15 non-randomised group designs, and 8 pretest-posttest designs. Included studies evaluated VBIs in all male (n = 238), mixed gender (n = 172) or all female (n = 17) samples. VBIs employed included video modelling (n = 273), video self-modelling (n = 82), point-of-view modelling (n = 61), video prompting (n = 57), video feedback (n = 12) and computer-based video instruction (n = 4). The most frequently used models were adults (n = 191) and peers (n = 135). In relation to social outcomes, almost half evaluated social engagement (n = 199) with limited studies looking at safety (n = 9) and community (n = 7) skills. This EGM provides a valuable resource for policy-makers, practitioners, researchers, funders and members of the public to access evidence on VBIs promoting social behavioural skills in autistic children and young people. The map has identified areas of sufficient research where evidence can undergo synthesis. In addition, important gaps in the evidence were highlighted and suggest further research is warranted in all female samples and less frequently evaluated types of VBIs and social outcomes. Evidence included in this EGM will be further explored via systematic review and meta-analysis on control group designs.

Revealing the tribological mechanism of synergistic effect between MoDTC and P-containing additives in aluminum-based grease

Purpose This study aims to reveal the tribological mechanism of synergistic effect between MoDTC and P-containing additives in aluminum-based grease. Design/methodology/approach The authors prepared a molybdenum dialkyl dithiocarbamate (MoDTC) and revealed the tribological mechanism of synergistic effect between MoDTC and P-containing additives in aluminum-based grease by combining with ZDDP and P-containing and S-free additives. Findings The MoDTC the authors prepared has good friction-reducing and anti-wear properties in aluminum-based grease and has an obvious synergistic effect with ZDDP. MoDTC and ZDDP have a significant synergistic effect on the tribological properties in aluminum-based grease, mainly because of the formation of phosphates and metaphosphates as well as more MoS2 in the friction film. P element plays a facilitating role in the chemical conversion of MoDTC to MoS2. Originality/value The experiments of MoDTC with tributyl phosphate and trimethylphenyl phosphate confirm that the P element plays a facilitating role in the chemical conversion of MoDTC into MoS2. Peer review The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-12-2023-0410

Intersectional injustices: police responses to migrant, Black and minoritised victim-survivors of rape and other sexual offences in England and Wales

ABSTRACT Research has explored how gender discrimination and sexist stereotypes in the form of rape myths permeate police investigations in England. Yet, scant attention has been given to the impact of intersectional structural disadvantages on shaping police responses to rape. Recent quantitative studies reveal a criminal justice gap for Black and minoritised victim-survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, pointing to a troubling policing reality that demands further scrutiny. This paper turns to that by drawing on data from 25 cases from four forces collected between 2021 and 2022 as part of Operation Soteria Bluestone (OSB) through a novel method in which police investigators critically peer review their colleagues’ case files to assess strengths and weaknesses. Our study provides a unique methodological and empirical contribution to the field, as qualitative research on Black and minoritised women’s experiences of policing as victim-survivors of sexual and domestic violence has primarily relied on interviews with police officers, victim-survivors and practitioners. The framework of institutional racism and intersectionality sheds light on how the police may inadequately respond to rape cases and the intersecting needs of migrant, Black and minoritised women. As Black feminists contend, the intersection of multiple categories of oppression both generates and invisibilises specific forms of violence and institutional responses to them. Our findings indicate that migrant, Black and minoritised victim-survivors are being failed on multiple fronts, including police neglect and inaction in rape investigations, ineffective addressing of language needs of migrant victim-survivors involved and a lack of referral to by-and-for specialist support services.